Aug 11 - A Cask of Amontillado

Well, this is a first. The first time, that is, that I've blogged about an alcoholic drink, or any drink, come to think of it ...

Yesterday was clean-up day for Sandy. Washing, washing and more washing -- towels, bedding, clothes ... a real workout for the washer. She also washed the bathroom floors, spots off the walls from the kids, vacuumed ... she got a lot done. There was a lot to do.

Me ? -- I moved some topsoil, but didn't work as long or as hard as Sandy yesterday ... I admit it. I also did some tidy-up outside. Lorraine was shoveling at her side of the topsoil mound much of the day and is far ahead of me. Jason is making progress with his work too, about to tackle the plumbing, and will likely postpone the tile work for now, perhaps waiting until I'm back from Florida.

Back from Mass we had dinner (Pike, leftover mashed potatoes, beans and peas from the garden) then Jason and Lorraine came over for our planned opening of the first bottle of Sherry that I've ever tried -- an Amontillado. I had no idea whether I would like it -- I was simply intrigued by the name when I purchased the case of 6 bottles from the Opimian Society (the wine club to which I belong in Canada). A Cask of Amontillado -- the Edgar Allen Poe short story and the Allan Parsons Project song -- prompted me to purchase this Sherry.

Sandy chided me that I poured too much for her in the little glass, then went back for more. Jason and I had some more; I had some more ... it was excellent. I'm not great at describing wines, but with notes that resemble in some ways the Ontario Vidal ice wines, an aroma similar to cognac, not sweet but hinting at sweetness in the aroma -- it was excellent. We must be getting old -- sitting around sipping sherry ... It also keeps for a while, being a fortified wine, so the bottle went back into the wine cellar and we'll sample it some more over the next few days. Truly enjoyable, I'll purchase some more when Spain is again featured in an Opimian Society offering next year.

Abby and I have already had breakfast -- time to move some more topsoil.