In other news, have any of you people made a shrub? I'm thinking about trying grapefruit/ginger with brown sugar and cider vinegar -- that should be delicious, right?

Oh yeah, they are super yummy in cocktails.

Billytea! Keep your extremities! We'll have no mayhem, sir!

Foot of Billy, behave yourself!

I had a weirdly mood-lifting interaction with a locksmith this evening. I came home and couldn't turn my doorknob, so I called the locksmith the complex uses. He came over with all the tools down to a drill, "just in case," so I knew I'd be getting into my warm apartment one way or another. It's 13 degrees out there, though probably not so bad in the breezeway between the buildings.

A nice, garrulous guy my age, chatting about covering for his kids who are running the business now, his youngest out driving the baby twins around so they'll go to sleep, so he couldn't be on call. Then he talked about helping my company put locks on their first building thirty years ago and how the town has changed etc.

Turns out the doorknob just needed stronger wrists than mine to turn, and he disassembled it to squirt lubricant all around the inside, and it works much better.

So a pleasant chat with a personable person and being so happy to come into my warm little home.

So a pleasant chat with a personable person and being so happy to come into my warm little home.

Ahhh, what a good story!

Our old Roku crapped out and we ordered a new one that arrived today.

I am here to announce that Jacqueline Totally Kicked Technology Ass and got the new Roku up and running but worked her way through multiple logins and passwords to get our streaming channels back. She is a champ.

That shrub sounds delicious! Are they easy to make? I am too scared to make kombucha, for instance.

I walked today! Well. Sort of. 25% weight, so, with crutches. But my foot was on the ground! But I also worked for about 9 hours? Too much!

The box has arrived, Ms. Claus! And the fabric you put in for packing is absolutely gorgeous!

I know it's cold for most of you right now, but I can officially recommend a Cold Brew Tonic as a delicious morning treat on a hot day (it's going to be about 82°F here in São Paulo today)

I didn't look up a recipe or anything, just poured some cold brew concentrate I've been working through for a week over ice, then added some Schweppes. It's a little bitter, a little sweet, a little citrusy. Quite nice.

That shrub sounds delicious! Are they easy to make?

Apparently! You just let the fruit and sugar sit around for days until it's syrup, then add the vinegar. Then make a cocktail or whatever.

Mm, shrub. That sounds delish.

Yikes, bt! Begone infection!

Woo walking meara! Boo 9 hrs of working.

I was just going to "complain" that my cat was pinning me to the bed when she got up and walked away. I guess I have no excuse now.

I hope the IV drugs turn things around soon for your infection, BT.

The idea of shrubs just doesn't work for me. Vinegar is a sad thing that happens to a poor, neglected open bottle of wine. Eh, more for y'all.

So a pleasant chat with a personable person and being so happy to come into my warm little home.

That warms me as well.

Yay for 25% walking meara!

Sorry to hear that you have to be in hospital bt, but hope you and the visiting family enjoy the cool temps. Foot~ma.

Woot! for the technology ass kicking JZ.

I'm plodding along here. Working on kicking health's ass. I'm so much healthier than my siblings, but I need to work harder at keeping it that way. Officially signed up for Medicare! Just the base stuff because I don't take any meds.