I like to wiiiiine....

What is it about a box o' wine?

It's a good thing, as Martha would say. Well, it's not a bad thing.

My friend Margaret, who is a tightwad's tightwad (a compliment), discovered that the uber discount no-frills grocery store Aldi sells wine by the box and it doesn't insult her palate (and she's a former wine buyer) much less her pocket book (she's also the wife of a government employee with a decent but hardly sumptuous salary). And so, since she examined the family budget and found it possible to afford joining our swim club (which is NOT a country club), this box o' wine is exceedingly bringable to the pool in the swim bag in the early evening hours. Whilst the kids swim and dunk and otherwise chlorinate themselves, we can eat hors d'oeuvres -- which I recently discovered my Richmond-residing sister to be pronouncing "AW derves" -- and surreptitiously drink from plastic cups containing nectar poured from the box o'wine, which is secretly ensconced in the bag o' towels.

It's a good thing.

But we just sat at her table tonight and drank openly from the box o' wine while the kids watched The Muppets: Treasure Island and Antz and we discussed families and elementary-school teachers and home businesses. Much minor-key, yet fulfilling enjoyment was had. Hurray for the box o'wine. Now, if only I'll win the lottery tonight my night will be complete. Haw!