Happy New Year (Good Riddance 2009)

This day could not have come quickly enough.  2009 was a lously year for my family.  I lost my father, my brother-in-law and my dog.  I know it is irrational to think that the flip of a calendar can make all of the difference but that is my hope.  And 2009 wasn't going to go away without flicking my earlobe one last time just for the fun of it.  I spent the last 4 days in bed with a fever and the aches and pain that go along with it.  I also haven't eaten solid food or had any alcoholic drinks in 4 days unless you count whiskey which was strickly medicinal.  A shot or two of Tullamore Dew will cure what ails you.  Which brings me to today...New Years Eve.  My wife took the kids and went to her parents primarily because I don't have the greatest disposition when I am sick.  After they left I started to feel a little better.  By this evening I was ready for food and even beer.

On the way home from the grocery store I stopped at the Epicurean Restaurant and Bar in Phoenixville to get a couple of bottles of beer for tonight.  Check out their website (I clicked on the tab that said "Tapas Menu" only to learn that this would not tell you their draught beer selection).  I started for home and somewhere along the way I decided that I would make hot wings for dinner.  Probably not the best choice but that's what I did.  Then something in the oven started to smoke pretty bad.  Perhaps this was yet another ear-flicking curtesy of Year 2009.  My (new) dog couldn't wait for me to let her out of the house which is unusual.  The other unusual thing I noticed as the house filled with smoke is that the smoke detectors never went off.  I will get new smoke detectors ASAP because I would feel pretty stupid if me and the dog died and the house burned down because I didn't have working smoke detectors (which probably only cost $25 a shot).

Anyway, the beers I got from the Epicurean and enjoyed this evening are Orval Trappist Ale, Duvel Belgian Golden Ale, and Delirium Noel.  First of all, they are from Belgium so you know they are great.  If you look carefully in the photo you can see all of my friends who celebrated with me tonight sitting in the kitchen chairs in the background.

Here's to a great 2010!