how about drinking?
Comments
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For the wine lovers here, I just saw this on the news. Cookie flavored wine. Who's in?
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Well, I have had chocolate flavored wine but I believe I will pass on this one, Goldie. Somehow, the thought of the sugary Oreo filling is not appealing!! What will they come up with next?
Weather here is highly variable too. Temps fell nearly 30 degrees the other morning as a cold front moved (blew?) through. This am is in the 50s with predicted high near 80. Challenging even for wearing layers!
Chevy, you may be the oldest, but not by much. I will be 81 next week.
NM, we all will miss the Silly Sadie stories but know you will miss her the most. It does get better over time. When we had to put our dog down at first it was only a bit of a relief because he had been ill and required extra care for so long but now that some time has passed I can smile at memories of when he was a healthy, happy dog.
My DsOTD are usually coffee and water with the occasional glass of wine. Now that I have been diagnosed with gout beer is a no no and hard liquor is not recommended! Good thing wine is my preference anyway!
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Wine flavored with anything but grapes (well, maybe woodruff for "May wine")? Blecchh!
Tonight we walked back to Regalia. Started with Ruggiero Rosé Prosecco NV. Then with the entrees (cioppino), a 2019 Sardinian Vermentino (we brought home the rest of the bottle). With dessert, housemade limoncello. (Chef isn't revealing the recipe). I'm sorta floating right now. Gotta watch myself!.
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Goldie, Count me in for the oreo wine haha!
Chevy your attitude and advice reflects those of elders I admire. It's more than just acceptance. Maybe wisdom. Thank you. I'm pretty high strung and my dad, who passed away in his mid 90s, was a great example of that kind of approach to life as he aged.
NM continuing to think of you as you mourn and miss your dear furry friend.
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NM - Just getting caught up on prior posts and so sad to hear about Sadie. I have put the word out to my dear departed Scotty & Tuckleberry (Scottish Terriers), to welcome her to the dog pack! Hoping there are plenty of angels there to give those well deserved belly rubs. Will miss your silly Sadie stories. Our pets are only with us a short time, but remain in our hearts forever.
Goldie - Thanks for asking about why my daughter is in a funk. She has always been a bit fragile emotionally, and has just been diagnosed (at almost age 31) as being autistic. Not sure what next steps will be, especially since she is looking into pursuing a Master's degree. Oh well, she never ceases to surprise us!
Sending positive energy to anyone dealing with spouses or their own healthcare issues.
On a lighter note, have asked my hubs for Christmas presents - Chambord and Champagne (Veuve Cliquot is my fave) - yum!
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Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Thirsty Thursday! We did get some snow, started in yesterday afternoon, looks like it's finishing up now. Looks like I got about 3 inches, but it's light, fluffy stuff. Brushed off the deck easier than using the shovel. Going to be a very pretty drive to work this ayem.
Maine is breaking new case, hospitalization, ICU bed and ventilator use every day now. In my district about half the kiddos are in quarantine for one reason or another. We've got a vaccination clinic scheduled for Friday, but a lot of the kiddos that would be getting their second shot can't because they are in quarantine. At least this week's pool testing results are all negative, the results got posted about 7 peeyem last night.
Karen--wow, that is quite the no snow record! A 30 degree drop in temp in as many minutes is pretty impressive.
Goldie--I got the covid test results about 7 peeyem last night. Spent the evening up till then checking the website every 10 or 15 minutes, praying the results would come in last night and not drag the waiting out through today. Getting that result and taking a xanax gave me a pretty decent night's sleep for the first time since the weekend. And yes, Mom has called the Sherriff at least twice when I didn't return a call when she thought I should have. She's far more likely to do it now that there's no one in the house with her to help her moderate her anxiety and behavior. Glad to hear that DH's behavior has improved. Good luck with the appointments. I love the tree meme!
Chevy--people have been known to change after having a heart attack or other big medical event. I am so happy things have gotten easier with DH.And that his doc is paying attention to the details like the meds. I do know that Mom is dealing with losing control. She doesn't drive after dark any more, and here in Maine that means being home by 4 peeyem, and not leaving home much before 7 ayem which really limits how far she can go. She can't reach things on the second shelf of her cabinets, can barely lift a 2 Liter bottle or gallon of milk. And she is lonely. I also know that my visits and phone calls and such are supposed to be about her and for her, and not about me. I have learned to be very careful about what I tell her, knowing she's going to tell everything she hears to everyone she talks to. It just got to be too much to deal with last Saturday. I should have known better than take her stuff to her on Saturday. She didn't even remember the stuff was in my car!
Jazzy--I am going to keep contact with Mom to phone calls for a while. I'll need to spend Christmas Day with her, but I'm hoping I can get her to watch a movie or something that will interrupt the constant complaining for a bit. And I will have a special treat for myself when I get home.
Goldie--I'd try that Oreo wine, it sounds intriguing! I've tried some chocolate wine that was around for a while, it was OK, but I didn't buy a second bottle.
Beaver--missing Sadie is getting a little bit better every day. I keep thinking of the fun and funny memories more than the Saturday morning ones. Sorry to hear about the gout diagnosis. Glad you don't have to give up your favorite libation!
Chi--Homemade Limoncello sounds divine!Hmmm, reminds me that I need to check my limoncello supply.
Reader--thank you.
Celia--aw, so sweet of you to put the work out to Scotty and Tuckleberry to look out for Sadie! I can't imagine what it must be like to be diagnosed with autism as an adult. I hope the diagnosis brings her information and support to continue her success in life.
Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Thirsty Thursday! We did get some snow, started in yesterday afternoon, looks like it's finishing up now. Looks like I got about 3 inches, but it's light, fluffy stuff. Brushed off the deck easier than using the shovel. Going to be a very pretty drive to work this ayem.
Maine is breaking new case, hospitalization, ICU bed and ventilator use every day now. In my district about half the kiddos are in quarantine for one reason or another. We've got a vaccination clinic scheduled for Friday, but a lot of the kiddos that would be getting their second shot can't because they are in quarantine. At least this week's pool testing results are all negative, the results got posted about 7 peeyem last night.
Karen--wow, that is quite the no snow record! A 30 degree drop in temp in as many minutes is pretty impressive.
Goldie--I got the covid test results about 7 peeyem last night. Spent the evening up till then checking the website every 10 or 15 minutes, praying the results would come in last night and not drag the waiting out through today. Getting that result and taking a xanax gave me a pretty decent night's sleep for the first time since the weekend. And yes, Mom has called the Sherriff at least twice when I didn't return a call when she thought I should have. She's far more likely to do it now that there's no one in the house with her to help her moderate her anxiety and behavior. Glad to hear that DH's behavior has improved. Good luck with the appointments. I love the tree meme!
Chevy--people have been known to change after having a heart attack or other big medical event. I am so happy things have gotten easier with DH.And that his doc is paying attention to the details like the meds. I do know that Mom is dealing with losing control. She doesn't drive after dark any more, and here in Maine that means being home by 4 peeyem, and not leaving home much before 7 ayem which really limits how far she can go. She can't reach things on the second shelf of her cabinets, can barely lift a 2 Liter bottle or gallon of milk. And she is lonely. I also know that my visits and phone calls and such are supposed to be about her and for her, and not about me. I have learned to be very careful about what I tell her, knowing she's going to tell everything she hears to everyone she talks to. It just got to be too much to deal with last Saturday. I should have known better than take her stuff to her on Saturday. She didn't even remember the stuff was in my car!
Jazzy--I am going to keep contact with Mom to phone calls for a while. I'll need to spend Christmas Day with her, but I'm hoping I can get her to watch a movie or something that will interrupt the constant complaining for a bit. And I will have a special treat for myself when I get home.
Goldie--I'd try that Oreo wine, it sounds intriguing! I've tried some chocolate wine that was around for a while, it was OK, but I didn't buy a second bottle.
Beaver--missing Sadie is getting a little bit better every day. I keep thinking of the fun and funny memories more than the Saturday morning ones. Sorry to hear about the gout diagnosis. Glad you don't have to give up your favorite libation!
Chi--Homemade Limoncello sounds divine! Hmmm, reminds me that I need to check my limoncello supply.
Reader--thank you.
Celia--aw, so sweet of you to put the work out to Scotty and Tuckleberry to look out for Sadie! I can't imagine what it must be like to be diagnosed with autism as an adult. I hope the diagnosis brings her information and support to continue her success in life.
AB Negative
Ingredients
- 1ozRosemary simple syrup(recipe below)
- 2ozBlood orange juice
- 1.25ozBourbon
- 1.25ozBlood orange liqueur
- Blood orange slice, rosemary sprig(for garnish)
Instructions
- Shake all ingredients to combine, pour over ice, add garnish
From <https://limoncelloquest.com/mixed-drinks-with-limoncello/ab-negative>
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ED, I hope cutting back on the meds helps your DH. I think it's awesome how patient and understanding you are with his situation. You are such a doll. I'm working on it, I just think there are things that my DH could do, but just doesn't. Thanks for the talk "mom".
Jazzy, cool down coming tomorrow and Sat. Not too bad for daytime temps, mid 40's but windy. Night time is now just in the teens instead of single digits, and slight possibility of snow.
Beaver, I would try the wine, but I wouldn't want to buy a whole bottle. Sorry about the gout, I don't know too much about it. I shall google it.
Reader, if you try the wine, you will have to let us know.
Celia, so sweet of you to call on your fur babies to greet Sadie. Love the name Tuckleberry, did you shorten it for every day when calling him/her? Sorry about your DD's diagnosis. I'm thinking it must be pretty mild if no one suspected it for 31 years. My step grandson has Aspergars, a spectrum of autism. I knew when he was 3 months old, but his parents weren't having it. It wasn't until he was in school that a teacher said something.
NM, yay no positives at school. What does the sherrif say when he comes out, or better yet, what do YOU say? I don't like driving during the dark either. So it sounds like you will be with mom for Xmas, AND doing it at HER house? You could always use the excuse of losing Sadie as to why you don't want to do it at your house. Talking about people changing after big medical events, we were told that DH's ATV accident is what excellerated his ALS, the trauma to the body.
Have to run into town today, but the other way. Have to get my Faslodex injections and pick up a pallet of pellets, therefore I need to take the truck, which I hate. The ride out of here in the truck is horrendous!
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Hi friends- I was working at home today which was a nice change. I am finishing that project I have been on for a year plus (whew) and on to my next thing now, getting up to speed on some things. I am going to be working from home two days a week going forward and probably starting that more regularly in January. I only have one more week of full time on site, then we have two shorty weeks with the holidays.
We are finally supposed to be getting some weather tomorrow, maybe our first snow fall here this year. The mountains got some early as they usually do but it's been a very dry fall, and abnormally warm. My petunias in some of my outdoor pots are still blooming! Most of them are closer to the house, other things have gone with some hard freezes the past few weeks. We really need the moisture and hoping we will get more. It's a start and since I am going to the hot springs for Xmas, I would love for it to snow!
Hoping everyone has a good slide into the weekend. I have a concert this weekend with the SF chorale and just a lot of other errandy stuff to do.
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Storms forecast here tomorrow night & into Sat. morning (perhaps severe in the s. suburbs & NW IN), with high winds everywhere. Any snow we get will be mixed with rain. Able to grill tonight, though.
Will likely finish off the bottle of 2017 Fess Parker Syrah at dinner.
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The Colorado mountains are supposed to get upwards of 1 -2 feet of snow. Denver might get an inch. They measure snow totals in Denver at DIA and only 1/10th inch is all that is needed to count as measurable. We haven't had snow since last April!!!
The borders to Israel are staying closed for an additional 10 days beyond this Sunday - so till at least December 23rd and who knows what will happen then, so our trip is cancelled. I am so sad and disappointed though I wasn't surprised. Covid has taken 3 trips from us so date. Lots of time to work in the house - purge and clean and donate.
Stay warm.
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GoodMorning, Loungettes!Happy TGIF day! It's going to be an interesting day at work today. Our second vaccination clinic is this afternoon, but so many of the kiddos who got the first shot last time are in quarantine now and can't come. We've got so many students out now that when a student at the sister school tested positive yesterday, out of six potential bus contacts, only 1 student is not already in quarantine already. And the numbers continue to climb. The National Guard has been called out to help with hospital staffing for the 2 biggest hospitals in the state--one of which is the local medical center.I have to keep reminding myself that only what happens outside the school grounds is not my responsibility and out of my control. Not my circus, even if the monkeys are in my care 5 days a week.
Goldie--When the Sherriff shows up for a Wellness Check, the deputy has to visually and verbally verify that I am alive and not in need of emergency medical help, then either the deputy calls a report to Mom or I have to call Mom before the deputy leaves. The first time that happenedmy phone was out of order and I didn't know it (I had a work phone for work, so didn't notice the home land line was out). The Sherriff's department must keepa record, the second time it happened was a year or so later, and the deputy mentioned this was the second time they'd gotten a Wellness Check call on me from her and asked me about her cognitive status before he left. Christmas is going to be at Mom's, I managed to put off her inspection, as I call her visits in my mind, until "warmer weather" when we can have the windows open so there won't be as much "dog odor" and she won't feel like she needs to wear a mask to keep from getting sick and there won't be any slippery places in the driveway so she won't fall.
Oh, boy, I just realized what I just wrote and what that means. If Mom doesn't have dementia or depression, she has some sort of mental illness. Oh, boy.
I hope the errands and injection went well and the ride wasn't too bad. I know trucks don't always ride as comfortably as cars.
Jazzy--it must feel good to be winding down the project and starting on working from home at least part time. It's hard to believe the petunias are still blooming!
OK, running late will need to finish up tomorrow.
Have a good day everyone!
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Jazzy, I can't have petunias, the mice eat the flowers! Are the hot springs you are going to at a higher elevation, where as they are more likely to get the snow? We had a little bit of rain last night, not much, but every little bit helps.
Sandy, my grill is in my Shady Lady, so I can grill all year 'round.
Karen, I'm sorry your trip was canceled, yet again! At least some countries are being pro active against Covid, unlike the US.
NM, I got a chuckle out of your comment "Not my circus, even if the monkeys are in my care 5 days a week." Wow, the National Guard! How embarrassing to have the Sheriff come out, I think I would be FURIOUS.
Got my shots, got the pallet of pellets, 50 bags, 40 lbs ea. I got 30 of them off the truck and stacked in the barn. Will get the other 20 today.
DOTD for NM's "little monkeys". The Chunky Monkey
Ingredients
- 1/2 oz. Kahula
- 1 oz. Amaretto
- 1 oz. Banana Rum
- 1 tbsp. Cream of Coconut
- 1 oz Caramel sauce
- 1 oz. Half & Half
- Half of a Banana
- 1 cup Ice
- Chocolate fudge, Banana slices, Cherries, Caramel piece & whipped cream for garnishes
Instructions
- Drizzle chocolate fudge on the inside of your glass and set to the side
- Combine the first eight ingredients, and the ice, into a blender.
- Blend until its smooth and well combined
- Pour into your favorite cocktail glass, garnish
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Goldie, I know getting those bags in the barn needs to be done and you’re the only one to do it right know but geez, that’s so much work!
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oh, oh, oh Goldie - that drink is a week's worth of calories. Looks delicious, But I think I'll go ahead & switch out half ice for ice cream & just go for broke.
NM - so sorry about your Mom. I'm of an age before cell phones. In fact, long distance was prohibitively expensive. And no one had 'answering machines'. My Mother's rule was you had to call every Sunday because the rates were lower - rain or shine. She sat by the phone waiting. She didn't take into consideration we might be on a picnic at the zoo or painting the house... So I was roundly scolded if my call was later than she preferred & if I wasn't up to talking for 30 minutes or an hour.. She wasn't as critical as your Mom, except when it came to religion - and then I was ALWAYS wrong & ruined her entire life, and the digs were endless. One of the reasons I chose to live across the country!! And I was also the one who was supposed to make my brothers pay more attention to her. I do understand my Mother was lonely & really believed she was a failure, and I couldn't make her happy. I never succeeded in feeling less guilty even though intellectually I knew it wasn't my fault. But she never called the cops... Some of her church friends might hear our private "family business" and embarrass her even more.
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I really think talking about our Mom's helps us maybe understand them a little better... All I can remember is my Mom sitting on the couch, holding me in her lap one time.... I must have been sick...
But growing up, everything about her was so "distant"... She was there for my little Brother and I, but don't remember any closeness with either of my parents. I DO remember one time, my Dad carrying me to bed, from a long car ride, and I must have fallen asleep... so he tucked me in.
My Brother... who was a year younger, was who I was always with... When he got a spanking, I cried and yelled at them, so i got one too! He did the same when I was put across Dad's knee & got a whippin'!
I think that is why I grew up knowing that my brother was always in my corner... My parents were not happy... always fighting, mostly because of alcohol... so us kids were just caught up in it all....
I felt closer to my Grandma than my parents... and that was even more evident as she got older, and she was really left with no-one.... except me... My Dad & Mom, (her step-son) moved out of town from us right before I got married... So my Grandma was all I had... Funny how things work out....
I think growing up the way we did, helps us to sort of over-come the fears & turmoil we all went through... And this makes US be better parents.... We know what hurt us, and we won't hurt our own kids the same way.
Live and learn.... right?
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Y'know, my mom's been gone 15 years now--but every time I travel (most recently in July for an overnight trip to NYC), my first instinct whenever I check into a hotel or get home is to call to let her know I've arrived safely. She was always so proactive about our travels that she'd often know my flight was delayed or landed early even before I could call her. Once when I had a massive reaction to sulfa and ended up in the ER on a Benadryl drip, the nurse handed me a phone and it was Mom on the other end, asking how I was doing. (My HK must have called her--Bob had driven me and Gordy was still a toddler back then).
Speaking of phones and long distance, anyone here remember a giving a phone call "signal?" There were two kinds of long-distance (aka "toll") calls back then: the standard station-to-station (direct-dial) and the more expensive person-to-person (which required an operator--remember operators?). If you couldn't reach your party on a person-to-person call, you weren't charged. So the way we had to let Mom know we'd arrived was to give her a "signal" by placing a person-to-person call and have the operator ask for us. Mom would reply "she's not here, but expected shortly." The operator would hang up, as would we--and then we'd immediately call Mom directly.
DOTD was Beaujolais Nouveau with dinner. Just got this afternoon's mammo results back a few minutes ago: bilateral BIRADS 2 (benign), repeat in a year. Too close to bedtime to open a bottle of bubbly (alcohol too close to bedtime makes me wake in the middle of the night), so I cracked a can of Bubly (cherry) instead.
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Speaking of DOTD, chalk up yet another unpalatable plant-based milk. 3 weeks ago it was the pea-protein-based "NotMilk," which had a little added sugar (albeit fewer carbs than FairLife ultra-filtered whole dairy milk) but a bizarre fruity aftertaste which turned out to have been from the pineapple-juice concentrate with which it was sweetened. So I figured out I'd get unsweetened pea milk--Ripple brand (no wino or Grateful Dead jokes, please). Well, I figured out why NotMilk has pineapple juice: unsweetened Ripple tastes like...pea pods. Just the pods. Really vegetal. To be precise, what they feed cows so they can make milk.
So to recap: unsweetened coconut milk tastes like sour coconuts and doesn't froth well; soy milk, even if phytoestrogens weren't an issue, tastes almost as grassy as pea milk unless it's sweetened, and it doesn't froth well (big bubbles that collapse); oat milk tastes great and froths beautifully, but is loaded with carbs even if unsweetened; almond milk, if sweetened, also tastes great and the Califia or Pacific Barista Edition makes wonderful lattes, but it too is carby. So it's back to Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze--cold-froths great in an Aeroccino, but I have to cut it with a little cream or ultra-filtered dairy milk for flavor when I use the steam wand on my machine. Maple Hill Organic ultra-filtered unsweetened has a bizarre texture. I've found a few drops of sugar-free simple syrup or eggnog syrup can make the blend taste like half-and-half. But it's quite a PITA. Good thing I don't mind the rituals of making my own lattes. So, sorry, vegan friends: it looks like dairy-free is not on my horizon.
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Sandy, I don’t know if you’ve tried it but my DH prefers Simple Truth unsweetened regular and vanilla almond milk from Kroger. I don’t drink milk but have enjoyed both with the rare bowl of cereal.
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BabyGirl, I have neighbors that will help if I ask, but I save that for things I really can't do or don't know how. For instance, I'm needing my garden rotortilled, I can not physically do that, so I will have to ask someone to do that for me.
Minustwo, calories don't matter here in the HTL, in fact they don't exist. I thought you were going to pass on it, read further only to see you want to add ice cream and go for broke! I'm with you. In fact, that was a suggestion on the recipe.
ED, I got one of those spankings that I didn't deserve. We were upstairs and 2 of my brothers were making too much noise or something. Here comes dad with the belt. I said I wasn't doing anything. He said it was for next time! Usually we would have to bare our butts and lay over a chair for our beatings.
Sandy, ahhh yes, operators and information. I've done those person to person calls, just to let someone know I was home or for whatever reason. Good news on the mammo. Hmmm, I don't think we have any vegans here, or even vegatarians.
NM, I hope you have some things to do this weekend to keep busy.
My mom loved gossip. Hearing it or telling it. But if she was telling it, often she would change it up to make it sound more interesting, therefore telling an untruth! We always had to give our parents a hug and kiss before going to bed, but the words "I love you" were never spoken. And I really don't remember being loved on, like we were just there.
I had reached out to Cami's DD last week to see how she was doing and didn't get an answer. I hesitated to send another message, but I did. This time I did get an answer. She had just been busy. She said she sleeps most of the time, not getting blood transfusions as they weren't helping anymore. Doctors told her to just do what she can, when she can. And of course, with any disease, comes depression.
DOTD: The Best Mommy
4 ounces Orange Juice
4 ounces Apple Juice
4 ounces Cranberry Juice
4 ounces Grape Juice
4 ounces Vodka
16 ounces Lemon-Lime Soda
1 Lime (sliced)
4 Cherries
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Saturday!Waking up to another dusting of snow and predictions of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain as a warm front moves through. Glad I don't have to go anywhere today.
Chi--don't you just love the way the weather changes this time of year? I love that you grill in all seasons.
Karen--I don't blame you for cancelling the trip with things changing so much so fast right now. What would happen if the borders close while you are in Israel? Would that mean you have to stay or would they let you leave? I think I'd be terrified if I was out of the country and the borders closed.
Goldie--Both times Mom has called the sherriff's department to check on me I was furious. The deputies were polite and kind, but I could tell they thought it was a waste of time to be sent out to check on and adult that Mommy couldn't reach by phone for a couple of days. Neither time did she ever call where I work or try to email or call a neighbor. She tends to jump straight to the extremes of things. WOW, that is a lot of lifting and carrying! Good for you! Love the Chunky Monkey!
Morning, Illi!
Minus--I remember the days of long distance rates and waiting for a certain time of the evening or the weekend to make long distance calls because it was cheaper then. Sometimes I wish I had the nerve to move to Las Vegas or N. Carolina or someplace.It sounds like our mother's have similar characteristics. I'm supposed to be making my brother and SIL call and text and email more often, I've told her over and over I can't run their lives. I do get sympathy from them. Mom is so good at making me feel responsible for everything bad that happens to Mom, or that Mom thinks happens to her. Intellectually I know it's not my job, even possible for me to make her happy, but boy can she twist the knife. I'm sorry she's lonely, I wish covid didn't make it so hard for her to find things to do and places to go where she can be with people.
Chevy--you make a good point about talking helping us understand our Moms better. It does help to know I'm not alone in this situation. I just wish there was some magic something that would fix things for her, to make life the way she wants it to be.
Chi--I do remember the phone signal thing, calling someone and asking for myself to let them know I was home safe! And calling home, letting it ring twice and hanging up, then calling again, so Mom would know it was one of us kids calling.HOORAY for the good mammogram report! I am amazed at all the cows milk alternatives out there and how different they are from each other. What a challenge to find one that tastes good and fits the dietary preferences!
alt="Queen Mother Cocktail Recipe - DuJour">queen mother
Serves 1
1 part gin
2 parts Dubonnet
Orange or lemon twist to garnish (optional)
Pour one part gin and two parts Dubonnet over lots of ice and stir. I like it ungarnished but many people have a lemon or orange twist (or both). Dubonnet, incidentally, was originally designed in the 19th century as a way for French legionnaires to drink quinine to protect against malaria – in the same way that tonic was. I have found this a useful counter to people who have been outraged at my mixing an alcoholic spirit with a fortified wine.
From <https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/feb/01/queen-mother-cocktail>
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Goldie, Illi, looks like we bumped each other into the pool!Thanks for the Cammi update.
Yum, the Best Mommy sounds good!
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Ha ha NM, we both posted mom drinks! Thanks for swim
Sandy, I meant to say that my DH is also allergic to Sulfa. Came down with Stephen (Steven) Johnson's Syndrome, where his skin was litterally burning from the inside out.
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Good morning friends- waking up to a COLD morning here in New Mexico. I think winter has arrived, we had some rain and snow on Thursday here in the state but it moved along quickly. Cold wind moved in yesterday and brrr. Anyways, whatever was left in my longer than normal garden season must be finished now.
Chi- your mom sounded really nice and supportive. I never shared as much with my mom because of our relationship, but she intuitively knew when something was not okay with me. How sweet that your mom tracked your travel to be sure you were okay. Your mom sounded special.
MinusTwo- our moms sounded a lot a like but for different reasons. I came to a better place with her later in her life when my sister and I had to take over her care and finances for her. I won't say we were ever close, but I will say we got to a place that was as good as it was gonna be for us in this lifetime. My mother was adored by many and when family goes on and on about her, I just remain slient. There is for sure a thing with mothers and daughters sometimes. I miss my dad the most, we were much more in tune.
Oh and the phone call thing. I lived in TX for grad school in the early to mid 1980s and my first time really paying bills and living off a budget. I used to have to time phone calls back to the family on the east coast to catch the lowest rates. As a grad student who was also working but making little money, I had to carefully plan phone calls to catch the best times/rates and also time the calls to not talk too long. At the end of the family calls, I would always plan when we would talk again. Most of the time my family called me as they knew I was a cost constrained student but I would call friends too. If I remember correctly, Sat night and Sun AM were the lowest rates? Ahh the memories.....
Karen- one of my coworkers and her husband are from the middle east and she has family overseas who were going to be coming for Xmas but now have decided not to because things are changing quickly. I hope you can get to Israel again soon. This travel thing is so unstable and I am staying off planes until I go back east for a family reunion that is
Goldie- thank you for the updated on Cami. I expect you got the same cold we have here?
NM- your mom is something else, but I have some of those too. I think the Sherriff's office is hip to her tricks. The bad thing about this stuff is if you really had something happen (and we folks who live alone always do know the risk here), you might need that sort of help and they won't react. I was thinking of you this week knowing it must have been tough to get through work and with all that has gone on. I hope you can get some good self care in this weekend.
Got a breakfast to get to and the typical weekend errands. Have a good day all!
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GOldie - I rarely deny myself things I want. I'm old enough to know I earned it & I deserve it, so.... Thanks for the news about Cami but sorry to hear things are not good.
NM - I'll be holding you in my thoughts as you (try not to) fight your way through another holiday w/your Mom. Funny - two MOM drinks.
Jazzy - I just carried in all my plumarias in pots since it will be 39 tonight. Hope the huge plants in the soil will be OK because I can't dig them on a whim. Two are almost 10 ft tall. Anyway it will be 80 again later this week.
Mae - I use Krogers SImple Truth organic 2% milk. That milk lasts several weeks, and often even a week past the sell by date. Edited to say.... hmmm, this is the one thing I do spend more & buy organic since I'm not a milk drinker but use it on cereal & for cooking and I got tired of tossing out spoiled milk every week.
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Karen, hope Israel's borders can reopen in time for Tu b'Shevat. (Not a major holiday, but still grounds for a festive family meal).
Illi, I picked the Blue Diamond unsweetened vanilla because those on the Nespresso users' Reddit mentioned that it does froth well in the Aeroccino, at least on the "cold foam" setting. Nespresso says fresh 1% Horizon Organic milk works best, but they mean freshly-opened. 3 days after opening, it wouldn't froth, only heat. Not about to waste money on a milk I'm not gonna use except to froth in the Aeroccino (there is no ultra-filtered 1% dairy milk, and buying 1 bottle each of 2% & skim FairLife sounds too complicated). For awhile I was getting the 6-packs of shelf-stable Horizon and opening only one little 6-ouncer at a time, but then I went keto and stopped buying non-filtered milk. The Aeroccino is what I use when I brew with capsules and don't want to fire up the "big puppy" espresso machine and grind beans (and when I do sent it out for maintenance--long overdue since the start of the pandemic--it's my only alternative to going out and spending $$$ at Starbucks or another cafe). I generally don't drink non-dairy milk straight. Just don't like the taste & thin body. (It's ok on keto cereal or when I make low-carb French toast). The only reason I keep searching for the Holy Grail of a plant milk that froths well, tastes good, is sugar-free, and eco-friendly is when my lactose-intolerant ultra-progressive friend comes over. She can't drink dairy (and I can't drink Lactaid because it's as carby as non-filtered) and keeps pointing out that it takes 100 gal. of water to grow one almond. I tire of having to keep Oatly or Lactaid on hand when I can't drink it.
Not sure what we'll drink tonight. Bob was supposed to be off today--but it's 7pm and he's not home yet. Sigh.
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Kim - borders are closed for entry to none citizens. Citizens can easily come and go. If we were there we could leave. It is now just really foreign nationals not allowed to enter. Of course you have to fully vaccinated within 6 months or booster even for citizens.
Sandy Tu B'Shevat is not a time I could travel due to working in the schools. I travel during winter break and summer. This has been my travel schedule for 35 of my 44 years of working. The first several years, I worked 12 month schedule.
I too remember long distance calls being cheaper on the week-end, direct calls and operator calls.
I'm very lucky as I was quite close to my late mother. We always had a great relationship. When I was going through treatment and Mom would ask how I was doing and I'd say okay, she would say she knew I was lying but not push the issue. She was always there for me. When I was having my first miscarriage, my husband was out of town on a business trip and couldn't get back as quickly as Mom could get to me. This was early to mid 1980's. I called Mom and she left immediately and drove 2 hours non stop (generally she stopped to go to the restroom) to get to me. I think she took me to the OB before my hubby got home. Hubby got on the first flight back home and arrived shortly after. Wow - I hadn't thought about this in a long time. All my children are rainbow babies. I miss my mother everyday and even more when something happens that I think she would want to know, like this trip being cancelled.
Well, I'm on hold ( 1.25. hours to 2 hours) with Air Canada to cancel our flights. Phone is on speaker while I wait. I started to file a claim for total amount of tickets and when I got to page to upload all the documents, realized that I need to cal the airline. I don't want a voucher for AC as we generally fly United since my husband is a premier member so better seats etc. So I'm going to go the AC website. ***Edit to add ****. went to AC website and they are charging $600 cancellation fee - so that is what we would the travel insurance for. If we want a travel voucher we'd get the full amount. I've now been on hold for 1 hour 19 minutes!!!***
Sweet dreams.
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Weather is crazy. I love seeing the snow pictures, I do miss the beauty of the fresh new snowfall. It has been in the 80's here in Florida this week.
I laugh a little reading about the "moms" . My mom drives me crazy and I keep thinking she wasn't like this when I was a kid and it makes me wonder if I am going to end up like her. I live close to my mom so she comes and goes a lot and she is always going through cupboards. A couple of times I fell asleep on the couch watching TV and wake up and she is here. Really kinda scary. She says things that is really an insult, but I really think she is trying to be helpful, things don't transfer from her brain to her mouth right. My sisters (Karen and Jenny) and I all laugh about it, even the grand children talk about wondering what she will come out with. I once asked her why she is always with me when she likes Karen better. She said she didn't want to ruin her relationship with her. LOL She is better when she is going to listen to music, she goes twice a week and it is all outside and when she plays her guitar. She was in a little band, but a couple of them died and a couple got too sick to play. Two of my grandchildren are taking guitar lessons and they said they want to come and play with her, she would really like that. I think that she is in her little world and that is her whole focus. She is constantly worrying about her health and she does have some issues, but really normal for her age, but she dwells on it, she calls me and tells me three times in one phone call how she slept the night before and every pain she has. Now her big thing is her sinuses and feeling like her head isn't right-sometimes a headache most of the time she feels foggy. I told her it might just be allergies, she said that was what her doctor thought.
I stay busy with the grandchildren. I sometimes get tired but I know when they get older I won't see them as much. My older granddaughters will come over sometimes and we have fun dancing or playing cards. They want to go thrift store shopping before Christmas one day.
I love all the mom drinks, maybe that's how we handle the moms, either we drink or they do.
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My mom used to take a shot of blackberry or apricot brandy (Marie Brizard) at bedtime--when I began to get bad menstrual cramps she suggested I try some too. Fortunately, neither of us made it a daytime thing. She wouldn't touch the cheap de Kuyper stuff--that was for making cocktails (sours) for parties.. When she began to find it too sweet and boozy, she switched first to Manischewitz Cream White Concord (IMHO, a "lateral move") and finally an ounce or two a night of pinot grigio. We barely had any alcohol in the house when I was growing up--neither of my parents were really into it. We kept a bottle of J&B for company (the joke around my social circle was that J&B stood for "Jewish Booze" because it was the only kind of hard liquor our families ever bought). Once in a while a relative would bring a bottle of slivovitz, which tasted like firewater. Wine was for Passover. At restaurants our alcohol was mostly weak mixed drinks, often sweet (though at Italian restaurants my folks would take a few drops of anisette or sambuca in espresso after dessert). At the time, the legal drinking age in NYS was 18. (Even so, I couldn't drink legally till I was halfway through college). The mark of sophistication back then was to drink Mateus or Lancer's Rosé instead of the sweet stuff. We married when I was 20 and Bob was barely 21, and moved to Seattle the next day. On our de facto honeymoon (which consisted of staying in a nice hotel while we looked for student housing), we went to a U. District steakhouse and sat in the lounge till our table was ready. Bob ordered a beer and I ordered a Coke. I was told I could not even sit in the lounge with him if he was drinking because I was underage. The shiny new wedding band did not impress. On my 21st birthday, we went to the top of the Space Needle and ordered every conceivable course that had booze in it. They didn't even card me!
Tonight at Regalia the DOTD was Ruggieri Brut Rosé prosecco...till the chef brought out complementary shots of housemade caffecello.
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Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Sunday Funday! My fun today will be finishing a PowerPoint presentation for my class and catching up on laundry.With the nice gusty wind clothes should dry on the line pretty quickly today. `Mom called yesterday, all cheerful and happy, she's decided that since I don't have "that dog" to worry about I'm going to stay overnight Christmas eve and we'll have a "real" Christmas on Christmas day. Whatever that means. Since I really don't care if Christmas happens or not, and this is making her happy and shutting down the negativity, I'm going along with it. Over February break I'm going to Orlando on vacation with one of my cousins, her hubby, and her hubby's best friend who was my vacation husband for many years when we vacationed together every year. My cousin is a planner, so I don't have to do much of anything except answer some questions about preferences, so I won't have to be responsible for or to anybody for the whole week. Flying out Thursday evening Feb 17th (half day of school, I'm leaving as soon as the kiddos are gone to head for the airport), getting home on Saturday the 26th, so will have Sunday as a buffer for delays before school starts again the 28th.Which means I'll be away on my birthday, which Mom won't like but I've done several times before so I know she'll be able to cope. So all I have to do is hold everything together for a couple of months and then I get a break. We're planning on doing the Disney thing, but if that doesn't work out due to mr. covid, well, the house we're renting has a heated pool and jacuzzi, and there are a bunch of outdoor things we can do instead that will be safe enough. All of us are vaccinated and/or have caught covid or both and all of us live in a fairly small bubble of people on a daily basis, and mask in public pretty consistently, so not much threat to us or anyone else. I know some families have taken their kiddos who are in quarantine to Disney over Thanksgiving break, and some aren't letting us know their kiddos are in quarantine from a family or community exposure and sending the kiddos to school and exposing me, and more than once, so it's only fair that I get to go away and potentially but very unlikely expose them in return. I need this vacation and I need to have something positive coming up to focus on.
Goldie--I saw that pic online somewhere, it is hilarious!
Jazzy--I suppose the cold had to come in sometime. I bet different phone companies had different rate drop times. I remember that long distance calls were cheaper after 9 peeyem, and Mom complaining about having to stay up so late on a weeknight to call family who lived in other time zones and so didn't understand why Mom wanted to call so early, and there were different rates at different times on the weekend. Sunday evening was one of the lowest times, when I was in college I called home collect on Sundays between 6 and 8 peeyem--after the rate dropped and before baby brother's bedtime. The Sherriff's department does have those calls on record and that record is pulled up when a call comes in. Here in Maine they are required to respond to all welfare check and 911 hang ups, but they do use the history to prioritize those follow ups. So it won't get totally ignored, but response may be delayed. That is one of the risks of living alone, and one I'm willing to accept. I figure it's along the lines of choosing to live alone in a quite rural area without local police and a volunteer Fire/EMS system with a longer response time than an urban, staffed system. And I am taking care of myself this weekend. I'm crying when I feel like it, napping when I feel like it, and puttering around the house when I feel like it. I'm still stopping and saying goodbye to Sadie when I leave the house, I expect that will hang on for a while.
Minus--thanks for thinking of me! I'm just going to roll through Christmas this year, let Mom do what she wants.
Chi--I'm still SMH over how many non-dairy milk alternatives exist! I find it hard to believe that 1 almond needs 100 gallons of water to grow. I mean, how many almonds are on a single tree? How much water can a single tree take up in a season? But what do I know about growing almonds. . .
Karen--at least you could get home if the border closed while you were there, but they do seem to be quick to react to changes in the pandemic landscape. Good heavens, what a time onhold you've had with those tickets! Reading your post I just realized that I am a Rainbow Baby, mom had 2 miscarriages before me. Brother is adopted as Mom couldn't have more after me due to damage from my big shoulders.
Misty--Your description of your Mom living in her own little world really resonates with me. My Mom kind of does that, too. Every time Mom calls I know I will hear about the latest problem with getting her phone number ported to her new/simpler phone, she still hasn't found her good jewelry box that she knows she packed specially to make sure it got to the apartment and didn't go into storage, at least one other item she is sure she brought to the apartment with her but can't find, and how she plans to decorate the bedroom once everything is unpacked and all the boxed cleaned out. I swear, sometime I am going to get into her apartment when she isn't there and go through those boxes in the bedroom and find that jewelry box, and if it's not there, I'll get my cousin to let me into the garage where Mom has a raft of boxes of stuff stored.
Chi--Homemade caffecello? Now that sounds fascinating!
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
- 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/>
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