Power’s out, again.

We’re in a weak local infrastructure pocket, electricity-wise. Some big winds this afternoon knocked the power out, and it’s still out tonight.

They gave us a repair ETA window from 9pm to midnight, so there’s still some room for them to hit it.

The low-light mode on the camera does a nice job of accenting the clouds in the darkness. It doesn’t pick up the hum of the handful of folks that have generators, though, so you’ll just have to imagine those.

No dipped flakes, plz.

I don’t mind getting experimental with food, you win some and you lose some.

This chocolate-dipped flakes version of Special K goes firmly in the L column. No bueno.

I’m going back to the straight Red Berries next time.

Strawberry Cheesecake Special K

Adam and I have been having some fun cereal-based conversations on the podcast and I was excited to try out this Strawberry Cheesecake Special K, since it seemed like an outlier to the generally “healthy” image the Special K branding goes for.

Turns out, it’s boring as hell. And it makes the milk a gross pink.

Do not recommend.

Easy martini

Broke out a green-bottle-Tanqueray martini for podcast recording last night. It was an easy supper for a fun episode.

Omni – “Souvenir”

Very exciting! New Omni album out today. I’ve really enjoyed the angular guitar noises they make and have been absolutely kicking myself for not getting out to see them when they came through RVA a few years ago. It was one of those extra-dumb “I just don’t want to” moves, too, rather than having other plans I couldn’t get out of.

I’m not making that mistake again. They’ll be here in 10 days and touring this record, so I I have some homework to do. I wonder what the merch situation will be?

Parra Nalgene

I love-love the Parra design sense but the clothes are not cut for the full-grown man and the housewares, while beautiful, are way out of my price range.

This Nalgene I snagged from last season’s clearance sale is much more my speed. I’ll park it on a shelf at work. Surely people will recognize my excellent taste and pass along compliments. Surely.

Drying time

This very wet red-shouldered hawk (I think?) took some time to dry out on our mailbox.

Normally they fly off as soon as they see me, but homey didn’t budge as I got closer.

I gave a wide berth as I went from the car to my house.

Super Bowl cocktail selection

My sister was over for the game and she brought some Taylor Swift-inspred, Blake Lively-promoted cocktail recipes.

First was this Aperol, simple syrup, orange juice, tonic water adventure called “Better Than Revenger (49ers Version)”. I’m assuming the names are based on T Swift songs, but I’m tragically ignorant in that category. The drink was fine. Too sweet for me, and I don’t know that Aperol is enough to base a cocktail on. I think this one was constructed to easily be alcohol-free.

The next one was this tequila, pineapple juice, and Meyer lemon club soda mix-up called “Gold Rush Spritz”. I made them with 130% of the tequila called for and it was delicious. There wasn’t much pineapple juice, so it didn’t get too sweet, and the flavored club soda was a nice touch. There were a couple of rounds of this one. We liked it a lot.

And it wouldn’t be a cocktail post with a good ol’ Negroni to pull the anchor leg. I’ve been using the Dolin rouge vermouth and it’s been a nice switch up from the normal recipe.

The game was also exciting, eventually.

Cup and Saucer Era

I was digging in one of the kitchen cabinets and came across a stack of china we got for our wedding (nearly 25 years ago!).

I was taken by the idea of having my coffee in a cup on a saucer. It’s not particularly practical, and the china doesn’t hold the coffee’s heat nearly as well as some of the heavier mugs we use, but daaaaamn is it fancy.

And anyone will tell you I’m known for my fanciness.