Right then

[Todd P]

Todd Pettinger
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada (definitely NOT a quebecois or French-speaking province!)

I started drinking port maybe two years ago, during, oddly enough, a beer tasting (where we tasted some REAL beer, three of which were Stouts from England... which I absolutely fell in love with.) After this, I tried several ports, different brands, and types, but mainly fell in love with the Aged Tawnies.

I discovered Vintage Port a few months ago, after discovering some other site that also deals in all things Port. After that, no looking back. I have now acquired some 30+ bottles of VP in just three months and am expanding my meager cellar at a rapid pace. Pretty soon I'm gonna need a wine fridge. Or a proper cellar. Or a job that will support this habit.


I like to think of myself as an athlete, but I'm discovering every day that it is harder and harder to say that with a straight face. I used to run really long distances for fun and compete in Ironman Triathlons (and still will) but am currently injured and not dealing with the injury very well. This has cause me to write off my 2007 season, but has fortunately given me the focus to compete with Alan in a serious contest for who can drink the most young Vintage Ports in a year. (Alan is winning in case any one is keeping track! )

I still plan to make a come-back in 2008 and have several races of just STUPID distance planned (think of a marathon as being a warm up!) We'll get there... I just need a small surgery to take care of my foot prior to ramping up any real training.

I also like to think of myself as funny, which may explain the idiocy of several of my posts. (Hey, you've been warned!!! )

Married - check
Kids - check (two)
Birthyears for kids: 2003 (son), 2005 (daughter)
Obtaining ports for these birthyears - check

Anything else you wanna know?

Oh yes, and I own at least one bike that is worth the equivalent to a bottle of 1963 Noval. Not gonna tell you which one (the Noval or the Nacional! )

Todd

[KillerB]

Errrmmmm....

I own a bike of equal value to one as well. I also have a foot injury - month now. Errr... never done an iron man though.

Oh yes - Welcome Todd, good to seee you here.

[Conky]

Todd,

Welcome and good to see you old friend (Even though we've never met)

And dont worry, I recently lost my athlete status. It was on a technicality but I'm learning to live with it!

Alan

PS. I was really beginning to miss those crappy excuses you had for murdering another sleeping jewel!

[DRT]

I had to give up my sporting lifestyle about 2 years ago due to a skiing accident. I broke my hand when a death defying stunt jump went badly wrong. The xray below shows the fractured 3rd, 4th and 5th metacarpals, the bones that run through your hand from your wrist to your fingers.



The picture doesn't tell the whole story. This is the hand after it had been manipulated back into shape. Just to complete the picture, look at the back of your left hand. Draw an imaginery line from the 1st knuckle on your index finger across the back of your hand to a piont midway between your wrist and the 1st knuckle on your little finger. Now, imagine your 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers folded backwards along the line with the tip of your little finger now lying on top of the right hand side of your wrist. Ooch

The hand is now fully reconstructed using various bits of titanium. I have around 80% of the dexterity I had before the accident and the remaining 20% is destined never to return.

Now you may wonder why I am telling you this on a Port website. The answer is - can you imagine how difficult it is to extract a cork and decant a bottle of VP when your hand has been broken in half - I am happy to report that on the night of the accident I found a way, imediately after driving 275 miles home in a right hand drive manual shift car with no more than a bandage and some asprin. Changing gear with your elbow is actually possible

Is that Iron Man enough for you, Todd?

It goes without saying that the above injury prevents me from fullfilling my dream of entering the 2012 Olympic Games, unless they have a VP drinking competition

Derek

[KillerB]

I can see a clear break in the fifth metacarpal and shadows in the third and fourth, which I presume are the breaks.

On the subject of opening bottles you do have another hand and a pair of legs to hold the bottle.

[DRT]

The breaks on 3 and 4 were just as pronounced as on 5 but were in a slightly different direction so are hidden behind the bone in the x-ray. they all needed lumps of titanium to hold them together.

Aparently my entire hand will shatter into small fragments if I do it again whilst the pins are still in there. I asked the surgeon whether or not I should have them removed to which he replied (after looking me up and down for a few seconds) "Let's face it, your sporting days are over, why take the risk of another op at your age"

Derek

[Conky]

I think you may have told this story,and showed that X-ray, Sooo many times at home, I can suddely see why your Son paints Dark Satanic Trees with 'finger like' grey branches coming from a central wrist, sorry, tree trunk!

Alan

[DRT]

i told you it wasn't a tree

[Todd P]

Is that Iron Man enough for you, Todd?

It goes without saying that the above injury prevents me from fullfilling my dream of entering the 2012 Olympic Games, unless they have a VP drinking competition

Derek

Derek,

I have a friend whose new bike is made from Ti - although it sounds like a bit less than what you or I have!

I shattered my ankle somewhat similar to how you describe your wrist accident. In such a lame, non-heroic way too... slipped on the ice while walking to the bus to go to college in the winter. Went down hard on top of the ankle, immediately screaming as something was desperately wrong (and painful) To make matters worse, some poor sap running to help me slipped on the same patch of ice (covered by a fresh skiff of fallen snow) and landed on top of my leg, clear-shearing both bones in the leg anout 7 inches up.

So not only was my leg hanging off about 6 inches to the left... the foot is turned around nearly 160 degrees.... practically facing backwards.

Fortunately this has not affected my port-bottle opening skills (except on cold, damp nights when I limp more pronounced in the cellar retrieving said bottle from Death Row!)

[DRT]

Todd,

That sounds almost as bad as my injury. If it had happened to me it would obviously have been worse than the broken hand but as it happened to you the broken hand gets my vote.

I hope you inflicted some pain on the guy who decided it was a good idea to jump on your leg

I can agree with the cold weather thing. My left hand is almost useless in the cold, which is strange, because it is also almost useless in warm weather.

Derek

PS: The truth is I took my son skiing to show him how I used to do it 20 years ago and within 5 minutes was on my way to Accident and Emergency with my hand bent in half and my pride in tatters

[Conky]

What a shame all these unfortunate accidents occured before the advent of UTube! Of course you guys would have only got sympathy off me.
I bet that female grape treader would be envious.

Alan

[DRT]

I still haven't seen it. No broadband yet and not brave enough to access it from work. I seen the first 5 seconds or so and have a mental image of what's coming next. Not something I want the company internet police sending me an email about

Just made me think of a funny story. One day at work I was trying to thin k of the name of the character played by Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men (Jessop is the answer). Anyway, I typed the title of the film into google and hit return. The first link looked to be the website dedicated to the film so I clicked on it. Apparently there are two films named A Few Good Men. The image that popped onto my screen will haunt me forever, especially if the internet police noted it down on my file

Derek

[Conky]

I bet!

It wouldn't have helped in that case, but I'm beginning to learn, that as its so easy to set up a link with a false name, like say http/Sky Sports News blah,blah, when its actually a Dodgey link, you need to right click and glance at properties. The correct link details are always there. Its saved my blushes once or twice. Suppose all you Computer savvy folk have known that for ages?

Alan

[DRT]

OK, own up, have you tried it yet?

[Conky]

Hell No! I stumble across enough of my own disasters. (usually with Debs or one of the kids in the room). I can hit that X in the right corner quicker than John Wayne can draw a gun!

Alan

[Luc]

John Wayne couldn't draw , he could limp with the best of 'em

[Luc]

Todd Pettinger
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada (definitely NOT a quebecois or French-speaking province!)

I started drinking port maybe two years ago, during, oddly enough, a beer tasting (where we tasted some REAL beer, three of which were Stouts from England... which I absolutely fell in love with.) After this, I tried several ports, different brands, and types, but mainly fell in love with the Aged Tawnies.

I discovered Vintage Port a few months ago, after discovering some other site that also deals in all things Port. After that, no looking back. I have now acquired some 30+ bottles of VP in just three months and am expanding my meager cellar at a rapid pace. Pretty soon I'm gonna need a wine fridge. Or a proper cellar. Or a job that will support this habit.


I like to think of myself as an athlete, but I'm discovering every day that it is harder and harder to say that with a straight face. I used to run really long distances for fun and compete in Ironman Triathlons (and still will) but am currently injured and not dealing with the injury very well. This has cause me to write off my 2007 season, but has fortunately given me the focus to compete with Alan in a serious contest for who can drink the most young Vintage Ports in a year. (Alan is winning in case any one is keeping track! )

I still plan to make a come-back in 2008 and have several races of just STUPID distance planned (think of a marathon as being a warm up!) We'll get there... I just need a small surgery to take care of my foot prior to ramping up any real training.

I also like to think of myself as funny, which may explain the idiocy of several of my posts. (Hey, you've been warned!!! )

Married - check
Kids - check (two)
Birthyears for kids: 2003 (son), 2005 (daughter)
Obtaining ports for these birthyears - check

Anything else you wanna know?

Oh yes, and I own at least one bike that is worth the equivalent to a bottle of 1963 Noval. Not gonna tell you which one (the Noval or the Nacional! )

Todd

I don't think you're funny