M, you could never be offensive. I think you are getting the rain I think, that we just had for the last couple of days. Been chilly here, just in the 50's. Oh dear on the parents sending the child back to school early, yikes.

ED, I'm sorry for hurting heart, wish I could give you a real hug.

Sandy, sounds like you got your exercise in going to that game.

Had a busy day yesterday with my brother and his partner visiting and my son came after work. Played games and had pizza. Same brother is coming back today. One of my GF's is coming tomorrow, and then everyone on Saturday, so about 12 people I think.

Kim - sorry, I got busy drinking last night (LOL) Well, not really but it seemed appropriate for this thread. Shameful about the parent lying & sending the kid to school. Have you retired your canoe for the season?

Chevy - great to see you posting more. You're one of the first people I followed 10 years ago. I'm so sorry to read about your DH. And your brother.

I made it out of the liquor store today w/o breaking the bank. Bought two bottle of a red wine that I tasted several weeks ago - Crimson Thread. It's a red blend from CA - and of course they don't have to tell you all the wines included. But the label says: Our red blend has luscious aromas of dark cherry, blackberry & blueberry. Tempting hints of brown sugar spice are complemented by supple notes of vanilla & a round velvety finish. $8.99

I've been having trouble with extreme dry mouth at night. Yup - I have spray Biotene from my chemo days, but by the time I wake up enough to spray - I'm awake for several hours. One of the causes can be alcohol so I'm keeping a diary. If I drink gin & tonic, no problem. If I add white wine, maybe just minor problems. But when add a glass of red wine at dinner - Katie Bar The Door. My tongue gets literally glued to the top of my mouth. Lots of other potential causes - like a bag of potato chips at 9pm or my new carpet - but I've about decided the primary cause is AGE. Thank heavens a glass of Amarula at 9pm doesn't seem to trip it.

Good Morning, Loungettes! TGIF, TGIF, it's been an exciting week at school. Lots of COVID craziness early in the week, then a Lockdown Wednesday afternoon. Dismissing all the kiddos with a driveway full of police and sherriff's vehicles is an experience I would just as soon not repeat. It went smoothly enough, but created a lot of anxiety, understandably. Not being able to tell anyone what was going on was really hard. Fortunately, all ended well, threatening person located and served no-trespassing paperwork, threatened person (an adult) unharmed. Reminds us all why it's so important to keep the doors locked and someone in the front office at all times.

Sadie's response to the big story was for me to take her to work (not allowed due to health regulations) so she can take care of troublesome peoples. She changed her mind when I pointed out that she would have to get up with me in the ayems and not go back to bed after breakfast!

Chevy--I'm still sorting through the booster research. Not sure what the final outcome is going to be on that. I can't imagine booster shots going over very popularly when so many states are having to mandate vaccination for healthcare workers and the fed having to mandating vaccination for all employers with more than 100 employees. Personally, I'd like to see 80% of the world population vaccinated for the first time before we start worrying about booster shots, but that's just my opinion. Losing your brother must be so very hard. I can't imagine losing my brother. I've gone back to not going out very much myself, with the transmission rate so very high here right now. and I'm masking in public places, indoors anyway. The place in your garden to remember your brother sounds really special and beautiful.

Hello Friday

Ingredients

Ice cubes

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons spicy ginger ale (such as Blenheim)

1 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) 100-proof bourbon (such as Old Grand-Dad Bonded)

1 teaspoon Angostura bitters

Directions

"A Place for Kenny" in my back garden! His urn with ashes is under the arch, and a few things that remind me of him...

Misty - turns out there are any number of causes for dry mouth - researched at Mayo - starting with sleeping on your back (which I went to great & difficult pains to learn after my mastectomy) to possible gastrointestinal reflux (which of course is a serious symptom of possible esophageal cancer), and then of course aging. I confirmed with the periodontist that the high acid content in my saliva can cause teeth & mouth problems, but is not likely to cause whole system problems (like liver). Big sigh.

I'm cutting out the wine & back to drinking gin & tonics because: 1) not much problems with dry mouth - but even more important; 2) the juniper berries keep me 'regular'.

Chevy - you've created a lovely memory tribute to your brother. Thanks for sharing.

I too am hoping things are going better for Cami.

Bob just got home--so we opened a bottle of Mumm Napa Deveaux Ranch brut 2016.

NM - I saw a sign today that made me think of you:

"I saw my neighbor talking to her cat; It was obvious that she thought her cat understood...

SO I went and told my dog... We laughed a lot."

Missing Goldie & Jazzy!!

Jazzy - delicious but aren't you breaking your hiatus?

Hi friends- I am back! Started lurking this week and felt ready to return to all the social media sites (FB too) where I have been taking a break. September has been a busy month, but maybe some more fun in it than I have had in awhile. I went to my fav hot springs over Labor Day weekend which just reopened in August after a fire last year, got to the state fair (you have to provide proof of vaccination), been catching up with friends and starting to enjoy some cooler weather finally. It was in the 90s through most of the month until just this past week, which unfortunately has become the norm anymore. But now it finally feels like fall.

Also been catching up with some friends for some one on one time lately which has been fun. Chi wants to know about that martini and it was an extra dry vodka martini (with Titos) shaken, with olives. I met a friend for dinner last night at a place I love here and have not been to in awhile and it was just the best. We did the whole thing from cocktails, to apps, salad, dinner, desert, wine and after dinner drinks. I have not had a really good meal like that in a long time (maybe since before the pandemic?) Total treat. I have a few more dinners planned in the next few weeks.

Balloon fiesta is coming up next weekend and the city is getting more traffic with out of state folks coming in. It's an outdoor event for the most part (except for the museum which has some events) but people are shoulder to shoulder at this event so not a place I will be hanging out. I never go to the field unless people are visiting anyways. I know the city and the state can use the tourism dollars and hope everyone can have a good time and stay safe, but a bit worried this could be a super spreader. Our Covid numbers are up and hospital ICUs have been over capacity for awhile, with higher death rates again. I plan to enjoy the balloons just floating around my hood like I usually do.

And then there is work, we are in the final months of this phase of this project and god willing I will be off this thing before Thanksgiving. I also am taking that entire week off and it will my first full week off since I started this job last October. And I am about a month out now from my year anniversary at which time I will get a small raise (3%), and some more benefits including some matching on my retirement fund. I don't have any big plans for Thanksgiving week outside of some routine medical things I need to get taken care of without the pressure at work. I may go up to Santa Fe or Taos for a quick junket after the holiday, but going to wait a bit before I decide on that. I made more plans for hot springs at Xmas time, my fav thing to do as you know.

My sister is doing a bit better as time goes on. She has been back to work PRN but her old job is trying to get her to commit to a regular PT job with benefits (which she doesn't need). I told her to think carefully as it will tie her down more and probably better for them than for her. She likes having the flexibilty of PRN and saying no if she cannot take on something. She is taking a trip back east to our home state next week and has some nice plans to visit friends and family in a pretty time of the year on the east coast. We talked about doing something for Xmas but neither one of us wants to get on a plane for the holiday so we are both doing our own thing.

I will share a few more photos from my month next and hope you enjoy!

Apparently I didn't post this yesterday:

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Sunday Funday! Waking up to rain here, at least we won't' be going into winter in drought conditions. And better rain than snow. Sadie was pretty disgusted this ayem when she went out for her ayem potty trip. How a dog that loves water in ponds, puddles, and lakes can dislike wet grass and rain so much baffles me.

Minus--LOL!I can just picture that happening!

Jazzy--looks like you are having fun!

Chi--my vet was doing the closed lobby thing, call on arrival, tech would come get the pet, but we could pay using a card over the phone. They had just opened up to allow one pet parent to come in with the pet aftercheck in by phone, straight back to the exam room, and check out from the exam room, then straight out of the building. They've gone back to no pet parents inside due to the surge. Two weeks ago I went in with Sadie, yesterday I couldn't.More and more businesses are re-instating masking requirements and social distancing, a few have even restarted limiting the number of customers inside at a time.The Dinner -Dance sounds like a really good time. Too bad so many people opted out.

One Dance Cocktail

Recipe

• 1 1/ 2ounces Empress Gin
• 3/ 4ounce Lillet
• 1/ 2ounce St Germain
• 1/ 2ounce Lemon Juice
• 1/ 2ounce Simple Syrup, 2:1 ratio
• 2dashes Bittered Sling Celery bitters

Method

• Step 1
  Shake well and pour over crushed ice.

From <https://thefeedfeed.com/cheerstohappyhour/one-dance-cocktail-with-gin-lillet-and-lemon-juice>

Good morning all. I've been lurking to keep up but not taking time to comment. We've been pretty busy lately. Older son, wife and their youngest daughter have now moved to South America. Their company made reservations for their flight with an airline that will not fly pets in the cabin to their new country, so their min pin is currently with us under the care of their oldest daughter (she is job searching for a job in publishing with little response so far; she does have a part time job here in town). They are coming to the US for a company meeting next month and the dog will travel to them to fly to their new home on a more accommodating airline!

Younger son whose scans had shown NEAD chose to do a second round of chemo, "just in case". He only received two of the four doses because three of their kids got Covid (2 11 year old sixth graders and a vaccinated college freshman who came home to isolate), in sequence, of course to extend the time. In his words " the cancer center wouldn't let me in the door until I finished quarantine! " Since it had been several weeks from his last treatment, he had a PET scan last week in which one lymph node lit up. Plan is to try the four rounds of chemo again and if need be to radiate that node.

Then last Friday our elderly, blind dog apparently had a stroke and we had to put him down. We are down to two dogs for now and will be to one after the min pin leaves the second week in October.

Minus, my dog agrees!!

NM, what is it about dogs and wet feet? I've seen our dogs practically cross their legs to avoid going out in the wet!

Jazzy, always love your balloon pictures.

Goldie, hope you are having a great visit.

Chevy, what a lovely memory garden for your brother.

Thinking of Cami. Has anyone heard any updates?

Still masking here and limiting contact with others. Have recently had record Covid numbers but end of last week reports were indicating a downward trend. Will get today's county report tomorrow morning to find out what happened over the weekend. Our county public health office publishes an online report at 6:30 am the morning after each day the office is open.

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Twofer Tuesday! I think things are settling down a bit at school now, got through an entire Monday without having to put out any fires, just the usual stuff I've come to expect. Listened in on the School Board meeting last night, that was rather entertaining. Sadie wasn't impressed, though. Apparently I stopped belly rubbing too often while listening!

Beaver--Good luck and prayers for the older son's family in South America. I'm glad they found a safe way to get their pup with them! Praying for younger son, too. So hard to balance treatment and isolation/quarantines. And so sorry to hear about the passing of the elder dog. So hard, losing a pet. I don't know what it is about dogs and wet feet, either! But it's kind of funny. I'm still masking and limiting my movements, gone back to grocery pick up rather than going in and shopping. I tend to save money that way, too, so bonus! Numbers starting to come down, but both the county I work in and the one I live in are still in the red.

Morning, Illi!

Conference Cocktail

Ingredients:

1/2 ounce Rittenhouse 100 Rye

1/2 ounce Bourbon, such as Buffalo Trace

1/2 ounce calvados

1/2 ounce cognac, such as Hine

1 teaspoon demerara syrup

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 dash Bittermens xocolatl mole bitters

Garnish:

1 lemon twist

1 orange twist

Preperation:

Step 1

Stir all the ingredients over ice, then strain into a double rocks glass over 1 large ice cube. Garnish with the lemon and orange twists.

From <https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/conference-51254530>

NM,

Good Morning!

I just returned from a 4 week time out from the threads.

A hummer at the flowers and 38*F.

Time for me to skim prior posts.

It's definitely NOT fall in Houston, and I usualyy only drink bourbon in the winter. But I treated myself to an old timey bourbon & coke last night. Tasted delicious.

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Thirsty Thursday! Had a relatively calm day at school yesterday, which was nice. I'm beginning to feel like I'm getting a handle on things and getting truly organized. District-wise, another batch of students and some staff went into quarantine at the high school and middle school again yesterday. I think both are in outbreak status, now. Praying I don't have to deal with an outbreak in my school, but with so many connections to the middle school and high school it's probably just a matter of time.

Sadie says Hi to everyone!

Teka--welcome back, I hope you enjoyed your time out from the threads! 38 degrees? Brrrr!

Morning, Jazzy!

Minus--nothing like a nice treat, is there?

Autumn Apple Bourbon Fizz

Ingredients

• orange wedges for the glass
• 1/2cinnamon + 1 tablespoon sugar for the rim
• 3tablespoonsapple butter
• 2ouncesbourbon
• pinchof cinnamon
• 4 to 6ounceschilled ginger ale or ginger beer
• fresh figs for garnish

Instructions

• Rim your glass with a wedge of citrus. I like orange but lemon or lime work too! Stir together the cinnamon and sugar on a plate. Dip the rim in the cinnamon sugar.
• Fill a shaker glass with ice. Add the apple butter, bourbon and a pinch of cinnamon. Shake well for 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into the glass. Fill the glass with ginger ale or ginger beer and serve!

From <https://www.howsweeteats.com/2018/10/apple-butter-cocktail/>