We drove to Pagosa Springs, CO to our daughter’s house for Christmas this year. The return trip home was on Thursday. We stopped in Albuquerque for a late lunch on the way home at a place named Joe’s Pasta House – it was a great lunch – real Italian and perfect marinara sauce despite the rather un-Italian restaurant name. As we left the restaurant Darlene connected to our furnace thermostat at home on her cell phone and turned the temperature up so it would be nice and warm when we got home. We always turn the thermostat way down when away to save a little on the natural gas bill. When we arrived home, the house was warm and welcoming.
Our daughter’s branch of the family which is 10 strong now started drawing names for gift giving at Christmas several years ago. Darlene and I joined in the name drawing. Our oldest grandchild, Sierra, drew my name this year. She had queried Darlene about what I might want starting several months ago. Not many ideas were forthcoming. She got me several do-dads which were put in my stocking and a wonderful box of Enstroms Toffee (if you don’t know what Enstroms Toffee is do some research and get a box before you die – it is heavenly). Then my main present was this coffee mug you see in the photo above. You might be thinking – wow – a coffee mug – ho hum – not very imaginative – in-fact, boring.
This coffee mug, though, is not boring – and is, in fact, pretty exciting. I brew myself a cup of coffee first thing every morning before I start going through the latest Facebook posts, reviewing the bank account online, and reading my emails. Have never been one to gulp down a cup of coffee – I just sip it from time to time while sitting at my desk as the work day starts. So, the coffee always gets cold before I finish. We have a Krups coffee brewer/grinder which allows setting the size of the amount brewed. We set it down to only 5 oz. for the reason the coffee always get gold before either of us finish a cup. So we drink two cups at least getting hot coffee twice during the process. Now enter into my life this digital coffee mug (photo above) which Sierra gave me for Christmas. The mug itself has a rechargeable battery and a heating element built into the cup. It also has a brain built into it which measures the temperature of the liquid within, controls the battery and heating element, and enables a Bluetooth connection to a smart phone. The saucer you see below the mug has an electrical connection, a battery charger and a clever way of making connection to the mug without wires to provide the charging of the battery located in the mug.
An app is downloaded onto my smart phone which shows the exact temperature of the liquid within the mug and allows setting the exact temperature desired for the coffee or beverage that the mug then maintains. I made some spiced tea Christmas night and quickly found out that I’m a 141° man. That’s the perfect temperature for sipping a hot beverage. The mug works wherever you desire placing it. The saucer is only needed when the battery in the mug needs charging. I know a blast in the microwave will heat cold coffee and that they have had heated saucers for years that will keep coffee warm. This digital mug, however, keeps it at the exact temperature I want and doesn’t tie me to a specific spot with a plugged-in saucer. At my desk or in my recliner or out in the garage my coffee is always the perfect temperature. Yay – technology solves another of life’s annoyances. OK, I know you’re reading this and making fun of me – cold coffee is trivial – not so, hot is the way coffee should be – it’s a great gift – thanks, Sierra.
As you might be able to tell from the photo above Christmas this year at Jessica’s was focused a lot on Maverick – our 6 month-old great grandson – his first Christmas. What a great baby he is – we were with him for 3 days and he never cried once. His great-grandma, grandma and aunt were pretty possessive of him – hard to pry him out of their arms. Sierra and Michael live in North Dakota so we only get to be with them from time to time. The next planned visit to spend time with them is at the end of April for the Moab, UT car show weekend.
There you have it – grandma Jessica, aunt Marissa, great-grandma, grandpa Joe and mom, Sierra – do you think Maverick might have gotten spoiled a little this Christmas? We wouldn’t have it any other way. I love Christmas time. The 3 ½ days were full of joy and jesting and laughter and red and green tamales and prime rib and togetherness. We get another dose of Christmas this coming week as we head to Grand Junction, CO to be with our youngest son, 4 grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. Our son, Matthew, works in the oil fields and had to work Christmas. They are opening presents and celebrating on New-Years Day. It will be another great time, God willing. Our great-granddaughter, Maddie, will be celebrating her second Christmas. I’m thinking she might be taking some steps on her own. She was trying to take some steps when we saw them in October for her first birthday.
I’ll download this post out of the cloud onto the blog site and link it to a Facebook post. Alexa, turn off the lamp by my recliner and what’s the temperature outside? I think I’ll turn on the GPS in my watch and go for a walk before lunch.
"...and there was evening, and there was morning - the first day." 