I didn't panic.

I was so frustrated yesterday. While at the parking lot after a grocery run, I accidentally turned on the rear window wiper.

I have operated this vehicle for many years, yet I do not recall ever activating this wiper, even during inclement weather.

I did locate the front wiper button. I thought that the front and the rear had the same button. I thought they synchronized.

Apparently, not.

I even thought of just ignoring it and drove home. I eventually decided to call the mister while he was at work to ask how to turn it off.

I didn't panic.

I wasn't mad either.

I was just frustrated with my lack of knowledge about the existence of this certain button.

*deep sigh.

Staples

August 29, 2016

After we bid farewell to our friends and left the brewery, we decided to go somewhere to eat. J suggested going to Roots 657, a restaurant and a market. It's just less than 2 miles away from Vanish. 

We frequently stop by this place whenever we are in this part of Virginia. Sadly, that place permanently closed in October of last year. 

But a new restaurant took over—Staples. It is also a country market, a coffee shop, and a restaurant. It is also owned by the brewery where we just hang out.

I got a chicken salad sandwich, and J had their Smash Burger. I also ordered their spiced lentil soup. You know, I love soup.

My sandwich was okay. However, the soup was unimpressive. *big sigh. 

A Beer-day Celebration

Last Saturday, August 29, we met with friends at a brewery in Virginia. With this group of friends we really try to meet as often as we can. This time is particularly special because both of them celebrated their birthdays in August.

We decided to hang out in Vanish Farmwood Brewery in Leesburg, Virginia. The mister and I came here maybe four years ago in the late afternoon, and it was mobbed. The oyster bar was closed too.

Last Saturday, the band just started playing, and the place was almost empty.

To our delight, before ordering drinks, we saw the oyster bar was open, Nomini Bay Oyster Ranch.

Because I don't drink beer, the mister got me hard seltzer. 

The duo playing at the brewery, One Blue Night, played, for me, familiar songs and many of Dolly Parton's songs. By around 2 p.m., people kept coming in. Some requested more of Dolly's songs. My favorite was their cover of "Jolene".

Some people say that eating oysters on the month that don't end in an R aren't safe to eat raw seashells. We don't believe that. Plus the 2 guys manning the stall said they had freshly gathered the oysters earlier in the day. 

The mister ordered a dozen oysters on the half shell. But I suggested that we should also try the grilled ones. 

We got half a dozen of each.

By the way, they gave us 3 extra oysters on the half shell. The mister shared 15 oysters because our 2 friends don't eat them. 

We were at the brewery for over 3 hours. The band packed already, and the next band playing at 5 started to set up. 

We had a blast. 

We are planning to go back soon, and we will definitely make sure that the oyster bar is open. 

Vanish Farmhouse Brewery 

42245 Black Hops Ln, 

Leesburg, VA 20176

9/1/2026 at 4:31 p.m.

Because of the intense heat, Papi announced that our after-office walk will not take place. Breathing heated oxygen is dangerous for my fragile lungs.