Trying to catch up on log entries with some happenings from February. You already know that my nephew was born.

Sara and I also attended the Winter Warmer at the Lafayette Brewing Company (their annual Barleywine & Strong Ale tasting). We had never gone before since the tickets sell out in a matter of hours. But some very kind folks from the Tippecanoe Homebrewers' Circle had some spare tickets that we could buy. It was a nice event and I will try to attend again. Photos here.

Of course there was also Saint Valentine's Day. The recipe was mostly good, but the frosting turned out too hard to apply to the cupcakes, so it was kind of a mess. The flaming strawberry part worked out well.

On March 14th 2011 Sara's grandfather Homer P. Hargrave Jr. passed away. He was a kind man who lived a very interesting life.

After his mother died at a young age he was adopted by Colleen Moore. Yes, that Colleen Moore. He grew up in Chicago and served in the 11th Airborne Division in the Pacific during World War II. After the war he was a member of the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Board Options Exchange.

He served on the Junior Chamber of Commerce's Atoms for Peace campaign earning their Distinguished Service Award. He ran for congress in 1958. His campaign to unseat Sidney Yates from Illinois's 9th congressional district was unsuccessful. His family in Hollywood and his political life allowed him to meet a number of interesting people. He shows up in the congressional record as an associate of both Ronald Reagan and Hugh Hefner.

He loved history, backgammon, martinis, ice cream, and most especially his family. He will be missed.