Dear God, Now He's a Real Adult
Friday night turned out to be as nice as the earlier part of Friday had been, and a good time was had by all at Younger Brother's birthday bash. Better yet, I had my first drinks out since all my health problems reared their ugly heads, and they were well worth the waiting.
We went out to Full Kilt, which is, as you might guess from the name, a Celtic pub. I can't vouch for the painstaking authenticity of the food/decor/what have you, but it was a lot of fun, there was bagpipe music, the boxties were delicious and there was a really rather impressive assortment of imported and craft beers on tap. I had a few pints (okay, maybe a bit more than that) and had an opportunity to enjoy both the "Under the Kilt Wee Heavy" Scotch Ale and the "Final Absolution" Belgian-style Tripel from the Dragonmead Microbrewery--very much a local product. Thumbs up on both! They both pack a punch in terms of alcohol content, however, so they're not so much for the casual drinker, I'd say. But yum.
The cake was a huge hit, too, despite my dissatisfaction with its appearance. It was better the first time I piped the top border, but it started to sag from the heat and so I had to smooth it out and redo it, to mixed results. Still, everybody raved about the taste and texture, and I have to admit that it well surpassed my expectations. I liked it enough that I would make it again--and hopefully not screw up the decorating this time. You can judge the results for yourself:
It's an almond cake with a cream cheese mousse-style frosting. The layers are filled with more of the frosting and a combination of pineapple and apricot preserves, while the top is glazed with more apricot preserves.
As for Younger Brother, he behaved himself very well, and I was proud of him for that. A lot of kids go hog-wild when they reach their majority, and to his credit, he didn't act like a giant ass. I commend him for that. Ah, it makes me proud to be his big sis... but yikes, now he's a full adult!
I can't say whether I find the idea more terrifying or gratifying. :D
In other news, I'm rather pounding my head against the wall, struggling to finish off a few pieces that badly need it. I think I'm still rusty from the time off, because nothing feels as sharp as it should yet. ~is frustrated~
However, one good bit of news: despite lousy, allergy-inducing weather this weekend, I'm now back to sleeping in my bed, lying down. I can't overemphasize how happy this makes me. You never realize how glorious it is just to sleep in your bed like an average person until the day you can't, you know?
We went out to Full Kilt, which is, as you might guess from the name, a Celtic pub. I can't vouch for the painstaking authenticity of the food/decor/what have you, but it was a lot of fun, there was bagpipe music, the boxties were delicious and there was a really rather impressive assortment of imported and craft beers on tap. I had a few pints (okay, maybe a bit more than that) and had an opportunity to enjoy both the "Under the Kilt Wee Heavy" Scotch Ale and the "Final Absolution" Belgian-style Tripel from the Dragonmead Microbrewery--very much a local product. Thumbs up on both! They both pack a punch in terms of alcohol content, however, so they're not so much for the casual drinker, I'd say. But yum.
The cake was a huge hit, too, despite my dissatisfaction with its appearance. It was better the first time I piped the top border, but it started to sag from the heat and so I had to smooth it out and redo it, to mixed results. Still, everybody raved about the taste and texture, and I have to admit that it well surpassed my expectations. I liked it enough that I would make it again--and hopefully not screw up the decorating this time. You can judge the results for yourself:
It's an almond cake with a cream cheese mousse-style frosting. The layers are filled with more of the frosting and a combination of pineapple and apricot preserves, while the top is glazed with more apricot preserves.
As for Younger Brother, he behaved himself very well, and I was proud of him for that. A lot of kids go hog-wild when they reach their majority, and to his credit, he didn't act like a giant ass. I commend him for that. Ah, it makes me proud to be his big sis... but yikes, now he's a full adult!
I can't say whether I find the idea more terrifying or gratifying. :D
In other news, I'm rather pounding my head against the wall, struggling to finish off a few pieces that badly need it. I think I'm still rusty from the time off, because nothing feels as sharp as it should yet. ~is frustrated~
However, one good bit of news: despite lousy, allergy-inducing weather this weekend, I'm now back to sleeping in my bed, lying down. I can't overemphasize how happy this makes me. You never realize how glorious it is just to sleep in your bed like an average person until the day you can't, you know?