Now I'm all nostalgic for $1.50 pitcher of Lucky Lager, if not a one-eyed drive (did we even know how to spell responsibility back then?) from Moscow after a rousing Blue Monday.

While I'm still pretty much a beer swiller (I think MAXX suffered the same fate as fraternity keggers around here), I make exceptions on the river. 100-proof schnapps is a regular in the boat, but on days when things are slow and the fingers numb, we boil water then stir in brown-sugar batter and Captain Morgan's for hot-buttered rum. Was introduced to that in a sled on the Skagit maybe 20 years ago, and saw no reason why we couldn't enjoy the same amenities in a drift boat.

Might have to try alternating hot and cold -- rum and Jaegermeister. But then I'd probably be looking for some bar hag to verbally abuse.