It's My Life

Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, Inc. - A Brief History of Coffee

Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, Inc. - A Brief History of Coffee.

Coffee has started wars, cured illness, raised spirits and suspicion, sealed deals, and been equally revered and condemned since it first appeared over a thousand years ago in Ethiopia. The nomadic Oromo people of East Africa were the first coffee enthusiasts, but they didn't drink coffee as we know it today; they crushed the berries and leaves, mixed them with animal fat, and rolled the result into small balls which were eaten as an invigorating snack before heading into battle.

I am exhausted....

The day started out with a very poor night's sleep and then a very busy desk all morning. I got out at 11:30 to drive to the MLA's conference planning meeting where we spent a very intense three hours focused on weeding 120+ suggested sessions down to 48. I think it was a good weeding, very fair. Then rush home, except for the 30 minutes stuck on I94 there, to meet the Lilies camping group for a planning session. We will have four tents, plus a couple of shade/dining flies. Food talk around good food at Pannekokens and ninety more minutes of talking and planning. It was fun. Really the highlight of the day, but man, I'm tired, lol.

I started a new attitude today. Make good eating choices, find time to work out...it's up to me. So heading to bed a bit earlier tonight.

Tomorrow:

1. Bills
2. laundry
3. fold laundry
4. find and test small sewing machine
5. auction
6. finish wool dress
7. start cloak
8. create vanbraces and elbows
9. Gorget? Hummm?

Donovan found a medieval link on his beer.

Look at the broach on the beer - it's kinda cool I think. So sharing with you. Link: what i had at the brickskeller on Flickr - Photo Sharing!.

Ripon Jewel was a good English amber ale. And it's got a cool label; that's a 7th Century Anglo-Saxon brooch found near Ripon.

Today will be a good day

Head cold update - It's settled in the sinuses but good. So far the coughing has been avoided. I do like using a Neti Pot to help open sinuses up!

Today is going to be a good day. I claim it. I've a good horoscope on MSN: You're wearing your heart on your sleeve today, and you may notice that it is pounding harder than usual. Feel free to indulge in a romantic evening with someone close to you. Today is a day for you. Concentrate on yourself and your needs. The newspaper reminds me that my close friends are a comfort but it it my acquaintances, people I like but hardly know, that will give me a chance today. Chance at what?? That romance?

That romantic evening may happen, though. Van and I are spending it with friends, with wine, food, games. I am taking "Cold Comfort Farm" which remains one of my fav movies, just in case we need something to watch. Van will but not sure about the other men in the group.

Today includes a site visit and back to figuring out the Service Desk software. A minimeeting with minidonuts and espresso cups of coffee.

Tomorrow I have a funeral to attend with Van, and Sunday is practice. Housework in there, maybe some sewing. Working out. Abnormal weekend, though, with no event to attend.

Nice drink

My friend Anplica gave me a pint of coffee cordial for my birthday. I realized tonight that the best drink ever is two shots of whole milk to one shot of this cordial. Better is the second one. hehe.

I've a bit of a buzz...so I'm watching Serenity again and going to capture a bit of personal philosophy while I'm at it.

Sweeney Todd

It's a good movie. I'm a bit queasy now, though. Ate a lovely rich meal and then saw all that blood and saw them eating pies...bleah.

Yes. A bit queasy.

On the up-side, we've a new fighter coming in tomorrow to work with us. And I got a shiney new breastplate coming in; chernberg? Anyway, icefalcon's female build. Go Icefalcon!

Stuffed!

Aurora, Cheryl, Mike, Mel and myself went out for Indian food and I am stuffed. Totally. Good food, good conversation and lots of laughs!

On to a New Year!

It's time to bring down the tree and start cleaning for the new year. This includes a party. With bells and food, drink and silliness. WooHoo!

The New Year we celebrate is really just a calendar date. I personally feel that the year starts with Winter Solstice and in my heart that is where I rejoice. That is when I examine the past year and list out the sorrows, make a final mourning and, as best I can, leave them behind in the dark and cold of the year behind me. I look forward to hopeful days, to new opportunities and the strength and determination to thrive. I look forward to spending time with old friends in ever more meaningful ways and in growing closer. (Yes, Van is a friend, my bestest friend. ) This is also a time to count blessings. I'm doing that. Really. Hokey as it sounds, I've started listing out everything I can think of that is a blessing, meaning something promoting or contributing to happiness, well-being, or prosperity; a boon or the infusion of something with holiness, divine will, or one's hopes. Mostly the former, although I try not to deny/ignore the gifts of the PTB. Anyway, not bragging just saying it's what I'm doing. Trying to grow here! Does reread as kinda weird to say, though. I'm not weird.

However, I am a child of this culture and most us start our real New Year's work starts on January 1. Cause really, we are mostly too busy with the Christmas holiday and all the things that happen and people who gather. Those things are important, too, and feeds our sense of belonging.So I will joyfully celebrate the new year at my New Years Party. I've got culture.

No idea who all is coming yet. I have invited a number of people and I wait to see.  I've the bells, and we are going to play games and stuff. The sewing room will be neatened up and I'll set the folding table up for that. I'm thinking pub games! Maybe Anplica will lend me her 'shut the box' game. I've got the dice for liars dice. there's always that crazy one with doodles...drunk people love that one. Food, food. And booze! But mostly happy people having a good time together.   

 

Merry Christmas!

Well, it's the end of Christmas. It was a good day of being with people. With family. Very funny to have to wait until almost 10:30 for Isaiah to get here. So I made waffles, lots and lots. Gin helped. A waffle wrapped around bacon is just lovely.

We had a lot of good conversation, laughs and sharing over the gift exchange and meal. Then I fell asleep in my chair while the kids did dishes. Isaiah headed home shortly after that and we just chilled for the rest of the day. Didn't do much.

In the middle of may, Ginny got this puppy that was small enough to cuddle on her lap. Today, she's about 80-85 pounds. Can chew through a standard rawhide in an afternoon. Wants the kitties to play. Loves that Isaiah and her did some good playing, romping around the house. I am very grateful my stuff didn't get knocked over as they ran around and around and pounced at each other and Isaiah laughed. Baby Bomber did not want Isaiah to leave...I'll get some pics up here in a minute.

My last post was rather grim. I'm leaving it there though as a snapshot of who I am at times. We all are sometimes sad and sometimes gloomy.Heh. Making it an early night so I can work out tomorrow at 5. Good for me!

Quick Mead Update

So tonight is the official "drink me" night for the quick mead. The first bottle sat on the counter, sorta moldy on the outside cause of the closed box van had them in. I wipe it off, and pop the top.

A good 20 inches of foam flew out of the bottle; the carbonation was so severe that only an inch of liquid was left in the bottle. Incredible. Lots of laughing.

Van was very careful with the next bottle. slowly released the fizz. It clouded up a bit but we didn't loose any of this bottle. It is just a bit peppery, sweetish with just a hint of citrus and a blandish aftertaste. Van says it is a bit like ginger ale and I can see that. Taste that.

I don't want to take something to Autumn Rose that may get everything covered in ooze. So may just drink it all myself.

I'm sorry I'm not writing more but it would be mostly either just a laundry list of things I'm doing or a maudlin sad song about what is going on in my head/heart and that probably cause i'm drinking.  I'll try to do better after this weekend, the last camping event I have.