Morning coffee

I love coffee. Especially in the morning. Usually can't wait for that first sip. It's the best part of breakfast. I like it best at home, but I'll stop and buy some for a morning car trip. Doesn't have to be fancy. I don't especially care for that Coffee-Palace-From-Hell, Starbucks (which I expect to open a branch in my living room any day just because of the way they proliferate!). Maybe people like burnt, over-roasted coffee with whipped cream on top, but gimme something from my local Cup O'Joe or Stauf's Coffee Roasters. Heck, a fresh pot at the Speedway does me. So while I love coffee, I ain't picky. At home, I like Folger's or Maxwell House, though Kroger has some good blends. And, yes. I use that pre-ground stuff. It's what I grew up on (actually, I grew up on instant coffee, so brewed is a real step up!), and I cannot face the racket of grinding beans first thing of the day. And no flavored coffees either. Just a way to disguise poor quality coffee beans and it rarely tastes like "chocolate raspberry" or whatever is being foisted off as the flavor. I drink my coffee black most of the time, although at work I mix the coffee (which I usually have at my first break on days I open) with a shot of the "cappucino" from the machine there. It's powdered creamer mostly, but it comes out hot so I can keep the coffee at a decent temperature to drink on a 15 min. break. I keep some sugar-free Torani syrups at home in case I feel like tarting up my coffee in the afternoon or evening, which are the times I usually tart up coffee. Raspberry or caramel are what usually find their way in. A cinnamon stick or a cardamom pod are good to stick in the filter basket if I'm in the mood for that sort of thing.

Coffee is something that smells better than it tastes, and when I think of puppy breath, I liken it to the smell of freshly ground coffee beans. Of course, that is long before they become Dogzilla. Whose breath could generally melt the paint off a barn. No, no. You have to catch the wee beasties before they are fully weaned and just living on puppy chow and mother's milk. I generally don't do decaffeinated coffee because I liken it to non-alcoholic beer. What IS the point? I consume beer and coffee primarily because I am going for the mood-altering effects, with taste a distant second factor. Instant coffee is good to have around for baking, but otherwise, only in a real pinch if no other kind of coffee is available.

My favorite coffee drinking experience is probably the coffee I drank from styrofoam cups on the southern rim of the Grand Canyon. I was the only one in my group that got up to watch the sun come up over the canyon, and there was nothing quite like standing there in the chill air with a warm cup of coffee warming my hands and watching the sun peep up on the horizon. Of course, there was also that woman who came huffing out of one of the government "hotels" that is on the rim and asked "Well, where does the sun come up?" I privately thought that anyone who had forgotten where the sun came up (even if you had forgotten all of your Girl Scout training,which would have told you that if you were facing north, the east is off to your right, the rosy glow in the sky should have been a sign) should probably not be standing so close to an unfenced 400 ft. drop, but I just gestured instead. I also love a cup of coffee after a nice run or walk on a snowy morning or when the sun is just coming up on a cool summer morning and I am on the back porch at my dad's. Drinking coffee with my friend Meg, whenever we manage to get together for one of our girl's nights in, is also one of my favorite things about coffee.

So that's my coffee story. Doing laundry now, and it is about time to check on it. And pour my second cup of coffee.....

Groundhog Day

My favorite Feb. holiday. I actually look forward to hearing about Punxsutawney Phil's "prediction". This year, we are in for 6 more weeks of winter, which, if it is like the winter we've had so far, is okay in my book.

Haven't been inclined to update or check in until today. Lots of it is because I have been working opening shifts quite a bit. I tell you, I generally prefer to close rather than open. Opening means getting up at 6 every day. I was ever so happy to get to sleep until 8 this morning, and that was after I conked out on the sofa last night from about 9:30 to 12:30. Last night was definitely one of those nights that I catch up on any sleep I've missed!

I'm closing this evening, and then I am off for a four day weekend. Would have been a three day weekend, but I got a call yesterday a.m. from my boss. The opening front end supervisor had to call off, my boss had to go to a mandatory meeting, and I was the one they could get in touch with. When the offer was to give up my day off in exchange for Friday (hence the three day weekend became a four day weekend), I said sure! I didn't have any real plans and I was already up and showered.

I'm looking forward to having the extra time off. Tomorrow I can catch up on laundry, dishes and other housework. Then Sat. & Sun. I can head north to visit Dad, although I am sure that Dogzilla thinks I come up just to entertain his furry self. Not that he is spoiled and could easily draw that conclusion, mind you! Dad and I are going to my brother's to watch the Super Bowl, so that will be fun on Sunday evening. I will probably just stay at Dad's Sun. night and head back early on Monday to catch up with some more stuff at home. Possibly even tackle the Dreaded Spare Room. Honestly, it is just a matter of getting stuff into file folders and finishing with the shredding/sorting of a few remaining stacks of papers.

Since I've last posted, I did try a new recipe for posole. Actually, I looked at recipes for it and determined that I could put some ingredients into my big crockpot and make posole. Anyhow, I've got that to see me through the better part of the week. I got salad stuff yesterday. I want to try a salad of avocado, grapefruit sections and red onions with a citrus-based dressing. Possibly with a little cilantro. I thought it sounded refreshing and it would go nicely with the soup.

I am in desperate need of some crunches. I am looking very poofy around the middle right now. So, onto the exercise ball! And I am going to try the painful "Abs of Steel" tape. It hurts, but it is really just a series of crunches and it is very short and effective. I'm off now to do some nice squats and lunges. I just feel like a little bowl of jelly right now! So, I am going to start toning up!