Morning coffee, in the spirit and heading south

- My head is still in the mountains, drinking coffee by the river.  I was just having one of those "this time last week..." moments.  But I just had some coffee from home at my office desk and that was good, too.  Love that candle thingie my sister has on the kitchen counter.  It warms the two candles (in glass holders) inside and lights up beautifully. 

- At the condos, newest neighbor Alicia, a very nice, and a bit shy woman, got in the spirit of all the flower planting and put this pot of climbing Bougainvillea beside her front door.  It's trailing up nicely already.

- The last time I visited Pensacola, Florida, in mid-August 2014,  I experienced a moment of pure happiness that my sister was driving so I could gaze at the waters of Pensacola Bay, while going over the bridge to the beach area.  I snapped this photo to commemorate - I knew it would come in handy one day.  That's where I'm headed later today to be with family for the weekend.  I'm so excited!

May your weekend be filled with good things!

I hear a symphony, savoring October and a good start

- Leaving a client's office building, where Peachtree Street and West Peachtree Street meet, on a blue sky day.  We are having a run of glorious weather here in Atlanta.  That building up ahead on the left is 1180 Peachtree and is commonly called the "Symphony Building," because it looms over our Symphony Hall.

- A coworker and I discuss how much we love the month of October.  I tell him I long for it all year and am savoring it every day.  It's my favorite month.

- Lamenting that I am out of coffee before I even get out of the bed this morning.  (It probably sounds as if I'm coffee challenged lately, but the bank points coffee maker came in the mail and works great.  I did remember to buy No. 4 cone shaped filters, but then ran out of coffee yesterday a.m. and forgot to buy it last night.)  Then I have a "thanks Dad!" moment.  When I was clearing out their house for sale this summer, I discovered caffeinated coffee in the freezer that he kept for me (they drank decaf only).  I brought it home and put it in my freezer and promptly forgot about it.  And there it was this a.m.  Coffee makes everything so much better and it also feels like a little gift that has started the day out just right.

I was trying to insert a video of The Supremes singing "I Hear a Symphony" here, but somehow couldn't get it to work.  So I hope you hear it in your head when you look at that photo of the Symphony Building.  :)  And may you hear sweet music this weekend.  Have a wonderful one!

Back porch time, currently reading and pure bliss

- Saturday morning.  There had been toast and poached egg on the plate.  And of course, good coffee.  A light breeze carrying the lyrical voices of my Asian neighbors to the back, who were working their garden.  You can just see the roof of their house beyond my mosquito repellent device there.

- Last June, August book club was thrown out as, "read the Ernest Hemingway book of your choice" + "The Paris Wife" by Paula McClain.  The second book is a fictionalized account of Hemingway's early writing life in Paris, told by his first wife Hadley.  But the presented dialogue is the only conjured up fiction - the author pulled accounts of their lives from a number of sources.  Reading that one after "The Sun Also Rises" makes for fascinating reading.  I am loving this book.

- And on Sunday morning the temperature on the back porch was 62 degrees with 0 humidity.  Pure bliss.

Whisper of the river, hearing and perks of coffee

- My sister will be looking at this view later on today - she's heading to the river for a bit of quiet. I can close my eyes and hear the whisper of the river as it goes by and am glad for her that she will have these few days.

- Sitting in the doctors' waiting area for a body maintenance check and happy to be so healthy. If you close your eyes and listen to others, you hear all sorts of information.

- Hearing again that I should reduce the amount of coffee I drink or cut it out altogether, I opt for the reduction option. :) Southern Living magazine had an article in January 2011 "Coffee's 5 Best Perks" - the torn out page has been posted on my refrigerator. I am hoping for the Brain Boosting power spoken of in Number 4: Coffee increases short-term recall, plus people who drink 3 to 5 cups of coffee each day are 65% less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Family guard, the fun side and storms

- This dragon that looks after the family home, guarding it from evil-doers. It is right across the street from kind people fortunately - the Atlanta Union Mission's offices where I have printing clients.

- A client who usually designs commercial work is getting into invitation design on the side. I love it when she calls for eccentric paper. This time she wants to see a smooth black cover stock, which might have a fuchsia design, or shimmering silver that will have black print. What makes it extra fun: it's a Starbucks meeting.

- Getting close to home after work and finding the sky is getting darker and darker. I see a flash of light in the distance and hear a faint rumble. A storm's a brewin'. I decide that errands can wait until tomorrow and head for home.

Decorated, working from home and coffee

- This antique hand operated letterpress sits in the lobby of the printing company. It is a great conversation piece for visitors and did not escape being decorated for Christmas.

- My client's golden labrador retriever, Scout, who always runs to get a toy to show me, disappears around the corner and comes back this time dragging a bed-sized blanket. His owner gives him a look of resigned exhaustion and I ask, "What's next, the couch?" :)

- Coffee. Is there anything better than coffee in the 5am hour? I know, more sleep. However, that first cup of coffee while blogging is mighty fine.

Break, waxing rhapsodic and Samaritan

- An enforced coffee break courtesy of a client who needed me to come back in about 45 minutes. Hmmm...what could I do with 45 minutes on a rainy day?

- Enjoying the enthusiasm of the born salesman behind the counter. As I contemplated the baked goods, he said, "You look like a pumpkin cream cheese muffin gal to me." He so waxed rhapsodic about the muffin that I had to try it. And he brought me a plastic knife so I could cut it and eat it so that the cream cheese could be enjoyed to full effect.

- Exiting the building I hear, "Miss, Miss!" A Samaritan runs after me with the umbrella that had fallen out of my bag. I thank him for saving me from drenching later. And I did need it - the city of Atlanta is experiencing unprecedented flooding from all the heavy rain.

Coffee drama, comfort and neighborly

Help our Planet feel the Love!

- Searching through the pantry and, all the way in the back, finding a packet of Godiva coffee flavored with Creme Brulee and having that since I can't do that expensive coffee option every day - even though it garnered me a potential client yesterday. (Why don't I just go to the grocer? The fair trade coffee I ordered was inadvertently delivered to the wrong place and I cannot get it until tonight.)

- A comforting telephone conversation with a friend.

- Two nice neighbors calling and knocking simultaneously to tell me I left the dome light on in my car.

Aroma, no fretting zone and a fourth of a cup

- The aroma of the latte in my car, just as pleasant as drinking it.

- Client Charlotte telling me with a smile, "Never fret."

- Clotilde over at Chocolate & Zucchini having trouble with her oven and equating her "tears" over it in baking terms: “Considering the tears of frustration that have been shed because of this -- about a fourth of a cup -- it seems heroic, or perhaps foolhardy, to attempt to bake anything for company.”

Strategic awakening, fun place and hired

- Stopping at ChocoLaté for my celebratory Friday morning latte, no one there but the two women behind the counter and me. Me: "It's awfully early to be up, huh?" Barista: "Unless you work at a coffee shop."

- Traveling down I-85 South to work, I can just see the brightly colored tower that is Sweetwater Brewing Company. The vapors coming out of it surely must have an intoxicating aroma.

- Friend Cathy and I bonded over being unemployed last year, meeting in line at a Women for Hire job fair. Thankfully, we are both gainfully employed now and just realized we work a couple of miles from each other. A fun lunch is surely coming soon...

Finally blooming, TGIF and Twiggy

- My red geranium blooming like crazy in the cold weather after having a lackluster summer.

- Stopping in for a celebratory "TGIF" cafe latte at ChocoLaté Coffee. And going into orbit because it is so strong. And it is a banner day indeed: Joanne has brought in Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

- My neighbor's cat Twiggy has passed away after a good long, lively life. Since I was sometimes enlisted to watch over her when her owner was out of town, Twiggy always associated me with someone who could open her front door for her and never did understand why sometimes I could not.

Vacuuming and mowing

- Today's AJC has a story that says women should exercise 30 minutes every day. I told two co-workers that I am lucky if I do 30 minutes three times a week. They rhapsodized about opportunities for unconventional exercise. Tereza loves to vacuum - making grids on the carpet and then going the other way to erase the grid pattern. Teri loves mowing and can't wait for warm weather so she can mow.

- One of the perks of my job is the pod coffee machine we have here and all the different kinds of coffee to choose from. Today I chose Italian Roast - it is lovely, smoky and rich.

- Looking forward to Spamalot with the Fun Girls tonight. And an untried restaurant before - Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant.