Carless Iced Coffee

No, that’s not a typo. I didn’t mean to say “careless.” I actually meant “carless,” as in “without a car.”

Neil’s van is in the shop this week (all this week, and most of last week too. big [stupid expensive] repair.) and he’s been taking my car to work. I’m pretty much a homebody by choice, until you tell me that I have to stay home, and then suddenly I feel like a caged bird, longing to fly free.

Being August, there is the added pressure to indulge in as much Summer fun as possible before school starts again.

I don’t live in an area where getting around on foot is practical. I can take walks for pleasure, but I can’t easily get anywhere useful.

Suddenly I want to visit the local farm so I can get us fresh picked Jersey corn on the cob for supper.

I want to go get my eyebrows waxed because right this second I find them unbearably unruly.

I urgently wish to spend this 90-degree day hanging out in my parents’ pool.

I need (need, I tell you) to visit the library, go to the bagel shop for lunch, sneak out for an iced coffee…

And even though I have plenty to do here, none of it satisfies me.

I am feeling sleepy and unbelievably unproductive today.

At some point on a day like this, I have to decide to stop spinning my wheels and just change my focus. This time I make myself a jar of homemade iced coffee. It’s less strong than the Starbucks variety, but I’m fine with that.

One of the kids walks into the kitchen and catches me in the act, and so it becomes three iced coffees.

I’m refueled for the time being.

I’ll be really happy when I have my car back.

P.S. My iced coffee recipe: fill 16-oz mason jar halfway with ice, pour leftover or cold-brewed coffee over ice to 3/4 mark, top off jar with milk (we often use almond milk or soy milk, too), sweeten to taste (I like a teaspoon of Dave’s Mocha Syrup, and the boys like considerably more than a teaspoon of Dave’s Vanilla).