Coffee, God, and Vinegar

It's Sunday, and I'm here drinking one of my few remaining cups of Komodo Dragon Decaf. Starbucks, in a strategic effort to alienate one of their most devoted customers, discontinued it months ago. As soon as I got word, I bought as much as my freezer could hold. I have 1.125 pounds left.

Coffee is proof that there's a Higher Power out there. One could rhapsodize endlessly about why coffee is evidence of God and what coffee teaches us about the Divine Nature. But, maybe sometimes God just wants to be loved, not analyzed. So, for now, I'll sip my coffee and be thankful.

Vinegar also made me happy today. While brewing the coffee, I noticed that one of my pans had gotten that weird green film that builds up from hard water interacting with broccoli. And, its glass lid had gotten cloudy. So, I got out the vinegar and a washcloth and began scrubbing away. The vinegar turned green and cloudy as the pan turned silver and shiny. Beautiful.

Then the label on the vinegar caught my eye. It said that it was good for cleaning stainless steel -- which I'd been doing. But, somehow this reminded me that my almost new stainless steel flatware was getting tarnished. So, I got out the most offending knife & rubbed a little vinegar on it. Magic.

I would have cleaned the rest, but the coffee was done brewing.

Finally Blogging

Yeah, now that everyone else is twitting (or is that tweating?), I'm finally blogging.

And, it's customary in one's first blog post to set the stage: Tell who you are, why you're blogging, and why you're calling your blog whatever it is you're calling it.

Well, the question of "who are you" can be complicated, even for the most ordinary of us. I'm Christian. Female. Married. [Mumblemumble] years old. Technical Writer (sort of). Live in a suburb of San Diego. No kids. Amateur & occaissional player of dulcimers (both mountain & hammered). And so on.

Why I'm blogging... haven't quite figured that one out yet, either. I think it has something to do with former co-worker Mary who said I should. And, this seems a good way to keep friends & family apprised of my... adventures.

And, finally, why I'm calling my blog Dulcimer Lady. That one's easy:

1) All the really good blog names were taken -- usually by people who never got around to posting anything. They never wrote anything because they felt overwhelmed & intimidated when trying to address those three obligatory questions.

2) I really do play the hammered dulcimer. Sometimes. Just not in the last month or so.

I didn't really want to define myself by the instrument I sometimes play -- especially when so many play so much better. But, dulcimers are less common than guitars. When you choose 64 strings over 6, you do get defined by your instrument.

So, here it is. First post. I'm finally blogging.

The nieces will be so proud.