A Fresh Cup of Coffee

Monday, February 2, 2026

Share Four Somethings - January 2026

Each month we're each invited to share things in these categories: something we loved, something that sustained us, something we're carrying forward from this month to the next, and something we're making space for. I usually like to include a little bit of a bonus: Some Things I Read and a little of What's Coming Up Soon.

Some Things I Loved:

We kicked off the month and the New Year with some of our Maryland family visiting us here. We loved having "second Christmas" at New Years and extending the holidays and having fun with them here.

Loved going to a few hockey games this month. A couple of related bonuses - a friend gave us his club level tickets to one of the games; I got myself a Blue Jackets jersey with their cannon logo; and the team managed to get themselves on a winning streak after the coaching change so the excitement for playoff possibilities is building!

I absolutely did NOT love the bitter cold, but did love how pretty the snow was, and still is, surprisingly. And I kinda loved having a snow day!

Something That Sustained Me:

During all the cold and cancellations, focusing on the positives and the blessings kept me feeling optimistic and cheerful. I had some stressful times during the month thinking about all the vehicle cost and headaches we're dealing with (background: the engine on my car blew in December and we decided to buy a new car, but we still have the disabled one and its payments and we're trying to figure out the best way to repair it and then what we'll do with it), and what sustains me when I'm tempted to worry is knowing that I don't have to figure the whole thing out at once, and remembering that God promises to meet all our *needs* and he's never failed yet.

Something I'm Carrying Forward:

I made big progress cleaning up the spare room/office and everything around my desk, purging files and organizing. But I didn't quite finish the job, so that project is being carried forward to February. In my defense, I needed to order some hanging folders so I could actually make proper use of the file storage bins, and those only arrived yesterday. I'm hoping to make time this week to finish the job, but it's looking like that might not be until the weekend.

Something I'm Making Space For:

Well, I guess I'm making space in the spare room and at the desk by getting rid of the clutter! I am trying to make more space on my weekly agenda to stay on top of organization and household tasks. I just started exploring a possible continuing education thing related to chorus, and I'm not sure how that will pan out, but I've started by making space to at least learn more and assess how much time and commitment it will require, and if I believe its something I can do right now. You never know unless you try, right? We'll see what happens!

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Some Things I Read:

Finished and reviewed these since my last SFS:

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister (I finished this in December but hadn't posted the review)

Secrets of the Maison Fournier by Amelia Pine (just finished - review coming!)

Here are the books I'm currently reading:

A Certain Darkness by Anna Lee Huber

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

All of my reading news is at Just A Second if you're interested.

What's Coming Up Soon?

I've started working on our tax return - how's that for exciting?! Fingers crossed that we come out ahead this year!

The SuperBowl is just a week away! This is the one NFL game I sort of watch each year, and it's pretty rare that I care much about the actual outcome of the game. I like watching football but don't follow a team or care about the NFL. I'm there for the party, the commercials, and the drama around the show. This year I have zero interest in the half-time show. I think it's shameful that the league continues to ignore its actual fanbase and get halftime acts that I don't think have appeal to the vast majority of football fans, and this year the league has outdone itself in choosing blatantly anti-American crap. So we will be watching the game and the commercials, but fully plan on changing the channel during half-time. I'm interested in watching the show Turning Point has planned, so we'll see if we can do that. But what I really need to plan is what we're going to EAT at our family SuperBowl party!

Share something in the comments, or share four somethings with the rest of us in the link party!

This post will be linked at My Joyful Life in the Share Four Somethings link party.

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Sunday, February 1, 2026

Scripture and a Snapshot - New Every Morning

I have been so deprived of peace,

I have so forgotten what happiness is,

that I think, "My strength is gone,

and so is my hope in ADONAI."

Remember my uttery misery,

the wormwood and the gall.

They are always on my mind;

this is why I am so depressed.

But in my mind I keep returning to something,

something that gives me hope ―

that the grace of ADONAI is not exhausted,

that his compassion has not ended.

[On the contrary,] they are new every morning!

How great is your faithfulness!

"ADONAI is all I have," I say;

"therefore I will put my hope in him.

ADONAI is good to those waiting for him,

to those who are seeking him out.

It is good to wait patiently for the saving help of ADONAI."

~Lamentations 3:17-26~

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Saturday, January 31, 2026

Monthly Musings - Winter Fun and Valentine's Day

Patty at Good Better Best hosts this monthly sharing of tips, tricks, and conversation starters. Here are this month's questions about winter fun and Valentine's Day.

1. Describe your winter so far in one word.

It's very tempting to say "cold" but that would be more about the past week. Let's go with . . .

EVENTFUL

2. What winter activities have you never tried but want to?

I have never tried cross-country skiing but I wish I had done that when I was younger. I'd still like to try. Growing up in Calgary, with all those ski resorts in Banff nearby, it was kind of obligatory to ski, but the couple times I tried downhill skiing, I hated it. But cross-country always seemed like something I'd enjoy.

3. Favorite winter beverage

My favorite beverage any time of year is coffee! But in winter I like a good Irish coffee, or a really creamy hot mocha. Hot cocoa is the drink of choice when coming in from the cold.

4. Least favorite winter chore

I rarely have to shovel snow myself, and generally don't mind doing it, and that's the only chore that's specific to winter I can think of at the moment. I can think of a couple chores that I especially dislike doing during the winter or that I don't mind other times of the year but are a pain in winter. First is washing dishes. I don't care for that job, and thankfully my husband usually does the washing while I dry and handle the dishwasher which I don't mind. But in winter, I especially dislike washing dishes because my hands are even more susceptible to getting chapped and itchy, even when I wear gloves. Second is taking out the trash. I usually don't mind doing this job but when there is snow or ice to deal with I am always scared that I will slip and fall while handling trash bags or bins.

5. Soup or chili? Share a recipe if you would like

Yes to both soup and chili! I love soup, and wish I had time to make it from scratch more often. I also love chili, and do make a big pot of that a couple times during the winter. The most recent soup I made was Creamy Cubano soup (recipe from Ellen at The Happy Wanderer) - we love it because it's very simple and quick to make but a hearty comfort food for cold days. I'll share my chili recipe too.

Kym's Chorizo Chili

1 lb ground chorizo sausage

1 lb ground beef

1 sweet onion, diced

2-3 red or orange bell peppers, diced

28 oz canned diced tomatoes with chilis (Rotel or similar)

dark chili powder

oregano, basil, cumin, bay leaf

14 oz can black beans

14 oz can pinto or red beans with chili sauce

14 oz can great northern (or other white) beans

Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce

Fry up the chorizo and transfer to a dutch oven or crockpot, then do the same with the ground beef (I use a slotted spoon or spatula so I can leave the drippings in the frypan). Saute the onion and peppers in the drippings, drain and transfer to crockpot. Stir in the canned tomatoes and all the seasonings. I don't measure the seasonings but I estimate at least 6 tbsp chili powder, and a couple tbsp each of the others, and 2-4 bay leaves. Stir in the beans (drain and rinse beans that aren't in chili sauce). If cooking on the stovetop, bring it to a low boil, then cover and reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45-60 minutes. If cooking in a crockpot, cook on high for 1-2 hours or on low for 4 hours. Stir and remove bay leaves before serving. Serve topped with shredded cheese and sour cream.

6. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, both or neither?

Dark chocolate for me! Milk chocolate is fine, but if I have a choice, I will always go for dark chocolate.

7. Share your galentine's or Valentine's day plans

At the moment, we haven't made any plans specific to Valentine's Day. We have a couple of dinners out and a game night with friends planned over the next couple weeks, but haven't planned as far out as Valentine's.

8. Do you dress festive for Valentine's day?

I don't really. I guess it depends what day of the week it falls on. When I was teaching or managing the coffee shop and worked on February 14th I would try to wear something Valentines-y. I've never had much pink in my wardrobe, so a lot of times, my nod to Valentine's Day would be the jewelry.

9. Do you make any sweet treats for Valentine's day?

I don't have any cookies or other treats that I make specifically for Valentine's, but usually wind up baking brownies or something fun. Just not a recipe that is traditional for Valentine's.

10. What is your love language?

I'm a Quality Time gal! I consider spending a day doing something fun together a good date, and spending time with family or friends is the preferred way to celebrate any special occasion. It can be just hanging out and playing games, going for a walk or hike, exploring something touristy, or even a shopping trip.

How would you answer any of these? Leave a comment and let me know!

I'm linking up with Monthly Musings hosted by Patty at Good Better Best.

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Friday, January 30, 2026

Five MInute Friday - Cold

One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.

baby, it's cold outside

Shut the door not that it lets in the cold but that it lets out the coziness. ~Mark Twain

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I suspect that this week, the vast majority of Americans are thinking about how cold it is. Relatively speaking. Those of us in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic, and northeast have been experiencing temperatures well below freezing and wind chills that are in the double digit negatives. But I have friends in Florida and other parts of the south where it's not sub-zero, but it is considerably colder than what they are used to.

There's part of me that thinks, "guys, it's winter. It is cold in winter and it snows. It literally happens every year" and that is true. But it sure doesn't stop me, or anyone else, from discussing the weather like it's so unusual, or from commentaries on just how cold it is and how miserable it is. After all, the weather is a standard topic to begin small talk conversations, and very useful for building a common ground and shared experience as a starting point with almost anyone we interact with.

It is indeed very cold as I'm writing this, but I'm writing it from the safety and warmth of my home, where I have food and clothes and electricity. I'm not actually suffering. Few of us who complain good-naturedly about how cold it is are. For most of us it's uncomfortable and inconvenient, and prompts us to count the days until the cold snap is over or until spring arrives.*

In the cold dark days of the winter, dream about the flowers to get warmed up! ~Mehmet Murat Ildan

We know that relief from the cold is coming, because we can count on the seasons running their courses, and sometimes we even joke that it won't be long until we're complaining about how hot it is.

Thus he gives snow like wool,

scatters hoarfrost like ashes,

sends crystals of ice like crumbs of bread ―

who can withstand such cold?

Then he sends his word out and melts them;

he makes the winds blow and the water flows.

~Psalm 147:16-18~

The cold weather is a very small thing to complain about in the grand scheme of things*, but even these seemingly little things can be reminders that our inconveniences are only temporary. Spring and summer are coming, and hopefully we'll appreciate the sunshine and flowers even more after an especially cold winter. Believe it or not, even our big troubles will someday seem trivial in light of eternity. Just as we tell ourselves spring is just around the corner as we scrape our windshields and shovel our walks, let us encourage each other that heaven is our home when we go through times of pain and grief here on earth.

For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

~II Corinthians 4:17-18~

What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness. ~John Steinbeck

*this is not intended to trivialize suffering in any way, or to imply that extreme temperatures don't have horrible consequences to those who do not have adequate shelter

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This post is linked at Five Minute Friday for the word prompt "Cold"

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Thursday, January 29, 2026

Everyday Images #80

Welcome to my ongoing challenge and reminder to myself to take photos somewhat regularly. I'm not a photographer, but I enjoy taking everyday photos of things I find interesting or want to remember later, and I'm more likely to notice interesting things when I'm intentionally watching for them. Having some prompts that are open to interpretation has helped me pay a little more attention to what's around me. Here's how it works: Every two weeks I have a few words and phrases to focus on, and I try to find opportunities to take pictures of these things each week. The link-up post will be here every other Thursday, sharing my photos and offering a link-up for participants to share theirs. Right below the link-up is where you'll find the next set of prompts.

January Prompts - Everyday Images #80

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out for a walk (quarterly)

logo

at home (monthly)

inside and/or outside

good food

curlicues

texture

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out for a walk (quarterly) - Okay, I had no idea that this would happen during a week Winter Storm Fern hit us. We did go out for a walk though.

logo

at home (monthly) - the dining room table was pressed into service as a puzzle table over the past couple of weeks.

inside and/or outside - views of the snowfall

good food

curlicues - this was harder than I expected! Turns out I have almost nothing with curlicues on it in my house. I finally noticed that my socks might qualify.

texture - I think these kinds of blankets are called jacquard. They are the softest and coziest in my opinion.

And a few bonus photos:

Another hockey game, the last one we had tickets for until after the Olympic break.

Do you see faces on inanimate objects like cars? I do. And the day I made mac and cheese for my granddaughter, I couldn't resist getting a picture of the face that appeared in the saucepan.

A wintry Ohio sunset:

And on Sunday, the snow arrived. We went for a walk in the late afternoon, when the snow was letting up a bit and before the temperature really plunged.

clearing the sidewalk with a hockey stick
because we don't have a shovel

Goofy selfies at the end of the walk:

Come in and get warm! Perfect day for hot cocoa.

The outside temperature was MINUS TWO degrees when I left for work yesterday!

These are good days for staying home and enjoying a hot cup of coffee and a good book.

I am sharing my photos every other Thursday, along with my prompts for the next two weeks. You can use all or some of the prompts for your own photo posts, or none of the prompts and just link up a post featuring your photos. Simple rules: Your posts must be family-friendly; the photos must be your own; and the post must be mostly photos. If you do share I'd appreciate a mention and link to A Fresh Cup of Coffee on your post.

The Everyday Images link-up is posted every other Thursday, and is open for two weeks.

January/February Prompts - Everyday Images #81

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pink

middle

at work

shadow

weathered

current project (quarterly)

sweet

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