The Wine Commonsewer

You Cannot Put Out A Roman Candle

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Tim Cavanaugh once observed that a people who need the government to define what barbecue actually is cannot be considered a free people in any meaningful sense, which sort of sums up the state of the Republic in the new century.

Not to be outdone by California, Arizona, apparently, has raised the fireworks pot. I'll see your patchwork bans and raise it to a full, outright, statewide ban on everything from sparklers to bottle rockets, leaving residents to privately celebrate their independence with glow worms and confetti poppers from WalMart, some of which were louder than the real McCoy.

On the outskirts of Santa Fe, The Boy and I sauntered into Pyro Mania (not making that up) which seemed to be staffed entirely by gregarious Indians (feather, not dot) who, with sly smiles and an exxagerated shrug of the shoulders told us they just didn't know if bottle rockets, fire crackers, M-1800's, fountains, roman candles (and the two foot high mortar launcher guaranteed to put Disney's finale to shame) were legal next door in the Grand Canyon State.  Truth is, TWC expected gun-toting Arizona to be a bit more open minded about blowing stuff up.

Back in the day we enjoyed America's birthday celebration with Safe 'N Sane fireworks courtesy of the local Boy Scout Troop. Given that Casa de las Rocas Grandes is in a tinderbox and a complete fireworks ban is in force, The House Blond and The Boy have never once written their names in the air with a sparkler. We aimed to cure that deficit.

Suffice it to say that the fear of repercussions resulted in a toned down sort of a celebration. Still the kids were awed and thrilled by the colored smoke bombs, multi-colored fountains, firecrackers, and boxes and boxes of shimmering sparklers.

The Boy remained mightily disappointed about the Roman Candles but Uncle Will was firm. The HOA would likely have puppies over something so brazen and the neighbors might call The Man. Being he's a two term HOA president, it'd not look good on his resume to be sanctioning the use of contraband.

Later, I called out to the The Boy and we took a stroll. Found an ideal spot, too.

Here now, hold this thing. Point it down the road. I'll light it. Do not shoot it up in the air or off into the roadside flora.

Hadn't heard a car for two hours but you know what happened next. Got that  thing lit up and a BIG 4X4 roars through the gate, whereupon we commence our Three Stooges Do Fireworks routine.

Holy Crap! (expletive deleted) car coming. Dude! Shove that thing into the remains of the monsoon mud.

Bam! Red mud, gravel, sticks, debris.....pummeling Jake, back lit by fireballs and stars exploding in every direction.

Buried the dead remains in a shallow, red mud grave and tippy toed away.

No Sir, not us.....heard all the commotion, just checking things out. The box of kitchen matches? For the barbeque.

As Ever,

TWC 

We Hold These Truths To Be Self Evident

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Had a delightful conversation over sturdy coffee and huevos rancheros in Old Town ABQ with a good friend a day or so ago. Presently the conversation came around to firearms and freedom. He explained that his country had thousands of years of history and accordingly firearms are tightly regulated. America is different, he explained.....

The gun culture in America was born of an inherent distrust of government that manifests itself to this day.

America's distrust of government has eroded mightily over the last century and, although we have squandered the better part of our birthright on the notion that more taxes will solve everything, there is still an undercurrent of readily apparent dissatisfaction with all things political. Thank God for small favors.

One day, a long, long time ago, a bunch of dead white males came up with something unique. Something appalling. Something that cost most of them whatever was dear to them. Something that doesn't exist most other places. Something that has been abused, debased, stretched, twisted, and warped by subsequent generations, but none-the-less, it is our unique American birthright. 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

As Ever,

TWC

Celluoid Heroes

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

We missed a left turn at Albuquerque and ended up way further down Johnson Canyon than intended. That's a tale for later. Pure serendipity, though. As it turned out, we ran across the decaying set sometimes used to bring Gunsmoke to life on the shades-of-gray small screen of bygone eras.

Bonus:

And now? South on US Route 666.....

As Ever,

TWC

2007 Terrazas de los Andes Malbec

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

There is an optimal point at which the price of a given wine will result in the highest marginal profit for an upscale eatery with the fancy wine list. Not an economist, but TWC is pretty sure that a lower markup will move more wine than marking up a ten dollar wine to thirty six bucks (US).

Our ten dollar wine that cost thirty-six dollars was excellent and is  a good buy at $10.00. It is deep reddish going-to-purple in the glass, medium bodied with dark fruit. This is an easy drinking red wine that was perfect with the stunning Lasagna and delightful Eggplant Parmesan that came courtesy of Maggianos in Denver.

TWC reviewed the 2003 Reserva here.

Now, off to the wedding......

UPDATE: Ben makes a good point about markups in the comments.....case in point is The Wine Club in Ca, a company whose philosophy is to markup all wine by the exact same percentage, which I believe is 13% over cost.  Coupled with knowledgeable staff and good selection, this model has proven itself over the last two decades.

As Ever,

TWC

View From TWC's Chair At Calf Creek

Filler' Up (Stuff You Don't See Much)

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Silver Eagle Service, Green River, Utah
(where nearly every female under 30 sports a lip ring, precisely centered on her lower lip)

As Ever,

TWC

Father's Day 2009

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

TWC had a better Father's Day than the guy who flipped his mini-van at 80 mph two cars up from the politically incorrect foreign pickup truck (that's made in America).

I'll get to it but not today.

Thanks for all the good thoughts.

As Ever,

TWC

Happy Father's Day, Pop

Good Morning Gentle Readers:

Back before my vagrant yoot, when I was knee high to a knee, my dad drove a truck for Knudsen Dairy Products. He ate hot Cream of Wheat for breakfast before the sun came up and  hot-out-of-the-lard-fryer donuts with a quart of half and half for a mid-morning snack. Dad was a big burly guy who slung milk cases made of hardwood and steel like they were plastic and empty (plastic was at least 15 years off).

TWC was proud that Dad was responsible for providing those little cartons of five cent milk that Del Sure Elementary School was happy to pre-warm to room temperature before serving at lunch.

Sometimes I'd see him making his delivery.....

Look Dick!

Look Jane!

See the truck?

That's my dad.

[Beaming smile.]

Although he rarely had two days off in a row, the money was good and the taxes were light. It was America in the 1950's and we had our share of the comfortable life.

These days Dad is 80 and thin. Still cuts his own wood  though (and takes care of his invalid wife).

Happy Fathers Day, to all the hard working dads out there.

As Ever,

TWC

Good Morning Gentle Readers:

Back before my vagrant yoot, when I was knee high to a knee, my dad drove a truck for Knudsen Dairy Products. He ate hot Cream of Wheat for breakfast before the sun came up and  hot-out-of-the-lard-fryer donuts with a quart of half and half for a mid-morning snack. Dad was a big burly guy who slung milk cases made of hardwood and steel like they were plastic and empty (plastic was at least 15 years off).

TWC was proud that Dad was responsible for providing those little cartons of five cent milk that Del Sure Elementary School was happy to pre-warm to room temperature before serving at lunch.

Sometimes I'd see him making his delivery.....

Look Dick!

Look Jane!

See the truck?

That's my dad.

[Beaming smile.]

Although he rarely had two days off in a row, the money was good and the taxes were light. It was America in the 1950's and we had our share of the comfortable life.

These days Dad is 80 and thin. Still cuts his own wood  though (and takes care of his invalid wife).

Happy Fathers Day, to all the hard working dads out there.

As Ever,

TWC

Would You Like A Little Cheese With That Whine?

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Used to ask that of The Boy and The House Blond with some frequency. Not sure it made any sense to them but they took my point.

Lady C said.....

Saw this and thought of you, Mike :-)

Buy one at the American Nostalgia store, which has a nice selection of reproductions, some of which are reproductions of stuff that never existed. :-)

As Ever,

TWC

Two Glasses of Wine (or Two More Bottles of Wine?)

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

A perfect twist on a familiar story.....

A philosophy professor stood quietly before his class with some items laid out on the desk in front of him.

When the class began, he picked up a very large and very empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded wordlessly to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was, though more reluctantly.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students,having figured out the joke, responded with a unanimous Yes!

The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

As the laughter subsided, the professor said

I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else; the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness; get the golf balls in first. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take the love of your life out to dinner. Play another 18 holes. Do one more run down the ski slope. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the garbage disposal. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented. The professor quietly smiled.....

I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend.

Bonus:

As Always,

The Wine Commonsewer

That's What A Hamburger's All About

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

In the days of my vagrant yoot there were only a dozen or so of these places in the entire Southland (So Cal). Ducking out from behind the Orange Curtain and on to Azusa or Baldwin Park to get one generally took the better part of a Friday evening.

Neither time nor distance dissuaded us, it was what we did. We were the poster kids of the now maligned car culture. Driving equaled freedom. Accordingly, every couple of weeks we'd pitch in for gas, pile into somebody's car, and take a ride.

That's The House Blond (click for a higher resolution photo).

Don't know if In-N-Out would be torqued off about the picture or flattered, but there it is. 

Oh yeah, these guys also invented the drive-thru. Now all you Gen-Xers know who to thank as you idle away from the window at Mickie Dees eyeballing the gooey catsup squirts on the Odyssey headliner.

Photo Credit: Mrs TWC

As Always,

TWC

Saturday At Casa de las Rocas Grandes

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Just so we don't look like The Three Stooges Go Camping, The Boy and I practiced pitching the new tent down by the swings. All went smoothly and we both swiped our Man Cards  after wrapping up.

Been promising the kids for years that I'd make them a drinking fountain for those scalding summer days. Now that Jake is done with junior high, voila! The greenery you see, Gentle Reader, is a California Pepper Tree that was grown from seeds the kids gathered when they were quite small. All California Pepper trees are descended from this one.

The fountain sits behind a retaining wall where the water is piped through a ceramic pot at ordinary drinking fountain level. The design is such that an ordinary grade school hooligan cannot clog it up with a well-chewed stick of Juicy Fruit. Guaranteed. Or so the instructions said.  

Just in time for water rationing, TWC wrapped up the second phase of the new water line project as well.

TWC is a firm believer. If you want a job done right, you're hired.

As Ever,

TWC