My Morning Stare

Coffee Date 2013 Gary Garbett

I spent the morning reading email and sipping coffee. Annie just kept staring. I deleted each of my read messages, filled my coffee cup again, and never once did she ever stop staring.

Those First Days Are the Longest

Draw the Line

As I prepare to dive deep into my second thesis in three years, I find that time is even more valuable than it ever has been. I suppose there's a possibility that all of this time stuff is nothing more than middle-aged fodder. Regardless, it still grabs my attention... especially when I glance at my watch.

Tick tock.

Winter Survival

I have a list of favorite things that wrap themself around my life. Even after deleting a few of those faves from my youthful years, my list still stretches longer than I can reach.

Following last night’s wintery weather, I spent today’s lovely Saturday morning with a few of my listed items. Each of these faves played a big part in preparing my breakfast feast of egg, bacon, and mozzarella on thick cut fresh baked whole wheat bread; arugula, spinach, and avocado salad with balsamic and parmesan; navel oranges; and steaming pot of freshly ground java all accompanied by a soundtrack of Grover Washington, jr. arrangements.

It’s important to note that these are in no particular order of preference since each carries about the same weight of goodness in winter survival… or for any day.

• cameras of various kinds

• a spinning turntable

• aromas from the kitchen

• snow

• hot coffee

• warm socks

• deli cheese

• fresh produce

• obedient pups (who also scored breakfast eggs for their good behavior)

• bacon

• more coffee

• a record collection of 43 years

• a flickering fireplace

• me time

• love of life

sum of the day

My tendency has always been to load up my two-day weekend checklist far beyond any possibility of achievement. For whatever the reason, this weekend has been different.

Saturday offered a perfect day for relaxing. After more than seven hours of listening to vinyl records and playing with my buddies, the hour hand began to cast a shadow on the afternoon. The cold damp day affirmed my decision to still be in my flannel pjs as a second pot of coffee began brewing. Though denim was eventually exchanged for flannel, our day of comfort was well maintained into the evening.

We're in the early hours of Sunday morning and there are plenty of naps taking place all around me. Faded blue jeans and a secondhand t-shirt have committed themselves to my day's fashion statement. A stack of selected vinyl await their turn to spin goodness at 33 and a 1/3rd and my coffee cup has once again promised to stay full all day. I’m not too sure what else I could ask for, so I won’t. It’s good to be with friends.

Perhaps removing expectations can sometimes deliver the greater return.

as big a gift

Reminders of You ©2013 Gary Garbett

As the sunshine warmed my face, I sipped my morning coffee during my commute to the east. Listening to what the words had to say, these lyrics were as big a gift as the day.

Babies get born Even in a war I guess just to show us What livin's for

Thank you Dwight.

eclectic breakfast

I treated myself to a few of the things that I love most this morning - music and cooking. As a result, my Saturday morning looked a little like this.

Scrambled eggs with tabbouleh and feta folded in and sprinkled with parmesan; crispy turkey bacon; toasted oatmeal bread topped with a friend's delicious homemade lavender peach preserves; a pot of Puerto Rican coffee; and orange juice. Of course an excellent dining experience could never be had without the right ambiance of music, so my turntable soundtrack included Little Feat, Eddie Kendricks, and Cheech and Chong's Los Cochinos. I do my best to keep the peace around our ranch. So yes, I made enough to share with the pups. The world is a happy place.

I'm almost certain if you Google Map "eclecticism", you'll see my house and get directions. See you for dinner.

counting on yesterday

Santa Brings Yesterday

I'm not sure there's anyone that knows me much better than Santa Claus. It's almost like he's inside my head… kinda like we're one in the same.

The jolly guy left several gifts of Christmas pasts this year under our Christmas tree: a 1950's Magnavox phonograph with AM radio, a 1944 Arvin dinette set, and a 1940's Hunter Zephair hassock floor fan. Some of these are restoration projects. Others are already in use.

The older I get, the more yesterdays mean to me. I can always count on them being everything I expect them to be... with no surprises.