What is in your cup?

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I've had no alcohol for more than a week (damn diet...) and plan to hold out for another few evenings.


Stitchawl

Any fun and exciting story behind why?

[amward]

Glad all is ok Stitchawl, I'd better contact my Japanese family and make sure they are ok. They have recently moved from Sugito to Minamiaizu, which I don't think is anywhere near you, but it never hurts to check. I know it's in/near mountains so they should be alright.

Tonic water in my glass.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I shall drink a refreshing peach smoothie while doing so. I've had no alcohol for more than a week (damn diet...) and plan to hold out for another few evenings.

Good luck with that. I haven't had a drink for two and a half months (a record) and have lost about 16 lbs. It's that last 12 or so that are proving difficult. I'm not dieting, per se, just keeping down on portion sizes and snacks, but I think I'm going to have to do something more radical to kick-start that final weight loss.

Black coffee (no sugar or syrup) in my cup.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by maianhvk

I'm having coffee, perhaps one of the best I've ever had.

Come on, we need details. I am always in search of that perfect coffee and still haven't found it.

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Any fun and exciting story behind why?

In Stitchy's absence, I'll answer that. He has been building up (down?) for hang-gliding lessons, and needs to be more slim-lined for the experience...

[pholy]

I just finished my morning mug of coffee. Details for Orlok: 12 oz mug, 3 Melita spoonfuls of 'Around the World' from Ideal Coffee in the Kensington Market, in a Black&Decker Brew 'n Go (aka Cup at a Time). Not fancy, just delicious flavour, black or mixed. Maybe next time I'll dig out their description of it.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by amward

Glad all is ok Stitchawl, I'd better contact my Japanese family and make sure they are ok. They have recently moved from Sugito to Minamiaizu, which I don't think is anywhere near you, but it never hurts to check. I know it's in/near mountains so they should be alright.

Check with them. The damage is widespread. Watching the news this evening... There was heavy flooding all over Japan, from Hiroshima to Kyoto, ( several hundred kilometers ) but the damage was mostly confined to low areas. I'm wondering about this year's rice crops... They were just starting to form seed heads, and heavy rains can knock them down like duckpins!

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Any fun and exciting story behind why?

In Stitchy's absence, I'll answer that. He has been building up (down?) for hang-gliding lessons, and needs to be more slim-lined for the experience...

And that's the facts, Jack! If I can drop 10 kilo I'll have an easier time getting airborne with the same size canopy.
But not 'hang-gliding..' "Para-gliding" Parachute instead of kite.

Originally Posted by orlok

Good luck with that. I haven't had a drink for two and a half months (a record) and have lost about 16 lbs. It's that last 12 or so that are proving difficult. I'm not dieting, per se, just keeping down on portion sizes and snacks, but I think I'm going to have to do something more radical to kick-start that final weight loss.

That's really all I'm doing too. Same foods just a LOT less of them, (trying for under 600 cal per meal instead of 2,000) and no snacking between meals. And no alcohol either. What I miss most is my evening bowl of popcorn.... If I lose 10k I'll be happy. If I lose 15k I'll be at the weight I used to be when I was a 30 year old tournament fighter/fencer. I won't be in the same shape... just the same weight. Some things have to change when you get 35 years older. I no longer have the endurance or the legs to X-C ski race 18k and live to tell about it. The other night my wife said "Honey, let's go upstairs and make love." I replied "You have to pick one or the other..."

Having my final mug of tea for the evening... Instead of eating, when I get hungry I make another cup of tea. Falling asleep won't be a problem, but waking up to pee 18 times a night might be.


Stitchawl

[ProfCrash]

I found keeping a food journal helped me lose weight. And substituting fruit and veggies for snacks. When I craved salt, the bane of my existence, I ate a snack pack of gold fish crackers or some nuts. This helped me drop 30 pounds before I got married and only gain 30 pounds while pregnant.

I am. Hoping that breast feeding and exercise will help me drop 10-15 pounds. I can't afford to diet while breast feeding and find that diets just suck.

So I a very bummed. My work is being relocated while I am on maternity leave. This could mean Lucas's time in day care goes from 6 hours to 10. I just found out. It was a rough night with a very emotional mommy. Depriving herself and hubby of sleep. I am starting a job search today. I like our daycare but I don't want my baby boy there for that long. If need be, we will have today for parking and I will have to get up an hour earlier so to keep it to 7 hours of day care.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

But not 'hang-gliding..' "Para-gliding" Parachute instead of kite.

Ooops. My bad. And my faulty memory...

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Having my final mug of tea for the evening... Instead of eating, when I get hungry I make another cup of tea. Falling asleep won't be a problem, but waking up to pee 18 times a night might be.

I'm having exactly that problem, as I've significantly upped my water consumption, as a substitute for alcohol probably.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by pholy

I just finished my morning mug of coffee. Details for Orlok: 12 oz mug, 3 Melita spoonfuls of 'Around the World' from Ideal Coffee in the Kensington Market, in a Black&Decker Brew 'n Go (aka Cup at a Time). Not fancy, just delicious flavour, black or mixed. Maybe next time I'll dig out their description of it.

Well thank you kind sir. Not heard of "Around the World", and in truth, now that I only drink decaf, I don't think I'll ever find a great cup of coffee ever again .

And what's a "Melita spoonful"?

[maianhvk]

@ Orlok: It might be of no use for you, but here we go: we have an acquaintance who grows coffee plants in the highland, and I'm assuming it's Robusta. So the beans are carefully and lovingly hand picked, roasted and ground; and I don't have any details on these processes, so I'm not totally sure there isn't any secret additive

We receive the fine powder, and then drip brew it this way: press the powder very hard in the filter, then pour in a small amount of boiled water just enough to absorb the powder. A minute later, add more boiled water, this time up to your likings. The slower the drip, the better (so it's the opposite of ristretto, isn't it?), though I can never quite manage it. Might have something to do with the pressure...

Usually we make it super concentrated, using a lot of powder and very little boiled water, and drink with sugar. This afternoon it was as thick as oil, and snapped me awake in no time. The aftertaste was great, too.

[orlok]

Thank you for the detailed explanation Anh. You're right, it's not something I'm going to easily replicate. But I can dream .

[CRussel]

You guys are making me want coffee again! Probably NOT done maianhvk's way, but I do still have some Peet's Major Dickason's in the freezer. (Major Dickason's is a dark roasted, very full bodied, blend that can be used for espresso, but is primarily just a really good dark roast coffee.) We have a Capresso (sp?) coffee maker that grinds the beans and then brews using a typical "Melitta-style" drip filter system.

But for now, Peet's Anniversary Breakfast Blend tea.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

So I a very bummed. My work is being relocated while I am on maternity leave. This could mean Lucas's time in day care goes from 6 hours to 10. I just found out. It was a rough night with a very emotional mommy. Depriving herself and hubby of sleep. I am starting a job search today. I like our daycare but I don't want my baby boy there for that long. If need be, we will have today for parking and I will have to get up an hour earlier so to keep it to 7 hours of day care.

Oh, no! Not fair! I'm bummed for you too.

[Stitchawl]

Oh, raindrops
So many raindrops
It feels like raindrops
Falling from my eye-eyes
Falling from my eyes

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOMgDs96rVU )

Still raining and still flooding... There is no doubt in my mind that the world already came to an end, and this is just the wind-down... It's breaking up all over the planet!

'Morning, all. Wet and drizzling day ahead. My heart goes out to those in the lower areas. A lot of roads have been closed off, bridges out, power off... We're lucky to live in the Heights. Just puddles around us. My water heater put out a good cup of "English Breakfast" tea from Bigalow's, and the stove turned on to fry up some eggs and ham, so I have to give thanks for that. We're going down the hill this morning to help fill sandbags around the elementary school. Trying to keep the water off the gym floor. The weather is supposed to clear tonight, but there is still a lot of run-off coming down from the mountains around Kyoto.

Originally Posted by Stitchawl View Post
Having my final mug of tea for the evening... Instead of eating, when I get hungry I make another cup of tea. Falling asleep won't be a problem, but waking up to pee 18 times a night might be.

Originally Posted by Orlok View Post
I'm having exactly that problem, as I've significantly upped my water consumption, as a substitute for alcohol probably.

Think of it as a blessing. The 'real' problem would be if we DIDN'T wake up those 18 times... Eeeeeeeewwwww!


Stitchawl

[aceflor]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

So I a very bummed. My work is being relocated while I am on maternity leave. This could mean Lucas's time in day care goes from 6 hours to 10. I just found out. It was a rough night with a very emotional mommy. Depriving herself and hubby of sleep. I am starting a job search today. I like our daycare but I don't want my baby boy there for that long. If need be, we will have today for parking and I will have to get up an hour earlier so to keep it to 7 hours of day care.

This is not good news. Is it just your job, or your whole unit ? Any possibility of having a home office, at least partly ? I understand your emotional reaction. You are right to try to find other solutions. I did not and ended travelling worldwide for my job and coming back once from a 10 days Germany-US-Singapore-HK-Germany business trip to find out my daughter had started walking in my absence. This was the moment when I decided this could not go on.