Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The Tenth Day of Christmas: Eggnog, Livvy, Old Fashioned, Mom

 Saturday, January 3, 2026

Had some eggnog left. Added a splash of rum. It was delicious and the eggnog to rum ratio was perfect. 

Listened to a little Livvy. 

Dale and I went to lunch at The Howe. I had an Old Fashioned. It's nice to be feeling well enough to have a cocktail. 

Dale and I went to visit Mom at the hospital. It was my first time there since she was admitted on Sunday. They use this chair to help move to her lounge chair. She's doing well. 

Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The Ninth Day of Christmas: Mom, Old Fashioned, and Kylie

 Friday, January 2, 2026

Finally starting to feel well enough that I'll be able to see Mom tomorrow. She had a tough day emotionally although she's making lots of improvement physially. This whole thing is just emotionally draining for her. 

Dale got home from the hospital around 2:00 pm and we were both starving. We went to The Lowbrow and I ordered an Old Fashioned, my first cocktail in a while. 

Listened to Kylie when I got home. 

Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The Seventh Day of Christmas: New Year's Eve

 Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Mom's doing marginally better. Her spirits are up. I'm hoping I'll be well enough in a couple day to visit her. Listened to the Carpenter's today. Comforting, nostalgic, familiar. Exactly what I need. 

Speaking of comforting. 

Since I'm sick I've been in my robe since Sunday afternoon. Actually got dressed today and put on my boots to be extra dressy for New Year's Eve. 

Quiche for dinner. This is the most low key NYE we've ever had. I'm exhausted from being sick and we've both been dealing with Mom being in the hospital. Today Dale visited her on his own due to my illness. She's maintaining and making respiratory progress slowly and steadily. PT came to visit her today and gingerly had her sit up and slide her legs off the side of the bed. It was taxing for her and she ended up nauseated and her blood pressure dropped so that's as much as she could do today. She was very upset that she could not do more, recognizing that progress is going to be slow and incremental. Otherwise once she got comfortable again, Dale had a nice conversation with her and her spirits perked up a bit - even got her to laugh a little. 

We were planning to spend tonight with Mike and Charisse and couldn't cuz, well, I'm sick. This was 2015.

Happy New Year!

Holiday Season 2025 - Holiday Music with Cigars & Cocktails

Friday, December 5, 2025

Smoking cigars (outside)...

...and having cocktails (inside)...

...goes well with holiday music. 

Holiday Season 2025 - Cocktail Hour

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Had an Old Fashioned tonight for cocktail hour while Dale had some wine. 

Listened to Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails Volume 1. That's always a milestone in the early part of the holiday season. 

Thanksgiving 2025 - Good Morning!

Thursday, November 27, 2025 

Thanksgiving is here and were getting a little sun to go with it. Snowed yesterday overnight. The above picture is the view from our front stoop.

This is the view from the back stoop. 

Tuned in to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at 8:30 am. Some highlights:

Cynthia Erivo opened the parade.

Debbie Gibson sang my favorite Debbie Gibson song, Only In My Dreams. 

Darlene Love sang Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). 

The Rockettes performed. 

And, as always, Santa showed up at the end. 

We got the turkey in at noon. 

The dog show came on after the parade....

Which was my cue to play Puppies Are Forever by Sia. This song drives Dale nuts but I usually play it for him to help ring in the holiday music season with the promise I won't play it again until next year. 

Also got started on the Stribs turkey coloring contest. 

Christmas Eve 2024: Cookies and Lattes

 Tuesday, December 24, 2024

After dinner Dianne made lattes and we had some holiday inspired Milanos. 

I asked Alexa to play a few Christmas songs for us starting with Do You Hear What I Hear by Lincoln Brewster. 

Next a trio of Christmas songs from The Killers. Dale's favorite is Joel the Lump of Coal. He says it always makes him a little teary. Christmas In L.A. really resonates with me this year as it's about not being home for Christmas. It's evocative of the song White Christmas and actually incorporates part of that song into it. I'm doing pretty well not being home for Christmas and am enjoying it here quite a bit but am finding I'm missing Mom quite a bit. 

Christmas Eve 2024: Dinner

Tuesday, December 24, 2024 

The table was minimally yet beautifully set. 

The stroganoff was savory and delicious. 

And enjoyed by everyone. 

Dianne selected A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack for dinner music. 

Countdown to Christmas: 8 Days

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Eight Days Until Christmas

Cigar after work. Contemplated the last couple of days at school.  The kids are getting loopy and today was the day I realized that from here on out until the end of the week we're only going to get the very minimum done.  It's like they were there but they weren't there. Visions of sugarplums...

Listened to some music while out in the garage. These playlists I made number of years ago are really quite well curated. 

Dale had quite a day too. He's leaving for Arizona tomorrow. We wound down from the day by having cocktails and dinner at Northbound. Of all of our neighborhood spots this one is Dale's favorite. I'm quite fond of it too. 

                      

When we got home Rudolph was on TV. I fell asleep however. 

It's so dated yet still fun.