cat shepard

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy thank you for our maps! Rich thank YOU for picking Beer Can Appreciation Day! 64, no breeze, light marine layer, some peachy color to the clouds. Life is good. Bindi really enjoyed our morning walk. So did I. Vanessa, I am so sorry that sleep is eluding you, and that the folk who are supposed to be helping you are not communicating. It is hard to build trust with someone. I hope things improve fast. Bindi walks, branch patrol, chores, and HIIT will keep me busy. Heck I need HIIT badly after yesterday’s delicious lunch at the new beach restaurant. 😎 Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from pain, debilitating conditions, the loss of a loved one, the caregivers, those in a funk. Terry, hope you had a wonderful birthday. Thinking of you & Tana! Cheers to all who are celebrating! @Cruising-along Happy Birthday, Carolyn! May we each find a reason to smile today. ************ Barboursville Vineyards 2019 Octagon Red (Virginia) This Virginia red blend sounds lovely, has lots of fans, but is a bit pricey. I found one place that sold it for under $50, but I suspect the shipping would bring the cost a bit over that mark. Note - one critic asks us to wait until after 2024 to enjoy it. Online prices start at $47.94. Winemaker Notes Attractive deep garnet color, elegant aromas of blueberry, black currant, fresh flowers and dry herbs, the structure expresses medium body, silky tannins and a cool, refined finish. Drinkable now, yet with a long future and evolution in the mouthfeel and aromatic profile . It is very reminiscent of the stellar Octagon 2009 from a vintage considered by many Virginia winemakers as "the perfect one". 94James Suckling A perfumed nose of spiced cherry, sliced plum, cardamom, clove and suede. Medium-to full-bodied with silky tannins. Concentrated but not overdone, with a array of nicely ripened red fruit and berries washing very the palate. Subtle length here with the fruit lingering on the palate for a long time. Lovely spicy complexity. Drink or hold. 92Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2019 Octagon is a blend of 62% Merlot (a big hike this year over the last I saw), 34% Cabernet Franc and just 4% Petit Verdot, aged for 12 months in 40% new French oak. It comes in at 13.4% alcohol. Despite that Merlot-dominated blend, to me this seemed more controlled in the flavor profile today by its Cabernet Franc. It is a touch herbaceous with some charred veggies on the nose and palate. Yet this is wonderful overall. It coats the palate and shows fine structure too. The firm finish would seem to suggest that this is built to age and develop. Here, you are going to have to have the patience to wait. This is going to be splendid, but it sure isn't today. More than most of the wines in this Virginia report, this seems to have a long life ahead and seems likely to reward cellaring. I'd bet it will be at peak closer to the end of the decade, not to say you absolutely have to wait quite that long. Best after 2024. 92Wine Enthusiast Dark garnet in the glass opens up with dark fruits of black cherries, sun-dried tomatoes and dried parsley. The palate brings those plus some hints of celery leaf.

Wow! Welcome aboard Ryan Charles! 10 lbs 10 oz!

Wonderful news, Terri. Boy do you deserve some me time. Glad your cruise is coming fast.

Lenda at the risk of dragging this out - could you flow chart this for me?😜

Maureen - glad to read you had a little me time!

By golly, I used my decoder ring in an attempt to figure out what “Joh” was that coincides with Handwriting Day! Today is John Hancock’s birthday! And now I know that my trusty ring is not just meant for wine. 😎

@DWAliaschief Sue, I hope you have a wonderful birthday. Happy New Year! I also hope this is not a duplicate, since this is the second time I have tried to post this! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@smitty34877 Terry - a whole new decade! Do something fun today. For you. ❤️

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Rich, thank you for leaving us in great hands! Roy, thank you for our maps! It was already 62 with a very light breeze when Bindi & I headed out this morning. I am happy that whoever borrowed Florida this past weekend returned it! Or maybe I was driving all wrong in Winter weather. Who knew I should do it with cake. 🤔 Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with us. I sure hope the folk you will be seeing can eliminate the pain and let you get a great night’s sleep. Gym, Bindi walks, lunch with friends at the new beach restaurant that is doing a soft opening to test out their menu and then chores and more Bindi walks. Camouflage Prayers for all who need our support. Especially those suffering from pain and debilitating conditions. Those grieving the loss of a loved one. The caregivers. And those in a funk. @Cruzin Terri Terri, hope the folk at Mayo can help. I understand your issue with medical care up where you live. Here it is Advent Health. But they are ok for ordinary care. Give them something unusual and they are stymied. So we go to the same Mayo Clinic that you do. Thinking of you & Tana, Terry. Cheers to all who are celebrating! May we each find a reason to smile today! *********** Mollydooker Maitre D’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 I used the 2021 vintage info since that is the most distributors have in stock. This Australian Cab, is easy to find and has lots of fans. If you are trying to keep to wines with lower alcohol content, you probably should steer clear of this one. Love the name. Online prices start at $27.98. Winemaker’s notes The Maitre D’ was named after Sparky, who put himself through winemaking college as a left handed waiter. A deep blend of red and purple colours and abundant aromas introduces us perfectly to this beautiful Cabernet. Rich and complex in flavour, notes of cherry and blackberry transition to mixed herbs, bramble and mocha, complemented by a delicious dimension of sweet fruit. Soft smooth on the palate, the 2021 Maitre D’ balances flavour and structure perfectly. TECHNICAL NOTES: The grapes were grown on the Coppermine Road, Long Gully Road, Ryan Road, and Gateway vineyards in McLaren Vale, and the Joppich vineyard in Langhorne Creek. Barrel fermented and matured in 88% American and 12% French oak, using 33%, new 30% one year old and 37% two year old barrels. The required Marquis Fruit Weight™ for the Lefty Series is 65% – 75%. The Actual Fruit Weight for 2021 The Maitre D’ is 67%. Alcohol: 15.5% Wine Spectator 90

@StLouisCruisers Sandi - you feel like a snitch, really? For helping out a neighbor, or anyone for that matter. Even if the driver reported it, how would anyone know until Amazon contacted your neighbor? Get that “snitch” notion right out of your head. @marshhawk that was my favorite Italian hotel. Amazing location, wonderful breakfast and so close to that Gelato! *************** Blue Springs State Park has already counted more than 1,000 manatees this past weekend. Not sure how clear the pics will show them, so I will try posting them without reducing their size. 🤞🏻 BTW a group of manatees is called an aggregation. 😎

Gerry Thank you for letting us know about Deb. I remember that ordeal as if it were yesterday. And how wonderful John was to her Mom & Stepdad who had to be evacuated from Australia when their World Cruise came to a sudden halt.

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy, thank you for taking care of our maps. Boy, after two days of a brutal wind, this morning’s early walk with Bindi was a pleasure. The fact that it was 45 when we headed out certainly helped. Vanessa, thank you for taking care of our lists. A never ending task. I really appreciate your taking this on. Praying that you find a path to permanent pain relief soon. Gym, Bindi walks, chores. Just an average Monday. Prayers for all who need our support. Especially those dealing with pain, debilitating conditions, grieving the loss of a loved one, the caregivers and those in a funk. Cheers to all who are celebrating! May we each find a reason to smile today. ********* Ferrari-Carano 2019 Trésor Red (Sonoma County) After dusting off my trusty decoder ring, I discovered that this red blend has quite a few fans and is a bit pricey. I found several online distributors with most offering it outside my budget. I found one online distributor offering it for $44.95 - just barely inside my budget. Would love a taste, though. Winemaker Notes The 2019Trésor is soft and elegant.Aromas of wild berries,cola and caramel lead to silky plum, mocha and vanilla flavors. Notes of cedar and black cassis glide across the palate in a long and expressive finish. Trésor complements lamb and beef that is roasted or braised. Pair with beef stew, filet mignon, a maple bacon cheeseburger, grilled flank or sirloin steak.Try Trésor with strong-flavored cheeses like Gorgonzola or sharp cheddar. Blend: 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc,7% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot 94 Wine Enthusiast A nicely firm texture holds together vivid black currants, blackberries and mint in this full-bodied, dark and assertive blend, which is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon. Ample tannins match the outstanding ripeness of the fruit for good balance despite the wine’s obvious heft and power.

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy, thank you for our maps! It is a very brisk 34, feels like 28 here this morning. But the sun is shining and I have no need for a snow shovel, so life is wonderful. Vanessa, thank you for capturing and sharing all our happenings. Praying that you get permanent pain relief soon! Gym, Aldi, Bindi walks and chores should keep me busy. Prayers for all who need our support. Thinking of you & Tana, Terry. Cheers to all who are celebrating. May we each find a reason to smile today. ************ Ant Moore Estate Series Sauvignon Blanc 2022 I used the 2022 vintage info since it should be available. Priced to try. Lots of distributors- many of which mention the distinct lemon and lime palate of this wine. Might be a bit different from other New Zealand SB wines. Online prices start at $11.49, so you can decide for yourself. Winemaker notes Harvest 2019 will go down as one of the driest years we have seen with no rain between Christmas and early March. Our vineyards had mixed fortunes during flowering which resulted in some varieties having low berry numbers and small crops. The silver lining was, lower crops and clean fruit with very good texture and mouthfeel. Fruit sourced predominantly from the Dillons Point (66%), the Awatere Valley (26%) and a small component from Brookby Road (8%) has been selected for the 2019 Signature blend. The fruit was machine harvested then pressed with the cloudy juice clarified by floatation and cold settling. Once clarified the Brookby juice was transferred to old French barriques for relatively warm (18°-22°C) fermentation and the other batches were fermented separately in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at approximately 13° to 15°C for 3 to 4 weeks. After fermentation the tank fermented components were racked and the individual parcels held separate on light lees to help maintain freshness. The oak component was kept on fermentation lees to further fill out the palate and promote some depth of character. After blending, the wine was stabilised without the need for extra fining before final crossflow filtration to prepare for bottling. ORGANIC. SUSTAINABLE.

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy, thank you for the maps! I confess to feeling sad when I read your signature. You know your situation better than I do, but I wish there was an option that made cruising still possible for you. It is cool & blustery this morning. 39 and the wind is just starting to pick up. Bindi did not dawdle this morning. Vanessa, thank you for making sure we all know what is happening with us! Praying that you get relief for your pain. Soon. Zumba, Bindi walks, chores and dinner at a friend’s. Last night I enjoyed an amazing burger and the best fries I have ever eaten at the birthday celebration. Usually I might eat one or two fries if they come with the meal - just to say I tried them. But last night’s were amazingly seasoned, crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked and left no grease residue on any of our fingers! I made everyone at the table try them to make sure it wasn’t the wine that made me think this. 😎 Good thing I don’t know how to make these. Imagine driving down the highway and seeing this! Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from debilitating pain and conditions, facing surgery, grieving the loss of a loved one, in a funk, and our caregivers. Thinking of you Terry & Tana. Cheers to all who are celebrating! @seagarsmoker may this new job be everything you want! May we each find a reason to smile today. *********** Emilio Vada 2022 Camp Bianc Moscato (Moscato d'Asti) I might taste this sweet, sparkling wine from Italy even though I usually steer clear of sweet wines. Its sparkling attribute might make it quite enjoyable. A decent number of distributors with online prices starting at $23.99. 93 Wine Enthusiast This superfresh Moscato d'Asti pops out of the glass with fresh wildflowers, lemon candy and juicy nectarine. The fleshly palate is like biting into a superripe peach sprinkled with thyme while holding flowers. Yum!

Woo Hoo!!! Congratulations! 🍾 🥂

Woo hoo! I will not break out the champagne 🍾 until it is official.

Thank you for today’s FR& D, Jacqui! Roy, thank you for marking the whereabouts of our BHB on a map! I am back from the lab, happily sipping my first mug of ☕️. I love this lab. I make my appointment online, they send me a text an hour before the appointment with a link to click, when I arrive. I am then checked in and do not have to do anything further until my name is called. It is a balmy 56 here. But the next two mornings will be very different. Sigh. Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with us. Praying that you will soon get relief from your pain and start being able to enjoy life again. And sleep! Gym, Bindi walks, chores and celebrating yet another friend’s birthday with dinner at the same place we all had lunch this past Monday. Yes, their food is that good. Prayers for all who need our support. @ger_77 Gerry, I am so sorry to read that your DH’s health required that you canceled your cruise. But thank goodness you checked on his health before it became an emergency. Thinking of you, Terry & Tana. Bless all the caregivers and those grieving the loss of a loved one. @RMLincoln Maureen, I am so sorry to read of your friend’s death. Losing someone you love is never easy, but when totally unexpected there is often severe shock that accompanies the grief. May wonderful memories sustain you. Cheers to all who are celebrating. @seagarsmoker 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 hope I get to cheer for you. BTW there are no “toes crossed” emojis. May we each find a reason to smile today.

Just a quick visit before I head off to have my blood work drawn for my annual wellness visit. I have not had any coffee, so please pardon my errors. I hope to check back in when I am sipping my first mug. 😎 *********** Laurent Perrier Brut Grand Siecle #26 MV This is a classic champagne. Probably worth every Penny, but it is too far outside of my budget. Even a taste is probably outside of my budget. Numerous online distributors with prices starting at $243.99! Winemaker Notes Vintages in Champagne are synonymous with excellence despite significant variations in style, expression, and quality from one to another. Grand Siècle seeks a perfection beyond single vintages, with the ambition of recreating "the perfect year", one nature on its own cannot provide. The 26th iteration of Grand Siècle was released to great critical acclaim – including a perfect 100-point rating from James Suckling. A white gold in color with delicate and persistent bubbles, it offers a very complex nose which mixes honeysuckle, lemon, clementine and fresh butter aromas, followed by notes of hazelnut and a touch of honey. The feel in the mouth is very delicate and fresh with candied lemon and fresh hazelnut aromas. The palate is silky and mineral with notes of honeysuckle, flaked almonds and clementine. Grand Siècle Nº26 will pair beautifully with high quality produce and refined dishes, such as truffle, caviar, shellfish, noble fish and white meats. Blend: 58% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir Professional Ratings 100James Suckling This is really something. Electric on the palate. The aromas are so complex with sliced fresh and dried ginger, subtle pie crust, tarte tatin and hints of nutmeg with some salted caramel. Toasted bread, too. Always subtle. The palate is full- to medium-bodied yet hemmed-in with a freshness and balance that draws you back. Savory and vibrant. It's full of energy. Spectacular. Fascinating. Symphonic blend of 2012, 2008 and 2007. 65% of the 2012, 25% of the 2008 and 10% of the 2007. Eight grand cru. Chardonnay 58% and 42% pinot noir. Disgorged February 2023. 10 years on the lees. 7g/L dosage. 97Wine Enthusiast Tautly textured, the Champagne is delicious with a poise between white and citrus fruits along with touches of maturity coming through. Drink this magnificent wine now for its great balance and intensity. 96Decanter This iteration of Grand Siècle is almost entirely composed of two of Champagne's greatest recent vintages, so expectations are high. The wine more than meets them, tempering the generosity of 2012's fruit – ripe apricots, white peach, clementines and sunny, zesty citrus – with a pitch-perfect streak of 2008 tautness and structure. There are some fleshy, creamy notes of papaya and toasted white sourdough, but everything is as delicately rendered as expected and impeccably shaped, with a sleek, silky mousse. A little more approachable than Itération No. 25, it will welcome extended bottle age rather than demand it. The blend is 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir from eight grand cru vineyards. 65% is from the 2012 vintage, 35% from 2008 and 10% from 2007. 96Robert Parker's Wine Advocate ...Unfurling in the glass with scents of crisp nectarine, pear and honeyed citrus fruit that mingle with notions of fresh mint, blanched almonds and iodine, the wine is full-bodied, concentrated and tightly wound, with broad structural shoulders, tangy acids and a long, intense finish. It's a great Grand Siècle in the making. 95Wine Spectator A graceful Champagne, with flavors of boysenberry and black cherry fruit, toast, blanched almond and grapefruit pith, graphite and fleur de sel gliding across the satiny mousse. Reveals racy acidity that sculpts fine definition, allowing the detailed profile to expand on the palate, while minerally hints of chalk and oyster shell linger on the finish.

I have crossed my fingers. Sadly I have not trained my toes to cross. I think they are too old to be trainable. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@Quartzsite Cruiser Lenda Hold on to those memories. I hope they help ease your pain. Hugs. Ann

Geesh, Nancy, I will never again complain about the sore arm the RSV vaccine gave me. Hope you are 100% soon.

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy,mthank you for our maps! It is 44 here this morning, but there is currently no wind! Woo hoo! Last evening’s walk with Bindi was brutal. The wind seemed to be blowing from every direction! All the folk walking their dogs were bundled up. Vanessa thank you for keeping up with us. I am thrilled you will have someone else do all your shoveling for you. Praying that you find the answer to eliminating your pain. And reap the benefits of a great night’s sleep - soon. Gym, Bindi walks, chores and lunch with friends that I met on my 2019 Hawaiian cruise with HAL. It all started on the roll call. Sometime you just click with people. This couple is escaping from Pennsylvania and heading for a cruise from Port Canaveral. It will be great to see them. Prayers for all who need our support. So many Dailyites, family members and friends need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. @seagarsmoker Congrats on the 3rd interview! Knock their socks off! Don’t forget you can always use us as references. 😜 May we each find a reason to smile today. ********** Brovia Vignavillej Dolcetto d'Alba 2020 No clue why the hyphens appeared in the name, but you won’t find any on this Italian red’s label. I used the 2020 vintage info, since that should be ready to drink and fairly easy to find. Be sure to let this one breathe a bit before drinking, or you could even decant it. Lots of consumer fans. A decent number of online distributors with prices starting at $21.99. Winemaker Notes Harvested from classic clay-limestone soils from plots in Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba, some planted in 1981 and the other portion in 1993. The grapes are crushed and fermented in stainless steel at 29 degrees Celsius for a period of a week to 10 days; then aged in stainless steel for seven to nine months before the bottling (unfiltered). Approximately 10,000 bottles are produced annually, about one-quarter of which is dedicated to the US market.

My sympathies, Graham. I was hoping that you & Pauline were off having fun.

Thank you for today’s FR& D, Jacqui! I know most of you will scoff at our cold temps, but 37 is cold for us. And the wind makes it feel colder. Bindi did not dawdle this morning. Vanessa, thank you for taking care of our lists, in spite of what you deal with. I can not believe you actually shoveled snow. Please make other arrangements. Bindi walks, chores, HIIT and more work on my hardwood floors. All inside stuff, though the temps will rise to the mid 50s and be sunny. Too bad the wind stays with us the entire day. Prayers for all who need our support. Especially those dealing with debilitating pain and conditions, grieving the loss of a loved one, the caregivers and those in a funk. Terry, Tana and Melissa thinking of you. Cheers to all who are celebrating! May we each find a reason to smile today! ********* Stags Leap 2021 Viognier Well today’s wine choice left the door wide open for me to pick the vintner. So I chose a California vineyard that won the red wine category in the wine competition made famous by the movie Bottle Shock. They do an amazing job with white wines too. This medium bodied Viognier is sippable on its own, and great with food. Fairly easy to find. Lots of consumer fans. Online prices start at $26.88. Winemaker Notes This 2021 Viognier is fragrant and alluring with layers of fresh white peach, apricot, orange blossom, zesty lime, and elderflower alongside notes of marzipan, Madagascar vanilla, and lemon curd. A racy backbone of crisp acidity is supported by an earthy minerality, adding notes of honey and lanolin, softening to a round, creamy texture on the mouthwatering and supple finish. Silky and viscous with an exotic, spiced floral character, this is the perfect al fresco white. 92James Suckling Real viognier here with sliced green mango and a hint of bitter lemon. White blossom. Medium body. Zippy and dry at the end. Nicely crafted. No new wood. Drink now.

Nancy I am so happy to read that you are feeling better. And I am impressed at your room service food options. Ann