It's drinkin' time. First, it's Michigan Week. All three of my long-time fans know that I have a hard time finding beer at Michigan Week. But I've got it licked now. The festival is held on U.S. 12, right in front of my law office. My firm owns the small park/yard on the corner of U.S. 12 and Clay Street. State law doesn't prohibit a person from drinking beer in his own yard (give MADD a little time to work on this one). It's my yard, my beer, my buzz. I'll be there tomorrow with friends, enjoying some first-rate people watching, music from my CD player, and Oberon.
Second, it looks like my children's school problems are resolved: They will attend St. Mary's Catholic School in the neighboring village, about twelve miles down the road. My family attended the school's open house last night, and they came out happy and excited. It's the first time since the Black News was announced that I've seen them smile and say "school next year" at the same time. It's a tremendous relief. Moreover, it appears all of them will have old friends at the school, thanks to a client of mine who has promised to procure a bus for the school and another anonymous donor that has donated $1,000 to get a transportation fund started (maintenance, gas, etc.). We have also identified some recently-retired bus drivers (all good people and die-hard Catholics) to drive it (please pray that they'll accept the call). Things are looking up. I'm sufficiently cynical not to get too excited; something always seems to go wrong. But I'm sufficiently hopeful to hoist some extra ones this weekend.
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Craft Brewers Reformulate Beer to Cope With Hop Shortage
The dry cones of a particular flowering vine, hops are what give your favorite brew its flavor and aroma. Prices of the commodity are skyrocketing as hop supplies have plummeted, forcing smaller brewmasters around the United States to begin quietly tweaking their recipes, in ways that are easily discerned by serious imbibers.
Fortunately, I'm not a serious imbiber. I like to think I'm a fun imbiber, but definitely not serious.
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It's a close call:
Australian police who pulled over a driver were shocked to find he had secured a load of beer with a seat belt - but not a five-year-old boy.
Officers were appalled to find the man was more concerned about his 30 "tinnies" than the child travelling with him.
While the consignment of alcohol was safely buckled in, the boy was sitting on the floor in the back, unrestrained.
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A man who dressed up as Darth Vader, wearing a garbage bag for a cape, and assaulted the founders of a group calling itself the Jedi church was given a suspended sentence Tuesday. Arwel Wynne Hughes, 27, attacked Jedi church founder Barney Jones - aka Master Jonba Hehol - with a metal crutch, hitting him on the head, prosecutors told Holyhead Magistrates' Court. Why is this Brews You Can Use? "Hughes claimed he couldn't remember the incident, having drunk the better part of a 2 1/2-gallon box of wine beforehand. 'He knows his behavior was wrong and didn't want it to happen but he has no recollection of it,' said Hughes' lawyer, Frances Jones."
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