Yes. I am thankful for my liver.
My liver, and BEER.
Last night we and a frouple who lives a few houses down from us finally managed to get our schedules aligned and made it out to dinner together (we’ve been attempting to make this happen for about 6 months now).
Luckily, grandparents were available on both sides to take care of our little G, and our frouple’s little V (born just a few months after G, they’ll make excellent playmates soon).
And as you all know, when the kids are with the grandparents, the parents…
DRINK!
We went out to Blue Monk, our local 32-tap, mostly Belgian and Belgian-style, beer house and restaurant. M and I walked (for 25 minutes in fairly warm 40F-degree weather) so that we’d not have to drive home again, and were due to meet our frouple at 7 at the restaurant. The crisp air was lovely, we didn’t even need our heavy coats, and the walk transpired without incident, giving us rosy cheeks, hungry tummies, and a desire for an alcohol blanket.
We’d picked last night to meet up, thinking that a Monday night would be a slow night, and we’d be able to get in quickly, drink and eat, and talk in peace.
Well, we managed to do the drinking, anyway. And the eating, but only after waiting 45 minutes to get a table. Thank god one can drink beer while standing.
The talking we also managed, despite having to yell most of our conversations the entire evening. Apparently Monday is NOT a “slow” night at Blue Monk.
Despite the wait for the table, and the required loudness for communication, we had a really great time. The food was yummy, the beer was even better, and the conversation, when intelligible, was blessedly goo-goo-free. (Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE little G, especially listening to him babble, but we all need a break for adult shooting of the shit now and then).
About that beer… I mentioned it was yummy. That’s really an understatement. See… I’m actually more of a wine and mixed drink kind of girl. But when I get in a beer mood, I like GOOD beer (though I can still appreciate a no-nonsense Blue with pizza and wings while watching hockey, don’t get me wrong).
Last night’s first beer was a Liefmans Cuvee Brut. It’s a sour beer. *gasp* “SOUR BEER??” I hear you all saying. Yup! It’s beer, it’s sour, and that was done on purpose. And DAMN it’s good. 🙂 This one is sour largely because of the sour cherries, but there are other sour beers which are sour because of the types of hops used. In any case, as an appetizer beer it was lovely and refreshing and had enough character that I kept enjoying it the whole glass through.
My next beer accompanied my yummy burger, and it was a La Trappe Isid’or. Did I mention that monks who brew beer rock??? This fine specimen is brewed by Trappist monks in the Netherlands. It was hoppy but not too bitter, malty but not too sweet, with just enough spice to make the mouth happy.
My dessert beer is a girly favorite, a Lindeman’s Kriek Lambic. It’s big enough to share, and sharing is caring! M and I split this one while our frouple looked on with envy.
Now.
As thankful as I am for all this lovely beer… I am not as thankful for the hangover I’ve experienced this morning.
Yes, an actual hangover!
I knew that not having imbibed much at all while preggers, and then not really drinking a whole lot while nursing G has lowered my tolerance somewhat, but I was not prepared for THREE BEERS to lay the smackdown on me! Granted, these beers tend to have a higher alcohol content than the Blue or two that I have on hockey night… but still!
This morning, head unhappy, mouth dry, attitude cranky… I’ve realized that I am now officially a Featherweight, cut-me-off-at-two-beers champion.
My younger partying self is laughing derisively at me from my hazy nectar-addled memories.
I'm Not Writing A Novel 
December 13, 2011 at 1:22 pm
It’s worth it! And to quote Dr. Seuss, It’s fun to have fun that is funny!
December 14, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Hahahahah! Yes, it was worth it. Mostly. 😉
December 13, 2011 at 2:34 pm
For my birthday, in September, my wife and I had the house to ourselves. We were flat broke because of the 7 & 8 year old’s birthday parties plus some unexpected bills, so we just got booze, made chicken marsala and let loose behind closed doors. I was dog sick the next day. Since I only drink drink like 3 or 4 times a year, my liver should be fine.
December 14, 2011 at 3:13 pm
But I bet you had a GREAT time. 🙂
December 13, 2011 at 4:03 pm
I can’t drink anymore either. Plus my kids are at that age where I don’t want to come home smelling of booze. I swear it lingers more now. Weird.
December 14, 2011 at 3:14 pm
No kidding!! M drinks a bit more than I do (as he is not the person in the home with breasts) and I’m amazed at how much more sensitive I seem to be to alcohol on his breath! And he’s not ever having more than a couple of drinks… I don’t get it!
December 14, 2011 at 11:46 am
Totally overserved last night myself. I am too old for this shit. I innocently went out with two buddies and then ran into a friend who has the effect of making me drink more than I ever need to. I feel terrible today and I am a little mad at me. I’d yell at me, but my head hurts.
Sour beer. hmm. I am not a big beer fan, but Special Agent is. I’ll admit the sound of anything right now is kind of gag-worthy. Way to go, me.
http://www.alotoflayers.blogspot.com
December 14, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Oh crap. One of *those* nights, eh? I suppose I’m lucky that I don’t live anywhere near any of my friends… it makes the possibility of running into my more bender-inducing friends fairly non-existent. Did I say lucky? There’s me trying to find the good in the bad (and sucking). Let me know if Special Agent tries the beer and likes.
December 14, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Sounds completely awesome! I have friends who can send their kids to spend the night with gparents and am always a teensy (actually a lot) jealous they can do that because it makes drinking, debauchery and the next day’s hangover so much more fun!
Not much is more painful than crawling into bed at 3am only to be awoken the next morning by 7 or so by a wee little cherub!
December 14, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Man… maybe when G is older I may be able to send him to the MIL’s for the night. But for now I’m in the same boat as you. G is smack on the dot usually at 7AM, right in my face. Luckily his now toothy-grin is so damn cute it’s hard to be upset, even through the haze.
December 15, 2011 at 8:08 am
Join da club, sista! ;))
December 15, 2011 at 3:25 pm
you like your cherry beer! It was hard to keep track of the initials. I think you need to give them pen names.
December 15, 2011 at 3:45 pm
Heh… yeah. The funny thing is that I wasn’t aware at the time that the first beer was basically a cherry lambic. I probably wouldn’t have chosen it if I had because I had already planned to have the Lindemans for dessert. But it was yummy anyway, and much less sweet than the Lindemans, so it was all good.