On this 200th day of social isolation, of not venturing out to stores, cafes, eateries, I'm sitting around thinking how on earth should one celebrate National Coffee Day at home. Because this does happen to be, I'm told, National Coffee Day.
The company from which I buy all my coffee would like me, of course, to purchase more coffee today. I can hardly call that a proper celebration. I drink two cups each day and since COVID, that second cup has been a decaf (you can guess why). Restocking a rather stable supply can't possibly be a source of celebratory joy.
This same company also offers gifts today with every sale. Cups. New espresso cups. Latte glasses. Some with saucers. This, to me, is surely a terrible thing, contributing to excessive collection of things you don't need. I mean, if you buy coffee from these guys, you already have cups. Indeed, who among coffee drinkers does not have too many cups? And if I tell them to please skip the cups, I'll feel cheated. Like I'm paying too much, because with that price I should have had cups included. So, no coffee purchase for me today.
I write about this, because of the COVID quarantine. It does make you pay attention to things that will have passed you buy in other years. For instance, I learned that last last Saturday was National Daughters Day. I did not learn this until close to midnight. Thankfully I managed to dash off a message to my two sweet and wonderful daughters. Phew! Almost missed it. But the thing is, in years past, I did miss it. I never remember doing anything on a Daughter's Day in the past, even though I truly have amazing daughters.
The virus locks us up at home, all 200 days, closed off, glued to lots of reading material, some of it flagging obscure holidays and national days, triggering within you that feeling of resignation: it could have been so lovely to sit at our favorite cafe and sip a delicious brew, but hey, let me instead do what I do every single day of my life, Coffee Day or not, let me just brew that damn cup at home and call it special.
(Breakfast, inside, because it's really cold out there!)
Walk to barn -- with signs of Fall everywhere. And Happy, with his missing tail. (Molting.)
Afternoon cup of coffee.
Evening. I have to do something with the squash, the cauliflower. How about a veggie curry over brown rice? Let's get to work!
It's comfort food. Ed would probably say -- unexciting. He often thinks my veggie melange is unexciting (in this one, to the squash and cauliflower I add onion, garlic, spinach, and peas and plenty of spices, coconut milk, and lime juice for that needed bite).
But for me, it's perfect. When you have an evening like this one (presidential debate raging over the airwaves), you need comfort food.
The company from which I buy all my coffee would like me, of course, to purchase more coffee today. I can hardly call that a proper celebration. I drink two cups each day and since COVID, that second cup has been a decaf (you can guess why). Restocking a rather stable supply can't possibly be a source of celebratory joy.
This same company also offers gifts today with every sale. Cups. New espresso cups. Latte glasses. Some with saucers. This, to me, is surely a terrible thing, contributing to excessive collection of things you don't need. I mean, if you buy coffee from these guys, you already have cups. Indeed, who among coffee drinkers does not have too many cups? And if I tell them to please skip the cups, I'll feel cheated. Like I'm paying too much, because with that price I should have had cups included. So, no coffee purchase for me today.
I write about this, because of the COVID quarantine. It does make you pay attention to things that will have passed you buy in other years. For instance, I learned that last last Saturday was National Daughters Day. I did not learn this until close to midnight. Thankfully I managed to dash off a message to my two sweet and wonderful daughters. Phew! Almost missed it. But the thing is, in years past, I did miss it. I never remember doing anything on a Daughter's Day in the past, even though I truly have amazing daughters.
The virus locks us up at home, all 200 days, closed off, glued to lots of reading material, some of it flagging obscure holidays and national days, triggering within you that feeling of resignation: it could have been so lovely to sit at our favorite cafe and sip a delicious brew, but hey, let me instead do what I do every single day of my life, Coffee Day or not, let me just brew that damn cup at home and call it special.
(Breakfast, inside, because it's really cold out there!)
Walk to barn -- with signs of Fall everywhere. And Happy, with his missing tail. (Molting.)
Afternoon cup of coffee.
Evening. I have to do something with the squash, the cauliflower. How about a veggie curry over brown rice? Let's get to work!
It's comfort food. Ed would probably say -- unexciting. He often thinks my veggie melange is unexciting (in this one, to the squash and cauliflower I add onion, garlic, spinach, and peas and plenty of spices, coconut milk, and lime juice for that needed bite).
But for me, it's perfect. When you have an evening like this one (presidential debate raging over the airwaves), you need comfort food.
