Allen and Betty Jo Porter invited my bride and myself to a BBQ on November 4, 2017, of which we were able to attend.

I named this short story, Sandbar BBQ because my Brother Allen and Betty Jo's sisters boyfriend JJ, recently booked a fishing trip out of Carolina Beach on the Winner Queen party boat.  They left sometime around 0300 hours and within about thirty minutes, the large 80 passenger party boat ran aground on a sandbar while still in the coastal waterways.  It took some time to get the large boat off the sandbar of which there was serious damage to one of the engine drive shafts and propellers and they limped back to the marina getting there sometime around 0500 hours.  The Captain quickly refunded their money and that was a fishing trip that didn't happen to remember for sure.  I believe Allen said the Captain called Betty Jo and told her they had run out of water......grin if you must!  With all the high technology navigation equipment on board the boat, it had to be human error for sure.  Luckily, no one was injured needing immediate medical attention......now back to the BBQ.

My bride aka Joyce and myself arrived sometime around 11ish or so and we were early and it didn't take too long before I had the shutter on the ole Canon 30D 35mm DSLR camera clicking away.  Later on, Ronnie and Judy Davis arrived, along with Kay and JJ, Jason, Monica, Kambrie and Porter Kearns, Doug and Susan Pettigrew and the fun began.

ALLEN PORTER, THE GRILL MASTER

Allen doesn't have much room left on the cooking area of his homemade cooker which uses charcoal.  I have heard many say they can't taste the difference between charcoal versus gas cooked grill items, but all I can say is, "They have diminished taste buds" for sure!"

Click on the below thumbnail pixs taken for a larger screen view:

While Allen was taking the chicken and ribs off the grill, we test tasted a sample of the chicken and ribs and that was some wonderful stuff to the palate.   I had to grin when Allen talked about his "secret" rub and I reminded him that our Sister Susan Pettigrew of Reidsville, NC had purchased some of the same stuff he was using and had given some to me along with his secret bottled sauce!  I prefer my own Wild Bill's Meat Rub for most of my meats, but we all have different likes.

I believe this is some of the best grilling Brother Allen has done to date.  He left five Boston butts on the grill, of which would be done around 6PM or so.

KICKING BACK ON THE SCREENED IN DECK

Before the food was served, we got a chance to kick back on the screened in deck and enjoyed JJ relating with excellent detail about the fishing trip that didn't happen.  I like not to have recognized JJ since he has cut his long hair and beard and had lost about 100 pounds of weight.  JJ will keep you grinning the whole time since he is a great story teller and puts emotion into what he is talking about along with some outstanding eye mannerisms.

Click on the thumbnail pixs for a larger screen view:

MAKING NEW FRIENDS

I met Allen and Betty Jo Porter's neighbors, Judy and Ronnie Davis and had a great time chatting with them.  Below pixs of them.  BTW, Ronnie had a good time sampling some homemade vanilla that was made from vanilla beans and vodka and posed for a pix.  Ronnie added a good swig of the homemade vanilla to his black coffee and I bet ole Juan Valdez jumped off the back of his jackass and started picking more coffee beans when that high octane vanilla hit the fresh brewed black coffee.  My sister Susan Pettigrew brought the vanilla to Monica Kerns and I think had to hide it from Ronnie; another grin is in order!

Ronnie's wife, Judy is in the background with a big grin going as well!

GETTING THE VITTLES READY

Allen Porter with a good ole SS retirement smile!

JASON KEARNS BEFORE AND AFTER PLATE

I kidded Jason Kearns, Allen and Betty Jo's son-in-law about not getting ahead of myself in the chow line, because Jason can put away some groceries for sure.  Below pixs of his before and after plate:

Those left over rib and chicken bones look like that met up with a vintage McCulloch chain saw with a fresh sharpened Oregon chain headed to the audition for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. 

DESSERTS

There were some outstanding desserts and Judy Davis brought over a couple of her signature coconut pies and it was "off the chain good" for sure.....I definitely will have to get her recipe.

My Sister Susan aka SusieQ Pettigrew brought a chocolate cake that was off the chart too:

There must be a zillion calories in that chocolate cake.

In closing, we had a wonderful time.  The food was fantastic along with the fellowship.  "Two of the Greatest Ships that ever Sailed, Friendship and Fellowship" and we had smooth sailing for sure.