German idioms, lesson 1: "Einen im Tee haben"

You might not have noticed it until now, because I am such a talent in subtle manipulations and in subtlety in general (see, how subtle I put that across???), but I DO try to at least convey some insights into German culture and the like to you, my dear readers. At times, that is ... (thinking about it, there might be even some more examples). Believe me now?
So why not introduce you to some of those strange sayings that every culture has an abundancy of, but which can turn into the much-feared false friends as soon as you try to translate them?

The first one today is: "einen im Tee haben". Now, if you try to translate this literally, you might wonder, what the heck this is supposed to say other than there's something in someone's tea.
Reader, behold, that is not what it means.
If we were to speak of tea, I wouldn't even for a millisecond consider telling you about this. No, JUST tea is the wrong road. However, the literal translation "to have something in the tea" might reveal the true meaning if you think of something alcoholish. Yeah, here we are again. Nothing without high spirits in this country, right? The idiom actually stands for being drunk, boozed, intoxicated or "to have one over the eight" (which translates quite nicely to the German equivalent "einen in der Krone haben" (literally: "to have one in the crown")).
So, how on earth did the tea come into play? Quite simply: in the literal sense. Traditionally, some Germans (esp. in the northern parts) like to put rum in their black tea. I am quite familiar with that from my parents, since they always claim to be "in need of an antifreezing compound" when drinking black tea in the winter months. Yeah, I know, what a lame excuse! ;-)
But there you go - alcohol and Germans are at it again (and Brits and Irish and French and Italians and Polish and who-else-not for that matter).
Well, gotta leave you now - enjoy your weekend and don't obey the high spirits too intensely! ;-)
I for my part will cleave to the aboundance (makes the choice kinda impossible) of tea in my kitchen - mais sans alcohol! A santé!

Before I forget, the Russians (how appropriate!) brought us todays fortune cookie:
"Fortune is a hunch
which is hard to carry."
(from Russia)

Glückskeks des Tages:
"Glück ist ein Buckel,
der schwer zu tragen ist."
(aus Russland)

Hanna