Now I remember!

It was my plan through October to work out of Natalie Goldberg's "Old Friend From Far Away." Is that insane, or what?!

So, I'll do "Coffee" on Page 16. I just want to say, having seen the previous entry on page 15, Three, that I am short on writing friends, so if anybody wants to be a cyber writing friend, say so, please.

Here goes: Coffee

It is interesting that I was just contemplating how much more I could accomplish in a day if I didn't love my morning coffee so much. A long time ago, I learned that once I started working, my coffee would get cold. So, I stopped working.

I don't really sleep all that late. I just don't like to rush my morning coffee hours. When I work and I only have time for one large, hastily gulped cup of coffee, the day never seems quite right. I'm not awake enough. I'm not at the top of my form. My brain doesn't kick in until late morning.

Coffee is a major part of my weekly food budget. By the time I buy the coffee, filters, sweeteners and maybe even more coffee for a different flavor, half my food budget is gone. I could almost live on coffee. I can make sacrifices elsewhere, like on meat or veggies--you know, the non-essentials.

My morning coffee is the main reason I wash the dishes before I go to bed. I hate not having a clean coffee pot--everything must be spotlessly clean so I get the best flavor out of my coffee. I even hate coffee stains on glasses, and on filter holders. Seriously, I could be lazy and leave my dishes, but the mere thought of a dirty pot would be like a waking nightmare if I stumbled into the kitchen in the morning to find my pot or favorite cup dirty.

This love of coffee is my Mother-in-Law's fault. I had never drunk coffee when I got married. Nobody gave my husband and I a coffee pot for our wedding. But I had two electric can openers. My Mother-in-Law suggested trading a coffee pot for one of my can openers. That was the beginning. It was one of those old percolators. I sort of miss them, sometimes.

As the years passed, we followed the fads until finally coffee makers lost their appeal. The last automatic I had was a Bunn, for the speed, you know. But there was something unsatisfying about it, the coffee wasn't as good as I like--the water wasn't as fresh. I once had a Melita porcelain pot and filter which I gave to my son and he never used it. Now, that is exactly what I want and they are pricey! I want it back! I finally rigged up my own. I use a hand-thrown stoneware pot with a plastic Melita filter holder. I make two cups at a time and no more. I like my coffee steaming hot and very fresh. It isn't as fast as a Bunn, but it is worth the wait.