how about drinking?

Happy Birthday, Beav! And Ilona, great news on the scans, and fingers crossed re cardio clearance. Congrats on the job start, Kim--be careful in all that snow. Cami, I wish I didn't have to wait till April for my vax. (That's when they estimate those >65 with a comorbidity or two will get it). By then, It'll probably be the Moderna--unless that gets prioritized to rural areas without the ultra-freezers.

Fingers (and toes & eyes) crossed that Bob gets his vax tomorrow. The interventional cardiologist with whom he trades call called to tell him he got his today at Little Company (today was a Union Health day for Bob), and that shots resume at noon tomorrow. So Bob will try to blaze his way through office hours in Hickory Hills to make it to Little Company before they run out of doses. I'm hoping he gets it, and not that the only reason the other guy did was that he does cardiac caths & angioplasties (such as they are these days) and Bob no longer does. They both see the same number of COVID-and COVID-likely patients. He wanted to go to a jeweler Sat. to shop for me (though I told him I hardly wear jewelry any more other than what's safe to wear 24/7 in the shower), but he may need to use that time to deal with side effects.

Saw Gordy yesterday--after getting his hair cut in Andersonville, he came by for his mail and one of his presents. He gave us our Christmas Eve DOTD: Simon's famous Andersonville gløgg, complete with a little cup of slivered almonds. (Gotta remember to buy raisins too). I dropped him off at his house so he wouldn't have to take another rideshare or (perish the thought) the bus. Then I went down to Foursided to curbside-pick-up my gift for Leslie. Gordy said she loves scented candles, and she teaches English--so I found some scented candles named after poets!

Had to go to CVS today to pick up a couple of prescriptions that had to be re-issued, because the USPS said they were delivered Monday (they weren't--either fell victim to porch pirates, which is unlikely as I'm in the front room near the door all day, or got lost inside the post office). We got three dumps of mail yesterday, after not getting any since last Thursday. Our post office has been decimated by COVID--so why don't they just give delivery status as "unavoidably delayed" rather than lying and saying it was delivered?

No alcohol tonight--but last night with Italian delivery I had the last of that bottle of Mumm's Santana.

Mornin ladies,gift for sure.

Reader ur tree is beautiful And yep our cats always seem to be drawn to it. It mus give them that outside feeling.

Illi ur dinner sounds yummy and enjoy ur time off now.

Beaver it is a dilema we are facing this time for Christmas, but with our kids has never been a problem. Can u possibly wait til New Years, I know it's only a week, but so much happens in a week now and u all need to see each other

Karen good to have winter break enjoy;

And Kim u start off with a bang winter after ur first day, well just enjoy it anyway. I like comparing drinks, all sound good to me.

I can't member what Lor's doing today, she's way to busy for me.

Sandy fingers crossed for Bob. One of my girls gifts to each other has always been candles, there is a nice frangrance all around. U'll get a great Christmas Eve gift.

OH our PO admits they can't handle it and we're just a small town. Bringing people out of retirement to deliver on Sundays was a big hint.

Hey Jazzy weekend is here. Teka u doing OK??? Celia ur quiet JC r u still planning??? And Dara stop lurking and get in here this week Anyne else I missed I'm sorry.

LUBS U ALL

Reader, skip the neti pot and get a Neil-Med instead. Invented by a pediatric ENT whose son Neil had chronic sinus issues, it's cheaper, safer and far less messy. The kit with the bottle and 50 packets of buffered saline costs about $10-15 (I got a twofer at Costco for $20). It's a plastic squeeze bottle with a tube topped with a nozzle. Pour the saline into the bottle and fill to the top line with boiled (or microwaved distilled) water cooled to body temp (test it on your wrist just like you would a baby bottle); then shake to dissolve. Stand over the sink, head tilted slightly forward and to the side. Squirt the stuff into the higher nostril and watch the yuck flow out the other nostril. You can alternate sides till the bottle is empty, or do one side until the bottle's half-full and then switch to the other side. To clean, rinse it out with hot tap water, put in a drop of dish soap and more hot tap water, shake and holding it upright, squeeze till the suds squirt out the top like lava from a volcano. (I call it "Mt. Vesnotvius"). Repeat with just the tap water till there are no more suds. Then store upside down on a paper towel. (Or some versions come with a wall bracket on which you can store the bottle & nozzle).

Jazzy, love the photo!

No phone call from Bob yet (my call to him went straight to voice mail). If he got the shot, DOTD will be champagne, of course.

DOTD, meh, ok but a little on the dry side for me.

NM, first day of school and you get a snow day! My neighbor that had the stroke was 70, but she is a go getter, so def. want to her to heal

JCS, going anywhere for us takes out an entire day.

Beaver, an octogenarian! Sounds like something Cami would say! Tough situation about having your son come or not, especially since he will be going overseas soon.

Karen, enjoy your winter break.

Sandy, good luck to Bob today.

Cami, I didn't have to go anywhere yesterday, home until Wednesday!

Thanks ladies for info on the heart repairing itself.

OK NM, here we go!

7 Swans a Swimming

• 1 part Dubonnet
• 1 tsp (bar spoon) Pernod
• 1 tsp simple syrup
• champagne, prosecco or other sparkling wine
• champagne flute

Combine the Dubonnet, Pernod and simple syrup in a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine.

Good Morning, Loungettes!Long, rambling, excited and probably slightly incoherent post alert, feel free to skip ahead!

First day as a school nurse and I already love it! This is the kind of thing nursing should be about. Taking care of kids and staff, answering questions, being a true part of a team, being treated like an adult, getting start up stuff done without fuss and bother. I've already got my computer, my e-mail and Google Office account set up, will get my office key next week. All signed up in the payroll system and got my first day's hours logged and submitted. Got the standard operating procedure documents, list of students and their health or other issues. I've got the addresses for all the Department of Education sites I need to review that will give me all I need to know about what needs to be done when. Met most of the staff and they are SO excited to have a nurse in the building full time two of them were literally jumping up and down! My school has 56 in person students, in 4 classrooms. There are about 40 or so students doing remote learning, I won't have much to do with them except tracking immunizations. The school is full time in person elementary, Grades 3 through 5. There are 7 schools in the district, one High School, at least one middle school, rest are elementary. The nurse that has been in what is now my school has been working between 2 elementary schools, but can only work 3 days a weeks because she has to be home with her own children who are in a district that is doing mixed remote/in person learning. Students are in school half days on Fridays, with staff working full days for professional development, so I will have Friday afternoons to do educational stuff for myself, which will be a real treat. There is a bulletin board that faces the door to the office and out into the hall that I can't wait to put some educational stuff up on, just got to figure what would be a good topic to start with. What I did not realize was how economically stressed the area is. Over 80% of the kids in the district qualify for free or reduced meals. There are 8 who are getting a bag from the school food pantry to take home every week (that will be one of my tasks, to fill and put the bags in the kid's cubbies to take home). There is a weekly meeting on Fridays where the nurses and staff of the 2 sister schools review at risk kids; I heard about kids who have seen people get badly hurt and even killed, kids whose parents are drug users and who have lost custody of them more than once, one youngster who doesn't want to come to school because of fear the parent will harm the younger sibling, 7 and 8 year olds who are responsible for getting themselves and sometimes a sibling out of bed and ready for school and out for the bus every morning, and other heartbreaking stories. And saw some fiercely protective and motivated teachers and staff who are moving mountains to make things better for those kids. It was so nice to walk into the school and feel welcomed and wanted and involved. I am actually a little bummed that I will only be working Monday and then a half day Tuesday before the winter break.

Poor Sadie had to put up with almost an hour of belly rubbing while listening to me babble on about my first day at the school last night! She didn't seem to mind too much, though!

Cammy Cat--the post office bringing people out of retirement to deliver on Sundays? Gee, no one figured that less travel would mean more shipping????

Jazzy--YUCKY DRIVING in that pic! But I see the Marshmallow Man coming to get roasted and toasted and eaten up!

Chi--glad to hear that Bob is getting his COVID shot! Don't forget it takes a couple of weeks for immunity to develop, that's why we all need to keep up with the masks and distancing until a lot of the population has had both shots.

Illi--still fun to try, though!

Goldie--cloudberry liqueur? I've got to find out more about that one, it sounds interesting! Praying the neighbor heals up quickly and completely! Wouldn't you know, the first snow day of the school year would be on my first day scheduled to work!

Not sure what Fernet is so I looked it up on Wikipedia:

"Fernet (Italian pronunciation: [ferˈnɛt]) is an Italian type of amaro, a bitter, aromatic spirit. Fernet is made from a number of herbs and spices which vary according to the brand, but usually include myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and especially saffron, with a base of grape distilled spirits."

I can see the Christmas connection with the myrrh!

OK, now Cloudberry Liqueur, again with help from Wikipedia:

"Lakka or lakkalikööri is a liqueur produced in Finland which derives its flavor from the cloudberry fruit. The word lakka means cloudberry in Finnish.

The beverage is produced by soaking the berries in alcohol anywhere between two and six months until sweetened, and is branded by Chymos and Lapponia, both of which are distributed by the Sweden-based V&S Group, best known for its Absolut Vodka product."

Which tells me very little, since I've never heard of Cloudberries before. so, yet more research:

"When ripe, cloudberry fruits are golden-yellow, soft and juicy, and are rich in vitamin C.^[1] When eaten fresh, cloudberries have a distinctive tart taste. When over-ripe, they have a creamy texture somewhat like yogurt and a sweetened flavor. They are often made into jams, juices, tarts, and liqueurs. In Finland, the berries are eaten with heated leipäjuusto (a local cheese; the name translates to "bread-cheese"), as well as cream and sugar. In Sweden, cloudberries (hjortron) and cloudberry jam are used as a topping for ice cream, pancakes, and waffles. In Norway, they are often mixed with whipped cream and sugar to be served as a dessert called multekrem (cloudberry cream), as a jam or as an ingredient in homemade ice cream. Cloudberry yoghurt—molte- or multeyoughurt—is a supermarket item in Norway.^[8]

In Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, cloudberries are used to make "bakeapple pie" or jam. Arctic Yup'ik mix the berries with seal oil, reindeer or caribou fat (which is diced and made fluffy with seal oil) and sugar to make "Eskimo ice cream" or akutaq.^[1] The recipes vary by region. Along the Yukon and Kuskokwim River areas, white fish (pike) along with shortening and sugar are used. The berries are an important traditional food resource for the Yup'ik."

I vote for Goldie's version of 7 Swans!

Good morning ladies- it's the weekend again and boy was I ready for this one. Lots of things due this week and into next, but I also am looking forward to having two long weekends coming up with days off for each holiday. Today I have a bunch of errands to do, but also taking some time out to go have some self care too with a massage therapist. My lower back needs some attention, but think this gurl needs some overall destressing.

Xmas is around the corner now and my packages have all arrived and some coming in here too. A friend sent me some gourmet condiments from Paris which I opened up this morning, ooh la la. One is wild mushroom and the other is a mustardy thing. YUM. Good for my sammiches. I have gotten a lot of great food items so far including some pears from Harry and David (a fav), a gourmet pancake mix with bluberry jam and syrup to go with, and these gourmet condiments. I guess people have figured out I am a foodie, but consumable gifts to me are the best!

NM- so you are starting the new job now, yay! I am glad to hear your mom is getting more settled in to her place and actually getting rid of stuff now. Hard for our parents of that generation, my parents were for sure pack rats and it made cleaning out their home really difficult. Perhaps now that she is in the new space, she realizes that she needs to purge more for better space. I hope you really enjoy this new work and it's regular schedule.

Goldie- I hope your trip to PHX went okay and that you are not experiencing too many SEs this week. Your neighbors are so cute, and sorry about the woman having a stroke and especially hard after loosing her husband passed last year. Wishing her a complete recovery. I have not seen Dubonnet mentioned in anything since I was a young person, and remember my parents always had some around!

Cami- thanks for reminding us about Dara. I have not seen her here in awhile nor have I seen her on FB either, except for an occaisonal post of her GS. I hope she is doing okay. Well, I hope all the lurkers are doing okay. Santa wants to know if you have been naughty or nice this year? I told him you were super nice and to send you lots of gifts. Any news on that house bid and if your family is still in the running for this new home?

Chi- so good to hear Bob is getting the vax today. I probably will be getting mine from the hospital when the time comes, but know that will not be until spring or so. I was telling some folks I think this whole mask in winter thing may be a new trend for me going forward, because even with flu shots, etc., I always get some kind of respiratory crud. I use surgical masks for the most part when I do need to go to work (we are still remote, but did have to go to the office one day this week) and have some cloth masks for other things. We can only do take out here for the most part, patios back open but too cold now for that.

Ill- that chardonnay would be something I would like. What good things are you eating this week? I am so glad your scans are good and praying for better heart health recovery from the treatments too.

Reader- I love your tree, especially the kitty underneath!

Okay, gotta run but will be back tomorrow with more. Have a good day ladies.

BG, your dessert there looks like one I make, but we call it Better Than Sex, and super easy to make. Was always a favorite with my kids and any time I take it as a dish.

Better Than Sex Dessert Recipe | Just A Pinch Recipes

Bob got his vax at noon, and after the 15-min. observation period was good to go. Still masking, handwashing, distancing--as am I. I'm basically hibernating. Debating getting my Xmas Eve mani-pedi, especially as it'll be super-frigid out (so definitely not going there & home in my Fit-Flops--it's UGGs or stay home). But those toenails don't stop ingrowing. I've been surprisingly content with otherwise hibernating, as long as I can get stuff delivered. Still terrified for Gordy & Leslie of course.

DOTD will be champagne--not sure if the DVX in the basement freezer or an even better one before dinner. Not sure if ordering in or cooking--tonight is Everest's last gasp, but the menu isn't something that I think would appeal to Bob, who picked out something spectacular for me at the jeweler. He is definitely owed a major steak or prime rib. If it's not raining I'll fire up the grill.

DOTD is ok but too bold for me I think.

DsOTD were black coffee (Metropolis Costa Rica Perla Negra, Keurig Wild Blueberry) with brunch; almondmilk breve latte as a late afternoon pick-me-up; and with dinner (to celebrate Bob's vaccination), Cote Mas brut cremant de Limoux (southwestern France bubbly).

Mornin ladies,Lori

Happy Sunday friends- looks like folks are busy doing holiday-ish things, enjoying DOTDs, and staying safe. I had a good day yesterday that was both productive and relaxing too. Along with some errands, I had a long overdue massage and reflexology treatment which left me feeling really good. I tried a new gal at my spa and really liked her so I will try to use her again. My local spa does a thing where you can buy a package of 5-10 massages and done this before with facials and going to do this in 2021 to be able to have this build in my wellness routine. I won't be able to go to my fav hot springs for awhile until they rebuild from the fire this past August and I have the vax, this is the next best thing. Plus, it's not a big time or money commitment like going to the springs and also feels very safe (not too busy). Came home to relax the rest of the day. I want to do a facial in 2021 but not until I have a vaccine. No one needs to be that close to my face.....

Back to my to do list today an will swim in a few hours for some exercise. I have a busy three day work week with some things due tomorrow into Wed but look forward to a long holiday weekend with nothing planned outside a swim next Sat and walk with a friend on Sunday. Wishing you a good winter solstice (a fav holiday of mine) and look up to see the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. I saw it so close and clear in the sky at the pool the other night, tomorrow should be really great unless cloudy.

Be back to check in on everyone Xmas Eve day. Stay well friends!