The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 04: Come On In

[Handley_Page]

I'd be lost without my microwave oven.

 

[oggbashan]

I'd be lost without my microwave oven.

Last weekend's holiday rental didn't have a microwave. We considered buying a cheap one from a supermarket but we only ate 2 evening meals in, and we have a spare one sitting at home so didn't bother.

 

[Handley_Page]

Last weekend's holiday rental didn't have a microwave. We considered buying a cheap one from a supermarket but we only ate 2 evening meals in, and we have a spare one sitting at home so didn't bother.

#My RV did not feature a microwave, but it did have a damned good cooker.
I rather wish I had one like that in my kitchen. . . . .

But it's cooler and the gentle rain falls on the dry garden; mayhap my Roses will flower . . . .

But, for now

Coffee. . . . . .

 

[TarnishedPenny]

My way of doing pear halves or pineapple rings is to lay a bed of shredded lettuce and add fruit with a dollop of mayo on each. Place a couple of teaspoons of honey, a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, and a couple of teaspoons of water. Shake well and drizzle over the lettuce and fruit.

Sweet, spicy, tangy, and of course the fruit flavor. Yum!

Will have to try that, thanks.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Hey TP, here's one for you to try:

Peel, halve, and scoop out the centers of three unripe Conference or Comice pears but leaving the stalks, poach gently, flat side down, in enough red wine to just cover them, with 2 reasonably large pieces crystallized stem ginger, a bouquet garni of 2 each fresh mint and rosemary stems and leaves, securely tied, and 2 heaped tablespoons granulated, not powdered, white cane sugar. When the pears are cooked firm, but not squishy, remove from the poaching liquid, take out the ginger and bouquet garni, strain the poaching liquid and put back on the heat, stir in 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with water beforehand to remove any lumps, remove when thickened, not boiling, drop in a slack handful of fresh redcurrants and spoon over the pears, or pool the sauce like a coulis on the plate and swirl in a tablespoon of pouring cream. Garnish with sugared fresh mint leaves or crystallized Angelica.

Thanks. I will definitely have a go!

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

Working on my Halloween submission sure is interesting in this heat. It's hard to describe the chilly, foggy night it's taking place in while I'm overheating. Guess it would be harder to write a story set in the winter at the moment, but it's still an interesting challenge.

 

[NotWise]

Working on my Halloween submission sure is interesting in this heat. It's hard to describe the chilly, foggy night it's taking place in while I'm overheating. Guess it would be harder to write a story set in the winter at the moment, but it's still an interesting challenge.

It seems like that should make you feel cool. My halloween story is going at a snail's pace. I was just making headway on it last night when the power went out. I should get back to it in a few minutes.

I picked eggplant, armenian cucumber, zucchini, and jalapeno this morning, and had part of the cucumber for breakfast. I could have chopped some of the jalapeno into my breakfast burritos, but that didn't occur to me until later.

I also took out the pole beans (mistakes were made) and transplanted basil. My third growing season is starting.

 

[Handley_Page]

Well, at least, it has stopped raining and is thus cooler (by about 10C)
And it's time for a coffee.

 

[TxRad]

I haven't felt good a day long. I've slept a lot.

It's late but I'll make fresh coffee. I may be up late but then again....

 

[MagicaPractica]

I

I picked eggplant, armenian cucumber, zucchini, and jalapeno this morning, and had part of the cucumber for breakfast. I could have chopped some of the jalapeno into my breakfast burritos, but that didn't occur to me until later.

I also took out the pole beans (mistakes were made) and transplanted basil. My third growing season is starting.

Fresh garden vegetables, one of life's joys.

I haven't felt good a day long. I've slept a lot.

It's late but I'll make fresh coffee. I may be up late but then again....

Hope you feel better.

I'm feeling a bit off myself. Need some exercise, healthy food, and time to write.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Working on my Halloween submission sure is interesting in this heat. It's hard to describe the chilly, foggy night it's taking place in while I'm overheating. Guess it would be harder to write a story set in the winter at the moment, but it's still an interesting challenge.

Lol. I'm trying to write about summer when it's 12 C, rain is coming in horizontal, and the wind from the Antarctic slices right through you.

As for Halloween - it's only really become a thing here in Oz in the last couple of years thanks to heavy promotion by sellers of lollies and plastic crap. I'm giving that one a miss.

Need more very hot and strong coffee.

Russ

 

[Handley_Page]

I haven't felt good a day long. I've slept a lot.

It's late but I'll make fresh coffee. I may be up late but then again....

'Avin' a good kip is part of getting better, I reckon. Fingers Crossed.

But the coffee ? Oh yes please. And again.

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

As for Halloween - it's only really become a thing here in Oz in the last couple of years thanks to heavy promotion by sellers of lollies and plastic crap. I'm giving that one a miss.

While my story does take place on Halloween, it's really just an excuse for me to try out writing a story featuring a ghost. The day does play a minor role in justifying the events, but it isn't really Halloween themed or anything. More so just slightly spooky. At least that's the intention, as I don't read or watch horror it's a bit hard to actually write something scary. Suppose it'll go into Nonhuman instead of Erotic Horror after all.

 

[Handley_Page]

Oh sh1t; more bloody rain
Any coffee left please ?

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Lol. I'm trying to write about summer when it's 12 C, rain is coming in horizontal, and the wind from the Antarctic slices right through you.

It is, by total coincidence, precisely 12°C outside my window at this moment. That's at the height of summer - by the calendar. So, speaking from a place where 12°C apparently is summer, I'll try very hard to find some sympathy for you, good sir. When and if I find some, I'll let you know.

 

[Rustyoznail]

It is, by total coincidence, precisely 12°C outside my window at this moment. That's at the height of summer - by the calendar. So, speaking from a place where 12°C apparently is summer, I'll try very hard to find some sympathy for you, good sir. When and if I find some, I'll let you know.

Well, it is winter here. You must be high in the Alps for it to be so cool in summer.

Russ

 

[NotWise]

While my story does take place on Halloween, it's really just an excuse for me to try out writing a story featuring a ghost. The day does play a minor role in justifying the events, but it isn't really Halloween themed or anything. More so just slightly spooky. At least that's the intention, as I don't read or watch horror it's a bit hard to actually write something scary. Suppose it'll go into Nonhuman instead of Erotic Horror after all.

I like ghosts as characters. I've written two ghost stories. The first (Oscar's Place) went to EH. The EH folks didn't really appreciate it very much, but I still think it's one of my best stories. It might have done better in Nonhuman.

The second (Love is Enough) follows up on the first, but it ended up in Novels and Novellas because I thought it was too sentimental for Nonhuman, and didn't really fit Romance.

I think the Mexican holiday of Dias de los Muertos is more appealing than Halloween, but I don't know if that could go into the Halloween contest.

With luck, I'll be able to finish my Halloween story and still have time for Summer Lovin'. My summertime stories seem to get hurried and go in late.

 

[ThisNameIsntTakenYet]

I like ghosts as characters. I've written two ghost stories. The first (Oscar's Place) went to EH. The EH folks didn't really appreciate it very much, but I still think it's one of my best stories. It might have done better in Nonhuman.

The second (Love is Enough) follows up on the first, but it ended up in Novels and Novellas because I thought it was too sentimental for Nonhuman, and didn't really fit Romance.

I think the Mexican holiday of Dias de los Muertos is more appealing than Halloween, but I don't know if that could go into the Halloween contest.

With luck, I'll be able to finish my Halloween story and still have time for Summer Lovin'. My summertime stories seem to get hurried and go in late.

Ghosts are always fascinating, and you can go so many different ways with them. Like the traditional souls of people that basically retain all memories of their life. Then you have the ghosts stuck reliving a certain moment or are stuck repeating the same action over and over again (like walking a particular route every night, for example). There's those that aren't aware they're dead and continue the routine of their living lives. Then you have the D&D variant of ghosts (or wherever the idea originated), which are just imprints of strong memories or emotions left behind when a person died. Some of those aren't fully human, they have been reduced to just a particular emotion, memory or mental state.

The ghost in my story is a mix of the last variant with the first: she still has all her memories, yet the defining traits of her personality (and what keeps her here rather than passing on) have become dominant and generally overpower her other emotions. Will probably be rewriting her introductory scene today, because I feel like it lost its unsettling and spooky edge about halfway through. As I said, I'm not really a fan of horror, so it takes some experimenting to find the proper angle for that scene. Not that I want to go full-on horror, it should just be a bit unsettling and spooky.

 

[NotWise]

Ghosts are always fascinating, and you can go so many different ways with them.

In both cases, my ghosts are people stuck in a time and/or place waiting for something to free them.

 

[Handley_Page]

In both cases, my ghosts are people stuck in a time and/or place waiting for something to free them.

I [still] have two ghosts looking for one another, 300 years later.

 

[PoisonPen33]

"So what's your kink?"

"Eye contact."

 

[NotWise]

"So what's your kink?"

"Eye contact."

Like this?

 

[MagicaPractica]

Ya'll are making me want to write a ghost story.

 

[PoisonPen33]

Like this?

Oh, you are GOOD. Cheers. *toasts with tea*

 

[NotWise]

Oh, you are GOOD. Cheers. *toasts with tea*

That's a cropped version of the original. I've considered using a more cropped version -- focused just on their faces -- as an avatar. I have another antique photo as a another alternative.

I love antique porn. The best of it, from my point of view, is very romantic. The rest of it isn't very different from modern porn, except that it tells me that we haven't changed. Humans are humans. Our sexual fantasies have changed with context, but at the bottom line we are still who we've always been and will always be.