I’m speaking Bunn-o-matic this morning.
I enjoy coffee, rich, dark, freshly ground, brewed ‘Joe’, half caffeinated, half not, for no one enjoys BB on high octane….not even she. I heat my Land-o-Lakes non fat half and half, (an oxymoron if I’ve ever experienced one)….half and half of WHAT you wonder…..it’s tasty to me and I’m sadly working out far less than I’d prefer presently and though full blown half and half would be my FIRST choice, we make concessions to maintain some preferred life balances. Well, I do. Sigh.
Damn, that was a mouthful of a sentence.
But my Bunn…..o-matic. They were made for me, I’m sure of it….my preferences, desire at times for QUICK results.
I like rising early if I’ve had enough sleep, though more often that not am not unlike a little kid, afraid I’ll miss something as I tend to one thing or another too late in the evening….writing, laundry, dogs, daydreaming time, a bit of dancing, filming a new project, working with my new green screen, or something innocuous on the television. It’s my time to wander and not focus on anything in particular. I covet that time.
This morning I rose earlier than I thought I might. I abhor alarms and can pretty much avoid using them, my inner radar typically waking me up at the time I intend. I have 3 dogs which if you’ve been reading my blog over the last while, you know they are special, little gift beasties….teaching me all manner of things about love, joy, devotion, loyalty, kindness and with Ernie, reflecting my own insecurities from time to time. But most of all….they know about heart and I love them dearly and they me!
They’re scruffy and don’t get brushed much nor need it. But this morning, they are soon off to be groomed, shaped up, toenails clipped, dipped in flea solution as it seems, those little circus hoppers have come onto the scene, creating all manner of annoying nighttime scratching. But….I digress.
This morning I awoke with only a few scratches heard nearby, but wanted to get up. It was 6:45….usually a tad earlier than I like to rise. I’ve NEVER understood 7am business breakfast meetings, though had one 7:30 call at Carl House this week and an 8am meetings on another day. Not my preference. I hit the ground running most days, but running my fingers over a keyboard, not dressed, make up on, highheels shined and ready for PEOPLE. A perk of my job, this flexibility.
Nevertheless, or the more…..so this morning awoke to my normal routine, dogs at my heels, Ernie nearly knocking me over with his eagerness for his early morning bowl of crunchie doggie bits, jumping like a pogo stick with his excitement, (which when I have a grump going on drives me mad…..where I hold my hand above his head so he’ll ‘please stop’).
Who am I to curtail the joy of this wonder dog?
So this morning, into the kitchen, turn on my NON-Bunn coffee machine, a sprinkle of shrimp flakes for the fish, (also jumping up in the bowl with THEIR excitement of shrimp grub), turn amidst three twirling, jumping hound dogs, I turn off my house alarm system and head toward the back porch, Ernie pushing me all the way, Bert with his characteristic ‘bunny’, one of his dozen or so stuffed animals. He is my gift boy, always present with a ‘bunny’ to share. My boy! Out onto the porch, three noses poking at me to ‘hurry mom, we’re hungry’. Ernie first or I might get run over, Bert next and patient Bonnie, their mama, third. She let’s the bowl sit awhile, long after her two boys have eaten. And should Ernie approach her bowl after he is done, ooooh, we know who the true Alpha is, quiet mommy who can put him in his place with one yelp, despite being half his size.
In I fly followed by three kitties, all of whom have spent the night lounging under last night’s full and beautiful moon, enjoying the soft doggie cushions or porch furniture, hunting a bit maybe. In they fly, ready for their crunchy grub. Off I move to the laundry where there large bowl sits, ready to be filled. Scoop, scoop, all is well. Throw some wash from the washer to the dryer. (They like the vibration as they nibble atop this machine).
Back to the kitchen I move, rather quickly for this early hour. The coffee pot has barely spotted a drop of coffee. It is SLOW…..and I am not one to wait for my Joe….not sure how this (frankly expensive machine) became so SLOOOOW….but it is. I consider moving back to my computer….eager to get the day going.
But there are other things which need tending to. So, I make my lunch….my current theme, cottage cheese, mixed with yogurt and a slew of nuts and cut up some strawberries, dismayed that I’d let so many grow mold on them…..I sweeten the whole thing with stevia, stir it wildly and put it back in the fridge.
Coffee only 1/2 an inch high in the pot. Good heavens. The kitties all reemerge, ready to go outside again. My weekends at home are often spent opening and closing doors, the in and out animal game. They have me so well trained!
So, I empty the dishwasher, which I love to avoid. All these terrific modern conveniences…..I feel quite stupid complaining. But, bowls here, glasses there, coffee mugs stacked. I peer at the pot and hear myself saying outloud, ‘Damn this pot is SLOW.’
I pour my morning keifer drink to take my vitamins….slurp, slurp….wipe the counter, organize the fridge, throw out a few foldy, wrinkled pieces of neglected fruit, (how I hate waste), recycle a container or two. Drip, slooow drip, drip. I pick out a favored coffee mug, the new one, a find from Goodwill, with the curved edges, pottery feel, the perfect size, lip, texture, all important for my first early morning sipping experience. The second cup holds not the same allure, but the first, perhaps like a first kiss, always a bit different from whatever you’d experienced before, the sensation, warm, the way it goes down.
Finally, I can’t stand it. I pour a cup, thick as tar, dark as ink. I’d already heated my feaux half and half and upon sipping, DAMN, I can feel the hair sproinging from my chest it’s so strong. I like strong but this is TOO strong. I flip my filtered water spout and add some water to this lazy, non caring brew…..put it in the microwave, (which feels like blasphemy) and wait 19 seconds to heat it to my desired temp.
Out it comes, sip, ahhhh, a bit strong, but Houston, we have touchdown….liftoff!
Off to my bedroom. I sit with my computer, ponder my upcoming day, cup of brew by my side, all livestock tended and me, having a moment…..for me. A favored time, still a bit dark outside.
Life is good and ‘slow’, for this woman, is not bad.
Though….though she considers…..I will be acquiring soon, a Bunn-o-matic, (the other one lost in a divorce)…..I will find one, on sale too. Brew in 3 minutes flat. Rich, tasty, perfect every time and Quickdraw McDraw FAST. And if I must succumb to buying one overly priced unit NEW, it will no doubt, be WORTH EVERY DAD GUM, quick drip PENNY!!
BB Webb