1. Linda Schantol and I met at The Paddock in South Eugene for lunch today. Linda has worked as a vital staff member for the division (and its many title changes) I taught in for over twenty years and we became great friends, especially as fans of Oregon Ducks sports. Today, we didn't start talking about the Ducks until we were over half way through our lunch. Instead Linda updated me on things at LCC. We talked about retirement. We talked about the health of our kidneys. Eventually, we got to our hopes for the Ducks basketball teams and I'm thinking Linda must have been sweating it out last night when the Ducks needed Eric Williams, Jr.'s trey with thirteen seconds left to play to propel them to their 78-76 win over Oregon State.
Linda and I had a blast talking about many things, doing some reminiscing, and encouraging one another to keep taking good care of ourselves. A few years back, Linda and Wayne visited family in Kalispell and came through Kellogg and we met at the now fire-destroyed Best Shots for lunch.
Next time they travel to Kalispell, my hope is to go up there so we can have a beer and a bite to eat at Sacred Waters Brewing Company where Roberta Brainard Garner's son-in-law is the head brewer. (I'll be seeing Roberta, by the way, on Friday in Oakridge at the 3 Legged Crane Pub and Brewhouse.)
2. I returned back to Anne's (where we are staying). Debbie was on her computer. I had a couple of things to take care of -- nothing pressing. Suddenly we decided to go drink some beer.
In no time, we decided to go to 16 Tons and that worked out perfectly.
For starters, Mike Coplin, the owner, was pouring beers and we had great conversations with him about beers, family news, people who have worked at 16 Tons, and a number of other things.
At 16 Tons, I sometimes like to drink memory beers, beers that take me back ten years or so, back to when I first started patronizing 16 Tons. I discovered Farmhouse Ales at 16 Tons and I wanted to have the 2011-12 feeling again of first diving into this remarkably versatile and tasty style of beer. So I drank some of Foreland Brewing's Tales of Petrichor and it really did the trick. The beer's lightness and blend of flavors kept me locked into the present moment of pleasure, but it also transported me back to the joy I felt having discovered 16 Tons back in 2011 and some great saison/farmhouse ale sessions.
I then ordered a small pour of the very enjoyable Wayfinder's Italian Pilsner. I closed out today's session with two small pours of the extraordinary Block 15 Figgy Pudding Barleywine.
Even better than these terrific beers was the conversation Debbie and I fell into with a retired couple who'd come to Eugene for the day from Roseburg. I might have this wrong, but I think I remember that their names were Brent and Corrine (sp?). We got to talking about retirement, travel, the fact that Brent graduated from LCC back in 1980, and that Corrine recently completed a program at Umpqua Community College. Brent and Corrine love riding bicycles. Brent recently went on a multi-day tour that included Idaho on his motorcycle. They have and are giving special care to a thirty-two year old horse. They have a house on the coast. It was all fascinating.
I will utter these words until the day I can no longer roam for foam: conversation is the beauty of beer. Beer talk (not drunk talk) is the best talk, I swear, and once again, this evening, Debbie and I left 16 Tons happy with the beers we tried, happy with the beers we put in the trunk to bring home to Kellogg, and happy for the superb conversation we had with Brent and Corrine and Mike.
It was an awesome session.
3. We ended our time out and about at Trade Winds where I enjoyed a gyro pita with Greek salad and French fries. Debbie and I had a great talk. We can be pretty good at that.
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