FISH FRY!

 The best part of spending my childhood in the Benson area (Omaha) was the parish. We were in Holy Name parish. My earliest memories are of grade school there and of working at their famous Fish Fries. The parish puts on a fish fry every Friday of Lent except Good Friday, and one or two other times during the year.  The fish is beer-battered deep fried Alaskan Pollock served with fries, coleslaw, Rotella's bread and butter, and beer.  IT IS THE BEST FISH I HAVE EVER TASTED I AM NOT KIDDING.  There's 30 years of tradition involved with these fish fries.  People bring coolers of beer to drink while they wait in line ... even before there's a line.  Sometimes the wait is fifteen minutes, but usually it's at least an hour, if not two hours.  People come in large groups and visit with friends while they wait in line.  The line curls through the parking lot, around the school, into the school, down the stairs, into the tunnel beneath the parking lot, and over to the cafeteria which is beneath the church building.  When an of-age customer reaches the cafeteria, he is offered free beer while he waits in line.  No kidding!  When open, it is the biggest restaurant in Omaha. 

People wait in line for reeeaaaallllly good fish while drinking beer.

My brothers, sisters, and I can't get enough.  We try to make it back to the parish for at least one Fish Fry each Lent.  Since Seth was home on this weekend, we decided to go together.  We all met at 7:00.  On this particular night, the wait was two hours, maybe two and a half, the longest we've ever waited.  It was fun!  Scroll down for details....

Since we had time to burn, we played a little game of keep away from Sophie.  I had her purple ribbons.  I mean, come on, they were dangling out of her pocket.  Could you have resisted?

When playing keep away from someone who is taller than me, I find it beneficial to hide behind my younger but much taller and stronger brothers. (Seth and Leighton)

Future Marine Eli

I'm not sure how long our mom had this ribbon tied on her coat before she actually noticed.  We tried to get it tied onto Eli but he was too aware of his surroundings.  We were unsuccessful.  Mom, however....

Sophie and me: the oldest and youngest of nine siblings

Mwah ha ha ha ha....

Eli, me, Sophie, and Seth posed for a picture while Leighton and Courtney were on a beer run.  Seriously.  We had that kind of time.

This young man will be protecting our country.  Yep.  Looks tough, doesn't he?

You think that was bad?  The Navy lets this one play with nuclear reactors on an aircraft carrier.  That's nuCL-EAR, not nuCUEler, people.

Leighton came back with beer and stuff.  Yes, it's legal for him to drink alcohol and yes, all alcoholic beverages were consumed responsibly. 

I wasn't actually drinking alcohol, but it looked fun, so Courtney gave me her drink so I could pose by the purple ribbon that Mom still hadn't found.  See the bow?  We added another one to it and she STILL didn't notice.

Thanks, Leighton, for carrying my empty Dr. Pepper bottle.  He couldn't protest because his hands were full.

Go Ramblers!

Seth

We spotted these every few feet along the path of the line.  They're emptied regularly.  This is a big party, folks.

Courtney and Leighton (I really like my brother's girlfriend!)

HNFF = Holy Name Fish Fry.  People who are old enough to consume alcohol can get this stamp.

Mom and Courtney

People really do bring their coolers.  I saw bigger ones than this!

Yeah, he was scooping ketchup off his shirt with his fish.

Mom got money ready for the traditional dare....

Tartar sauce + root beer + ketchup + coleslaw + diet coke + salt & pepper = $37

See?  My math is good.

He actually drank it (Eli).

Mom couldn't believe it.

Aubrey, Sophie, Leighton, Courtney, and Seth (nice, Seth ... saving that one for later?)

Courtney's revenge (see above photo)

Eli gets ready to puke up his dare in Seth's jacket (no alcohol for that minor young man, just nasty suicide mixes of soda, condiments, and side dishes ... see story above)

GO RAMBLERS!