Coffee, Again

I like coffee. I have one cup a day, usually in the morning, and I don't drink any in the afternoon or later in the day. I usually brew my own at home. I'm not a coffee expert, so the rare times I do go to a specialty coffee shop, I have a hard time ordering. It has become so complicated. I've been to a popular coffee chain about 3 times lately, because I was out early and didn't want to take the time to brew coffee when I got home. My plan was to buy a cup of coffee, take it home, and add my own sweetener and flavored creamer. All I wanted was a regular sized cup with nothing but the coffee in the cup. It went something like this:
"May I have a regular coffee, please?"
"What size do you want, Miss? Large?"
"I want a regular size, like 8 ounces."
"Oh, you want a medium. And what do you want in your coffee?"
"I want it plain, with no sugar or cream, please."
The worker looked at  me like I was quite special. "Oh, you mean you want it black."
I thought plain coffee meant black coffee, but I was wrong. I know that because the worker wouldn't go off script-plain didn't mean black. Black meant coffee with nothing in it. I think she said that regular means coffee with sugar and cream.  You'd think I'd get this by now, but it's one of those things my brain doesn't want to learn.
Smiles,
Sylvia
www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Oh, you may notice I've changed the website name. It works better for me.

Some Tasks Can Wait

I'm behind schedule in my writing today because I made what I thought was going to be a quick run to the store. There was only one roll of bathroom tissue left in our storage closet, and there are 3 commodes in this house. One roll left is not a good plan. While at the store, I noticed an older man who seemed to move to the opposite end of each aisle I was in. My personal radar didn't indicate danger, and there were others in the store, so I grabbed the bathroom tissue and looked for the other few items on my list. (BTW- we used to call bathroom tissue toilet paper long ago).
The older man caught up with me near the  fruit drinks. I greeted him in a friendly, respectful manner- and the flood gates opened. He walked near me and talked to me about everything from his childhood in Harlem, the value of buying a used car, a fair-minded mechanic in the township, safe and unsafe parts of our city, his lovely wife, the stores in the area with the nicest restrooms, the taxes on the house he and his wife own, and so on. I couldn't get a word in.  After about 5 minutes of smiling and nodding politely in response to his nonstop chatter, I grew a little impatient-this was supposed to be a quick stop for me. My writing task was waiting!
Then, my impatience was checked. This man just wanted someone to talk to while he  did his shopping. This was a social outlet for him. He was harmless, he needed my ear for a little while.  A few minutes more, and he wound down enough for me to say,"Okay, sir. You have a nice day." Then I moved away from him. He smiled warmly.
He's probably somebody's parent, and I wouldn't want someone to be impatient with my elderly parent. Who knows?  I might be in this man's position one day.
Anyway, I'm glad I listened to him.
Smiles,
Sylvia Brown-Roberts
www.nikkimacproductions.com

Do You Remember?

My short term memory situation is becoming amusing to me. I can remember the black and white crinoline dress with the black sash that I wore in my kindergarten class photo. However, I can't remember the details of the conversation I had this morning at 8:15.
 I can remember so many details about my sister and brothers as we were growing up in the family home, but I can't remember what I came upstairs to fetch an hour ago.
I can remember practically all the lyrics to the songs from my teen years, but I have to think hard to recall what I ate for dinner the other night.
The good thing is, when I get quiet and settle down for bed tonight, those elusive thought snippets will find their way to the front of my brain. I'll remember this morning's conversation, why I went upstairs, and also the dinner meal. But then, I have to be prepared for the same memory dance tomorrow. Same dance, different details.
Is it just me? I think not.
Smiles,
Sylvia Brown-Roberts
www.nikkimacproductions.com

Frozen Grapes

I know I'm probably late to the party, but I recently experienced a cool treat. A sister friend gave me a birthday gift: a spa treatment. I really enjoy a good spa, and this was a new place for me. It was quaint, an old mansion with antique fixtures and furniture. So soothing. After our individual treatments, we were led into a parlor with sofas, chairs, and an old piano. We sat at a table and were served large, cold, frozen grapes in a glass!  I never thought to freeze grapes, but what a pleasant visual and taste sensation! Sometimes the simple treats in life  are the best treats.

 

This is  picture of the glass, minus the (eaten) grapes, along with my sister friend Joyce's fingertips, the spa's business card, and the postcard from my latest novel.

Maybe you'll try some frozen grapes!

Smiles and best wishes,

Sylvia Brown-Roberts

Readers' Questions in May 2013

I've been accosted in a friendly way lately by readers who've completed my 2nd novel, Beyond Church Doors (Jan. 2013).  Questions for me:

Is someone really stalking NikkiMac?  If so, who is it and why is it happening?
Who is the mysterious man that NikkiMac noticed at the church building?
Where is the missing ring box?
When is Jacee coming back to Trenton from the graduate education program?
Are Adam and NikkiMac getting married?
When is your 3rd novel going to be ready?
What church is this in your novels?
Don't you think you should get busy writing the next novel?  ("I am," I reply.)

I'm glad folks are interested enough to approach me about this!
Take care,
Sylvia
www.nikkimacproductions.com
"Author Sylvia Brown-Roberts" on Facebook

Bugs

A few weeks ago, I went to a place to take care of some business. While in the building's parking lot, I noticed a truck parked there with lettering on the side that advertised pest removal, specifically bedbugs. I admit that this did give me pause, but I wanted to complete this business task, so I went inside the building.  While waiting, I inquired about the truck outside and was told that there had been some of these critters sighted, and that's why the pest removal staff was there.  I completed my business in that building, but I didn't place anything of mine down on the chairs, or the tables, or on the floor. I held my coat and my purse the entire time, and for good reason. Years ago, I returned from a bus trip  to the South where we stayed in at least 2 hotels on the way and back. Once back home, I discovered that German roaches had traveled back with me via my luggage.  An exterminator said this was how they got here, because these roaches are not common to the area in which I live.
Anyway, you can imagine that if I didn't welcome the hitchhiker pests from my trip, I truly wouldn't want to bring bedbugs to my home!
The writer in me says there's a story in this somewhere. Hmmm...
Take care,
Sylvia
www.nikkimacproductions.com

Alarming

I had an unusual experience earlier this week. I was in Atlantic City at the mall on the Boardwalk when I saw one of my favorite shoe stores. I gave in to the urge to look around inside, and soon was busily trying on 2 pairs of shoes. I was the only customer in the store. So happy.
Suddenly, an alarm went off!  It reminded me of those alarms we had at elementary school when I was teaching. The salesperson recognized it as a true fire alarm, and told me that all people had to evacuate the mall. A public address system alerted us that there was a fire emergency. The salesperson went to lock up the store, I guess, and l walked into the mall with one pants leg rolled up and my own shoes hastily put on without my socks. I joined the other salespersons and customers and staff who mostly looked startled to be forced from the mall. It was kind of strange. I was pretty lighthearted about it because I thought it was a false alarm of some sort. We got outside, the firemen came and checked out some smoke from some building construction at the mall site, and we were allowed to return in about 20 minutes.
Here's the really thought-provoking part of this experience: I remarked how strange this evacuation was to a lady next to me while we were leaving the mall, and she said, "I just arrived here from Boston, so I am terrified by this!"  She was referring, of course, to the recent bombings at the Boston Marathon. A sobering thought...
Take care,
Sylvia