Happy New Year

Be happy, be sensible.  Most of all, celebrate in style!

How In The Heck Do You Get It All Done?

Hello everyone!  I've been away for a few days, as you might have noticed.  For those of you who haven't known me most of my life I'm here to tell you about how weird I get this time of year, which might explain why I haven't tended to the blog.

Of course I was all aflurry with Christmas preparations and hobnobbing about on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  It was a lovely holiday, with the grand goodbye to 2010 and anticipatory hello to 2011 yet to come.  With all the activity going on I have even less time to gather my thoughts than I do during non-holiday times of year, and I have a hard enough time gathering the thoughts then.

I don't know if it's the excitement of a fresh new year that gets the wheels turning again, or if it's a restless boredom with the old that compells me to take new charge of my life, but I do know the week between Christmas and New Years always gives me an uncomfortable feeling of insecurity, ineptitude, and unwelcome sluggishness.  With these feelings comes the compulsion to change it all...RIGHT NOW!

Taking new charge of one's life at the beginning of a new year can't be a bad thing, but it can be overwhelming.  Especially when taking charge involves things as big as a studio remodel and, as small as cleaning that patch of grunge on the cupboard door in the kitchen, and everything (and I mean everything) in between.  The list of things I want to do is a mile long and include new projects as well as projects I've neglected for months.  The problem is, I feel like I need to get it all done at once.

When I realize that's impossible I get dizzy trying to fit the tasks into those tiny twenty-four hour days we are afforded.  It's not so much that I'm working on the tasks so much as attempting to devise ways to satisfy my desires.  That is to say I spend way to much time planning on how I'm going to get these projects done rather than actually doing the projects.

Bad, bad, bad.

2011 Organizer by msvalerieparkdistro

So for now, I'm going through that weird holiday slump where I'm terribly unproductive and unrealistically thinking I'll turn into Super Woman overnight and accomplish everything after I get a little sleep.  I'm dissatisfied with knowing I can't get everything done at once.  I'm also too dang lazy to chip away at it a little at a time.  I think it's a variation on having the blues.

Stained Glass Winter Evening by FoundGlassDesigns

How do you organize the tasks you have to accomplish?  Do you have time to give your best to each role you play in your life ~ mother, employee, daughter, friend, housekeeper, cook, wife?  Are you able to prioritize effectively?  Do you create Outlook task lists or Excel spreadsheeets to keep your projects and chores in order?  I'd love to hear how you all manage it, even if you don't think you manage it perfectly.  I really need your insight and inspiration.

Silent Night

Cards giving loved ones holiday greetings have been sent.  Gifts for everyone on the nice list have been wrapped and tucked under the tree.  Cookies for Santa with leftovers for me have been baked.  All that's left is the holiday itself. 

Have a merry, merry Christmas.

The Excitement Builds

I know you're probably thinking, from the title of this post, that I'm referring to the excitement of Christmas.  Well, there is that.  The next few days will be a blur of activities and fun, not to mention much food and drink.  But I'm compelled to address the issue of my business.  You see, I've decided to rename and move my Etsy shop.  The current shop is officially on vacation indefinitely.

It wasn't an easy decision and I still have a lot of kinks to work out.  Don't worry, you'll find the same great products in my new shop as in the old, with the addition of some new items in the works.  But I've forgotten how to set up an Etsy shop ~ the details that must be tended to.  So there's that part of it.  There's also the part of creating a banner, taking pictures of all the items up for sale, making sure the 100% positive feedback from the previous shop will be accessible to those visiting the new shop and a ton of other things. 

The name of the new shop will simply be Auntie B's Wax.  There's a long story about why the current shop is called Auntie B Online, but I won't get into that.  I'm glad now that I didn't use Auntie B's Wax for the first shop as I would now be unable to use that name for the new shop.

I'm using the word "shop" way too much in this post. 

Anyway, I need some feed back regarding the banner for the new shop.  I know all about branding and stuff, and that I should probably have the same banner for my shop as I have on this blog.  But I like to change things up here and there. 

Here is your task for the day.  I have two banner options below.  I would love to hear what you have to say about them.  These may not even be remotely close to what I actually use for my shop, but I'd like to get some opinions about these two in particular.  OK, here we go...

Option 1:

Option 2:

I may be inquiring more about banner content in the future.  Looking to my adoring fans for advice has always served me well and this situation is no different.  Please let me know in the comments which picture you think would look best for my new shop.  If you think they both stink, say so ~ I won't be offended.

Now that I've given you work to do, I'm off to bake some peanut blossom cookies and to wrap the last of the gifts to put under the tree.  Ho Ho Ho!

Wordless Wednesday

Are Clever Commercials Making A Comeback?

Remember when commercials were fun?  They would entertain and tell a story.  They sometimes could even make you cry.  Those were the days, huh?  And what do we get now?  A bunch of text all over the screen with some invisible voiceover person telling us about doorbuster sales.  I'm pretty sure there isn't even such a job as jingle writer anymore ~ it's just easier to buy the rights to an already-written score.

Every once in a while my faith in marketing is restored.  The other day I saw this commercial and just loved it.  Target, kudos.



What's your favorite commercial these days?

...Have A Cup Of Cheer

It's Christmas crunch time, but remember to keep in mind what's really important this season.  As is mandatory at the Auntie B's Wax World Headquarters, take some time to watch Rudolph.  It will bring back tons of memories and might even stir up that Christmas spirit you lost in the seventh circle of hell mall.  If you can't sing at least one song by memory from this show, then you need to watch it twice.

Pre-Christmas Preparations

It's Christmastime and we all know how we must spruce ourselves up for all the hobnobbing we'll be doing.  I made a trip to the beauty shop today.  (Did I just say beauty shop?)  Got a cute little haircut.  Also had some grooming done so I'm not sporting the eyebrows of Andy Rooney

or the moustache of Herschel Bernardi.

I'm a girl again!  So even if I'm on Santa's naughty list he won't pass me by because I'm now cute as a button.  Being cute, especially after the effort I went through today, is just as worthy of Santa's attention as being nice.  Besides, Santa's a guy and guys love cute.

What have you been doing to attract Santa's attention?

Wordless Wednesday

Bummer

If you're looking for lively and upbeat, today is not the day to be visiting Auntie B's blog.  Sorry to all you perkies out there. 

The weekend stunk.  Too much conflict and too many hormones. 

1.  The weekend started out with the threat of a blizzard, which I thought was a huge fake put on by the weather people just to get our attention, because even by 10:00 Friday night there was no snow flying around.

2.  The weather people were not faking and we ended up getting seventeen inches.  Normally this would not be a problem for me, but I had places to go and this snow was putting a damper on things.

3.  All day Saturday I toiled over whether or not Husby and I should travel to Superior, WI to visit Paenney the next day, a trip that had been planned for quite a while.  Paenney just started college and we wanted to pay a visit and get a tour of his new home away from home, take him out for a good lunch, and load him up with some goodies for finals.  Plus I wanted to visit Lu::Handmade Goodness, a shop in Superior at which I consign.  It was going to be a very fun-filled and action-packed day.  The snow kept falling and blowing, falling and blowing.

4.  The weatherman promised the snow would stop by Sunday, our planned travel date, but that the blizzard conditions would continue to the next day in the form of blowing snow and subzero temperatures.  I finally put in a call to Paenney late Saturday afternoon saying we couldn't come.  Despite the snowfall ceasing, there was still the seventeen inches of fallen snow to deal with.  As promised the temperature plummeted, winds picked up and our trusty weatherman warned against unncessary travel.  But visiting Paenney IS necessary, I thought. 

5.  However, once I spoke with Paenney and made the decision to disappoint us all by not traveling I felt a little less confounded by the situation, but then I was overwrought with disappointment.  Husby couldn't figure out why I was walking around the house aimlessly, crying.  After a day of watching the weather forecasts and trying to make the decision whether to travel or not, then caving in to Mother Nature and her wrath of fury...well, it was just all too much for me.  Plus I'm at an age where everything makes me cry, and the things that would make a normal person cry are exponentially exaggerated in a person with my state of hormonal confusion.

6.  Our day of travel turned into a day of snow removal.  Removal?  Where do you put that much snow?  We figured it out for our house, and then off I went to my parents' house to help them out.  Charlotte, Pinky, and Fojo were also there to help.  Many hands make quick work and all that.  I'm just going to sum up that experience with a prayer ~ Please, dear God, when the time comes and I am older and less capable, let me quietly accept the help of others despite their different ways and time schedules.  My parents were very grateful for the help they received and treated us all to a delicious Carbone's pizza.

7.  I forgot to do laundry through all the hoo-ha of the blizzard and was stuck with doing it on Sunday night.  I got to bed way too late and then had to get up in the freezing dark morning at 5:00 a.m. and go to the day job, which is enough to make me want to take a fork and stab myself repeatedly.

8.  While sitting at my day job desk I realized I forgot the bag of goodies on the table at home.  Goodies made to help welcome a new member to our work unit.  So dang it, now I have to go to Jerabek's and buy something for our little welcoming party.  OK, I'll admit that everyone will probably enjoy Jerebek's goodies much more than they would mine, but that's beside the point.  Down-trodden, disheveled, and unorganized ~ that's me and it bums me out.

So here I am, emotionally exhausted, cold, and way too out of shape to be trudging through this much snow.  As cranky as I am over the outcome of this past weekend, I'm really grateful we'll be having a white Christmas, that everyone I care about survived the blizzard without incident.  I'm also grateful that I can start all over this week and hope for much better outcomes than I've had the last three days. 

Christmas Nostalgia

Christmas is all about nostalgia, isn't it?  We remember our childhood Christmases and the excitement of opening that special gift.  Images of Christmas are from eras gone by, Victorian houses and one-horse open sleighs.

I unearthed a piece of nostalgia that isn't really a romantic memory, but took me back so many years and brought a smile to my face.  If you're as old as me and grew up in the Twin Cities, you might remember the show Lunch With Casey.  If you remember that, you'll probably remember this wonderful little diddy...



Happy Holidays from Casey Jones and Roundhouse Rodney!

Dreaming Out Loud

Last year my friend Ruthie gave me a piece of art for Christmas.  It was a basket of flowers done in needlepoint.  The best part about it was the phrase, dream a little dream.

Husby and I were talking one night and our conversation led to some home improvements we'd like to get started on after the holidays.  Let's get the lighting fixed in the kitchen, as well as the garbage disposal.  Then we'll have to paint the bedroom and dinette area.  How about getting a new tub in the master bathroom?

The home improvement talk led to improvements I'd like to make in craftland.  That's where the dreaming came in...

Oh how glorious it will be!  A long counter for pouring wax instead of the low, square table I'm using now.  A wall full of floor-to-ceiling shelves for supplies and finished products.  A nook for shipping materials and office supplies. 

It will be a while before all of that will come to fruition because first I have to clean out the cluttered workspace to make room for all of the improvements.  But the dream is at the forefront of my mind.  Starting in January I will be picking up, throwing away, donating, and storing everything in the studio to make way for the new and improved Craftland.  Along with that will come a brand new Etsy shop for Auntie B's Wax.  Same great things you've seen at my current shop, plus a whole lot more.

No matter what improvements you want to make in your life, dream about them, embellish the practicalities, and take small steps to achieve your wildest desires.  Don't ever be afraid to dream a little dream.

Wordless Wednesday

O Tannenbaum

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,

Wie treus ind deine Blätter!

Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit,

Nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum,

Wie treu sind deine Blätter!

 

Today we remember Grampa Mike, who loved Christmas more than anyone I've ever known.  His German heritage and traditions influenced my own Christmas traditions, especially my Tannenbaum.

Snow!

I've lived in Minnesota my whole life.  I suppose some might think that to be unsophisticated ~ after all, when one grows up doesn't one move away from home?  And where would I go if I were to move away?  Sunny California?  I hear San Diego's average temperatures range from fifty to eighty degrees throughout the year and rainfall is minimal.  And it never snows there.  Ever.

To some that sounds like a dream come true.  I've heard people complain about Minnesota winters my entire life.  Temperatures can get down to thirty degrees below zero (and then some), snow can accumulate from two to twelve inches in a single twenty-four hour period.  For me, I wouldn't have it any other way.

I never moved to California because I love the distinct seasons of Minnesota, winter being one of them.  The cold air and snow just add to Minnesota's charm.  While I don't participate in any winter activities like skiing, skating, or snowmobiling, winter is quickly becoming my favorite season.  Why?

It's so clean and white.

It's peaceful.

Sure, it's hard to get up at 5:00 in the morning on a cold winter morning to go out to the day job, but for the most part I relish the briskness of winter.  I love the crunch of the snow with each footstep I take.  Most of all, I don't think anyone, especially me, ever dreamed of a green Christmas.

Winter welcomes warm fires in the fireplace, hot baths, lots of creamy lotion on the skin, and best of all, savory soups, stews and warm breadsticks for dinner.  In so many ways winter is warmer than summer in Minnesota.

While people complain about temperatures and shoveling I roll my eyes, snug in my woolen socks and fluffy sweaters.  I wonder why they don't move to that temperate climate of California and let people like me embrace the stillness and quiet of the snowy winter.

Traditional Meets Totally Awesome

The holiday season has officially begun at the Auntie B's Wax world headquarters. Surely you will witness the festivities and frustrations that comes with gift buying, cookie baking, entertaining, and the indulgence I experience this time of year through this humble chronicle of my life.

One of the most important pieces of Christmas is the music.  The grandiose and glorious music.  The peaceful and soothing music.  Thought-provoking and awe-inspiring, music is about as close to the Divine as you can get while passing time in the physical world as we know it. 

Enjoy...

Just Getting Over It

Thanksgiving was no less than a pivotal event for Husby and me. I'm not going to get into the details ~ suffice it to say we were grateful for being the people we have become because of, and sometimes in spite of, people around us. Getting comfortable in our own skin, as it were. It doesn't get much better than that. Plus, next year Thanksgiving Day will probably be celebrated with steak and lobster rather than turkey and stuffing.

Wordless Wednesday

Featured Shop ~ Sue Pariseau Pottery

Periodically I contribute an article to the HandmadeMN blog featuring the HandmadeMN members' shops on Etsy. I thought it would be nice to have those articles on my blog too; I really like the artists and shops I feature, and their wares might add a bit of class to my little corner of the blogosphere.

Now is the time we start thinking about holiday gift giving, and what better place to shop than from a Minnesota seller on Etsy.  Sue Pariseau Pottery is a good place to find beautiful things.

I like to give (as well as receive!) gifts that are useful.  Sue has some lovely works of art that are also useable and durable. 

One of the coolest inventions ever created is the butter bell.  Sue Pariseau Pottery offers a butter keeper that will not only keep butter fresh and creamy, but will also look classy on the dinner table.

Butter Keeper

How about this stunning burt-red serving bowl?  The detail is amazing and any hostess would love to serve her delicious veggies from a vessel like this.

Serving Bowl

I really like this next piece.  An apple baker!  Place a cored apple in the baker and voila, a delictable treat.  Sue even provides a recipe card!

Apple Baker

Think food.  Think gift giving.  Think entertaining.  And when you think of these things think of Sue Pariseau Pottery for handmade pottery that is pretty and useful.

A Day For Thanks

Don't forget to remember, between the bites of turkey and pumpkin pie, for what you are thankful.  I hope your list of gratitudes is as long as mine.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Wordless Wednesday

Another First

I've always been very verbal about my aversion to a stranger rubbing my naked body, i.e. massages. Lots of people have told me how much they love getting a massage once in a while. I would always tell them that is totally not for me.

Three months ago for my birthday I opened an envelope from Husby...gift certificates for not one but two massages.  I wanted to sound grateful, but dang it all, he knew I didn't want to ever have a massage.  He looked at me kindly and said, "you really need this."

I had my first massage.  And it was marvelous.  The best thing about it was, not only did it loosen up my tight muscles, it loosened up my tense and chaotic mind.  I'm so glad Husby gave me two gift certificates, because I'm totally going back for another. 

You'll have to excuse me now while I continue to completely relax...for a change.

My First Private Showing

This past weekend marked another first for Auntie B's Wax.  Thanks to the marvelous and generous Ruthie (of the famed Dive Night Ruthie and  Ray) my products were featured at a pre-holiday private shopping party.

Think Tupperware party without the burping. 

A bunch of ladies got together for some savory appetizers, sweet nibbles, and of course libations.  Then they went to town with some early Christmas shopping right in the comfort of Ruthie's house.  I offered a nice variety of winter/holiday-scented candles, bottle cap magnets, pulp fiction magnets, and the ever-popular bottle cap drink charms.

 

We all had a nice time and I can't thank Ruthie enough for giving me the opportunity to show my wares to her most discerning friends, who apparently took a liking to what I had to offer.

I'd like to extend more thanks to Deb, Deb, Sandy, Shannon, Leigh, Cary, Mari, and Ginny for attending the party and making it a lot of fun, and also for believing my handmade goodies to be fine enough to give as gifts this holiday season.  You guys made my weekend!

**Opening photo compliments of  Free Christmas Wallpapers.

Funeral Day

Today is funeral day.

It makes me think how death is so devastating, and yet so life affirming.  Of course no one can sum it up better than Cat Stevens and the movie Harold and Maude.

Even though someone very wonderful is no longer with us, she's inspired me to take a big bite out of life and to be just who I  am.  Because the opportunity's on.

Breathe Deep

Sometimes you can see the life you want to live, but have no idea how to achieve it.  Worse still is knowing how to achieve it but not having the capacity to move toward the dream.

What do you do when you can picture it all but stand stagnant at the thought of making the changes? 

There are people around me who are going through some pretty heavy times lately.  Some brush them aside hoping that they will just go away if ignored.  Others are so burdened with the weight of things thrust upon them their spirits are crushed, their hope is just a sliver of light they can barely see.

Homely, by Shashamane

Their sense of direction is confused by the darkness that surrounds them ~ a suffocating blindness.  There is so much to tend to, but where does one start if one can't see anything but everything?

The feeling of being overwhelmed by things like grief, responsibility, commitment, or anger is enough to make a person just let the darkness envelope them.  The fight is too much like treading water in a violent storm at sea.  It's easier to just give in and let the cold, black water have its way.

When your head spins and thoughts race through your brain take a moment to sit and breathe deep.  Remember yourself.  If the things that overwhelm you didn't exist, what would you be doing?  Then take some time away from the demands of all that is consuming you and enjoy yourself, even if it's only for ten minutes.  Do something that has nothing to do with what is required of you.  Think of something that has nothing to do with the matters of your emotional turmoils.

They call it clearing your head.  No, a cluttered and confused head can't be cleared instantly.  But bit by bit, minute by minute, the more time you put into clearing your head the more you will be able to overcome the more dreadful aspects of your mind, body, and life in general.  Bit by bit, minute by minute.

Take the time to remove yourself from the chaos.  Before too long that little sliver of light called hope becomes brighter and creates a clearer path for you.  Soon enough you will see the light and the things that overwhelm you will be brought back down to size.  And the life you imagined, the one that used to be so unreachable, will finally be the life you live.

Sweet Dreams by Donna Geissler 

Wordless Wednesday

Dive Night, Part 2 ~ River Garden Bar

Dive Night is a once monthly adventure undertaken by me and Husby, along with our friends Ruthie and Ray. Each couple alternates choosing a restaurant, one which must come under the category of "dive." Our definition of dive: a neighborhood gathering spot hiding under the radar. Casual atmosphere and good food. We're out to find the best food in the Minneapolis/St Paul area without having to pay a fortune or dress up. A sip of beer or wine doesn't hurt either.  See a list and links to the previous dive night posts here.

Our Dive Night experience taken on the Friday before Halloween with Ruthie and Ray started out at Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge.  That was definitely an experience of the good kind.  You can read about it here.  The thing is, we were in Nordeast, old stomping ground for Husby and Ray, and we couldn't leave the area without stopping by to call on Tony Jaros.  OK, we couldn't really visit Tony Jaros because, well, he'd dead.  More specifically, the River Garden Bar.  Yikes.

For those of you who are totally out of the loop (like I am), this bar is home to The Greenie.  I've heard about The Greenie for years from Husby.  Apparently Ray has reminisced about the River Garden and Greenies too.  It's a stiff drink, but you'd never know it because it is so dang sweet and tasty.  So without further adieu I give you...The Greenie.

All I can say is, the River Garden Bar is a place where people go to get drunk.  It is also a trendy stop for people who think it's quirky to go into dive bars just to drink up the atmosphere.  It's got character and characters.

This guy was constantly on his phone, but could only see it with one eye closed. 

Husby and Ray loved returning to their old stomping ground, the River Garden Bar.  Apparently it is one of those places where you can go back and relive those days of yore because it hasn't changed a lick in decades.  Ruthie and I loved sitting at the bar making up stories about all the other people, speculating about who will go home with whom, what they do for a living, and what their lives are like.  Of course we would label them with names like The Russian, Staring Guy, Artsy Girl, and Tight Lips.  Great fun.

There were also a bunch of mice who came into the bar.  Humans dressed as mice.  I don't know if they were supposed to be rats or mice.  Doesn't matter, they were a very fun bunch and I just had to take a picture of a couple of them before we left.

I'll remind you we were out the Friday before Halloween, so I assume these guys are dressed for that occasion and don't normally go out in their black long underwear, white gloves, and mouse ears, but I could be wrong.  They were much fun, no matter what.

So all I can say is the dive dining and drinking for October was quite an experience.  The food at Psycho Suzi's was great, the Greenies* at River Garden were great.  Of course the company of Ruthie and Ray can't be beat.  It was the most memorable Halloween weekend I've had in a long time.

* The River Garden Bar also makes Blueys (sp?), Pinkies, and Purpleys (again, sp?).  The Blueys taste like Sweet Tarts, and uncannily so.  If you drink too many of all of these drinks you will no doubt barf rainbows.

Dive Night, Part 1 ~ Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge

Dive Night is a once monthly adventure undertaken by me and Husby, along with our friends Ruthie and Ray. Each couple alternates choosing a restaurant, one which must come under the category of "dive." Our definition of dive: a neighborhood gathering spot hiding under the radar. Casual atmosphere and good food. We're out to find the best food in the Minneapolis/St Paul area without having to pay a fortune or dress up. A sip of beer or wine doesn't hurt either.  See a list and links to the previous dive night posts here.

It's been a while since I've posted about Dive Night with Ruthie and Ray because, well, it's been a while since we've done it.  You know how life gets sometimes.  That's what's been happening with us.  Because it has been a while since the last Dive Night we decided to do it big.  The best place to find a dive in the Twin Cities?  None other than Nordeast!

I'm not too familiar with the northeast Minneapolis, but I don't get out much.  Those of you who know anything probably know about the place we chose as our monthly dive.  Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge. 

Psycho Suzi's used to be an A&W Rootbeer stand.  They've given the old drive-in quite a substantial makeover.  Think tiki.  We went the Friday before Halloween, so the place was decorated for the holiday and some of the patrons were in costumes.  All of that just added to the fun.

The employee of the month is featured prominently next to the restrooms.  I especially liked her quote.

And the bathrooms were aptly labeled.

They even serve exotic Polynesian drinks in volcano cups.

But enough about the decor.  Let's talk about the food.  Oh, the food.  We started with appetizers, fried cheese curds and Brown Sugar Babies.  The latter are bacon-wrapped smokies with a bourbon brown sugar glaze.  OMG.  And the cheese curds had the most delicate, tempura-like batter that was unlike any I've had before and were served with a marinara sauce.  Personally, I thought the dipping sauce was unnecessary.

On to the main course.  I'll confess I was a little disappointed that everyone wanted pizza.  Pizza?  Well, little did I know that Psycho Suzi is known for her pizza.  I went along with the majority's consensus and each couple chose a different one.  I'm so glad we got pizza. 

These may look like ordinary pizzas, but they were far from it.  The crust was deliciously thin and crispy.  Ruthie and Ray ordered the Four Barrel pizza, which has spicy sausage, red onions, roasted red peppers, and feta and mozarella with the house red sauce.  Husby and I ordered The Barris with caramelized onions, sun-dried tomato, oregano and goat cheese.  
 
It's been a while since I've had a pizza that diverts from the standard Domino's-type.  Not that there's anything wrong with Domino's, but they don't roast peppers, they don't caramelize onions, and they sure as heck don't use feta and goat cheeses.  All of us sampled each pizza and all of us liked both.  Well, I more than liked.  I wondered where this pizza had been all my life.  At Psycho Suzi's all along.

Check out Suzi's website ~ it's as entertaining as the ambiance, service, and clientele of the restaurant. 

We couldn't end the evening with Psycho Suzi's.  After all, we'd been having that life thing I was referring to earlier, and it had been so long since the four of us had been out.  We found a way to ward off  Stay tuned for Part 2 of this Dive Night post and find out where we partook in a little nightcap.