More sicily, why the gap and drinks

Feast or famine, after writing a bit this morning, I'm back, as it is too hot to sit outside.

Went shopping this morning, prawns for tonights pasta, bread to have with some if the gorgeous Sicilian sausage I cooked a couple of days ago reheated for breakfast and cherries - markets were great again - I often walk around markets in Spain, but rarely buy, feel too intimidated - here with zero language skills, bought a good few things, I will try when in Spain in August!  Caprese salad for lunch shortly

I was trying to think why I have let the blog wither over the lat year, I came up with a few reasons:

• Practice / habits - I only do things I do regularly, very much a man of habits, I go to the gym each working day or any day I'm in a hotel, but fear missing out for a week or so (like now, no gym) will I go back next week?
•  Not cooking as much, my partner took a year off work, I'm working longer hours in this job than I did in my last one and she can cook well, so I only cook at weekends doing a couple of main meals and a few things for lunch in the week - rice paper rolls and jeweled couscous need to be added here  - will do if I keep it up...
• Time - working long hours, passion for podcasts, primarily history also cooking and a bit of comedy and quizzes, reading, cooking and trying to learn Spanish - allotment gone and blog withered

Drinks
I was thinking about drinks today, I don't like black tea, generally not taken with any hot drink - I drink peppermint and camomile  teas, sometime summer fruit and roibus at work but happy to let them go cold, only started since I gave up squash and pop.
I have never been big on coffee, used to drink it at work, but stopped maybe 10 years ago, happy not to have much caffeine and much much better when I finally kicked Pepsi Max last year. I like the odd one for breakfast or after a meal in Spain or here in Italy, but only when out.  However there is a cafeteria and good ground coffee here in the apartment, so I've had it two or three mornings and really enjoyed it.  Don't think I will buy the paraphernalia but nice for a change, but as I said above I'm a bugger for habits and don't want to get back into caffeine :)

The other point on drink - beer - that I have far too much of, is so much improved.  I grew up with plenty of good local beers, these died out and I ended up with anodyne beers and lagers as I was in my early adulthood.  I always liked CAMERA and am so glad over the last decade real beer is back, Germany was always great, as was most of Eastern Europe, USA and Australia used to be dreadful, Spain and Italy weak, but with great wines. However USA turned the corner in the last 10 years, time before last I was in Oz, it was still mostly rubbish, but this year, complete turn around, as with UK and Ireland, never dies out completely in UK, but back with a vengeance.
I've had great craft beers in Spain and Italy in the last couple of years as well.

When I spend a few days in South Africa last year, only rubbish, but A tell me she has seen plenty on here frequent visits from Mozambique (too poor for a trendy micro beer scene, but 2 or 3 great local beers there already) 

I love strong beers, Dubel, Doble Malta, Imperial Stouts, most of all IPAs, but like to try lots - big shout out to Wetherspoons - while only a few in Ireland, following their tradition of cheap good beers for the masses - if shite food