Since my Thursday night at a bar post coincides with the 4th of July, I thought we’d go to Mike’s and have a little holiday fun there. I’ve got snakes! Better than crabs, right? Okay, let’s go!
Last week we met MBIP pal and commenter, PJ, who’s the sister of MBIP pal, Michelle, at the Red Barn. PJ lives in Salt Water Taffy and is visiting Peoria this week and I found out that tomorrow (which is actually today’s post) is her birthday, so I thought we’d stop here at Urban Artifacts to pick her up a present.
I’ve never known someone named, “PJ,” so I thought we’d get her letters that match her name. They have a big pile of letters right here in the front of the store...
Okay, I think I spy them...
And here they are on the counter. I wish the “J” had a little more of what I like to call, "pizzazz," but what are you going to do? Onwards to Mike’s Tavern!
And through the magic of these here interwebs, here we are! Hey check out this car in front of Mike’s, pretty cool ride!
And the back is all set for the 4th of July!
And check out the flags inside, this is kind of like a holiday miracle!
Okay, let’s go inside and see what’s shaking at Mike’s.
There’s a decent crowd in here, but I spy a stool down there at the end of the bar, let’s go snag it.
And here’s a pretty new face at Mike’s, Mandy, serving me up an ice cold can of Budweiser. Mandy just started bartending at Mike’s about a week ago, welcome aboard Mandy!
As I shot Mandy’s photo a woman sitting at the bar told me she reads MBIP every day, so I went down and took a photo of her and her friends and Mandy came around for the shot as well. From left: Jen, John, Wayne, Mandy and April (seated and April’s the one who told me she reads MBIP daily, smart woman!)
John and Bad Brad were seated next to me at the bar. It turnds out that John is the owner of the cool 4th of July car out front. Check out Bad Brad’s hat...
Barney Fife! Very cool, you gotta love Bad Brad, a man well known in West Peoria!
Speaking of people you gotta love, here’s PJ, Michelle and Todd!
Here’s PJ with the birthday present we just got her! Happy birthday PJ, you Yankee Doodle Dandy you!
Yet another MBIP pal, Justin Glawe showed up just in the nick of time for the exciting presentation of, “Snakes On A Gumby!” Justin’s currently working on a writing project for Beacon entitled, “The Lost Children of Spirit Lake,” and needs twenty more backers to make this project come to life. You can donate as little as five dollars to make this happen, check it out here.
Ladies and gentlemen, direct from the picnic table outside of Mike’s Tavern, we now present this year’s special 4th of July presentation of, “Snakes On A Gumby.”
Everyone’s getting in on the action here and there’s excitement in the air! Or maybe someone just farted, anyway, on with the show!
Justin’s arranging some of the snakes on Gumby. It should be noted that Gumby’s been baked in an oven and nuked in a microwave in the past here at MBIP.
Todd suggested that all the snakes should be touching, so it would create a domino effect when they get lit.
Since Michelle had 397 lighters in her purse, we let her do the honors of lighting the snakes on a Gumby.
Wow, it’s really lighting up fast!
Holy shitballs, this is better than anything I could’ve ever imagined!
Everybody’s really enjoying this...well, except for poor Gumby!
The snakes have come alive and along with the fire they’ve covered Gumby.
As the snakes are fully grown, the fire is dying.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...Snakes on a Gumby! Happy 4th of July!
We went back inside for a celebratory beer and ran into yet another MBIP pal, Amber and her friend Matt. They were bummed that they missed the “Snakes On A Gumby” presentation, but there’s always next year...unless Gumby’s been turned into a green pile of dust by then. Oh well, we can always snort him if that happens. When life hands you green dust, close your eyes and snort it while pretending it’s blue mescaline is what I always say!
Here’s Marge at the bar pointing to her Academy of our Lady hat. It turns out that Marge is Mike’s bartender, Julie’s mom, Julie's been featured here at MBIP a few times...and we all know what that means, time to cue this song up. Marge wanted to know if I would pose in a photo with her and I told her I’d be honored to do that...
And here’s the photo as I give Marge a 4th of July kiss on the cheek! Thanks to everyone for a fun night and helping out with this year’s, “Snakes on a Gumby,” presentation! It turned out greater than I could’ve imagined! And happy birthday, PJ! We’ll see you all tomorrow...and hey, let’s be careful out there!
Mike’s Tavern
626 W. Cedar
West Peoria
(I have the phone number to Mike’s but most people don’t because it's a secret, so there!)
Surprise link, click on it...I dare you! (Artwork by “Boris!”)
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Bonus Gumby and Pokey Art From Jaws the Cabbie!
Jaws the Cabbie sent in some Gumby and Pokey art to accompany this post. Thanks, Jaws, Happy 4th of July!
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Today’s post was brought to you by Double A's • Pizza• Sports Bar • Grill. Check them and all the other fine businesses helping to support this blog over at the MBIP Bucket List Page. Your Daily Random Linkage awaits you at the bottom of the that page as well!
