Put about 1/2-inch deep of water in a pot. Boil the water. Throw a couple handfuls of brussels sprouts into the pot of boiling water. And cook 'em. Stab with a fork to see if their ready to eat. The fork should go through the little ball of green without too much resistance. 

Cut up some leftover ham in pieces. Smaller than bite-size. Slide the ham into a pan with a ton of butter. Try half a stick. Cook the ham until it looks right. 

Drain the cooked brussels sprouts using a strainer over the kitchen sink. And then add them to the pan of ham. Cook them together a little bit.

Pour it into a nice big bowl and serve hot. 

Wham. You're a hero. King Chef. 

Did you know that brussels sprouts are of the same species as cabbage, in the same family has broccoli, and are thought to protect against colon cancer, because they contain sinigrin. Most spouts in the U.S. are grown in California, and 85% of the production is for the frozen foods market. So, don't fret too much about buying a couple bags of this frozen veggie.  

No way am I building an actual tree house that's totally supported by only a tree! In my situation, I have limited space. So, I picked the corner of the fence, and donated a 6-foot by 6-foot area for the tree house. I used two walls of the fence for part of the house. And the outside corner is a post support. 

I kept the house design simple. 6 feet by 6 feet. About 3-4 feet high. One side door. One small window. And a hatch that opens up to access the roof top. I built the tree house around the existing tree. I didn't cut any branches. I just kept it as is and built the structure around the existing tree. 

I purchased all the wood and screws at The Home Depot. I used 30 boards of 1" x 8" x 6'. That made the design simple and reduced cutting boards. I used the 1" x 8" boards for the flooring, walls, and roof. And I used 2" x 4" studs for the structural components of the floor and roof. I purchased boxes of exterior deck screws. I used about 100 to fasten the 1" x 8" boards. And I used 3" lag screws with a 3/8" head for the main structural fastening of the 2" x 4" boards. This made installing the fasteners very simple and easy to do.

Want to get her going?

Write some sexy love notes. Then stick them on her wine glass.

On one note, I wrote, "I love you. you're the best." Add heart. On the other note, I wrote something... ah... that I really want to keep for myself. It's not for everybody. Ya know what I'm saying?
I know what you're thinking. To do this you need a few things. Yep. So, here's the list:

• Red wine;
• Bottle opener;
• Two wine glasses;
• Post it notes; and
• A pen.

You also need something cute to say. I'll give you my "go to." Just write, "Baby, you look sexy." Now, stick that note on her wine glass. Yes, pour some wine in it first. Then, just leave the glass on the kitchen counter. Let her find it. Or ask her to go get something in the kitchen for you. 

Done. Wham. Home run. Have fun tonight, you lucky dog.