Breaking a long silence

My dad used to tell this joke:

There was a little boy who never spoke.  His parents, who were naturally concerned, took him to every kind of doctor and specialist to try to figure out what was wrong.  No one could find any explanation.

One morning shortly after his eighth birthday, the boy sat down to breakfast.  He took a bite or two and then proclaimed, "This oatmeal is lumpy."

His mother and father were beside themselves with joy.  They hugged the boy, they cried, they called their family and neighbors with the good news.  Finally, when she had calmed down a little, his mother asked him, "Honey, why did you say nothing all this time?"

"Because," answered the boy, "up till now, everything has been satisfactory."

****

OK, so everything hasn't been satisfactory with me for the last year and a half--I mean, when and where is everything satisfactory?

BUT I've been busier than the proverbial one-armed paper hanger, and I haven't either had much spare time or--more to the point--that much to say in the while since I last posted on the blog.

So what changed?  One word:  ribs.  I made some killer ribs a couple of times in the last couple of weeks after years and years of trying different methods.  And in the spirit of sharing, I plan to explain, in excruciating detail, exactly what I do.

So stay tuned.  In the next few days, I hope to have a rib post for you.  In the meanwhile, I hope everything is satisfactory in your world.