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Ok, seriously freaking great day. This rounds on me and if you throw your beer at me, you are seriously abusing alcohol! BTW, had a wonderful local beer to, of all places, Poway, and wish I could remember the name. Seriously good.

So, went to the Tournament of the Phoenix (google it) today and got to chatting up the falconer. Made a close acquaintance of this fine fellow

Got to hold him on my fist and, as I LOVE owls, I was a happy camper. But wait! It gets better! The gent was really low on helpers as almost all of his normal crew had one emergency or another. So I chatted him up, walked off to talk to my FWH, and then went back and talked to the falconer again.

Got a job for the weekend to help watch over two Peregrines, two Harris hawks, a Merlin, and of course, the Great Horned Owl. Of course, I will not be bird wrangling, probably crowd control, but hey! I'm a happy camper! I'm putting together some garb to blend in which, as most of my medieval clothing is silks or Moorish and these are DEFINATELY Europeans is a bit challenging, but I'll get-er done. I've looked more than once into the requirements to become a falconer and realized that I just don't have the time, but, if I can hang around birds of prey for the weekend, I think that I'm gonna be a tired, sunburned, happy camper come Sunday night.

Salute!

edited because photo #1 was WAAAAy too big!

[This message edited by Skan at 8:38 PM, October 17th, 2014 (Friday)]

What a GORGEOUS bird!

That owl is beautiful, Skan!! Sounds like you have a great weekend ahead of you. So cool.

For a nightcap, I decided to go with a Sapphire martini. Extra dry, a little dirty, shaken, and with one olive. Great stuff.

As far as N/A beverages go, I am not very creative. Iced tea is my favorite. I am particularly fond of sun tea.

NA Drinks. I highly recommend "Zero-Proof Cocktails" by Liz Scott. Liz is a wonderful chef, is also an alcoholic in recovery, and has put together true mocktail book that recreates the flavors of the drinks, rather than just subtracting the alcohol.

A couple of my favorites!

Ginger beer shandy: Into a frosted pint sized glass, pour ice-cold lemonade to the 1/2 way mark. Top with ice-cold ginger beer and drink. Cock and Bull ginger beer is wonderful in this mixture!

Dry Grape Gritio:: 3c no-sugar added white grape juice, 1 c freshly squeezed white grapefruit juice (I use premade in the store), dash of grenadine. Stir or swirl all ingredients in pitcher or decanter. Chill before serving in white wine glasses.

Wow Skan. What a fun job for the weekend. I'm sure all of those birds are gorgeous. My grandfather was really into owls. Speaking of photogenic animals....

Introducing Thor. The newest member of the yop family. Not even home for an hour and he passed out cold under my bar stool from the long, stressful drive home. He's a charcoal lab.

Celebratory cocktails coming later tonight.

Congrats, yop and family!! Is Thor going to be a "regular" around here? Koda can always use more company.

ETA: Beautiful dog, by the way!!

[This message edited by LosferWords at 12:25 PM, October 18th (Saturday)]

Thanks Losfer. I'm sure Thor would love to meet Koda. He needs someone to show him the ropes. * weeks old yesterday.

Not to be out done with that fabulous martini presentation, thought I wound do one myself to celebrate bringing Thor home. I give to you the Macintosh cocktail. Enjoy!

What, the pumpkin a bit much?

That is one fancy looking cocktail, yop! Looks delicious!

Even though Koda is a good solid 95lbs, he is a big teddy bear, and would love to show Thor the ropes.

I'll toast your sleepy lab with a Laughing Lab!

Pulling into the bar and ordering Kona's Fire Rock! I'm exhausted! Spent the day parting people from their money so they could pose with either a Great Horned Owl, a Harris Hawk, or a Merlin. The Peregrine Falcon got badly scared by a badly behaved dog (Irish Setter, ya THINK that you don't bring BIRD dogs around BIRDS? DUOAH!) and bated violently so we had to hood her for most of the day. She drew blood on the handler who tried to calm her down grabbed his non-gloved hand. He got nailed again when the adolescent Harris Hawk got him as he took him out of his traveling kennel to put him on his perch. Not a good day to be an apprentice. But it was fun interacting with the people, learning a bit more about the hawks and falcons, and raising money for the birds. Same again tomorrow.

tonight, however, steak dinner, pasta in olive oil and garlic, and red wine for dinner!

Just in time!

It's been a helluva week friends. TGIF!

I see the badger is dressed up like a porcupine, Sam is looking an awful lot like a Marine in a tutu, I hear screams from the ladies room, and I have this creepy feeling I'm being watched.

Sorry for the screaming. I stepped on the scale. It was not a pretty sight ....

Today's hop explosion is Simtra IPA by Knee Deep Brewing. Holy cow. Flavor flavor flavor and lots of IBU's and ABV. If you don't like IPA stay away but if you crave a rich flavorful brew here you go!

Jeeze, this bar has been quiet for a while! Kinda scared to find out what people have been up to!

Having a little red mix from Napa Cellars tonight. It's breathing now.

Bit of a bummer. My upcoming new "mount's" launch has been officially put back a bit. It's the San Salvador, being built here in San Diego.

With sail, she is projected to look sorta like this:

I absolutely REFUSE to wear pumpkin pants, though! Hey, we have an animal mascot for every one of the ships. Wonder if the badger is interested? Wonder what a badger would like like in pumpkin pants? Wonder whose brave enough to try to wrassle him into some. Hummm, sounds like a time to grab the chili fries and wine, and sit back for the show!

OMG the thread lives! Hi Skan!

I love that boat. Is it OK to call it a boat? Probably not. I hope I haven't offended. Is it a ship, a schooner? Wait, you said launch. But the thing isn't a launch, that's an action, right? A vessel?

I'm so confused.

Oh, oh! boat dork moment: I've been playing with rope or, "line" whateveryoucallit - to use the winch to pull some firewood into the back of the truck I made up some slings to wrap around the wood and cinch it up, and I -- get this -- I spliced loops in the ends of the rope. I pulled out the Ashley Book of Knots to get the instructions - so retro and fun.

I'm really wanting it to be Friday. Are we there yet? Sigh. I made it through humpday tho.

Can you tell I'm almost done with this Speakeasy Doubledaddy. 22 oz of 8.5% Imperial IPA and I'm nearly ready for sknorz. I really shouldn't drink alone but why not. I prefer to be with myself!!!!!

I think a badger in pumpkin pants is SUCH a bad idea. NONONONONO

Hey D-Daddy, you around? Where are the rest of the irregulars?

Technically, its a ship, although some of us are calling it the San Sail-No-More, because its taking so long to get launched. Funny, when you run out of grant money, things sorta slooooowwwww dowwwwnnnnn.....

Geeze, I hear you! I want it to not only be Friday but January 1st with a bloodthirsty passion! I am approximately 2 sheets of paper away from throwing everything on my desk up into the air, screaming lustily, and sprinting down the street towards the ocean gibbering all the way! I speak fluent gibberish, ya know! This is my cray-cray busy time of year, I am THE camel, and lord help the person who tries to put One More Stinking Straw on my back! I'll spit in their eye. In the nicest way possible, of course!

Haven't stumbled in here in a while. Good to see the bar is back! Will have to make it a quick one tonight but might hang out in here for a bit tomorrow night.

But for now... A Skan inspired toast to all my SI peeps!

There are good ships and there are wood ships,

the ships that sail the sea…

But the best ships are friendships

and may they always be.

Cheers everyone!

yop

SKOL! Lifting an extremely dirty G&T. Used green olives stuffed with garlic and jalapeno!

That sounds delicious Skan. Going with some east coast brewery representation Clown Shoes Genghis Kahn Pecan Pie Porter. Oh so good! Nice hearty and robust for a chilly Dec evening.

I'll admit I had to look up SKOL. SKOL!! back atcha Skan. If I had known, I would have toasted back with one of these Viking scotch beauties that I have been saving

Oh my. I have major bar envy again. And my next door neighbor's kid is named Freya!

Went out with FWH yesterday and paddled the OC-1s around the bay (1 person outrigger canoe). Saw some really neat birds (and sea lions) on the bait barge, and then found some sand dollars and skate eggs when we beached for a while. Back to the boat club for some

while FWH stuck with Blue Moon.

BTW, if you've not tried one, you HAVE to try Blue Moon with several heaping scoops of Orange Sherbet in it. THE yummiest beer float evah!

[This message edited by Skan at 4:04 PM, December 21st, 2014 (Sunday)]