Spies of the Empire State: The Legend of Elizabeth Grace GBE2 #60

Beth, our fearless leader (of the GBE2 group) and all-around favorite word nerd, went on sabbatical for the month of July.  She said she needed to step away from the internet to gain some much needed clarity and perspective.  She said that she wanted to spend more time with her family and pursue some of her non-internet related interests.

Well...I am here to tell you that her story is HOGWASH!!

I'm sure that when Beth made her plans for the month of July, she wasn't expecting to find herself here in upstate New York.  I'm also sure that, even though she can clearly see on my Facebook profile that I live a mere fifteen miles south of the Empire State's capital city, she wasn't expecting to see me.

Or should I say...she wasn't expecting ME to see HER. 

It was a rare moment for me.  I was alone and I had a spare ten bucks in my pocket!  That never actually happens almost never happens.  I was feeling a little sluggish and decided that a refreshing caffeinated refreshment was just what I needed.

I spied a cute coffee shop and said to myself:  Self, no one knows you have this extra ten bucks.  What better way to spend it than to buy an overpriced, over-caloried coffee drink!  You can sit and people watch for a few minutes before you head back to town and into the insanity of summer vacation.

My inner monologue is notoriously talented at getting me to do it's bidding.

I bought my coffee and sat at a table facing the street.  The hustle and bustle of downtown Albany proved to be perfect entertainment.  I was truly enjoying this moment that was all mine.

A chime above the door alerted me that someone had entered the coffee shop.  Being the nosy gal that I am, I looked up to see who had entered and I could NOT believe my eyes.  I knew that Beth was taking July off from online activities, but boy oh boy...when August rolled around I was sure going to tell her about her New York look-alike!!  

That's when I heard a man say "Beth, I'm so glad that you made it here safely."  Oh my goodness!!  This woman's name was Beth too??!!  I was certain that Beth would find this story very amusing.  

I turned around just in time to see her give a warm, friend like hug to a man who...wait for it...looked just like Johnny Depp!!  I rubbed my eyes.  I did that thing where you try to look at people without actually appearing like you are looking.  They sat down at a table near mine, which made eavesdropping that much easier.

I had to text Jeff and let him know that I'd be late getting home.  I HAD to investigate this.  He would totally understand.

"Johnny, I'm so glad that you could find time out of your busy schedule to come give me my next assignment personally."

 

"Oh Beth, it's nothing really.  Movie companies are using Albany frequently for filming because it's cheaper than New York City.  It's natural that I could be here."

 

What??  I could not believe my ears.  Well, the part about Albany being in the movies is true...but...what kind of assignment was Johnny Freaking Depp giving Elizabeth Grace?  To say that I was intrigued was an understatement.

He pulled a thick manila envelope out the bag at his feet and slid it across the table.  Beth opened it and out plopped what appeared to be a passport and other forms of identification.  I couldn't see what they said but the items looked authentic enough to me.

Beth grinned across the table at Johnny and took a sip of her coffee.  "How long have we been at this?  It feels like forever.  No one has ever suspected a thing."

Johnny chuckled.  "It has been forever, Bethie.  Or at least since I was doing Jump Street.  The assignment is a simple one...just some basic surveillance...with photos and a report, of course"

Beth, looked over the documents and pondered everything for a moment.  "It won't take too long, will it?  The Hubs and I have plans for the rest of July...a road trip to nowhere."

"It'll just be a week or so.  You're going to Italy this time.  Do you think you can handle it?"

Beth downed her coffee and looked at Johnny with a mischievous gleam in her eye.  She gathered up her identification and stuffed it into her oversized purse.

"Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy..."  she said.

 And she was out the door.

Balancing Act (30 Days of Truth Challenge--Day 5)

Day 5 asks What is something in life that keeps you balanced?

Ha!  Balance?  I'm not sure I know the meaning of that word.

But...when things get a little crazy in my life and I'm feelings out of sorts or out of control, there are some things that I rely on to make things feel a wee bit saner.

1.  My Husband (He's very good at letting me vent and taking whatever crap I'm dishing out!)
2.  A Hot Bath (I turn off the lights, play some music and escape from the world for a while)
3.  Coffee (Usually a nice way to unwind.  A conversation over coffee is always nice.)
4.  A Good Book (Or a terrible one...letting my mind wander in another world can make this world seem right again)
5.  Quality Time at My Makeup Desk (When I feel beautiful...everything else just feels better)

What are some things that you do to keep life in balance? 

Right Now, Today (GBE2 #48 Topic: Now)

It's a lazy Saturday evening and this is a lazy Saturday post!  Sometimes you just need a day to be a little lazy...right?  Although the day was rather uneventful, there were some really spectacular parts thrown in.  So without further ado.....

Things I LOVE right now, today!

1.  The feeling of accomplishment that happens when I walk the entire perimeter or Joralemon Park.

2.  Baked apples with splenda and cinnamon.  It's like pie without the pie--or the guilt! 

3.  Two hour naps in the middle of the afternoon.

4.  Donut Shop Chocolate Glazed Donut flavored coffee.  Yum.

5.  Marathon of Supernatural with Jeff, Addy, and Bear.  We love the creepy adventures of the Winchester brothers.

6.  Lounging around with no makeup on, wearing my favorite jeans and Run-DMC t-shirt.  Lazy day couture!

7.  Rain and cool breezes.

8.  Music by Gossip.  My personal soundtrack for weeks.  The family is probably ready to beat me. (Oh no!  Not this AGAIN!!!)

9.  Cuddling up with my tubby kitty, Big Mama.

10. "Starfish kisses" from Mathias. (Kisses where he stays stuck to my cheek like a suction cup.)

Have a spectacular weekend everyone!!

Totally Buzzed GBE2 #37 (Topic: Write a review)

 

I love coffee. (I love doughnuts too....but that's a whole other blog.)

I mean, I really love coffee.  I'm a caffeine addict to the core and, like many people, I just don't feel right until I've had that first cup of the day. 

I don't love it as much as my sister does.  SHE lives across the street from a popular local convenience store and has admitted that quite often she will run across the street and buy a cup...while she's waiting for her own pot to brew!  I'm not quite that addicted....or impatient (I love you sis!  Don't hit me!)

I'm the only truly serious coffee drinker in my house, but I only drink a cup (maybe two) out of a pot.  I'm not sure if anyone else feels this way (or if I'm just nutty) but I feel that making a smaller portion of coffee results in coffee that just isn't as tasty as when you prepare the full pot.  Everyday...sometimes several times a day...I would make a full pot of coffee in order to drink one cup.

In the summer, I save the excess and leave it in the fridge for iced coffee.  But in the cooler months, I am quite wasteful.

I thought I had a solution to this problem....get a Keurig!!  One cup at a time.  No wasted coffee.  I figured in the long run, it might even save me money.  I was planning to buy one with my income tax refund, but Jeff surprised me and bought me one as a graduation present.

(Goodbye old friend...you'll barely be missed)

I have to say....I love almost everything about my Keurig. 

I have the 'elite' model...which comes with a reservoir that holds extra water.  That way you don't have to fill the machine each time you want to use it.  It takes maybe a minute for the water to heat up and there is an automatic shut off that turns the heater off two hours after the last time you used it.  At the press of a button, you get a fresh, hot cup of coffee. There are about a bajillion brands of coffee, tea, and hot cocoa that are formulated for the Keurig.  I have not tried many of them because they can be pricey and I didn't want to spend money on something that I might not enjoy. 

But it's not all sunshine and butterflies with my new Keurig. First off, my plan of saving money backfired.  This machine is so easy that I find myself making coffee all the time!  Before, I was drinking a couple of cups a day...but now I find myself making cup after cup--and those K-cups are not cheap!! 

Another thing I'm not fond of is all the waste from packaging.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the most environmentally conscious person around but, even in my normal state of enviro-ignorance, I can see that throwing away all those little plastic cups is incredibly wasteful.  I read on the Keurig website that they are working on that particular issue.  It would be nice if they came up with a solution.

All in all, I'm really pleased with my Keurig.  It's a pretty convenient way to get my daily caffeine fix....even if I find myself buzzing more these days.

Maybe my sister should get one...it could save her from some early morning treks across the street.