The memory of Champagne trumps the reality.
    Don't misunderstand. Mom was duly impressed with the "Champagne Kick Off" dinner. She ooohed and aaahed and chuckled and wriggled in her rocker...she almost fell over her walker making her way to her rocker for the repast. We were both in a party mood all evening.
    Funny, though. She took one sip of the golden liquid with kinetic threads of sparkle and that was it. Throughout the rest of the meal, which, considering it's layout, took quite awhile for her to eat, she stuck with her coffee.
    Toward the end of the meal I reminded her, "Mom, you've got almost a full glass, there, of Champagne. Don't you like it?"
    "Oh, yes! It's a beautiful glass," she exclaimed. "Where did you get these?"
    It's always nice to know that a relatives tastes remain constant. "They're yours, Mom. You bought them on Guam."
    "Oh, my, yes, that's right." Still, she hadn't picked up the glass.
    "Are you going to drink the Champagne?"
    "Is that what that is? Well, yes, I think I will."
    The glass remained untouched. When her plates (one for the cracker/meat/cheese appetizers, one for the pickles) were clean, as I took them away in order to make room for a small plate of the Ghiradelli chocolate squares, one of each flavor, I reminded her, again, of the glass of Champagne. "Are you going to drink that," I asked, "or should I dump it?"
    "Oh! Yes! Of course!" She picked up the glass and drank the contents in one guzzle. A moment later she looked at me through a sour squint and said through puckered lips, "That's not water!"
    I laughed. "Well, no, that's the Champagne you asked for. I think it's more of a sipping drink."
    "Oooh! Well! I think it's not much for sipping, either!"
    "We've got the rest of the bottle, Mom. There's quite a bit. Do you want me to save it?"
    "I don't think that's necessary. Unless you want it."
    No. I have to admit, after I'd poured her glass I was so taken by the look of the stuff that I poured myself a liqueur glass full, thinking that maybe it tastes better than I remember. It doesn't. So, I guess we won't be having many Champagne nights. But, by request, we will certainly be having more "Appetizers for Dinner" nights. And, the chocolate squares were a hit, as well.
    When I bought the Champagne, I was careful to consult with the owner of the liquor store on why I was buying it, asking, as well, for direction on a really good Champagne, as long as it didn't cost $250 a bottle. I'm sure he directed me well. A customer in the store also chimed in on the quality of the owner's recommendation. I'm sure the quality wasn't the problem.
    I'm curious, now, to see how Mom takes to the Mateus Rosé that I bought. That's still chilling in the fridge. I also ordered a bottle of the Lancer's, since I know that was her favorite, and I'll pick it up when it arrives. I have a feeling we'll probably be discovering that these are also better in memory. That's okay. It's definitely worth the excitement of a special night.

    I should probably mention, although I will be making a more spectacular mention of this later, I'm in the final lap of switching all these journals over to my new domain. This is setting up two circumstances: Links will again be broken, the inter-post links for some weeks, probably, and the Link Section links for a bit less time (except for those on the test results, which will probably be broken for the longest period of time). As well, if you use the blogspot urls, you will be greeted with a "redirect" page. It doesn't work automatically. You have to indicate that you want to be redirected. I'm hoping most people will want redirection.
    At this point I've transferred all but the Dailies and this journal. I still haven't restored my Mac files, although I plan to do that soon [I think you've heard that one before, right?]. I'll blanket email everyone whose address I have on this computer, but that isn't many of my former readers. Of course, it's entirely possible that many of my former readers have either not found there way here or have chosen not to look for my location. Whatever. Anyway, my intention is to post a day ahead when this journal is moved. It will be the final journal to be moved.

    Getting close to the end of Mom's nap.
    Later.
- posted by Gail Rae @ 20:54   email  this post