The Irish Red Ale was unveiled at Dad's house (Gpa) a little over a month ago. I think I mentioned the crowd that was down for a deck rebuild. Originally we were looking to go to a crab feast at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum then thought our own crab feast was a better idea. We took a break from the deck work on Sunday for the BBQ and crabs. Coincidentally an old friend of the family from boating all the way back to the 60's had called dad a few days earlier and asked if they wanted to join them for lunch on Sunday, and instead were invited to our BBQ. Charlie Thiabalt (sp??), son Chips and his wife, Linda (IIRC) came by a little after noon, and we set up some chairs in the yard for them to all catch up.
Charlie and dad have known each other since possibly the late 50's when they both had boats at Anchor Yacht Club in Bristol PA. Not sure what Charlie had to start, but the boat I remember was Teddybold a 42 foot Elco Flattop Cruiser, minus the back cabin. Dad had a 32 foot Elco Cruisette which Charlie helped him recover from the beach after the hurricane of '62. In 1966 Dad upgraded to a 50 foot Elco, and we ran into Charlie and family here and there over many years of boating. Now in his mid ninties, Charlie is doing very well.
We picked up the crabs from the local crab shack and fired up the grill. Jim & Gale brought a pile of marinated steaks, and we got corn and greens from the local truck bed produce stand. Once we got settled it was time to break out the Irish Red. I brought along 8, not expecting extra guests, but it worked out just right, and even Charlie got one. While not anything to boast about they were pretty good. Shame there are only about a dozen left, and not all mine! American Wheat is almost ready, yea.
John
A little late, but an update to this story.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Theobald passed away just a month after this gathering happened, at 93. I'm so glad we had the chance to sit and chat with him that day. It had been many years since I had last seen him.