Nora, I also tried the New Belgium Snapshot, which I liked better than the Gumballhead (still a good beer, but I was more in the mood for the Snapshot.) I can be a little iffy about wheat beers, but Snapshot really stood out to me as head and shoulders over most. Nice citrusy-tart finish that just kept my mouth all happy and perky.

I took a day trip to some caves in Iowa with friends, yesterday, to get myself out of the condo and my own head. We attempted to spelunk a little, but none of the smaller (only had to bend in half, no crawling on knees or I would have been so out of there) tunnels led to anything of great significance. Still a lot of fun. We walked a lot of trails, too, mainly up to various levels of the bluffs to overlooks that I refused to get any too close to as, along with being afraid of really small spaces, I don't much like heights either. Afterwards, we stopped at a pub where I tried out Young's Double Chocolate Stout that had the creamiest, chocolatey, foamy head on it that I've ever had. It was like drinking a stout milkshake almost.

Getting out helped my mood a lot. I'm thinking I may have to go take in a movie, today, to do the same thing. Keep myself busy, so I don't keep thinking sad, sad, sad.

Hil, it sounds like you're doing exactly what you need to do; you know your body best. If it turns out taking 60 days instead of 30, that's no bad thing.

Sail, I'm sorry about Elliot. It's so hard, even though it's the right thing to do.

Sail, I hope you were able to get out of the house and distract yourself today. I'm sorry that it is so difficult.

Hil, I hope you are feeling better soon. Try not to overdo it.

Asthma and acid reflux are both keeping me from actually lying down and going to sleep tonight. I may try to sleep on the couch for a while, propped up.

I can be a little iffy about wheat beers, but Snapshot really stood out to me as head and shoulders over most. Nice citrusy-tart finish that just kept my mouth all happy and perky.

I like Snapshot for that too - the tart notes come from them blending some of their house lactobacillus (which they use for their sour Lips of Faith beers) in - a great idea for wheat beer, which personally I find to be a pretty boring and too-sweet style. The lacto tarts and dries the beer up, and lets the citrus from the hops and flavor from the added grains to shine without overwhelming.

You know, if you like that kind of thing.

Got up at 4 am so we could get to the first appointment at the clinic at 6 am. Currently waiting for a lumbar puncture test, running a little late. At 2 pm he does a pulmonary function test, and at 3 there is an echo cardiogram. These occur in two different buildings, fortunately right next to each other.

And on Thursday we're back up here for pre admittance consults. It's a good thing I took vacation this week.

I'm suspecting that these clinics aren't making the Top 10 Vacation Destination List.

I admitted to Hubby that I was going to treat his admittance to the hospital like a sort of vacation, and he said he didn't blame me. A month off from early morning runs to the clinic.

You gotta do something to keep sane, Connie.

Laura, I strongly feel that deserves a rimshot.

One of the local brew taverns offers barley wine. I wonder whether it is closer in taste to a dry wine or to a beer. (Too many of my meds conflict with alcohol for me to find out first hand.)

I wonder whether it is closer in taste to a dry wine or to a beer.

I'd say neither. It's a strong beer style, rich, malty, boozy, warming. It's called a barley"wine" because its alcohol content is similar to that of wine's. (11-14%~ish)