A special Sunday morning...

On Sunday morning July 13th, my Dad passed away.

After 89 years of an amazing life he spent less than a week in Hospice care in our home.

Not having any medical experience, I was not sure what was going to happen or how so I didn't know what to expect and I have to say, I was pretty scared.

Hospice comes in with a few drugs for us to have on hand in case of breathing difficulties or anxiety and it wasn't

until Saturday evening we noticed his breathing was, for lack of a better term, controlled panting. The nurse suggested we give him a .25mg dose of morphine to calm that down. We did so but I wasn't sure if it made a difference. We stayed up with him for as long as we could before we fell asleep. I woke around 7:30, put on some music for Dad and he was in the same state but now 100% unresponsive or unable to squeeze my hand when asked to. Around 8:15, his breathing became more labored so I gave him .5mg of the morphine and within 10 minutes his breathing calmed, it was shallow but calm. Kim was working with Mom to get her ready for the day and as she brought her out she wheeled her over to see Dad. As she touched his arm I could notice his breathing was slowing to every 5 seconds or so, then 10 seconds, then...nothing. He just stopped breathing. No gasp, no twitch, he just ceased. Kim was on the phone with the Hospice nurse and I checked his neck for a pulse, it was over.  I had not experienced anything like this. Was honored yet a little....uhhhhh, what do I do now?

Was there divine intervention for him to wait until Mom was by his side? I don't know but sure was amazing timing.

Siblings were all called, tears were shed. An amazing peace for all of us. 

All four of his kids were able to see him before he died...win

No suffering....win

Peaceful end...win

Tiki Failure...

If you know me, you know if I have a cocktail, it's about having the best one I can because I'm not having many to get  inebriated. I am completely fascinated by the history and culture of different liquors and how they are used. Enter the kitschy realm of the Tiki Bar.
The Tiki line of cocktails that you can find in many Asian restaurants has been taken to the next level by many people out there trying to use classic ingredients from the 30's and 40's.
Usually Rum based with a bunch of sugar in them you do not want to imbibe too much for sugar and alcohol are the classic ingredient for a hang over, not good. One great Tiki drink with an Asian food dish is delightful, except tonight.
Tong's Tiki Hut has been around my area for twenty or thirty years. I decided to have dinner there tonight. I ordered a classic Mai Tai. Not being a snob or anything but I know my way around a cocktail or two having made thousands as a bar tender. My drink arrives and I sip to find my Mai Tai was simply rum and pineapple juice. Fail.
Dark rum, light rum, Orange Curacao or Triple Sec and the secrect ingredient...Orgeat syrup which is made with almonds, sugar, rose water and oranges. Granted I have yet to find a bar that has Orgeat in their rail. A fine substitute? Amaretto. It works just fine. PLUS people with nut allergies can have Amaretto.
I push my drink aside and the server asked if I didn't like it. I told her it was just rum and pineapple juice. She replied "right, that not Mai Tai?" No, that's not a Mai Tai. "you want Zombie?"
No, I'll just stick with the hot tea.

The food? More than good...


Mai Tai Fail...

Not traditional but a fine substitute...
In a Boston shaker with ice.
1 oz dark rum
1 oz light rum
1/2 oz Amaretto
1/2 oz triple sec
2oz of OJ and a splash of grenadine.
Shake and pour in a waiting, iced pint glass. Only thing missing would be the trade winds blowing through your hair...