It’s time once again for some Friday fill-in fun, the perfect way to wrap up the week and kick off the weekend!

From Ann of McGuffy’s Reader:

“The Friendly Fill-Ins are four fun and easy statements to complete. Ellen of 15andmeowing provides the first two statements and the final two are offered by myself. We try to make sure they will be fun to both answer and share. On Friday, the linky will be posted at or about 12:00 AM. Please come back, link up, and share your thoughts!”

And away we go! Here are this week’s statements with my fill-ins:

Week 12: July 29, 2016

1. One quirk I have is… every morning when I’m filling my red stainless steel travel coffee cup, since I use the refrigerated version of French Vanilla creamer I put some in a mug and zap it in the microwave to heat it up so it doesn’t cool down my coffee (an additional quirk is I like my hot stuff hot and my cold stuff cold). I can’t heat the creamer in my stainless steel cup for obvious reasons.

While that in itself may be a quirk (or genius, just sayin’), I always take the tiniest sip of the creamer before placing the cup in the microwave. It’s kind of like a ‘wet your whistle’ moment.

CoffeeSmiles

The hubby thinks I’m crazy, but he already thinks I’m crazy using any creamer that’s vanilla, since he hates anything vanilla. Because of his hatred for vanilla, it guarantees I’ll always have soda in the fridge, though, since he powers through his extra fast between grocery shopping trips, but won’t touch my Vanilla Coke. 

2. My favorite comic strip is… this was a tough one, since it’s been awhile since I’ve actually read any comic strips, and because it’s been so long I can’t remember the names of them off the top of my head. But then it dawned on me there’s one I follow on Facebook. Well, not just follow, it makes me laugh every time – Fowl Language. The comic strip they post daily always hits home, like the one from yesterday:

FowlLanguage

And they always have a ‘bonus panel’ which hits a home-run as well:

blah-blah-blah-bonus

3. I am really happy… when I’m making wine. It’s an intricate process, but that’s what I love about it. It’s like being a mad scientist with the ingredients and the blending and getting it just right. I miss how I had things set up at our old house in PA – the biggest thing I miss is having a basement where the temperature doesn’t flux as much. I can’t wait until I have something set up here (my SheShed I’m working on) so I can get the momentum going again – I used to always have 36 or more gallons going at once – right now I only have 12 gallons bulk aging that’s ready to bottle.

Mark my words, our next house will not only have a basement, but if it doesn’t come with a wine cellar, I’ll be building one. Hopefully that will happen in the next few years! Meanwhile, I’ll have to make do with what I have and get creative. 

Winemaking

4. If I could go anywhere on a road trip… I would go to down the Washington, Oregon and California coast – I’ve done it a couple of times years and years ago, and it’s a beautiful drive:

CaliforniaCoastline

But this time, I’d make it a wine tour to scope out all the small wineries along the way. You had to know that was coming, right? Maybe do the coastal route of Highway 101 on the southbound route, then return via I-5 to hit more wineries. 

This particular winery looks like it’d be so cool to visit, and it’s perfectly positioned closer to the Highway 101 route vs. the I-5 route:

CastellodiAmorosa

That’s the Castello di Amorosa – an authentically-built, 13th century inspired Tuscan castle and winery in Napa Valley. There are multiple levels of the castle to explore, it has a moat, drawbridge, defensive towers, interior courtyard, chapel, torture chamber and great hall. And of course wine. I’d probably not want to leave! Ever!

Of course another option for a road trip would be to go back to the Grand Canyon – the hubby and I have been there independently years ago (one of my very first vacations as a young adult), but I bet the kids would get a kick out of seeing this for themselves (and I’m not gonna lie, I’d love to go back and enjoy the view, too):

GrandCanyon

Looking at the route from the Castello di Amorosa winery and The Grand Canyon, no time would be added to take a slightly different route and stop in to see my best friend near Reno before heading to the canyon. Maybe we could talk her into joining us on our trip there.

I love road trips and the kids certainly don’t mind them provided they have things to help pass the long hours on the road – especially when it’s so much easier to stop and check out things that catch our eye as we drive and explore. Do you like road trips? What’s a road trip you’re jonesin’ to go on?

That’s a wrap! Hope you join in the fun!

 

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10 Comments

  1. Great job on the fill-ins, thank you for participating. I know what you mean about being a mad scientist with the wine making. My hubby makes it too and it looks very complicated finding the specific gravity , he is always doing some sort of math. I only help when bottling or when he is siphoning from one carboy to another. That is a funny comic that I wasn’t aware of. Hope you get to take your road trip. Have a great weekend!

  2. Ooh and it would make sure that you also have Vanilla ice cream 🙂

    And I love the idea of zapping the creamer. After-all, who would want a cooler coffee! I love my hot stuff piping..well, very very hot.

    Love reading.

  3. Great answers! I love the wine making answer. I always enjoy visiting vineyards. We’re in wine country over here and love going to the tastings.

    Have a great weekend!

  4. I love road trips and would love to see the Grand Canyon some day. David has been to the Grand Canyon as have some of my cousins, but not me. I am not into wine or alcohol, but I think a tour of the vineyards would be awesome. That castle is cool!
    That cartoon is spot on about how things are these days. Most people don’t really listen anymore.
    Vanilla Coke would be safe around me, too. ICK I’m glad for you that your soda stash is safe. haha
    Have a great weekend!

  5. Stacy, I usually drink my coffee black, but on rare occasions I will put milk in my coffee and I don’t mind it so much if it cools my coffee off a little. I’m not a wine person, as you know, but that winery with the castle design is really cool and I’d like to see it. Oh the Grand Canyon would be an awesome road trip to take. I tell you what, when we come out there then we’ll all go together? 😀 Great answers to this week’s fill-ins.

  6. I can relate to your “quirk”. I like to zap my milk too before pouring n my coffee for the exact same reason. The coast on the West Coast is so pretty! I’m a native Californian so I’ve seen some of it but I’ve never driven to Oregon or Washington. That’s great that your kids enjoy road trips. I never did as a kid because I always got car sick. Now, I just take something for it.

    Wow, that’s amazing that you make wine!

  7. Hi Stacy,
    Thanks for the lovely comment about my Fill -Ins. From your answers I conclude that you’re versatile,fun loving and a very interesting person. I feel overwhelmed that you make wines because i think wine making is an art which only connoisseurs in this field can cultivate.
    You presented a nice narrative about your coffee preferences.
    The beauty of grand canyon attracts all.No wonder you wish to revisit it with your family.
    Lively pictures all!

  8. That comic panel so perfectly sums up my life right now!! Minecraft all the hours!!! I can’t believe even my 6 year old can expertly build stuff – an entire world; and I don’t even know how to get started. I leave that to them while I blog. ha.
    That winery looks amazing! Yeah, it would be hard to leave. Especially since wine is also there.
    Grand Canyon is definitely something I would love to see. People tell me it’s just amazing to stand on the edge and see all it’s vastness.

  9. I am so sorry that I am late, but it is important that I visit. Life has been a little stressful lately. I love your fill-ins and I do read your posts, even when I can’t comment; sometimes it is hard from my smart phone. Thank you for being a part of Friendly Fill-Ins.
    Annie at ~McGuffy’s Reader~

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