Oops, I forgot. I did hear back from Cami and she said it was ok to tell you ladies. She said, in her words, she has been in and out of hospitals, clinics and therapy for a couple of weeks now, getting blood transfusions and all the good stuff. All her white cells are eating her cells, causing 2 different blood diseases? She's been doing therapy at home, pretty weak, but actually feeling a bit better. Says she's around and eating but down to 110 lbs. That's pretty much it in a nutshell. So keep her in your prayers!

Cami - holding you in our thoughts!!!

Elle - I second Goldies comment - enjoy that glass of wine. Maybe just don't have 5 right now. Edited to say I have a gin & tonic almost every night - except when I bourbon & branch in the winter. Several times a week I also have a glass of wine with dinner. My oncologist told me about a doc friend of his who was getting cancer infusions & wanted to continue drinking. His recommendation was maybe cut back on the day of the infusions.

NO GUILT!!!!! You didn't cause this - unless you want to feel guilty for being a woman.

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Hump Day!Ok, I just scared myself, was typing along and had to stop and look at my phone to figure out if it was Tuesday or Wednesday! This COVID thing is pounding us here in Maine. Every day we've got more kiddos out in quarantine because a family member has tested positive, and kiddos being sent home with symptoms that need to test before coming back to school who can't get a test appointment for 2 to 3 days, and then not getting results back for several days more. And we just about get the pooled testing program up and running and there's a rule change that sets everything back. The adults are worried/afraid of the delta variant making the vaccine seem to be not helpful, and worried about being exposed while at school and not knowing about it. Adults are afraid to touch the children, the children are starving for physical connection. I swear some of the kiddos coming to be for bandaids for bleeding only they can see are really coming in because I will touch them! My brain is exhausted and my heart is hurting for everyone.

Sadie says I'm trying to fix things that I can't fix. I tried to tell her I know I can't fix all this, but I can make it better, a little easier for everyone. Sadie says that's ok as long as she gets her full ration of belly rubs every day. Hedonist.

Goldie--I should have told Sadie that farting in my face was not funny, but I was laughing so hard at her expression and the way she flounced up to the pillows and flopped over that I just couldn't be upset with her. I haven't laughed that hard in ages! Which was probably her intent.

Misty--there is a bus driver shortage here, too, but it existed before COVID. It's worse now after the 20/21 school year cut bus routes and laid off bus drivers because so many children were in remote learning. Now we need all those drivers back plus more to manage the increase in bus routes so as to have fewer children on the but together. There are drivers out with COVID or in quarantine, too, which certainly isn't helping.In my district, in the elementary schools, all teachers and staff stay until 15 minutes after all the children are gone,although we can leave earlier with the principal's ok. Getting the kiddos out and headed home isn't running late, for some reason that is a morning run problem they are working on. All this does seem like living in a disaster movie, doesn't it?

Elle--I'll agree Sadie didn't NEED any more belly rubs, but she made me laugh and I just couldn't help myself. But we will have a talk about manners very soon! All this time I thought I was the only one who liked some of the cheaper wines just as much or more than some of the expensive ones! I'm not a connoisseur, either, but I know what I like when I taste it. When it comes to pairings, my tastes seem to be rather unconventional. ChiSandy is a true connoisseur and an expert at pairings, you'll enjoy her wine and food posts.

Goldie--I was taught that filing nails smooth after trimming was part of the trimming process, does the doc not do that? One thing about working with kids that I do miss is giving food massages. Fun and easy to do, gave me time to get to just chat with people and really get to know them, and be doing something that isn't embarrassing, uncomfortable, or medical. Thanks for the Cammy update.

Morning, Illi!

Well said, Minus!

Reader--I really believe Sadie did that on purpose just to make me laugh and to tell me to chill out, and it worked very well! The stress level from COVID is what it is, and is going to be high for some time to come. On top of the stress of the start of school, and this is my first year doing this part of the job, things are pretty tense. BUT, we all know that it will settle as time goes on and the school routines get worked out.I am also a big coffee fan, and just love a cup of coffee with a shot of Kahlua or Baileys, or Rumchata.

DOTD:

Coffee with a shot of your choice!

I had a less than market pour of merlot this evening. If I had been in a wine bar and paid for it, I’d have been annoyed, but hubby poured it for me, so, okay! I don’t usually drink merlot, but tonight, it was amazing! I haven’t had a glass in many weeks. Feeling happy!🤗

Goldie - A little about myself: I’m 57, second time around bc, 44 first time, yep, 13 years later. No genetics, no Mets- a new type, no reasons, just the one who hits all the stats. I live in AZ too, on 1/2 acre, on the grid. I love animals and have a horse and a dog and 2 kids. I travel as much as I can and Covid has really put a crimp in my plans. Add this bc and I had to cancel an October trip to London and the Cotswolds. Ah well, I’m sure things will improve in the future.

Minus2- my fave reisling is Chateau St Michel, sweet harvest. $7.99 a bottle, discounted if you buy 6 or more! Certainly a summer wine, and I’m partial to the 14 Hands smooth red blend because, well, there’s a horse on the label? These things are important!😂

Reader, if I only had my phone to post with, I most likely wouldn't post!

NM, I wonder if that little one came in saying she had Covid symptoms cuz she knew she would get to stay home. Could become a new trend for the kiddos!

Elle, where in AZ are you? Sorry you find yourself dealing with RB (rat basTURD) yet again, but I guess it's better than mets. I have a wine bottle out of a winery in Moab that has a horse on it. I'll take a picture.

Still getting stuff done around the house and watching Michigan weather, so I know what to pack.

Elle, welcome! Fellow oenophile (that's a wino with a bank account) here. Your second dx is very much like mine: IDC, Stage IA, Grade 2. (This time out they'll likely prescribe an AI rather than tamoxifen). I too am fond of Costco's NZ Sauv. Blancs. As for Ch. Ste. Michelle, I used to live in Seattle and practice law in Bellevue, east of Lake Washington, as well as the district courts in those Eastside 'burbs & exurbs. When I had morning traffic court call in North Bend (just w. of the Cascades), for lunch I'd drive west to Woodinville and get a half-bottle of Ste. Michelle (was not a fan of Columbia Crest across the road), plus a small salami, baguette and hunk of cheese and picnic out on the lawn (of course I brought leftovers home).

When I was in college in Brooklyn, my family used to go up to Washingtonville's Brotherhood Winery. It was mostly sweet plonk but still pleasant. I discovered good--especially French--wine in the months after I graduated from law school. Nordstrom's had just transitioned from being just the shoe store "Nordstrom Best" into a full-fledged dept. store with a wine dept. It began doing themed tastings--the first one I attended was Burgundy and the second was cru Beaulolais. My law school's chaplain was Jeff Smith (later the Frugal Gourmet) and his wife Patty went to those tastings. After that, a fine wine shop--Esquin--in Pioneer Sq. hosted some serious tastings: prestige cuvee Champagnes, Madeiras, Sherries, and Medocs. That truly spoiled me--and the Chicago area, to which we moved in '78, had some very serious tasting opps. as well. My very first trip to Europe was with a wine merchant and his trainee salesman: Rheingau, Nahe, Burgundy, Loire, Charente and Bordeaux.

My taste in rieslings runs to the dry ones: Alsace, Leelanau/Traverse area of MI, Willamette Valley, and some CA ones (most recently, Fess Parker out of Paso Robles). As our sisters here know, we used to have a marvelous wine-centric bistro w/in an easy walk of me called Broadway Cellars (later Cellars Bar & Grill). It hosted bimonthly winemaker pairing dinners (CA, OR, France, Italy, Spain) and--pre-pandemic--monthly "20 for $20" tastings, featuring 20 wines and all the paired buffet food you could eat for $20, with discounts on wine purchases. Between those tastings and dinners, about half the wines in our cellars came from Cellars (with the rest mostly bubblies from Mumm Napa's club, red blends from the late great Signorello in Napa--it burned down twice, Williams-Selyem pinot noir, and LaSpinetta in Tuscany (we toured there in 2016). I so miss traveling--both foreign & domestic. (Hoping our next trip to NYC is long enough to rent a car and head off to the North Fork L.I. wineries). Sadly, Cellars closed its doors on Labor Day--it couldn't make a go of it being open only 4 days a week and couldn't expand its hours because of staffing shortages plaguing the hospitality industry. It was also our go-to for celebrations & commiserations (yes, even the repast after my FIL's funeral) for its entire 15 years.

Have been dining home alone the past few days, so teetotaling. Bob got home late, so we headed to Fireside (open till 1 am, al fresco dining). DOTD was Mionetto Rosé Prosecco and for Bob, the 14 Hands red blend (and when we got home, decaf cappuccino out on our deck).

Kim, had to laugh at the "soap mom uses." My mom used to use merthiolate--which stung like crazy, when the mercurochrome, iodine and Bactine other moms used didn't. She was of the firm belief that if it didn't sting, it wasn't working. I noticed my neighborhood CVS still sells merthiolate. (I use the "liquid bandage," which does sting).

The FDA did recommend an EUA for boosters for those >65 or at high risk of severe disease. (It didn't mention immunocompromise). So I needn't feel guilty about having gotten mine. Only wish Moderna had come out sooner with its advice to give half rather than full doses as boosters--not because my side effects might have been milder and more transient, but because someone else at risk could have gotten half my dose.

I have most of last night's prime rib left over. If I'm eating alone tonight (Bob's partner, whose fibromyalgia and anxiety over her b.c.--same stage & grade as mine--is retiring and he's getting much more work and coming home later), I may Coravin a pinot noir. Thus far, my fave coffee is Dark Matter's "A Love Supreme" med. roast blend. (The company is Black-owned; when I can't get my usual Metropolis Red Line espresso beans, I use Dark Matter's "Unicorn Blood" espresso).

Speaking of coffee, my new 14-oz. Ember e-mug (and the car charger for the travel version) came today. Can't pair it with the app yet, as the battery needs to charge first. I've gotten so spoiled by having coffee that's hot to the last drop! Been using Ember since 2017.

Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Saturday! Taking Sapphire in for an oil change this morning. Mom's getting together with a bunch of friends for supper tonight, wants me to come too, but I think I'm going to pass given the sky-high COVID transmission rate in the county where I work and the really high likelihood a lot of it is the Delta variant. All these people are older, most but not all are vaccinated, and I just do not want to be the one who brings it into their community right now.

We've got some serious fog going on right now. There's even a weather advisory up about thick fog in places. The ground is still pretty warm but the air is cooling off at night now. Fall is coming!

Sadie says Hi to everyone!

Chi--My Mom was of a similar mind, if it didn't sting it wasn't working, and if taking care of something didn't hurt, we'd be less inclined to make up injuries just to get attention. Ah, coffee hot to the last sip is a true luxury!

Hot White Russian

Ingredients

• ▢ 4oz.(2 parts) freshly brewed coffee
• ▢ 2oz.(1 part) Kahlua
• ▢ 2oz.(1 part) whole milk
• ▢ 1oz.(1/2 part) vodka (I like Grey Goose)
• ▢ Whipped cream for topping (optional, I guess…but add the whipped cream!)

Instructions

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients and heat until warm (I recommend 150-155°F). Do not boil.
• Pour into mugs and serve immediately, topped with whipped cream, if desired.

From <https://www.rachelcooks.com/hot-white-russian/#wprm-recipe-container-28728>

Goldie - hope you have a wonderful trip to see your kiddos & family - but my what a LONG day to get there. Also hope you'll be able to de-stress and not worry about your DH the whole time you're gone.

Edited to say - oh NM - I want a White Russian right NOW and I haven't had breakfast yet.

Good Morning, Loungettes!I got a nice surprise yesterday, took Sapphire in for an oil change and tire rotation and such, and it was free!I had totally forgotten that I got a year of free routine servicing! That made my morning. Sadie was not impressed that I didn't remember the free service for a year thing, but she doesn't have anywhere near as much stuff to remember as I do!

Goldie--have a safe and fun trip!

Minus--I say go for the Hot White Russian, before breakfast or not, it's coffee, after all!

Ellie--Here in the HTL we tell the Tenders what we like and want, they make sure to keep it in stock for us! There is a huge push to keeping kids in school full time, in person here, too, but it's about to blow up in our faces.Lots of schools are doing pooled testing because participating students do not have to quarantine FROM SCHOOL, but do have to quarantine FROM THE COMMUNITY. Many parents are not doing the community quarantine part "if they can go to school they can go to day care, after school programs, parties, shopping, whatever."I can see it starting to run through the community like a wildfire already, and all the added confusion is not going to help any. It's going to be a very long and busy year contact tracing and monitoring isolations and quarantines. As to the new diagnosis, I can understand wantingmore of the lymph nodes removed, and wishing there was a way to determine if those nasty micromets are from the first or second tumor. There just seems to be no easy way to get through this journey for anyone. Having confidence in your treatment team is a very good thing, I'm glad you have that.

Sea of Confusion

Ingredients

• 1 ounce Hamilton Jamaican pot-still gold rum
• 1/2 ounce Clear Creek pear brandy
• 1/4 ounce yellow Chartreuse
• 1/4 ounce Cappelletti amaro sfumato rabarbaro
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 3/4 ounce passion fruit syrup
• 6 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1/2 ounce Lemon Hart 151 rum
• Garnish: mint sprig

Steps

1. Add the first six ingredients to a footed pilsner glass over pebble ice and swizzle.
2. Add the bitters and Lemon Hart 151 rum to top.
3. Garnish with a large mint sprig.

From <https://www.liquor.com/recipes/sea-of-confusion/>

No, Hah! Good Morning sweet Kim! I'm always here, even when I don't post anything.... Gotta read what my gals have to say.

Things are just a little rough lately.... It's hard thinking of losing my Brother Kenny... He was one of those who didn't want the vaccine..... And he paid for it with his life.... At least I got to say "good-bye" right before he passed away. The nurse took his phone into him, laid it on his pillow, and I talked loud, and told him I loved him, and to hang in there, and that I would always be with him....

An hour later, his Daughter texted me while we were in the store, and told me he was gone.... It just hurts so much.... but I have a place in my garden for memories, and an urn with his ashes.... so I like to think I still have him with me...

And then things are not so easy here at home.... trying my best to take care of things, to help my Husband, and keep us both from being frustrated.... or mad.... or sad.... and to just enjoy every day we have together, right?

Also trying to clean out a bunch of stuff we've accumulated in all our 66 years of marriage! Our anniversary is next week, and I thank God for our lives together!!! And pray for a million more tomorrow's!

As to drinking, Sat. night Bob & I grilled--we had some more of that Meiomi Pinot Noir.

Yesterday, we went to the Bears season opener at Soldier Field. I had not planned on drinking--but the near-2-mile walk from the train to our seats had me panting & sweating (I even sweated off the Flector patches I had put on my back; when I went to the rest room at halftime, as soon as I pulled down my jeans the patches fell to the floor), and the seats (while being on the 50-yd line in the club level) were so high up & steep that we were afraid to go get refreshments due to fear of losing our balance while carrying drinks or food while trying to walk. But it was brutally hot up there. So when the beer guy came around, I eagerly got a Miller Lite (3.2gm net carb). At halftime, Bob got an IPA (the drink line took forever due to one guy's credit cards getting rejected) and I got a club soda with lime. The ice in it perfectly chilled the remaining beer, and the lime made it taste great.

We walked back (in the heat, feet & back aching) to Mercat a la Planxa, only to find it no longer is open Sun. & Mon. So we walked further north to Russian Tea Time. I had a split of Möet Brut Imperial, and Bob had a "Beluga" brand vodka flight and then a 2019 Georgian white wine (a Rkatseli/Mtsvane varietal blend called "Do-Re-Mi"), which looked deep orange like an oxidized & sweet Tokaj but tasted fresh & bone-dry. We were famished and parched. When we got home (took the train, just aa we did in the morning), I had seltzer and coffee and went to bed early; slept >10 hrs.!

Oh, and the Bears won! (Hence the bubbly).

Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Hump Day!

Tenders, please pop a shot of something yummy in my coffee, please!

Maybe the smell of fresh coffee brewing will wake us all up.

Morning Kim! Hah! Kind of quiet around these parts, right? It's just so nice to stop by here and hear what everyone else is up to! Takes my mind off of things that aren't so fun, right?

I read that just maybe we can go in for a booster shot now? I was beginning to think we weren't old enough yet...

This whole year or more of Covid is just wearing us down. Even though we've been vaccinated, we still are afraid to go out much. We go out early to the store, and don't hang around places like we used to.

And then losing my brother because he didn't believe in the vaccinations, is just hard. I have a special place in one of my gardens for his urn with ashes, and the huge rock he helped us bring down out of the mountains and beautiful statue & plaque that Sheri sent us... just a place to think of him...

Hi Kim I so enjoy reading your posts. Sadie reminds me of Sillie Sammy our gray kitty. Always up for playtime and being a little wierd!

Chevy I am terribly sorry about your brother. We just lost a dear friend of my husband's, same reason. 60 years old and in Kidney failure. But no vaccine. DH was friends with him for 40 years.

Two day brightening pics for you. A wonderful portabello stuffed caprese salad I made recently. Pretty and tasty. And our kitty. The other is shyer and hard to capture.