Podcasts about christmas ales

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

This show has been flagged as Explicit by the host. New hosts Welcome to our new hosts: Jim DeVore, Carmen-Lisandrette. Last Month's Shows Id Day Date Title Host 4544 Thu 2026-01-01 Uncommon Commands, Episode 2 Deltaray 4545 Fri 2026-01-02 YouTube Subscriptions 2025 #12 Ahuka 4546 Mon 2026-01-05 HPR Community News for December 2025 HPR Volunteers 4547 Tue 2026-01-06 Cheap Yellow Display Project Part 6: The speed and timing of Morse Trey 4548 Wed 2026-01-07 YouTube Subscriptions 2025 #13 Ahuka 4549 Thu 2026-01-08 [deprecated] Pomodoro Task Tool (pomotask.sh) candycanearter 4550 Fri 2026-01-09 Playing Civilization V, Part 7 Ahuka 4551 Mon 2026-01-12 “Elsbeth in IT: Since '97” (Part 2) Elsbeth 4552 Tue 2026-01-13 Printer Conspiracy MrX 4553 Wed 2026-01-14 Nuclear Reactor Technology - Ep 4 Less Common Reactor Types Whiskeyjack 4554 Thu 2026-01-15 How I do todo Jim DeVore 4555 Fri 2026-01-16 HPR Beer Garden 8 - Belgian Christmas Ales Kevie 4556 Mon 2026-01-19 Nitro man! RC Cars operat0r 4557 Tue 2026-01-20 Why I prefer tar to zip Klaatu 4558 Wed 2026-01-21 YouTube Subscriptions 2025 #14 Ahuka 4559 Thu 2026-01-22 Enkele off line vertaaltools Ken Fallon 4560 Fri 2026-01-23 Arthur C. Clarke: Other Works, Part 2 Ahuka 4561 Mon 2026-01-26 A bit about Mission:Libre, a new project for 11-14 year olds in free software Carmen-Lisandrette 4562 Tue 2026-01-27 Software development doesn't end until it's packaged Klaatu 4563 Wed 2026-01-28 Nuclear Reactor Technology - Ep 5 Fast Reactors Whiskeyjack 4564 Thu 2026-01-29 MakeMKV error Archer72 4565 Fri 2026-01-30 HPR Beer Garden 9 - Barley Wine Kevie Comments this month These are comments which have been made during the past month, either to shows released during the month or to past shows. There are 20 comments in total. Past shows There are 6 comments on 5 previous shows: hpr4313 (2025-02-12) "Why I made a 1-episode podcast about a war story" by Antoine. Comment 3: Ken Fallon on 2026-01-23: "Spammer" hpr4424 (2025-07-17) "How I use Newsboat for Podcasts and Reddit" by Archer72. Comment 7: Ken Fallon on 2026-01-03: "Some podcast aggregators show ccdn.php as file name #321" Comment 8: Archer72 on 2026-01-05: "Re: download-filename-format for HPR podcasts" hpr4532 (2025-12-16) "Cheap Yellow Display Project Part 5: Graphical User Interface " by Trey. Comment 2: Ken Fallon on 2026-01-10: "Possible Graphics Library" hpr4536 (2025-12-22) "Welcome to the Linux Community" by Deltaray. Comment 6: Archer72 on 2026-01-05: "Re: Good talk CliMagic" hpr4543 (2025-12-31) "Nuclear Reactor Technology - Ep 3 Reactor Basics" by Whiskeyjack. Comment 2: Kevin O'Brien on 2026-01-01: "Really enjoying this series" This month's shows There are 14 comments on 9 of this month's shows: hpr4546 (2026-01-05) "HPR Community News for December 2025" by HPR Volunteers. Comment 1: Archer72 on 2026-01-06: "Nuclear Reactor series"Comment 2: Henrik Hemrin on 2026-01-07: "Linux" hpr4551 (2026-01-12) "“Elsbeth in IT: Since '97” (Part 2)" by Elsbeth. Comment 1: operat0r on 2026-01-15: "White Male" hpr4552 (2026-01-13) "Printer Conspiracy" by MrX. Comment 1: candycanearter07 on 2026-01-24: "printer issues" hpr4554 (2026-01-15) "How I do todo" by Jim DeVore. Comment 1: brian-in-ohio on 2026-01-17: "Welcome"Comment 2: candycanearter07 on 2026-01-24: "good first show!" hpr4555 (2026-01-16) "HPR Beer Garden 8 - Belgian Christmas Ales" by Kevie. Comment 1: KarldaTech on 2026-01-16: "Christmas Ale" hpr4557 (2026-01-20) "Why I prefer tar to zip" by Klaatu. Comment 1: candycanearter07 on 2026-01-20: "interesting experiment" hpr4559 (2026-01-22) "Enkele off line vertaaltools " by Ken Fallon. Comment 1: ClaudioM on 2026-01-23: "Just What I Needed!"Comment 2: mnw on 2026-01-26: "Great Recommendations!" hpr4561 (2026-01-26) "A bit about Mission:Libre, a new project for 11-14 year olds in free software" by Carmen-Lisandrette. Comment 1: Henrik Hemrin on 2026-01-27: "Happy to learn about the project"Comment 2: candycanearter07 on 2026-01-28: "cool project" hpr4563 (2026-01-28) "Nuclear Reactor Technology - Ep 5 Fast Reactors" by Whiskeyjack. Comment 1: mnw on 2026-01-29: "Great Series"Comment 2: Whiskeyjack on 2026-01-29: "hpr4563 :: Nuclear Reactor Technology - Ep 5 Fast Reactors" Mailing List discussions Policy decisions surrounding HPR are taken by the community as a whole. This discussion takes place on the Mailing List which is open to all HPR listeners and contributors. The discussions are open and available on the HPR server under Mailman. The threaded discussions this month can be found here: https://lists.hackerpublicradio.com/pipermail/hpr/2026-January/thread.html Events Calendar With the kind permission of LWN.net we are linking to The LWN.net Community Calendar. Quoting the site: This is the LWN.net community event calendar, where we track events of interest to people using and developing Linux and free software. Clicking on individual events will take you to the appropriate web page. Provide feedback on this episode.

This show has been flagged as Clean by the host. Dave and Kevie bring the HPR listeners another festive edition of the Beer Garden, with the focus turning to Belgian Christmas ales. Kevie discovered a scan of the original advert in the Journal De Charleroi from 1896 Translation: Christmas beer has arrived at the Arabian horse and the globe, these two establishments so famous for Anglaise beers. Go and taste it, because Christmas is only sold for a short time. In this episode Dave samples Baby Jesus by Brouwerij 't Verzet and Kevie tries out La Binchoise Speciale Noel . Connect with the guys on Untappd: Dave Kevie The intro sounds for the show are used from: https://freesound.org/people/mixtus/sounds/329806/ https://freesound.org/people/j1987/sounds/123003/ https://freesound.org/people/greatsoundstube/sounds/628437/ Provide feedback on this episode.

What Bubbles Up fans! Another year, and another season in the books, which means it is time for our annual Year in Flights episode! This season, Phil and Barry celebrate the end of Season 6 with a recap of 6 of their favorite moments, each paired with a different beer (in increasing ABV %). We also take a moment to celebrate the growth of their podcast, up 21% in listernership from this time last year. As predicted, this season focused on the impact of AI on the industry, the evolution of Figma, and the importance of authenticity in creativity. But we also highlight the need to embrace uniqueness and differentiation, and the necessity of continuous learning and evolution. It's been another great season - thank you all for listening, and we will see you again in 2026! This Season's Highlights:1. Episode 2: A Quick One on DeepSeekAI2. Episode 4: Robin Raskin from SXSW3. Episode 8: Recap of Config4. Episode 9: The Future of Agencies with Matt Weiss (our top episode of Season 6!)5. Episode 11: Lessons in Acting with Julianne Cross6. Episode 12: Being Curious with Jenessa CarderDrinks:Barry: Tuckerman Brewing Co. Headwall Altbier, Vermont Beer Makers Scarlet Red Ale, Jack's Abby Brewing Shipping Out of Boston Amber Lager, Berkshire Brewing Company Lost Sailor India Pale Ale, Devil's Purse Brewing Co. Powder Hole Porter, Mad Elf Holiday AlePhil: Founders Brewing Company Red Sweater IPA, Jackie O's Brewery Chomolungma Brown Ale, Great Lakes Brewing Co. Christmas Ale, Port City Tidings Belgian-Style Ale, Jack's Abby Brewing Tiramisu Pastry Porter, Boulevard Brewing Company Dark Truth Imperial StoutLinks:http://whatbubblesup.com

This show has been flagged as Clean by the host. With Christmas approaching (and actually gone by the time this is posted), Kevie, Dave and Paul try out a variety of Christmas ales from the UK. Dave opts for St Peters Christmas Ale , Kevie samples Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale and Dave supports his local brewery, Purple Moose, with a mug of Merry X-Moose . Connect with the guys on Untappd: Dave Paul Kevie The intro sounds for the show are used from: https://freesound.org/people/mixtus/sounds/329806/ https://freesound.org/people/j1987/sounds/123003/ https://freesound.org/people/greatsoundstube/sounds/628437/ Provide feedback on this episode.

This episode of Beer and a Movie goes full James Cameron—twice. Joined by comedian Connor Stewart, we dive into Avatar: Fire and Ash and the sci-fi horror classic Aliens. One is a sequel for the ages. One… frankly, isn't. We break down blue aliens, big budgets, space marines, flamethrowers, and Cameron's lifelong obsession with raising the stakes—sometimes brilliantly, sometimes questionably. Along the way, we compare how his storytelling, action, and world-building evolved across decades, and which franchise actually earned its legacy. Then we crack open Lagunitas Brewing's Little Sumpin' Sumpin' and Saint Arnold's Christmas Ale, pairing hop-forward chaos and holiday nostalgia with Cameron's cinematic excess. Expect strong opinions, beer-fueled tangents, and Connor Stewart doing what he does best—calling it like he sees it. Grab a beer, pick a side, and stay frosty—because in space, no one can hear you crack open a Christmas ale.

This episode of Beer and a Movie goes full James Cameron—twice. Joined by comedian Connor Stewart, we dive into Avatar: Fire and Ash and the sci-fi horror classic Aliens. One is a sequel for the ages. One… frankly, isn't. We break down blue aliens, big budgets, space marines, flamethrowers, and Cameron's lifelong obsession with raising the stakes—sometimes brilliantly, sometimes questionably. Along the way, we compare how his storytelling, action, and world-building evolved across decades, and which franchise actually earned its legacy. Then we crack open Lagunitas Brewing's Little Sumpin' Sumpin' and Saint Arnold's Christmas Ale, pairing hop-forward chaos and holiday nostalgia with Cameron's cinematic excess. Expect strong opinions, beer-fueled tangents, and Connor Stewart doing what he does best—calling it like he sees it. Grab a beer, pick a side, and stay frosty—because in space, no one can hear you crack open a Christmas ale.

Allen and RD knock back the 2025 Christmas Ale by Abita Brewing Company.From the website:"SeasonalChristmas AleDark Ale5.8% ABVOur Christmas Ale is a brown ale that is brewed with six types of malted barley and fermented with American Ale yeast. It is brewed with pale malt as well as a combination of Caramel, Biscuit, Munich, and chocolate malts. It is hopped and dry-hopped with Columbus, Cascade, Centennial, and Amarillo and has a nice piney and citrus hop flavor and aroma. The result is a flavorful brown ale that is sweet and malty with a pleasant hop aroma."Thanks for watching!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/strikeout-beer--2992189/support.

This is the absolute MUST HAVE Belgian Christmas Ale. It's the liquid form of fruit cake; full bodied, furity with zesty season aromas, St Bernardus Christmas Ale is the perfect co-pilot for holiday adventures just mind the ABV.

In Episode 124 of Two Beers and a Mic, the crew cracks open “Ye Olde Christmas Ale” from Saint Arnold Brewing Company and gives it the full holiday review. With a festive brew in hand, the guys dive into the recap of Jake and Stone's extremely white Christmas party — complete with two charcuterie boards and what Jorge proudly labels “the whitest food spread ever assembled.”From there, things get heated as the debate of the century erupts: Is a Cheeto a chip? Logic is tested, friendships are strained, and absolutely no one leaves the argument unchanged.The episode wraps with talk of the crew's upcoming Iceland trip, plus an absolutely wild story about how Jake somehow found himself in the middle of a real-life car chase after his boss's car was stolen in broad daylight.Holiday vibes, white-people parties, snack-based warfare, and unexpected action scenes — this one has everything. Welcome back to Two Beers and a Mic.YoTummy Website: https://yotummy.com/

The Festive Drinks That Kept Henry VIII's Court Merry   Step into a warm Tudor hall, sit beside the glowing Yule log, and discover the festive drinks that kept Henry VIII's England merry throughout the cold, dark days of winter. I'm historian and author Claire Ridgway, and for today's instalment of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, we're exploring the wonderful world of Tudor winter warmers, from hippocras to buttered beer, from wassail bowls to honey-rich mead. Before the feasting and celebrations, everyday Tudor life ran on ale, safer than water, weak enough to drink by the pint, and brewed constantly by the women of the household. But Christmas? Christmas called for something special. In this video, discover: - Hippocras — the spiced Tudor mulled wine Henry VIII adored - Lambswool — the frothy wassail drink of roasted apples and warm ale - Mead, Metheglin & Melomel — honey wines sweetened with herbs or fruit - Christmas Ale — brewed stronger for Yuletide feasts - Posset — a creamy, curdled Tudor comfort drink - Buttered Beer — yes, the real Tudor drink (long before Harry Potter!) - Mulled wine & imported sweet wines enjoyed by the wealthy These weren't just beverages — they were hospitality, ritual, community, and the unmistakable flavour of Tudor Christmas. Which Tudor drink would YOU try first? Hippocras? Buttered beer? Lambswool? Let me know in the comments!   Links to my videos on some of these Tudor drinks: Tudor Buttered Beer - https://youtu.be/0HMxpWVzrvc Tudor Hippocras - https://youtu.be/yabiVqlV4pw Lambswool Wassail - https://youtu.be/9GDrnPesC2Y If you enjoy this cosy dive into Tudor festive life, please like, subscribe, and click the bell to follow along with the rest of my Christmas Advent series.

This week, we kick off December with a 2011 Christmas movie, which see's Santa's clumsy son set out on a mission with his grandfather to right a wrong and ensure a young girlgets her present on time - supersonic sleighs and rheumatoid ridden reindeer ensue   - it's Arthur Christmas!We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and for our game this week Carl has to identify the Christmas movies from only half the information.Chapters:(00:00:00) Welcome and chit chat(00:09:20) Unveil the Christmas Ale and glasses!(00:11:18) Introduction to the film and SFPS(00:16:10) Production - What does an animation director do?(00:33:55) The Game - Arfa Christmas(00:46:35) Carl's rant on alternative Christmas movies(00:50:30) The Plot - Carl likes Christmas...don't you know?(01:04:30) The Cast - Hit and miss?(01:11:54) Recasting(01:18:25) Any changes?(01:23:25) This is why you're wrong and any new Christmas films?(01:29:27) Wrap up and goodbye!You can read our reviews of other movies on Letterboxd - Look for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlMTN⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SiMTN⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@mtnmoviepod.bsky.social)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Facebook ⁠⁠(mtnmoviepod)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@mtnmoviepod)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@mtnmoviepod)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (@movietheneedle)Or email us and let us know what you think: hello@mtnpod.com

Duji says she loves Christmas Ale so much she would drink a non-alcoholic version. A new study says they can predict when someone would start getting Alzheimer's and/or dementia. B2 thinks Rover needs a hyperbaric chamber. According to a workplace misconduct lawsuit filed by a former Fox Sports hair stylist, Skip Bayless alledgely offered her $1.5M for sex. Rover actually called Dieter. Keith Kennedy comes into the studio to tell Rover he is wrong, correct a story Duji told, talks about why he needed a poop towel, and alcoholism. Video of a man setting fire to another vehicle. People are upset with Keith Wasserman for posting a tweet looking for private firefighters to help protect his home against the Pacific Palisades fire.

Carissa, Jocelyn, and I continue our Holiday Horror with the 2006 remake of Black Christmas as well as a discussion on the original 1974 film since we are currently in it's 50th anniversary. We try out the Christmas Break Christmas Ale from El Segundo Brewing Co.

Hey Santa is that a candy cane in your pocket @rogueales @lefthandbrewing @lostabbey @shinerbeer @abitabeer @fatbottombrews #ChristmasBeers #CraftBeer #PodcastFun Co hosts : Good ol Boy Dave, Good ol Boy Carl, Good ol Boy Mike, Good ol Boy Kendall, and Good ol Gal Julieanna SUDS  Episode – Ho, ho, ho, it's time for a festive beer journey! This episode is all about Christmas beers, and we've got a lineup that's sure to jingle your bells. We're tasting holiday brews from across the U.S., including Rogue Ales' Santa's Private Reserve Holiday Stout, Left Hand's Nitro Candy Cane Imperial Milk Stout, and more. Expect our usual blend of honest reviews, holiday cheer, and a bit of playful banter. Will there be a surprise beer or ten? You'll have to listen to find out!  We taste and rate the following beer from 1-5:   7:13      Santa's Private Reserve 2024 Mocha Stout– Portland Coffee Roasters Coffee Beans added to the Barrel Aging Stout, mixed with some Chocolate Stout.  6.7% ABV.  Rogue Ales, Newport, OR   SUDS-4   12:49    Candy Cane Nitro Imperial Peppermint Milk Stout- 9.5% ABV.  Left Hand Brewing Company Longmont, CO .  SUDS-1   22:32    Merry Taj American IPA- 8.5% ABV   The Lost Abbey San Marcos, CA   SUDS-5   34:59    Shiner Holiday Cheer – Dunkelweizen brewed with Texas peaches and roasted pecans.  5.4% ABV.  Spoetzl Brewery Shiner TX.  SUDS-1   38:16    Christmas Ale – brown ale brewed with 10 types of malted barley and hopped and dry hopped with Columbus, Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo hops.  Abita Brewing Company Abita Springs, LA SUDS-4   41:38    Noel Spiced Christmas Ale – Christmas ale brewed with Tennessee honey, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. 7.7% ABV  Fat Bottom Brewing Company Nashville, TN  SUDS-4   45:11    Noel barrel-aged spiced Christmas ale- bourbon barrel aged spiced Christmas beer. 9.7% ABV Fat Bottom Brewing Company Nashville, TN  SUDS-4   info@sipssudsandsmokes.com X- @sipssudssmokes IG/FB - @sipssudsandsmokes Sips, Suds, & Smokes® is produced by One Tan Hand Productions using the power of beer, whiskey, and golf.  Available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, and nearly anywhere you can find a podcast. Check out Good ol Boy Dave on 60 Second Reviews https://www.instagram.com/goodoleboydave/ Enjoying that cool new Outro Music, it's from Woods & Whitehead – Back Roads Download your copy here: https://amzn.to/2Xblorc The easiest way to find this award winning podcast on your phone is ask Alexa, Siri or Google, “Play Podcast , Sips, Suds, & Smokes”  Credits: TITLE: Maxwell Swing / Flapperjack PERFORMED BY: Texas Gypsies COMPOSED BY: Steven R Curry (BMI) PUBLISHED BY: Alliance AudioSparx (BMI) COURTESY OF: AudioSparx TITLE: Back Roads PERFORMED BY: Woods & Whitehead COMPOSED BY: Terry Whitehead PUBLISHED BY: Terry Whitehead COURTESY OF: Terry Whitehead Post production services : Pro Podcast Solutions Advertising sales: Contact us directly Content hosting services:  Earshot, Radio4All, PodBean Producer: Good ol Gal Julieanna & Good ol Boy Dave Christmas Beers, Rogue Ales, Santa'S Private Reserve, Left Hand Brewing, Nitro Candy Cane Stout, Lost Abbey Brewing, Maritage Ipa, Shiner Holiday Cheer, Abita Christmas Ale, Fat Bottom Brewing, Noel Spiced Ale, Craft Beer Tasting, Holiday Beer Reviews, Seasonal Brews, Beer Suds Ratings, Nashville Breweries, Beer And Coffee Pairing, Holiday Traditions, Barrel-Aged Beers, Beer Podcast https://www.rogue.com https://www.lefthandbrewing.com https://lostabbey.com https://www.shiner.com https://abita.com https://fatbottombrewing.com https://blackabbeybrewing.com https://www.portlandcoffeeroasters.com https://sierranevada.com https://www.anchorbrewing.com

@rogueales @lefthandbrewing @lostabbey @shinerbeer @abitabeer @fatbottombrews #ChristmasBeers #CraftBeer #PodcastFun Co hosts : Good ol Boy Dave, Good ol Boy Carl, Good ol Boy Mike, Good ol Boy Kendall, and Good ol Gal Julieanna  SUDS  Episode – Ho, ho, ho, it's time for a festive beer journey! This episode is all about Christmas beers, and we've got a lineup that's sure to jingle your bells. We're tasting holiday brews from across the U.S., including Rogue Ales' Santa's Private Reserve Holiday Stout, Left Hand's Nitro Candy Cane Imperial Milk Stout, and more. Expect our usual blend of honest reviews, holiday cheer, and a bit of playful banter. Will there be a surprise beer or ten? You'll have to listen to find out!  We taste and rate the following beer from 1-5:  7:13      Santa's Private Reserve 2024 Mocha Stout– Portland Coffee Roasters Coffee Beans added to the Barrel Aging Stout, mixed with some Chocolate Stout.  6.7% ABV.  Rogue Ales, Newport, OR   SUDS-4 12:49    Candy Cane Nitro Imperial Peppermint Milk Stout- 9.5% ABV.  Left Hand Brewing Company Longmont, CO .  SUDS-1 22:32    Merry Taj American IPA- 8.5% ABV   The Lost Abbey San Marcos, CA   SUDS-5 34:59    Shiner Holiday Cheer – Dunkelweizen brewed with Texas peaches and roasted pecans.  5.4% ABV.  Spoetzl Brewery Shiner TX.  SUDS-1 38:16    Christmas Ale – brown ale brewed with 10 types of malted barley and hopped and dry hopped with Columbus, Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo hops.  Abita Brewing Company Abita Springs, LA SUDS-4 41:38    Noel Spiced Christmas Ale – Christmas ale brewed with Tennessee honey, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. 7.7% ABV  Fat Bottom Brewing Company Nashville, TN  SUDS-4 45:11    Noel barrel-aged spiced Christmas ale- bourbon barrel aged spiced Christmas beer. 9.7% ABV Fat Bottom Brewing Company Nashville, TN  SUDS-4 info@sipssudsandsmokes.com X- @sipssudssmokes IG/FB - @sipssudsandsmokes Sips, Suds, & Smokes® is produced by One Tan Hand Productions using the power of beer, whiskey, and golf.  Available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, and nearly anywhere you can find a podcast.Check out Good ol Boy Dave on 60 Second Reviewshttps://www.instagram.com/goodoleboydave/ Enjoying that cool new Outro Music, it's from Woods & Whitehead – Back Roads Download your copy here:https://amzn.to/2XblorcThe easiest way to find this award winning podcast on your phone is ask Alexa, Siri or Google, “Play Podcast , Sips, Suds, & Smokes” Credits:TITLE: Maxwell Swing / FlapperjackPERFORMED BY: Texas GypsiesCOMPOSED BY: Steven R Curry (BMI)PUBLISHED BY: Alliance AudioSparx (BMI)COURTESY OF: AudioSparxTITLE: Back RoadsPERFORMED BY: Woods & WhiteheadCOMPOSED BY: Terry WhiteheadPUBLISHED BY: Terry WhiteheadCOURTESY OF: Terry WhiteheadPost production services : Pro Podcast SolutionsAdvertising sales: Contact us directlyContent hosting services:  Earshot, Radio4All, PodBeanProducer: Good ol Gal Julieanna & Good ol Boy Davehttps://www.rogue.comhttps://www.lefthandbrewing.comhttps://lostabbey.comhttps://www.shiner.comhttps://abita.comhttps://fatbottombrewing.comhttps://blackabbeybrewing.comhttps://www.portlandcoffeeroasters.comhttps://sierranevada.comhttps://www.anchorbrewing.com

This IS a podcast longest episode. Is that a bad thing? Not in this case!! We have some phenomenal beers in this episode. We start off with an DIPA from Fat Orange Cat, then a 7.5 Christmas Ale from Great Lakes Brewing Co., then to finish up with a fantastic IPA from Hop Butcher for the World. This episode is drama filled and an on the edge of your seat episode!! Plan out your time and get this one in !!! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/david-dawson7/support

FML: How early is too early for Christmas ale? full 414 Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:56:05 +0000 bv6K4yMkRPakjLYiVDKhb1XTKOQj8nAU sports The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima sports FML: How early is too early for Christmas ale? The only place to talk about the Cleveland sports scene is with Ken Carman and Anthony Lima. The two guide listeners through the ups and downs of being a fan of the Browns, Cavaliers, Guardians and Ohio State Buckeyes in Northeast Ohio. They'll help you stay informed with breaking news, game coverage, and interviews with top personalities.Catch The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima live Monday through Friday (6 a.m. - 10 a.m ET) on 92.3 The Fan, the exclusive audio home of the Browns, or on the Audacy app. For more, follow the show on X @KenCarmanShow. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. Sports False https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com?feed-li

Patrick Costello used to work at Anchor Brewing, where he was the production lead for the bottling and keg lines. He was also a member of the Anchor Brewing Union, where he served as a shop steward—essentially the union rep on the floor. Anchor's union was part of Local 6 of the ILWU. But Patrick wasn't exactly born into all of this.   His mom and dad met at a house party in the Mission in the 1980s. Patrick's dad was stationed in the Presidio and his mom came here from Nicaragua. His dad wouldn't leave his mom alone at this party, or so the story goes. They were married at a church in the Presidio soon after that. (Patrick and his wife recently got married nearby, at Tunnel Tops park.)   The family moved to Germany shortly after his mom and dad got married. This is where Patrick was born, in fact. They moved back in time for his younger brother to be born in The City. Then they went to Sacramento, where he went to school. After graduation, Patrick made his way back to The Bay, around 2010.   He worked for a while at Farley's on Potrero Hill, where he met Jerry, a maintenance worker from the nearby brewery. Farley's gave Anchor employees free coffee, and they paid it back with a keg now and then. Patrick loved chatting with the guy. One day, Jerry mentioned that the brewery was opening a bar and that Patrick should apply.   When he visited, the place was packed, with a line out the door. But the manager told Patrick that they didn't need help. He came back a week later—same thing. Same response. It went on three or four more times before the tap room figured out that they weren't going to get rid of this guy. They'd be better off hiring him.   He came on as a barback at first and hit the ground running. This was around the time that the Warriors were starting to win, and the place was always packed. Patrick learned fast.   When COVID hit, all the service jobs disappeared. But folks who ran the brewery brought a lot of the tap room workers over, to help keep them employed and also to keep up with demand. This is how Patrick got into the brewery. A production lead left, and he took over.   At this point in the recording, we take a step back as Patrick tells the story of how the Anchor Union came about. He says there'd been talk of forming a union for some time before Sapporo took over, because workers felt that management wasn't listening to their demands. When the Japan-based company bought Anchor, they felt it was a good time to try, with a large corporation now in charge.   At first, the efforts centered around educating employees on what a union means, countering popular misconceptions along the way. The campaign was tough and it took a minute, but they organized and got it done in 2019.   We do a sidebar on the rebranding of Anchor that happened, something most area beer lovers (including me) were not happy about. Not at all. Union members knew it was coming, but they didn't get into a room during the development stage, and it was too late. Many union members agreed, but they wanted to give it time for the beer-drinking public to decide.   The reaction was overwhelmingly negative, but ownership doubled down. The union made a statement. But it didn't matter. What was done was done.   Patrick says that workers felt the closing coming on. Orders had slowed down. There was a brooding feeling in the air. Supply chain issues affecting markets worldwide hit them. Then, in 2023, came the news that Anchor wouldn't be making its famed and beloved annual Christmas Ale. Shortly after that announcement, Anchor would be shut down totally.   Leading up to that, Patrick says employees found a way to get as much beer made and distributed as humanly possible. Even though he was a brewery guy, Patrick joined bar staff and worked for free the last night that the tap room was open. He says lines were out the door and that the whole thing was bittersweet.   In May 2024, Chobani yogurt founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya bought Anchor. My initial reaction was wondering whether Ulukaya would bring brewery employees, and therefore, the union, back to work. Not only is it the right thing to do, but also, no one knows the product or the equipment better. Ulukaya has said publicly that he wants to do this, but nothing is certain even as of this writing.   We recorded this podcast at Lucky 13 in Alameda in July 2024.

Recorded at the Blue, we discuss drops and also another top ten that was thrown together very haphazardly.  Not sure if AWP will want to make a graphic for this one.  Cookies legendary farts are a hot topic.  Dollar beer night had us all seeing blurry and talking slurry.  

SECONDARY EDUCATION The Kansas City Chiefs rode 18 unanswered points en route to a 25-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Nothing stands out about Ja'Marr Chase's performance as he's completely locked down by the Chiefs secondary. Meanwhile, the Chiefs' offense limited turnovers and mistakes in an unspectacular but efficient outing. Now locked into the 3-seed, can the team find their rhythm heading into the postseason? Tune in and find out! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:   •A Critical Dissection of 80's Cinema (1:28) •Fountain Fantasy Final Standings (8:50) •Chiefs Bengals first takeaways (13:55) •How Rashee Rice's breakout will affect defenses going forward (21:08) •MVS gets shamed (26:13) •Is it too late for Justyn Ross? (29:54) •This Week In Craft Beer: Armando Reviews Breckenridge Brewery's “Christmas Ale” (32:42) •Chiefs Pro Bowl Snubs (45:10) •Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Chargers Preview (51:24)

Happy Holidays from Wolverine Sounds! The Go Blue Crew ends the year talking about the Rose Bowl Game and Christmas Ale. Cheers, and Go Blue! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wolverinesounds/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wolverinesounds/support

Alex & Tara wrap up 2023 with their Spotify Wrapped highlights, Alex's inexorable transformation into Dr. Amp, and, of course, the 2nd Annual Craft Heads Podcast Airing of Grievances. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!

Welcome to Buzzed with Brian! The best way to spread Christmas cheer is sharing big beers with all they hold dear. No matter what you may celebrate, December is a fun month for craft beer lovers. The winter solstice brings dark days, cold nights, and bold beers to drink. Brian decided to open another version of a Christmas Ale to share with you all this year. Long time fans may recall Ep. 053 that covers the history of the style in greater detail. Go back and give it a listen if you want the history. Enjoy this episode to learn more about Eagle Park Brewing Company out of Milwaukee, WI and the bourbon barrel aged Belgian style Quadruple they released this month. Now, don your cozy apparel, and grab a Christmas Ale to enjoy! Thanks, and as always… Cheers Beers!  After you consume the content and the beer, please write a review, follow Buzzed with Brian on social media, and hit that subscribe button. Brian would think you're pretty neat if you did!https://linktr.ee/buzzed_with_brianhttps://www.eagleparkbrewing.com/Host & Producer: Brian HansonChief Editor & Engineer: Matt SchabelPodcast Art Director: Amber SchabelMusical Score: North Breese, This Christmas, last Christmas? Either way, still rocking! https://open.spotify.com/artist/1jSw7NOndAf9I85UaN2dL7?si=uoK6J0TmQua8ztaiF6ceOAHistory/Style Credits: Many leather bound books, my noggin and these sites... https://www.craftbeer.com/beer-styleshttps://www.brewer-world.com/the-frosty-history-of-christmas-beers-a-tradition-that-finds-its-roots-in-viking-culture/https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/brewery-spelunking-eagle-parkBeer Consumed: Last Christmas BBA Quad by Eagle Park Brewing (Milwaukee, WI)

What a fun way to "work."  As is tradition, it's time for our annul Holiday Blind Beer Tasting, aka The 12 Beers of Christmas, aaka The Interfaith Holiday Beer SPECTACULAR.13 (so close to 12) beers, 7 beer drinkers, blind tasting and picking our favorites.  Mixed in with some fun facts about drinking and the holidays.The BeersN'Ice ChouffeSt. Bernardus ChristmasOmmegang Everything NiceOmmegang Everything NaughtyNoda Cheerwine Holiday AleBell's Christmas AleScaldis NoelBarrel of Monks Father Christmas 2018Delirium NoelPrairie Christmas Bomb!Highland Cold MountainHardywood Christmas MorningDeschutes JubelaleWe're taking next week off for the holiday break but we'll be back the next wek.Cheers, Y'all!  Happy Holidays!!!!Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

S4-E47, Ever wondered what's the best Christmas Ale out there? Brace yourself for a rollercoaster ride of laughter and tipsy revelations as we uncork and savor the Barreled Age Christmas Ale by Great Lakes Brewing Company and the Shiner Holiday Cheer by Shiner Brewing Company. We'll spill the beans on everything from the unique can design to the flavor profile, and even share our personal preferences. Feeling the holiday blues? Let's take a walk down memory lane as we dish out hilarious stories of our favorite classic cartoons like Tom and Jerry and The Great Race. Watch out as things get a little more colorful when we navigate the precarious world of underwear shopping. Buckle up for a wild journey as we meander into everything from bar crawls to quarterbacks, and even prunes stuffed with cream cheese.No stone is left unturned as we chat about our golf outings, the disappointment of frozen wings, and the curiously enjoyable experience of stuffing prunes with cream cheese. We've got beer reviews, dad jokes and a peculiar love for a certain BBQ sauce. So, pull up a chair, grab a brew, and get ready for an episode that's bound to leave you reaching for one reason to drink after another.Support the showwww.anotherreasontodrink.com

In this episode of Friday Night Beers, Tom & Vince try a beer called Begyle Christmas Ale. This beer comes from Begyle Brewing in Chicago, IL. They drink it and somehow compare it to things like the origin of Christmas beers, the new Ghostbusters films, recycling IP for nostalgia, sentimentality in Christmas films and more. At the end, they rate this beer on a unique 1-5 scale. VINCE: 3.25 / 5 VincesTOM: 3.25 / 5 TomsInstagram: @friday.night.beersTwitter: @fnb_pod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@friday.night.beersEmail: friday.night.beerspodcast@gmail.com Theme music by Billy Hansa. Subscribe, rate and review the podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts!

Josh and Allan rekindle their podcasting with "bloodies" and Christmas Ales. *Insert AI dialogue here*Did you grow up mispronouncing words because of your parents' accents? Do you find children's TV shows like Bluey fascinating in their influence on language development? We do too! In this episode, we share our personal anecdotes about our Irish accents, how they've influenced our speech, and how programs such as Bluey shape our children's language. We also navigate the world of GPS navigation apps, sharing the good, the bad, and the downright confusing from our personal experiences. Don't miss out on this fun-filled episode that blends laughter, insights, and some fascinating discussions on how media and technology shape our language and communication.Andy (@holtgreive on Instagram): Andy loves his family more than us. Josh (@joshflagner on Instagram): It's not a bloody.Allan (@allanfee on Instagram): Allan's mom got knocked up at the Frasier Arms. Follow the show at @3guys3cities on Insta, Twitter, AND Facebook!

This week we talked to Michael Williams, Brand Coordinator and Advanced Cicerone at Great Lakes Brewing Company. We talked a little bit about Great Lakes history, and what they have going on now. We also discussed their beloved Christmas Ale as well as a few of their new beers available.Subscribe to our YouTube ChannelFollow Chris on Instagram Like us on Facebook! Presented by Idiom Brewing Co.And supported by Havoc Brew Supply and the Brewers Association of Maryland

In this episode, I'll recap the Festival of Barrel Aged Beers and discuss my favorite beers from the event. I'll also share my experience of drinking the barrel aged Christmas Ale from Great Lakes Brewing.FoBABIllinois Craft Brewers GuildGreat Lakes BrewingOddPods MediaPromos from Infectious Groove and Grab 'Em In The BrisketThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5704447/advertisement

We have no idea what's going on anymore.Some of the beer (or at least alcohol) news we see is just insane.  Maybe we shouldn't judge too hard, we've all had our moments, remember Brian's BORG phase?Seems another ridiculous TikTok trend has people de-carbing their White Claws.  If you're gonna do that, why not just get some crazy flavored vodka and mix with some water.  I think that would actually be cheaper.  Madness.And from the "I shouldn't be surprised that I'm surprised" file, Ultra Right beer is a hit.  A special edition with Trump's mug shot on it apparently sold 20,000 six packs in record time. A little less insane, the popularity of hop water is increasing.  We've dabbled.  Hop Lark was on the show a few years ago and we've even made some hop water ourselves.  It's not really my thing, but Brian digs it.And we've got one last round of stats from this year's Oktoberfest.  They hit record attendance in 2023, but sold less beer than previous years.  Oh well, at least people were showing up.Beers of the WeekReuben's Brews / Monday Night - Surround SoundXul Beer Co - Rhymes Like DimesHalfway Crooks - Whole Cone Fest MarzenUntitled Art/ Collective Arts Brewing  - Cotton CandyGood Word - Any Day NowBurnt Hickory Brewing - Big Shanty (Graham Cracker Stout)Hi Wire 10 Years of Hi Wire | Blend of BBA 10W-40 Imperial Stout, BBA Barleywine, and BBA Belgian-style QuadSourceshttps://allaboutbeer.com/why-hop-water-is-great-for-breweries-and-consumershttps://vinepair.com/articles/urine-in-corona-hoax/https://www.forbes.com/sites/dontse/2023/10/07/2023-oktoberfest-was-the-biggest-beer-party-ever/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/04/molson-coors-ceo-on-non-alcoholic-drinks-were-moving-beyond-beer.htmlhttps://vinepair.com/booze-news/iwsr-data-at-home-drinking-trend/Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

Thursday, October 12, 2023: The Northeast Ohio Jewish community continues to come together as the Israel and Hamas war continues in the Gaza Strip. School districts are warning parents to keep children off social media out of concern that Hamas is flooding popular platforms with disturbing images and videos. Plus, we've learned that Cleveland Heights-University Heights school district has chosen to close its game tomorrow against Euclid to the public, due to safety concerns. We also share what we know about a scam targeting Summit County residents. In other news, we tell you how Netflix is highlighting the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, when you can get Christmas Ale in stores, what's happening tonight at the Cleveland Magazine Best of Cleveland party, and more on 3News Daily with Stephanie Haney. Watch Stephanie Haney's In The News Now special on Rep. Kevin McCarthy being ousted as Speaker of the House here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11lydcwuinA Watch Stephanie Haney's Legally Speaking specials and segments here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SLtTChKczKEzKhgSopjxcmFQniu28GN Connect with Stephanie Haney here: http://youtube.com/@_StephanieHaney http://twitter.com/_StephanieHaney http://instagram.com/_StephanieHaney http://facebook.com/thestephaniehaney Read more here: After deadly terror attack against Israel, Northeast Ohio school districts warn students away from social media https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/nation-world/israel-hamas-conflict/terror-attack-israel-northeast-ohio-school-districts-warn-students-away-social-media/95-89992aba-f828-4a32-9f35-5810f36056bc Cleveland Heights announces Friday's high school football game vs. Euclid will be closed to general public https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/high-school/hs-football/cleveland-heights-friday-high-school-football-game-vs-euclid-closed-general-public/95-8a675f60-a685-4ea4-b21c-c3811186a560

In which we memorialize the great Anchor Brewing who hath left us with only limited supplies of Christmas Ale and to wander alone. WALK ON, MORTALS!! Featuring the great Bill Larkin on the epic keys and vocals. I'll be LIVE at Kulak's Woodshed July 29th and tickets are goin fast so get on it and then at Alma's Cider and Beer on July 30th so get in here! Recorded LIVE at Chicago's Historic Green Mill Lounge on July 15th 2023 courtesy of Jeppson's Malört: The Official Drink of the Apocalypse.Come find me in all your favorite places including my Discord! Featuring “Promises” by the Barrerracudas and a snippy of “The Wasteland” courtesy of Ross Bugden Twitter: Instagram For commissions/scores: bugdenross@gmail.com and a totally live performance of "Im Himmel Gibt's Kein Bier" composed as a movie score for the film Die Fischerin vom Bodensee, 1956, by Ernst Neubach and Ralph Maria Siegel (English lyrics by Art Walunas) and “You'll Never Walk Alone” by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein IIPLEASE RATE AND REVIEW and as aways: Teach CRT, go to Drag brunches, say “Gay”, “Period”, “Black Lives Matter” eat the rich and save me some sides.

It's been a sad week for craft beer lovers.  A story we couldn't skip, Anchor Brewing is closing after 127 years in business.This one hits you right in the nostalgia as a craft beer drinker, but I'll be the first to admit I was part of the problem here.  The last few years I think Christmas Ale is the only Anchor beer I've purchased.  There are just so many great choices today.  Whether I'm at my local brewery or bottle shop, there are tons of amazing beers to be had and some of the old faithfuls don't get the love they once did.Close to home Atlanta Brewing Co. reported their lease was cancelled at Underground Atlanta, where they planned to re-open after closing  last Summer.  Although we thought this was the end of them news came out after the show that they aren't giving up yet.We start off the show with tomato talk.  Right, tomatoes.  In beers, not in beers, and in the glorious BLT.  Tis the season.There's also some fun news with a new champ for the Beer Mile.  Chug, run, chug, run.  The chug time was a bit slow but the run time made up for.  And Asia is getting a brewery on a cruise ship.  We didn't know until we started digging around but apparently there's already one in North America - Carnival Vista's Red Frog Pub & Brewery.A new (well, old) grain is making waves in brewing.  Funio is a gluten-free grain that is very eco friendly and, apparently, has a closer taste to "real" beer than other gluten-free alternatives.  Brooklyn Brewing has made beer with it and they're encouraging others to do the same.We were thirsty during the show so here are our Beers of the WeekAnchor - West Coast IPASierra Nevada - Ruthless Rye IPAHigh-Wire - Big Boy Thiolized NEIPAHalfway Crooks - Farina LagerVitamin Sea - Greetings from Weymouth IPASweetwater - Gummies Fruit Punch IIPAThanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!

We have a special conversation with Bob Brewer, former Anchor Brewing employee, while The Drive and Brew Ha Ha are still on Summer vacation this year. There is sad news in the brewing industry, as Sapporo has announced that Anchor Brewing is closing. Here is the conversation that Herlinda Heras recorded on July 12 with Bob Brewer, who worked for Anchor for many years. When Bob Brewer was originally hired at Anchor in 1985, he had been working for a beer wholesaler which also distributed Anchor, since about 1977. He was a draft beer installer and also did nearly everything to deliver beer, including carrying kegs around San Francisco. Bob would always say he had the best job in the world. “I get to deliver the best beer in the world to the best people in the world in the best city in the world.” He was working to support his wife who was getting a degree in petroleum engineering. She took a job in southern California and he made the move. When Mark Carpenter called to ask if he could become their distributor there, Fritz Maytag presented him with “the presumptive close” and he got the job. He also got some work experience in England, which had a completely different regulatory environment. There was a brewery which was making a beer that they called Steam, too. But he mostly concentrated on the local market. The international market was more to “show the flag” than to move lots of beer. “I don't now whether the beer was the novelty or I was.” He worked with a famous English beer expert named Michael Jackson. Visiting the Barley Farm in Washington Fritz Maytag, who owned Anchor at the time, had a relationship with a farmer in southern Oregon who grew the barley that they used in the Christmas Ale. This was Fritz' idea so that his staff could understand the origin of their ingredients. There was a famous bus trip to Yakima with Fritz and Anchor staff including Bob. They stopped at Mendocino Brewing Company for some Red Tail Ale, one of the original craft brewers. (It is now Hopland Tap run by Ron Lindenbusch, ex of Lagunitas.) But “the elephant in the room” is the fact that Sapporo is closing Anchor. This feels like a loss in the family to Herlinda, and to many of us in the broad Anchor family. Fritz Maytag wanted to retire and sold the company to an investment group. They invested in the company and hired Bob as an ambassador. And then they sold to Sapporo. For most of the rest of this episode, Bob Brewer talks at length about the history of Anchor including some thoughts about the recent history and its closing.

Hi. This week in beer and good times we, of course talk about Anchor Brewing pulling back to California and shutting down their legendary Christmas Ale. Also, Layered Beers are mention, a checkin from the Tampa Bay brewery scene (including Angry Chair Brewing), maybe pound some Quads, have a Stout and mellow out, LA Beer Fest review and a lot more fun stuff. DOWNLOADABLE: PerfectPour515.mp3 (Definitely some cussing) Thank you for checking out the show! BEER AND SHOW RELATED LINKS: SUPPORT THE SHOW AND BECOME A GOLDEN GOD! Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcast. You can also find us on Spotify and Stitcher. Perfect Pour's YouTube Channel. HOSTED BY: Rad Stacey, Nick & Mikey. MUSIC BY: Sunburns and Paul From Fairfax. Drop Us A Line: Email Perfect Pour. Mikey would REALLY love it if you subscribed to his newsletter: Drinking & Thinking. Also, Check out Mikey's Beer Geek blog. Send Something Cool To Us!: The Perfect Pour – co Mike Seay 2037 W. Bullard Ave #153 Fresno, CA 93711

Stephen and Michael interview Drew Pool of Wren House Brewing about the "Life" International Barleywine collaboration to help fundraise for Alex and spread colon cancer awareness. They discuss where the recipe came about and how collaborations like this help facilitate conversations. In the Beer News, Christmas is cancelled after Anchor Brewing plans to end their national distribution and releasing their annual Christmas Ale, a distillery wants to send bourbon into space, and Fireball is set to release a barrel-aged variant in honor of Father's Day. Thanks to Jackie O's for sponsoring this episode! Follow them on Instagram @JackieOsBrewery! Join them for their 5th annual Bwizzle Day taking place on June 24th for a full day of barleywines including a special collab with Pelican Brewing.  To get involved with the "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

Spring is a time of emerging, reawakening, and growing beer sales after the category's typical winter lull—at least for most breweries. But Ohio's largest brewery, Great Lakes Brewing Company, goes against that seasonal wisdom: Its slow season happens in the warmer months, while winter is its annual highpoint. What gives? That's just one of the questions writer and photographer David Nilsen attempts to answer in his latest piece titled “Lore of the Lakes — Great Lakes Brewing Company, Cleveland, Ohio,” which was published on February 1, 2023 as part of Good Beer Hunting's Signifier series. Inspired by his own coming-of-age story as a beer drinker from Ohio, he dives into the brand's history, legacy, and future, all of which seem tied together by two big questions: Just who is Great Lakes, and who is it becoming? Today, David and I discuss how his story evolved from love letter to detailed look at the brewery's operations and iconic beers themselves, like the beloved Christmas Ale that's released each October. He doesn't shy away from Great Lakes' struggle to define itself in the face of a changing industry, and where it had to look to find inspiration. That inspiration is leading the brewery in interesting, and sometimes unexpected, directions, none of which are off-limits to the historic brand as it attempts to balance legacy and innovation. While the story of a beloved craft brewery and its cherished releases can often seem romantic, David reveals how the struggles behind the scenes aren't always quite so charming. But there's still plenty of beauty in each word and picture, so come on a journey to the shores of Lake Erie and hear all about it.  

We're Back! Kicking off 2023 by picking up where we left off in our book-by-book overview of the entire Bible. We also review a couple of Ales.

It's our holiday show, and what better way to celebrate this time with friends and family than with a vertical of Celebration Ale! Three bottles of this amazing beer - 2022, 2021, and 2014. How does this beer hold up? If you ask JP, he'd tell you it's the solution to all the world's problems, regardless of age. Then, we crack open one of the quintessential Christmastime beers - Delirium Noel. This spiced Christmas Ale is everywhere and yet nobody really drinks it. We aim to find out why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three beer lovers, three beer advent calendars, twenty-four days to Christmas. You do the math. Let's drink to that!

Welcome to Buzzed with Brian! Winter is here! Happy Holidays to all the wonderful listeners of this podcast. This episode explores the history behind Christmas Ales and features two beers! An Imperial Stout from Prairie Artisan Ales out of Oklahoma, and a festive Quad out of Belgium. Grab your favorite winter treat and a Christmas Ale for this festive episode!Thanks, and as always… Cheers Beers!  After you consume the content and the beer, please write a review, follow us on social media, and hit that subscribe button. I would think you're pretty neat if you did!https://linktr.ee/buzzed_with_brianhttps://prairieales.com/https://www.sintbernardus.be/enHost & Producer: Brian HansonChief Editor & Engineer: Matt SchabelPodcast Art Director: Amber SchabelMusical Score: North Breese, as true as the North Star in any Holiday story https://open.spotify.com/artist/1jSw7NOndAf9I85UaN2dL7?si=uoK6J0TmQua8ztaiF6ceOAHistory/Style Credits: Many leather bound books, my noggin and these sites... https://www.craftbeer.com/beer-styleshttps://www.hopculture.com/https://www.brewer-world.com/the-frosty-history-of-christmas-beers-a-tradition-that-finds-its-roots-in-viking-culture/https://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/christmas_ale

Merry Christmas! In this episode, we talk with Kelley Nikondeha about her book The First Advent in Palestine: Reversals, Resistance, and the Ongoing Complexity of Hope. Kelley helps us reimagine the meaning of Advent by taking us into the complex political, religious, and ethnic landscape that forms the backdrop of the Christmas story, and encourages us to trade our often whitewashed, Americanized, empire-friendly understanding of the story for something grittier, more authentic, and more moving. How does the conflict between Israel and Palestine affect the typical American Christian's understanding of incarnation? What do most people get wrong about the story of Jesus's birth? What's up with those angels? Get the book and listen to this conversation for insights on these and many other timely topics.The resources mentioned in this episode are:Womanist Midrash by Wilda C. GafneyJesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. BaileyThe First Christmas by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic CrossanAlso, check out the Philosophy vs. Improv podcast, hosted by The Partially Examined Life.The beverage we tasted in this episode is Christmas Ale by Anchor Brewing Company.The tasting is at 0:36. To skip to the interview, go to 3:19.Content note: this episode contains discussion of violence, rape, trauma, and some mild profanity.=====We need your help.If you value what we're doing and want us to continue, please consider supporting us through our 2022 end of year giving campaign. The best way is to subscribe to our Patreon. Annual memberships are available for a 10% discount.If you'd rather make a one-time donation, you can contribute through our PayPal. Other important info: Rate & review us on Apple & Spotify Tweet us at @PPWBPodcast, @robertkwhitaker, and @RandyKnie Follow & message us on Facebook & Instagram Watch & comment on YouTube Email us at pastorandphilosopher@gmail.com Cheers!

Let's party! In what felt like a bummer of a financial year, it's important to spend some time remembering the positives. We've experienced a market that hasn't been this bad for nearly 15 years, crypto is fully on the ropes, inflation is still problematic, and student loan forgiveness is in limbo like we talked about last week. But a massive number of How To Money listeners have, despite the economic headwinds of 2022, been able to make significant advances with their own personal finances. We love creating this episode, hearing what y'all have been able to accomplish, and sharing it with your fellow listeners. It's inspiring and motivating. Y'all were able to do everything from decluttering and cutting back on regular expenses to massive goals like saving up for a down payment and even completely paying of mortgages! Hopefully we can all learn something from each other today and we're also hoping that this episode might be the spark for some epic 2023 money moves.   Want more How To Money in your life? Here are some additional ways to get ahead with your personal finances: Knowing your ‘money gear' is a crucial part of your personal finance journey. Start here.  Sign up for the weekly HTM newsletter. It's fun, free, & practical. Join a thriving community of fellow money in the HTM Facebook group. Find the best credit card for you with our new credit card tool! Massively reduce your cell phone bill each month by switching to a discount provider like Mint Mobile. Don't be cheap and forego getting a life insurance policy. Compare rates with Policygenius.   During this episode we enjoyed a Christmas Ale by St Bernardus! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you're not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!   Best friends out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a terrific beer this week! I'm having the Christmas Ale from Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland. This is Christmas in a pint glass! Shoutout to The Muck Podcast!Other podcasts mentioned: I Had To Say It, Michaels's Record Collection, The Visionarium, and Soundtrack Your Life!

Nov 25, 1992 vs 2002 We are almost done with our gallon of Christmas Ale and you can tell .We discuss the PB&J years of the show, 92 and 02. We have some new debuts and a backwards Retweet. What does that mean? It has to do with the cycles. Want to watch the music videos for all the songs? Well here's a convenient playlist that has them all in order of their matchups 10-1. Email at drunkenlullabiespodcast@yahoo.com

Lay of the Land's conversation today is with Pat Conway and Mark King of Great Lakes Brewing Company.Pat and his brother Daniel founded the company back in 1988 in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood where it's been independent for over 30 years and employee-owned since 2018 — serving 14 states and Washington D.C. with an award-winning and beloved selection of fresh, flavorful, and innovative craft beers that Clevelanders and others around the country have come to love like their Dortmunder and Christmas Ale.In 2019, Mark King joined the company as the CEO after an extensive career in the industry as a vice president at Anheuser-Busch, and most recently, having founded his own cidery back in 2013 down in Austin, Texas — Austin Eastciders.We cover a lot in this conversation, from the history of breweries and beer production in Cleveland, to Great Lake Lake's Brewing commitment to a triple bottom line of brewing good — from beer to community to environmental stewardship, to their role as a staple in Cleveland through events like the Burning River festival, to how they are handling the ever-changing beer industry — from the proliferation of craft breweries to “beyond beer” beverages like seltzers.Great Lakes Brewing has blazed a trail for so many other Cleveland companies and entrepreneurs and it is a privilege to capture a piece of their story here and how they are thinking about what comes next — please enjoy my conversation with Pat Conway and Mark King!--Learn more about Great Lakes Brewing CompanyConnect with Mark King on LinkedInFollow Great Lakes Brewing Company on InstagramFollow Great Lakes Brewing Company on Twitter--Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedInFollow Jeffrey Stern on Twitter @sternJefeFollow Lay of The Land on Twitter @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/