

(pottery by Gary Rith)
Why YES, yes I do accomplish a lot when the wife is out of town. You can see some of my many accomplishments here, of course, but first: Spike.
When the wife is gone you gotta get them BIG books from the library. I have a stack. I began the second in the stack yesterday evening, and at one point I took the dogs out and returned....Spike was hiding in my book. You can't make this sh!t up....

Wicked cold and snowy here in upstate New York, as it is all over the US and Canada. Stinking JANUARY, GOSH.....




My pal
Kasey wanted to do a post on us drinks pioneers. She has invented TWO!
You will recall that yesterday I talked of the DAY OF THE RASPBERRY and made a NEW drink, the raspberry martini. I have named it the RATINI, recipe below...

Winter and Summer Ratinis
the winter ratini: place 4 raspberries in your favorite ratini glass, stab one with a fork lightly 4 times (releases a wee bit of juice!)
-pour 2.25 ounces, no, go ahead, make it 3 ounces, Absolut vodka or some other pretentious brand over the raspberries then drink with appropriate background music and a beagle at your side, but watch the beagle, because she will try to steal your drink.
the summer ratini, when it is NOT stinking 15 below zero outside:
-put four raspberries into your favorite ratini glass, stab one with a fork lightly 4 times (releases a wee bit of juice!)
-place ice cubes in your shaker, pour 2.25 ounces, no wait, make it at LEAST 3 ounces, Absolut vodka or some other pretentious vodka over the ice cubes, close shaker and shake DO NOT STIR vigorously a moment or 2
-pour that iced vodka over the raspberries and watch out for the fuching beagle, she will try to steal your drink ;)
Most excellent background music here