long nights

getting shorter

It's 6 pm and still light out!

declared sister Sue as she dropped me off

the other night

It's true...it's true!

Plus
 I've noticed my mornings

are getting brighter earlier

It's happening

but

we are still in winter's grasp
even with

today's weird weather pattern

rain and thunder

 50 degrees

melting mountains of snow

water pouring from the heavens

a forecast of
returning
cold and snow
by this weekend

 has everyone talking
about flooding
and

icy 

translate slippery

conditions

the drive home from work

was a breeze

compared to walking 

from my car to the backdoor

what is it about

slipping and sliding around

even with cautious baby steps

that has me feeling

like people are watching and laughing?

Probably a result
of growing up
in a family of seven
that found sheer pleasure
in witnessing
one of their own
in such a predicament

once safely

indoors

without any embarrassment

real or imagined

one thing was on my mind

(probably shouldn't admit that)

Black Gold 

Texas Tea

otherwise known as

Homemade Kahlua

Mark Lucarelli

from Al's Upholstery

shared this recipe with me at Christmastime

saying it was his favorite winter drink

As was already established

it is still winter

and those long nights

are so much more enjoyable

with a nice warming cup of

Kahlua

Had it straight up

for some real heat

Tried it in a cafe mocha...

fantabulous

My go-to after work moment

called for

a White Russian

Kahlua and Cream.

My cream of choice being almond milk.

One word...

yummbly.

You know it's good stuff

when you start making up words!

You too can become a neologist

(Is that a real word OR did I make it up???)

because I'm gonna share Mark's recipe

right here

right now.

Mark Lucarelli's Kahlua

1 1/2 Cups Water

4 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Instant Coffee

2 oz. Real Vanilla Extract

Boil water

Add sugar and return to boil

Add coffee and vanilla

Mix with a Fifth of Vodka

(filtered 2x's with a Brita)

Since I don't have one

 I filtered mine with

 wet coffee filters

placed in the filter holder thing-y

from my coffee maker

placed on top of a plastic pitcher 

to drain into.

It worked great 

but Mark tells me the Brita is best

I don't know about that

mine turned out

just fine.

Feeling warm and fuzzy.

Oh Happy Day...

a wee bit longer one 

at that...

Oh Happier Night!

:)