Tequila at family reunions

Today I ate dinner with my aunt Mary and uncle Earl, their daughter Myra, and my cousin Lawren, who's visiting from New York. It's tradition for me to eat dinner with them (minus Lawren of course) on Tuesday nights. I like it. I like them. It's a good tradition.

It's also tradition that I come up (I live in their basement apartment) a little early for dinner and Mary and I share an apertif-- a little drink to whet our appetites. Usually Mary serves wine. One time we had sherry--almond flavour (delicious). But today I came up for dinner and Lawren and Mary were drinking tequila. Just tequila. On the rocks. I laughed out loud. And poured myself an ounce or two. Mary explained that they were out of wine, and that they had picked up the tequila at the duty free on the way back from Joya's wedding.

Earl came to the table for supper and added his shock over the unusual apertif to the conversation.

Earl: (trying to hide his surprise) "Mary, isn't tequila a little strong for a before-dinner drink??"

Mary: "We didn't have anything else, and I couldn't very well not offer our guests anything, could I?"

Earl: "I could have brought up some beer from the cellar or something!"

Sara: (matter-of-factly) "I have a a very large bottle of rum downstairs."

Mary: (laughing) "Well, we'll just have to have tequila and beer and rum!"

I love my family.