Really? Is There Any Beery News To Tell On A Thursday?

What to make of a week like this. Two weeks ago I was at the Canadian national curling championships among 5,000 strangers and now I slip into work by a side entrance, go up an elevator and work on the top floor/attic of out office building behind a thick door maybe made in the 1840s. I didn’t even listen to social distancing Robin and Jordan when their podcast came out. I was up to my arse in emergency response stuff… but still…

That image up there? Three of my pals at a frosh beach party in Nova Scotia thirty five and a half years ago. When the Soviets were about to glaze us at 17 minutes notice. Our Halifax college apparently had its own nuke aimed at it because in WWII it was an officer training centre for the Royal Canadian Navy. We survived. We will again. I love that photo.  I want that on a t-shirt they put on me when they bury me in the grave.

What is up? I am enjoying my backyard when the sun shines. A bit of warmth in the sun is good.  Robin and Jordan were happily wrong that the booze retailers were shut down but also happily wrong that folk would not listen to the advice. The old obedient Tory DNA of Canada kicked in and everything shut when we were told to shut. St.Paddy was no-where’s ville around here and that was good. We are exercising our right to hunker down. Know your strengths, Canada. Thank God for all those years training in nuclear fear. If Leonid didn’t get me, well.. Listen to Leonard instead.  Travel light. Be grateful. Take care.

News? Here are a few tidbits:

• • • Prognostications are a’happening. Josh in the Chicago Tribune was all early days, sharing the begging for at least a few sports channels, maybe some sort of vestiges of March 17th…
    • My personal hero Maureen Ogle shared her experience in isolation with the Des Moines Register after visiting Italy at entirely the wrong time.
    • Distillers are making hand san-za-tizer. As is Louis Vuitton.
    • Fest have ended.
    • Craft brewers are being hit but no one is much mentioning if better or worse than average because… maybe… craft PR.
    • Ron has begun to tell the tale of the judging junketeers.
    • Business interruption insurance is not insuring the interruption of UK pub businesses.
    • Don’t forget that pre-crisis craft was hitting the “sure sucks” stage. Post-crisis? Malt. All malt. Crystal malt. Yum.
    • Cambridge, England silent and still.
    • Immortal teens will be immortal teens… and they will serve as the incubus for the Grim Reaper, inoculating us all. Did I mention I lived under Soviet nuclear terror? Good times…

Glum? Help! Buy home delivered good beer like I did this week. One of my favourite regional craft brewers, Matron, delivered to my house this very week. Keep the cash moving if you have cash to move. That is the point of the household consumer stimulus subsidies that are rolling out. Spend. Spend. Spend.

Still glum? Looks for Thursday’s revival of #beerchatafterdark. Pants optional. [Update: no option… no pants…]

Story of the week? The defiant citizens of Syracuse who insisted on getting out at midnight first thing St. Patrick’s Day to paint the street:

How many were there? According to Moriarty, the attendance stayed under the new limit of 50 people per gathering. “I was one of the 49 but stayed safe in the vehicle.” Moriarty said in her post. “Btw the only reason the painting ended up happening is because tradition was about to be broken and we would NOT let that happen by anyone so the true painters came through!!!” The midnight event traditionally includes the artistic application of a gallon of green paint, some piping and drumming, the reading of the names of Tipp Hill residents and friends who passed on in the previous year and the singing of “Danny Boy.” It’s usually over in 15 minutes or so. 

God love them. I’ve spent many happy times in Syracuse and will again.

That’s it. Not too much.  A short one this week. I am exhausted and there’s still two work days to go. And thank God I moderated the comments.  I have spared you all the continuing emotional drama. Never mind. Leonid never got me.

Just don’t forget there is more beer news every week with Boak and Bailey most Saturdays, plus more at the OCBG Podcast on Tuesdays and sometimes on a Friday posts at The Fizz as well. And sign up for Katie’s weekly newsletter, too. There’s the AfroBeerChick podcast now as well! Plus the venerable Full Pint podcast. And Fermentation Radio with Emma Inch. Check them out. Hunker down. You got this.