"Tense Situation" February 21, 2025

[DaveWa]

On shore. Did some of the grid while donating blood. Finished grid during hockey game, by which time I had seen the way to shore. While rooting for the USA to beat Canada again, I'll order a German Dunkel tomorrow at a suitable establishment. And drink more fluids tonight.

Hey, I was donating blood too! Although, I was cheering for Canada (sorry).

Arrived ashore! Three pints of water for me.

I am also ashore and donated blood this morning. Seems a bit surprising to have three Muggles donating blood this week when only 3% of eligible individuals donate. There must be a story there somewhere. Our local blood bank is having an "All Seasons" blood drive and will be giving puffer vests to everyone who donates at least one pint of blood in each of the four seasons this year. The vest will arrive too late for the bitter cold we're having this week but maybe it will come in handy next year! No alcohol for 24 hours so I'll stick to hot cocoa tonight.

[chocoholic]

On siesta key. Cool but perfect

Love that soft quartz sand at Siesta key beach.

[chocoholic]

On shore. Did some of the grid while donating blood. Finished grid during hockey game, by which time I had seen the way to shore. While rooting for the USA to beat Canada again, I'll order a German Dunkel tomorrow at a suitable establishment. And drink more fluids tonight.

Hey, I was donating blood too! Although, I was cheering for Canada (sorry).

Arrived ashore! Three pints of water for me.

I am also ashore and donated blood this morning. Seems a bit surprising to have three Muggles donating blood this week when only 3% of eligible individuals donate. There must be a story there somewhere. Our local blood bank is having an "All Seasons" blood drive and will be giving puffer vests to everyone who donates at least one pint of blood in each of the four seasons this year. The vest will arrive too late for the bitter cold we're having this week but maybe it will come in handy next year! No alcohol for 24 hours so I'll stick to hot cocoa tonight.

Always related hockey with giving blood. Did you get in a fight or did a nurse extract it from your arm?

[Janet]

On siesta key. Cool but perfect

Love that soft quartz sand at Siesta key beach.

A few years ago I was in the Sahara desert. That sand got everywhere, it was so fine. Some of the other people on the trip said they were blowing the sand out of their noses for days. I think I came home with a lot of it.

Siesta key sounds nice, but how powdery is the sand?

[CarolF]

Ashore! Happy to join the big party this week!

[Tcassutt]

Ashore.

[HunterX]

Ashore!

Yeah, I can see the beach is crowded, as I would expect. I still have to pack for a 5:00am flight. Why did I take the time to do the puzzle, you ask? Well, I have my priorities!

[Joe Ross]

I've been tied up on a project for a few weeks, but have scheduled a platelet donation for Monday, 7 AM.

I used to be able to donate triples every two weeks or so, but have been demoted to doubles for the last couple of years.. I will try to bring my laptop and work during the time on the needle.

Thanks to @Aaron, @flandangle, @DaveWa, @olev, and @Colin for donating. @iggystan, @Bob cruise director, and other muggles donate, too.

[JeanneC]

Been awhile but on the beach!

Unfortunately, my beach is in Florida and it’s damn cold here!!

[LeslieO]

Ashore. I do the puzzle/contest in the print edition, and as a treat/dessert after the vegetables of getting through two papers (not a political comment -- has been my practice since I started in 2015 or 2016) and also three (! I'm retired!) zooms (and not the muggle zoom) today. So I'm unlikely ever to see an early page, but happy to be on the crowded beach, and a pretty early solve for me, given all of the above. Don't mean to grouse -- this was fun.

[jimbo1]

On shore
The answer fits our muggle profile!

[aaugusti]

On shore on Friday night. I will have an Oddside Citra Pale Ale!

[JoeS]

Ashore. Fooled around with the grid too long. Saw the mechanism right away.

[CV-at-Sea]

Ashore - any Belgian ale will do

[Mirage]

Tripped over a few obstacles on my way to shore after a late start.

[Aaron]

Hey, I was donating blood too! Although, I was cheering for Canada (sorry).

Arrived ashore! Three pints of water for me.

I am also ashore and donated blood this morning. Seems a bit surprising to have three Muggles donating blood this week when only 3% of eligible individuals donate. There must be a story there somewhere. Our local blood bank is having an "All Seasons" blood drive and will be giving puffer vests to everyone who donates at least one pint of blood in each of the four seasons this year. The vest will arrive too late for the bitter cold we're having this week but maybe it will come in handy next year! No alcohol for 24 hours so I'll stick to hot cocoa tonight.

Always related hockey with giving blood. Did you get in a fight or did a nurse extract it from your arm?

Congratulations, @flandangle and all other Canadian hockey fans. These were tremendous games to watch. Best all star game series in any sport that I can recall. And I taught my daughters about the penalty box by showing them the scene from Slapshot. ("You go to the box, you know, two minutes by yourself, and... you feel shame, you know... and then you get free.")

Glad to be here with other blood donors also. Good luck to all in winning the mug!

[Plymouthrock]

Once I got out of the Middle East….
A coffee. 7 am.

[davis178]

Ashore!

[bread-girl]

On the shore!

[DrTom]

On the beach with one quibble. Dunkin' Cold Brew Porter from Harpoon Brewery for me today.
I spent too much effort overthinking one word and the result was nonsensical. A simpler view directed me to the answer but my quibble is still in place.
Puzzle Buddy Jane is having printer issues so this was a solo solve. That may have been my biggest obstacle!

A big shout out to @ship4u for pointing out my avatar in the weekend WSJ. See the Review Section page C3, "No, Pop Rocks Did Not Kill Mikey From The Life Cereal Ad."

I know your quibble and I probably had the same one but talked myself out of it.

I knew the answer by that time and it was a case of stepping back and looking for what I needed.

T