Toffeenut season

So you know how I may have mentioned earlier that I navigate the seasons through Starbucks?  Well, Christmas is here.

To be precise, it landed on the 31st of October, looking and smelling like magic.  

Libby texted us frantically the night before to tell us that we were soon going to have access to Toffeenut lattes and Peppermint mochas and instead of thanking her and getting one at our nearest conveniences, someone (Kim?  Dawn?) fervently demanded that we meet at the crack of dawn the next morning to break the year long fast together.

When I realised that I had to wake up at six, I began having second thoughts about the pilgrimmage but we were all so enthusiastic about the idea that I decided not to let the group down.  And I'm glad I did.

For one thing, Starbucks had done that magical overnight thing where everything was suddenly deep red and flecked with snow.

For another, well, friends!  Whom I seldom get to see!  On a spontaneous outing!

Kim does not normally look like a ferret but this photograph was so adorable that I had to include it.  Dawn, as always, looks like she belongs in a magazine with beautiful hipsters reclining in Scandinavian interiors.

Libby finally rocked up (she is looking all fresh and glowy and relaxed in her second trimester!) and we had a gander at the beautiful Christmas merchandise.  I can't believe it's been a year since Lynette got me the awesome fox coffee mug with tail-as-handle. 

And I don't know what it is about the overpriced Starbucks cups, but the smell of melting caramel and the gleam of red-and-white enamel just get me. 

We warmed up to the morning with a ton of laughter and just a smidgen of gossip and suddenly my day was looking right as rain.  I was so glad I'd gone for drinks; it was warm, sweet, inviting and comforting... and the coffee wasn't half bad either!

PS  The rest of the afternoon was equally festive.  Sindhu, Shirin, Eddie and I dressed up in Deepavali-appropriate clothing and walked around together in the office proclaiming ourselves the Tamil-Tiggers.

Xiang Wei ran into us outside as we were taking these pictures and very sweetly and sincerely blurted, "You guys look great!"  Aww.  Attaboy.

I am going to miss spending Diwali with my colleagues.  Shirin looks doubtful about strength of minority power here, but trust me, for much of the time, we felt more or less like this:

Namaste!