Well, both bottles of vermouth are unopened. So that's promising?

Sadly, they're dry vermouth, not sweet. I don't like martinis, but I do drink the occasional manhattan, but I can't make one with dry vermouth. Shall have to experiment with other cocktails.

No phone calls during the night: yay.

Consuela, you can pretty much use it as you would white wine in any recipe.

Yeah, it's really handy for deglazing and other things where you only need a small amount and don't want to crack open a whole bottle of wine.

Wheee, financial milestone! For the first time in a decade I've cracked five figures in savings. That'll change once I pay for my parents' flood insurance and my vacation this fall, but it does reassure me that I'm not entirely following the Grasshopper plan of adulting.

Good for you!

Go, Matt!

Wow, Matt, that's great!

-t, I don't know Playing Guitar but maybe my teacher calls it a different name? It sounds like you are at a section that I find very hard, I do not have it down yet. The punch and the groin kick, yes?

but it does reassure me that I'm not entirely following the Grasshopper plan of adulting.

You can only store up whatever you can snatch from your Sensei's hand?

Maybe, we haven't gotten to the groin kick if so. Play Guitar is like lift hands but stepping backwards, if that helps? It is a tricky bit, for sure.