tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post2407718621501597711..comments2024-03-18T10:29:46.055+00:00Comments on Ken Armstrong Writing Stuff: Using Coffee as an Analogy for Parental AspirationsKen Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07775956557261111127noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post-42180681861907006612019-04-22T08:18:47.598+01:002019-04-22T08:18:47.598+01:00Lovely post, Ken. I've reached a point in my l...Lovely post, Ken. I've reached a point in my life where there seems to be a lot of looking back and philosophising about relationships and you've hit the nail on the head with this one. about how we relate or are related to by our perspective as parent/child. <br /><br />On another note, one of the joys of binge reading your blogs after a time away is looking forward to reading Jim Murdoch's comments. It's funny because he gave up writing his blog after 10 years and now he puts that energy into these comments. Just kidding, of course. :)<br /><br />Btw, we used to have 3 cafetieres. One (the big red one) was in the flat when we bought it. I bought the other two, one of which Jim threw away for no apparent reason, but I won't mention that. I've owned every kind of coffee making device on the go except for the pod thingies (I've used them elsewhere and object to their impact on the environment) and I believe the cafetiere makes the most perfect cup. I have to agree with Jim, though, that the Millicano instant is a close substitute and a real time saver for someone who finds it difficult to stand for long. Jim, your cup holds 100 ml which is about 3.5 oz -- about one swallow for you. Carrie Berryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11200797035059634760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post-13232505397017184942019-01-19T01:10:45.784+00:002019-01-19T01:10:45.784+00:00What do you do most in this life discounting auton...What do you do most in this life discounting autonomous and involuntary bodily functions like sleeping and farting? By that I mean what in this life have you chosen to do more than anything? Eating in general would probably have to come top but even then when you break it down what have you eaten most of in your life? Bread maybe? As far as drinks go coffee is so far ahead of anything else I’ve ever willingly imbibed you’d expect me to have coffee in my veins. I am not, however, a connoisseur or even especially fussy. I look at all these expensive new-fangled contraptions that’re coming onto the market and I scratch my head. I really do. You see I’m not big on ceremony. Routine, yes, but that’s different. Ceremonies always feel a tad unnecessary and pompous. I can’t be jugged with them; religious, political, academic, military, it doesn’t matter. Yes, things often have to be done in an orderly and even a respectful fashion but, Christ, have you ever looked at what’s involved in a tea ceremony? It’s a soddin’ cup of tea! I do own a cafetière, two actually, but I don’t think I’ve ever used either. I believe they were in the flat when we bought it. The coffee I drink on an ongoing basis is Kenco Millicano Americano, easily nine cups a day, seven of which are decaffeinated. That’s as posh as I get, a wholebean instant – “a clever combination of instant coffee and finely milled whole coffee beans” as they say in their ads. But here’s the thing. I drink it in a small mug (8oz I’d guess) and put in two teaspoons of coffee so it’s <i>really</i> strong. Which is why the decaff although I only started drinking that after I quit work. When I was on the job it was a steady stream of caffeine all day long. Talk about wired.<br /><br />My dad moved to coffee later in life but my mother stayed a tea jenny until the day she died. As you would expect though there was no ceremony attached to how beverages were prepared in our house. Not even before teabags arrived on the scene. The only thing worth mentioning is that, for a treat, my mum would occasionally buy Dad a bottle of <a href="http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/wp-content/13/camp_coffee.jpg" rel="nofollow">Camp Coffee</a> which Wikipedia describes as “a brown liquid, consisting of water, sugar, 4% caffeine-free coffee essence, and 26% chicory essence.” God, it’s awful but he relished it. And, amazingly, it still appears to be on the go.Jim Murdochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post-71185862803529355092019-01-13T18:49:38.839+00:002019-01-13T18:49:38.839+00:00Perfect sense, Marc.
Perfect sense, Marc. <br />Ken Armstronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07775956557261111127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post-26915764588794885912019-01-13T18:37:00.854+00:002019-01-13T18:37:00.854+00:00Our methods differ a little as I recently got one ...Our methods differ a little as I recently got one of those stove top kettle affairs that performs a little magic trick every time I use it but prior to that I did pretty much the same as you (and only on the weekends, that we still share).<br /><br />You're right about the rest too (as usual). I'm watching our daughter blossom into a very bright young woman and our son, who has had a lot of issues in his young life, is now starting to poke his head above the dirt like a spring flower at last. The more they grow and find their own way in the world, the less I fear mortality. Does that make sense?Marc Patersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16124869545439738846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post-86018364310011142092019-01-13T12:44:05.794+00:002019-01-13T12:44:05.794+00:00Thank you, Roberta. :)
Thank you, Roberta. :)<br />Ken Armstronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07775956557261111127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496460488742488789.post-20423500268593846092019-01-13T11:58:33.069+00:002019-01-13T11:58:33.069+00:00What absolutely lovely writing, Ken!
I can taste ...What absolutely lovely writing, Ken!<br /><br />I can taste your weekend coffee as well as your son’s more refined brew. <br /><br />But at the end of the day I go with the comfort of your dad’s cup of tea.Roberta Bearyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11651098848744500023noreply@blogger.com