Drinking With My Lab

I'm usually a shop-locally-kind-of-girl, but I picked up this bottle of wine because of the name. 

I love my lab.

The capital of Portugal has a wonderful Mediterranean climate known for producing wine for centuries. This wine, Lab of Portugal, is a blend of four different kinds of grapes harvested from clay and limestone soil near Lisbon.  The blend was aged in new oak barrels for four months. 

I paired the wine with grilled veggies and BBQ ribs. With my first impression I noticed how different it is from the wines I normally drink. It had an immediate pine note. Pine, seriously? Must be the combination of the dark red fruits and tannins. As I sipped this bold dry wine, a familiar memory tickled my mind. Then it came to me.

This wine tastes like Up North. Michiganders will know that term. For those who don't, imagine visiting my gram's cottage tucked in a cluster of cedar trees. Knotty pine walls surround you and the linens have a fragrance of Ivory soap.  A breeze travels off the lake past the trees and into the cottage. 

That essence is in this bottle! Drink Lab with steak or a cheese plate and be carried away.

Oh, yes...my sweet lab, Maggie likes wine and gives Lab of Portugal her paw of approval.

Key to Love - Gratitude

Love is a powerful thing but it is tested. It is surviving the tests that makes love strong.

According to one study, 80% of couples who stayed together through marital problems were asked five years after the problem was resolved, reported being happier than before the issue.

BOOK SUGGESTION

Why Good Things Happen To Good People written by Dr. Stephen Post and Jill Neimark 

is a great book to read in regards to the keys to longevity in a relationship.

According to the book, GRATITUDE is an important key for Love that Lasts.

Being married to a pilot can be trying at times. Most people ask how the fact he's gone every two weeks affect our marriage. The time he's gone doesn't affect it, we stay close via phone, video chats, little love notes, etc. I believe the hardest part about being married to a pilot these days is the moment the plane takes off. It today's world the chance of him not coming home is always there. That thought scares the hell out of me but for my sanity, I don't dwell on it. Saying goodbye is the hardest. As I watch his plan take off, I always say a prayer for his safety and gratitude that's he's part of our lives. I'm thankful for the time we spend together no matter if it's weeks, days, hours or minutes. Saying goodbye when the jet leaves the tarmac or "TTFN" via video chat, is still a farewell. The feeling of gratitude strengthens our bond.

As my son's grow older, I've learned to say the same prayer for safety and gratitude when I hug them goodbye. I'm so thankful for my guys!

Think of the things you appreciate about your honey. Think of big things - how hard he works for his family. Think of small things - quiet time tucking the kids into bed.

Take a moment to write them down. Share them with your honey. Strengthen your love.

Whisper, Tingle, Put Me to Sleep

"Are you kidding? You've never heard ASMR videos?" 

My 15 year old was shocked but quickly preceded to educate his outdated mom. 

Coined in 2010, ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) is a relaxing, often sedative sensation that begins on the scalp and moves down the body. Also known as "brain massage," it's triggered by placid sights and sounds such as whispers, accents, and crackles.

My young'un showed me a variety of videos. My response was a simple, "What the...? Why?" 

He then explained not all are "dumb" and turned me in the direction of ones I might relate to. He knows I enjoy comforting sounds and look for interesting techniques to improve sleep.

There is an entire "whisper community" and "tingleheads" or ASMR Artists who produce videos to induce calm, comfort and sleep. Some are videos of well groomed hands scratching and rubbing various surfaces to create calming sounds.

Check out this video of ASMR Best Triggers for Sleep.

Other videos are more direct with a woman whispering to you while she gives you a facial or brushes a friend's hair. All the while, the focus is on hand movements and sounds.  These stimulations trigger sensations usually a tingling feeling starting with your scalp and travel downward. Everyone has different triggers such as whispers, accents, crinkling paper, marbles on velvet or spa-role playing.

Check out this video for a Healing Session - AMSR Soft Spoken with Personal Attention

After viewing several different AMSR videos...

If I closed my eyes, I found the sound videos calming and could relax with the spa-role playing. However, if I watched the role playing videos I was somewhat sheepish then giggled at the the woman as she leaned into the camera and whispered what she was going to do to me. (She was going to use a large makeup brush on my face.) Her facial expressions were a cross between comical and perverse. I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but crack up with the whispering. (I guess my immaturity is returning.)

I guess I'm really out of the loop of things, here's an article written by German Lopez in 2018 that explains the popularity of AMSR videos.

Personally, I didn't relax enough to fall asleep but it's worth a try for anyone who has sleep issues. Keep in mind science has yet to find a biological explanation for the sedative sensation triggered by sounds. I think I'll leave the videos for others. I prefer my honey's sexy whispers giving me tingles then falls asleep to night beach sounds.

i

#NewRelease from Trinity Blacio in Charity Anthology

Trinity Blacio is thrilled to be part of The Glittering World Anthology in support of The Navajo Nation CoVid-19 Fund. Ten fantasy and paranormal stories that will take you away from it all from Elle Boon, Jamie K. Schmidt, Stephanie Burke, Wendi Zwaduk, Lia Violet, Kate Richards, L. Loren, Barb Shuler, Trinity Blacio, and S.E. Smith.

The Night of the Coyote Moon is Trinity Blacio's new release story in The Glittering World anthology, coming July 21st.

Two lonely hearts are destined to find each other, but will that be enough?

One chance to find his chosen.

Every hundred years, Coyote is given one week to find the woman who will complete him—but it is also the time when he is at his most vulnerable. If he doesn’t succeed, he is destined to wait another hundred years. Tired and lonely, he can feel his resolve to stay strong weakening—until he sees Dibe.

 Dibe lives to serve her people, but deep in her heart she is lonely. She craves the man in her dreams. A man who will be there for her and only her, but can such a man exist?

 Two lonely souls are destined to find each other. Will the short time Coyote has be enough to convince Dibe he is the warrior to stand beside her, or will she choose her tribe over him?

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Preorder here 👉🏾 books2read.com/the-glittering-world

 All the proceeds from this anthology will be donated to The Navajo Nation COVID-19 Fund. Donations to the Fund can be made directly here: https://www.nndoh.org/donate.html 

************

Trinity Blacio has been writing now professionally for  over eleven years and is part of RWA, a Pan member. Currently she has available titles from Riverdale Avenue Books and Decadent Publishing with more to come. She also has many self published books too. Trinity is always excited to be writing, hearing from readers, and helping fellow authors.

 She has a BA in Psychology from Cleveland State, Associates degree in Social Work from Lorain County Community College.

 Readers can contact Trinity at http://www.trinityblacio.com and chat with her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/InfiniteFantasies/

 

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Goodreads; https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2856931.Trinity_Blacio

Romance With An Apron

Since the bronze age, aprons have been used by priests, tradesmen and homemakers. In so many of the faded photos in our family album, women are wearing aprons for various designs and lengths.

Gram's aprons were used to hold small cucumbers and tomatoes from her garden. As a small child I enjoyed wrapping myself in the warm comfort of the material while she finished the dishes. I still think of Gram when I look at aprons. 

My mom had several different designs, as she was a great entertainer. An apron for each holiday and event! Dad would often tie Mom's apron for her then with a spin, he'd hold her tight, dancing to a song on the radio in the kitchen.

After ruining several very nice (and expensive) blouses while cooking, I've invested in an apron. 

Well actually, hubby purchased my first one and the boys picked out my second. I find an apron very useful, not just keeping my clothing clean, but also for holding a spoon and quickly wiping my hands.

I even bough hubby his own apron. (He's ruined several shirts while barbecuing.) 

Some of the moments I enjoy the most with hubby are when we have our aprons on, sharing a bottle of wine while cooking together. 

A little bit of romance while wearing an apron. Give it a try.

Cheers & romance from the Quast Kitchen.