[fanfan]

Losing my mind, I am.

neither of which would normally work = neither of which he would normally drink.

[sionnsar]

neither of which would normally work

For ginger ale, cross the border and try Vernor's. After almost 4 decades it finally made it to the Left Coast, but sadly the Diet Vernor's (which is closer in taste to my childhood memory of Vernor's) is disappearing.