Adventures in Online Retail Therapy

 I am isolated here in High Point, North Carolina but that's actually not an unusual feeling for me here. These quarantine times make the experience common for more people. The shops are too packed with people unmasked who refuse to believe Covid19 is more than a common cold. Outside, the only signs of life are large construction projects taking place on the roads that promise good transportation in the future. 

Sometimes I get too anxious or depressed and I give in to the temptation of online shopping, the traditional entertainment of the women of my people, people who no longer speak or write to me anymore. My friends - my chosen family - are still there and still constant and I am thankful every day for them. 

This week I gave into temptation and purchased the NPR wine club package. The box of wine arrived today and it looks like a year's worth of vino. It's a lot of wine, all with labels that mention NPR and various shows they have. The box they came in had a Virgin logo on it. It's probably good that I didn't know they were the source or I might not have purchased it. I love you, Richard Branson, but Virgin Wines is not your best project. Still, I will remain open minded and sample everything over the course of the following months before judging them. 

The Gift

From the cousins. It is a kind present from Southern Baptists who have never tasted wine. Smells like cheap cologne and has a tangy sweet flavor kinda like country wine.

A Very Good Weekend

The past three days this week were a flurry of activity at Rancho de WereMonster.

Friday, I was the host of the Vinophiles October meeting with a theme this month of Red Zinfandel.

Saturday was the big Birthday Party with friends and family. My mother, brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephew, uncle, and aunt all made it here from The West (Cobb County) early in the evening. They left before things got too interesting so the old people could sleep and the young people could go out to play. MonsterMustDie made a very sweet toast before we cut the birthday cake. Lots of food, my favorite people and very generous gifts. I am extremely grateful to all who made it to our place for the party and I had a fabulous time. The fridge here is still loaded with leftover cake and food. Even with the large number of people who were here this weekend, there is a ton of wine in coolers here from Vinophiles and my mother, who apparently decided to clean out her cabinets and bring all of her vino here (If you want to come over for a low-key evening of DVDs here with leftover snacks and wine during this week or next, just let me know. I am the Queen of crackers and salad, cake and cookies).

Sunday was the Pumpkin Carving. There were some GREAT Jack o' Lanterns made. Some photos are posted on my Flickr page.

I had coffee and cake and Rose Delight for breakfast this morning.

Tonight, I combined what was in the fridge with several ingredients from the wonderful herb basket my friend Joe brought and made what turned out to be an incredibly tastey soup. Three kinds of mushrooms, lime zest, lemon grass, hot peppers, garlic, onion, various herbs, chard... Yum!

Now watching Anthony Bourdain on the Travel Channel with Monster John, who is exhausted from making my birthday so good.