Just when I thought the crazy lack of products was over. ..
Toilet paper is back in abundance, as is flour since the crazy Covid bakers have returned to buying their rubber loaves of Wonder Bread.
But now?
.
.
Chicken tenders? I can live without ‘em. Cream cheese? Can’t stand the stuff. Fresh fruit? We’re not seeing any shortages up here. Maple syrup? I live in Maine… people have barrels in their cellars.
Our pilgrimage to the Tamworth Distillery was a success.
.
.
And yours truly has laid in an ample supply of her favorite plum gin. (Ample as long as my husband has learned his lesson and stops offering it to every Tom, Dick and Harriet who cross the man cave threshold that is. )
I picked up another treat while we there…
.
.
Because if you’ve never had a crusty wheat loaf made with the booze soaked grains from a distillery? You don’t know what you’re missing!
.
.
The husband wanted a few bottles of this heavily raspberried red wine from the little winery in the woods we visited, so I’m adding another glass to the collection as well.
And because it’s always a good idea to keep your local bartender happy?
.
.
I purchased this ( oh, so tiny but ridiculously expensive ) bottle of special small batch rye as his Christmas gift.
.
.
I should probably give him my copy of Stiff as well.
With Thanksgiving right around the bend, my mind naturally turns to food. Visions of a glistening, perfectly roasted, juicy bird take center stage… and I can guarantee you it’s not this kind.
.
.
A plant based turkey?
.
.
An already stuffed with God knows what plant based turkey?
Not on my holiday table.
🤢
.
.
Backyard color.
(Disclaimer-this pic was taken before the N’Or Easter. The wind stripped her bare)
.
.
But yes, the burning bushes are burning.
.
.
I have to ask… wouldn’t duct tape work just as well?
A girlfriend and I hit Goodwill the other day and if nothing else, it’s a great place to pick up cheap books.
.
.
16 books for $21? A little slice of heaven right there.
Of course, even thrift store shopping isn’t immune to politics these days…
.
.
And while I didn’t buy that tee shirt, I did buy this one. Because, honestly…. I had to.
.
.
I shall wear it and point at myself the next time my husband disagrees with me. That should go over well.
My girlfriend was in the mood for Cracker Barrel so that’s where we headed for lunch. The restaurant was almost empty but the hostess told us there would still be a 20-25 minute wait to be seated due to short staffing. (I’m seriously tired of waiting for meals… have all the pre Covid waiters and waitresses been abducted by aliens and given the anal probe? If not… please go back to work. River be hungry. )
Since it was raining we chose to wander the store instead of sitting outside on the rocking chairs, and that’s where I saw this:
.
.
For which I have no logical explanation.
But perhaps the biggest surprise of the day?
.
.
Alcohol… at Cracker Barrel!
When did that happen? Granted it’s not a favorite restaurant of mine and I probably haven’t stepped foot in one since my mother passed but it seems like I would have noticed such a momentous event.
Since their beer was dishwater I opted for a mimosa, which was close to dishwater only fizzy… but yes, it was alcohol!
I found it last week and it isn’t half bad. Apparently smashing citrus fruit and mixing it with vodka is a Maryland crab bake tradition.
This next one is all I’m going to say about the travesty happening in Texas. Because common sense is common sense, and if men were the ones who got pregnant? There would be clinics on every street corner.
.
.
Have you ever felt like you just aren’t accomplishing enough?
.
.
There.
I feel better already.
And finally, it’s never too early to start that Christmas knitting.
We took a drive out to Harpswell for a waterfront meal the other night.
.
.
To a great restaurant at one of our favorite locations.
.
.
Dolphin Marina.
.
.
It’s an out of the way place…
.
.
With wrap around coastal scenery.
.
.
Unfortunately it was Saturday night, the tourists were thick and the wait for an outdoor or water view table was over an hour. And if you’ve ever gone out to dinner with my husband, you know that means forgoing the views and eating at the bar.
.
.
I was disappointed, but a few Honey Gin Slippers later?
.
.
Life was good.
Dolphin is famous for their epic blueberry muffins which are served with every meal.
.
.
Luckily my other half didn’t eat his and I had it for breakfast the next morning.
.
.
Dinner started with garlic and white wine mussels for hubby.
.
.
And a lovely lemony Caesar salad for me.
.
.
The husbands Parmesan crusted haddock was tasty but surprisingly thin.
.
.
But my pan seared scallops with basil cream sauce and asparagus on homemade pasta was stellar.
.
.
So if you’re ever in the area, drop in.
.
.
But go off season…. when you can get decent seating and enjoy a better view than the bartender and a row of empty bottles.
.
(Extra points for anyone who can name the movie from which I pilfered my post title.)
A while back my husband dragged an ottoman into the living room. The fact that it barely matches the armchair and doesn’t match the sofas at all drives me crazy….
.
.
But it’s perfectly Lord Dudley Mountcatten sized and he loves it …
.
.
So it stays. Sigh.
.
.
Can someone please explain this to me…. because honestly, I’m flummoxed. Who in their right mind craves alcohol free gin?
.
.
Live your best life… without alcohol? People really do be crazy.
.
.
Why am I posting a photo of our water heater? Because the insanely expensive, fancy schmancy hybrid heat pump unit we installed barely 3 years ago is dead. After 2 visits from our plumber and one from the company’s rep, it was determined the computerized control board has malfunctioned. It’s a rarity, but once in a while you get a lemon. And we all know if there’s a lemon to be found? We will find it. Problem is, the boards are expensive and no one has them in stock.
.
.
But along with the aggravation comes a new appreciation for why people only bathed once a month in olden days. Heating pots of water, and schlepping them to the tub is bad enough, but trying to duck in out of the cold shower spray long enough to wash and condition a head of long hair is torture. Maine well water in early spring? Like a quick dip in the Arctic Ocean…. minus the penguins. So if you happen to see me in the grocery store this week? Be sure and pass upwind. I haven’t showered in 3 days..
🤢
.
Where there's only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.
River's world..... 