October

I think maybe this is my favorite month. The leaves on the trees begin to turn. The weather turns cooler. Fat guys love that, we sweat less in October. Warm enough you don't need a coat, cool enough you aren't making your own gravy. The corn is ready and harvest begins. Spring brings the smell of freshly turned soil. Fall brings the smell of corn harvest. Chaff in the wind and the roasty smell of corn going through a dryer. The poison ivy turns that lovely shade of red and I'm less likely to get covered again until next spring.

 It is the month of our wedding anniversary and marks the day I was fortunate enough to convince the most wonderful woman in the world to marry me. Later this month will mark 39 years of marital bliss. This is us circa 1974.

Friday night marked Octoberfest at Budde's our favorite bar in the world. Where we go and feel like we are at home having a beer or two with friends.

So this is a bonus, we have the four food groups represented. Meat, cheese, bread and beer. Why waste limited stomach space on things like fruit and vegetables?

 

So as you can see the beer is on ice as is the cask which will be tapped shortly. The fella in the blue shirt is our able barkeep Casey. You may recognize him from previous posts as he is the mandolin player for Frank F. Sidney's Western Bandit Volunteers. The guy in the orange shirt and hat is Jim Smith owner of Somethings Brewn and an excellent beer brewer.

The man in the gray hat is Mike Budde and the gal peaking around the firkin is Diane Budde. They are the owners of Budde's Pizza and Craft Beer Bar. Mike is getting ready to tap the firkin by knocking the faucet in displacing the bung from the bunghole. Yes, dear reader, do not be disappointed your faithful blogger made numerous comments before, during and after regarding Mike and his actions hammer into the bunghole. Did I feel like it was too easy? Did it make me feel cheap?Did I comment anyway? Fuck yea!

The firkin has been tapped and the golden elixer of life flows forth. October is a glorious month. Let the games begin.

The contest was to hold a full mug of water at arms length. The winner would get a prize. Jim dropped out first. He later alleged that if the mug had been full of beer and he got to drink it if he won he would have showed the young fellas how it was done. My personal opinion is that he would have been disqualified for drinking the contents and holding up an empty mug.

 

Carol, pictured on the far right decided to enter the lady's competition. She was the senior participant. The ladies were directed to hold their mugs out straight ahead at breast level.

 

 









You will note that Carol's arm has started to droop a bit. Some in the crowd commented that she was not holding her mug as required. She calmly replied that she knew where her breasts were and could in fact hold her mug lower and still have it at breast level. I, for once in my life, remained safely silent. 

I include this final picture of Jim to say that a few drinks and a smile is great way to spend an evening with friends in the glorious month of October. Seasons change but true friends don't. Go have a beer and chat with a friend you haven't seen in a while or make a new friend.