Turning Of The IPAge

When Jamie and I first met, I knew that she was a beer drinker. And she drank beer for flavor and not quantity. We would visit “the mothership”, the original Natty Greene’s, in downtown Greensboro before a date. I was just developing a taste for IPAs thanks to Weather Dave Aiken and his guidance wherever he held court. But Jamie just couldn’t handle them. And that was fine with me. IPAs can take some time to win over your taste buds. Since I like to chew up aspirin tablets for the flavor, it didn’t take the bitterness of IPAs long to cross the river to my happy side.

Over the years, we have discovered a few IPAs that Jamie has dug. It has always been a hit or miss proposition. I found that the higher gravity IPAs won her over quickly because the booziness can sometimes drown out the bitterness. But those IPAs under 8% just produced the Mr. Yuk face on Jamie.

And sour beers? I wouldn’t even THINK about having her try one or purchase a four pack.

When we took an anniversary trip to Asheville to immerse ourselves in the beer produced there, I purposely skipped visiting the Wicked Weed Funkatorium. I knew that she would find nothing there enjoyable. So yeah, I took the personal hit because I wanted to try any and all of their sour beers. But the trip was for us and not just me. We walked by it more than a few times on our brewery hops. I told her that she probably wouldn’t find a thing inside the Funkatorium enjoyable. She didn’t fight me. I figured that eventually some of their sours would come my way and they have. I’ve had quite a few of them at the Beer Den at Lowes Foods and at City Beverage.

But a few months ago, something miraculous happened at the Harper’s. She tried an IPA less than 8% and LIKED IT! And here within the last month, she’s wanting to try just about any IPA that she can get her hands on.

I kind of got IPA’ed out during the last few years. I’ve been on a discovery of more browns, stouts, porters, pilsners, and lagers. Oh sure, there would be the occasional IPA at a brewery to try. Or if I hadn’t had a particular offering, I tried it to add one more on the heap so that I can score that elusive 2,500 mark on Untappd for a badge. Yeah, I’m a badge whore. But unlike my Foursquare days, I want to earn the Untappd badges as purely as possible.

I just wouldn’t purchase any of my “tried and true” IPAs unless it was a high gravity brew to share with my wife. We have a rule in our home and I have always lived by it since we started cohabitating years before we got married. And that rule is… “The last beer of it’s kind is reserved for Jamie. It shall not be touched unless she expresses otherwise.”

And the rule is for me, really. Because I will drink the hell out of some beer. Jamie doesn’t want me to drink it all up before she gets a taste. So yeah, it’s a sensible rule.

Now I’m getting growlers of IPAs and revisiting some of my favorites for her to try. She has REALLY taking a liken to every single one of them without the Mr. Yuk face. Right now, we have Sierra Nevada’s Hop Bullet, Victory DirtWolf Imperial, and Terrapin Hopsecutioner in our beer fridge. She has been enjoying all but the Hopsecutioner. She hasn’t tried that joker yet.

She has been warming my dark little heart. And when summer hits, I have a feeling that she’ll be floating around in the pool with various IPAs whenever she gets a chance.

Winter Storm Diego Highlights

I’m hoping that the term that I have coined makes it to some kind of popularity with folks like myself that do not dread snow, sleet, or freezing rain in any amount. The term is “snowdeo” and it rhymes with “rodeo”. I feel that calling these types of things “snowpocalpyse” stirs fear in to the hearts and minds of friends and neighbors. Hell, the MIL is anxious and she has been “wringing” her hands since Jim Cantore stepped onto North Carolina soil.

“Snowdeo” makes it sound more fun. It gives you something to look forward to. So yeah, if you’re like me, feel free to start using it. I’m really not sure why people fear it unless they’re just fretting about more time with their families. I don’t know. Even with the threat of losing power, I’m not that concerned. We have Monopoly to play that’ll give me the joy of slaying family and friends in a friendly game… Unless, they gang up on me. They certainly don’t do any wheeling and dealing with me out of their fears of going bankrupt. Perhaps I play the game with too much of a cutthroat style.

And for the record, I play by the rules. The game moves much faster that way. But folks have their own house rules that prolong the game and that’s why most respond to playing with a sigh so heavy that it can crush ice.

As I write this update, I’m waiting for the neighbors to throw the green flag for us to go over there or come over here. We have a growler full of beer, canned beer, bottle and boxed wine along with some heat and serve ribs from Lowes Foods.

The dogs went out first thing this morning with trepidation. CJ reluctantly ventured out into the yard and then took off like a gazelle. She was running and jumping. She stopped for a squirt and decided to come inside. She has ventured out a few times since.

Lucy made it about 8 feet onto the deck. She decided to let her water flow as she stood in snow that was up to her shoulder. Lucy has been secluded in our bedroom under the bed… Just like any other good little neurotic dog.

I just got word that our guests are about to venture out into the snow for some Monopoly action. I have to clean off the game room table. I have my money bag token ready slaying the competition.

……………………………………………..

Now it’s 4 days later and the Monopoly didn’t happen. Everyone gathered at “The Big House”, but the conversation and music got so good that we ditched the game. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to slay everyone, but there will be other times.

My apologies for getting back so late. Jamie had to work from home on Monday and Tuesday. That makes it kind of difficult to use this very computer to write and update. Plus, when she’s home we tend to spend as much time together as possible.

We got about 14 inches of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. And luckily, the power never went out. Oh sure, it flickered here and there. Jamie and I would look at each other with big “Oh $#!t” eyes, but thankfully the TV remained on to keep the MIL occupied.

And speaking of the MIL, I’ve never known anyone with absolutely nowhere to go get so bent out of shape about the precipitation. Oh yeah, her anxiety levels were right up there with what Kennedy was probably dealing with during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The woman had no plans to get out of her nightgowns and housecoats, but the threat of a large amount of accumulation nearly sent her over the edge. She was snippy and ready to lash out. If we didn’t have to live with her it would have been sheer comedy. The woman was at DEFCON 3 from Saturday afternoon to Monday morning.

As it turned out, she was afraid that she’d miss her appointment to get a “shot” from the doctor on Tuesday. I ended up taking her because she gets panicked incredibly easy. And the last time she got panicked, she hit two cars in a CVS parking lot. It would be easier to take her than let car insurance companies get involved and then drive down to court to have the ticket dismissed. As it turned out, they made a mistake and the approval for her “shot” hadn’t been received even though her medical insurance sent her a note that it was a go. But what are you going to do?

So, we left the doctor’s office and dropped by the grocery for 2 things that I needed in order to prepare dinner. Wouldn’t you know it? She had some shopping to do as well. She had no list or knowledge of the store’s layout. That had us bouncing around the Food Lion like an aimless kick ball. We’d go down one aisle and she would remember something else that she needed at the other end of the store where we had been before. Believe me. I was totally ready to break some law and get banned for popping open a tall boy straight from the beer case. I found that when shopping with the woman, there are no sweeter words than “That’s it. I’m done.”

So yeah, that was my highlights of Winter Storm Diego and luckily none of us are in county lockup.