“Roll out the barrel, we’ll have a barrel of fun…Roll out the barrel, we’ve got the blues on the run!”

Thank you Bobby Vinton for writing this festive song, The Beer Barrel Polka.  🙂

Although this isn’t a barrel of beer, it has probably supplied a lot of fun for a lot of people.

When Jack found this pristine original Jim Beam barrel advertised on Facebook at a local store, he rushed downstairs and told me that his Dad NEEDED this.

Wade is a lover of Jim Beam. His end-of-the-work-week celebration is always a fishing pole in one hand, and a cocktail glass in the other.

He always puts three ice cubes…..hold on, can I stop here for a minute? Thank you. I am not exaggerating when I say that he literally always puts three ice cubes in a glass. Not four, not two but three ice cubes in his glass every time and then he pours Jim Beam over them. Just enough to cover the ice, and not one drop more.

But here’s the thing, when we go to a nice restaurant he asks for a glass of Jim Beam with three ice cubes too.

And I always think “What if their ice cube maker makes larger cubes?” “What if they only have crushed ice?” “What if…” but then I just smile and listen to him order Jim Beam with three ice cubes. Gotta let him do whatever makes him happy. 🙂

Moving on.

Jack drove to the store, somehow loaded this beast in and brought it home. I tried to help him bring it into the house, but this thing is H.E.A.V.Y.

We ended up rolling it from the garage to Wade’s office and placed it between his two black club chairs.

Then we waited.

We waited seven long hours for him to get home from work. His routine is as follows: come in the door, put his keys on the key hook, take off his shoes and then walk to his office and drop off his briefcase. This man is a creature of habit **cough cough** three ice cubes **cough cough**

When we heard the garage door go up, Jack bolted downstairs and plopped himself on the couch. I was already strategically stationed at the dining table.

Again, we waited for what seemed like seven more hours as Wade came in the door, put his keys on the key hook, took off his shoes and walked into the office.

I was worried that he wouldn’t notice right away. That may seem farfetched, but this is a man who never noticed that I wallpapered this wall:

Or this painted dresser:

Until I pointed it out.

But he walked into his office and loudly said, “What is this???” Jack and I busted out laughing and explained to him that it was from us for his upcoming birthday.

He reminded us that his birthday wasn’t for two more months.

Ummm, yeah, we know, but have you ever tried to hide a barrel of bourbon, even if it is empty? 🙂

Wade is the strong and silent type, but from the look in his eyes, you could tell that he was jumping with joy!

That was our exciting start to the holiday weekend, and I hope everyone else has a safe and happy Fourth of July.

Wendy