Meet the Fearless Weinbergs, relatives extraordinaire.

The sound you hear in the background is a great big load of jeans and bathrobes on the spin cycle. Yes, I’m doing laundry. No, you don’t have to come over, because I won’t need any volunteers to help fold socks until tomorrow. Thank you, however, for your concern. Please send an email if you want to reserve your spot at Howdygram headquarters’ Friday night sock-folding extravaganza. Appropriate snacks will be provided.

And now I’d like to post the following photos we received today from Sam’s Aunt Adie, posing with her children and grandchildren on a ziplining adventure in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles. The Fearless Weinbergs appear below for your possible interest. From left to right, they are: Hayden, Connor, Ryan, Ilene, Leah, Adie, Hailey and Darrell. Are these people adorable, or what?

There’s no way in a million years I would EVER do anything like this, even when I was younger and healthier and not prone to hysterics. (I get dizzy standing on a second-floor balcony.) And for the record, Hayden and Connor technically aren’t Weinbergs but they’re all related and buy each other Hanukkah presents.

Did I forget to mention that Sam is scheduled for cataract surgery on May 17? A cataract developed in his right eye following the “puckered retina” hoo-hah he had back in February (see previous post). My poor little cyclops!

And now for a brief but beautifully-written review of a new favorite product I’ve been buying from Netrition.com: SweetLeaf Sweet Drops. These are extremely concentrated zero-calorie flavorings made with Stevia that you can add to cold seltzer, smoothies, soy milk, ice tea coffee, water, lemonade or just about anything a person can pour into a glass except possibly mouthwash. I’m addicted to the chocolate and berry flavors although 16 different options are available, including English toffee, apricot nectar and watermelon. A bottle of SweetLeaf chocolate drops appears below.

The package directions recommend five drops for eight ounces of liquid, which sounds about right. At this rate one bottle should last until I’m ready to move into a nursing home. I use the berry drops to jazz up a tall Coke Zero and the chocolate drops to intensify the flavor of my Soy Slender chocolate soy milk, which is perfect alongside a plate of pickles & biscuits. This is great stuff, people! Thank you.