Will Work for Wine

...or chocolate!

Recently we went on a Valentine's wine tour in Oklahoma. The last time we went on such a trip was a long time ago and it was only a day trip. This was an overnight trip...

There were a little over 50 of us on the bus snacking and talking that Friday evening, looking forward to the first winery when we ended up without phone signal at the end of a dirt road during a full moon. Our driver, Don, had it under control but it was a little scary for a bit ... until the hosts showed up with wine, that is!

At Tres Suenos - the first winery of the trip

Winemaker Dinner with Friends

18 months ago, Scott and I had the honor of dining with my friend Gail and her man, Nils, who is considered the "King of Cab", at the Saddleback Wine Cellars Dinner they hosted in Yukon. I was glad to partake in that lovely dinner punctuated by even lovelier wines and I had hoped they'd host a dinner in Norman sometime soon. Last night they did!

Plus One

Living Life Deliciously

Lately, we've been taking a big bite out of life.  Last month on a lunch date, we finally checked out a local place (called Local, hah!) and really enjoyed ourselves and our meal. Of course, 2 days later, this place announced it was closing its doors, so we decided to take the kids there for brunch before that happened. I didn't get any pictures except for the bacon "heart" resting on my Gorgonzola spinach grits.

My phone camera doesn't do it justice...

Brunch was served in 3 courses: fruit/scones/muffins/cheese, eggs/meats/grits and a variety of pancakes for breakfast dessert. My favorite item was the grits! We asked for seconds and boxed up the leftover grits to enjoy the next morning. And then we promptly left the doggie box on the table. *sad face* 

This prompted me to make my own variation on the grits, using up the rest of the Stilton blue we had left over from last month's foraging for goodies.  I didn't get pictures of THAT concoction, but it was delicious, especially topped with a fried egg!

And this past Wednesday evening, Scott and I partook in a winemaker dinner that my friend and her man were hosting in Yukon.

Napa Recap

I didn't have any solid plans outside of getting my work done while in Napa.  I wanted to be able to spend some time with my friend Gail, and I looked up a few yummy spots, but other than that, I was going with the flow.

I landed in Sacramento Monday afternoon and drove an hour to Napa. I was too excited to be hungry before I got to my hotel, but after I unloaded, my stomach started growling so I went in search of food. I was tired and in need of a black top and some decongestant and a bath soak too, so I hit Target and then Whole Foods. This was my first time in WF because the closest one to me is not really conveniently located. I was overwhelmed because I only really needed water, snacks and lunch and my mind wanted to buy 1 of everything.

I showed restraint and looked over every fresh offering at the store. I ended up getting a BBQ tofu salad and some garlic hummus along with a watermelon aqua fresca. Very yummy and satisfying combination.

Yummy Late Lunch

The next day for lunch we went to a place I scoped out online as a must for breakfast. It was a toss up between Grace's Table and Tarla Grill. We checked the menu at both places and Grace's Table was more enticing for us.

We had Fried Squash Blossoms (my first time to have!) and Argentine Empanada for appetizers. So good! I had the special - quiche and soup (tomato bisque) for lunch - and I didn't get any pictures!

That evening my friend Gail cooked us some salmon that her man caught in Alaska. It was as yummy as was the wine she served (yummers!). I don't recall what the first glass was but the 2nd glass was a nice petit-syrah that was just my taste.

It was fun to talk and hang out and meet her man.

Much Needed Nap-a

The last week in Napa was just what the doctor ordered!!

Uh-huh

Well, not really... I'm still not 100%, but I sure enjoyed the wine country and all of its offerings. I also enjoyed hanging with a longtime friend who lives there.

Nolita-san and Gail-san

Thankfully I didn't end up like this any night, but if there was a sign for prone on the couch, it would apply on that last night.



Work wasn't bad at all because it was a repeat of the tasks I did in Paumalu and Virginia. I can't complain because I think it's illegal to complain about working in Napa.

Peaceful Path

And although things were really dry there, there were some really nice lush spots around....

Patio Area Surrounded by Olive Trees and Lavender at Envy

Only Thing Missing Here Was a Hammock

Still recovering from "jet lag" so I will recap the specifics in the next post.

Like a Phoenix

I finish my vanilla matcha latte, make a quick trip to the women's room and just make it back to the gate in time to hear that our plane is within distance from the airport. Yes! An hour late but I am not complaining because my body is still trying to catch up with my mind.

I was not ready to leave this morning...

This last month has been scary and brutal. In my last post about my Virginia trip I mentioned my diagnosis of bronchitis. Well, the cough and congestion has been taking its sweet time in leaving me. 

It started with some innocent enough throat clearing after mango margaritas at La Hacienda in Frisco during a basketball tournament weekend. Then the day before I headed to VA, I just had a dry cough. I didn't concern myself much and didn't treat myself to anything more than Emergen-C. In the sleepless days to follow, I was clamoring for AlkaSeltzer cold meds and trying to ease my cough with hot showers while away. 

When I returned home from my trip with a worsening cough, I stepped things up a bit taking puffs off of Scott's inhaler and helping myself to Emi's leftover cough syrup from her bout with bronchitis in January. There was little relief and I was choking on the mucus (I know, TMI). I was worried that my cough was more serious so I went to Urgent Care that Sunday where the doctor diagnosed me with bronchitis and sent me home with antibiotics, prednisone and my own cough syrup with codeine so I could sleep.

I took the meds dutifully for a few days, but 5 days later following last dose of prednisone, I coughed so hard I hurt something. Dr. Google assures me it was costochondritis. Then I started waking myself up in the middle of the night gasping for air.

I would fall asleep mostly on an incline (desperately wanting to flip over onto my stomach) and wake up 2 hrs later with the feeling that there was a film of saran wrap over my windpipe. I would gasp and panic and wake Scott up and eventually when I exhaled and tilted my head back, I could breathe and shakily talk. I used the inhaler to try to help open things up during those episodes.

After the 3rd night of this fun, I headed to the ER to make sure I didn't have pneumonia. At night when reclining in bed, I would experience wheezing from my right lung, the one underneath the painful ribs. It hurt so much to even put a bra on (but I did). The ER doctor x-rayed my lungs and while he heard the wheezing a little, my films were clear and I still had good movement. He concluded that I had Acute Bronchitis and switched my antibiotic from Augmentin to Azithromycin to kick things into gear.

When I asked about the scary gasping for air episodes at night, he said to come in if I experienced it again. I didn't go back to the ER but the gasping for air every 2 hours continues most nights still.

I went to my "regular" doctor a few days later to see if I was experiencing asthma.  The nurse had me blow into a spirometer, gave me a lung treatment (told me to "smoke this") and then had me blow into a spirometer. The lung treatment stirred things up in my lines and I had a coughing fit in the doctor's office, but the doctor said I didn't have asthma, she suspected allergies and said to take Mucinex and she prescribed Singulair which treats asthma but helps with allergies. I took that for just a few nights and it did not prevent my spasmodic coughing episodes at night.

I listened to the advice of a co-worker and tried 24 hour Allegra to address any post-nasal drip from allergies and Mucinex to help clear my lungs. That seemed to provide relief for a few days. I would feel better during the day and then think I was going to die the next morning when I was not getting enough sleep.

I talked with my dad about my concerns and he said he was about my age when he started having allergies. I still don't accept that this is allergies but I was desperate for relief and sleep. He said Mucinex almost killed him and didn't clear his lungs and he recommended Claritin-D. I went back to my doc to check out my very tender right rib and request some Claritin-D. She suspected my Gallbladder (!!!) and called in a script for the anti-histamine and set up an appt for me to have my gallbladder scanned. Can you believe I was actually relieved to hear that it might not be my lung?

So I got 30 days of Claritin-D and have taken exactly 1 dose because I hate the medicine head. I think it helped me a little that night I took it, but I still had some coughing and the next morning I was so detached, I cared about nothing. It was hard to get out of bed and actually go to work feeling so apathetic.

That day on the way home, I picked up a Vick's personal vaporizer and that little device really helped me out. Hot showers and baths have always been a part of the ritual in getting over this health issue, but during the day when I really wanted to hang on the beach or in a steam sauna, this little guy helped me out. Closest thing to rinsing out my lungs that I could do for myself.

So I'm on my way to Napa for work and I'm hoping the grape country will help me recover.... This morning was no cup of tea though. My back and lungs were hurting from coughing and I am sure that in my haste to pack and get ready for my trip that I did not take in enough fluids. Saturday was going along so well I thought I was thoroughly healed up. Then David and I went to Chili's for lunch and that's when I didn't feel so hot. I think sugar and dairy sets me back... wonder what wine will do...

I'm in Phoenix getting ready to board a flight to Sacramento and drive an hour to Napa for work and some play. Even though I feel half dead I am excited about the week!

Week Ending

We had a full weekend of family and friends, so I can't really complain that it's coming to an end, can I?

Friday I was home early from a chock full half day at work. I fought off a nap to take the girls (Emi, Aubri and Gracie) to Petco. The guys went to Tahlequah to visit with Scott's grandparents so we made it a Girls' Day/Night.

We looked at the rats (for future pet consideration) and got Gracie a chew toy, and then we went home to make nachos for dinner. Don't judge, we also made brownies! I let the girls alternate between H2O and Diego (which Aubri said she likes better than Dora by the way) while I mowed the front lawn real quick-like (with the Reel mower) and quick-detailed the Disco.  Then took on the unlovely chore of shampooing the carpet in the bedroom.  I dragged the shampooer and dehumidifier up from the basement and got busy.

After I was satisfied that I'd scrubbed the carpet clean and the dehumidifier was doing its job, I joined the girls in catching up on the mermaids and then we crashed in the Living Room. Actually, just me and Aubri...Emi decided to head up to her room sometime after midnight.

Saturday morning we went to breakfast at Ozzie's.

Then we checked out a few local garage sales and a thrift store and went home to join some friends in the back yard. We swam and caught up (and I failed to get any pictures!) and after they left, we 3 gals took a long, fat nap. Well, I tried to finish up The Walking Dead first (still have a few pages left).

In the evening, we girls went over to Emi's friend's house for the last summer movie in the back yard party.  (Daddy and David joined us when they got back from Tahlequah.) Instead of the usual burgers and beers (for the adults, ya'll, the kids had their own drinks), we had kabobs and wine. It was a lot of fun.

The Reds

It was supposed to be a blind taste test but we weren't being sticklers...and we mixed reds and whites, but so what?

We had fun!

In the wine tastings we've had before, we were serious in that we all tasted the same wine at the same time, we discussed the bouquet and the legs and the taste and we wrote these details down in our notes. Then we'd move on to the next bottle and the next and the next and at the end, we'd vote. This was more of a free-for-all but we did have winners!

And the kids had fun playing inside and out. The zipline, swings, trampoline and the movie...don't forget about the movie...

Watching Johnny English

* I am hoping that we convinced Steve to have more of these in the Fall ("for the kids")...

Today we had lunch at my parent's house on the lake. I got to see 3 of my 4 siblings and their kiddos today and that was nice so we could catch up at least a little.  The missing brother has a good excuse - he lives in Tampa.  We drove the Red Flyer down to the water's edge and saw how low the lake was...






It was way too hot to be out for long so we didn't check out much on the lake...

Scott brought home his dad's childhood train set yesterday and today he set it up for the kids to see (I don't think they are allowed to actually play with this toy).



It looked like Christmas to me. David actually suggested we set it up with the tree this Christmas... Already thinking ahead, that boy! Are you already thinking about Christmas? I've seen some postings on FaceBook that stores are putting out Christmas items...in July!

I hope you had a weekend packed with family, friends, hugs and good times...

Made in Oklahoma

Today we went on a tasting tour of Oklahoma. We started off at the Canadian River Winery for the wine festival in Slaughterville.

This winery grows 20% of the grapes needed to make their wine and supplements with grapes grown only in Oklahoma. We stocked up on a few bottles of their Rio Rojo (a sweet red wine) and Sangria. Next we headed to Bedre Chocolates in Pauls Valley. The factory is owned by the Chickasaw Nation. Bedre means "better" and we can attest to that. We stocked up on lots of yummy chocolates.

From there we headed to Krebs to eat an early dinner at Pete's Place and that was a slice of heaven - family style Italian cuisine. We (37 of us) had a private room and the wait staff kept bringing us food: salad, meatballs and ravioli, sausage, grilled lemon chicken, spaghetti, etc. It was all so wonderful and the Choc beer was a nice treat too. Similar to Boulevard Wheat but a little stronger.

Tickled and Satisfied

We wrapped up the tour in Okemah at the Grape Ranch for another wine tasting. We were given some cool souvenir wine glasses with "Beat Texas" etched in them (just in time for the Red River Rivalry next weekend). The Country Rose wine was a nice treat served frozen!

Winos

Tonight we hosted a Chilean wine tasting at our house and had about 40 people bring wine and snacks to the house. We hadn't been to a monthly wine tasting since before we moved so it was a nice change. The weather was nice enough to mill around outside in between wines, but because there were so many people present, it was easy to get sidetracked from Nicole's very educational presentation. We look forward to the next!

Sec

Hippie Chicks had a wedding gig today. We prepared the savory food last night and today ALL we had to do was dip the strawberries in chocolate and transport the food to the reception hall. Everything went very smoothly....and the food was yummy! Later we went to Jazz in the Park with some friends. While I don't really LOVE jazz, I do like hanging out in the park with my friends. We actually opened the bottle of Coppola's Syrah and decided it was too dry.

Dinner Party

Last night we had some friends over for Cuban pork roast, black beans and rice and Tomato Feta Salad. Anne brought us some yummy rich family dessert ("Death by Kathy" I believe). After dinner the kids watched movies and played while the adults hung out under a full moon and had some good wine, beer and conversation... It was a nice, relaxing time.

We managed not to open the Francis Coppola wine AGAIN, so we decided to start a tradition of bringing the unopened wine bottle to each gathering, similar to Superman in the Seinfeld episodes.