Booze and Social Hour ... Bahraini Style!

Now, when I talk about Booze and Social Hour, I'm not actually discussing getting down with the Arabs on Wednesday night ... although they are certainly not opposed to boozing and social-houring and getting-downing. Believe me, if you want booze for the weekend, you'd better get to THE liquor store early on Wednesday, because if you wait until Thursday there won't be any Cuervo left!


No, I'm discussing the same people that we work and play with back in the States. Yes, the ones who will bring to the hoo-hah a 6-pack of some undrinkable malted barley swill and then hide it way back in the fridge (or even bring their own cooler to hide it in ... that works best, actually, because then they can sit on it an be SURE their loot is protected from the rest of the booze hounds at the gathering) to insure that when they leave, they will be able to take home with them the exact difference between what they brought and what they (themselves) guzzled. THESE are the folks. And let me tell you, something happens to them after they've sat on a plane for 16 hours one way and are 8 time zones away from home. They turn into a whole new Booze and Social Hour critter!


In the month that we've been here, we've hosted 2 such social hoo-hahs. We hadn't been here a week yet and we invited some friends over to socialize and order takey-outty. We had 3 people over (for the purposes of this discussion, the 2 kids don't count) ... after walking our guests to the door and locking it behind them, we had all drunk a pitcher of Strawberry Daiquiris and had left over a half bottle of dark rum and a bit more than that of vodka. We started out with zip. No booze in the Brackin house. All of a sudden, you invite a couple of people over and your liquor cabinet has begun to produce itself.


Then, last Thursday evening we hosted Poker Night here at the house. The 1st of what has been requested to be a new monthly Texas Hold 'Em gathering. We had 8 guests. Can you imagine how much booze we have now after THAT?! One guy came in with a 24-pack of decent beer, some Vodka, chips and dips, brownies, Pace picante sauce, Velveeta, limes, and Sprite. Another guy brought a 24-pack of Heineken tall boys, drank 4, let 2 explode in the freezer, and left the rest of the case in our pantry. We have Coronas in there, too. The fridge is loaded with beer, of several different varieties. Someone else brought mixers for Margaritas.


A week later and we are LOADED with alcohol to satisfy any number of varying desires.


A wife brought me a Yankee Candle. I haven't burned it yet.


I DID have a Fosters the other night.


I'm still grateful for my candle. I'll burn it the next time I drink a Fosters. Or Corona. Or Heineken.


Makes it easy to volunteer your home as a party spot! Not having to clean up before or after it also helps (I'm already thinking how we can bring the maid back home with us when we return). I wonder, though, when all is said and done ... when we're all back in the Woodlands where booze flows like water from any number of liquor stores within a 2 mile radius of where ever you happen to be standing at any given moment, AND where you don't have to pay 100% tax on the gods' nectar ... will these same people still show up at my door (after I've cleaned all day for them to come trash my house, mind you) with liquid sin in overflowing amounts, ready to donate it to the cause? Let's not ruin a good thing!


I will say, though, I haven't had any wine since I've been here. Let me give that a moment to sink in for some of you ... I, ME ... I haven't had ANY wine. I know ... it's worse than just a shame. It's a DOWN RIGHT shame! I had some of the generic stuff they give you on the plane that simply says "red wine" on the label. Some might argue whether or not that counts. Guess we'll just have to host something else soon.



... Connor's brithday is tomorrow ... hhhhhhmmmmmmmm ...