A good book, good food, good drink and hunting – can Christmas get much better?
Having long past reached the age where I really “want” anything for Christmas I was delighted when friends gave me gifts this week inspired by conversations and circumstances.
The good book: A Hill on Which to Die by Judge Paul Presseler. The book was a gift from my staff. Paul Pressler was at the center of the biblical reclamation of the Southern Baptist Convention from the hands of liberal deconstructionists. Turns out Dwight’s brother was a once-upon-a-time roommate of the Judge and so the book was inscribed with this note from the author: “To Rev Steve Wood – With deep appreciation for your stand for biblical truth in spite of the opposition. 2 Timothy 3.16-17.”
The good food: Backbone Perleau: Quite simply one of the best dinners I’ve ever eaten. At our Alpha Overnight Jim Johnston and and I were comparing favorite recipes (all very unhealthy) and this was at the top of his list. Last night, after our Church 101 class, Jim gave me container of backbone perleau which he’d made earlier in the evening. Wow!
The good drink: Laphroaig. Enough said – well, almost. Laphroaig, along with Lagavulin and Talisker comprise my personal trinity of single-malt whisky’s. While each is an Islay malt (I guess, technically, coming from the Isle of Skye, Talikser is not properly an Islay malt, though it has similar characteristics) Laprhroaig is the most bracing and explosive of the three. I lift my glass to the clergy who gave me the bottle, thanks, boys (and thanks to Willi Stewart who introduced me to this fine single malt).
Camo & ammo. Leave it to a southern woman to know what a guy would like for Christmas. Liz Bailey, my Secret Santa, delivered the goods with a nice mossy oak breakup fleece and a box of .30-06 ammo. Oh yeah, she also gave me an interesting little tool called, “butt out” – which is better left undescribed – although, interestingly, there is a video (an unpleasant video) of its applicable usage.
Related Articles
16 users responded in this post
I’m not a single-malt whisky drinker but John is! I got him a bottle of the Lagavulin redcently. He likes! Oh, and I didn’t make it through the video. Leave it to Liz!
I could have lived my whole life without knowledge of the existence of the “butt out” tool. Now if I could only unsee that video….
Watching that video is like watching a bad car crash…you don’t want to watch it, it’s scary, but you just can’t turn away from it. I think I’m skipping Christmas dinner this year…they don’t do that to turkeys, right?
Thank you Liz Bailey via Steve Wood for that little Gem of a video. Way to start the day.
ok just to clarify … I gave him the tool, not the video. He found that all by himself
Yeah Liz, but you had the idea!!!?????!!!!!
Wow…smooth, steady pull. Goo.
A butt out? I might have to get one for my husband as a gag gift. i.e. I am gagging, but since bow season for deer lasts almost forever ’round these parts he might get good use out of it!
I just can’t seem to get past the initial “move the tail and BAM”
Paul and I have similar scotch preferences. Our favorite is Talisker. This year, I got him a bottle of LaPhroaig for Christmas at the recommendation of an appropriately grizzled old Scot that we met at the cigar shop. I don’t think that I like it as much as the Talisker, but it’s still pretty high up there.
Talisker gets my nod as well. Although, it depends on my mood. Cold, windy, rainy days have me reaching for Laphroaig.
Where are the good Protestants who understand spirits. All this talk of “Scotch” spirits. What about a good Irish single malt, say Bushmills, 21? Ah, now there’s a fine protestant whiskey. Enjoy.
How I wish I had not looked…
Another great product with a *slightly* less distressing commercial, The Wunder Boner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ79pCJBcJ8
Allegedly, the Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs did the voiceover work.
As a deer hunter (infrequent these days), I was not bothered by either the tool nor the video (though the video was a little overdone).
Now as to a good Whisky, I prefer a Highland/Speyside single malt over an Islay/Island. I have had both and the Islay/Island has a bit of a bite to it whereas the Highland is a smooth as silk.(There is currently a bottle of 26 year old in the cabinet).
Curiosity killed the cat… and apparently did some very unpleasant things to him after that.