Monday, May 26, 2008

In Which We Resort to Desperate Measures

It has been hot here in San Antonio. Very hot – 104 degrees heat index hot, and because of the heat, the sheer oven-like blast that hits us in the face whenever we step outside, Lefty and I have resorted to something we haven't done in over 10 years.


We bought a bottle of gin.


We are not really hard liquor folk. Our liquor cabinet consists of an airline size bottle of tequila, a similar-sized bottle of Southern Comfort, a small bottle of rum (which I used in a cheesecake) and a smaller bottle of cognac (used for a steak recipe). There's also a bottle of sesame oil in there because I complain about the strong smell of it when it's in the pantry so Lefty stashes it in the liquor cabinet. But on Saturday, it was so hot and humid, I knew that only a cool gin and tonic, only that lovely clink of ice on glass was going to cool me off, so I headed to the liquor store. It was only afterwards, when I got back in the car that I realized I had two small patches of toothpaste on the bridge of my nose. (My complexion is confused and I have zits on my nose. I was trying to dry them up with Crest.) A special thanks to Lefty & The Kid for letting me wander out into the world of grown ups buying alcohol with toothpaste on my nose!


Lefty spent Saturday morning beginning a major overhaul of our compost pile. I called him at work last week and complained that the current compost situation was ugly and it was oppressing me with it's ugliness every time I stepped onto the deck, or looked out the window. He rather quickly agreed to come up with an alternative and spent a good deal of time creating a compost bin out of our old beat up trash can.

Meanwhile, The Kid is working on some major science experiments. The current one involves threads of pollen from the pecan tree treated with tiny drops of tea tree oil. Think we talk about allergies much?

Note the very serious look on his face. SCIENCE!


And while all of these glorious and festive holiday weekend things were going on, guess what else happened? Come on, guess! Okay, I'll give you a hint.


That's right. My cell phone died. The thing just cacked, no warning. One minute it was fine and the next, the battery wouldn't even take a tiny spark of charge, nothing, nada, and for good measure I'll add, zip. I'll be the first to admit my phone is very old by current standards, over five years and a replacement battery cost more than a new cell phone would, so I guess I'm getting a new cell phone.

Despite the ungrateful phone and the oppressive compost pile, we have had a very nice holiday weekend, with walks , yummy food and a cocktail or two. It's still hot, it's just not bothering us so much anymore.

9 comments:

  1. A gin & tonic on a hot summer night is pretty amazing. Sounds like a pretty cool weekend. Science IS serious.

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  2. For all our bluster and announcements of "I'm GOING to the LIQUOR STORE!" we each drank one drink on Saturday night. Oh, but it was cool and tangy and delicious!

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  3. Yum...friends came over for Memorial Day and brought martinis--Key Lime Martinis...talk about heaven!

    Great pics--I'm so glad you're like me (i.e. not respecting the privacy of family members)--I LOVE family photos!

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  4. Hey Karen! I think as writers we may have a different sensibility when it comes to privacy and what can and cannot be grist for the mill...

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  5. Lime -- your gin and tonics had lime, right? A frosty-cold gin and tonic with lime, while sitting in a white Adirondack chair in the shade with my feet up. Ahhh.

    It was miserably hot and humid here yesterday, but this morning the wind is blowing and a Cold Front is coming in from the North. My two favorite words right now: Cold Front. Today's high is supposed to be in the 60's. Rejoice!

    Oh. I just looked up the weather for San Antonio for the foreseeable future, and I feel pretty bad about rejoicing and all. You know what's good? Perrier and grapefruit juice with some crushed mint leaves. Tall glass, lots of ice. Alcohol optional.

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  6. I love the bionicle and the Lego dinosaur guarding the gin...or are they waiting for you to mix them a drink. I hear dinosaurs LOVE the gin & tonics!

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  7. I love the bionicle and the Lego dinosaur guarding the gin...or are they waiting for you to mix them a drink. I hear dinosaurs LOVE the gin & tonics!

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  8. Yum, perrier and grapefruit and mint, sounds lovely - even a dinosaur would like it!

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  9. I had to laugh when your post first came up...the picture of gin, dinosaurs and bionicles...quite an interesting combination...was wondering what ya'll were doin' down there!!

    I used to live in Weslaco and do so remember that heat/humidity combination. And yes, since you're too far for a quick drive over the border to Los Flores, gin and tonics would be the next best thing!!

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