Monday, February 17, 2014

Three Beautiful Things 02/16/14: Maiden Voyage to Brewers Union, Sara Smile, Nate at Sixteen Tons

1.  After many years of wishing and not doing anything about it, I finally sat down at the Brewers Union Local 180 Anglo-American pub in Oakridge and enjoyed some cask-conditioned Real Ale:  a tasty ESB. . .I can't remember the exact name of it, but it had a bunch of Xs in the title.  The company was good, too.  After the 11:00 service, four of us intrepid Episcopalians, Shane, the Troxstar, Loren and I hit the road for the drive to Oakridge and had a great time sitting in a comfortable room with couches, enjoying the Real Ale, and yakking away.  As I ate my BLT, I was reminded that this is a lousy time of the year for tomatoes, so the sandwich was just a little below par, but that one's on me.  I knew better, but in the excitement of having made my maiden voyage to the Brewers Union Local 180, I just didn't think about the quality of February tomatoes. 

2.  Back in January of 2001, I taught a WR 122 class at Churchill High School where something that had never happened before, nor has happened since occurred:  every student earned an "A".  It was a high point in my years as an instructor.  One of the most energizing students in that class was about my age.  Her name is Sara.  She came into the Brewers Union Local 180 and I strolled out on the deck in front of the pub and we embraced and had a little chat.  It was great to see her.

3.  After having some dinner, the Deke and I went over to Sixteen Tons to shoot the breeze.  I didn't really want much more beer.  The beer had been so good earlier in the day that I mostly wanted to leave it at that.  But, I nursed a half a pint of oyster stout and, to our delight, Nate, another former student, and a great one, was at Sixteen Tons and the three of us sat down and gabbed and had a good ole time.

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