Just Old

Feeling blue this morning.  

Not motivated.  But, trying to do what I need to do to get through the workday.

February, to me, is the harshest month of the year.  

January has the residual remembrances of the holidays, and the start of a new semester.  

But, February has no hope of any warmth or Spring weather.... it is still too far down the road.  It is Winter at its most bleak.  

March is not really any better weather-wise.... but there is at least a start of HOPE that Spring MAY happen in early April and not late April..... and April will then only be several weeks away.

A friend who retired back in ~2007 from the Department.... a blustery fellow.... we received notice that he had passed away out West where he had moved to be closer to family.  He was only 77 years old.  But, diabetes ravaged him, especially in his later years.   No disease is good.... but damn, diabetes is so harsh.  He, like my SIL had amputations as a result. 

I fear for my wife.

We went to a "Wine & Cheese" discussion group at our Parrish last night.  As an academician, I think I always end up having too high of expectations for these sorts of things.  I am used to things to be presented or discussed to be focused, linear, and structured.  As is typical at these things at our Parrish, it very rapidly devolved into simple chatting of whatever popped into people's heads.  

I ate some grapes that were provided and had two glasses of wine.  

I rarely drink wine, and really know nothing about "it".  A few of the ladies at the counter were asking me all sorts of questions about what I like in wine, so they could steer me to a particular set of bottles.  Basically, I explained to them that I am a neophyte and a wine "rube".  To me, the choices are Red, White, and the chimera called "Rose'".  I then mentioned that I am not fond of white wine (to me, unflavorful..... and for the most part, rather "sour" if there is any flavor), nor am I fond of Rose' (to me, also unflavorful, and in my imagination I think of it as white wine where someone added a very small droplet of red food coloring).  I told them that when I have wine, I inevitably have red as it has (to me) a recognizable flavor that is pleasant. 

They then tried to help me further by asking if I preferred this or that type of red wine (words like Chardonnay, and other "varieties" were bantered about.... none of which I knew or understood.... only really remembering "Chardonnay" not because of what "type" of wine it is.... but because one of my nieces had named her cat "Chardonnay" and I thought it was a cute name).  

Do not get me wrong.... I do recognize the various terms of all of these varieties.... as being descriptors of some form of red wine.  But to me, they are truthfully meaningless as I do not know anything about any of them.  Red = red.    So, after they described the name for each bottle of red that was before me, I simply grabbed the first open one that looked like it had enough for me to pour a full glass, and then went back to my seat.  

When I later in the evening, eventually went back to acquire a second glass, I saw several bottles of red wine with only a 1/2 centimeter or so of wine in each.  I briefly considered seeing if I could flabbergast the the wine ladies by pouring the dregs of several different bottles of these varieties of red wine into my glass to fill it.  I chuckled as I imagined in my mind the look of shock this might have produced from them for such an "unrefined" maneuver.  But, instead, I just grabbed some other bottle that looked like it had enough for a full glass, and proceeded back to my seat.  I have no idea if it was the same red wine I had initially or a different one.  

But.... it did taste like red wine to me. :)

I hope I get to go to the Retiree's Cigar Group.  And, I hope it is jovial and helps pull me out of my mood.

PipeTobacco