I was a passive member of the audience on Friday, the party as my now 18 year old became 'legal' here to drink alcoholic beverages.

I watched as he experimented in lighting vodka spirit using a kerosene flame, shooting the spirit from his mouth to try to ignite it. This was a dismal failure. Kerosene from the mouth then proved successful, and he used the vodka to wash out his mouth! This proved to be a scorching experience, but for a completely different reason.

He did not get "written off" with booze at his 18th birthday party. That was the surprising part.

However, another young man DID get very tipsy on homemade 'scrumpy' (cider) that I had helped my son make.

My 20 year old university student son does not drink. His girlfriend (in the same classes as my 18 year old) does.

And, I am fairly sure that my 16 year old son has now also been 'initiated' into rum and orange juice, by his older brother's girlfriend.

Ah, the rites of passage.

_____
Peter