ATC - February 28 - Holly, Starbucks, Guiding & Me

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How well Ms D knows me!

This week's Ms D's ATC is created from that familiar Starbucks brochure.
What she doesn't know is the story of how I became a Starbucks addict.
(Holding my hand up at the back of the room, "I admit it, it is true, It Is Bigger Than Me.")
Here is the sad but true tale.
I have a wonderful Sister in Guiding named Holly (on the left) and her Name is indeed her Truth:
Born in the Giving Month of December, she is Generous to a fault and always ready to come to your defense if needed!
(beware, those holly leaves are prickly for a Very Good Reason!)

And ORGANIZED!
O my yes.. I have never known anyone who is as gifted as she when it comes to organizing a meeting, a camping trip, a journey to parts unknown or her Craft Space! (Imagine if you will, an entire wall full of neatly numbered drawers and a book that tells you what is in each and every one of them!)
When Her Month of December comes round, the entire house from top to bottom becomes the North Pole in miniature and of course once that is over with, neatly boxed up and packed away.
(Unlike me who is still picking up bits of tinsel in the far flung corners of the living room)

However, she does have one teeny tiny CONTAGIOUS VICE that I squarely lay the blame for, at her teeny, tiny feet:
She Introduced Me to that Demon Drink Coffee and so began My Starbucks addiction.
First you have to understand something:
I Never Drank Coffee (Honestly!) until I met Holly.
It started out (as it always does) O So Innocently: first "Let's stop in for some hot chocolate, they make the best", to 'Try a Mocha and see if you like it..", which led to ''How about a half sweet mocha?", to finally the coup de grace:
"Try a breve latte, that's coffee with steamed half and half."

It was a slippery slope and all downhill from then on.

Since our Weekend Adult Training trips to Lougheed Lodge always started on a Friday night after work, it was SOP that we stop and FUEL UP at Starbucks before facing the 30 odd (and I do MEAN odd) women who were chomping at the bit to be Guiders.
I was introduced to HOO BOY!.'Grande Vente's', courtesy of these stops!
In order to make it last until Sunday, I used to put my cup on the windowsill and hide it behind the venetian blind in the common room.
That was until Holly found it and made me stick it in the fridge (yuck).

Knowing my 'love' for Starbucks, I was also gifted on my natal day with the following items by Mr Bear: , a small coffee thermal traveling mug and a large cup of course.
Neighbour-cousin Ms B gave me silver coffee pot earrings and Ms D gave me the amethyst hearts, so I put them together to create a 'coffee lovers tribute'.

Blessings of the java bean to one and all!
May it continue to fuel the creativity in all of us
Shanti