The Weekend
Oct. 28th, 2014 09:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
perkynihilistNot exactly posting a snippet a day. But I have returned, so that's something.
Saturday was rubbish. Huge fight. Big storm. Loads of stress. But we did play an awesome game of Civ with the kiddos; Chris joined us and it was truly great. I'm so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone (and my interests) and learned how to play a video game the kids love.
Funny aside, the boys friends all think it's REALLY cool that their mom plays with them. I don't know if it's homeschoolers or what but when I was a kid that was not cool. Not at all.
Sunday we got up at the butt-crack of dawn, did race prep, packed all the packables and drove a few towns over for a 10K; Chris's final race of the triathlon season which was intended to be an evaluation of his run speed. It was very, very quiet in this sleepy little town, almost like everyone was recovering from a big event the day before...
Yep, the race was Saturday. So we drove back home. He was sad. End of season is hard enough without missing a last hurrah season-closing race.
I got everyone assembled and we headed out to McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale. We managed to get all eight passport stamps, had terrific burgers and Chris and I went on a distillery tour which was fascinating. I had no idea brandy is distilled wine and whiskey is distilled hop-free beer. There is so much art mixed in with the science.
The still in Edgefield is state-of-the-art and is a copper marvel replete with gauges, dials and levers. The one out here at Imbrie Hall (that I cannot wait to see) is ancient. It was in use by monks in France for over 200 years, lost in an abandoned building for at least a century and then rediscovered and shipped to Hillsboro. It's a 'swan's neck' and there are only a handful left in world, two are in the PNW. It doesn't even have a thermometers. To use it you attach a coffee can on a string with candle wax to the spout. Then you fill the kettle with the whiskey wash. When the wax melts causing the can to clatter to the ground making a loud racket, you can expect the alcohol to start flowing from the spout in about ten minutes. Such magic and mystery.
Barrel making is also a fascinating topic. There are no machines to make wooden staved vessels, they are all hand-cut and fit together - without any adhesive - into the perfect, water tight home for wine and spirits. If we're ever in Wyoming I'll make a point to visit a cooperage. I'd love to find out if barrel making is a family business or if people outside the industry are drawn to it.
Gotta run and ready my home for the ladies.
Saturday was rubbish. Huge fight. Big storm. Loads of stress. But we did play an awesome game of Civ with the kiddos; Chris joined us and it was truly great. I'm so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone (and my interests) and learned how to play a video game the kids love.
Funny aside, the boys friends all think it's REALLY cool that their mom plays with them. I don't know if it's homeschoolers or what but when I was a kid that was not cool. Not at all.
Sunday we got up at the butt-crack of dawn, did race prep, packed all the packables and drove a few towns over for a 10K; Chris's final race of the triathlon season which was intended to be an evaluation of his run speed. It was very, very quiet in this sleepy little town, almost like everyone was recovering from a big event the day before...
Yep, the race was Saturday. So we drove back home. He was sad. End of season is hard enough without missing a last hurrah season-closing race.
I got everyone assembled and we headed out to McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale. We managed to get all eight passport stamps, had terrific burgers and Chris and I went on a distillery tour which was fascinating. I had no idea brandy is distilled wine and whiskey is distilled hop-free beer. There is so much art mixed in with the science.
The still in Edgefield is state-of-the-art and is a copper marvel replete with gauges, dials and levers. The one out here at Imbrie Hall (that I cannot wait to see) is ancient. It was in use by monks in France for over 200 years, lost in an abandoned building for at least a century and then rediscovered and shipped to Hillsboro. It's a 'swan's neck' and there are only a handful left in world, two are in the PNW. It doesn't even have a thermometers. To use it you attach a coffee can on a string with candle wax to the spout. Then you fill the kettle with the whiskey wash. When the wax melts causing the can to clatter to the ground making a loud racket, you can expect the alcohol to start flowing from the spout in about ten minutes. Such magic and mystery.
Barrel making is also a fascinating topic. There are no machines to make wooden staved vessels, they are all hand-cut and fit together - without any adhesive - into the perfect, water tight home for wine and spirits. If we're ever in Wyoming I'll make a point to visit a cooperage. I'd love to find out if barrel making is a family business or if people outside the industry are drawn to it.
Gotta run and ready my home for the ladies.
no subject
Date: 2014-10-30 04:00 am (UTC)I haven't missed a race by a day, but once I missed a 5k by an hour because it was the day the clocks changed to Daylight Savings. Chris has my sympathy!