how about drinking?

chisandy

Lori, wish we had a place to park a camper! We live in the city--even in a residential neighborhood, nobody here has driveways, street parking is difficult to find (our block doesn't have zoned parking), the alleys are off-limits for parking all but temporary vehicles (workmen, moving vans, deliveries, etc.) and our garage isn't long & deep enough to fit even a small trailer (unless we sacrifice most of our rear lawn). So if we were to camp, we'd have to rent a trailer or RV. (We don't have a truck, either--and our Outback has weight limits for towing, should we decide to install a hitch).

Last night's DOTD with leftovers was Williams-Selyem Vin Gris of Pinot Noir. They are located in Healdsburg in Sonoma County--no word yet as to how the fires have affected them. Pinot Noir gets harvested earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel, so maybe they were able to get the harvest in, crushed, and tanked far enough away to be out of danger.

illimae

Here’s DH’s birthday dinner. Spinach and feta bacon wrapped stuffed chicken with roasted rainbow carrots and red potatoes. Dessert was an apple and walnut filing in puff pastry with vanilla ice cream.

beaverntx

Illimae, I just finished dinner and your pictures still made me hungry!!! Looks sooooo good.

nativemainer

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Monday Monkey Day!Back to work day for me, going to see how it goes and probably help get ready for the staff flu shots on Tuesday and Wednesdays. I may end up going in early or staying a bit later depending on the need. Then the monthly staff COVID testing will come around again. Going to be a busy month. Sadie says Hi to everyone.

Jazzy--great pics!

Cammy Cat--I'm going to go check on Mom after work if her phone still isn't working. I'm thinking she forgot to get more minutes. I tried to get her to signup for autopay, but she thinks it costs more than buying a card, cuz she doesn't factor in the taxes she pays at the register. It sounds like cats get the zoomies like dogs do! It can be crazy when a doggo gets the zoomies, I can imagine it must be the same when kitties do, too!

Chi--parking sounds like a real hassle foryou. Glad I don't have to deal with that.

Illi--Wow, what a dinner!Looks so good!

Fall from the Tree

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces Laird's applejack (or bourbon or scotch)
• 1 ounce fresh apple juice
• 1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce cinnamon syrup*
• 1 dash The Bitter Truth aromatic bitters
• Garnish: apple slice

Steps

1. Add all the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
3. Garnish with an apple slice.

*Cinnamon syrup: Add 1/2 ounce cinnamon bark, 2 cups turbinado sugar and 2 cups water into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover saucepan and let simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for at least 24 hours. Strain into a container. Will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks.

From <https://www.liquor.com/recipes/fall-from-the-tree/>

jazzygirl

Good evening ladies- what a lovely weekend it was here. Lots of balloons this morning, then got out ate afternoon walk in a nearby park, which I have not been to since before the pandemic. It has a circular track for walking/running/biking and some common areas in the middle. Lots of people exercising were wearing masks, but saw a large group having a kids birthday party in the center of the park near one of the inside paths and there no social distancing and no masks. Note to self when I go again, I stay on that track.

I cleaned out my pantry yesterday which is also the "wine vault" and took an inventory of my red wines in there to see what I have. I discovered a couple bottles from my last big trip to Napa in 2009 from Whitehall Lane and Charles Krug. Oooh la la, how did I not drink those by now? I also found a bottle of chocolate wine and was like "where did that come from?" I am not a sweet wine person, but think I remember someone giving me that for a gift. Hmm, what to do with that? I found a recipe for a chocolate wine cake so I think that might be where I start. I have plenty of wine to keep me going for awhile so you heard it here, NO MORE BUYING for awhile. I am now just starting to drink red wines again as the weather cools.

The university hospital where I am going to work has a pretty details health screening to determine all my current vaccinations. Even though I have worked as a contractor for hospitals before, this will be my first time as an employee so occ med needs to be sure I don't get put at risk nor bring anything in. I cannot remember nor do I have those child hood records handy. I remember my mother gave them to me back in my 30s and had to use them once before for a university job, but heck if I know where those are. I know they can run a blood test if they need to check. There are no questions about Covid in the surveys but expect I will get asked about that when I go in. I won't be surprised if I get tested too. I am finishing those survey's up and calling today for an apt and also going this afternoon for my drug test.

Ill- that looks like some seriously yummy food. I got some cheese and jalapeno stuffed chicken breasts wrapped in bacon from Sam's Club recently and those were really delicious. Made two and froze the other 2. I hope the packing is going well and you are looking forward to getting settled in to your retirement spot over in West TX.

NM- I hope things went okay with going over to see how mom fared with the move. I am sure she probably is overwhelmed with the unpacking work. Hopefully you can get her focused and started on her unpacking. I hope you had some nice time to yourself yesterday too.

And yes, insurance on the ACA marketplace has become very expensive always at risk for being overthrown. It is part of the reason I am going back to a job with benefits. I hope you can find a job you really like along with something that has great benefits for your needs. And as a friend of mine advised as I was planning to pay off my house, once there is no mortgage, you have ALOT more freedom on the type and how much work you want to do. And know you paid your house of too (yay for us single gals with paid for home!) You nurses are very valuable in this world and have many options.

Chi- I love pinot noir and cab and think about all the wineries I love up there. A couple of them are okay (Twomey and Whitehall Lane). I heard they are harvesting and also heard there is a smokey taste to some of the wines. Even though I say I won't buy any wine for awhile, I also say I need to support the industry. Now I am going for some wine......

Cami- oh Joey loves cats too. A kitten for him and one for you. My sister says two kittens are great to have for one another, but they can also be double trouble. How are things going for Joey in school? He is two days on site, the rest remote?

Celia C, Mistyeyes, MinusTwo, Karen, JCS and anyone else I may be missing, have a good week!

camillegal

camillegal

Mornin ladies,

OK illi ur going to have to buy dry ice and start selling meals Looks yummy.

Kim I hope ur mom is well on the way to start unpacking, oh what a job. Does she have any help doing this. It would take me forever and I don't have what she has. Sounds like u had a good Sunday <I think> u and Sadie deserve it big time.

Jazzy even in ur post u sound so excited about ur new job, I'm so happy for you an all the new people u'll meet too. A whole new world for you. This will be fun for us hearing about it.

Sandy it never seemed like u'd like camping but sounded like u might. I don't remember how long Lori will be gone.

Jazzy Joey stays home everyday, but like I said goes out to tutor a couple of kids so he does get out for that. I doubt he's that smart just motivated to get out of the house, who wouldn't.

Have a good day.

LUBS U ALL

chisandy

My first camping trip was a nightmare. We'd been married all of two months, with Bob a grad student and me a lab tech--both in the Genetics Dept. at UW Seattle. One of the post-docs (IIRC, his name was Chuck) got wind of a huge rock festival, the Satsop River Fair, on the Olympic Peninsula., and suggested we camp there with him & a female grad student (I think she was named Maddie). He assured us he had a nice big tent, so all we'd need to buy were sleeping bags, ensolite foam pads, rucksacks, soap, swimsuits (for the river), canteens, and my own food (perpetually dieting, I'd just rejoined WW). We knew there'd be food concessions, most of them stuff I wasn't allowed to eat. We got there after a mile-long shuttle ride from the parking lot, and Chuck & Bob pitched the tent: a 12x12 heavy green canvas umbrella tent with a wooden center pole.

First night wasn't bad, even though several acts failed to show because it turned out they didn't get paid. (Headliners Sly & the Family Stone was one, starting a years-long tradition for them of not showing up). Next day, there was a BBQ salmon concession set up, which was very much on my diet. Went down to the river and a naked guy pleaded for soap, offering to trade some 'shrooms for it--but we simply gave him our extra bar and politely declined the drugs. Many great bands during the day (including the Youngbloods, sticking around a second night even though they'd been paid for only one)--but then came the bees & yellowjackets (hastily erected signs popped up everywhere, reading "DANGER! BUMMER! BEEEEES!"). And just as the last set was ending...the rains came. We scurried back to our tent.

I had a nightmare: I was a POW in an Army tent, being tortured by my feet being submerged in a bucket of ice water. I awoke to find it raining in through the top of the tent, collecting in a cold puddle by my feet. Shivering, I wept silently, "I'm not cut out for this! Jewish Princesses don't camp! But if I say anything, Chuck & Maddie will think I'm a spoiled crybaby wuss." Just then, Chuck said, "This sucks. Let's pack up and get outta here." So we broke camp, and as we were packing at dawn, a bunch of Hell's Angels came by and plowed into the concession stands...and then headed towards the campground. Shivering and chilled, teeth chattering and sure I was catching pneumonia, we hauled our stuff (on foot, as the shuttles were delayed) back to Chuck's car (a tiny Beetle) and took our place in the growing exodus line. As we neared the exit, we saw why the shuttles were delayed: a yellow school bus lay on its side in the shallow ditch by the roadside. Later on, we heard that the chopper sent to evacuate the injured shuttle passengers--as well as some victims of the bikers--was unable to take off because it had run out of fuel. I vowed never to camp again. (Miraculously, when we got home I did not have a fever).

But by a year later, we had our own (watertight) tent and did quite a bit of car-camping. (Many viewed us as wusses because we didn't backpack in the mountains. I still believed that "hiking" was from Point A to Point B, not from Point A to higher on Point A). I miss being young and supple enough to get up off the ground. Amazing how good instant espresso, dehydrated food and plain rice tastes when you cook it on a little butane stove and enjoy it under an insanely starry sky.

With leftover chicken piccata, DOTD was Alpha Box & Dice Aussie brut. (Still bubbly more than a week, stoppered, in the fridge).

nativemainer

Good Morning Loungettes!Happy Twofer Tuesday! Got to work yesterday and ended up covering for a Med Tech all day. Drove out to Mom's after work, she's obviously been unpacking and rearranging boxes, and furniture she had in storage has been moved in, but she wasn't home. I left her a note telling her to get her phone turned on. I'm hoping she was out shopping for a minutes card and I'll hear from her sometime today. Sadie says Hi to everyone!

Jazzy--The park sounds lovely, even with the kids and no mask and no distancing. Chocolate wine cake? Never heard of it but it sounds interesting. Let us know how it turns out. The vaccination/medical screening for going to work in a health care facility is pretty intense. I got my flu shot at work yesterday just to get that over with. Keeping track of those childhood immunization records is a real pain in the anatomy. Having the house paid off is a major benefit when it comes to making more work options realistic. I've started poking around the internet to find out about remote work. There are some interesting sounding options out there. I haven't given up on the current position entirely, yet, though. I thought you'd find a reason to buy at least a few bottles of wine! I think the smoky taste might be interesting.One of my favorite teas is Lapsang Souchong, and that is very smoky.

Cammy Cat--Mom wants to unpack herself so she can take her time and go through things. I'm hoping that means she will be getting rid of some of the extra stuff, but we'll have to wait and see. When I looked in yesterday the bathroom was pretty well set up, and she's obviously started on the kitchen and craft room. If Joey is tutoring he must be pretty smart, they don't usually let people do that who aren't able to teach or understand the material. Don't blame him for wanting to get out of the house from time to time.

Chi--what a camping experience you had! There is nothing as miserable as tent camping in a cold rain, especially if the tent leaks.

Rum & Smoke

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Aged rum
• 3/4 oz Oloroso sherry
• 1/4 oz Tempus Fugit Gran Classico bitter liqueur
• 1 barspoon Smoked-rosemary simple syrup*
• Garnish: Flamed rosemary sprig

Steps

1. In a mixing glass, add all ingredients with ice and stir until chilled.
2. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
3. Garnish with a flamed rosemary sprig.
4. Cover with a glass dome and let sit for 1-2 minutes, or until the cocktail is well smoked, before drinking.
5. *Smoked-rosemary simple syrup: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1⁄2 cup sugar, 1⁄2 cup water and zest from 1 orange and stir until just under boil. Remove from heat. With a kitchen torch or lighter, flame one rosemary sprig until it begins to smoke on all sides. Drop smoking sprig into saucepan and let steep, covered, for 20 minutes. Strain out solids and store in refrigerator up to one week.

From <https://www.liquor.com/recipes/rum-and-smoke/>

goldie0827

Jazzy, I imagine with the balloon festival cancceled it's really hurting the economy there. That camp site is in Moab. That site is actually called Cowslip. Chocolate Wine Cake....interesting! Glad you are able to do your walk in the park, but keep away from those that don't follow the rules.

BabyGirl, Happy Birthday to your dear husband. Dinner looks amazing and I'm sure it tasted just as good as it looks.

NM, you don't have any health insurance? I would be kind of scared of that, even if I didn't have stage IV, but just being older. I hope you are able to stay healthy until that Medicare kicks in. Are mom and Dick completely moved out now? Will your mom go and visit Dick? How far away are they from each other?

Sandy, we do have plenty of room to pard the toy hauler at our house, but we chose to park it in Moab, then we don't have to haul it back and forth. We don't camp in camp grounds, we do what is called "dry camping". But ya, I don't imagine you have anywhere to go, living in a big city, let alone parking it. LOL at the guy that wanted to trade shrooms for soap and Jewish Princess. We don't do much hiking, mostly riding.

Well, I'm home...for 2 days anyways. Was a long day yesterday, 15 hours when all said and done. Went and got my Guardian test at MO's, stopped at the dispencary for some things. I didn't take my Metamucil yesterday, OMG. My stomach had been cramping all day, finally it hit and lasted all night and into the morning. I was in the bathroom 20 times at least. Needless to say, I won't be forgetting my Metamucil today!

Some of Jazzy's cake to go with our Smoky cocktail...

camillegal

camillegal

Mornin ladies,

oooh chocolate wine cake looks goo and sounds good, wll it's chocolate so what else is there???

OK Lori ur home for few days now. That was a long trip coming home. Aren't u exhausted from all that traveling. Well u do camp in style so that's good.

Sandy ur camping experience seems like a bad movie from Jason or someone, the only one missing. That would turn me off forever, mine was simple but on the ground and never went again, to much work. It's funny both my GF an I got divorces after that and still LOL about it to this day.

Kim ur mom has done quite a bit in getting settle. Bathroom is actually a big job, of course the kitchen to me is the biggest. Like Lori said can she see Dick whenever she wants??? Inquiring mins want to know. Soooo u worked a bit more Hmmmm, saying nothing, not a word.

I counte the clls I got from my BIL yesterday <Bob fixed his furnace> 9 calls Holy chit so many questions and boy did he like him.. He wouldn't take any money <goofy> but told them to take me out for dinner, so we're planning for Thurs. or Friday. So my goofy BIL says to me he really loves u, Bob again made me feel good.

Have a good day all.

LUBS U ALL

jazzygirl

Good morning ladies- happy Tuesday friends. Got my apts set up for Thursday to get the medical screening done as well as my drug test. I have a former client from my other healthcare group who I was going meet on Wed night for dinner to celebrate a promotion she just got and my new job. I decided to reschedule so I can imbibe properly and we will try for Thursday night or sometime next week. I have a funny meme to post next on that very subject that I saw yesterday on FB that I will share with you that you will all find amusing.

Also visited with my cousins on a weekly family Zoom I have not been on for a few weeks but won't be able to participate in much longer. Most who attend are retired, and time won't work with the new job. I plan to tell them in a few more weeks it will be my last and my sister plans to stay with it and said she will "give me a report" when she goes. Been a positive thing during this pandemic time and will miss them but have not been able to go as much the past month or so. Both my collaboration volunteer work and the family will be doing their calls on Mondays between 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. my time. Collaboration folks know I won't be doing the calls anymore, started stepping away from that this week, but still have some data clean up to do in our tracking log.

NM- I think that exploring your options with on line applications and talking to some recruiters during your time off would be a worthwhile thing to do. A good recruiter can take the time to talk to you about your interests and needs and look for a match. I have used them for subcontract work and if you can make a list of "need to haves" and "nice to haves" to share with them, they can help to be watching for jobs for you. I don't have any good suggestions for healthcare recruiters right now but know a few nursing friends and will see what I can find out for you.

I always have found that with any move, for anything that I packed and took out later, I always looked at it again to see if it fit where I was moving in to. Your mom may not be willing to get go of things now, but you can also encourage her to take what she needs and to store the rest in a garage or basement, if available. Sounds like mom was out and about and a good reminder for her to charge her phone and turn it on. I hope she settles in and likes the new place.

Cami- I am not sure I am excited about this as I would have been in earlier years. I really did like working for myself but in many ways, it has just become unviable and needed to make this change. Several friends who were doing the same thing have all gone back to work FT later in their careers for similar reasons. As a self employed person, you need to pay attention when it is time to do something else. I do think this job will be a great way to wrap up my professional time and have what I need until I am ready to retire. I am still too young for that.

I am glad Joey is doing okay. I am sure he misses his music. Does he still play and practice at home?

Chi- those stories of your camping trips. I did a whole lot of tent camping as a kid (girl scouts) and later with my church youth group, in college, etc. I think the last time I camped in a tent was about 20 years ago at a yoga event in White Sands New Mexico. We did a sunset and sunrise yoga on the dunes (pretty spectacular), and the friend and I did a tent overnighter that was memorable. The winds that howled through that place a night made it hard to sleep. I was officially done with sleeping on the ground after that, but have done at least one other camping thing with a small trailer and that is the way to go. I can't wait to see Goldie's photos after she is back!

Hi to everyone else and hoping you are enjoying some fall colors where you are, if you are up here in the northern hemisphere with many of us!

Got some things to do and a trip to the girl doctor to do later today. Weather is beautiful but cooling down again this weekend.

jazzygirl

This article has a lot of info on what wineries have been damaged or destroyed by the Glass Fire in the Napa and Sonoma. Sterling Wineries on this list has always been one of my favs. Sigh.....

https://sf.eater.com/2020/10/2/21498841/glass-inci...

jazzygirl

chisandy

I knew I had to cut back on coffee when my blood type came back "Kenya AA."

Lapsang Souchong always smelled and tasted to me like wet burnt cardboard. To each their own, I guess. I like green jasmine, Constant Comment (tea purists will shudder), Formosa Oolong (memories of childhood Cantonese restaurants), and Earl Grey. Sigh--the latter is now off limits due to the bergamot & lavender in it.

illimae

Well damn... Eddy Van Halen was murdered by throat cancer today. I was never really into hair bands but I do enjoy to rocking out to classic Van Halen on occasion. What a bummer.

DOTD will be wine or maybe a bourbon and coke.

karen1956

Sandy - MY DH and I went camping/back packing on our honeymoon 43 years ago. We had a 2 "man" backpack tent which was really like a "pup" tent. It was my first time west of the Rockies - Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Maroon Bells/Aspen (I think we went to a few other places, but don't remember). We had a VW Rabbit so a small car. We got rained out in the Maroon Bells so had to get a hotel room. This was the tine before Aspen got outrageously expensive. We had our backpacking stove and cooked on that in our room. We were 2 broke, young college grads. When we got home, we bought a Coleman camp stove. We did camp for many years, but I don't think we have since kids- so not in a long time!!! Driving in the Maroon Bells with cows along the side of the road had me white knuckled!!! We really had a great time. Now, the most rustic I'll go is a cabin - must have a real bed. I don't mind cooking on vacation.

Hopefully, the boarders will open up by the end of the year so we can see our kids. But doubt it for Israel as the cases there continue to rise even with a lockdown!! That is if I get my renewed passport by then or DH will go alone and I'll go a different times.

camillegal

camillegal

Mornin ladies.

Jazzy u r by far the most organized person I know. Everything u do is right on point in all directions. For the women u know that got FT jobs after working on their own, were they all happy with their decision. U've done so well on ur own but the big plus to me would be meeting new people, I just think ur so brave to change so much. Well I do know u can do it for sure. I didn't know u were doing zoom so often that must have really been nice.

Karen u did a lot of camping before u had kids and saw so much. What wonderful memories.

Hey Sandy how are u feeling???

Dan came over yesterday, I had something wrong with my phone. He touched one thing of course and it was fine. Wow I really have a problem with all this techy stuff and the more there is the more I really have a problem with. Oh well today my niece comes over so that's nice for me.

Hope everyone has a nice day.

LUBS U ALL

goldie0827

Cami, your boys DO love you, but you know that. And btw, so do I! How nice Bob ranted and raved about you to your BIL, you are indeed some kind of special. I hope you can make that dinner date Th. or Fri.

NM, sorry if I was sounding so nosy with all my questions. I think you are doing staff flu shots today? And I think your train ride is maybe this weekend? If so, have fun and maybe some pictures? Are you getting into fall colors out there?

Jazzy, I most likely won't have many, if any, pictures to share. We have gone camping with these friends before and in the same place. So I would just be posting the same pictures basically. If you go to my photos on FB, and then to the albums, you will see about 6 or so that say Moab. Cute meme.

BabyGirl, I like that "murdered by cancer".

Karen, hopefully you will be able to get your passport to join your DH in Israel. Is your DD living there now? Or do you mean the one in Canada?

Talk about a funny. Yesterday I was on FB and saw a "memorie", it was of our wedding. I'm thinking OMG, I look at the date for today and it's our anniversary. I tell my DH this, and he had forgotten too. Had it not been for FB we both would have forgotten it! I think its' because I had so much the day before getting home and then thinking about getting ready for camping.

We will be heading out 6am tomorrow morning, returning on the 17th. If anyone wants to be FB friends with me, just message me. Just know that I don't do politics or religion. I don't "share" things and I don't use buttons to "like" or "love", etc. I use my words. I don't post memes, nor will I comment on them, I don't know who the original poster is.

chisandy

Feeling okay today, though it's frustrating that Loyola Medicine stopped doing allergy (pollen & mold) counts after 9/30. Octogenarian Dr. Joseph Leijia used to go up to the roof at Gottlieb every weekday morning to take the counts and post them from 3/15-10/15 (start of tree pollen season to end of ragweed season). When he retired, Dr. Rachna Shah replaced him--and not only does she not start till 4/15 and stops after 9/30 (which is peak ragweed season), but she doesn't do holidays and sometimes misses days. So all I can find out as to why I'm sneezing & my eyes itch is to go to Pollen.com and AccuWeather, which rate pollen & mold counts on a low-to-high and 1-to-5 scale. And tonight is the last night I can take Zyrtec and use Pataday, Zatidor or Alaway eye drops due to the drug allergy "challenge" test I'm taking this Mon. (I can use Benadryl, but stop that after Sat. night). Can still squirt Nasalcrom or Nasacort up my nose, but for my eyes I'm limited to artificial tears. Wish they still made Opticrom, which was taken off the market >25 yrs ago when the UK factory that made it was shut down due to infection contamination. (Maybe I can still use Similisan, which since it's homeopathic doesn't have antihistamines in it--but it doesn't seem to work any better than artificial tears).

Last night's DOTD was an Aussie Dolcetto (Cherry Grove).

karen1956

Lori - I have one daughter in each country (Israel and Canada) and my son is in the states. I don't think the boarder to Israel will open any time soon. Canada maybe. Three kids - three countries, two continents!

Jazz - congrats on the new position. Good luck with all your appointments.

Cami - when my kids were growing up, we spent our vacations visiting the grandparents. Now DH and I spend our vacations visiting our kids!! Because I work in the schools, my travel is limited to winter vacation and the summer - not complaining except those are the most expensive time to travel. I'm not ready to retire yet (well, most days).

Air quality continues to be red (unhealthy) and temps in the 80s. We broke a record the other day and might break another record tomorrow. It was really hazy today and tonight during our walk, it was eery out - the air was so still and it was so dark!!!

goldie0827

Karen. I hate being so far from my children, my DD is the furthest. Forgive me, I had forgotten about your son. Your youngest DD is in Israel, permanently or just for school? Talking about visiting grands for vacation, a little twist on things. What happened to the adult children having the parents over for holiday dinners? I'm the one still doing it.

Cami, I got a message from one of those scammer guys. I didn't have time to play with him, so I just blocked him.

We are off in a couple of hours, heading back on the 17th.

camillegal

nativemainer

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Thirsty Thursday! First off, Mom is fine. She has managed to lose her cell phone. Inside the new apartment. Somewhere. She has been going back and forth to Dick's place and packing and moving more stuff, and has fallen a couple of times, and is very tired at the end of the days. She's getting a new phone, but may have to get a new phone number, something about the current phone not being active. She says she has automatic payment on the phone but when I set it up for her she wouldn't let me set up automatic payment, so I wonder if that is true or not. She has a very nice older couple as neighbors in the other half of the building. The husband has already jump started Mom's car for her after she left the lights on overnight.

I went in to work early yesterday to be the med nurse for one unit. I had forgotten just how brutal a job that can be! I was on my feet from 6 ayem to 3:30 peeyem. One five minute break to sit down until my back stopped hurting enough to get going again, sat down for 15 minutes while I was feeding a resident, and sat down occasionally for a minute or two while someone was taking their pills. I wish I had remembered to charge my smart watch the evening before, I would love to know how many steps and how far I walkedyesterday. And it was HOT in there. I sweat like a stuck pig at times.I came home, ate an entire 10 inch pizza and drank a liter of orange sodaand still weigh almost a pound less this morning than day before yesterday. My back, hips, knees, and feet are still talking to me, even after going to bed at 7 peeyem and sleeping until almost 7 ayem! Sadie was a bit confused at my leaving for work so early, and getting home so much earlier than usual, but forgave me after I gave her a slice of my pizza. She loves green pepper and hamburger pizza! I found out the other day that our new scheduler had up and quit last week, and that's why we are having a bigger staffing crisis than we should be. The scheduler wasn't doing really well, but management was working with and progress was being made. It can take time to learn that complicated a job, after all.

Goldie--Nope, I do not have health insurance. It would cost me around $900 a month, AND I would still be paying out of pocket for everything until I hit $3 or $4K before the insurance kicks in and covers anything at all. I haven't hit that deductible since reconstruction surgery. I would have to work 40 to 50 hours per week to afford that, pay the school loan, utilities, groceries, gas, etc. So I'm taking my chances. Medicare eligible in just over 3 years. If anything catastrophic or major happens I'd end up bankrupt anyway. Here in Maine, something like that happens and you are uninsured you then qualify for MaineCare (Medicaid) and get some of the best coverage going and not have to pay more than $30 a month for anything AND can't be denied care. In the meantime, I can negotiate cash prices for any services I need ahead of time and pay much closer to actual costs. And with so manypharmacies offering $4 and $10 prescription programs, I haven't actually used a pharmacy benefit for years, the copays were usually $15 to $25 for the same drugs. Mom is pretty much completely moved out now, still moving some small things. Dick is pretty much moved into the Assisted Living apartment. Mom can't visit him due to COVID restrictions.They are about 10-11 miles apart now.It sounds like Metamucil is a sliver bullet for you! Pretty cake.

Cammy Cat--Unfortunately, only Dick's kids can see him right now due to COVID restrictions, and then only because he has just moved in and is getting settled.Her bathroom is in pretty good shape, except that she hasn't gotten a shower curtain up yet. She does have a shower bench so she can sit down and swing her feet over the tub side and then stand up and shower or sit and shower as she wants. I had to laugh at her, though. She was saying how much storage/cupboard space is in the kitchen, so she could take all the plates and such she could find, and now she's discovered she has trouble reaching the second shelf in the cupboards, and can't reach the third or top of them at all without a step stool so she's found she doesn't have as much functional storage as she thought! I'm betting she'll fill up those shelves anyway and just not use the stuff. Or set me to searching for items when she wants them! And I hear you not saying a word about my work schedule. I didn't want to, but I'm not going to leave 20 or so people without their medications, and, face it, you wouldn't want me to, right? Enjoy your dinner out!

Jazzy--So nice you have something and someone to celebrate with! I imagine you will miss the family Zooms, but times do move on. Thanks for the advice and any info you come across. I'm not too hopeful that Mom will actually go through and part with things, she has a history of talking about doing that but never getting to it, and that tendency has gotten worse the last few years. But maybe this winter when she doesn't go out as much she'll surprise us all, who knows?

LOL!I bet my blood type is roséPositive!

Chi--LOL!!!! Actually, I like Constant Comment, too. And Earl Grey. And Jasmine. Not so fond of green Jasmine, though.

Illi--the ba$tard c is getting too many people, still, even after all these decades of research and fund raising. So not right.

Karen--I'm afraid it's going to be a long time before borders get opened up again. There's a lot of chatter about the issues with the Maine/Canada border being so tightly closed, families that have members on both sides, people who live on one side but work on the other and all the border businesses are really having a hard time. Some couples have not seen each other in person in months except for standing at either end of the bridge.This is going to be one very difficult winter, I'm afraid.

Cammy Cat--Don't you love it when something broken magically fixes itself when someone comes to help you with it? I swear techy stuff is actually alive and thinking and does stuff like that just to mess with our minds! Hope you had a nice visit with your niece.

Goldie--you're not being nosy, if I didn't want something known I wouldn't say anything about it in the first place! Yes, the original plan for Wednesday was for me to help with flu shots for the staff. But that got changed when there were multiple calls outs overnight and into Wednesday. I said "no" to working overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, I needed to locate Mom, and if I couldn't find her after work it was going to be time to list her as a missing person. So the Director of Nurses worked overnight, and I went in early to let her go with her DH to an appointment and then take over medication passing. The train ride is Saturday afternoon. Not going to be much foliage to see with all the wind bringing down all the leaves so quickly, but it will still be fun to get out and have something to do. Fall colors are past peak now, the peak only lasted a week or two this year between being so dry all summer and then so windy this fall. But it's also kind of patchy, lots of very green leaves on some trees. These fall rides are one of the major fund raisers for the Belfast and MooseheadLake Railroad, a little, local preservation group maintaining a section of the old train system that ran through Maine to Canada. Their biggest fundraiser is taking people from nearby towns to the Common Ground Country fair, a big Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association agricultural fair that, of course, was cancelled this year. This trip goes around a nice size pond and will have some nice scenery even without the colors. I will take pics to post, I promise! Too funny that you both forgot your anniversary!

Chi--sounds like that allergy "challenge" test is a real test starting even before you go in! Hope you are very uncomfortable.

Karen--3 kids, 3 countries, 2 continents, wow, gives new meaning to "extended" family!

Goldie--I tried for a while having the Mom and Dick over for Thanksgiving, but Mom didn't like not cooking the meal and having lots of leftovers to make soups and such with, so it didn't last!I cannot imagine what she is going to do this year!

Slightly Windy

Ingredients

• 3 oz Ginger Dry sparkling soda
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
• 1 1/2 oz dark rum

Instructions

1. Combine lime juice, simple syrup, bitters and dark rum in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice and top with Ginger Dry Sparkling soda. Stir.

From <https://www.greyisthenewblack.com/slightly-windy-a-rum-ginger-cocktail-tipsy-tuesday/>

camillegal

Mornin ladies,

Lori I'm never sure where u are. I thought u were already camping. U are going with another couple tho. See I don't remember that. OK that's funny about ur anniversary, usually the wife remembers at least. Hope ur having a good time. U always post something on FB, I noticed that. I''ve been staying away it's so heated on my page, it's not even debating it's gotten down right mean, to me that's what FB isn't about. I always enjoy Jazzy's pics so I just go thru things to enjoy pics for the most part.

Karen I didn't know u have a DD in Canada too. So ur son is near u and that's all??? Both u and Lori having kids so far away, I can't imagine how it would be.

Sandy u have horrible allergies that alone has to make u feel lousy.

I haven't gone out yet, don't feel to well, but not horrible, so it's all good. Kim must really be tired.

LUBS U ALL

camillegal

jazzygirl

Hi friends- went to the hospital this morning to the occupational health visit and also my drug/tox screen. Everyone really nice. The only things they were wanting to test were around TB (gold test) and to check for MMR. Got a titre done. I think I need to go back one more time for a badge but have time for that one, but still a few weeks from my start date.

Listening to our gov talking about our current numbers (not good). I have not heard any changes yet, the public health order ends next week but if we keep going up, I expect that means we are all going back inside more. The secretary of health says the hospitals are filling up again, including the ICUs and that they are thinking about how to expand their spaces again for ICU space if needed. And of course, we know flu season starts soon. I got my flu shot last Friday.

I moved my business dinner with my former client to tonight and can properly imbibe with dinner. They have a fab wine list, I will share any new findings with you. My client is a beer drinker, otherwise there might be a bottle......

NM- your mom sounds like she is working to get organized. I hope she can find that phone and/or get a new one easily. I hope she is okay with her multiple trips and little falls? Makes the move feel never ending. Sounds like there is another older couple to be friends with too.

That is interesting about your state program. We lost a lot of our safety net programs when ACA came in to play. I used one of them after I left a job and my COBRA ran out, and liked the program but by the second year of ACA they closed. There was a high risk program too for people who could not get insured. Sounds like you have figured out what you want to do. I have worked for places that offer health insurance for half time (20 hours/week) so if you change again, do ask about that? I know you are not at that decision point quite yet.....

Cami- I have had sex on the beach (the drink, wink wink) but never on a snow bank. I love coconut drinks. There is a restaurant here that has a to die for coconut margarita. How is the weather your way? Any foliage?

Goldie- thinking of you on your trip and hope the weather is good and times are fun in the great outdoors!

Karen- must be hard with two out of the country and no way to see them easily. I think my next visits when I do travel will be to see family on the east coast. I hear the fires are still a problem up there and we are getting some of that smoke down here again to the south of you.

Ill- sad news about Eddie Van Halen. Also felt sad to hear Johnny Nash (I can see clearly now) also passed this week. Hope the packing is going well. What are you eating this week?

Okay, time to shift gears and get ready for my dinner plans. Stay well friend!

chisandy

We keep losing the musical greats too quickly these days. Van Halen's "Jump" was the theme song for the White Sox' playoff campaign back in 1983--every time I hear it I expect it to segue into a pregame show. And I even remember Nash's debut hit "Hold Me Tight" from 1968.

Kim, too bad you don't have even a cheapo hi-deductible insurance plan--until you go on Medicare or Medicaid, having insurance makes you eligible to use pharma co-pay and even free coupons for brand-name stuff. Until I went on Medicare, I was able to get Dexilant & Benicar for free, and Gordy still gets his Symbicort asthma inhalers for free.

Had my semiannual MO visit today. My MO (who spent the last 6 mos. on sabbatical, holed up communing with nature in the U.P. and Thoreau-ly enjoying it--sorry, it was too easy) gained the "quarantine 15" and then some. She was very impressed with my weight loss (it is a bear to try to maintain rather than keep losing). She gave me the all-clear on my breast exam, and a choice between seeing her annually or semi-annually. I chose the latter, because I'm coming up on 5 years on letrozole and also surveilling my ocular melanoma. (Still no biopsy results yet--there probably weren't enough cells harvested). She did have me get a consult with one of her partners who specializes in melanoma, to keep tabs on my liver (the most common initial mets site for ocular melanoma). And I will get a 3-month followup chest CT next week for that little lung nodules--but she said that with improved sensitivity of modern CTs, about half the people scanned have small lung nodules. In fact, she said that a truly clean chest CT would make her suspicious. (I held for over an hour when I called the first time, only to learn her nurse hadn't entered the order yet. I held for 45 min. when I re-called. Sorry, Jazzy, but New Age sax music will forever remind me of "music on hold").

Last night was my first Zoom choreography rehearsal for one of the group Bar Show numbers I'm in. Aaaargh: my webcam "mirrors" me when I watch myself onscreen (like when taking a selfie), but shows me in the proper orientation when others see me. Confusing! And I really do have to stretch beforehand, so I can raise my arms high enough overhead. Good workout, though. The first video, a teaser montage of stills from previous shows to the tune of Friends theme "I'll Be There For You," now "We're Still Here For You," is now live. Will find the url and post it. Next week's release is a duet I'm not in, but I will post it anyway (with a disclaimer that it's quite political). Totally free of charge to watch--not even a "donate" link.

DOTD? Will kill off that Aussie bubbly, and maybe some of that Dolcetto as well.