Texas is a helluva place to die.

Mug: Bought this bistro mug at either Book People or Waterloo Records, in Austin. It's a beauty. Soft, deep blue glaze with a matte finish. White lettering set in Engraver's Gothic (caps/small caps). Nice big handle, wide mouth, stable (if narrow) base. I'm sure the mug comes from China, but I can't confirm that. The company that markets these is based in College Station (and has a humorous Aggie-centric version of this mug).

Contents: Mexican hot cocoa for my sore throat on this rainy, thunder and lightning, winter day.

Info: The text on the mug comes from Congressman David Crockett's parting words to the electorate of Tennessee upon his defeat for another term in November of 1835. He was just a little bitter. He left his home state in late December of that year, to be immortalized as a Texan for all time, just roughly two month and thirteen days later.

Sinnerman Hot Chocolatte

Mug: This is a Fiesta Ware mug made right here in the United States. Fiesta Ware is famous for their bright (and revolving/evolving) glaze colors. Very simple lines in a sort of Depression-era American Crafts meets Bauhaus Deco style. The shape of this mug doesn't do a whole lot for me, but the azure color of the glaze is stunning.

Contents: Abuelita brand Mexican Hot Chocolate. The Mexican hot chocolate tablets are my favorite hot chocolate drinks. The texture is always a little grainy, and the cinnamon adds a nice bite to it.

Note: Fiesta Ware almost went of business in the seventies because their beautiful red glaze was rumored to kill people. Makes a meal a little less appetizing if you are worried about radiation poisoning. Following is Wikipedia's version of the story...

Red Fiesta (and indeed the red glazes produced by all US potteries of the era) is known for having a detectable amount of uranium oxide in its glaze to produce the bright orange-red color. During WWII the government took control of uranium. Homer Laughlin and the other potteries had to discontinue the use of uranium-containing glazes. Fiesta red was discontinued before 1944, because all uranium was controlled by the US government while developing the Manhattan Project. Vintage red Fiesta plates are more radioactive (but not necessarily harmful) than other radioactive house wares, such as uranium glass. The amount of radiation is low enough that most dinnerware collectors don't consider it something to worry about. Fiesta red was reintroduced in 1959, when the Atomic Energy Commission released its restrictions on uranium oxide. It is important to note that having an X-ray conducted once causes much greater radiation damage than using such china over a prolonged period. As of current, government and third-party studies have effectively concluded that all widely-distributed, uranium-containing consumer china (Fiesta and others from various companies) is safe for food consumption, but not recommended for food storage due to the possibility of leaching of uranium (and other heavy metals, often present in some colored glazes) to the foods, especially if they are acidic.

Christmas Coffee Cantata

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

(Silence may be kept.)

(The Collect of the day is said)

Almighty God,
you have given us your only-begotten Son
to take our nature upon him
and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin:
grant that we, who have been born again
and made your children by adoption and grace,
may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Mug: A cobalt-blue bistro mug with the Name above all names laser-incised on one side, and all the names that He is known by incised on the other side.

Coffee: Columbian Supremo

Note: Merry Christmas.

Santa Paws is Coming to Town.

Mug: Waechtersbach Christmas Mug, made in Germany. "Just how many Waeschtersbach mugs do you have, anyway?"

A bunch of 'em.

Coffee: Guatemalan Antigua from Central Market. A good alternative to my base Colombian.

Info: Happy Advent.