<p>Welcome, blueiguanna. No need for silence: Salud!</p>
<p>Thanks GA2012Mom…testing.
</p>
<p>Good work, Greenery! I wonder if good old Frank would have enjoyed these margaritas?</p>
<p>Cheers, or as the Danes say Skaal!! :D</p>
<p>Excellent! I just graduated from Jr. Status to a Member!</p>
<p>Drinks are on me!!</p>
<p>Cheers, salute! Thanks Mafool…I’m already inspired! The Margaritas are delicious, one for Mafool, please repeat the round!</p>
<p>Party time continues…some music and piscolabis for all.</p>
<p>Congratulations Blueiguana…I just missed that event.</p>
<p>Greenery - Ok, I’ll have to rent the movie instead. </p>
<p>Glogg? BunsenBurner - A few years back, we had a “Norwegian Christmas” in honor of DH’s mom’s heritage. We did a lot of research and travelled 2 hrs north to find cheeses and other food to serve. I served glogg and I have to say that I can drink almost anything but couldn’t take more than a sip of it!</p>
<p>Terriwtt - I’m up for a regular blended margarita with salt anytime!</p>
<p>You didn’t like Glogg? Seriously?!? Every fall when it gets nippy out H will come home and smell some. It just means cold weather! I probably don’t make it again until Christmas, but it just seems right.</p>
<p>There are a LOT of traditions from H’s heritage I could pass over. Some of the traditional celebratory beverages I can really pass on (and usually do)!! The schnapps (spiced flavored vodka) is pretty nasty, but the Aquavit comes in handy if you have a cold. Far more effective than nyquil. Two shots cuts the congestion and puts you to sleep.</p>
<p>H is first generation. We do the entire holiday gig so the boys get all traditions. One nip early on of that schnapps cut any interest they may have had in alcohol! I’ll just let them think it ALL tastes wicked! :)</p>
<p>lilmom, glogg pairs really well with lutefisk! 
JK! JK! JK!</p>
<p>H and I did make a hot mulled adult beverage that night. Brrrrrrgh! It was so cold and yucky, I could not believe it was late May! Luckily for us, today the sun peeked from behind the clouds just long enough for us to mow the lawn and pull some weeds to feel up the yard waste bin. Of course, it happened right after DH and I had transported a truckload of furniture under the pouring rain. :)</p>
<p>Now, a Margatita would feel just right!</p>
<p>Lutefisk! I remember seeing that in a cookbook and substituted it on the menu with smoked salmon. We did find a caramel tasting sweet cheese - delicious! And of course, the desserts were my favorite part.</p>
<p>I’m trying to stay cool for the next 11 days til S’s graduation. A little wine tonight will help!</p>
<p>^ Given my choice, in the cooler months I’d still take hot cider w/ brandy over glogg…or baileys in my coffee! If making glogg makes my MIL happy, so be it! :)</p>
<p>It was a beautiful night last night! I had an awesome, random, conversation with my boys… one of those you couldn’t script if you tried, but took you everywhere from drinking, drugs, sex, adoptions, paternity responsibilities (three boys), birth control (random fact of costs of condoms b/c S1 works at a grocery… we all lost it at this! 
)… it was totally non-confrontational, inquiring minds want to know kind of thing. I’m probably not explaining it well… but it was one of those you know you will just remember!</p>
<p>Peace</p>
<p>Big, BIG celebration for me tonight… have been focusing more on my health since December, and got my latest blood results back today (these numbers compare 2008 to 2010)</p>
<p>Cholesterol went from 181 to 145
Triglycerides went from 154 to 60
HDL cholesterol went from 43 to 48
Chol/HDL went from 4.2 to 3.0
LDL cholesterol went from 107 to 85</p>
<p>I have been on Lipitor for many years, but I think the doc will let me cut my dose in half with these numbers and recheck me in six months! I cannot tell you how excited I am. Muchos margaritas on me, por favor.</p>
<p>HOT DOG!!! 'Nother reason to celebrate… D2 just called; she may have gotten a job for the summer!</p>
<p>GUYS TUNE OUT HERE</p>
<p>Reason #3 to celebrate… I am scheduled to have my annual mammogram tomorrow and didn’t think I was going to be able to go through with it, due to some, well, ‘painful’ issues going on with the girls for almost two weeks. That seems to have resolved this afternoon!</p>
<p>^^Whoot Whoot!! Very exciting for you! Good news from the Dr. is always welcomed. I’m sure that all of your health modifications are very gratifying right now!
I take Crestor & w/o it my #'s are alarming. Heridity is not in my favor. I would love to cut those suckers in half. They are expensive!
Congratulations to your D on the almost job & the more comfortable mammogram tomorrow. I’ll do a happy dance in your honor.</p>
<p>Passing the first round to all in the room! :)</p>
<p>OK… I guess good news is coming in threes today (barely - I should have checked the mailbox earlier in the day). After paying almost twice this amount back in April to the IRS (after having our usual CPA do our taxes), we got a refund check of $7159.00 in the mail today (yes, the decimal point is in the right place)! </p>
<p>Well, of course this means I must buy the next round!</p>
<p>teri - awesome, just awesome!</p>
<p>We are going to be hit by another storm, and, according to the weather guy on Channel 5, some places will see “inches of rain tomorrow”. If this trend continues, Metro will have to replace its buses with amphibious vehicles! :eek:</p>
<p>Who’s tending the bar tonight? Why is the last hour at work always the worst?</p>
<p>I’ll step up! I’ll mix a four o’clock mojito for myself. What will you have?</p>
<p>I’ve stayed at work until 8 or so the last 2 nights. I just agreed with myself that I should go home soon!</p>
<p>Cheers.</p>
<p>My wife just did me the favor of texting me that she’s going out tonight, so I have to be home by 6:00. Thank you, dear! Gin martini, wet! (That’s 3-to-1 for those keeping score at home.)</p>
<p>Our eagle has landed. </p>
<p>The newly minted college grad moved to a new state and started his job this week.</p>
<p>What drink is appropriate for pride mixed with melancholy? I’m going with dry white wine at the moment, but I’m open to suggestions.</p>
<p>Sorry, mafool, this is a little lateunless you’ve gone on an all-night benderbut my suggestion is a good Cognac, patiently crafted for years as it awaits sweet liberation, when it is savored in a moment of triumph, even as its bouquet of old wood and tapestry hints wistfully at bygone days. Each glassand you should have only one, and make it last an houris a celebration of both past glories and dreams of what may come.</p>