Monday 24 December 2012

What a Year...

As the apocalyptic frenzy of 2012 ebbs and I sip my eggnog, sprinkled with freshly grated nutmeg writing my final post for the year, I'm not sure how to feel about what has happened over the last twelve months.

Filled with sad moments - a very much loved family member passing away, innocent children victims of gun crime and devastating storms leaving thousand of families homeless, I should be glad to see the back of it.  But then there's been some really great moments - silly conversations with my sister on Skype, my brother's fantastic work on Skyfall, my BFF's new addition to her family, meeting friends for lunch, chatting with the barista's at Starbucks and the countless hugs from Hubby. Shouldn't that be what I remember and take with me in to new year?

Lord only knows what the coming year will be like, but hopefully not such severe weather, less shootings, a kinder word said to our neighbors (both literal and not) and some genuine peace.

It seems every year I make the same promises - eat less, drink more..no hang on...eat more, drink less?...but in all seriousness I hope I do stick to a couple of resolutions - publish either my short stories or my novel, exercise more, refrain from making comments about the stupid things people do to annoy me...

....but whatever 2013 holds in store, I'm certainly hoping, not just for Hubby and I but you also, that it will be filled with all the good things in life - friends, family, an extra fiver in your back pocket, lots of giggles and if you have pain let it be champagne.

Thursday 6 December 2012

A Simple Hot Chocolate

Liquid Gold
That was all I was after.

Having sauntered around doing my errands in zero degree temps, I thought I'd stop off and indulge in a hot chocolate. Or a tea...as I debated which to get, the sign outside the store said 'Peppermint Hot Chocolate'. No more pondering, I was sold.

I walked in with a simple "I'd like a peppermint hot chocolate please", did I get a "course darlin', that will be threepenny piece  'ave a nice day" (okay I didn't transport myself back to 1800s London, but you get my drift...), no I got a deluge of questions back; "sure madam, large or small?",  was that peppermint?", "dark, milk or white chocolate?", "Is that for here or to go?"

Oh sweet Lord, I just want a hot chocolate to warm me cockles for cryin' out loud. But I said, large, yes, dark and to go please, the slightly theatrical sales staff waved me off to the side of the shop to wait while my drink was created. And I waited for almost five minutes.

As I left the store with drink in hand, muttering about waiting for so long I did wonder why has ordering a hot beverage become so time-consuming? And after all the small, skinny blah, blah was this particular drink worth it? After one sip...oh yes it was. That one slurp transported me back to a small cafe in Verona where their signature beverage was a cup of liquid chocolate, so thick a spoon could stand upright. The velvety, creamy warmth washed my mouth in a peppermint caress.

Definitely, worth the extra questions, the wait and warmed me up good and proper.