The Count Down to Winter Cheer!

The first thing you learn about hanging out with me in person is that knowing where every Starbucks is within a reasonable distance* is, because we will be going there, especially if you see me on a weekend. More often than not, I will ask my friends to meet me there. There just happens to be a Starbucks nicely situated in between our houses, so it's an easy place to meet. I'm not an addict**, I swear *twitch, twitch*

Wee Ninja Muse and I shared a Beantown coffee when I interview for the Day Job

For me, the seasons don't go: spring, summer, fall, winter, or even the New England variation. The seasons for me are: caramel macchiato, Frappacino, pumpkin spice, and caramel brulee latte. I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin spice lattes, but I know it's really fall when the pumpkin spice signs are out. Pumpkin spice season is in full swing here, but I'm already dreaming of caramel brulee time of year, not just because caramel brulee latte is my very favorite (umm... extra, extra sugar...) but also because the start of the caramel brulee season is also the start of the Winter Cheer season here in Monkeyville!

This year, Hanukkah starts at sun down the night before Thanksgiving, which is extra early, so Winter Cheer preparations have started extra early here in Monkeyville! Winter Cheer is for everyone, so while there will be some Hanukkah and Christmas themed monkeys, there will also be plenty of sock monkeys that are just really happy that it's caramel brulee time... er... I mean, that it's winter! Sock monkeys (or any monkeys really) shouldn't drink caramel brulee lattes, they have enough energy without the extra caffeine.

Eli is the only one in the house that drinks more coffee than I do, but he needs it to get all his coursework done.

I've already started sewing the sock monkeys for the Winter Cheer Flock, and the first two test monkeys for this year's theme are complete. I needed to do a bit of testing this year because I found an awesome stash of winter/Christmas themed socks that I hadn't had the chance to use yet, but I wanted to something special with them this year. I try to make each season's flock something different than I've done before. That usually means a bit of testing and at least one experimental monkey (Mwahahahaha). This year's test monkeys came out better than expected, so all that's left is to get first half of the new flock finished up.

I'm planning on debuting Winter Cheer on Monday, October 21st. It's early, but they monkeys need time to travel to their new homes before the holidays start.


*Reasonable is VERY subjective here.
**I prefer a Milkyway latte from Beantown, the little shop near my day job.There aren't Beantowns everywhere, so I have to settle for Starbucks.