Today was more or less agenda free. My wife took my daughter to her friend's birthday party this morning, and my son had some Wii sword fights. \:\) Then we went to a local creek and the kids waded and looked for fish while I threw (increasingly larger) sticks into the water for my dog to fetch. Then I stopped by a local beer store to pick up some birthday beers.



On the left, we have Norwegian brewery Nøgne ø's IPA. In the middle is De 'Proef'-Brouwerij's Van Twee Belgian Ale, a dark Belgian ale brewed with sour cherry juice. It's a collaboration beer with Michigan's Bell's Brewery. I had some of this at that fantastic beer dinner I went to in San Francisco back in February. Van Twee means 'from two'. On the right is Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale. I haven't had any of them yet (see below), but all three are pretty much guaranteed winners.

When we returned home, I chucked the beer in the fridge and my wife and I split a bottle of Cline Ancient Vines Zin for dinner, which went well with the spaghetti and meatballs. Now I'm just sitting here absorbing all the birthday wishes.

Thanks everyone!