how about drinking?

Now that Half-Flat is in a more self-sustaining place, I have returned to massage - this time as self-employed rather than at a studio. I'd rather not be an entrepreneur, but there's no way I could work for businesses that I know are breaking payroll laws. I've been an information resource for others who have found me through massage unionizing, though, and I'm excited that the trend is still running. A spa up in Seattle successfully unionized a few months ago too, making at least three that have made it all the way through their election. ✋💪🤚

In the meantime, I've launched Serotonin Massage - specializing in therapeutic and trauma-informed massage. It will be nice to get back into the field. For all the faults in the industry, I love the practice. My logo is below.

NM - hearing your rant. Been there and it's a no win situation. Hope you can work at letting go of the guilt. Keeping you in my thoughts.

Good morning friends

Made it to Friday and re-entry week at the job. Not as hectic with the new hospital open but finishing up some work on the project and before I go out again the week after next. Can you tell I am looking forward to another week off from work?

Did anyone see the northern lights this week from your locations? I was not able to see them from my back yard (I did last year though when they showed up). There are some amazing photos people shared on FB though, will send you some things I pulled down that were just amazing! I heard they were seen as far south as the Caribbean and even down to HI this time.

NM- I think now that you have your mom moved, you can exhale a bit and take care of yourself and your life. The thing about eldercare is that we can only do so much to be sure our parents are taken care of and kept safe, but we can't make the whole aging process and all that goes with that okay for them. Both my parents needed a lot from us early and often but know with memory issues, they are just struggling and frustrated a lot. You have gone above and beyond as her daughter and without your brother around to help either. I hope you can get things caught up in your life, with your flat tire, etc. You need some good rest too sister and give yourself permission to take care of yourself!

Teka- sounds like your first dusting of snow this week. We usually get some snow here in our mountains by October including to our local mountains, but it has been unusually warm (otherwise known as the new normal) so no snow here but a cold front with moisture is coming through this weekend and more this coming week. We need the moisture.

Mirianda- I hope you get settled into your massage practice again after everything that has gone on. Although being self employed is never easy, I did it for years and after working for some unethical places early on in my early career days. Hard lessons for a young woman like me back then, but got out before things got worse and both places I am thinking of are long gone. I really loved being self-employed, it was my fav from a work life balance and to be able to choose my work/clients but in the end, I needed something different at the end here. I just passed my 5 year anniversary on this current gig.

MinusTwo- hope you are doing well and still enjoying your music. I am going to see Neena Freelon here in another three weeks at our local jazz venue. We have another jazz club opening up here soon that a music friend here has been working on since she relocated from the LA area 10 plus years ago.

Hope everyone has a good slide into the weekend…..

Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Saturday! Things are still sorting out with Mom. The facility staff have taken over managing her pills, which takes that whole thing off me and ensures someone is laying eyes on her at least twice a day. She has started going to all 3 meals a day in the Assisted Living Dining room, is getting along great with her tablemates, and has even gotten out to a music event. Then yesterday morning I got a call, they found her on the floor in her living room when they went to get her for breakfast. Complained of pain in hip and shoulder, so they sent her to the ER for evaluation. Mom told them she fell out of bed, then she told the ER people that she got down on the floor out of bed because she wasn't supposed to stand up without her walker and it wasn't in reach, then scooted herself to the living room, headed for her chair so she could get up again. She didn't use her call button, so I suspect she will have to move to an Assisted Living apartment when this week's trial is up since that is one of the criteria for Independent Living. The staff have also turned off her stove so she can't burn anything trying to cook, and turned off her garbage disposal after finding a fork in it. So, taking things day-by-day, and waiting to see how it turns out.

Minus--thanks for the thoughts. I'm trying to let go of the guilt, but it ain't easy.

Carol--boy, talk about a short winter!

Jazzy--I looked for the Northern Lights but it's been cloudy here so not much luck. I was expecting things to get easier with Mom once she moved, but it feels even harder now, with trying to keep up with what she needs and figuring out what the facility staff is expecting of me. You are right, though, I can't make the whole aging thing better or even okay for Mom. I keep reminding myself that she is safe, her needs are being met, and everyone is still adjusting and adapting to the move, and it's ok if I stay home for 2 or 3 days in a row and start scheduling the work that needs to be done on my house and that doesn't make me a bad daughter.

Minus--I think I needed to hear that again to have it sink in. I did get the flat tire fixed, I will get my laundry caught up today, and I will spend more time playing with the puppers today.

Bee’s Knees

Ingredients
• 2 ounces gin
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 ounce honey syrup
• Garnish: lemon twist
Steps
1. Add the gin, lemon juice and honey syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with a lemon twist.

From https://www.liquor.com/recipes/bees-knees/

Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Monday Monkey Day! I talked with Mom yesterday, she seemed to be doing pretty well. I haven't gotten any calls from the facility and I'm taking that as a good sign. I'll be seeing her tomorrow and Wednesday as she has doctor's appointments. I suspect I'll get an update from the staff one of those days.

Winter seems to have decided to move in. Getting some more snow flurries today, have a visible coating on the ground, and some frozen slush to make life interesting. And I just now noticed that Thanksgiving is next week! That really snuck up on me.

Jazzy--love the petroglyphs. Do you think they are telling a story? I find them fascinating.

Teka--yes, Assisted Living apartment in the same facility.

Rock Candy Cocktail

1. Prepare your glass: Brush the rim of your cocktail glass with simple syrup, agave, or honey. I’ve found that honey tends to hold the Pop Rocks better, but any of these will do the trick. Once the rim is sticky, dip it into a small plate of Pop Rocks, rotating the glass to fully coat the rim. Be gentle—Pop Rocks are delicate, and you don’t want to crush them before they make it to the party.
2. https://savorykitchenstories.com/rock-candy-cocktail-recipe/
3. Pour the vodka: Measure out 2 ounces of vodka and pour it over the ice. You can eyeball it if you’re feeling confident, but a little precision doesn’t hurt.
4. Top with soda water: Fill the rest of the glass with soda water, leaving a little room at the top so the drink doesn’t overflow when you add the rock candy.
5. Garnish with rock candy: Place a rock candy stick into the glass, letting it stand like a fancy swizzle stick. As it dissolves, it’ll add extra sweetness to your drink.

From

Carole - I agree about cutting back on my evening libations, but like you - the reality hasn't caught up with the thinking about it.

I’m back from Laos which was gorgeous and brutally hot. The Seattle weather is much kinder to my body. The trip was magical with both DD and DS and DDs DH. I’m still experiencing jet lag but it’s getting better. I didn’t wake up hungry at 3am last night.

Hi ladies:

It's a rainy day here in NM and very much needed here in the dry, DRY high desert. We have not had much moisture in a month or so and getting some nice rains coming from the west that will last through tonight and then wrap up, and some more rain coming back Sunday. It's cooling down after an unusually warm November and coming into normal temps for this time of the year. Some of the mountains are getting snow too.

Regarding the National Petroglyph Monument, it is one of the many areas here out in the west inhabited by the early Anastazi (native americans) that lived in the southwest from around 800 to 1200 AD and then suddenly just "disappeared" from many of the areas they inhabited. You may be familiar with some of the more famous locations with cliff dwellings like Mesa Verde in CO or Canyon De Chelly in AZ, or the big community in NW New Mexico called Chaco Canyon and this is part of the same community. This canyon is across the street from where I live and used to go up there all the time and there are stories on those rocks for sure. We have several areas here in the Albuquerque area with these petroglyphs, some which have been made into state parks and this location was made into a National Monument since I moved here.

A couple friends of mine said they had not ever been to the park or in a while so we made a plan to go this fall and it was a perfect day for it. They have changed it some to protect the rocks more which you used to be able to get up close to and do selfies, but now protected by a fence. There has been some graffiti and they are doing some restoration work but think it would be smart to keep those fences up and the cultural assets protected.

Where did they go after 1200 AD? No one really knows but it was known there was a serious drought that year and there is some linkage that they moved closer to form the pueblos up and down the Rio Grande Valley, at least in this area. No one knows if they all moved here but it is believed they moved somewhere. Anyways, if you are ever out west and get to visit any of these locations, it is fascinating stuff and something you likely won't learn anywhere else unless you visit.

Petroglyph National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

Jazzygirl, I have visited several of the sites you mentioned and the history is fascinating. So difficult for me to imagine people living in the unusual (for us) homes.

NM, I'm sorry about all the turmoil surrounding getting your mother settled. And no ocean view? D%*m! I loved that view. And it sounds like her space will be more cramped in Assisted Living.

My blood work was all good except for the A1c, which was 6.4 and the Triglycerides, which was higher than 150, in the High category. I'm borderline diabetic and have been taking a common med twice a day for several years. Kidney function and liver numbers were all in the normal range. I remember reading that Triglycerides can be affected by recent diet and my recent diet included Popeye's fried chicken, a once or twice a year treat.

I'm back "on the wagon" with my diet with the determination to drop some lbs. Travel for Thanksgiving will interfere but I'll do my best. I would feel so much better about 15 lbs. lighter. I'm skipping the cocktail before dinner and enjoying a glass of white wine instead. One plus is more deep sleep, according to my watch gadget.

Happy weekend to all.

Gorgeous - thanks Jazzy

Good day friends:

It's Thankgiving week and I am off again from work (whoo hoo) and at the tail end of a cold that still feels like it's kicking my butt. I am heading out to do some errands then will head the pool and also hit the steam room there which will help with the last of it. I was super busy this weekend with to dos and friends over yesterday for some wine and tapas (and I do have a wine recommendation for those of you who are interested). I have a full day tomorrow with some apts, lunch with a friend, some yoga and more. I have to settle down on Wed and do some food prep for my friendsgiving on Wed.

Wishing everyone a good holiday this week who is celebrating. For those who may be in treatment at this time, I was going through cancer treatment around this time 13 years ago and in many ways, it still feels like yesterday. Try to keep your holidays as simple as you can and enjoy what you can.

Blessings for good health, good times and good food this week to all the sisters here.

One of the online comics I follow is XKCD.com. It's mostly science humor, but one of the themes he's visited is his wife's breast cancer journey. Apparently, they're celebrating 15 years NED!

https://www.xkcd.com/3172/

Wally - my Costco no longer has the Cotes du Rone - but I agree - it is wonderful.

Jazzy - I remember liking Cupcake.