In Vino Veritas

I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly...

What would a blog be if it didn't start with an Anchorman quote? That may become a prerequisite for this blog. All things must in someway relate back to Anchorman, Seinfeld, or Chris Rock. I no doubt would lose at least one reader and after she takes my life with a butter knife I wouldn't be able to quote much less blog about those three subjects. (Only kidding, kind of). Just to clear up this previous sentence. The Travel Size One LOVES (and by LOVES, I mean HATES) when I quote the above three!

Wow, that was a complete ADD Moment (ADHD as the Travel Size One reminds me, "ADD is now ADHD, non-hyperactive"). Humor and medical lessons, should I just quit now? Nope on to the point!

So you take my first quote and replace all variations of Scotch with Wine, and that is me! I love wine. Winey, wine, wine. Here it goes down, down into my belly... To give a little perspective, the Travel Size One and I have been drinking wine for quite some time now. We both enjoy it. We even went to Napa for our 1st anniversary. I think I can say after our trip, I was hooked! I now have a subscription to Wine Spectator (Complements of the Travel Size One), I have a wine cellar in my office (Complements of the Travel Size One), and I have several tomes to be read regarding the beauty that is wine. I find myself online looking for wine to purchase, learning to pronounce French words dealing with wine (Loire = l'war, go figure), or trying to find a new book to read regarding wine. There is a little store approximately 30 minutes out of my way regardless where I am going, but I can find a "reason" to pop in, no problem, just to look at wine or talk with the sales people.

Most of all, I love to drink wine. I love the knowledge of wine, but even more I love the experience of wine. Not the effects mind you, but the experience that comes with it. The memories that can be reminisced just by uncorking a bottle of Merlot that reminds me of the night asked my best friend to be my wife. A bottle of Petite Syrah that reminds me of a date night before we were married where she cooked and I brought a movie (and wine). Cabernet Franc that brings a fond memory of the first vineyard we visited in California where they pumped opera through the romantic caves as we barrel tasted. The Cabernet Sauvignon we had for a romantic dinner at home. The Pinot Noir we had at our first Christmas in our first house. One of the best times I have had with the Travel Size One was when we sat down and pulled out all the corks we have accumulated over our short time together and talked about them. Some of the corks were, "I don't remember where we had this wine", but most were "Oh do you remember that time ?"

So with wine comes truth. I know the intent of this Latin phrase, but I think there is a deeper meaning for me. Wine is something I enjoy have many fond memories of with someone who is very special to me and am looking forward to the many memories to come.

Rink Mink

I blame the Travel Sized One for this... I have the paint bug... So if you need a room painted this week, I am your guy.

Oh yeah. I am actually home this week which is pretty cool. I have it worked out with the project I am on to be onsite 2 weeks and off 1 week. So a little more time with the Travel Sized One. Good times (Except she is on nights in the PICU)! The PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) has been put on this Earth to break every Resident who has entered the hallowed halls of a hospital. That could be a blog in itself.

Back to my story. So the Travel Sized One says to me (pre-PICU), "I think I am going to paint the game room. Will you help?" So I say sure, and do the thing I do best. Start to ask questions. This immediately annoys her because she thinks that I am trying to dissuade her from undertaking this task. I just explain to her that it is a pretty big task and I have to get it thought out in my mind. So we buy the brushes and the paint and the tarps and the tape and I realize that I may need a small home loan to complete one room. Man it is expensive! All that to say, we get about two-thirds to three-quarters of the way through and The Travel Sized One says, "I am glad you helped". To which I respond, "It was a little more than you thought it was going to be?" She openly admits (and I have to concur) that it is a butt load of work.

Now I am on websites looking at color schemes.

Going to The Home Improvement Store picking up swatches.

Trying to decide if the paint we like for the bathroom will match the tile.

Will it coordinate with the Bedroom?

Yep, I have the paint bug.

The title of this blog actually comes from a conversation I had with my Travel Sized Better Half. We were looking at a swatch that had a light brown called "Ranch Mink". We have a conversation an hour later where she can't recall the name and proceeds to call it "Rink Mink". We have a good laugh and then it dawns on her. She is not only turning into her mother... She is turning into mine! My mother has an uncanny ability to transpose entire words for products or businesses.

Here are a couple of examples. Cotton Patch. She refers to it as Cabbage Patch. While you may end up looking like a stuffed doll if you eat there enough I don't see the parallel. Fat Tire Beer (Mmm.... Beer). She calls it Fat Cat. Now I have no idea why a beer reminds my mother of a portly feline but hey it's her world.

So now Ranch Mink is Rink Mink... and oh my gosh, I married my mother! Only kidding. The Travel Size One has a lot of the good qualities I see in my mom but she is no way an exact copy of my mom!