just... black

I love iced coffee. The Australians love iced coffee and it is everywhere - vending machines, gas stations; even in 2-litre jugs in the grocery store fridge case. Ironically, it is milky, thin, sweet, dull, flat lousy!
From a cafe, iced coffee automatically comes with cream and sugar and a dollop of ice cream on top. Well, sometimes a girl wants/needs a straight-up, bitter, shot in the arm,(non-alcoholic) icy cold beverage!
This morning, I asked at said cafe:
"Can you make black iced coffee?"
Slightly stunned girl to older woman making coffee:"Can we make black iced coffee?"
Woman:"Sure."
Girl to me:"Ok, it'll just be a few minutes. You still want the cream, sugar and ice cream in it, right? Cuz it's all mixed up in jugs."
Me, patronizingly but friendly: "Then it wouldn't be black, would it?"
Girl and older woman have muffled conversation.
Woman:"You want what?"
Me:"Just a black iced coffee."
Woman:"You want it made with water?"
Me (knowing this is looking less than hopeful) "Just like a long black, but over ice."
Woman: "I can make a long black, but it won't be cold. We don't have ice."
Me, still smiling and nodding, thanking and walking away.

Now when she said, "Sure." What would I have gotten?


Next up - Frog Hunt Night

Any Given Sunday

We haven't been anywhere lately to tell you about, so here is a recount of...(brrrrrrrrrrrr-cha!)
"The AMAZING Cicada Project!!"

I knew Sunday would be a great day because there was a fish on the driveway. Thomas added the dorsal fin; otherwise, it was a natural occurrence. Huh.

Later, whilst hanging out clothes (I know... Sunday... Don't tell any of my baptists buddies), I saw a cicada molting right there on the side of the house. Called Tom and Thomas. Of course, Thomas wanted to keep it. He's always had a thing for cicadas, but then, who doesn't?!? Right? ....right?

The research team assembled their collection tools:
1. old butterfly house packed for just such occasions (thanks Feliecia),
2. soft washcloth to prevent sliding about.
The research assistant wisely pointed out that our house was recently sprayed by the exterminator (potentially deadly and very painful spiders have temporarily changed my view on pesticides, OK?) and pyrethrin works through insects' feet. We had to make sure our specimen didn't crawl on the wall OF DEATH!
The research staff tread a fine line - wait until the subject's exoskeleton had hardened so as not to smush it, but not so long as to allow it to walk off its shell and toxify its entire system! The litter of dead grasshopper bodies on the sidewalk rattled forebodingly.
The delicate transfer from brick to washcloth was successful. Phew!
The newly-molted adult cicada was gently dropped inside and spirited away to the research facility for observation.
Over a period of about an hour, it slowly tuned from pinkish-white to beautiful black and yellow with a prominent McDonald's logo on its head. The research assistant lay on the spare bed and watched the whole time. Meanwhile, the head scientist Googled captive cicada requirements.
1. You can't feed them. They need flowing sap.
2. They live 6 or so years underground but only about a week above ground, so let them go mate.
3. There are about 220 species in Australia and none are listed as sporting a McDonald's logo; obviously a new species.

While observing "her" (males buzz and she didn't) in the facility's semi-sterile flight cage (bathroom), I noticed she had kind eyes. All five of them. In fact, she was quite cooperative and patient through our entire study.
The team decided potential benefits to the educational community outweighed the risk of one hungry (thirsty?) McCicada and shared her with the class on Monday. The research assistant noticed her eyes had turned from black to red by that time.

Two fellow scientist visited the research facility later Monday to eat chicken nuggets, play race cars, and release the specimen who, with a quick good-bye, flew off to her new life (music up, lights up, applause amid hurriedly brushing away tears).

Since cicadas neither bite nor sting and do very limited damage to their host trees, thumbs up for the kind, cooperative, patient cicada. What's not to love?