Burn and fade

Laphroaig. Single malt, Islay scotch, rough and peaty, with smoke and other intangibles. What a wonderful thing to sip with a pal! I celebrated Kevin's birthday and my new sober-at-home status by tipping a few with Kevin last night at his home. This, as a faithful reader will know, is consistent with my resolution not to drink at my home (with a clause for special occasions, during which I must remain conversationally tipsy and charming).


I'm thinking of going to Kevin's every night until that bottle of Laphroaig is empty. It makes me purr. So does hanging out with ole' Kev, but the Laphroaig makes him seem even more charming. I'm sure I seemed equally erudite.

This is a picture of the fire I built at my friend Fish's cabin in Decorah. A place held sacred by me and other middle aged men.


Caitlin had a boy over last night, which was one of the reasons I vacated the joint. Walker and Robyn were trapped upstairs for the most part, so that Caitlin and Nathan could bill and coo. Nathan is a strapping lad who plays football and runs track for Mt. Vernon. He seems okay, although I had to put my foot down about his pulling into the driveway and not coming to the door. I have it on good authority that there was smooching going on. I myself witnessed flagrant hand-holding.

Walker was on patrol. He doesn't like to think about these boys kissing his sister, let alone anything else that must eventually happen, we suppose. If some young friend from school tells him something unflattering about his sister, he becomes worried. I'm tempted to tell him about chivalry, that he should punch out any young man who impugns his sister's virtue. I suppose that's outdated. My friend Jeannie commented that she is naive enough that she is the one person left in the office who doesn't belive a couple is having an affair. I like to believe the best of people, too, especially my daughter. That's part of my job. In fact, I still may punch that little shit.

The boy, Nathan, behaved well enough and left around 11:30 p.m. He seemed harmless enough.

This morning, Robyn got a call from her mother, who may have suffered a small stroke. She had weakness and numbness on one side and felt funny. Robyn took her to the hospital and the rest of us kept busy. We're not ready for her to fade away, or burn out, just yet. Last we heard, things were fine and they are going out to lunch.