We stayed close to home yesterday and ended up at Southpaws for lunch.  After some confusing questions and answers I finally decided on the belly burger but got swiss instead of american cheese.  
It was a giant sandwich, half pound burger with bacon and to my surprise it also had pulled pork on it.  Really good sandwich but be careful, it came be sloppy.  I also ordered fries but didn't eat a lot because the burger was so big, the ones I ate were really good though.
While we sat there we had a conversation with one of the managers who said they are adding to their menu.  The last time I was there me and Greyson split some wings with dry rub and the dry rub was a little to thick and spicy for him.  The manager said I could request light rub, good to know.

Lisa has been in the pizza mood but wanting something different and that sounded like a plan so yesterday we went to Deep South in Mcleansboro.  I've been wanting to try it out for quite some time but to try the catfish instead of pizza.  We got on the road and I made a wrong turn in Benton and we went a little out of our way but we finally made it there.  Nothing like I expect and McLeansboro isn't as big as I thought, population of 3000.  It gives the impression that it is a bbq place but we didn't see anyone order any kind of bbq.  Several fish plates and they looked good.
The had jalapeno poppers and Lisa ordered some for her and Debbie.  I tried a bite but not really my thing especially with cream cheese in them.  Me and Lisa split a pepperoni and mushroom pizza while Mike got a burger with hushpuppies and Debbie got a fried chicken sandwich with fries.
Our pizza was great and exactly what I was looking for, something a little different and the crust was hand made.  Mike said his burger was good but it didn't look like anything special to me.  He wasn't wild about the hushpuppies, they had corn and he didn't like that.   Debbie like her sandwich and both of them really liked the fries.
Nice place with very nice people.  Too bad it's so far away.
On the way back we stopped in Pheasant Hollow for a drink, mainly to show it to Mike and Debbie.  Not much happening there.
We also stopped at Aces & Eights once again to show it to Mike and Debbie,.
A nice trip to an area we don't go to very often.

Wednesday we went up to DuQuoin to check out the Corner Pocket.  I'd heard good things about it so why not?  We had trouble finding the place mainly because there aren't any signs saying Corner Pocket, it appears there used to be one but it isn't there anymore.  
We walked in and there are at least six pool tables but it still had a restaurant vibe to it.  The menu is a pub type menu heavy on fried stuff.  I decided on a pork tenderloin with mustard, onions and pickles and a side of slaw.  Lisa went with an italian beef with fried cauliflower.  I haven't had a fried pork tenderloin in quite a while.  This one appeared to be of the frozen out of a bag type but it still was done very well and quite tasty.  The slaw was mayo based but was homemade and very good.  Lisa seemed to like the italian beef but I thought it needed more juice or at least some au jus on the side.  The cauliflower was really well cooked and good.   
Overall a good place but not one we have to get back to soon.

Hot.  Humid.  Moist.  This describes the weather as Roll'em played it's week 4 games last night.  We played the 6:30 and 7:30 and did I mention it was hot.
In the first game we had a rare opportunity to play on the first court against Dark Side of the Pallino.  In the first frame their last shot knock us up into a point and we were off from there.  We never pulled away but we stayed steadily in front but with a chance to win I made two bad shots but Debbie picked me up with a ball that wasn't that close but they couldn't get inside it.  I think the score was 9-5.
In the second game we moved back to what seems like our normal court, the third.  We played Beers and Bocce.  The scored a single in the first and then they made a great shot that somehow eluded our balls and hit the pallino back for a three point frame.  The pushed the score to 7-0 before we finally got on the board.  We followed that up with a four point frame to move to 7-5.  We got a couple points and they got one to move the score to 8-7 but their leadoff player got one close and we couldn't get inside it for a 9-7 loss.
Hot was the word for the night.  It was brutal.

For the first time since Monday was added as a league night and maybe the first anyway I've played on all the league nights.  Not a big deal for some folks who already do it but I'm of the once a week is enough players and it looks like the tue-thu subbing might last the whole season.  Luckily I haven't played on all four nights in a single week.  It's been long enough since I've played on a non Wednesday that I don't know many of the players and that's been nice meeting and playing against them.  We've been on Wednesday so long it's become kind of routine, same teams same players.  Anyway it's been nice to check out the other nights.

We went to Sams yesterday and our original plan was to go to Smokin Ks but opted to try out Moonshine Run in Johnston City.  The interior is setup real nice with a bar in the middle and tables around it and booths against the wall.  The menu seems limited but with a lot of interesting choices.  
We ordered mushrooms while we were deciding and they were great but totally different than the mushrooms we had earlier in the week at Gabbys.  Lisa initially went with an italian beef only to find out they were out of it.  She finally went with a cheeseburger with a side salad.  I decided on wings and onion rings, shortly after the waitress came back out and informed us they were out of wings too.  We then decided to split the cheeseburger but keep the onion rings.  The salad was a typical side salad and was solid.  The cheeseburger was very good, it had a really nice crust on it that tasted great.  I would have liked to have it better seasoned but that's me.  Finally the onion rings were great too but appeared to have the same batter as the mushrooms.  I won't order both of them again since they are so similar and both are heavy.
After we left we stopped by Lineman's Lounge, a name that will bring shivers to the members and wives of my old softball team.  About 40 years ago we played in a tournament in Johnston City and it got rained out after our first game.  For some reason none of the wives or girlfriends went on this trip so we all ended up at Linemans Lounge.  We proceeded to drink up our entry fee and about every dollar that we had.  There were several near divorces and breakups over this trip so needless to say there were wives or girlfriends at every tournament after this.
Anyway it has changed a lot from what I remember from all those years ago.  It is a much nicer place and has a patio that is very very nice but one was enough just in case.

On a warm muggy Wednesday Roll'em once again took the court for our week 3 games.  We played the 6&7 games and ended up on the third court for both.  Greyson opted to come down instead of go to Brinleys ballgame so he was our ball boy.
In the first game we played Money Balls freshly attired in their very green shirts.  Nothing good to say about this game.  None of us could get close to the pallino and we lost 9-1.
In the second game we played Mag 4 and once again got down early with them taking a 6-1 lead but a three point frame put us in the game again.  We kept pace with them until the score reached 8-7 when they inched in front of out point on their last throw.  Down to one ball with the game on the line Mike managed to push his ball just hard enough to get a point and have his other ball measured.  It was in and we managed a 9-8 win.
Not a great night for any of us really especially me and Lisa.

We went to Gabbys yesterday for the first time in a while.  It was Jeans last day in town before leaving today so a get together was in order.  First for lunch and then later on at Mike's.
We got fried cauliflower and mushrooms for an appetizers.  The cauliflower was good but the mushrooms were excellent.  I kept thinking catfish but didn't really want the full meal deal so I ended up going with a catfish sandwich.  I wanted slaw but they were out so I ended up getting chips, I should have chosen mushrooms.  The chips were cold and not very seasoned, even salting them didn't help.  The catfish sandwich came out and there was a piece of fish on a bun, nothing else.  I asked for tartar sauce and even after putting it on it was lacking.  I was about to ask for pickles when I noticed Jean hadn't eaten her pickle from her bloody mary so I put that on my sandwich along with the pickle from her second one.  That really helped the sandwich.  The fish itself was good but I'm not sure I'll get it again.
Needless to say Dax entertained everyone throughout the lunch.

Week 2 was played on a warm muggy night with us playing at 6:30 and 7:30 but getting an early start on game one when a team no showed.
In the first game we played Muddy Rollers on the third court.  We started out ahead with a string of one point frames before finally breaking through with a two point frame.  We followed that up with a series of good frames and a 9-0 win.
In the second game we were once again on the third court against Holy Ballz. Everything that went right the first game went wrong in this game, we got behind in the ball count and gave up some big frames and lost 9-0.
I didn't think court 3 was rolling as good as it had this year.  It seemed slower and more erractic.  Oh well.

Lisa and Mike went to St Louis to pick up their sister Jean but were back in plenty of time to start the summer season.  The weather was rainy and muggy until about half way through our second game.  We played the 6&7 games and since there are only 12 teams playing there are no 8 or 8:30 games, hallelujah.
In the first game we played Bocceilism on the third court.  We made some good throws and moved out to a 7-3 lead but they got a 3 point frame and it was game on.  We got a point and they got a couple to tie the game at 8.  They went deep corner with the pallino but we got one close and they missed a knock and their other throws just missed and we got a 9-8 win.
We played Bertha's Ball Handlers in the second game, once again on the third court.  They had played their first game on a different court and had trouble with the speed.  We jumped out to a big lead and cruised to a 9-5 win.
Nice to get started 2-0.

A beautiful day yesterday so we took the tops out of the jeep and went for a ride.  Lisa had done a 5k benefit walk in the morning so she was ready to get some food so we decided on Mases Place.
I got a brisket burger with tots, Lisa and Debbie got italian pork and Mike got pulled pork with tots and hushpuppies.  After we'd ordered we decided on some mushrooms for an appetizer.  The mushrooms were barely okay but definitely nothing special and I liked them better than Lisa or Debbie, Mike of course didn't eat any.  
None of the food was very hot so I wonder if it sat while they gave us time to eat the appetizers.  My brisket burger was a good solid burger and the tots were good, I'd ordered extra seasoning and it really helped it out.  The italian pork was good but as with everything it need to be hotter.
After we left we stopped at Hickory Ridge winery.  We'd been there before but had been hesitant to stop with Mike and Debbie since Mike doesn't like wine.  It was very peaceful and nice sitting outside.  A nice breeze helped keep the bugs away.  We all got sangria and everyone liked it include Mike much to everyones surprise.
We finished the day with trip down to Hutchins Creek and then back home.