Life would be so boring without surprises, wouldn’t it?

I make that statement because I was recently the recipient of an amazing surprise. More on that later.

A few days ago I was walking along a hallway when someone called out my name. The person stopped to tell me she had something for me, and she left to get it. She handed me a bottle of Klinker Brick Cabernet Sauvignon, which is made in the Lodi region of California.

Having never tasted the wine, I was thrilled to soon open the bottle and enjoy its front taste of black currents and finishing flavors of vanilla, spice and mocha. The spicy flavors surprised me, and the liquid’s dryness was wonderful. Such a nice surprise! Thank you!

We have a family tradition, that, whenever we gather, a very knowledgeable family member is to make a punch. During a recent gathering, a punch was made that amazed everyone with its wonderful flavors. I’m not entirely sure of all the punch’s ingredients, but I do know rum played a central role in the punch bowl. It was captivating, and worth a couple of glasses of it. After all, I consider such tasting as experiments, and I do them in the interest of … ah … science! More on that gathering later.

It always amazed me how one can meet an old friend in the most surprising places. Over the years, and no matter where I am, I’ve learned to always be on the alert. Whether it’s walking the streets of a foreign city, visiting a national park or simply walking around my neighborhood, one can always be surprised to meet someone you know. Of course, chatting and laughing then occurs, and the day becomes brighter. I’ve learned to live the caveat to always be careful what you say because you never know who’s listening. As big as it is, the world is an astonishingly small place, isn’t it?

While at the aforementioned family gathering, I excitedly came across a bottle of Fteri Moschofilero Greek wine. It’s a wine I had never sampled, and it wasn’t long before the cork was lifted from the bottle. I noticed the aromas to be quite floral roses), and the citrus taste to be very tasty and light. Although its ABV was only 12%, it had a very nice dry finish.

I tried to mentally compare it to other wines and came up with a Viognier or a light Sauvignon Blanc. The wine captivated me, and I must do further research — strictly in the interest of science, of course!

All right, it’s time to reveal the matter of our recent family gathering. We had made plans to visit our son and his beautiful family in a suburb of Chicago. We scheduled rides on Amtrak, and, after a relaxing ride across the landscape and by the riverscape, we were picked up by our daughter-in-law and our two fantastic granddaughters.

It was our thought to have a visit with them, but oh …, there’s so much more to the story!

The following afternoon our son informed us we would visit a local golf course restaurant/bar and have a quick cocktail before supper. Hey! I’m all in for that!

Well, we walked into the restaurant, and I was overwhelmingly surprised to walk into our entire family as they all wished me a Happy Birthday! What an awesome moment! It left me speechless (For a second or two!), and then hugs and laughter dominated the party.

See what I mean about the world being a small place? Our family extends from the Midwest to the East Coast, and they are an amazing family. We/I had no idea the entire family was gathering. We/I had no idea of the plotting and planning about this surprise family gathering. They would all do well in the National Security Agency!

Naturally, we celebrated! That night we attended a concert at a local bar where my son’s band was playing some great rock music. During the concert, everyone there sang “Happy Birthday” to me, and I was treated to a free liquid by a stranger.

Those are moments we never forget.

That weekend I got to shoot baskets with my son and grandson. One of my granddaughters took me on a walk around the neighborhood. We walked, talked, joked and treasured each other. Of course, each day ended with a nightcap featuring different whiskeys.

Thank you fam!

Those are moments of memory that will never be forgotten.

As always, eat and drink in moderation but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!