April 30, 2011 - Four Months After the Start.

Happy Spring everyone!

At one-third the way through my year-long journey, I feel I've reached the point where the real self-discovery is finally coming to light.  Maybe it could be the affects of no alcohol in four months, or perhaps it's the season of increased sunshine and warmer temperatures.  Or maybe it's nothing at all and I'm just experiencing a new day.

In any regard, I'd have to say that my friends and family have been fully supportive in my efforts to endure.  My wife has refrained from having a drink in the house which helps me not lament the memories of good food, a sunset and a bottle of 2005 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon and a slice of triple velvet chocolate cake.  I'd have to say that I became an astute connoisseur of good wines and could sometimes define the region the grapes came from without knowing the origin or having read the label on the bottle.

Along with the role of "Wine Snob" I'd also become a collector of alcohol related trinkets.  I might have already mentioned my bottle cap collection started in 1997 in Iceland (had I only started early, I could cover an entire wall with unique bottle caps).  Along with wine cork openers, Kandy and I've amassed an intricate collection of corks, pint glasses, logo coasters, and more.  At this point I'd like to point out that I do NOT have any bar mirrors or neon signs, having a high degree of class and dignity required of someone of my mediocrity.

I have fond memories of most of these beers represented in the photo above.  Often I'd rummage through the container of caps to discover I'd tried the same beer twice and kept both caps.  Had I started this collection when I first started drinking beer, I'd have more than 1,000 unique ones with many of them now out of business.  Wonder what that would be worth.

Some people collect baseball cards.  I tried that, but I'm just not that addicted to bubble gum.  For me--and maybe for many--it was the moment and the people I was with that made a difference and instilled a sense of appreciation for the beer I was drinking.  In fact, when friends weren't around, or if something was distressing to me, drinking was the farthest thing from my mind...as was the case on New Years Eve 1992 (NEW YEAR'S 1993) when I'd received a letter from my neighbor that my wife was having an affair.  I was at Kunsan Airbase, South Korea and my friends and I had already planned a night of drinking and celebration.  For what ever reason, I couldn't drink, not even one beer.  All stressful situations seem to cause this reaction.  Reflecting back, I can say that I've never considered "Man, this is a stressful situation, I think I need a drink" before, ever!

From the start of this self-evaluation, I've never considered myself an alcoholic although I'm open to the possibility that I might be.  Many of my alcoholic friends that have been sober for years, attend meetings and carry the coins--as well as follow the steps--tell me that if I was able to quit and not slip back into drinking, that it doesn't sound like I'm an alcoholic.  Still, I am planning to attend a meeting soon and experience the real essence of AA or Alcoholic's Anonymous.

Who knows what my future in drinking will be.  We'll see.  For now, I'm just trying to reflect, experience and reveal (for myself and my readers) the significance of alcohol's effects on me.  Until next time, please feel free to respond via this post or through an email and I hope you share your alcohol experience with us all.

Cheers,

April Showers Bring April Grand Daughters!

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't written in a while.  There's no excuse; I've just been lazy!

I have also been busy with getting the garden ready, deploying to Takistan some evenings to liberate their nation, or going to the gym.  Oh, and I became a "Grandpa" this month.  I was hoping to hold off until age 50, but 2 years early isn't so bad.

My Daughter Danielle and her Husband Ross have a beautiful baby daughter Rylee J. Caples and we drove down last weekend to meet her.  Holding a newborn weighting 6 pounds, 4 ounces seemed so surreal although it was only three years and a bit that I was holding my second daughter, Makenna, when she was that age.  It's a humbling feeling to realize that you are one of four generations in your family, and that you have children old enough to be parents themselves.  I am still experiencing new emotions and interpreting them as they come. 

Here are some photos to share.

 She's a content baby and I can't wait to teach her some "Knock-Knock" jokes when she turns 3.

This will be a short post, but in future posts, I'll tell more about my ARMA Combined Operations missions and show you photos of my alcohol related collections.

Stay safe and enjoy the sunshine!

Don

Greetings from the forest...it is spring.

Hello everyone, it's been a while since my last post, but I am happy to report that I've stayed on my diet and am doing well.  At almost one-quarter the way through my 1 Year in the Forest experience, I feel great although I missed having a good drink on St. Patrick's Day this month.  Just 10 years ago this month, we Celebrated St. Patrick's Day with our good friends Harv and Cheryl in Hawaii, where in Honolulu, they close down 11 city blocks in the center of town and have a huge party of green beer and more.  You haven't lived until you've seen a cute short-hair techno Hawaiian girl with green hair.

March brought many different challenges and experiences with it.  During the beginning of the month, I felt as if I was having phantom hangovers.  My friend Kate asked if I ate a lot of sugar, and I guess I do sometimes as I love having a handful of dark chocolate chips for a snack after dinner most nights.  That might be part of the reason I felt hung-over without the affects of alcohol, but I also might have been feeling the pains that come with depression.

As I might have mentioned, Makenna brought home three colds from school over the past three months.  I managed to dodge the first one, got hammered by the second one, and picked up a small part of the third one.   The feeling of being ill, the rainy weather and low light conditions can easily bring on a batch of the Seasonal Affective Disorder, something that I have been affected with before, like the two winters I spent in Iceland.  Like the commercial says, "Depression Hurts, Cymbalta can help."

I'm feeling much better now.  We spent eight days touring the Desert Southwest of the United States last week.  Our trip started in Las Vegas where we picked up our rental car and drove to St. George, Utah.  The next morning, we drove through Zion National Park and the Virgin River basin to get to Lake Powell and Page, Arizona.  It was nice to have 40-degree mornings and sunshine with daytime highs reaching the 60s.  The affect of the constant sunlight on our eyes was wonderful, and I'd have to admit that the time leading up to the trip was challenging as I was coming out of a low-state from the colds and winter weather in Portland, and worrying about our trip.  This might be one of the reasons I was having a hard time finding the motivation to write in my blog.  Nevertheless, I committed a short time back to only write when I feel moved to write here.

During the past month, I've been playing my ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead game with my buddies, although the break away from it has been nice.  ARMA is a military simulator that involves combat, logistics, strategy, and teamwork.  I enjoy playing it and have many friends from around the world that have become good allies through this game.  Below is a link to a video of one of our missions where I landed a damaged Blackhawk safely after being hit by a rocket propelled grenade in Fallujah, Iraq.

Emergency Landing in Fallujah

You may have noticed I haven't posted in a while.  We spent eight days in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada in March.  Seeing the sun each day is something we take for granted sometimes, and living in the Pacific Northwest, we often don't realize how much the sun affects us.  Our trip to the Desert Southwest was a great break away from the rain and darkness.

We flew into Las Vegas and rented a car to drive to St. George, UT.  The second day on the road, we visited Zion National Park, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, and Glen Canyon Dam/Lake Powell.  We stayed in Page, and it was very nice to be outside with 60 degree weather and sunshine.  The next day we drove to Kayenta and visited Monument Valley.  Leaving Kayenta, we stopped at Navajo National Monument and saw magnificent cliff dwellings.  After a night in Winslow, AZ and seeing Meteor Crater, we stayed three nights in Sedona, AZ and visited a wildlife park where we fed Giraffes carrots by hand.  The Last day, we drove to the Grand Canyon in a blizzard and saw the canyon better via IMAX Film.  But after the movie at the IMAX theater, we drove to the rim again and caught a few views of the canyon with snow on the rim.  After staying our last night in Flagstaff, we awoke to a flat tire, and 23 degrees with ice and snow.  We managed to get on the road an hour and a half late and got to our airplane with 3 minutes to spare.  This made the last day the most stressful.  Below are a few photos from the trip.

Being in the forest for three months now, I've rediscovered the magic of being in the forest.  Perhaps alcohol numbed the senses and I had missed the natural wonders of the forest.  Good sleep, more energy, and increased awareness are a few of the benefits of my journey.  One quarter the way through, I've realized that I still have a long way to go!

Don

Mr. Mom, Part 2

Back in 1983, I was arriving at my first duty assignment in the US Air Force.  It was Okinawa, Japan, and life back home in the states couldn't be farther from me.  That same year, the movie Mr. Mom came out staring Michael Keaton and Teri Garr as an atypical couple of the times where the man stayed home with the kids and the woman worked to bring home the bacon.  The movie was hilarious in its day, but for me, it's not funny anymore.

I say this because, Mr. Mom has become my life.  A few years ago, I decided that I wanted to retire young from working for someone else and do my own thing.  This is a common trait amongst Adult ADDers (see previous post on ADD) and after retiring from the ridged structure of Air Force life, I wanted something that wasn't so predictable and organized.  I wanted to become an entrepreneur.  But I also wanted to continue to bring home money and not retire to a recliner and television.  So with the help of a mentor and friend, I developed a couple of investments to accent my military retirement pay to a level that kept the pressure of needing a 9-5 J. O. B. and all the stuff that comes with it.  Life was great, I was actually getting up early, going to Edgefield for coffee, riding my road bike 40 - 50 miles every other day, and generally spending a lot of quality time with myself.  That's not the case now.

Nothing is more rewarding than raising your own children at home, but it doesn't seem that way when you are dealing with it.  Sometimes we don't recognize the joy and achievement of a task until we've past it and reflect back on the situation.  I was thoroughly excited when we found out that we were pregnant with Makenna.  Working from home and being the supporting spouse, I looked forward to the joy of being a Mr. Mom and had no problems preparing myself for this.  I can say after three years of full-time work in this role, that it hasn't always been fun, but I still love it.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I fell and broke my leg on the day before Makenna's first birthday.  That was fun, scootering around the house on a knee caddy with a baby on my arm all the time.  I soon developed a supinator muscle condition in my right arm, a common injury with moms according to my  orthopedist caring for my broken limb.  That happened in winter, a season that often challenged my morale, especially when I was drinking liquid depressants.  Being housebound with poopie diapers for three to six months is no fun at all!  Even without the broken leg, I have gained a enormous amount of respect for stay-at-home moms of either gender.  I'd have to say that things starting looking brighter again with the change in seasons and the healing of the wounds, and when Makenna started going to daycare/learning center half days, three days a week.

So here's my routine now:

Monday - Get Kandy and Makenna off to work and school, make beds, put away dishes and bathroom stuff, take out compost and garbage, play a video game, hit the gym by 10am, Starbucks at 11:45, pickup Makenna at 12:15, shop at Fred Meyer or Trader Joe's, put Makenna down for a nap, check in online with my gaming buddies, 4:30pm, get Makenna up, do pots and pans from night before, start dinner sometimes, and greet Kandy at the door to take her bag and coffee cup...sometimes kiss, kiss.

Tuesday - Get up, Makenna on potty, make juice and toast, Kandy off to work, Makenna dressed, all the other stuff in Monday's scheudle except for the video games and Makenna to school.  10:00am, Edgfield for coffee and oatmeal.  Get outside when able, meet mom for lunch when able, etc., etc!

Need I go into Wednesday through Friday?  Let's just say that Wednesday and Friday are similar to Monday and Thursday is exactly like Tuesday.  The only real difference in the week is Friday where I do four loads of laundry and clean a tub/shower/sink and two toilets.  Oh, Wednesday is garbage/recycling day so I get up early to get the containers out on the curb by 6amish.  So that's my week in a nutshell.  And yes, I do sometimes feel like I'm in Groundhog Day, were ever day seems the same.  Maybe a vacation would be great.

Let's see, vacation, oh yeah, I remember last year where I went with Kandy and Makenna to Maui for 8 days.  I say I went with them, because when you are a full-time parent and you go on vacation with your children, you're still a parent and have a job to do while you are on holiday.  Kandy took a week off from the lighting business but I still got to do my job on vacation.  I enjoyed Maui and would like to do more like that, but I felt guilty for wanting to go off on my own away from Kandy and Makenna sometimes, and I didn't feel that Kandy understood this..  For those of you with careers outside the home, try to imagine you going to Mexico and taking your laptop, cellphone, conference room, and clients with you.  That's my vacation.

VIDEO: Makenna at 18 Months doing her ABCs

Milestones are great, and I look forward to are getting out of car seats and pull-up training pants.  The logistics of sharing a car seat between two vehicles is tough sometimes, one because they grow to the next level quickly, and two, you can't really justify the $200 - $300 price tag of a second unit for such a short time.  So the best thing is to work with it while you have to deal with it.  At least when Makenna was younger, we had two base units, one in each vehicle, and we only had to lock in her carrier seat.  But that is usually over by age one.  I know this is nothing compared to the teenage years as we've already been through that, but at age 47, I can say that I have more patience and maturity, but I am also set in my old ways.

In the movie, Michael Keaton talks about yelling at one of his kids for coloring outside the lines, and that he and one of his other children watch the same TV shows and he is starting to like them.  That's me!  I just have to remind myself that this is all passing time and that it's definitely worth it.  Our parents did it for us, and our children are our greatest joy in our lives.  Makenna spoils me sometimes, she's so good.  Check out her video link above and sign on to reply to posts to share your parenting experiences.  Until next time, be safe and , oh, I have to go, someone just threw up on the carpet...argh!  Breathe Don, just breathe.

Cheers,
Don (Aviator)

Attention Deficit Disorder and Me - A Self Realization.

Greetings from the "Forest" and welcome back to my blog page.  I'm into the second month of my journey and I really miss good beer and wine, and all the associations that go with it.  I loved the atmosphere of a brew pub and the taste of a full-bodied Arrogant Bastard Ale!  I've only jokingly suggested that Kandy and I open a bottle of wine, but I'm really doing fine.

Some of you my have heard me tell people that I have Adult Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).  I call it Double A, Double D.  Up until a few months ago, I used this tag line to explain some of the things I'm challenged with and more accurately, I've never been formally diagnosed.  But then in November of last year, Kandy and I were watching a show on public television called Add and Loving It!  As the somewhat familiar comedian and actor was walking down the streets of Vancouver, BC with his wife, they both discussed some of the traits and behavior characteristics in Patrick's condition, and it was at that moment, that Kandy and I looked at each other and I said, "Hey, that sounds a lot like me."

Patrick in this special interest feature was Patrick McKenna, someone I recognized from the RED, GREEN show.  I enjoyed the slapstick, dry humor of this show and caught up with a few seasons of it on Netflix.  But in the moment of catching this show on PBS, I became aware that I couldn't overlook the obvious similarities to Patrick's behavior and my own.  So I decided to do more research about ADD and realized that I'm pretty sure I have it.

First, lets talk about what ADD is.  Attention Deficit Disorder is a commonly referred to label for someone with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD.  Two common types of ADHD are ADHD-I (Inattentive) and ADHD-H (Hyperactive).  Without a professional diagnosis, I'd have to say that I have moderate ADHD-I with a slight history of hyperactivity probably related to sugar overdose as a child.  Most of what I remember as Hyperactive Behavior was merely unrecognized passion about the subject in the moment.  The danger of self-diagnosis isn't really a concern in my case as ADD in adults is a highly misunderstood subject and most adults with ADD usually have either been diagnosed through their children with ADD or had documented symptoms as a child as early as the age of seven.  And to make matters worse, many experts disagree on the nature of ADD and it's associated behaviors.  But more and more research and understanding is coming to light in recent years.

For most adults living with ADD, the condition varies as far as traits and symptoms go, but here are the most common ones recognized in me:

1. I'm easily distracted by unimportant stimuli.
2. I exhibit impulsive decision making.
3. I'm prone to jump into a project without following directions.
4. I'm likely to forget promises and commitments.
5. I do drive too fast.
6. I'm likely to struggle with paying attention in work and recreation.
7. I'm generally disorganize, or I compulsively struggle to control the situation.

Summing all this up in one paragraph goes like this.  Little things amuse me and I seek the meaning to many ordinary or mundane things in life.  I often do or say something without thinking it through, and it often gets me into trouble.  When I have a new toy, piece of equipment, or software program, I almost never read the manual and just start building, fixing or playing with the new thing in my life.  I remember first names of people I met once at a coffee shop 10 years ago, but I seldom remember that I have an important meeting or commitment next Thursday.  Safely, I drive about 5-10 miles per hour over the speed limit.  The struggle to pay attention at work and recreation is probably why I don't strive for a normal career or join in organized sports activities.  And I clean house well, but small nooks of my living space get cluttered to the point where I have to do a major cleanup almost monthly.  These are just a few of the descriptions of my experience with the symptoms listed above, but there are more.

Looking back at the feedback I've received from Family, Friends, Supervisors, Coworkers and fellow students, I've frequently been called emotionally sensitive, passionate, exuberant, and I have unusually well developed problem solving skills.  To boot, I love nature as it is been recognized to nurture persons with ADD in a therapeutic way.    Expressing from within, I often feel the need to be stimulated, but I enjoy my down time too.  I love to feel excitement and I change my pace often.  I need to be able to innovate and I desire to create structure rather than to follow others' directions.  This means I want to lead myself and develop my own program.  It seems like I've selected a line of work suited for that as I manage my own aircraft hangar rental business and have almost total control in my business destiny.  I have help from my partners and customers, and for the most parts, things are great!

For me, the possibility of having ADD isn't an excuse for who I am.  I may have ADD but ADD doesn't have me.  Perhaps now is a opportunity to say I'm sorry if I've challenged any of you in the past.  I know this doesn't replace a formal heartfelt apology in person, but often I've wondered if I've exhaust my friendship bank account by withdrawing more than I've deposited.  Understanding this, I'm not so worried about it and understand why some of my friends (and family) are challenged by me.  The thought of social suicide has occurred to me, but moving away and making new friends only repeats the process and never solves anything.  The better thing is to understand my disorder and work on the things I can effect.

Right now, I'm reading the book The Gift of Adult ADD by Lara Honos-Webb, PH.D.  Subtitled with "How to Transform Your Challenges & Build on Your Strengths, I'm discovering more about ADD and how many successful people harnessed the power of their condition and turned the energy into huge accomplishments.  In some eyes, I've achieved as much, and personally, I wouldn't change anything about my past or where I am right now.  Sure I'd have done some things differently with the maturity and understanding I have now, but at the time, I made the best reactive decisions to address the conditions created by my initial impulsive behavior. In short, I've had to dig myself out of a few deep pits in the past.  History proves that I might have more challenges ahead, but that's okay!

Well, the view from the forest is great.  I've posted some photos from my perspective of the wilderness in recent years and I hope you enjoy the scenery.  Keep reading and responding and share the message of this blog as you see fit.  I welcome your feedback and comments and hope everyone has a great February.

Cheers,

Don (AKA Aviator)

Stats Review - 1 Month Down; Only 11 More to Go.

Greetings from the forest as January comes to a close.  It's been nearly 1 month since I started this journey and I feel great!  The transition from a alcohol life to a non-drinking one has been smooth and I'd have to say that I don't notice a period of change any longer.  I feel the same each day when I wake up, and that's a good thing.

I thought it would be a perfect time to offer some statistics on my blog and on other things related to this subject.  First, as of the time of this posting, I have had 348 page views with readers from the Unites States, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, Denmark, and India.  Some days I get three or four page views with the highest days having up to 21 - 23 page views.  And the readers are using various browsers and devices to view my blog, everything from Windows to Macintosh with Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer.  I even have followers on their Iphones.

About a week ago, one of my friends from Canada suggested I write also about the other side effects of giving up alcohol.  She said that "you've got to be spending less money."  What a great idea!  So, I went through my receipts from Trader Joe's, Fred Meyer, McMenamin's, and all the brewpubs I used to frequent like Bridgeport or Deschutes.  Right up front, I noticed that my average receipts from Trader Joe's  and Fred Meyer were about $20 to $30 less on a weekly basis.  As far as McMenamin's and other brewpubs go, I was spending $30 to $60 twice a week on average for food and beverages for me and my family or friends.  Adding all this up, I'd have to say that I spent $300-$500 per month on alcohol related stuff.

Another thing I've noticed is that I'm not washing wine glasses every single day, so my pots and pans routine has gotten shorter.  This means I have more free time to write in my blog, right?  Actually, I think I have more time for other things because I'm not going to the pub or sitting in front of the TV with a beer or glass of wine like in the past.  Going to the gym, playing my video game, and doing more stuff with Kandy and Makenna is the new routine.  I'm helping people more, getting out in the garden more, and I'm finding more energy for activities once neglected under a drinking lifestyle.

Some new goals for 2011 include riding more century (100 mile) rides with friends this year, and going backpacking more.  Along with the backpacking, I'm adding more camping trips with the family.  Going to the gym regularly is already on my list, but I've missed the past two weeks due to illness (mine and my daughter's) and a few appointments that took priority.  But starting Monday, I should get back on track.  I went from 218 pounds to about 214 and have stayed there since about December.  I'm hoping to get to my healthier weight of about 190 pounds by this summer and I plan to keep it there through next winter.

Overall, this first month has been great with lots of realizations and revelations.  I'm sure more will come and I'll have more to write about as well.  Maybe in my next blog, I'll find time to tell you why I feel I have ADD and how this self diagnosis isn't such a bad thing.  Until then, stay in touch and think of me when you enjoy that fine glass of beer or wine.  Cheers,

Don

Greetings from the Bar!!!

Psssssstttscht!  Korrg, Korrg, Korrg, Koigg, Kiggg....Kigg, drip.   Slurrrrrrph, Sip...Ah, The beer taste so good!!!

Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, hummm?  "Don, it's time to wake up," says Kandy.  I opened my eyes, and thought, wait, did I just cheat on my diet?  Oh, no, okay, it was just a dream, shew, that was close...I thought for second that I had blown my whole effort of giving up alcohol for one year...but everything was okay-it was just a dream.

Today is Monday, a fresh day, and I'm writing from the bar at the Black Rabbit Restaurant at McMenamin's Edgefield; a place that had become my office away from the home office for a while before Makenna arrived in my life.  There were at least two days in the past five years where I had breakfast, lunch and dinner in this office, and the lunch and dinner were wet.  Breakfast was dry.  And today it's coffee and oatmeal as usual.

Yesterday, I was cooking dinner, some poached salmon with quinoa and broccoli.  We have this dish on average once every two weeks and lately, my recipe had to change because I used to marinade the fish for one hour in white wine seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, crushed garlic and ginger, chopped basil, and red pepper flakes.  In the past, I'd usually open the wine, pour four ounces into the cook, then put four ounces in the marinade.  By the time dinner was ready, we'd have a glass of wine for Kandy and myself left in the bottle and sometimes, I'd have to open another bottle of wine.  Often I thought, "gee, this would be great if I lived in Tuscany!"  Many times, I'd ask myself if I had a drinking problem and often I'd rationalize that other cultures have alcohol as a daily ingredient and that I was just mis-planted in the wrong country.  Everyone wants to be Italian...right?

Talking about cooking and wine brings up many happy memories.  Just yesterday, while in the kitchen, we were watching a cooking show on PBS Create TV and they were pairing wines and cheeses.  Kandy and I both thought, ummmm, that sounds good right now.  I must tell everyone that Kandy has been very supportive in my 1 year in the forest (a year without alcohol) quest.  Prior to my decision she'd had pretty much stopped drinking during the week and at home for the most part.  My diet is pretty much a harsher level of her diet.  We have a wine collection of special bottles, around $25 to $55 values, that we keep in our central hall closet on a rack.  We don't have a cellar, but this space keeps a constant temperature as it's centrally located and insulated with linens and adjacent closets.  It fluctuates maybe 10 degrees throughout the year with the heat and air conditioning on in various seasons.  With this wine in the house, there is no temptation or allure to drink.  I'm committed to my year's journey and look forward to the times ahead.

Reflecting back, I often wonder if my life would have different had I not started drinking, or hadn't started drinking so young.  Could alcohol have contributed to some of my earlier setbacks?  I flunked 7th grade and had to make up two classes in summer school to continue into the 8th grade.  Upon graduation from high school, I think I had a 1.9 Grade-Point Average.  I jokingly tell people I was "Valislacktorian" of my senior class--which means lowest GPA you could have and still receive a diploma.  My homeroom teacher wrote on my last report card that she predicted that I would eventually outdistance everyone, and I think she meant geographically, not in a matter of success.

That makes me think of my travels around the globe, and how about 11 years ago, while based in Iceland, I decided to start a beer bottle-cap collection.  We had one of those bailer-bar pasta storage containers, you know the type with the tall, hexagon-shaped glass with the wire-hinged lid on top.  It was unused and I just started throwing cool bottle caps in it, only one of each original and the container is almost full now.  Collecting these caps was fun, and often I'd dump them on the counter, while having a new beer of choice, and reminisce over each cap.  I could remember the taste and where I was when we got each one.  I also have saved almost all of my wine bottle corks over the years, only the ones with real cork and with unique stamps.  In the case of the wine corks, I actually saved almost "all" of them.  A few years ago, I purged many duplicates to save storage space, and even now, I have several shoe boxes full of wine corks, as well as a drawer in the kitchen with a full tray-box.  But bottle caps and corks aren't my only drinking trophies, there are more.

I also collect pint glasses with pub logos on them.  Last year, I collected two "Double-Mountain" brewing imperial sized (20 ounce) glasses with the ultimate shape for aroma and character.  I'm referring to the beer's aroma and character, not mine.  I think the folks at Samual Adams brewing came up with this design and it's awesome.  And along with my big beer glasses, my big wine goblets are my favorites too.  Maybe size does matter, as I love bigger glasses to enjoy my favorites drinks.  Except my coffee, because I don't want it to get cold too quickly.  With a cup of mud, 10 ounces is just fine!

Well, more later about this subject, so be warned!  I do miss drinking and evaluate my future of alcohol each day.  I'm not counting days, but I am tracking how much time has passed since starting this worthwhile journey.  The video below probably sums it up best.  Bye for now,

Don (Aviator)