Text 23751, 108 rader
Skriven 2009-05-02 14:19:00 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Janis Kracht
Ärende: CHAIN COFFEE 90502
==========================
 -=> Quoting Janis Kracht to Glen Jamieson <=-

Hello Janis,

 > The first rain for months has just fallen, so the rainwater tank is
 > full to overflowing.  Hurrah!
 JK> That must be a welcome relief :)

The dry dust where my lawns used to be has now developed a green tinge
as all the grass seeds are bursting into life.  I have hopes that the
lawns will grow back during the winter if the rain continues.  Water
rationing continues, with only 3 hours of hose watering a week
allowed, which is hardly worth doing during the dry summer.  My citrus
trees survive on water drained out of the washing machine.
 
 >> have a water softener in the basement that Ron keeps meaning to get
 >> going "again".. one of these days (grin).. It will lengthen the life of
 >> our appliances so we do need to take a look at it. It is probably
 >> something simple too..
 > Using the softener will also save you soap and clothes washing
 > detergent.  Your clothes will feel softer.  If all the valves, etc are
 > working, your softener may just need regenerating with cheap coarse
 > salt.  The Zeolite material inside does have a limited life, however,
 > so if it is very old that might need to be replaced.  Get Ron fired up
 > and down to the basement to check it out as part of Spring cleaning!

 JK> Yes, he's got to get that going and get the bathroom finished in the
 JK> apartment- it's part of our downstairs. Mom's coming at the end of May
 JK> and that will be her bathroom, so we want it to work well for her. It
 JK> should be nice :)

It is good for parents to be welcomed like that.  When I was in Darwin
a couple of months ago, my daughter there and her family were
preparing to move into another house, and I was told which would be my
room, for visiting or permanent residence.  Similarly in Perth a
couple of weeks ago when visiting my daughter there.  I also have a
room and a standing invitation to stay for as long as I like with my
New Zealand daughter and my Houston niece.  They all appreciate having
a family house- and baby-sitter available, as I do having somewhere to
stay when the weather gets too cold here.  As all these daughters
work, they welcome it when I stay and cook some of the meals.  I am
sure your mother will be very happy staying with you, doing some of
the cooking, and giving Ron a bit more variety in his meals.
 
 > I have been told that the best African coffee comes from Uganda.
 JK> Could be.. but Kona is soooo good, it's the best I've ever had..

It has the reputation of being the best - and the most expensive.
 
 >> Yes, that sounds like this shop.
 > Hmmm.  That could be fun to work through its stock.
 JK> If you went there with plenty of $$, yes indeed (g).. they do have
 JK> sales quite often which is great as well.. so we are on their mailing
 JK> list which helps :) 

There are a few ethnic shops here that I like exploring and trying
unfamiliar brands and kinds of food.  It will take a long time to try
all their coffees, but I am in no hurry to finish.  :)

 >> justifiably critical of the local coffee, made from "coffee essence".
 >> Never heard of that :)
 > You are lucky!  It was usually combined with chicory, and quite nasty,
 > but at that time most Australians didn't know any better.
 JK> Yuck, I do know how nasty chicory can be :(  A number of American
 JK> manufacturers added it to their coffee products .. which is why a lot
 JK> of americans started reading coffee labels and no doubt why they
 JK> started grinding their own coffee

I have tried a few flavoured coffees - vanilla, hazelnut, etc - but I
much prefer a good, straight coffee, by itself or with milk.
 
 > The quality and variety of all kinds of Australian food and drink has
 > improved immensely post-WW2 as result of migration from Europe and
 > Asia, and the experiences of Australians travelling overseas,
 > discovering what is to offer around the world.
 JK> True.. but if all of those nature shows I've seen on TV are to be
 JK> believed, if I were to come to Australia, I will be immediately bitten
 JK> and killed dead by any one of several monsterous spiders or critters :)

Admittedly we do have the world's greatest collection of poisonous
snakes, and the world's most deadly animal in the box jellyfish, which
can kill in seconds, and an increasing number of people being eaten by
crocodiles, but it is possible to avoid these dangers most of the
time. :)  I am living proof of that!  Even the families of red-backed
spiders in the garage don't worry me too much.   OTOH, if TV is to be
believed, every time I visited USA I would be mugged, shot, blown up,
poisoned, robbed, or infected with all sorts of horrible diseases.

So far I have been to USA 3 or 4 times, without once having any of
those things happen to me.

 >> Title: GREEK COFFEE
 JK> That's what I would think.. The coffee I had in Woodstock was thick
 JK> and dark, served in a small cup .. it was really good.. hard to
 JK> remember much about it now though, will have to stop in there again :)

Did you add sugar to it?  Normally I don't, but that very strong,
black, bitter coffee needs it, and it then becomes a quite different
drink from "quaffing" coffee.  At the end of a meal, perhaps with a
shot of fiery Greek raki or Italian grappa, it has a definite place.

Cheers, Glen

... We NEVER grow up, we just get older, and older
___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]

--- FLAME v2.0/b
 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)