Friday friend blog number 327--Bourbon Slush

 

Making my way thru my Friday Friend Cookbook, one recipe at a time.

What is the Friday Friend cookbook? I once had about 50 of my closest friends and family (from all over the county) on an e-mail forum which I called the Friday Friends. At first, most of them didn't know each other, (they knew me) but over the past 21 years, we've answered and shared silly--and serious---questions, exchanged Secret Santa Christmas gifts, had a dieting contest in which we paid a $1 a week and that money went to a scholarship fund for a Friday Friends son's memorial scholarship, and we went on a great vacation for my 52 birthday. (plus so much more....)

AND, we contributed recipes for a cookbook.

I was looking at the cookbook the other night and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog."
The Handyman--who thinks he knows me better than I know myself (this happened to be a question on the Friday Friend forum once---does your spouse/partner know you better than you know yourself? Said, "you'll never, EVER do that."
WELL---maybe I'll show him!  Maybe I will.

Which brings me to recipe #327

Cindy's Bourbon Slush

It seems that the Handyman and I are always eating chips and salsa and playing cards with a cocktail.

What can I say--we are wild and crazy like that. 

Now days it's easy to go buy a single serve slushy in a foil packet to stick in your freezer for anytime you want to enjoy it.  There is none of the mixing and freezing and stirring and waiting as in the olden days. But you know what?  It was kind of fun doing all the buying and mixing and stirring and waiting--- waiting is half the fun, right?

Look at all the bubbles from the 7-up!  This is a great summertime slushy. (Although I made it in November and stuck it in front of a cornucopia--still good!) 

This is where my story gets hard--

My friend Cindy Borchgrevink (in the middle) only had two recipes in the cookbook countdown.

See her other recipe and story here.  Just Click.

So I am saying goodbye to her in the cookbook---the hard part is that Cindy passed away last summer, from a fast type of early onset Alzheimer's. 

(this photo is of me, Cindy and Debbie E about  21 years ago.) 

Cindy and her husband Larry came thru town in January of 2021 and surprised me.

I got a phone call early one Saturday morning and I saw her name pop up on my phone. 

She said they were driving thru Winnemucca on their way home to Wyoming and wanted to see we if could meet them for breakfast.

I said, of course, and then she said they were staying at the Model T and then she asked me if I knew where that was.

Strange question because, it's a small town and everyone knows where that is and also, I work for the Chamber of Commerce, so I have to know where.  (It's a hotel/Casino) It's on the main street--everyone knows where it is.

I just laughed and said yes.

We had a nice breakfast--she went to the restroom early on and her husband told us what was happening with her.

Then the Model T question made sense. And it put a whole different vibe on the visit--for me. 

It's sad to lose a friend--and while I hadn't lost her yet, I know from experience what a long, painful road dementia and Alzheimer's can be.

They were making a trip--a trip to see old friends--in essence to say goodbye.  Her husband was taking her on a big loop around some western states to say goodbye to people while she still could. That's what she wanted.

She passed away about 15 months later.

I had the Handyman take a picture of us--even tho I wasn't at my best.

That's the thing about friendship-- we see each other thru thick and thin, thru best and worst, good and bad-- and it's worth it, worth every minute even if the end is not fun.

Good friends are worth their weight in gold.

My friends!  This is recipe #327 out of 361  (I'm 99% sure I have all the math down pat now)

2023 will be the year!!

Then what will I do?