A Sumo-rific Visit With the Gerbers

Last Sunday, the Gerbers treated me to a Halloween brunch at Preakness. Mike and Matt wore the coolest costumes. They were both sumo wrestlers.

The food was terrific, as always. And tucked in among the buffet items was an awesome disembodied head inside a crystal ball that lit up and made noises. Here it is with my camera's flash on:

And here it is with the flash off:

Spooky!

And speaking of scary heads, I got in on the pretending-to-be-a-sumo act:

At Chez Gerber, we did the usual things:

Give lots of love to Molly:

Check. 

Play video games on M&M's Wii and my PSP until our eyeballs want to fall out:

Check. 

Cook and eat Brussels sprouts. Ch– Whaaa!?

I took some Brussels sprouts I'd gotten at the Greenmarket the day before because I wanted the Gerbers—who Tracey claimed don't like BSes—to try them the way I make them: Bill's Browned Brussels Sprouts. They're little slices of cruciferous-vegetable heaven, served piping hot from my skillet to your belly. Unless you won't try 'em. Like Matt. I guess we now know which twin is my favorite and who'll be getting the opulentest presents this coming holiday season. Mike, would you like the Porsche or the Maserati? And Matt, will it be anthracite or bituminous? Hah!

Tracey and David both genuinely enjoyed my little cabbages, and Mike said they were OK. Winnah!

And speaking of food-related winning, when I'd spoken to Mom that morning on the walk to the subway, she'd mentioned that she'd been able to find canned apricots at the grocery store for the first time in a long time. Hmm, should I give that a bang to make it seem more exciting? Sure. She'd been able to find canned apricots at the grocery store for the first time in a long time! Then she said—and she acknowledged it was a little strange—that she liked all of the fruits in canned fruit cocktail but she's not terribly fond of fruit cocktail.

I had to share that story with the Gerbers, which led us to create all kinds of nutty expressions along the lines of "I like fruit and I like cocktails but I don't like fruit cocktail," which I know isn't quite what Mom said but it works better for comedic purposes. For example, "I like milk and I like shakes but I don't like milkshakes." and "I like monkeys and I like britches but I don't like Monkey Britches." Yesterday, I came up with one I thought was clever and wrote it on David's Facebook wall while wishing him good luck in today's New York City Marathon: "I like Marys and I like thongs but I don't like marathons." He wrote back that it was a stretch but thanks. So then I wrote, "I like running long distances and I like races but I don't like marathons." And then, "I like cheese and I like taking a whiz but I don't like Cheez Whiz." Eh? Oh come on. That's all comedy gold.

After a pizza dinner, one of the best moments of the day came when the Gerbers dropped me off at the train station in Ridgewood. Matt told me, "I like uncles and I like Bills but I love Uncle Bill."

Comments

[tracey]

We had a great time with you too Bill! And you have converted me - I do like Brussels Sprouts!!

[David]

Awwwwwwww!