An offer almost too good to refuse

This week's Sunday Sesh brought to you by Montheith's Black Beer.

As you can see, I'm trying out a new format this week. Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Also, I should put a language and content warning on this one for those of you sensitive to words containing asterisks.

The Review

We all know the rivalry and the brotherhood we have with our cousins across the ditch. It's always been a love/hate relationship. We love them for giving us Russell Crowe (most of the time), Keith Urban, Rebecca Gibney and lesbian icon, Lucy Lawless. We hate them for taking the Bledisloe and World Cups.

We forgive them for beating us in the second test in Tasmania last year, if only because they hardly ever get close to us, and we also have a soft spot for Dan Vettori, Richard Hadlee and the Crowe brothers (the latter tearing us up in the 1980s).

I'm happy to report that they've given me something to crow about with Monteith's Black Beer.

It smells sweet and fresh in the bottle, and pours like sars. It tastes immedediately of coffee and caramel, but gives a slight aftertaste of burnt toffee. I have a mouth full of sweet teeth, so just writing that makes my mouth water.

It's another of those beers that isn't overly gassy, so it tingles your tongue. I like how you don't feel like you're drinking a mouthful of air as well as the beer.

Although not quite as sweet as Engine Oil and a little drier, this would make a great winter session beer because it's not as filling as the UK brew I tried last week.

At $3.60 a bottle ($52.99 a carton), this is a mid-shelfer.

The Post

I've been wanting to do a post on the shit that comes into my email box for ages but most of it's been relatively boring. Things like:

• offers for replica Rolexes (as opposed to those nasty fake ones)
• Gambling offers ('Free $300 credit when you JOIN NOW!')
• Free viagra (I read it as "free vagina once" and almost clicked through)
• College f*ck books ('Two hot college girls want to sleep with you this weekend.' Such a pity I'm always busy - with my Wife!)
• Fifty Shades of Grey alert from Amazon. Oh wait, that was a legitimate one. (And literary fiction? Seriously, Amazon?)

But one that landed in my inbox this week looked pretty legit. It was from facebook with the subject 'Re:'. Now anyone who knows me, knows I just can't go past an email with the subject 're:'. I mean, 're:' what? It could be anything, right?

So I took a look.

(The email in italics, and my comments underneath).

BABE... i guess your not getting any of my email huh? ive been tryign to email u so many times but this dam laptop is such a piece of garbage and keeps freezing.. anyways how u been? In case u dont know who this is its ME TORI.. we used to chat a bit on facebook and then I think u deleted me :(

First things first - I live in Australia. The only Tori's we have here are imported. I have never, ever in my 36 years, known a Tori.

Oh, but I've been good. Thanks for asking. And I hate to be pedantic but you know me - I'm a writer so spelling's kinda important. It's 'trying' not 'tryign'.


anyways guess what... I got 2 things to tell u..  1) im single now.. yup me and my bf broke up about 3 months ago... and 2) guess where im moving?
RIGHT EFFING NEAR U

Oh see, now that's really unlucky, because I'll be moving soon to a small town far, far ,far away. Sorry about your break-up though. That's sad, right? (By the way, there's the reason for your content warning right there - I hope no-one's offended by Tori's use of 'effing', especially since she YELLED it).


I remember when we chatted u told me u thought i was cute and u wanted to chill so now we finally can HAHA! ...maybe even help me move my shit in...

I don't drive so you'll have to move your own shit in. Sorry.

And I tell so many people they're cute, I've lost track. You'll have to remind me who you are.


ok so more info about me.. well im 23.. virgo.. love the outdoors and love to socialize, go out for drinks, restaurants, movies etc.. travel.. i have a lil kitty named BOO and i luv her to death... uhhh oh im a super horny gurl too but every gurl is they just wont admit it. so ilove watching p0rn and all that..

You should have mentioned your kitty earlier. I totally would have clicked through right then. I also love how you evaded my filter by using 'p0rn' instead of 'porn'. That show's you're smart. I like smart women.

 
i hope u remmeber me and still wanna chill and arent married yet lol..

Does it matter if I am if I tell you I'm not?

OH YA also..

i need to find a job when i get there.. do u have any hookups or know anybody hiring? id LOVE to work in a bar or osmehting like that...really anythgin cause my current job is fun and all..

and technically i CUD keep doign it but i want a change.. i currently work from home and well thats cool but i need ot be out meeting people.. oh wait. i dont think i ever actually told u what i did? hmm shud i......????

Wow, you really don't ask for much, Tori. And there's that spelling thing again. You seem to have trouble with where the 'n' and 'g' goes in 'ing' words.
But yeh, why don't you tell me what you do.

ok WELLLL... and dont get all weirded out on me.. i work on a webcam chat community site and i get paid to chat with people

A webcam chat? Like skype? Cool. I like skype.


and get naked HHAHA...

Oh, riiight. THAT type of webcam.


anyways i hope u dont look down on that and NO THATS NOT WHY IM CONTACTING U RELAX URSELF lol... i actually need help once i move and i remembered u live there so im reaching out....like i said before this computer is a complete piece of CRAP and freezes NON STOP..

I'm so happy you're only contacting me because you want my help, and not because you want my business.

I do think you should get your laptop fixed though, otherwise your webcam chats could end up looking like they were filmed in a nightclub with strobe lights, all jumpy and pixelated.

 

ANYWAYS.. heres the deal....every month (my boss) gives each of us 3 VIP codes to give out to whoever we want.. so with this code u can lgoin to watch me at work for free and dont have to pay like everyone else...

I love freebies :) Where do I sign?

i only get 3 a month and she gets pissed if more than 3 people use them so DONT SHARE IT MISTER...

Oh no problem. I don't like sharing anyway. Plus, it's Ms, but whatever.

 

 i figured u cud always email me back instead but my email account doesnt even let me login half the time.. so the bets palce ot chat me is my chat room...

Freakin' email. It sucks when you can't log in. I'm glad you can still log in to your webcam chat account though. Such a relief.

Freakin' email Sucks when you can't send any. Just like this one. Must have gotten its little self through before it wigged out on you, huh? Lucky me.

 

anyways ive rambled on and on now and ur probably soooo annnoyed with me so ill stop now.. im gonna go start work..

k babe im out for now... chat ya soon..

kisses xoxo

Wow, I think I've got a good one here. What do you think?

On the up side, at least her english is readable, even with the bad spelling.

One question though, who wants the free codes?

Sunday Sesh #8 - Stoke Gold (NZ)

This week's Sunday Sesh is brought to you by a NZ drop - Stoke Gold, made by the McCashin Brewery in Nelson.

It's a little bit fortuitous that I decided to review this beer this weekend. It is, afterall, the same Sunday that the All Blacks are going for Gold in the RWC final. Another bit of trivia for you - McCashin's Brewery was started by a former All Black, Terry McCashin in 1980. So there you go - I was meant to review this beer on this day. Talk about Fate.

So there's not much on the company's website about this one - it is a small family brewery, so I'm guessing they want their brews to speak for themselves.

What does it say? To me it says amateur home-brewer. It's a little cloudy on the pour, and smells a little bit fruity in the bottle. It tastes like it's flat, and I did not enjoy this one at all.
Like a lot of Kiwi sports teams, it's so full of promise but lacking in the execution. Ordinarily, I would still just drink it, but I couldn't get through it.

On that note, I'll get onto something a little more interesting.


This weekend saw Wifey and I head down to the local Spring Home Show, which we normally walk out swearing we'll never waste our money on again. Still, for some reason twelve months goes by, and we forget how disappointing it was last time and go around again getting accosted by people we don't know trying to sell us things we don't want.

This year though, success. We got some advice off a guy who builds decks, and Wifey bought herself a $50 three-man tent for work - bargain!

We have also gotten ourselves into something that could turn into something quite interesting.

We were winding our way back through the throng, re-avoiding eye contact with everyone the second time on our way out of the home show, when Wifey spied a stall she couldn't believe she missed on the way in.....

Tupperware.

Back story -

Anyone who knows my wife will tell you that she loves her Tupperware - to the point where it only ever leaves the house if she has it in her lunch box. I get to take it occasionally, but only if I swear on my life that it will return in the same state as it left in, and on the same day.
Never, under any circumstances, is Tupperware allowed to leave our house with anyone who doesn't live here - there is less chance it will find it's way home (apparently).
As a side note, don't ever leave my wife in your kitchen unattended. If you do, check your Tupperware drawer/cupboard and make sure you double-check she's not hiding any in her jumper before she leaves.

Anyway, so I follow Wifey over to the Tupperware stall where the Tupperware Lady greets us and asks if we've seen Tupperware before. Wifey says "Oh yes, I just LOVE Tupperware!" Well, that's the cue for the Tupperware Lady to inform us that she's hosting the launch of the new season's range, and how would we like an invitation to have a sneak peek? Before I can even say anything, Wifey is signing us up to go to a Tupperware party with people we don't know from a bar of soap.

I really have no problem with going - for starters, who knows what would happen to my wife in a room full of other Tupperware-crazy ladies. I may not get her back in the same state she left home in. Plus, if I'm there, I can stop the impulse buys before they happen. (Note to self - leave the credit card at home).

Also, it gets us out of the house. I mean, what else was I going to do on a Monday night?

But the scariest part? Wifey now wants to have a Tupperware party of her own. Why? Because of "all the free Tupperware I can get!"

Come to think of it though, the last few times I went to (and hosted) Tupperware parties were pretty awesome. There was that time when our crazy Tupperware Lady (let's call her Kirsty) did a cocktail party, and said one of the jugs was leak-proof, and my house-mate (let's call her, hmm, Kim), decided to shake said jug which sent green cocktail all over the kitchen floor. Kim then proudly proclaimed "I thought you said this was leak-proof? Well, that was crap!" Yep, that night was a doozey. I still remember our Tupperware Lady packing up the display the next morning (yep, she stayed at our place!) with a HUGE hangover - classic! I still wonder how much money we made for her......

On that note, I'm going to check out the new Tupperware catalogue and see if I can spot the stuff Wifey's going to want to buy at this party, and maybe even call the boss and ask for some extra hours to pay for it.

Until next Sunday's Sesh,
Cheers!