A update (with highlights) about (somewhat boring) things

I haven't been writing too much lately because there hasn't been that much going on to write about, or, truthfully, there's been plenty going on, but I'm not so deluded as to think you want to hear all about the mortgage proceedings we're going through in order to purchase a house. Or my job search. Ot how it's been pretty cold out. But, as I do like to try and keep this blog at least somewhat in tune with my life, I thought I'd write a brief update in the form of a few of the recent highlights:

Heading into New York City for an interview and walking back to Grand Central in the softly falling snow, hands buried deep in my pockets, enjoying the company of thousands of strangers on the sidewalks.

Taking note of the one-month-til-we-move-into-our-house mark on Valentine's Day.

Watching Cecilia gallop through the melted, wet sludge in the backyard, tongue hanging out of her mouth, in great appreciation of this New England winter, like she'd just won a trip to Disney World.

Drinking hot tea and wearing slippers.

Sleeping in.

Hearing all about J's lab adventures when he gets home from work, my personal favorite being stories about he and his labmates taking afternoon espresso breaks, because of course they have an espresso machine down the hall, which makes me insanely jealous.

Complaining about sharing a small bed in J's old childhood room, which means the person sleeping nearest the wall has to climb over the person sleeping on the other side when they get up in the morning, but at the same time stopping to laugh and realizing these will be great stories to look back upon someday, which we will look back on especially fondly from the comfort of a bigger bed.

Sin lurking around every corner

The other day I was walking around downtown New Haven and decided to stop in Starbucks because, well, I'd just toured the Yale Center for British Art and I deserved it. Since I was in search of something to keep me warm and not necessarily a caffeine boost I decided to try something new and asked the friendly barista what the Caramel Apple Spice was like, was it like hot apple cider? And he replied that yeah, it was something like that.

I ordered one in the spirit of trying something new and because when you are jobless and you live in your husband's childhood room and it is about 2 degrees outside, you sometimes need a little boost.

It turns out that the Caramel Apple Spice was nothing like hot apple cider, at least not any hot apple cider I would have been allowed to taste in my youth, apple cider that aspires to some semblance of nutrition, apple cider that does not rot your teeth in one sitting.

And perhaps because I don't often allow myself sugary coffee drinks (more because they set my stomach afire than because I'm some kind of saint), my reaction was amplified.

This Starbucks version was more like apple juice with added sugar with whipped cream on top and caramel drizzled on top of that. And naturally, it was the best thing I'd ever tasted. And I can't stop thinking about it. And I'm never allowed to have it again.