how about drinking?

Illi, glad you were able to go to the cabin after all!

We finally made it up to 72 by the lake, but very windy. (Inland, it hit 84). Tomorrow it'll be in the 80s everywhere and humid, and just as I predicted, it'll storm toward midnight (severe chance is "marginal"--1 in 5 chance--in Cook County and "slight"--2 in 5--in Lake on north), with a "non-zero" chance of tornadoes. This always happens, even out of a clear blue sky, because humidity produces towering "heat instability" clouds. It's a Hobson's choice here: cold & dry or hot & stormy (sometimes cold & stormy)--only "Hobson" gets to choose it.

We're definitely in "medium transmission" in the city, less so than in NYC but not far behind. I was feeling somewhat confident because Bob & I got our second boosters after Omicron and the city's health commissioner said that "hybrid immunity" (provided the Omicron was in the past 3 months) is strong. But tonight's Late Show episode was cancelled when Colbert showed symptoms of a COVID recurrence (from which he'd recovered only a week ago) and his bandleader Jon Batiste tested positive midweek. Colbert didn't re-test positive, but he's isolating again. What's scary is that he took Paxlovid but it didn't prevent a symptom "rebound." I'm grasping at straws here, but I think when Colbert & his wife tested positive a couple of weeks ago, they were only triple-vaxed and it was their first COVID infection. And their symptoms were on the strong end of "mild" till the Paxlovid kicked in. (Ours were less than a bad pollen day).

Froggy's was founded in 1980 by a chef from Brittany (his co-owner is former Bulls star & ex-coach Bill Cartwright). It's a bit of a schlep up to Highwood, but wine-wise (for us) it seems to pick up where Cellars left off--they have monthly tastings of French & CA wines and even occasional cooking classes. (In 1986, at Williams-Sonoma, their then-chef de cuisine did a demo class, teaching how to make the vanilla sauce for the poached lobster). There are whimsical frog tchotchkes everywhere (including the door handles on the restroom). They have a no-parking sign outside declaring "Violators will be toad."

DOTD was a breve cappuccino out on the deck (first time since autumn); and with leftovers, some of that leftover Savigny-les-Beaune.

Good Tuesday to you. It's another cold, wet morning so I'm working on my first cup of coffee with steamed soy milk. I told my mom I would go to Costco with her so I'm hoping we top 50 degrees by then.

Illimae - The cabin sounds amazing. I hope you can get some rest.

I'm cautiously watching the COVID thing here. I'm in healthcare. I did the first two surges and I'm not really wanting another one. Knock on wood I have not gotten it. I don't even know how. I was knee deep in it for both surges and crossing our fingers we've had an uptick in cases but it hasn't necessarily translated to an overwhelming uptake in hospitalizations. So. Oregon is a little less mask driven than the Portland area so most of us come and go without masking unless you are in a medical facility where it's required. This weekend the weather is supposed to about face and we will see sunny skies and highs near 80 so I think that will help. More folks will be outside and having windows open. I think we'll see a drop as the summer inches in.

OH Hooray - GOLDIE posted. Sounds like you're having a great time. We'll look forward to hearing about Nora's B-day party, although you may or may not be able to post pictures. Hope the trip is fun & restful & great & peaceful all at the same time.

And where is Jazzy? I don't remember that she had a long vacation planned??

Morning gals! Supposed to be another beautiful day here in Denver! I gotta go out as soon as it's light, and cover this little area on our parking with that red bark! I've arranged the border bricks yesterday, and got it ready to finish up this morning! I mowed our lawn yesterday, and everything is looking good in our gardens! I don't know what I would do if I couldn't mess around outdoors, Ha!

Dear Husband is okay... just don't like him walking around in our yard with all the flag-stone out there. Afraid he will trip & fall again.... even with his cane! He just likes to keep track of me when I'm outdoors.

We got our 2nd booster shots yesterday at Walmart, and also the pneumonia shot. THAT and got my car back out of the repair shop, costing over $900, and we are good to GO damnit! Just little worries and appointments keep you running and busy I guess!

Do you gals drink Aloe Vera juice? I mix it up with orange juice, and coffee cream in a quart bottle, and drink a glass every morning. I'm thinking that since I've been doing that for about 40 years, maybe that's why I feel better now than I ever have? We are 84.... and I don't have Asthma anymore, no more allergies or those weekly shots, and I just thank God that I can still take care of my Husband and fool around out in my gardens! Sure I had breast-cancer, took Tamoxifen & lost my hearing, but I've been wearing hearing aids for over 10 years. And I fell once, & broke my hip, but have a rod & a few screws, and I get around great!

We don't really go very far when I drive... Only to a few stores, but not anything like we used to! Just trying to take care of ourselves, and we don't dine out, but then we never did... Our Denver Daughter comes over a lot on her day's off to see me & "Big Daddy" and always brings us lunch and a fun time! It makes me feel good, watching how she helps her Dad with his food, helps him up & down, and in & out of her car, etc!

Take care of those puppers NM... fun hearing about you and them! Have a beautiful day gals! xoxoxo

Morning Karen! I mix the Aloe with juice... any kind of juice! You can buy the flavored or plain Aloe at Walmart, and they sell it by the gallon. I add a little coffee cream or maybe even coconut milk... just because I like the taste!

They were out of it at my store, but I ordered it online.

Jazzy - gorgeous flower

the student I was supposed to evaluate today is going to be absent so I have a whole day to do paperwork. Let's hope I'm productive as I wasn't last night!!! And the report is due tomorrow morning, so no more putting it off!

Today is the last of the May b'days! 3 b'days and mother's day in 9 days - busy month.

Have a great Thursday!

Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy TGIF day! It seems like Mother Nature has flipped the switch, temps now in the 70s and 80s during the day, not dropping to frost level overnight. The weather talkers are talking about breaking high temp records over the next few days. Now if Ican just convince some of the kiddos at school to take off the heavy sweatshirts and leave the hoods off they won't end up with headaches and feeling miserable after recess. The puppers don't seem to mind, they are running around and wrestling as usual, maybe the breaks in between are a little bit longer, but that's all.

Karen--Ah, how nice to get a surprise paperwork day! And look at all the birthdays you've celebrated!

Chi--my condolences to DH, scope prep drinking is not fun drinking!

Jazzy--beautiful!

Birthday Cake Martini

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Vodka
• 3 ounces Coconut Cream (or half and half)
• 1 ounce White Chocolate liqueur (I used Godiva)
• 1 ounce Amaretto
• Ice
• For Glass rims:
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Place the honey and sprinkles on two separate shallow dishes. Dip your martini glass in the honey first and then into the sprinkles to coat the rim. Set aside.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine all the ingredients with ice and shake very well. Pour cocktail into prepared glass.
3. Enjoy!

From <https://aclassictwist.com/birthday-cake-martini/#mv-creation-91-jtr>

Jazzy - 3 more long busy weeks!!! One of the best concerts I've been to was James Taylor and Carole King together. Even better than Sir Paul who was the day before (or was it the day after). I think it was 2014. Sir Paul who is a favorite was much better in 2005!!

Gorgeous day out - blue sky, sunny not too windy and not too hot.

Have a great Friday!

Beautiful evening for a drink on the deck 😁

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Saturday! I'm looking forward to a lovely weekend with lots to do, the refrigerator decided to die yesterday so I've got a bunch of stuff on ice and some stuff to cook off and get in the downstairs freezer before it goes bad and the search for a new unit and arrange for delivery and installation. Ah, the never-ending joys of homeownership! The puppers say Hi to everyone.

Jazzy--Hooray for the dishwasher finally making it to town! I think I have heard about the fires. It sounds like a really scary situation. I think of those fires every time a high or serious fire danger alert comes up here, and that's been daily for the past few days. Everything is so dry. The puppers are doing well, the weather has finally turned enough that we can get some outside playtime after work. I'm sneaking in a little training at the same time. Mom is doing well with the exception of having more and more trouble reaching things over her head, and with the cervical spinal arthritis and dowager's hump she's developed, anything over 4 feet is over her head now! What worries me the most is her using the microwave that is installed OVER the range. She can't see into it and can barely manage to get cups of water in and out to heat up for tea. She puts everything she heats up in the microwave in glass containers or plates since she read about plastic leaching dangerous chemicals into the food in a microwave and arthritis in her hands makes it hard for her to hold onto heavy things.I just know she is going to drop something onto the glass top stove and break it, and probably burn herself in the process. I wish I could convince her to heat up the water in an electric kettle or in a teapot on the range, but she just will not entertain either idea. I'm taking a little break from my program, my next class starts on August 1st. I wanted some time to shift gears from school nursing to hospice, and get back into a real full-time routine, not to mention that I still have no idea what to do for a final project, and work on that starts after this next class. I'll be doing a lot of quality improvement work in the new job, and the school likes QI projects, so I'm hoping those will line up and I can use an actual work project for my final project. Your concerts and mini get-aways sound like so much fun!

Morning, Karen! Hang in there, school is almost done for the year!

Chi--I was just reading what a Starbucks employee wrote about being encouraged to misspell names on the cups so people would take and post pics, giving the company free advertising! I can believe that is true, and it is effective, not to mention a lot of fun. Glad to hear Bob's scope ent well.

Illi--WOW! Wish I could join you!

Summer Sun Cocktail

Ingredients

• 2 very red, ripe tomatoes (1 pound), quartered
• 4 medium carrots
• 2 ounces tequila
• Table salt and freshly ground pepper
• Nasturtium flowers and leaves, for garnish

Directions

• Step 1 Using a juice extractor, process the tomatoes and carrots. Transfer juice to a small pitcher.
• Step 2 Stir in the tequila, and season with salt and pepper.
• Step 3 Pour the mixture into two ice-filled tumblers. Garnish with nasturtium flowers and leaves, and serve.

From <https://www.marthastewart.com/1158642/summer-sun-cocktail?printview>

Misty - sorry about your Mom. Hope there's a positive resolution soon.

Mae - oh my that is gorgeous.

NM - my dad at 90 was finally persuaded to use an electric kettle after I told him that's what the Queen of England uses. Maybe you could pick someone she admires and "sell" it that way? Did you decide to end the school job on Friday & start with Hospice on Monday??? At least you're taking a break from school.

Jazzy - I too love hearing about your mini-trips & concerts. Sorry I've been remiss in answering your email.

Responding by memory, so not alot!

ED, you do an amazing job taking care of you and DH and home/gardens. I am so glad you are able to do that, and that your DD is close by.

BabyGirl, beautiful pic. Love the capture of the moon. Do you put an orange slice in your Blue Moon? I read somewhere that you may have to go for more radiation?

NM, what about a countertop microwave for mom? They don't cost much.

Misty, sorry to hear about your mom.

I have to get pictures off of my phone from Nora's b-day. I gave my son his $5500. I first gave him the $500 that I had already told him I was going to give to him, since I paid for his sister's plane ticket. Then said to him "too bad it's not $500 eh?" He says "you could make it that!" I say "ya, and what would you do with that?" Something was said about a jacuzzi, and I pulled out the envelope with the 5K in it and handed it to him. He's like WHAT? Is this what I think it is? Yes. Uh why? Cuz I want to. He put his hands over his mouth and began to cry and says "I'm about to have a heart attack." He was speechless for about 2 minutes while just crying harder.

Got home last night around 8pm. Makes for a long day, hour drive to the airport, sit in the airport for an hour, almost 4 hour flight and then a 4 hour drive home! Had my neighbor come to water for me while I was gone, got home to no water! She left my spigots on and drained my tanks, which I filled before I left. So probably 1500-3000 gallons of water wasted! I have hose attachments with shut offs, and she just shut the water off that way, instead of closing the spigots themselves, and water just leaked.

Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Sunday Funday! Waking up to fog and damp, but it will burn off, and then it's supposed to be cloudy and rainy. At least it's going to be in the high 50s to 60s and will feel generally warm. Yesterday got downright HOT! Had to get the fans cleaned up and running to be comfortable. The puppers didn't seem to mind, they would romp and wrestle and then flop over for a rest, as soon as they stopped panting they'd go back at it again.

Misty--sorry to hear your Mom is having trouble. I can understand her wanting to stay in her own home, though. It makes for difficult times and decisions. Love the idea of the ICE drinks and rum!

Minus--I'm finishing school nursing on a Friday and starting hospice on Wednesday. I'll try to figure out if someone Mom looks up to uses an electric kettle, and maybe I'll just buy one and have it delivered. She doesn't want another item on her counters, but using the microwave is a problem waiting to happen.

Wren--not only is the automatic shut off an important thing, but using a kettle Mom won't be taking boiling water out of the microwave from over her head and eventually dumping it all over her head, face and arms.

Goldie--I talked about a countertop microwave, but Mom won't spend money on one when she has one that works just fine and doesn't want anything else on the counters "getting in the way." I even offered to buy it for her. I think I'm going to get her a kettle, I'll find a small one that won't take up much space or try to talk her into using the little coffee maker to heat up water. I love your son's reaction to your surprise gift! That was a long day. Sorry to hear about the water!

BEACH WATER COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 oz Blue Raspberry Vodka
• 1 1/2 oz Coconut Rum
• 6 oz 7UP

INSTRUCTIONS

• Stir all ingredients in a glass and add ice.

From <https://loveandmarriageblog.com/beach-water-cocktail/>