Not every day goes as you planned it. Last night for Halloween, I got off work and was about to drive to a party at Becca’s house when I got a sobering phone call from her saying she fell off her horse and would I please grab her wallet and meet her at the ER. No one likes getting that phone call.
Hospitals freak me the hell out. The sterile atmosphere, the blank stares from nurses and doctors working for days without sleep, the constant beeping noises… Just walking in the doors makes my heart rate go up. By the time I got there, she was already in an exam room waiting for a CT scan. Three hours later, we learned that she has a compression fracture in one her lower vertebrae. Nothing too serious, rest and not stressing it for a month or so and she should be good as new.
By the time we got back to her house, the party was well underway. There are few things more awkward than being the outsider in a group of friends that all know each other really well, especially if you are an introvert like I am. So, as the gaggle of college kids swooped in on the invalid, I hit the kitchen in search of something to eat. After the shock of learning that those bastards had eaten all the Butterfinger bars before we got there, a big pot of cider caught my eye.
Not really thinking much of it, and talking to someone at the same time, I filled a mug, took a big swig, and just about spewed it out all over everyone. I bet that cider was 150 proof. Had someone held a match over the pot, the fireball would have hit the ceiling. Once the shock subsided and my eyes stopped watering, I found out they hadn’t just made “cider”, they had made Apple Pie.
From the sounds of it, they didn’t really follow a recipe, but here is the gist of it:
1 bottle cheap ass flavorless booze, such as Everclear
1 bottle apple juice
1 bottle apple cider
A handful of cinnamon sticks
About that much sugar
Mix it all up in a pot, slow cooker, etc, and stand back. You don’t have to use the whole bottle of booze, in fact I would probably recommend not, but the option is there. It’s pretty good hot or cold, and will definitely improve a stressful evening. I imagine it’s pretty good for back pain too…
