Day 252...

Today was so lovely. wonderfully perfect weather. an outdoor street festival. a couple of antique stores. scouting a bunch of photo opportunities. the most amazing Mocha blended freeze from Highland Coffee. a delicious lunch at The Cafe. a little bit of shopping. and now home to a lovely glass of wine - Panilonco Malbec Merlot blend...so ridiculously yum!

Day 227...

Tuesday, August 7, 2012. 10:00pm.

I smoked a cigarette. the last one in the pack. threw the empty box in the trash.

and haven't had a ciggie since then.

one week. cold turkey.

and I feel pretty damn good!

and coffee tastes even more amazing incredible than ever!

Day 149 - I love...roadtrip part 5

I spent Sunday evening chatting and catching up with my friend Sue and her wonderful, just-graduated, daughter, Jane (I was Jane's nanny for a year when she was a baby.) It's been about 6 years since the last time I saw them.

Jane has grown into a beautiful, funny, quick-witted, brilliant, confident young woman who will stand her ground and face any challenge that comes her way. She's pretty amazing, that girl.

She also loves to bake. (which had me at hello!) She made big fat sugar cookies for a friend of hers, and dropped in some RED food colouring because it is her friend's favourite colour.

Monday morning, we chatted a bit more over giant cups of coffee, then hit the road for the 10 hour drive home.

We stopped in Memphis to eat at Central BBQ. and decided it's a city we definitely need to return to!

We ran into a teeny bit of a downpour on the north side of Nashville (the first rain we'd seen during the entire trip,) saw a beautiful rainbow and a phenomenal sunset.

It was an exhausting "vacation" for sure, but also a much needed road tour to revive and reignite the creative fires.

Home. my kitties. my own bed.

Day nineteen - I love...serendipity

Today it came in the form of accidental, yet apropos, latte art.

a brief explanation:

My step-papa is still in the hospital. it's been a long week of tests and waiting. waiting. waiting. it's had me a bit stressed out. and this afternoon I had a blazing headache and the first twinges of a panic attack lingering on my edges and I decided that I needed more coffee. (which is actually the last thing I need when a panic attack is threatening, but I was using Karen logic today, so...)

 I trotted down to our corner Starbucks.

I am greeted by the two sweet, smiling barista girls. I order my coffee. "triple grande two pump mocha no whip, please." SSBG1 says, "sure! we can certainly do that for you! how's your day going?" I shrugged and gave the meh face. "it's been kind of a rough week." SSBG1 gave me a precious look and said "I'm so sorry."

"thank you."

I went to wait for my coffee. grabbed a straw and a sleeve.  and I hear SSBG1 say "oh! you have to show that to her. she's had a tough day."

SSBG2 hands me my coffee without the lid. on top...the foam is in the shape of a small heart. she says "it's just the way the foam fell. I wasn't even trying to make latte art. it's accidental latte art."

this made me smile.

Day One - I Love...Coffee

This is actually a 4-part love. This love, in no particular order:

1. This is my favourite coffee mug. When I was leaving Texas and sorting through all my possessions deciding what could go into storage and what absolutely HAD to come with me, this mug was carefully wrapped up in tissue and packed away safely into the "things that MUST come with!" box.

2. This mug, this most-important-must-have-it-with-me-mug, was a birthday gift several years ago, from one of my very best friends. (This is one of the many reasons I love this mug like I do.)

3. It's my writing mug. One of the things that makes it so special is that my darling friend thought of me the moment she saw it. It is covered in caricatures of Mary Shelley, Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, and Louisa May Alcott. Great women writers; Inspiration.

4. The cup is filled with delicious hot coffee! (Need I really say more?) I have loved coffee since before I can even remember. Coffee-flavoured candies, coffee ice cream, COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE. I was a barista for a time, that was fantastic...I practically bathed in coffee during that year or so.

Thank you, Coffee, for being so delicious that I want to start each day with you.