how about drinking?
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NM, your plans for retirement and relocating seem right for you at this time. Your unhappiness with the job has been apparent. It's Wren celebrating 64 years of marriage. We will be at 55 years in July.
I love prosecco, too. I bought several bottles while it was on sale at good prices at Sam's Club.
As someone else said, I hope 2024 brings good life's experiences for all of us. DH is planning a knee replacement in March so I'm sure the rehab will bring its challenges. He's bone on bone in both knees and the dr. said he does the surgery on folks in the 80's and 90's with success. Fingers and toes crossed.
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Happy New Year from Tuscan Hot Springs in Desert Hot Springs
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Goldie - hope things go well in Phoenix
NM - congrats on the decision to move to NC. Better climate for you and your mom
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We had family visit, and they asked to go to the Meow Wolf in Denver. We had an incredible time, and the artists and design teams showed such incredible creativity. Two specific bits were of particular note: a room in Numina of crocheted fungal eye-stalks dangling from the ceiling, and this bra hanging out to dry on C-Street.
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Wren, 64 years? Wow! Congrats. Miriandra, love the kitty NYE meme (looks just like Heidi, but it was her predecessor black cat Misha—1997-2005—who loved knocking things off tables).
DSoTDs: last night at dinner out a "Goodbye Norma Jean" cocktail (tequila, orange bitters, blood orange syrup, triple sec with a dehydrated slice of blood orange), and 2022 Caymus (Napa) Cabernet Sauvignon; at home at midnight, GH Mumm "RSRV" Reserve Collection 2014 late-disgorged Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Just five of us—and you can tell we're getting old because we didn't even kill off the bottle! (The menfolk did "prime the pump" with reciprocal gift bourbons beforehand).
Tonight, with leftover lamb chops, a Coravin squirt of 2010 Signorello (Napa) Cabernet Sauvignon. Bittersweet, in that when that case is finished that's it: the winery burned down in two successive Napa Valley wildfires. I'd finish off the champagne, but alcohol too close to bedtime makes my sleep too fragmented.
Happy New Year to all! May we all stay as healthy as we can.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Twofer Tuesday! Waking up to a pretty chilly morning, 14 degrees outside. It was so warm cuddled up with the puppers in bed this ayem, getting out was not fun! Oh well, such is life, right?
Carole--Happy 55 years! I pray DH's knee replacement goes smoothly. Is he having both done at the same time?
Wren--Happy Anniversary!
Miriandra--LOL!
Jazzy--wish I was there! It looks wonderful!
Wren--Wow, that must have been quite the experience! What fun!
Chi--it sounds like you had a wonderful New Years!
Icy Winter Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Vodka (choose a smooth flavored vodka-we used absolut)
- 1 oz. blue curaçao
- 1/2 oz. lemon juice ( fresh squeezed is best)
- 5 oz. Champagne (sweet not dry, Prosecco or Moscato)
Instructions
- fill your shaker with ice
- Add the Vodka, curaçao and lemon juice to the shaker
- Seal and Shake the cocktail until the shaker is very cold
- Strain the shaker contents evenly into two champagne flutes
- Fill the glass (gently) to the top with champagne
- Garnish as desired. We used three sugared blueberries on a cocktail pick set over the glass
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NM - so glad to see you posting. I'm only a lurker on this thread, but I really missed you. Your plans for NC sound great. I'd rather visit you there anyway!!! Now we just have to worry about getting Goldie settled. Jazzy - thanks for the picts.
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The Carolinas seem to be popular with people moving south. Louisiana is one of the two states that lost population last year. The other is West Virginia. I hate our politics but we're too old to move.
It looks like Louisiana winter outside this morning. Dreary and drippy. We had rain overnight. I can't complain because we have been enjoying sunny days that are quite comfortable for venturing outside once it warms up.
I'll also be glad for Goldie to get settled in her new home near family.
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I can't say that I was disappointed to say good-bye to 2023. The highlight was the birth of my granddaughter who is now 7 1/2 months old. The rest of the year was not so great. Here's hoping that 2024 will be a year of good health.
We got home Monday around lunch time. From the time we left our daughter's apartment until we got to our house was about 26 hours travel. I did sleep on the flight to LAX from TLV, but sleep on planes is never good. I'm still tired 2 days later. It was an amazing trip. I wish we could have stayed longer, but something called work got in the way. I know, I've share some of the trip, but since I don't remember where I left off, I'll share the whole itinerary here. We arrive on Wednesday 12/20. Thursday we went south near the Gaza border to deliver life saving medical supplies to 3 different groups of soldiers from different bases. All the supplies were in Gaza that night and have already been used to save lives. While there we visited the Be'eri forest where the concert was held as well as one of the kibbutz that was hit hard. The devastation was horrific. Friday was a day in town and picking up food for Shabbat. Shabbat was R ad R and then after Shabbat we met with friends. Sunday we went to an army base near Jerusalem delivering the rest of the supplies that we brought. Monday through Thursday we packed beef jerky for soldiers, picked oranges (they were so sweet and juicy), made sandwiches for soldiers and packed dry goods for needy families. We got together we friends most nights and Shabbat we had a mini Denver Shabbaton with friends who live there. The rest of us were visiting. Sunday the 31st, our daughter started classes again (2.5 months late) and we spent the day in Tel Aviv and then had dinner with her before heading to the airport. It was a short trip - only 11 nights. Looking forward to spending more time in the summer. I posted pictures on fb for those who want to check them out.
Back to work yesterday. This week and next then I'm off for a month. Surgery is on the 16 and I'm taking off till February 20th. I probably don't need that much time to recover, but I decided that I'm coming first. Restrictions go to February 13th so I figured I'd take the rest of the week off and we would go see our granddaughter. After taking the month off, I'll still have over 400 hours sick time. I submitted paperwork to go back February 5th, but I need to redo my paperwork for HR.
Kim - counting the days with you.
Lori - how are you doing? Did your brother help you get a lot done? Keeping you close to my heart and sending gentle hugs your way.
Carole - I think Colorado, or maybe it's just Denver lost population this past year. I say good as we are way too crowded.
Mirianda - I've not been to Meow Wolf, but my husband and DD#2 went a couple years ago.
Jazzy - the spa looks very inviting.
Hi Sandy.
I've been writing way too long and probably too wordy. Heating up baked spaghetti that I had in the freezer - made a salad and that's dinner.
Sweet dreams.
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Great tour of the San Andreas fault zone in Indio yesterday. We had a really fun guide
I'm on my way home tonight. Tired but in a good way
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Welcome home, Karen! How wonderful that you were able to do good, celebrate Shabbat with friends AND see your DD! Nonstop from TLV to anywhere in the W. Hemisphere is a long slog, with in-flight sleep a challenge. (It was no picnic TLV-JFK, so to LAX must have been just as long—and then having to go through CBP before the last leg home).
Lori, hope you can settle in with family. Kim, NC does get winter (there are ski resorts in the Blue Ridge), but nothing like Maine. Jazzy, sounds like your Inland Empire trip was fabulous.
We are decompressing from NYE—nobody has any symptoms, thank heaven. Bar Show rehearsals start back up tomorrow evening (2-1/2 weeks went by in a flash). Bob has a rough week ahead, as the guy with whom he shares call is in Cabo on vacation. He is covering three hospitals (again) as well as 4 days/wk at Union Health. Not much "retirement" in "semi-retirement."
DoTD—at Stefani Prime in Lincolnwood (we took 2 cars because Bob was driving up from Oak Lawn) I had a Croatian red (2020) called "Dalmatian Dog," made from the Babić grape. Very smooth, round and balanced. I teetotaled Mon. & yesterday.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Thirsty Thursday! Waking up to the weather news of another wind storm predicted for next week. I really hope it's not as bad as the last one, that was totally frightening! The damage is still being cleaned up, and I can't imagine the problems a second storm so soon will cause. Not to mention not needing another multiple day power outage right now.
Even scarier was an active shooter incident not far from where I work yesterday. I turned on the scanner after seeing several sheriff's cars go screaming by where I was parked to hear "shots fired" and instructions to keep a line open, a request for a negotiation team, instructions to contact the mom to verify the daughter was not in the home. Fortunately, it ended with LEOs convincing the man to come out without the gun. He has a history of mental illness (he shot through a door because he heard something in that room) and drug abuse. Sadly, a family dog was shot and died, but the deputies and troopers didn't fire any shots. These incidents are popping up all over lately, and getting closer and closer to home.
Misty--I am hoping to get to meet some of the Loungettes after I get moved and settled in a place that's not so far away from everywhere else!
Carole--My brother and his wife moved there for his work and love it. I've been visiting since they moved, and it is beautiful. I'm also very jealous of the winter weather they have compared to here. Much less hassle and complicated!
Karen--the granddaughter is a great gift for 2023. I agree the rest of the year wasn't the greatest. Hoping for much better for 2024. Your trip sounds like it was wonderful. I've followed the pics on Fb. Good for you for taking more time off after surgery. And to still have 400 hours after is marvelous!
Jazzy--Wow! I bet that was fascinating!
Chi--My brother and his wife keep telling me what their weather is whenever I talk about predicted snowstorms, ice, and such. They get snow about once a year, less than an inch, and it melts by the next day! They aren't far from the mountains, so they get to see snow if they want to, which they usually don't! I don’t' mind getting some winter, but winters in Maine are getting longer and longer and summers are getting shorter and colder and just too much to deal with. That does sound like a busy retirement for Bob!
Celery Sour
Ingredients
- 2 ounces pineapple-infused gin*
- 1 tsp Licor 43
- 3/4 ounce celery syrup**
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp Greek yogurt
- 2 dashes cucumber bitters
- Garnish: pineapple leaf
Steps
- Add the pineapple-infused gin, Licor 43, celery syrup, lemon juice, Greek yogurt and cucumber bitters into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
- Strain into a coupe glass.
- Garnish with a pineapple leaf.
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Sandy -
JFK to TLV is 10 hours. TLV to LAX is 15 hours!!!!!
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You all are some of my favorite ladies (and lurking gents) in the world!
karen, I'm glad you're home, safe and sound. It sounds like an amazing trip even if it was exhausting. I haven't traveled by plane recently, but I do remember that the last leg of any homeward bound trip seem to take FOREVER. Even if it was just LAX to San Diego.
Good news is that I start radiation today. I'll see the RO at 5:00 PM. I'm looking forward to getting this part of the treatment started, even though it's going to be rough. The RO said that I would start to feel better and then it would get worse. I have a friend who is an oncologist and he told me to expect the same thing. Oh, and the other good thing is that I DON'T have COVID, pertussis, or RSV - just a nasty ear infection.
Happy Thursday.
Carol
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Sunshine - good luck with the start of rads. I head really bad fatigue after mine but it got better in time. We will be in your pocket as you continue on with treatment 🙏
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Thank you, Jazzy. I didn't have rads with my Stage II cancer, but did have rads when first diagnosed with Stage IV. That was to my spine, hip, and femur. I'm a bit nervous about this round of 10 sessions since the RO said my swallowing may get worse for a while. I just want to get this first one over with…
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Jazzy, very cool! I love earthquakes and wanted to be a seismologist as a kid before I realized you needed to be good at math.
Got our first snow today, just a dusting but still fun.
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It's been a short work week, yet it seems long!
Can I brag? My husband was interviewed on a podcast and we have an article and photo on the front page of the IJN, the local Jewish newspaper. If anyone would like to hear the post or read the article, please message me. The trip was amazing and so meaningful. There have been many Denver people traveling to Israel to volunteer in a variety of capacities as I'm sure throughout the country.
Sunday I'm going to try to cook up a couple batches of soup - split pea with barley and carrots and onions, and mushroom barley with chicken to put in the freezer. We are going to the mountains next week-end so I'm going to cook a head on Sunday and each night one thing - chicken schnitzel, either potato kugel or noodle kugel, deli roll and challah so I have in the freezer after surgery. My DH will take care of the cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping till I'm up to it. We will be in the mountains Friday to Monday (MLK week-end) and then surgery on Tuesday the 16th. I'm not sure if I'm nervous or not about the surgery but I'm concerned about the recovery. I'm glad I'm taking the 5 weeks off works. I still haven't heard from HR so I need to call them Monday. I originally was going to go back to work on Feb 5 but extended it to the 20th, so I will need a new letter from the doctors office. I also need to ask about driving after surgery - how long I need to wait - I'm guessing a week or 2. Also I want to know if I can fly 4 week post surgery so we can go see our granddaughter I keep putting off calling the doctor, but I best do that Monday.
The weather is turning cold for the next few days, but not much snow in the forecast for Denver.
Have a great Friday night and Saturday.
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NM, sounds like my new spot should be Maine! We are FINALLY getting some cold temps. Woke to a glorious 19, but sadly, that won't last. We may see (they are never right, but I keep hoping) 2" of snow on Friday…crossing fingers!
Went to Sequim for odds and ends and had a nice lunch out with DH (Mexican).
Hook Crook red blend last night with dinner. Had a tiny pour of single malt scotch…stupid neighbors and the dogs….again and again and again. UGH. I wish they would stop acting like they are three year olds.
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Karen, good to hear you are taking some extra time off work. When I moved from MI to AZ, I lost so much sick time. I always felt bad when taking sick time, so I hardly ever did. Of course I did if I were sick. Good luck with the surgery. And so happy you will get to go see the baby again.
NM, it's so easy to tell how happy you are with your decision. Is your brother and his wife scouting out places for mom?
Sunshine, good luck to you with your radiation. I hated the fatigue it caused! But rest always helped.
Happy Anniversary to those that are celebrating.
I saw a doctor last week about my stoma. It has prolapsed to the point of being about an inch in diameter and 4" long. He tried to put it back, which was not fun, and it just came back out. Said he didn't want to do surgery, as he thought it would just do the same thing, and that I should just continue with chemo. He also said it was most likely the cancer mass pushing it out. I have doctor appt Tuesday for after hospital stay and then chemo after that. TM's continue to rise, so not sure if MO will keep me on it or not. If we stop, I have no other options. It snowed before I got home last week, so ride in was 4wd and scary. Another storm coming in tonight and tomorrow with more snow. Predictions are only a couple of inches, so fingers crossed. I will leave here Monday and no doubt still need 4wd. As for the home in MI, to be honest, I don't think I will ever make it. I think I will pass before that happens, but who knows!
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Karen1956, that’s so great about your husband being interviewed and featured in your local Jewish paper. Your meals sound wonderful! Mind if I tag along? One of the best parts about the year we lived in New York City (2nd grade for me) was the wonderful food our neighbors would make for us. I was one of a very few “Gentiles” at PS 24. To this day, the taste of marzipan takes me back to those days and cookies Mrs. Solomon made for us.
We’re not getting “real” winter weather here in San Diego, but we are getting some monster surf that is destroying our beloved piers.
Wallycat, I’m sorry about your stupid neighbors and their dogs. Hard not to blame the dogs for stupid owners…
Goldie, I’m sorry about your stoma issues. Cancer sucks in so many ways… I’ve been feeling more “terminal” lately. Some days I’m just so tired of this. I just want it to be over with, but I’m not ready to go.
Radiation session 2 of 10 done. I need to get a ride to one of my sessions next week and I H.A.T.E. asking for help. DH needs to be away for a day. I know that I have many people who would like to help—I just DO NOT like asking for help. I just need to get over it and let them help.
Carol
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Sunday Funday! Hmm, I could swear I left a post on Friday but I don't see it. I must have not hit the Post button again. Oh well.
Sunshine--I pray the rough part of the rad treatment is as unrough as possible for you.
Illi--we're getting snow here today, supposed to get a few inches and stop around midnight, which is good because the roads will be cleared off by ayem commute tomorrow.
Karen--How wonderful to be in the podcast and paper for your trip! Good for you for taking time off for yourself to recover. Praying all goes well and you aren't very restricted for very long.
Wally--I'd happily ship the cold weather to your area if I could! 16 degrees here right now. A very pretty fine snow coming down, but with very little wind.
Goldie--My brother and his wife will be scouting out places for Mom now that the holidays are over. One of the things I need to do is write down a list of Mom's preferences and dislikes and what she will really need, as opposed to what she thinks she needs. I'm sorry to hear about the problem with the stoma and the rising TMs. Hugs.
Sunshine--Isn't it amazing how powerful the surf can be? The wind storm just before Christmas created such high surf from an unusual direction and washed a lot of the sand out of Sand Beach at Acadia National Park--first time that's happened in anyone's memory. I know it's hard to ask for help, I hate doing that, too. But sometimes, it just needs to be done. And people really do WANT to help, and sometimes we need to let them.
THE SNOWMAN-HATTAN … THE PERFECT SNOW COCKTAIL RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey
1 ounce triple sec
3 tablespoons homemade ginger syrup (see recipe below)
3 ounces fresh orange juice
Fresh snow
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the whiskey, triple sec, ginger syrup, and orange juice.
Fill a glass with fresh snow and pour the cocktail over it.
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Sunshine, I too don't like to ask for help, however, if I can't manage something, I WILL ask. Some things I just can't do! I am not ready to go either, but unfortunately, I think it's inevitable.
NM, sounds like you have a plan for mom and working with your brother. I'm excited for this! What a cute cocktail!
Cold and windy here today (Wally you are welcome to it). In the teens right now with winds up to 20 mph, with gusts up 40. Only about 2" of snow predicted, fingers crossed, as I have head out tomorrow. My brother that was here, went home on the 2nd, called me yesterday sounding like he had a horrible cold. He had just got home from work and covid tested, he was postive. He admitted not masking on the plane, stating that no one else does, I should be ok....uh huh!1 -
Sorry for not checking in here. Not drinking anything but water & coffee—alcohol suddenly doesn't appeal to me any more. I'm under tons of stress right now—not anywhere near what you Stage IV sisters are enduring but considerable pressure for a (spoiled) lifelong wuss like me. I won't elaborate here—that's what the "Older Women" thread is for—but dealing with a suddenly-dying dear friend (and I'm her medical POA) 25 miles away (been texting & talking to her medical team and BFF down there every possible moment I'm free), Bar Show rehearsals every day & evening (show is on Fri. & Sat.), massive snowstorm on its way arriving Tues. and lasting through next weekend, and a (non-respiratory) bacterial infection of my own for which I have no time to seek treatment—what with the responsibilities I have facing me. So I have enough heartburn w/o the booze. Somehow, my response to stress has never been "I need a drink." (More like "Dad, get me outta this," to quote Warren Zevon's "Lawyers, Guns & Money").
Lori, holding you in my heart and hoping there are still workable options, and if not, that you can find ease & comfort. Kim, congrats on your upcoming move—especially to be close to those near & dear to you. Karen, how marvelous for your DH's achievements to be recognized in print—and for the two of you to have performed such selfless acts of kindness.
Will post more when I can come up for air.
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Goldie - holding you in my heart.
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Lori, keeping you close to my heart and in my thoughts and prayers. You are a close long time friend. Is there anything I can do long distance?
Kim - nice that you and your brother are coordinating your efforts to find the best place for your mother.
It's cold this morning and light snow, but not as bad as back east. Thankfully my commute is 5 minutes.
Hope I can get a walk in at lunch. I plan to wear my long heavy down coat. I layer at work as the temp varies room to room.
Going to be a busy week to get caught up and get everything done before I go on 5 week FMLA. I'm starting to worry about the surgery and recovery. It is at least a 2 hour surgery. Surgery is at 12:30 and I have to be at the hospital at 10:30 so a long morning of fasting. I hope the weather is not too bitter cold so I can get a long walk. Need something to occupy my time and mind. DH is also worried about the surgery but more so the recovery. I've been googling parathyroidectomy and it says a benefit is less fatigue so I sure hope I fall into that category. I just don't have the stamina I had a year ago. I did some cooking yesterday and not what I planned to do and I was spent! So hoping tonight and tomorrow night, I can cook one thing to get my list done.
Weather is getting colder throughout the week. We are planning on going to the mountains this week-end for R and R and hiking. Not sure how much hiking we'll get in as the weather is going to be bitter cold and snow.
Sandy - sorry you have so much on your plate. Your friend is lucky to have you. Funny description of yourself - spoiled lifelong wuss! It gave me a laugh.
About 15 minutes before I need to head out the door.
Stay warm and have a good Monday.
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Goldie, you are in my concerned thoughts. I wish I could help in some way.
Karen, same for you. And Sandy.
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karen, thinking of you and your upcoming surgery. DH has applied for FLMA and just got a call that it was approved.
It's cold here, at least for San Diego. I'm bundled up in our cold little house, thankful for space heaters and a fireplace. We have no heating in our circa 1910 Craftsman house. We always warn guests that our house will be COLD.
Happy Monday and stay safe out there.
Carol
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Sunshine, your house sounds charming. DH and I both love Craftsman houses. Does yours have the built-in cabinetry? It's hard to imagine living in a climate that doesn't demand central heat and air.
I got dressed to go to the gym but didn't go because it was so windy and looked like it was about to rain. And it has been raining, but not hard rain.
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