VernetteOutLoud

#WeekendCoffeeShare: Happy New Year

 

If we were having coffee, the first thing I would do is wish you very Happy New Year. It’s been a while since we’ve shared some coffee in this space. This first cuppa will be a special little catch up. It’s a rainy Sunday afternoon here in Trinidad, so settle in while I brew some locally roasted beans, this coffee break is much needed.

Do you mind if I add some rum to my coffee…? Make it an Iris…a Caribbean Coffee instead. Shall I add some to yours?

Joyful Hope In A Cup

If we were having coffee, I would share with you just how hopeful I am for this new year. 2016 was a good year and one that I had many things to be thankful for. I am looking forward to cultivating meaningful relationships. To continue building on the things I started last year business-wise and generally living well. I am acutely aware of the fact that life is short and all that truly matters is that you loved. That you allowed yourself to be loved and added value to this world, so that you when you do leave…you leave it a better place, because you were here. What are you looking forward to for 2017?

One Word 2017

If we were having coffee, I suppose you might find this talk to be the effects of the rum I added earlier. But it’s not I assure you. December was a sobering month of grief and endings. Hence, the hope for this new beginning. I have been working on my goals for the next 12 -18 months and getting clear on my intentions. I have also been pondering my one word for this year. I have narrowed it down to three contenders and I’m hoping that by the end of my goal-setting this weekend, the right one will emerge. Do you have a word or theme for 2017?

Sip Sip Pass

If we were having coffee, I would pour you another cup, add some more rum to my own and and sink a little deeper into the sofa of truth while you share your news. I hope your first week of 2017 was just what you needed to start this New Year. Please feel free to share in the comments below.

*****#WeekendCoffeeShare is an awesome link-up where coffee (or some other awesome beverage) is being shared over great conversations.

#WeekendCoffeeShare originated at Part Time Monster:

I started the Weekend Coffee Share last year after lots of feedback and several months of writing posts that imagined a conversation with my blog readers that started with the “if we were having coffee” line. The coffee share runs on the weekends, and there aren’t a lot of rules—-posts just need to be formatted like a conversation over beverages (we’ve had tea-drinkers and cocktail-hours as well as coffee) AND be written within the past week (so you don’t need to publish on the weekend to join the link-up). The hashtag #weekendcoffeeshare is in use all weekend on Twitter and Facebook, and it is sometimes used a bit during the week as well. ~Part Time Monster

#WeekendCoffeeShare 08/27/16

 

If we were having coffee, I would tell you, “Thank God for Weekend Coffees, because this was the week from hell!” Settle in while I brew, and recount this week’s saga.

It started with a bouncident over the weekend. It was my first one and I felt awful. I had a stress headache for three whole days afterward. The best advice I got, was that every time we get on the road we take a risk. These things happen every day and you move on.

So now I have a bill I totally didn’t cater for. Only to check my credit card statement to see charges to a hotel in Chile. I.have.never.been.to.Chile. So now the hassle of getting that sorted out. It takes so much time to dispute charges and get the whole thing resolved. Back and forth with my bank resulted in a favourable outcome, but it will still be some weeks before this whole thing is closed.

Do you mind if I add some rum to my coffee…? Make it an Iris…a Caribbean Coffee instead. *whoosah* Want any in yours?

It didn’t end there. On Thursday morning, I woke up to a kicked in fence. I actually thought nothing of it more than – I need to snap this and send it to the landlady. I really thought it might have been an over-zealous truck driver reversing too fast. There is some construction going on opposite me after all. So, no biggie.

As it turns out though, someone was in our yard. And I slept through the whole thing. SOMEONE WAS IN MY YARD…And I slept through the whole thing!!! All the fear and anxiety of living alone showed itself. I immediately imagined various scenarios all of them ending with me hurt or dead.

A friend of mine described it aptly, “Oh, someone broke into the fortress?” Because that’s what I thought it was too. An impenetrable fortress that only a natural disaster and probably zombies could break through.

I know better now. We got the wall fixed. Peace of mind not so much. No explanation as to the reason for the break-in…just destroyed property at this point.

Anyways, there was of course two bright spots this week. Baby S is now six months old – six months of joy! And I received some Happy Mail from New Zealand. Only I refuse to open it until she gets my mail to her, because, for a stupid reason, my package was returned and now I have to send it all over again.

Ugh!

If we were having coffee, I would pour you another cup, add some more rum to my own and and sink a little deeper into the sofa of truth while you share your news. I hope your week was waaaay better than mine. Share in the comments below. I need a pick-me up.

*****#WeekendCoffeeShare is an awesome link-up where coffee (or some other awesome beverage) is being shared over great conversations.

#WeekendCoffeeShare originated at Part Time Monster:

I started the Weekend Coffee Share last year after lots of feedback and several months of writing posts that imagined a conversation with my blog readers that started with the “if we were having coffee” line. The coffee share runs on the weekends, and there aren’t a lot of rules—-posts just need to be formatted like a conversation over beverages (we’ve had tea-drinkers and cocktail-hours as well as coffee) AND be written within the past week (so you don’t need to publish on the weekend to join the link-up). The hashtag #weekendcoffeeshare is in use all weekend on Twitter and Facebook, and it is sometimes used a bit during the week as well. .~Part Time Monster

#WeekendCoffeeShare 05/07/16

#WeekendCoffeeShare

I’m up early because I’m back to getting my morning run/walk/run in before sunrise. So I can linger over our coffee today, because I feel like I already accomplished a lot already for the morning. Yay for good decisions!

If we were having coffee, it would be on the sofa of truth…it looks like it might rain sometime during the day, so lets get comfy. I’m feeling an Ethiopian blend for today…as a reward for my morning run and a celebration for all the new things happening in my life. The first week of May was okay, it kinda felt like the first day of school at the office. I am on a new desk and have been trying to find my bearings in a very fast-paced and demanding environment. I’m hoping that I would settle down by next week and not feel so much anxiety hitting ‘send’ on an email. We’ll see.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that Mother’s Day still brings an ache in my chest. Five years and counting…I still miss my mother every day and tomorrow is the (dare I say it?) mother of all things spoil your mum and make sure to snap a photo of it aaaand post it on social media. Already some of the posts are making me tear up, so instead of adding to my sadness, I choose to stay off social media on the day. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for all the women who are mothers or mothering children, I just wish that mine was still here to be part of the celebration.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that someone asked me at work yesterday if I would be doing anything special for my mother and I was tempted to say…yes I am, I will be taking a pretty bouquet to her grave. But it wasn’t right and my sadness is my own and the person really didn’t know. So instead I was kind and honest and said the words that still bring a catch to my throat.

I feel some guilt because the conversation just took on a sad note, so I will tell you that despite tomorrow being a wistful day for me…this particular Mother’s Day is not a sad day for my family. We are celebrating our little blessing and my sister-in-law. Praise God for all His blessings.

If we were having coffee, I’m ready for my second cup… and a change of subject so tell me about your week and your plans for the rest of today, I’ll brew while you talk.

*****#WeekendCoffeeShare is an awesome link-up where coffee (or some other awesome beverage) is being shared over great conversations.

#WeekendCoffeeShare originated at Part Time Monster:

I started the Weekend Coffee Share last year after lots of feedback and several months of writing posts that imagined a conversation with my blog readers that started with the “if we were having coffee” line. The coffee share runs on the weekends, and there aren’t a lot of rules—-posts just need to be formatted like a conversation over beverages (we’ve had tea-drinkers and cocktail-hours as well as coffee) AND be written within the past week (so you don’t need to publish on the weekend to join the link-up). The hashtag #weekendcoffeeshare is in use all weekend on Twitter and Facebook, and it is sometimes used a bit during the week as well. .~Part Time Monster

#WeekendCoffeeShare 05/01/16

#WeekendCoffeeShare

It’s a dreary, rainy afternoon here on my island in the hidden-for-today sun. A re-run of Sex In The City is on the TV which is almost on mute the volume is so low, because I like a little background noise while I brew. My small, open-concept kitchen and living area, smells deliciously like coffee, so come in and get comfortable.

If we were having coffee, it would be curled up on my sofa, my slippers would be off, legs tucked under me as we share about nothing and everything. My mood and relaxed dress code is a flashing neon sign that you’re probably gonna have to make the coffee for yourself today. But I can direct you so you can find everything you need just fine.

It’s been a tough week all around. Man, it’s been a tough April. I think I felt tired every day of April. I’m happy to see May, but that doesn’t mean dem problems disappear…sigh. I pretty much ate my weight in chocolate this last week. I mean seriously…why oh why does it have to be chocolate? Couldn’t broccoli or water be the feel-good-elixir? Nope. It’s chocolate! And if I’m being reeeeally honest (we are on the ‘sofa of truth’ after all) it’s chocolate, wine and freaking coffee with the whipped cream. This is why I have no thigh gap…and this week I gave zero fucks.

I wimped out on fitness training all week as well. Funny thing about chocolate and wine and freaking coffee with the whipped cream…it comes with a huge side of my-diet-is-shot-to-hell-anyway-so-I-might-as-well-LIVE-out-the-week-in-bliss-and-start-again-next-week. Sometimes, I feel like if we didn’t have Mondays I might not start or finish anything. #StruggleBus #GodBlessMondays

If we were having coffee, I’m already tired of talking…so tell me about your last week in April and your plans for the week and month ahead, as I take a sip and settle in for a good listen.

*****#WeekendCoffeeShare is an awesome link-up where coffee (or some other awesome beverage) is being shared over some great conversations.

#WeekendCoffeeShare originated at Part Time Monster:

I started the Weekend Coffee Share last year after lots of feedback and several months of writing posts that imagined a conversation with my blog readers that started with the “if we were having coffee” line. The coffee share runs on the weekends, and there aren’t a lot of rules—-posts just need to be formatted like a conversation over beverages (we’ve had tea-drinkers and cocktail-hours as well as coffee) AND be written within the past week (so you don’t need to publish on the weekend to join the link-up). The hashtag #weekendcoffeeshare is in use all weekend on Twitter and Facebook, and it is sometimes used a bit during the week as well. .~Part Time Monster

#WeekendCoffeeShare 04/23/16

#WeekendCoffeeShare
If we were having coffee, it would be over lunch, at a new spot mutual friends having been regaling us about for the last couple weeks. We would agree to meet after we got the day’s to-do list almost squared away. One of us *coughmecough* will probably get lost and have to call for directions…but such is often the case with new spots located in parts of the island yet to be explored.

If we were having coffee today, I would be bursting to tell you that my business plan is almost complete and my still hush hush venture is taking shape quite nicely. We would talk about self-care and what it means for the both of us. Because, Saturdays are usually all about self-care routines.

Unfortunately, as the coffee arrives and we take that first sip…it’s not very good. Trying not to be coffee snobs might prove to be tricky, but there is no way we are going to continue drinking that cup of sadness.

If we were having coffee…we would politely ask for another cup….perhaps a stronger brew this time and hold the milk and sugar. Lunch ordered, conversation would shift to long-term blogging plans and the benefits of attending blogging conferences.

Amidst the easy and at times animated banter about our plans, blogs and the value of our posts when we do hit ‘publish’ our food and second cup of coffee arrives. The food is okay…but we were right the first time around. The coffee isn’t good at all.

Coffee forgotten and growing cold, food slowly disappearing, our conversation will move to what I like to call my ‘nesting phase’ and funny enough…your favourite word for it turns out to be ‘home-making’. This is my pet topic of late…all the fun little projects I’m doing around my apartment, making it more of a home. We swap ideas and make plans to visit a ‘home’ store in the area as soon as lunch is over.

Today, if we were having coffee, note to self: Sometimes, it’s not about the coffee.

p.s. and FYI the coffee was not included on our bill.

*****#WeekendCoffeeShare is an awesome link-up where coffee (or some other awesome beverage) is being shared over some great conversations.

#WeekendCoffeeShare originated at Part Time Monster:

I started the Weekend Coffee Share last year after lots of feedback and several months of writing posts that imagined a conversation with my blog readers that started with the “if we were having coffee” line. The coffee share runs on the weekends, and there aren’t a lot of rules—-posts just need to be formatted like a conversation over beverages (we’ve had tea-drinkers and cocktail-hours as well as coffee) AND be written within the past week (so you don’t need to publish on the weekend to join the link-up). The hashtag #weekendcoffeeshare is in use all weekend on Twitter and Facebook, and it is sometimes used a bit during the week as well. .~Part Time Monster