Lots of clouds for a silver lining

Despite running short on time before I join the other 40 million uninsured Americans, my unemployment has had its benefits. Most important of them is my new ability to spend more time with my family. Don't worry, I'm not going to get all mushy and sentimental, but I have found a new respect for family time. And in my family, that's saying something.

My semi-retirement from the wage-earning class has come at an especially useful time for my aunt and uncle. For some reason, my elderly uncle's red blood cell production has been on hiatus and he's been getting anemic. While a normal, healthy adult has a blood "score" of 39-50, my uncle's has been flirting with single digits. My science may be off, but you get the idea.

To help with this problem, Unc (as he's known to everyone I know) has been receiving weekly treatments and the occasional transfusion. Unc is 85 and has lived through a Depression (not just some pussy-ass recession but the big D), and fought in two wars so he's not of the complaining type. So, when Unc starts saying he feels a little under the weather, it's time to call in the specialists.

With my uncle in a weakened state, he hasn't been able to drive, and my aunt - to whom he's been married 51 years - never bothered to learn. With their only child living out of town (but not far enough to justify her absence in my opinion), my aunt and uncle have to rely on their wayward nephew for the weekly sojourn to the hospital. That's not to say that they were begging for my help. I had to insist that they not take a taxi. I mean, if I've learned anything from dozens of viewings of the Godfather, is that family is everything.

The coincidence of my uncle's revolt of the red blood cells and my unemployment has left me driving a very sick, very cranky member of the Greatest Generation and his very worried wife to and from the hospital every week. I've also added in periodic trips with my aunt to the grocery store for the weekly shopping. And please don't think I'm complaining at all. My aunt and uncle have done more for me over the years than I could possibly pay back, so it is my privilege to do anything that could help them. I'm glad my unemployment has come in handy.

After today's trip (just blood testing and a doctor's visit, no transfusion), we had some good news. That pesky blood count number is back up out of the basement and my uncle has gone from cranky and sick to cranky and feisty, his default setting. I swear I'm going to take cranky lessons from that man. He does it so well.

They say the Lord loves a working man, but I'm pretty sure my aunt is glad I'm not one right now.

And in other news, I've started my search for the best happy hour in the city. Today's wasn't that happy, but it will do for a start. If you've ever spent much time in a tourist part of any city in the Western Hemisphere, you've probably seen an Elephant and Castle Pub. The "E&C" as I'm sure they'd like travelers to think the non-existent locals call it, goes for a little bit of merry olde England right in the ground floor of a major hotel in a city near you. The decor aims for some cross between a Dickens novel and Orwell's idea of a prol bar and succeeds in expressing the hopelessness of both. The menu is similarly depressing. Why anyone would try to export the cuisine of England is beyond me, but if you really want bangers and mash or soggy fish and chips in downtown Seattle, the Elephant is for you.

From 3:30 to 6:30 and from 10:30 til close each day, part of this menu of questionable value is half price. Today I had the nachos, normally $9 but $4.50 at happy hour. Plentiful and serviceable, they were the most appetizing offer on the menu. I washed them down with a pint of Old Seattle lager, my new favorite beer. It's brewed by the Maritime Pacific Brewing Company here in town and supposedly uses the original recipe from the Rainier brewery. Nice and malty, it strangely reminds me of beer from India. Anyway, pints were $1 off so it was a little more affordable than usual at happy hour.

But don't let the name Happy Hour confuse you. I was one of the only customers in the place at 3:30. And even though staff outnumbered customers 2:1, the service was still lackluster. Oh well, at least I didn't pay full price.