Catching Up Over Coffee - October, 2017 at J Rene in West Hartford

My sister and I decided a while back to meet up once a month at a different coffee shop in Connecticut in order to catch up and see the state. This blog series serves as a review of the coffee shops we visit. 


October, 2017 - Now that all of the wedding stuff has quieted down, my sister and I have tried to get back into meeting for coffee once a month. However, that is proving difficult. She has started working a more steady schedule at a restaurant, which means a lot of nights and weekends. With my office job, I work a Monday through Friday office schedule. 

Four months since our last date, we finally found some time that worked for both of us. This was mostly because I was already planning a trip up to pick up an end table from a friend's mother who lived a town over from where we decided to meet. It was raining by the time I was down putting the table in my car and heading to the cafe, but I didn't really mind. On the other hand, my sister ended up sleeping in later than she expected and was about an hour late meeting me (not for the first time). 

Finally! My sister and I found a coffee place that actually does designs with the foam! This is what I have been waiting for! Fortunately, the lattes were tasty because I was not impressed with the food. I was excited when I saw bundt cake, but it was dry and not very flavorful. My sister said her pastry was good at least. 

It was really cool to visit a place that added the designs to the foam. It was also fun to be in a coffee shop that served coffee four ways - drip, pour over, French press, and siphon - I believe. Walking into their cafe looks a little like walking into an old-timey laboratory. There are copper pipes everywhere and the staff wear aprons. The limited seating that there is lends itself to meeting new people, which is nice, but my sister and I were trying to spend some quality time together. The two top tables that they did have seemed to be the first to be filled. All of the people where were there seemed to be studying for some class or other, so we felt we should try to be a little quieter than normal as to not disturb them. 

Overall, I could see myself popping back in there to grab a coffee while walking around the area if I ever find myself back in that part of the state. I'm looking forward to trying out the next location.

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This post is one in a series of monthly posts. If you are wondering why I am writing this series, head on over to Catching Up Over Coffee to read the explanation. 

Then, check out the other places we have visited so far: 

Catching Up Over Coffee - January 2016 at Landmark Cafe in Manchester

Catching Up Over Coffee - February 2016 at Focaccia's Cafe in Shelton
Catching Up Over Coffee - March 2016 at Half Moon and Mr. D's in Wallingford
Catching Up Over Coffee - April 2016 at Cheshire Coffee in Cheshire
Catching Up Over Coffee - December 2016 at Caffe del Mondo in Southington 
Catching Up Over Coffee - January, 2017 at NIX in South Windsor

NaNoWriMo 2014 Day 5 - Behind & Distracted

I am 2 days behind in my word count and trying to stay focused on my story. It has been especially difficult today since today was the day we laid my Grandmother to rest.

NaNo has become a way to distract myself from the sadness and a way to keep doing something besides mourn. However, trying to focus and write is difficult since I do have all of these emotions to deal with. I find myself procrastinating by checking Tumblr and Facebook even more than usual.

It doesn't help that I have also been thinking in terms of stories (as I do every November) and have come up with another idea for another story. I want to write this new story while these emotions are fresh since it has to deal with the events surrounding my Grandmother's passing.

Instead of writing a full length story, I will attempt to write it in one paragraph:

Grandmother's Passing
My Grandmother passed away Halloween night. They say that Halloween is a special night during the year. It is the time when the vale between the living and the dead is at its weakest, making it easier for the dead to cross back into the world of the living. My Grandmother's husband and youngest son, who have both passed on years ago, realized this and came to see her. She was unsure about crossing over and they came to help her break free from the suffering of this world and join them. She smiled when she saw them and, after a long conversation, decided it was time. She was in fact done with this world and was ready to move on. That was when her journey with this life came to a close.

Things to be Grateful For

I have a Tumblr that I keep up. It is very simple. Each post consists of a list of 5 things that I am grateful for.

I call it Grateful ForThe Small Things.

It is a great exercise for anyone to do and I encourage others to do it too. Having started almost a year ago, I now have a list of over 400 things that I am grateful for.

Check out the blog and if you have a Tumblr, follow me!

Books I have read in 2013 - The Great Gatsby

What can I say that hasn't been said already about this book?

The Great Gatsby has been on my reading list for some time now and since there is a new movie coming out, I figured now was add good a time as any (if not better) to read it.

The story starred off a little slow, but by the time I finished reading, I wished it was longer. Even a couple of weeks after I have finished reading, I still think about the book and its characters.

Books I Read in 2013

Reading is a fun pastime for me. This year, I want to write a little something about each book that I finish. At the end of the year, I will be able to see how many I was able to get through. I highly doubt that I will reach 300 like some of my friends, but it will be interesting to see how many I can fit into my schedule. Here is my 1st review of 2013 from Goodreads.com:


Eldest by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Following the story from the main character's point of view alone would have made this book a few hundred pages smaller, but not nearly as interesting.

Every few chapters, the plot is advanced by a different character. First we follow Eragon, then his cousin Roran, then the leader of the Varden, Nasuada. Fortunately, it is easy to catch up with each of them no matter where they last left off.

Although the book is 651 pages, it is an easy read and there are very few boring sections. The last 50 or so pages are jam packed with plot twists and excitement.

View all my reviews

Something For Everyone To Remember

Hello,

I found this someecard today and wanted to share it because it is so true. And I really do wish everyone could be happy. When you are happy, and I mean actually happy, everything seems better and brighter. 

I have been depressed and I have been truly happy. Let me tell you, happy is always better. And this goes for everyone. I want everyone to be happy. What a wonderful life this could be.

Happy Day,
Kayleigh

The Happiest Woman Alive

It is amazing how wonderful life can be when you are in love. I am in awe each day that I am lucky enough to wake up next to the most amazing man on the planet. He loves me so much and I love him even more. We have our share of arguments, but they never last long. For over a year and a half, I have been fortunate enough to share my life with the love of my life. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us.

Sincerely,
Kayleigh Apicerno ♥