Public Apology

So, I need to make a public apology. A few years ago, Nat and Maria Johnson made me my first gin and tonic and I turned my nose up...wasn't a big fan. It was summertime as far as I remember and they had come over to Dana's for dinner when I was still living there before she and Andy got married...we were making something on the grill out back, and Nat was kindly mixing gin and tonics for everyone. After tasting mine I think I said something like, "It tastes like bitter lemonade." My taste buds were clearly failing me.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm in Africa, or if it's the kind of gin involved, or maybe there's something about Evervess tonic, or maybe the little limes we put in them here have a magic about them, but geez louise, a gin and tonic tastes soooooooo good here! Don't worry, I'm not becoming a lush or anything but after a long day, when you're cooking and sweating and winding down for the day, it TOTALLY hits the spot. Now the rest of my family feels this way about a cold beer...yuck. But a gin and tonic - BRING IT!

Last night for instance, I had taken a break from emails/spreadsheets/covering bases for while I'm in Kampala, and was making what turned out to be quite a yummy peanut sauce that we put over rice noodles with marinated stir fried beef, and Pat was on drinks. She mixed up a gin and tonic for each of us and as I was finishing stir frying the beef and draining the noodles I began sipping on my oh so refreshing beverage - and well, it was just what the doctor ordered!

Ashley and Sarah were over for dinner and the four of us had a great dinner conversation - ranging from our reactions to the movie we watched the night before called Shooting Dogs (about the Rwandan genocide), to the parallels we drew from the movie to our own lives here in Uganda, to why the international community's response to genocides in recent years has been so cowardice, to what the Bible has to say about punishment for sin vs. mercy and grace, to why Swedish fish are called Swedish fish. As we wrapped up I lamented both that I won't likely have such dinner conversation in Kampala and the fact that my gin and tonic was finished.

So, Nat and Maria - this is my public apology for my failing taste buds and my failing to realize the fabulous refreshment of the gin and tonic you kindly introduced me to! Next time, drinks are on me!