Sunday, October 29, 2006

Put a Cork In It

In the Long house we have a custom. Whenever we open a bottle of wine, everyone who partakes must sign the cork. We save the corks as a reminder of all the good friends and conversations that have taken place over the years in our house. To pull out the collection of corks is to remember goodness and count myself blessed.

We had an overnight guest this week who, though not related by blood, has been a family member for almost 15 years. We uncorked a 2005 Hook & Ladder Gewurstraminer. With the wine we had a small cheese flight which he, being an uncouth Carolinian mocked.

Having never heard of a cheese flight he, under the influence of only one glass of wine, made the cheese board "fly" around the room pretending once to be "Mission Control" in Houston, and another time provided "voice over" for radio conversation between the air traffic control tower and the "cheese flight." Needless to say, we laughed. Hard.

He signed the cork, put a cute phrase on it, and it now sits on the table before me, a tangible reminder that old friends are indeed like fine wine. They are both best uncorked.

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