breispace

The night before New Years’ Eve, as I was getting ready to leave for the Sunday session at Mulligans, I managed to break the ten-litre fermenting bottle that housed my first serious attempt at mead. I had a few minutes to spare (I always leave at specific times in order to catch one of the ferries to the centre) so I had decided to take the old papers to the paper bank (or whatever you call the paper-equivalent of a bottle bank). I pulled out the bag with the papers from behind the dining table, which knocked over a wine bottle, which subsequently knocked a hole into the fermenting bottle. Before I knew it, at least three litres of precious Viking booze were spilling onto my living room floor, aargh! I emptied out my almost-full washing machine and mopped it all up with anything that would absorb; t-shirts, towels, etc. Then I left for the pub. When I got back home I filled two wine bottles with mead, re-mopped the now very sticky floor, and turned on the washing machine. Fortunately the mead was virtually ready; it only fizzed slightly when I bottled it.

On New Years’ Eve morning the honey smell seemed a bit less, or maybe I was getting used to it. I cleaned and disinfected a bunch of Grolsch-(swing-top)bottles that I keep for fizzy drinks like cider, and salvaged the rest of the mead into those. I’ll bring them to the upcoming Viking winter banquet, so at least some good will come of this in the end. Sometimes it’s hard to see the purpose of recycling. 

 Off the needle: my winter banquet Viking socks. I started a new pair for Kees on Boxing Day (or St Stephen’s Day, according to the Irish SO), which I may not finish in time for the banquet because I have tests coming up…    

 Poignant picture: the poor wee mouse I had to euthanise two weeks ago because Cutie had broken its back. I put it outside in the jar so it would freeze to death; it seemed the most humane thing to do. It was already dead when I went to have a look after half an hour.

Many have already blogged on their NYE celebrations, so all I will add is: mine was good. I got to see the DB (not: Dear Brother) pissed, but he was still very sweet and charming; I also got a blister because these boots (Doc Martens) weren’t really made for walking quite a distance after the trams had stopped going. On NYD the DB got to meet the family and reeled them in hook, line & sinker, and we cooked our first supper together: a fish pie from Delia’s Complete Cookery Course. Good times.

Have a happy, healthy and fortunate 2008!