A Festive Libation

 It’s been an interesting year; some adventure, some successes in the garden, retirement (Dan), exciting travel, loss, and great joy. 

I’ve not blogged in a while and many of you know we lost Dan’s dad in October; he lived 92 wonderful years; we’ll miss him but know that he is in a much better place. He was a doctor, mentor, runner, piano player, photographer and a train aficionado - a full and impressive life.

After leaving Optum in 2023, Dan worked for Tigergraph from February until September when he was caught in a downsizing and at that point he decided it was time to retire. He is still building robots and boxes, volunteering with STEM organizations and lately sleeping in a little longer. We celebrated his retirement with a party at the end of September; it was great to see so many people come to celebrate his career

In 2023 I picked a ton of cherries from a neighbors tree. We made crisp, pie, and other desserts. I also tried my hand at flavoring vodka, which I put in the pantry and promptly forgot about. Fast forward to a few nights ago I located said vodka and made what I am calling a George Washington Mule; 2 oz cherry infused vodka, 4 oz ginger beer and a splash of fresh squeezed lemon juice. It was refreshing and a nice change of pace. 

As we wind down 2024 - we look forward to more travel, adding some new features to the garden (more straw bales an espalier for berries), more volunteer opportunities, and grandchildren - both of Dan’s daughters are expecting this summer - we excited for 2025!