Long Winter's Nap

I sat down with the intention of writing about the fact that I actually had time to sit down. I feel like I've  been running nonstop since October.

Which, is partially true. I started training for a half marathon and I'm up to 11-mile walks now. That takes up quite a lot of time.

But, what's with Christmas? And laundry? I am constantly doing laundry and I can't figure out where it comes from. There's only two of us! I think it's because our winter laundry is physically bigger than our summer laundry. (Jeans and sweatshirts are bigger than shorts and t-shirts.)

Looking at my journal (not to mention this blog), there are huge gaps when I must have been doing something but I didn't have the time to jot down what that was. And, if I don't write it down, I don't remember it. Which is to say, I don't remember what in the hell I've been doing for the last two months.

Ever since Thanksgiving, I've been baking cookies. I know this because the evidence is all around me - dozens and dozens of little red and green cookies. I have a list, too, of people to give them to but haven't gotten around to that yet. Still in production mode - pumping out three to six dozen cookies a day. I see that coming to an end real soon.

There have been birthdays, travel, gifts to buy, and dinners to plan. All of that on top of a regular life of carpool driving, cooking, cleaning, and so much hockey I could barf. (If that came off as cranky, it might have something to do with the Grinch onsie I am currently wearing.)

But, today was the last day of carpool driving before Winter Break - two weeks off. And, for a second, I felt like doing nothing. Just relaxing and enjoying being in my own space. Feeling like most of the preparations are behind me and there's nothing left to do but enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Yet, before I could make it to my desk - before the end of my cup of coffee - I thought of other lists to make, lists to finish, stuff that still needs to get done when all I want to do is take a nap. 

There'll be time for that. 

It was a short little break from a hectic schedule, that cup of coffee. And, I liked it.

Merry Christmas, y'all.

Bananas

Pretty good mileage

 

22 gallons of coffee works out to roughly one 8-ounce cup per day. That might be someone else's average but mine is closer to two cups per day or 44 gallons per year.

According to my phone, I walked 1,500 miles last year which only pencils to 34 mpg.

Still, that's about as good as my Honda got.

So it that like 5%?

  " ...almost half of Starbucks current customers in the U.S. who pay to modify their beverage at company-operated stores will see a price reduction of more than 10%. "

Starbucks Announces Removal of Extra Charge for Non-Dairy Milk Starting Nov. 7

Starbucks has announced it will no longer charge extra for non-dairy milk in their espresso beverages. My own savings will be 11-12% depending on the size of drink I order. It's still a lot to pay for a cup of coffee. But now, you know, it's less.

If you're buying, my drink is a Tall (or Grande) Flat White with Soy Milk. It's almost free.

… and turned it into this

I took this picture …

#Grateful

Languid Heat

When I first left, the air was still cool and fresh as dew on my skin. As the sun climbed languidly into the sky, the earth began to steam, slowly at first. I myself began to steam with the passing miles and the effort of climbing hills that I am not accustomed to. Soon my sweat and the earth's were the same, heavy and moist.

The air, which had started fragrant with the smell of a thousand flowers like an omnipresent perfume, blended with the smell of sweat and a mildew that is inescapable here. Although I came from an arid climate, my clothes already smell as if they have been damp for a long period of time, unable to fully dry out.

The birds that were so excited in pre-dawn in anticipation of the new day have settled into their quieter daytime routines,  their vocalizations less urgent.

I am less urgent too, enjoying a gentle breeze in the shade knowing full well that only steps away it is hot in the full sunlight.

Nothing is urgent here. Life moves slowly as if swimming in an ocean except the swimming is effortless and lazy, buoyed by saltwater. 

Toast

It's easy to take things for granted. Take toast, for example. Bread in, toast out. A little butter or jam and there you go.

I've been making my toast the same way all my life. And by "all my life," I mean I've been using the same toaster for 60 years. Literally.

My mom probably made it for me when I was little but it's the same toaster. I think it was a wedding present long ago. I don't remember when she decided it was time to get a new toaster but I can understand why. It didn't make good toast.

Maybe it did 60 years ago but now, I can tell you, it burns one side of the bread while only gently warming the other side. The knob that is supposed to adjust these things is sticky so the best you can do is dial it down to just warm bread on both sides of the bread.

But that's the way it's always been (as far as I can remember anyway) and while my husband reasons we have gotten the most of this toaster - more than anyone can reasonably expect - I still refuse to replace it.

So, I won't tell him that the toast we had this morning in our vacation rental was probably the best toast I've ever had. It's funny that he didn't say anything, come to think of it. I guess he just knows that it's futile to suggest getting a new toaster.

I guess he just takes it for granted.