Toyomafia - The Clubhouse. 151.880

No fair, I don’t have mountains, at least not real ones

 

Happy New Year everyone!!!!

The Mrs. and I will be sharing a little 'nectar of the gods' courtesy of my Secret Santa

For those that don't know... Midleton is a satellite distillery in Southern Ireland that is part of Jameson and managed by a single Master Distiller; it's been in operation since 1984 and is now being headed by its 3rd MD. Each year's offering is expertly blended from the distillery's available barrels ranging in age from 13 to 33 years. I've forgotten how perfect this is...



Such an awesome gift

So, just a quick taste before dinner; followed by a 'healthier' pour after dinner while we babysit a couple of pups that have issues w/the fireworks; and of course a bit of the bubbly at midnight!!!

Good luck on your BJ AZB

 

This will be the first one in 26 years I wasn’t with Karen when the calendar flipped. We haven’t been awake for it every one of the past 26 years, but we’ve been next to each other…

But she’s staying with her baby at the hospital and I’m hanging at the house to be able to take the older one to the airport at 3:30am for her trip to Paris.

I started this year responding to the scene of a drunk driver T-boning my 19-yo daughter at 1am. Thankfully no injuries, but every parent’s worst nightmare.

I’m ending this year with that same kid on day 7 in the hospital after being hit head on at ~50mph on Christmas Eve because some fuck couldn’t wait to clear into a passing zone (and be sure no one was coming the other way) to get around the person he was following, in the dark and the rain. She’s got a bunch of titanium in her lower back holding her together, but she’s alive and improving. I got to see her sit upright at the foot of her bed today after 7 excruciating days stuck horizontal in a hospital bed. I got to hear (but not witness) that she stood up with a walker. She finally got to take a shower (in a special chair). She got to wash her hair. She got to have the catheter taken out. Tomorrow they hope to take the IV out, which means she’s down to only needing oral painkillers. We still don’t know when she’ll be able to move unassisted, walk, navigate stairs, bend over, go to the bathroom without help…but we know it will happen.

This year’s had plenty of ups and downs, and it’s ending pretty fucking low. I get to start the new year off fighting through insurance claims and medical bills. It’s guaranteed the other guy’s insurance won’t capture the full costs. I’m lucky that I carry very high coverages myself because of my position at work. But it will still be a messy, shitty, exhausting effort to work through.

But I’m still pretty fucking happy, positive, and thankful. For the fact my baby girl is still with us, and I got to see her “old self” sarcasm and smile today despite the fact her Christmas (her favorite holiday) was stolen from her. That her boyfriend (who was driving) had enough time to slam the brakes and turn the wheel to prevent a direct head-on. That one of the best neurosurgeons in the country happened to be doing a nine day temporary assignment at the Level 1 Trauma center that she was transferred to after the first hospital wasn’t comfortable trying to treat her injuries. For the seemingly unending number of RN’s, CNA’s, PA’s, PT’s, OT’s, and DR’s that have shared compassion, dignity, and care through all of this.

And because of the amazing crew of friends, compadres, and co-conspirators I’ve gained here - in this thread and this community. Some of my most memorable highlights from this year have been meeting members of this crew at various events and venues. Some of what I look forward to most in the year to come is meeting more of you and getting a chance to hang with those I’ve already met.

Happy New Year guys.

2024


ps - Be safe and be smart tonight. Don’t be the reason some dad has to spend 40 minutes driving in the dark fog worrying about his little girl.

 

They still make that stuff?

 

Damn, drinking these triple ipa’s, I moved my arm the wrong way….fuck that hurt. Another beer to kill the pain

 

Gotta play the hand you're dealt. I didn't even get a calendar. Exchange and shipping would have made it the most expensive calendar in history.

 

…

 

Hugs all around. As much as I bitch about my situation l, I’ll take it 200 times over yours and hers

 

Yellowstone style...only brewed here in CO

 

It worked out to something like $60 or $70 Canuckistani pesos...

 

You should face time her at midnight.

Lots of blessing in all that chaos as I’m sure you know. Will be keeping y’all in my prayers.

 

Hell of a year and hell of a post. Stay strong brother and let's kick 2024's ass.

 

I’m hoping she’s sound asleep at midnight. That will be the best new years kiss she could get

 

History tidbit. That stubby glass bottle was first introduced by Coors in 1936. We send calibration techs onsite to the Coors glass bottling facility to this day.

 

I've been following this "situation". Hang in there brother! Really touches my ❤️

 

Happy new year cru!

Our party’s ball dropped at 5pm!

It’s an idea I started about a decade ago.. start the party at noon, ball drops at five, everyone home safe and sound by 6 and kids asleep at bedtime.

It’s been dubbed the “Irish New Year” not really sure where the term came from, but it stuck and it has been a blast every year.

Cheers!

 

About that, yeah.

 

Fuckin poors

 

Sort of like an “Irish goodbye” - I like it!

 

History tidbit #2....
Adolf Coors was brewing beer here before Colorado was a state!

 

History tidbit #3....
The Coors Golden Colorado brewery is the largest stand alone self contained brewery on the planet. Google it....non union too.

 

People in MA were brewing beer before Colorado was discovered….it’s still shitty beer

 

Luv ya brother.

 

Not the Banquet or Native brews. Coors has high country barley being grown near my property at 8k ft. Hops too. Don't buy that non CO under licensed brewed crap.