Notes from Happy Hour at the Artful Blogger's Bachelor Pad

Date: 06/04/09

Attendees: the Alleged Lady and the Namby Pamby (and two others). Daisy and the Esquirer were ensconced watching their beloved Red Wings lose to the awesome Penguins (heh heh) and Grace was otherwise occupied, so it was just the four of us.

Fun notes:

1) Namby was exhausted from his adventures of the previous evening (read no sleep for Namby). He and the Lady arrived at the same time, and they immediately wanted to see my new Denny Crane chairs. What are those, you may ask? Well, in the television show "Boston Legal", the characters Alan Shore and Denny Crane would close out each show sitting in amazing Italian plastic patio chairs that looked like easy chairs, smoking cigars and drinking Scotch. Yes, I purchased my own pair of these chairs for my balcony. After looking at (and experiencing) the chairs, Namby went inside to make himself a drink, and the Lady called for him to make one for her as well. Namby proceeded to make a dirty vodka on the rocks (Belvedere + olive juice) for the Lady-or so he thought. He was adding Bombay Sapphire gin to a martini shaker, and I asked him what he was doing? "Oh, making the Lady's drink", he proclaimed. "The Lady asked for Vodka, Namby", I replied. Namby looked at me quizzically and then nodded. He corrected himself and decided to make a gin and tonic for himself. At this point, one might assume that he simply poured the gin from the martini shaker into a glass and added tonic. One would be wrong. Namby proceeded to add tonic water to the shaker and SHAKE IT UP (cue song from the Cars).

Tonic water, as Namby soon realized, is carbonated. Cue gin and tonic carbonation explosion all over my living room.

Yes, the suave, debonair Namby Pamby was COMPLETELY out of it yesterday.

2) I put out an assortment of cheeses, fruits, and nuts. I tend to go overboard on my cheese trays, and I have a fondness for softer cheeses and some firmer Goudas. As my guests were remarking on the wonderful textures and flavors, the Lady offered this bon mot:

"I only really like them when they are REALLY HARD AND REALLY SMELLY."

Namby and I snorted (after all, at heart, we both have the sense of humor of 12 year olds).

"That's what she said."


3) Because he lives in the burbs, Namby has taken to occasionally crashing in my guest room. Unfortunately, on those occasions, he has failed to bring changes of clothes and...ah...undergarments. This has led to at least one occasion with Namby asking to borrow my underwear.

Yeah.

Anyway, on this occasion, I told Namby to remember a change of clothes for the next day. Namby showed up with a new shirt, a fresh box of underwear, and fresh socks. Because he left early enough to catch a train, he did not need them, but he proposed leaving the items at my place for future nights in town. So now-Namby has a drawer in a dresser in my guest room. I think that I feel a little uncomfortable with that. The Lady, of course, found this all hysterical.

4) The Lady kicks butt on the drums (when she does not drop the sticks), guitar, AND the microphone on Rock Band. Namby, on the other hand, made an admirable effort but was coordinationally challenged with the instruments (although, to his credit, this was his first time playing the game's instruments). Namby does, however, know how to belt out a tune.

5) Near the end of the evening, Namby proposes watching the film Iron Man, a film that the Lady had not watched. I set it up and we settle in to watch. Namby asks for more wine, and I provide it. He then promptly falls asleep.

6) The Lady and I agree that "When Harry Met Sally" is the best romcom out there. Namby feels it is "Love, Actually" and that "Notting Hill" is a close second. I think that Namby has an unhealthy infatuation with Hugh Grant.

I cannot wait for the next gathering.