Careening Toward 50!

I hit the big "5-0" tonight at midnight. Having resigned myself that nothing can be done to stop this, I plan to go down fighting. I have a weekend-long blow-out set for next weekend with friends coming from all over and the mix has possibilities of getting completely out of hand. I run with a crowd that likes to work hard (not really like it, but can do it if needed) and play hard-very hard. Most are veteran drinkers since their college days and any get together spirals quickly into an out-of -control frat party. I was not in a frat, but I have seen Animal House. I did not have my first beer until I was 21 (the drinking age then was 18, which means most folks were drinking screw top wine by age 15), but I've been trying to make up for my late start since then. My greatest fear is forgetting to hit the liquor store before it closes at 7:00 freakin' P.M. and being stuck with nothing but some shit like Captain Morgan's spiced rum or Vanilla-flavored Stoli. I'd rather drink Sterno.
This weekend, I gave my liver a workout in anticipation of next weekend's debacle. What's the record for getting drunk in one 24-hour period? Can you beat three times? Give it a shot if you dare. Our good friends from Winston-Salem, Hank and Ronda were down at the beach for a Friday night wedding and reception and stayed with us Friday and Saturday night. We've been friends for probably close to 20 years and like with all good friends, it doesn't matter if you talked to them 10 minutes ago or 2 years ago-you just start back up where you last left off. Hank showed up with a bag of brown liquor and I had hit the store for a half-gallon on the way home. We started throwing back the beer about 8:30, listening to some new tunes and sharing some new books. We hit the hard stuff about 11:00, read some archived rants from Hog-On-Ice and laughed until we ached, then it was back to the couch for some more music, some talk and more drinks. We both passed out and awoke, groggy and hungover about 6:00 A.M. When I went to bed it was already daylight and I managed to sleep fitfully until about 11:00. We went into town for lunch at the Dockhouse. A couple of drafts with lunch and it was back home to the porch swing. The girls took a nap and Hank and me stared out the back porch screen and swilled some more beer. The music was good and the weather was fantastic and I had a sudden craving for a couple shots of Maker's Mark. Folks, if you sip whisky and can afford it's price, there is nothing better in the world. One shot became two, then three and then it was the stumble into the bed for a catnap. I was shaken out of my stupor at 7:00-dinner was at 7:30. At the restaurant, we threw down a couple of local microbrews-"Corolla Gold" to be exact-brewed in Manteo, N.C. Next stop was the Dockhouse again-live music on the boardwalk and another draft but the wind had switched and the southeast breeze blowing over the 60 degree water made it borderline cold. Back to the house-more beer, more tunes, a re-reading of the funny shit from Hog-On-Ice, some more brown likker and suddenly it was Sunday morning. Hank and Ronda were almost out the door by the time I struggled out of the rack. A quick goodbye and the end to a great weekend with great friends. It was great to see them-we miss them greatly!