‘Twas the day before Christmas and all through the house…
Yesterday I had a lovely morning stroll with Betsy and Bella. Before we met up I got to see the two village cats “protecting” their owner’s businesses.
I then stopped at the village Christmas tree to snap a few photos.
Last night I joined a group of hashers for our annual trip to Shakespeare Tavern for “A Christmas Carol”. By and large it was mostly the same, even if we were encouraged to wear masks during the perform (of course some people were stubborn and did not), and Scrooge didn’t come out and shake the hands of audience members at the conclusion of the play. I ate a Stilton salad and most of a bread basket, and did my best to knock back some red wine.
Today I need to do some choring in WLF, taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather once the sun pops up, and doing my best to eat leftovers from my refrigerator in an effort to make some room in my overstuffed cool chest. I also need to play Santa’s Wee Little Helper by wrapping the couple of gifts I have purchased this year; nothing like waiting to the last possible moment to take care of this, eh?
I am using my new coffee maker for the first time, and well, I’m not overly impressed. It’s the cheapest Proctor-Silex model I could buy, and I discovered I paid $5 more to buy from Ace Hardware that I would have had I purchased it directly from the manufacturer. 🤷ðŸ»â€â™‚ï¸ The coffee maker has a “Brew Strength” dial, which as far as I can tell does nothing at all as it seems to swing wildly and be attached to nothing. I feared the coffee maker was broken, but I couldn’t see an imperfection or breakage with this dial. 🤷ðŸ»â€â™‚ï¸ I don’t see the need for this dial anyway because I can control the strength of my coffee by changing the amount of coffee I put into the filter basket.
This weekend will perhaps find me at Red’s Beer Garden tomorrow afternoon for a Christmas tipple. Tomorrow night there will be a Christmas feast of meatloaf, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes. As the YouTubers would say, this will be a collaboration between Bonnie and me.
The plan for Boxing Day (December 26) is to meet up for drinking and soccer watching, that is if Omicron hasn’t shut everything down by then.
If your weekend plans include celebrating Christmas then I hope you have a merry one. Regardless, have a happy and healthy weekend.
Because it’s Christmas Eve here is the entire Aldi Beer Advent Calendar
Day 1: Kristoffel Belgian White from Brouwerij Martens
Day 2: Kristoffel Blonde from Brouwerij Martens
Day 3: Deadly Brewing Hazy India Pale Ale from ALDI Stores US
Day 4: Key Lime Sour from Prestige Beer Group
Day 5: O’Shea’s India Pale Ale from Carlow Brewing Company
Day 6: Deadly Brewing East Coast Style India Pale Ale from ALDI Stores US
Day 7: Deadly Brewing Amber Ale from ALDI Stores US
Day 8: Dry Hopped Sour from Prestige Beer Group
Day 9: O’Shea’s Celtic Wheat Beer from Carlow Brewing Company
Day 10: Cherry Kölsch from Prestige Beer Group
Day 11: White Tide from Brouwerij Martens
Day 12: O’Shea’s Irish Lager from Carlow Brewing Company
Day 13: Session IPA from Prestige Beer Group
Dat 14: O’Shea’ Traditional Irish Stout from Carlow Brewing Company
Day 15: Blonde Ale from Prestige Beer Group
Day 16: O’Shea Traditional Irish Red Ale from Carlow Brewing Company
Day 17: Wernesgrüner Pils from Wernesgrüner Brauerei
Day 18: O’Shea’s Hoppy Lager from Carlow Brewing Company
Day 19: O’Shea’s Traditional Irish Pale Ale from Carlow Brewing Company
Day 20: Winter Lager from Prestige Beer Group
Day 21: Bock from Prestige Beer Group
Day 22: Kristoffel Brune/Bruin/Dark from Brouwerij Martens
Day 23: Brens Lager from Brouwerij Martens
Day 24: Deadly Brewing Grapefruit India Pale Ale from ALDI Stores US
Grocery shopping this morning then Brunch at a friends house today, and then we’ll see.
Not sure what Boxing Day will shape out to be as Omicron is running rampant through the neighborhood bars. It was actually going to be darts (not soccer, but I suppose they’re not mutually exclusive) but that plan is off the table due to COVID, and it’s changed to sitting outside at a bar. If any are open. Or, perhaps not even that—it may turn into backyard beer and darts (if we can figure out a place to hang the dartboard). TBD.
We’re not sure if Debbie has the flu or the Omicron. I went in search of an at-home test yesterday and was shut out. She isn’t feeling too poorly (and I feel fine) but I think the fever continues. She seemed to sleep well…
Neighbor Steve had a “seafood boil†for lunch. Too bad I don’t like cracking lobsters as there were plenty. I stuck with the shrimp. And 2 Mich Ultra’s (bleh). I gave him a bottle of good bourbon in thanks for helping us out. Maybe I should have asked him to open that!
If it’s going to be as warm as you say, I might put wheels on the road instead of the trainer today.
Barb, how’s Iowa?
-FP
“Ace is the place with inflated prices.” I’m glad they’re in the neighborhood, but they are a bit proud of some of their stuff.
I try and support my local HW store as much as I can. 6 miles r/t versus 34 to Lowe’s. Adds up in gas and time.
Agreed. I was going to buy some PVC t-joints for WLF, but the price at Ace was almost twice as much as Lowes. That, I cannot support.
Back inside for a few minutes. Constructed my newest raised bed, perhaps next week I will dig a level patch on which it will sit.
Having some difficulties in WLF, transplants have died, and animals have defeated my netting and eaten lettuce.
Dropped a dead Christmas tree on one of my big toes. Owie! My next work boots will be steel-toed.