how about drinking?
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Hi ladies-
Hope everyone has had a good weekend. It's feeling like spring here in New Mexico and was outside doing some yard clean up and getting my patio more ready for outdoor time. I went to my fav local nursery yesterday and found a couple blooming hellobores (lenten roses) that are winter bloomers, and got those into pots. They like the cooler weather and usually start blooming in February. The fruit trees are all out and in their full glory, and other trees coming out too (some a bit early like my red oak). We are still very dry and hoping for a bit of moisture on Tuesday. We basically had no real winter out west here this year.
Miranda- will be in your pocket and hoping maybe just some type of fat necrosis from the surgery. I have had a couple of those with lumps. We will be in your pocket and hope for good outcomes here.
NM- there is something about being in a hair stylist chair that brings out a lot of conversations about people's lives I don't care to hear about. I like the gal I have now, but in the past, TMI from some of them I have had with things they are interested in or problems they have. I was at the dentist a couple weeks ago and there was a man in the waiting room talking to the front desk lady and talking about the details of his life. Small space, TMI, I was glad to get called back for my apt.
Minus2- I went into osteoporosis too and had a year on Evenity shots and now back on Prolia. We are doing to do an updated dexa scan which of course required a six month lead time, but so it goes here in this state with not enough of anything.
Mommy- you have moved on nicely from the family drama and focusing on your own life. I like the early start on Xmas gifts, I buy them all year long for people as I see things people might like.
Teka- hope all is well in north country.
Been struggling with some lower back issues the past few weeks, which is not a new thing, but trying to manage it with not overdoing it with yard work, got a massage this week, etc. My new project got stalled out due to some major technical issues going on at work. We are going into week 3 of them and doing what we can, but concerned about what this is going to do to timelines. But I reminded myself I agreed to stay this year and will do what I can for them, but not all that invested in this situation anymore.
Hoping everyone is adjusting to daylight savings today (will take a week to get back on track usually for me) and wishing you a good Internation Women's Day and St Patty's coming up this week too (yes I have some irish in me!)
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Jazzy,
Be kind to your lower back. 😏 A trip to the hot springs! 😉
Mud Season Starting in the Adirondacks.
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NM, fortunately or no, my right breast hasn't had any surgery. I had a unilateral mastectomy with aesthetic flat closure on my left side, but my right breast (where this new lump is) was healthy. So we didn't need to mess with it at all. One of my massage clients has a potential fatty necrosis spot, and on direction from her oncologist, we're working to try to break it up manually so her body can reabsorb it.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Monday Monkey Day! Lots and lots of melting off of the snow and ice this weekend, which is nice to see, even if it means dealing with a muddy mess.
Minus--I think you are correct, most of us are afraid of getting Alzheimer's or any other form of dementia. I know I am. To have a form of dementia where you know your mind is going must be absolutely horrible, for the person and the family. Long distance care taking is a major challenge on top of everything else.
Carole--that's what I thought--Name = eww, ingredients = yum
Miriandra--you are so right about medical care admin and middle men. Look at the entire health care reimbursement industry. An entire industry built on billing and reimbursement for another industry. I can't think of any other line of work that has a set up like that. All the middlemen are separating the providers of care from the patients, but leaving them on the front line to try to explain the unexplainable. I wish there was way of monitoring staffing and staffing payment and tying it to income, so when Julie stays and takes care of 2 more people, the business can't bill for those 2 people. I bet that practice would stop overnight. I really like the movement that's happening in Labor and Delivery care. Patients are being educated to ask how many patients in labor a nurse is taking care of. If it's more than 2, or the nurse isn't allowed to answer, they are being taught to request to see an administrator (24/7, there's always one on call) and demand that it is documented in the chart that the nurse providing care is working with an unsafe patient load. The first time there is a bad outcome that is taken to court that has this language in the chart will be phenomenal--it's a real time admission of unsafe staffing, and guess who will be held accountable, finally?!
Carole--HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Belated, but sincere!
Morning Teka, Wren
Jazzy--I'd gladly send you some of the winter we got here if I could! The talk in hair salons does seem to be awfully gossipy. Mom was lucky, there was only one stylist out front while we were there, the second was in the back office working on paperwork and came out occasionally to stretch her legs so there wasn't much gossip. I feel sorry for the people who are so starved for someone to talk to that they talk about the details of their lives with total strangers in public settings. It gets terribly uncomfortable. Sorry to hear about the project getting hung up. Keep taking it easy on your back, you've only got the one!
Teka--a hot springs visit would be so nice.
Miriandra--I am praying the lump in the healthy breast is something benign and easily fixable.
Mediterranean Sparkling Spring
Ingredients
• 3 ounces vodka
• 1 3/4 ounces triple sec
• 1 3/4 ounces lemon juice
• 3 mint sprigs
• Prosecco
Directions- Add vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, and mint sprigs into a mixing glass. Muddle.
- Add ice to the mixing glass. Stir.
- Strain into two serving glasses.
- Top with Prosecco.
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Teka- I do have the hot springs on my radar sometime this month. In the meantime, my gym has a really nice big hot tub and I usually go to that around swimming but going to start going more just for that until I am sure things are better. I was a bit stiff yesterday but didn't overdue it and did a bit of icing of my lower back last night. Ice and heat do a world of good.
Miranda-oh shoot, the other breast. Well anyways, we are here with you.
Did I forget to wish Carol a happy birthday? I think I did. Happy birthday fellow March sister….
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NM, I love that L&D care load movement! It can only bring better results and improved care.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Saturday! Well, I'm waking up to a bit of a surprise. About 4 inches of new, heavy, wet snow on the ground. With great big fat flakes still coming down. I remember seeing snow in the forecast, but thought it was for a small amount of snow overnight Saturday into Sunday, but nope, Saturday 2 ayem to Saturday 2 peeyem. A bit disappointing to see all this snow so soon after most of what was on the ground melted off last week. Such is spring in Maine, I suppose.
Jazzy-- I am jealous of your hot springs visits! I wish there was something like that around here. Maybe I should think about getting another hot tub, I really loved the one I used to have. I hope your back is feeling better.
Miriandra--I think the L&D care load movement is a great idea, too, but I can also see it backfiring by pushing more hospitals closing down L&D units. Delivering babies is just not a big money maker for a hospital, but it represents one of the biggest malpractice suit risks, which is a deadly combination. The hospital where I was born closed down L&D last year, the nearest hospital with L&D services is an hour's drive away now. And that hospital, according to rumor, is considering "centralizing" L&D to the flagship hospital, which is another half hour from where I grew up. The flagship hospital has a NICU and is a tertiary care center for high risk OB, which brings in enough money to justify the malpractice risk. And we wonder why the US maternal/infant harm and death rates are going up despite more and more money being spent!
Easy Dirty Snowman
How to Make Easy Dirty Snowman Cocktail
- Prepare hot chocolate by heating up 1 cup of your favorite mix or homemade recipe. You want it steaming but not boiling, creating that inviting warmth.
- Stir in 1 ½ ounces of Baileys Irish Cream until the mixture is well combined. This rich addition takes your simple hot chocolate to a new level of indulgence and delight.
- Add 1 scoop of ice cream (vanilla or chocolate) into a festive mug. This scoop will start to melt and blend beautifully with the hot drink.
- Pour the hot chocolate and Baileys mixture over the ice cream in the mug, letting the warmth flow over the coolness. Enjoy the mesmerizing swirl as the flavors combine.
- Top generously with fluffy whipped cream, creating a mountain of deliciousness, and then finish with a sprinkle of festive sprinkles for a pop of color and fun.
Optional: Add a dash of chocolate syrup drizzle over the whipped cream for an extra luxurious touch.
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NM,
The 1st Red-winged-Blackbird arrived at our bird feeders this morning. 🙂
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Just got off the phone with my younger brother who ticked me off something fierce. Showed total disrespect to our mom and referred to her as 'your mother' and went on a rant. I interrupted and said 'first of all, lower your tone when speaking to me. Second, she's Your mother too, not just mine. Third, if you've been drinking, don't call me as I don't want to hear the garbage, I have enough to deal with in my own house! If you can't do this, don't call me!' Then I hung up! Waiting to see how long its going to be before I get a call from mom and my stepdad wondering what I said to my brother. My parents have backed off of me helping my mom,not so my brother.
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We had SNOW!!!! I was like a little kid. It only lasted 1/2 hour and it is all gone, but WOW…in March..Out here….I haven't smiled this much in some time.
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Our snow had nearly all melted. Thursday night we got smacked with 8 inches and late tonight to early Monday, here comes more, they are calling for anywhere from 2-6 inches!
Got an unexpected surprise in the mail today, a wedding invite! My cousin's eldest daughter is getting married in July. My cousin had texted me the other day and I was wondering why up to today. Now its just figure out what to wear for that day.
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Oh NM, the Dirty Snowman cocktail looks delicious.
We're having a "cold snap" too. The high yesterday was only 79…..
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Saturday! Nice to see the sun out, not so nice to see a winter weather advisory for snow, sleet and ice for tomorrow into Monday. Mom has as appointment Monday that I expect we won't be keeping, if the predictions hold true at all.
Just to show that dementia doesn't always mean a person totally loses touch with reality: Mom called yesterday ayem. A lady in the Assisted Living care wing was taken to the hospital by ambulance a few days ago, and apparently has died in the hospital. Mom wanted to make sure she is still on the waiting list for an apartment that is bigger than the one room she has now and has an ocean view since she should be able to get that lady's apartment when it's vacated! (Being on the top of that list was something she required to agree to move to Assisted Living.) It was a fun job composing an email to the Marketing Director to confirm Mom's place on the list and not sound like a ghoul going after the apartment before the poor lady's obituary is even published, let alone before the family has any chance to deal with cleaning it out. While I am not looking forward to moving her stuff yet again, I do understand her desire to have the ocean view and agree with her feeling gypped to have an ocean view apartment for only 3 weeks before being forced to move to a single room with no ocean view. At least there is a lot less stuff to move this time, if I ignore having to hire the movers again to get some stuff out of storage and moved.
Teka--Red-winged blackbirds are so pretty! I don't see them often around here, but once in a while during the summer. I still have woodpeckers, chickadees, and some sparrows coming to the suet feeder. I'll be able to put out the hummingbird feeders mid-May.
mOmmy--GOOD FOR YOU!!!! I think that's exactly what your brother needed to hear, and needed to have happen.
Wally--LOL at the March snow experience!
mOmmy--It looks like tomorrow and Monday are going to be pretty interesting days, weather-wise. Rain and thunderstorms tomorrow during the day, coating of snow then glaze of ice Monday ayem. At least most of the last round is melted off. Congrats to the cousin's daughter!
Minus--a "cold snap" of 79 degrees? We need to have a long talk about the definition of "cold" my dear!!! :)
The Cold Snap
Ingredients
• 2 ounces orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon spiced simple syrup (recipe follows)
• 2 coin-sized slices of ginger, peeled and muddled
• 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
• Orange twist garnish (optional)Directions
- Peel ginger and muddle with a mortar and pestle, or finely chop.
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake rigorously to combine.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Be careful to keep all solids out of the glass.
- Garnish with an orange twist, if using.
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Native, It was thecstraw that broke the camel's back with my brother! He needed a reminder of the old addage 'check yourself, before you wreck yourself' Lol. I don't have the time or patience to deal with crap anymore!
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Just lost a long post. Sigh.
NM - When we discuss cold, we need to include Wally. I've lived twice in snow country. Walked to class in Utah in dress shoes & nylons. Girls did not wear pant in those days except to go skiing or Bermuda shorts at the beach. Got my son into his snow suit to go to the grocery store in New Mexico only to have him immediately discover he had to pee. While snow can be beautiful, I hope not to have to live in in again.
Glad to hear that Mom might get an ocean view again. Oh how I miss the ocean. Cold Snap - I have Orange Curacou and bitters because my nephew likes to drink an Old Fashioned. No ginger, but….
Jazzy - can't wait to see the spa pictures. One of my best friends has moved from Bernalillo back to Sequim - by Wally. But another good friend moved to retire in Santa Fe. Hope I can get up there again some day.
mOmmy - I too have brother who provides plenty of angst. My only solution is not to talk to him too often.
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Minus, I hear you. Still, I'd pick cold and snow. I thought of this board when I saw a job mentioned in Antarctica. Need to be here for DH, but would seriously consider it…even if it were for a year. Interesting to read New Mexico has snow….now, how hot does it get?
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Wally - Yes, we had snow in Albuquerque and pipes freezing and etc, in the winter. I remember it being very hot in the summer. But I moved to Houston in 1973 so we should let Jazzy chime in about high temps, The temps might be the same, but the humidity in Houston is over the top. I'm sure Carole can chime in about Louisiana.
Wish I still had the energy to travel. I did once meet BCO people in Boston and California and Eric in AZ. I'd come see my friend in Sequim and visit you. But I can't even get off my butt to fly to San Francisco to see my son in San Rafael.
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Minus, southern New England is terrible in heat waves. I remember the week my hubby and I moved from the apartment we were in when we first got together ans started married life in, to the house we sold two years ago. That was my version of 'Hades on Earth', it was like 100 or nearly 100 for a week! Went through other heat waves that was just as bad, but now that I'm back home for good, I don't miss hot and humid summers.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! The weather gods have decided it's time to play games. No more winter storm advisory, no more snow predictions. Rain, yes, but not snow. Wind and flood advisories and warnings out now. Mom's appointment is not until this afternoon, not sure if she is going to want to go out or not, have to wait and see.
mOmmy--I’m sorry your brother put up the last straw, but I hope you hold to your boundaries going forward!
Minus--argh, hate it when the post gremlins get hungry! I remember the days of not being allowed to wear pants to school, but we could wear pants UNDER skirts and dresses when it got cold enough. We had to go into the girl's bathroom to take them off and put them on, for "modesty". I also remember when we girls were first allowed to wear pants to school, first only on the last school day of the months, then only on Fridays, no jeans allowed, dress pants and blouse or pant suits only. I remember hearing my friends with small children talking about the frequency of the little one needing to pee as soon as the snowsuit/snowpants were on and adjusted. It still makes me smile inside, but then, I never had to live that aggravation!
Wally--I’m pretty sure I wouldn't want a year long job in Antartica! A few months, maybe, but not a year. Way too cold!
mOmmy--too true, we are just not set up to manage heat waves, especially with any humidity. Yes, I know what we consider unbearably humid here is just another day in the South, but I will actually take the cold over the humidity, much easier to get warm than to struggle to breathe the wet air!
The Humidity
ingredients
• ¼ ounce orange curaçao or Cointreau
• 2 ounces Sazerac Rye
• ¼ ounce Cocchi Americano
• 4 dashes Regan’s bitters
• 2 dashes Peychaud’s bittersSteps
Swirl a rocks glass with curaçao or Cointreau. In a separate mixing glass, combine rest of ingredients with ice and stir for 15 seconds. Strain into rocks glass.From
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Living in Wisconsin for nearly 40 years, I completely understand hot and humid. Also, not a fan. That, along with mosquitoes, is like a very bad dream. When DH and I moved to Port Townsend, it was glorious. June would be in the 60s. The last several years, the heatwaves have made it here too. We did hit 98 for a few days and most people do not have a/c out here….that is changing.
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Wally, I'm in Wisconsin near Lake Superior. I love it, its home! Summers here are easier to deal with. As a kid, I lived in southwestern FL for two years as my parents thought it would be 'cheaper and easier' to live there and start a business that was over saturated already. Hated the heat and humidity of summer there, I would have gladly stayed in New England! But once cancer came along, I couldn't tolerate heat and humidity, so I embraced a love for the a/c.. If I ever got the bug to go anywhere in the South, I'd do it during the winter when I need a break.
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Mommy, LOL…when my dad was alive (and moved to Florida), he would suggest I visit him during a wisconsin winter. I laughed and told him why would I give up great weather to go to ick; I can visit in the summer when it is ugly everywhere, LOL.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy TGIF day! Well, Mom isn't going to get the ocean-view apartment that is opening up. When I checked to verify she was on the waiting list I got a response that she was but the apartment was "spoken for". I emailed back to the marketing director and exec director for clarification. Mom is on the list, they have a strict policy they follow assigning new apartments, someone is ahead of her on the priority list so she won't get this one. While I'm not completely satisfied with that answer, I did have the exec director go talk to Mom and tell her she wasn't getting this apartment. This is the second time they've tried to make me the middle man in a hard decision (the first was the move to Assisted Living) and the second time I've had to push the staff to speak with Mom directly about something important. At least now I know it's a facility trend and not just an oversight during a fast-moving situation and can keep an eye out. From the way a couple of residents have visibly declined since Mom moved to Assisted Living, another apartment will come open before to very much longer. Hopefully, Mom will be higher on the list by then.
Wally--mosquitos are a serious PIA! ACs used to be rare in Maine except in businesses, but that has changed a lot in the last few years, too. One of the big selling points of heat pumps besides lower heating cost is the AC function in summer.
mOmmy--I bet Lake Superior helps moderate the temps year round.
Wally--LOL at visiting you dad "when it is ugly everywhere"!
Ice Pick
Ingredients
• Vodka: 2 oz(60ml)
• Lemon juice: 1 oz(30ml)
• Iced tea: 4 oz(120ml)
• Simple syrup: 0.5 oz(15ml)
• Garnish: Lemon Wheel or Mint Sprig- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- In a shaker, combine vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake well and strain into the highball glass over ice.
- Top with iced tea and gently stir to combine.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel or a sprig of fresh mint.
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I'm sorry your mom didn't get the apartment but not surprised that someone was ahead of her on the list. That should have been explained to her when she put her name on the list.
I cashed in my birthday "present" last night at the club where we are members. A free dinner entree. We met another couple for a cocktail before dinner. I had a prosecco with Chambord. It was refreshing.
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Speaking of waitlists, I called my breast imaging clinic to see if any openings had appeared. (I found a lump in my remaining breast, and the earliest my "urgent" MRI could be scheduled was two months later.) Glad I did, because there was an opening, but hadn't been called about it. In their defense, their wait list is very long - probably everybody - so they can't immediately call 15 people to move up the cascade of reschedules. I wasn't able to get anything next week, but I did move it up by 10 days. A week and a half is something at least.
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Native, it can. Its either freeze your tail off in winter during a Polar Vortex or a mild sweat your fanny off in summer.
Had something amazing happen yesterday. My niece who I haven't talked to in a few years because of some harsh words on both sides reached out to me through a family friend and we have reconnected. She made me a Great Auntie for the second time last year when she had her little girl. I cried buckets when I saw my Great Niece's picture for the first time, she's adorable!
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Saturday! I'm waking up to another 2 inches of snow all over everything. Very, very pretty wet snow sticking to all the branches and phone lines and houses, but enough already! It's almost the end of March for goodness sake!
Carole--I'm not surprised that Mom didn't get the apartment, either, but I'm not sure it's entirely a waiting list policy thing. She is in one of, if not the least expensive room in Assisted Living, and her financial resources were just enough to cover 5 years of rent, after which she would need to go on Medicaid. Since the facility is part of the local hospital, they must accept a certain number of Medicaid cases, and there is a good chance that Mom will be one of them, so I think they are trying to keep her where they will lose the least amount of money. I really wish they had classified her as needing Assisted Living to start with, she would not have moved in there because it is one of the more expensive places around, but the ocean view and being in her home town is so important to her. I would also help if someone would describe the wait list policy in detail, just so I can know what factors they are basing decisions on and that they hadn't told Mom she would go to the top of the waiting list when she moved to AL. But, that's where things are, so that's what's on the plate. It's just so hard hearing the disappointment and hurt in her voice when she talks about it. Chambord and prosecco sounds so good! I may have to go get some Chambord now.
Miriandra--moving up the urgent MRI appointment by 10 days is something. I wonder how many urgent MRIs are on the waiting list. I wonder if calling the insurance company and asking if they will guarantee coverage of all treatment, including treatment that would not have been needed if a timely MRI is done if they would let you go out of network for in-network coverage if you could get in quicker that way.
mOmmy--how wonderful to reconnect with your niece and meet the new Great Niece!
The Reconciliation
Ingredients
• 1/2 Teaspoon(s) Sambuca
• 1 1/2 Ounce(s) Straight rye whiskey
• 1/2 Ounce(s) Amaro
• 1 Teaspoon(s) Orgeat Syrup
• Orange twistDirections
Swirl sambuca in old-fashioned glass to coat inside; discard excess sambuca. Add ice to glass. Shake remaining ingredients with ice and strain into prepared glass. Add orange twist. Serve in an Old-Fashioned Glass.From
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miriandra,
Standing up for yourself. 😏👍️
mOmmy,
Family can be like riding a rollercoaster! 😘
NM.
We've more snow coming Sunday! 🙂
Husband gave me daffodils on the 2nd day of Spring. My favorite Spring blooms smell earthy.
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Oh I agree. Families are like roller coasters!
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