how about drinking?

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Thirsty Thursday! The Wednesday, Women, and Wine ladies got together last evening at a little winery near where I live. We reserved one of the fire pit tables, comes with a tasting of a choice of 4 wines, makings for s'mores, and a glass of wine of choice. We booked 2 hours back to back because I knew one hour would not be enough for us to sip and gab. We each got a personal sized cheese plate, too. We planned this for October thinking it would be cool and the fire would be nice, not thinking it would be 75 degrees! The temp did drop a bit when the sun went down and made the fire feel really nice. This little place makes mostly fruit wines, tending toward the sweet end of the spectrum, which I really like. For all that the rest of the group tends to prefer dryerwines I noticed that every one of us bought at least one bottle on the way out!

Sadie was miffed that I was home so late. She was asleep on the bed when I got home, cracked one eye and glared at me when I woke her up, and simple did not move off the pillows. I went back to the living room and opened mail and read a little, when I went to go to bed Silly Sadie had shifted so she was lying right down the middle of the bed, head and tail and feet stretched out, taking up just as much room as possible. I had to fit myself around her to get under the duvet. At least she gave me the pillows!

Goldie--yeah, the staff that put the masks on when the see me are starting to really irritate and anger me. I just know I'm going to say something one of these times they come to asking if a particular kiddo should be in school or needs to be tested. I keep thinking "You can't be that concerned, you won't keep a mask on, even when you are sick and know it. So quit picking on the kiddos." I'd like to be a fly on the wall in a couple of decades, too. This generation that doesn't have to get shots or go to school or whatever if they don't want to are going to be in an interesting position if they don't have working parents to support them since they won't want to go to work, or pay bills, or do anything but play video games. And my goodness, what you went through to get DH back up off the gravel! That was a lot of quick thinking and problem-solving. It's probably naughty of me, but I wish that had happened while company was there to see what it's like and what kinds of challenges you two are facing. I hope the solar battery issue was an easy one to fix.

Chevy--Your outing sounds like a wonderful time for the both of you! That prayer is wonderful one for many, many situations. I bet it's helped a immense number of people.

Morning, Jazzy!

Listening to the news, another nursing home is transitioning out of long term care, closing 60 out of 86 beds, transitioning them to assisted living due to "MaineCare payments fail to cover the costs of employing front-line workers, and the number of unvaccinated workers."

From <https://www.wabi.tv/2021/10/13/colonial-healthcare-lincoln-will-begin-closing-long-term-nursing-care-services-60-its-86-beds/>

So much for all the talking head saying the vaccination mandate won't affect health care staffing.

Change the vaccination mandate to an immunity mandate like all the other diseases and watch healthcare workers come back.

Fire Pit Pact Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 ounce KOVAL Barreled Gin
• 1 ounce KOVAL Barreled Peach Brandy
• ½ ounce honey syrup
• 4 drops ginger bitters
• Juice of ½ Meyer lemon

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass over ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist

To make honey syrup: Heat ½ cup of honey and ½ cup of water in a small pot at low heat. Stir frequently until honey dissolves to avoid boiling. Allow to cool and store excess in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

From <https://ediblechicago.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/fire-pit-pact-cocktail>

ED, I'm glad you and DH got out for a little bit. My DH can no longer use a cane. Nothing exciting, but at least you got out. My DH can no longer use a cane. My son has the Serenity Prayer tatooed on his forarm.

Thank you Jazzy, you are always so sweet.

NM, that Sadie girl cracks me up! That's what you get for staying out late...LOL. Glad you had fun with the girls. Love the wine glass, but not sure about cinnamon in wine. You will have to let us know. If someone else had been here, I wouldn't have had to do so much to get DH up! As for staff not wearing masks, do you have meetings? Could it be brought up there "in general", as to not point fingers. Or and email sent out, staff letter? One of the cities here had to go back to home schooling due to staff shortage and bus drivers, all sick from Covid.

Our solar guy came out, he said those 4 batteries were shot, and the rest may not last but about 6 months, we have 24 total. So DH has been shopping for those, they are not cheap, $800 each. Good news, we only need about 8-10 of them. I've been shredding paper, as we have stuff from as early as 2002. Business stuff, mainly orders. But it has peoples credit card numbers on them. Granted they are expired, but our name is on those papers too.

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy TGIF day! Student Led Conference day today, so no kiddos in the building today, so I'm planning to get some filing done and some other things that I have a hard time doing with steady interruptions. I broke a record this week, Tuesday or Wednesday I had 14 office visits from 12 kiddos. Prior record was 12 visits. Let us hope this record holds for a bit!I have one student in quarantine due to a parent being positive, student is symptomatic and getting tested, so I may have my first positive coming up. The sister school dodged the bullet, the sibling there tested negative. This stuff is getting SO tiresome!

Looks like the Moderna vaccine third dose has been approved, at the half dose level. I'm glad the dose is reduced considering how I felt after the second dose. It wasn't too, too bad, but it wasn't fun, either. One of today's tasks will be to find out when the booster dose will be available in Maine.

Sadie say Woof to everyone! She had to nudge me along to get out of bed this ayem. I'm just a bit tired out for some reason.

Goldie--I love cinnamon, and love the cinnamon in the wine. I sometimes add cinnamon to the coffee beans after grinding. I will gorge myself sick on cinnamon rolls given the chance. I'm just crazy about the stuff! I have done a couple of all staff emails, one about masking specifically, and one about RSV with a strong message about masking in it. Hmm, maybe I should use the 15% absenteeism to put out another email and talk about masking. I"ve missed this month's staff meeting, but I can get on next month's. Wow, those batteries are expensive puppies! Sounds like you have a lot of shredding. Do you use the shredded paper in your garden? I hear a lot of people do that. That prayer looks great in that tattoo.

Illi--thanks, I think the glasses are great fun. My favorite blueberry wine is from a winery in Bar Harbor, just outside Acadia National Park.

Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned with Muddled Blood Orange

Ingredients

• 1ozrich cinnamon simple syrup(see recipe below)
• 1/2ozlemon juice
• 3ozbourbon
• 3-4blood orange peels
• Dashes orange bitters
• 2cinnamon sticks,for garnish
• Ice cubes

Rich Cinnamon Simple Syrup (Makes 1 Pint)

• 2cupsgranulated sugar
• 1cupwater
• 1cinnamon stick

Instructions

To make the cocktail:

• Muddle the blood orange peels in the bottom of a cocktail shaker, releasing their oils. Add the cinnamon simple syrup, lemon juice, and bourbon along with two ice cubes to the shaker. Shake until chilled. Pour over ice into two rocks glasses, adding a dash of orange bitters to each. Garnish with the muddled orange peel and a cinnamon stick to serve.

To make the syrup:

• Combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the cinnamon stick. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup has thickened slightly.
• Remove from heat, leaving the cinnamon stick to seep, and allow to cool. Transfer the syrup and cinnamon stick to a sterile jar or bottle and store in the fridge for 4-6 weeks.

From <https://feastinthyme.com/cinnamon-spiced-old-fashioned/#wprm-recipe-container-2903>

Morning BabyGirl.

NM, I hope your student tests negative. Good luck on the staff and masking! I'm not a cinnamon nut, but do like it. I do not use the paper in the garden as there are lots of staples.

Jazzy, I'll have some, but you can keep the jalapeno!

Awfully quiet in here. Where is everyone?

I'm noticing changes in DH, almost monthly. He now needs help dressing, he can't sit at the bar to eat, has to sit at the table. He used to be able to stand at the island and fix his plate, not anymore. I have to set everything on the table for him. His naps used to be 45 min. to an hour. Now it's closer to 2 hours. He see's his doctor first part of November. And I have scans, not looking forward to that. But it's been almost 2 years since I've had any.

Take those to Staples or Office Depot next time you are in Flagstaff Goldie

Good Morning, Loungettes!Well, it's happened. Got a positive COVID case in my school. The news came in about 2 peeyem. Not a school transmission, child caught it from a parent, as did the siblings, so there are related positive cases in the middle school and the high school. I wound up quarantining all of the 4th and 5th grades, half the school.Around 40 close contacts so far with more to come from the bus ride exposures. Thank God Above that all the adults involved are vaccinated and don't have to quarantine. Needless to say my easy afternoon of filing and drawer cleaning out didn't happen. Did get some other stuff done before the stinky stuff impacted the rotating blades, though.

Sadie was not pleased with me getting home so late again--almost 7 peeyem as opposed to the usual 4:30-5 peeyem. I sat down with our usual Friday night pizza and blathered on about the positive case and the adults who aren't making properly, and how many families I talked to that are going to be struggling to find child care or have to give up work hours, and how COVID needs to just GO AWAY, and on and on. She snuck a slice of pizza out of the box without me noticing, then dropped in my lap and looked at me as if to say "Yup, you had a bad day, Eat, you'll feel better." I was shocked silent, just looking at her for a moment, until she nudged the pizza and let me know that if I didn't pick it up she would eat it!And yes, I did give her another slice all for herself.

Jazzy--YUM!

Goldie--I didn't get lucky with this last test. But I was pretty well prepared, and the contact tracing work is mostly done, the initial CDC and DOE reports are in, and the big long close contact list is partially done to send in. Today I expect there will be lots of email work answering questions. I'm sorry to hear how DH is declining. That must be so hard to watch. I hadn't thought about the staples in the shredded paper, I guess I still have the old habit of tearing off any staples before shredding from back when the machines would get jammed up by them. And that in oneLOTS of shredding! Around here there is a company called SOS--Shredding on Site. They have a big truck that looks a lot like a garbage truck that they drive to sites, often offices but will stop at private homes, too, and shred papers and then take them away for disposal/recycling. I hear it's not cost effective for routine home use, but when a few boxes to shred it can be. I bet there's something like that inyour area. Sometimes it's worth it to pay to get a job done and out of the way.

Jazzy--I hadn't thought of taking the shredding to Staples, etc!

This seems appropriate even though we've had it before:

Quarantini Cocktail

Ingredients

• 3 oz vodka (or gin)
• 2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons water

Optional:

• 1 packet powdered vitamin c

Instructions

1. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave honey and water for 60 seconds and stir to combine. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Add 2 cups ice to a cocktail shaker.
2. Add vodka, lemon juice and honey mixture to a martini shaker. Whisk to combine. Then add ice to top.
3. Shake, and then strain into a chilled martini glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist if desired.

1. ADDING VITAMIN C: If you want to add vitamin c, you can add it directly to the shaker when you add the rest of the ingredients or you can rim the chilled martini glass with vitamin c.

From <https://thenovicechefblog.com/quarantini/>

Got the Pfizer booster yesterday. This shot is kicking my butt. More tomorrow 🙏

Good morning friends- she is rising like a phoenix from the ashes today! I got the booster on Friday as you saw above and this vax was much harder than the other 2. I had a sore arm developing on Friday but was able to work through the day okay, and went to bed early but woke up at midnight with the worst chills, headache and my arm was throbbing. I took some tylenol and went back to bed, and did not feel great in the morning but by early afternoon, the worst of it had passed. I ended up having to cancel yoga, an art gallery opening I was going to stop at to see a friend's showing, and a dinner last night. The friend who I was going to meet for dinner had the exact same problem though, she got the vax thursday and was very sick and was the one to postpone. Another friend also got hers Thursday and all of us have had a strong reaction so if you are planning to get one, just clear your schedule to be ready for what follows. I am glad I got it, as I need the protection!

Pushing through a lot of go lives right now and so looking forward to my week off in another month. Still no firm ending date for this, the people who want to figure that out keep postponing so I think my director may just say I will be with the project until a certain date, then he is moving me off. He told the other two they can continue on to finish it up. One of the people who has been involved with this and has been a thorn in our side told us Friday it was her last day (she has another job) and that was actually good news for us; will make our final time on this effort a bit more do-able. As you can probably tell, I am ready to get off of this thing asap......

Anyone heard from Cami lately?

Goldie- I feel for you sister with all you are dealing with around your health, DH's health changes, and family expectations. I know others have said it but it's time to say no to the expecations of others for you to host them, cook, clean up after their visit, etc. I have a mantra I tell myself whenever I have something coming at me that is too much and that is "I have done too much for too many for too long." I think it is true for almost every woman, we are just expected to keep giving and doing for others no matter what. Sometimes we have a hard time saying no to family, but they can be the worst with this stuff. I would flip the conversation to say you would love to see them but they need to figure out some accomodations somewhere else and if they want a meal, then they will have to help make it. Why not go out to eat? I know you may have some limitations with some of these things based on location, but it's worth putting it out there for some alternatives to have a holiday together without the burden of everything on you? It isn't a no then, it's a how about this instead.....

I have taken my bulk shredding to Staples here but expect they are all different. I think that price is about right but with the volume, it would be expensive. Unless you just drop off a bit at a time.

NM- I read your posts and enjoy hearing about the adventures at school. I can tell how good of a move this has been for you from the last few places you have been. Never a dull moment with the kiddos. How is school going with being back to work again? I am sure your schedule is very full. Sadie definately likes you at her beck and call. But you are her world so we can understand that she misses you a lot when you are not around? How is your mom doing? The wine and women group looked like great fun.

Ill- how are things going with your continued transition to west TX? Did you say you were having some scans again?

Chevy- I think you are finding some ways to help your DH with some things he enjoys. Walking is good, cinammon rolls even more so. Change of scenery always good. I hear the Denver area is getting weather, there was a bunch of snow up north last weekend that brought way more than the usual for this time of the year. Mountains here usually start getting some snow late Sept here but we have had a lot and earlier this year too. Our mountains here in the city (Sandias) got snow last weekend which is pretty early, but have seen it before in October. I hope we have a wet winter, we are hurting for water here, it's getting serious.

Teka- how are things in north country? Any pretty foliage?

Gotta get to some to dos and planning on swimming later today. Sunday afternoon swims are my favorites.

Have a good week ladies!

Ill- I will be in your pocket on 11/10 sister . Also wishing the best for your friend

Chevy- that is really hard sister, first your brother then his wife. That has to be devestating to the children. Double losses back to back are the worst, been there with family. Hugs sister.

Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Monday, it's not. Found out Saturday that even more students have to quarantine due to being exposed on the bus. That left my school with 9 students who don't need to quarantine. Needless to say, the school is going remote this week, except that the 9 not win quarantine can come to school if they want to. Which I personally think is a crazy idea, but I'm a nurse, not an educator. So I'm going in to the school to work, cuz I don't know if there will be any students there or not, and it's easier to manage everything from my desk where I have all my stuff.

Sadie is limping around, so I think she's hurt herself, although I can't imagine how or when. She's not eating her food, but will eat anything I'm eating, not sure if that is being spoiled or another sign something is wrong. At least she can still get up and down from the bed when she wants to. I'll be keeping an eye on her.

Goldie--When I went in Saturday afternoon to make more calls I expected to get some angry responses. I was really surprised, only one parent swore at me, a couple were angry but not with me, most were actually kind enough to thank me for working so hard for their kiddos! I couldn't believe it when Sadie gave me the piece of pizza, too!

Jazzy--glad you got your booster, sorry it's busting your butt. Hugs. Sorry to hear your friends had strong reactions, but glad to hear so many of you are getting the added protection. Sounds like the project is getting bogged down again. It will be good for you to have an end date, maybe that will motive the decision-makers to pick an end date and get moving. Even better that the thorn is gone! This has been a good work move for me, that's for sure. Even now with the mass quarantine in place, it's busy but not crazy. And I actually feel like I'm making a difference for some of the kiddos. Mom is doing well, she's getting together with some friends pretty regularly, I'm using the excuse of high COVID rates where I work to not join them for the bean suppers. The churches haven't restarted the bean suppers, they get together and each cooks something to bring and share. Mom usually cooks the beans. And I don't blame Sadie for wanting me home all the time. She really got used to that this summer.

Morning, Illi! Prayers for your friend.

Chevy--sounds like your mom and grandmom held to the old "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" saying! Your nieces have been through so much recently. I'm sure they are devastated. And yes, you do need to take care of yourself, all caregivers have a special responsibility to take care of themselves.

Chi--I'm sorry to hear the Happy is having digestive problems again. I know the worry when a pet isn't 100%. Thinking of Happy and you.

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Twofer Tuesday! Well, I got through yesterday at work but it was tense at times. The teachers had 2 hours to put together packets and gear for parents to come pick up, imagine 4 teachers trying to print off worksheets and info for 15 to 17 students and only 2 printer/copiers to work off. There was some serious grumbling going on! The principal did get the decision to let the 9 non-quarantined students to come to school changed, so everyone is going remote. What packets didn't get picked up (most of them) the Guidance Counselor delivered, it took her 4 hours! On the other hand, I didn't get as many calls with questions as I thought. I did get one call telling me there is another student who has tested positive. And given the number of symptomatic parents and kiddos there are, I'm betting there will be a lot more.

On the other hand, when I got home Sadie was back to her usual self. And up to her usual tricks.I put her arthritis medicine in her kibble in the mornings, and she hasn't been eating as much and not getting the pills regularly I realized, so before I left for work I give her the pills in peanut butter to make sure she got them in. So I think it was the arthritis bother her and not getting the meds regularly. So now we have a new step in the ayem routine, pills in peanut butter. Crushed up pills in peanut butter, so she doesn't suck off the peanut butter and spit out the pills!

Chi--oh my goodness, when it rains, it pours on you! What a collection of misadventures! Praying your back pain eases up very soon and nothing gets infected and Happy stays relatively well.

Rain Killer

Ingredients

• ¾ part Light rum
• ¾ part Aged rum
• ½ part Lime juice
• ½ part Orange juice
• ½ part Pineapple juice
• ½ part Simple syrup or Pineapple syrup
• 1 dash Aromatic bitters or Tiki bitters

Instructions

Shake all ingredients with crushed or pebble ice. Pour unstrained into a tall glass and garnish with mint, lime, krazy straw – the works.

From <https://cocktailpartyapp.com/drinks/rain-killer/>

Sandy, sorry about your back and all the other stuff. I hope your back is doing better today, along with everything else.

NM, will the kids be comeing back to school after the quarantine period? Praying Ms Sadie will start to feel better.

Had to go to town yesterday, so that was my day. Heading to Phoenix first part of Nov. Doctors for both of us and I have scans. Be there for about 5 days I think. DH has to invite everyone he knows to come and see him, since he hasn't died yet! He seems to forget we are still in a pandemic.

Our insurance gal, and possibly her DH

The couple that was here while I was in MI.

Our old dental hygienist, and possibly her BF

Ex sister in law and her DH

He wants to go see his ex MIL

Another friend who just had a baby and has a 3 yo, and possibly her DH

Geeze, who have I forgotten? Would any of you like to join us?

Hello friends it has been a while. I so enjoy reading everyone's posts - the good, the bad and the ugly. I've been and my DH has been recovering from breakthrough covid. We were vaccinated in March and are so glad we were. I was convinced for a few days I had a nasty sinus infection but because we had been to a wedding we got tested. Both positive. We are doing ok, now out of quarantine. We have another wedding coming up and DH won't go. He said he's done with all this for now which I understand. I'm going, masking, and praying for the best.

Keep well everyone. Glad Sadie is on the mend. A virtual hug to whoever needs it for the sadnesses a number of you are experiencing right now. 🤗🤗

Things improving: HK returned today. Getting more used to my back's limitations and was even able to go out on to the deck to check the tomatoes, have a cappuccino and watch the planes come in towards O'Hare. It was our last T-shirt weather till probably late Oct. or even next spring. Still wearing scrubs as PJs, but it felt nice sitting out there (though it was a bit painful getting up from the patio chair). My new glasses arrived (same shape as my current ones, only a flattering cherry-red), and the prescription is perfect. As soon as I can drive, I will take my current (violet quartz crystal tortoise) ones and sunglasses into Warby Parker to have my new prescription installed. (Those are the only two frames I own that they still stock and are therefore eligible for lens replacement). I will go through the rest of my frames and see which I still like enough to re-lens, and take them to the local indie optician.

I think I will be okay tomorrow to get dressed, out of the house & drive to & from the vet, and then dinner out with Bob & the kids. My HK & Gordy will help me get Happy into his carrier & to the car; Gordy will have coffee at the diner next door, or stay in the car (they're letting only one "pet parent" at a time into the building) until we're ready to bring Happy home. We will likely need to schedule an ultrasound in order to do a fine-needle aspirate biopsy--unless the vet decides to prescribe prednisone in case he has lost too much weight and/or starts feeling more uncomfortable. This morning was his first puking since Friday night.

Bob is bringing home wings & salad, so will likely have a bit more bubbly before switching to Bubly.