Yesterday was one of those days when I particularly wanted to live life like a
Barry. Mostly, I just wanted to be with family. I started thinking that I should have told my cousin Ellen to drive out La Grange this weekend instead of last.
Yesterday would have been my
Double G's 90th birthday. I think we all thought he was going to make it that long - that we would have a big birthday bash and we would be convincing him to get off his tractor and come, up until the party started.
As it was, my Grandpa was partying in Heaven, watching down over his family in Pittsburgh, as well as Honolulu, DC, Virginia Beach, New Orleans, and Chicago who were celebrating at mass, by his grave, around the table, in song, dance, and speech, with my grandma and with each other, and of course over Guinness toasts 'to Red.'
In Chicago, Peter and I were having our own version of Red's birthday party - a brewday birthday - the kind of Barryific day that I believe Grandpa would have loved. It started in the early morning, watering the garden, chasing the bunnies away, and tending the tomatoes and peppers. Afterwards, I challenged myself to make something that could readily be found on the breakfast table at 126 East Edgewood - My Grandma's nut roll, with a little twist of Lo.
We filled both benches around the Brunch table and encouraged a lot of passa passa to go on.
And the sunny afternoon was filled with a lot more outdoor time than indoor, as Peter directed the group to not only make one beer, but two: a bourbon barrel porter and a rauchbier.
Together, perhaps with a little intervention from Red, we had our first full Brewer and the Bee day, two brews, one historic baked good, five mouths fed, and many memories made for a little one, just like the memories that my cousins and I share of making apple cider with my Grandpa.
Happy birthday, Double G. You are missed beyond words, but you can rest assured that your family continues to do the Barry name proud.
Lo.
