Hey there, Sip & Share crew! It’s Britain and Laurie holding down the fort today—Patti’s off sipping something fabulous in Chicago, and we’re so jealous we could cry into our coffee mugs! Speaking of coffee, brace yourselves: prices are skyrocketing over $4 a pound—like, what is this, egg crisis 2.0?! Normally it’s chilling at $1.40 or $1.60, but now it’s a total rollercoaster. We’re pretty sure the growers are playing a high-stakes game of chicken, holding onto crops to keep those prices jacked up. Good news? We’ve got our stash locked in for six to eight months—phew!—but it’s still stressing us out. Friends are texting us news clips like, “You okay?!” and we’re like, “Yeah, for now!” Any coffee farmers out there wanna spill the tea—er, beans—on what’s really going on?
And speaking of chickens, ours are a hot mess! Laurie’s flock is full-on diva mode—some won’t lay, others might be snacking on their own eggs (cannibal vibes, anyone?). We’ve tried golf balls in the nesting boxes, but no dice. The Isa Browns we got from a tractor supply place lasted a couple years before their hearts gave out—apparently, they’re egg-laying machines with a fatal flaw. Then the hatchery batch? Total divas, zero eggs. Grammy and Papa are hooking us up with some solid layers in the spring, so fingers crossed they’ll whip the rest into shape. Anyone else have chickens with attitude? Tell us your secrets!
Laurie’s still glowing from her St. Thomas trip last week—those white-white beaches and the clearest, bluest water were straight out of a postcard. Absolute paradise! She even took a boat ride near Epstein Island (Little St. James, technically)—so eerie, even if they’re supposedly turning it into a resort now. No evil vibes, just a weird chill down the spine. Britain’s like, “Did you bring me a souvenir?” and Laurie’s like, “Uh, just some rooster trauma!” Speaking of which, she faced her chicken fears surrounded by wild ones on the beach—one even parked under her chair! Only two people have ever died from roosters (true story!), so she’s feeling brave now.
Oh, and gardening? We’re flops. Britain’s tried a million times but can’t tell weeds from plants—total chaos! Laurie’s issue? Watering’s too much work, and why grow tomatoes if you don’t eat ’em? We’d be toast in colonial times, spending 80% of our day growing food and mending socks. Meanwhile, our plants are probably screaming for Patti, who’s a green-thumb goddess. She’s got our office jungle thriving at the Plant Hospital—Britain’s succulents didn’t make it (root rot, oops!), but Patti’s googly-eye plant magnets are the cutest. Ever seen a TikTok with googly eyes on grocery store stuff? Hilarious—we’re tempted to prank our roaster, if only the eyes wouldn’t melt!
Egg prices are bonkers too—$12 in Michigan thanks to cage-free laws and bird flu culling. Hatcheries are holding back chicks, telling folks to hit up TSC instead. What’s up with that? And then there’s William, Logan’s 14-week-old golden retriever, stealing hearts and climbing all over us mid-stream—he’s a 30-pound bundle of love! Britain’s off to Estelle’s Valentine’s party later (matching sweaters, duh!), after hitting Dallas’s 100-day party last week. School parties hit different now—five parents max, and you’re stuck at a station. Back in the day, Laurie was the PTO queen juggling five kids’ events—rollerblade shoes, anyone?
Next week, we’re tasting the Little Women box—so sorry if your surprise got spoiled online! Some folks got it the day after shipping and posted early—ugh, timing! We’ll figure it out for next time. Flavors are out there if you snoop on social media, but we’re keeping our lips zipped ’til the tasting. Oh, and a teaser: next month’s box is public domain fresh—think big, iconic vibes (no, we won’t say it!). Grab your coffee, K-Cups (less coffee, more savings!), and join us for the madness. Love ya, fam! 💕☕🐶🌿
