Coffee Grinder

I decided to get a coffee bean grinder. Starbucks has screwed up my order 3 times in the past 6 months, I even started getting half pound bags because of it, but I ask for them to grind it for Espresso, and I get it home and it is not ground for Espresso. Well, now I can buy my coffee beans at Wegmans, or anywhere and ground them myself as I need it, and not limited to Espresso, but regular coffee too. I haven't used my regular coffee brewer except once in the last 6 weeks. I am getting ready to store it. And to think I was looking to buy another one for spare parts a few blogs ago, because they discontinued the model I use. Don't get me wrong, it still makes the best coffee, I just drink too much when I brew it. I am down to about 4-5, 4 ounce espressos', or Cafe Breve (espresso shot with a little cream, and about 1- 1 1/2 ounces of hot water) a day. Then I usually buy a 12 or 16 ounce regular coffee when I am out and about, or at work. So I have averaged about 28 - 35 ounces of coffee a day. Much better then the 50 -66 or more ounces I had been drinking! I often wonder too, how many tip when they buy something from Starbucks, or Dunkin Donuts? If you are paying 2.50 for a Red Eye, and then add tip, that is an expensive drink. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I used to work in the food/hospitality industry, but I just don't see giving a tip when you are paying those types of prices. I think Mcdonalds coffee is just as good and half the price. And just to note, if you are watching your sodium intake, Dunkin Donuts is 60mg per 10 ounces, and the other big 2, Starbucks and Mcdonalds are 10mg per 10 ounces. I have put this down from memory, as I researched it over a year ago, but I will look it up again, just to make sure I am quoting the right figures.

Some things...

The, first is my eyeglasses. I never thought of having corrective eye surgery before my eye glasses broke. I had this one pair for about 8 years and I just keep getting new lenses for them. They are so light, I love them, but they dropped to the carpeted floor and the one side broke off. Okay, so I wore them for about 2 weeks thinking I'll call the eye doctor and get them repaired, or replaced. Then the other side broke off. I have a lot of stylish eyeglasses from previous years, and I have been wearing them with the old RX for about 3 months, and it is very frustrating. I do get a lot of comments from people about some kind of stylish statement I am trying to make. I tell some of them the truth about my glasses breaking, and take the compliment from the others. I am just being stubborn not getting new glasses or lenses. Come the new year, my Health Benefits will cover another pair of lenses. I tried wearing my contacts, but after the first day with no problem, the second day, I tried to take one out, that wasn't ever in my eye, and my eye got red. So I decided not to wear them for now. I am seriously thinking about the corrective eye surgery, it has been a real problem. My Sister had the surgery and has no problems.

The second thing, I've only made one pot of coffee in the past 4 weeks. Of course I still drink coffee, but I have cut back on the amount of liquids I drink. I was drinking about 2 quarts of coffee a day. Any where from 50 to 64+ ounces a day. I would have 20 or more ounces downed before I left the house. I didn't always want to drink it all, but I hate wasting things. Now depending on if I am at work or at home I drink 1 -2, 4 ounce espresso's a day, and about a 16 and 12 ounce coffee. At home I just drink espresso,and maybe one coffee as I go about my errands around town.. So, I am down to about 28 - 35 ounces of coffee a day. That is much better. If you think about it, you become chained to your coffee cup. I am just as satisfied with the 3-4 ounces of espresso, and I can get a lot more done.

Favorite things discontinued - And some New Things

I was going to order another vacuum coffee maker this weekend, either the 5 cup model, or another 10 cup model, but Bodem-Santos has discontinued the electric vacuum coffee maker. The stove top model won't work for me. The electric model has a timer, and is nicely compact, works great. It is even a form of entertainment watching the coffee brew through the clear plastic. The steam produced by the heated water in the bottom pushes the heated water up into the top where it mixes with the coffee grounds and boils, then when the heat is off, it all comes back down into the bottom again, ready to drink. Hot! 196 degrees at least. That is just one of the 3 or 4 items in the last month that I tried to get that is now discontinued. I am on a roll here.
I am going out car shopping tomorrow. My little 4 wheel drive is now in it 9th year, and I think it needs to be driven less for it to last me a few more years. I was hoping to wait about 2 more years to get another car, but tomorrow might be the day.
Another Suzuki for me. Either the SX4 Sport ( good financing till 9/30) or the SX4 Crossover.
The picutures here are of a pine cone in the drive way, looks sort of interesting/abstract maybe, and the wasp on the yellow flower is one of my favorites.

Lensbaby came out with some new SLR Lenses today;

"THREE LENSES,INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
No two eyes are exactly the same – especially when they belong to an artist who sees for a living. Given these infinite possibilities, Lensbaby offers three distinctly different lens bodies for different types of shooters. Each lens gets you to the same place: a Sweet Spot of sharp focus surrounded by graduated blur. But each one gets you there in a way that reflects your individual personality and shooting style. Are you fast and loose? Smooth and precise? Methodical and step-by-step? Your first decision is: which Lensbaby has your name on it?"

I think the Lensbaby Composer has my name on it....