Best Of

Good Morning, Loungettes!  Happy TGIF day! I am now officially totally disgusted with the Amreican health care system. I called about the referals for Mom's testing at the local hospital. ONe test order was in the system but had not had anything done to schedule it, and there was no note why or when it would be scheduled. First available appointment was in Dec an hour before the cardiologist appointment. No record of the other test being ordered, no way to get it done before the cardiologist appointment. "Resource limitations" was the explanation for the long waits to get things done. When Mom say the provider at her PCP office yesterday she offered to send the orders to the hospital the office is affiliated with (a different hospital system, the hospital is over an hour's drive away from Mom's place). Lo and behold, the tiny local hospital called me back this morning and Mom has appointments for the tests next Friday. Now I working on figuring out who she has seen as a cardiologist a year or so ago, pretty sure that wasn't a St. Joseph practice, and getting the cardiologist appointment made for a more reasonable time frame. Mom's heart rate is running more consistently in the 40's and if she's going to end up needing a pacemaker I'd like to see that done sooner than Feb or March, which is what it would be at St. Joe's. Since that hospital joined Covenant management things have gone downhill rapidly. The other local hospital near Mom is a much bigger one that is known for mistakes, impersonal care, high infection rate, and lack of communication with anyone outside thier system, so not a much better option.   

Colt has a new trick now. He has always been excited by moving lights, and will bark and jump at them and chase them around. In ayems the sun comes in the window by my recliner and often reflects off the phone or coffee cup or anything shiny on the stand next to me onto to the ceiling. When Colt notices, he goes nuts and even more so if I touch the stand or move anything so the reflection wiggles and jumps around on the ceiling. Well, he has figured out that when the reflection stops moving and I don’t reach over and jiggle the stand or something on it he can go behind the recliner and get close enough to the stand to nudge it or bump it and the reflection will wiggle and jiggle and he can bark and jump at it for a few more minutes! He can make an amazing amount of noise!  

Morning, Carole and MOmmy!  

Solitary Reflection 

Description: Solitary Reflection is a contemplative cocktail designed for those moments spent in quiet, introspective solitude at the bar. It combines the warmth of bourbon with the depth of amaro, enhanced by the subtle sweetness of maple syrup and the bright notes of citrus. This drink is a perfect companion for the individual who finds themselves alone with their thoughts, offering a complex flavor profile that invites you to slow down and savor each sip. 

Ingredients: -  

2 oz Bourbon -  

1/2 oz Amaro -  

1/2 oz Maple Syrup (preferably Grade A, dark for robust flavor) -  

1/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice -  

2 dashes of Orange Bitters -  

Garnish: Orange Twist and a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry -  

Ice 

Instructions:  

1. In an Old Fashioned glass, add the bourbon, amaro, maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and orange bitters.  

2. Fill the glass with ice cubes and stir well to combine all the ingredients while chilling the mixture.  

3. Twist an orange peel over the drink to express its oils, then drop it into the glass.  

4. Add a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry for garnish.  

5. Serve immediately, allowing the blend of flavors to serve as a silent yet profound company as you enjoy your moment of solitary reflection .