4:30 AM... An Ungodly Hour...

Oh the dreaded Monday morning alarm -

It blares at an ungodly hour; 4:30 AM like a foghorn in the silence....ok more like a bad radio station playing cheesy 90's hits, crackling from the bad connection.

Why so early?

To beat the insane heat of the desert. This hour is the only way I can get out and get my miles in before the crippling heat takes over.  Once the sun is up, the hope of a workout is gone. The predawn wake up is a necessary evil of fitness survival in the desert.

So... 4:30 it is. Stumbling down the stairs... my household knows to step out of my path. There's no messing with pre-caffeinated mom. They won't win and  they know it.

I make my way to the kitchen, pour a about a cup of grounds in the French Press Pot, wait for the water on the stove to  boil, pour it over the grounds and  then waiting... waiting... waiting... waiting for my first cup of thick mud-like liquid awake.

Yes. At this hour, I can't afford to be, nor do I have the awareness to be a coffee snob.  The mud will suffice for now.  The good cup will wait.  It comes with Mary Sunshine. She is much more picky than the Grumpy Gretta, the Sleepy Sally, and the Moody Madge that call me their residence - at least until Joe serves the eviction notice...

The Cup is Revived!

To honor my sweet morning companion, my true friend and confidant, the one that regardless of my morning attitude, or my morning looks, is there to comfort, revive, and listen unfailingly to whatever gripes I have for the day.... I am resurrecting this blog.

I hope you will join me here for daily, or almost daily musings over my cup o' joe. But, fair warning:...
Most of these post will be pre-caffeinated, half-awake, and morning stumbling musings.  If you follow me in other places, do not be alarmed. An imposter has not taken over by blog.  This is me, my morning self, just another facet of who I am: a caffeine dependent close to middle aged woman trying desperately to get herself up and going for the day!

If I sound snippy- so sorry.

If I am not chipper - too bad.

If I am not yet a barrel of sunshine to brighten your morning - get over it.

Check my other blogs, my twitter posts, or my Facebook page in about 10 minutes. You'll get that happy sunny fix you're looking for. By then the caffeine will have taken effect....

Coffe and Technology

As I am sitting here typing this post, I am also sitting in a hot coffee spot.

Who would have thought that coffee and computers would one day go hand in hand? Almost every brew station I enter has some sort or wi-fi connectivity going on. At first I was opposed to the idea, but I must admit, as time has gone on, I have become a fan.

For some reason, even out in public places, it is getting more difficult to connect with people face to face. People are busy, preoccupied, or just plain not interested in building relationships. B3eing online seems to help reduce the awkwardness of sitting alone at a table. It also creates a sense of connection to others.

How ironic that cyberspace connection - global and anonymous, has replaced the face to face interaction in the neighborhood caffeine filling stations!

Stop and Smell the Coffee

Ok. It's been a couple of weeks since I last wrote of my beloved coffee spot. It is not for a lack of love for my java joint.

It is because it is the holiday season.

I have been scrambling to get all of my busywork done for the Christmas Holiday. Rush, rush, rush, and run, run, run have been my mode of movement for the last few weeks. I have neglected to just sit and enjoy my place of nirvana in a cup. I have not slowed down enough to fill my cup. I have not savored the aroma of relaxation that I always find in my caffeinated home away from home.

But tomorrow is another day and another chance to stop and smell the coffee.

Black Friday...

In general, this term is used for the Friday after Thanksgiving-the first big shopping day that retailers really slash prices to draw consumers in.

I assume that the "black" means that at the end of the year, the retailers will be turning a profit, not a loss - ergo in their bottom line is in the "black."

It's not Black Friday for me for that reason.....

It is Black Friday for me because for some reason, more than any other day of the year, I need a cup of hot, strong, BLACK coffee.

Maybe it is because I am still in a tryptophan stupor from the enormous amount of Turkey I ate the day before. Maybe I am suffering a sugar crash from all the pumpkin pie. Maybe, just maybe, it is a coping mechanism to prepare me for the long holiday season ahead.

My Cup Runneth Over

Whether you call it java, joe, brew, or just plain coffee....ever cup I drink comes with overflowing blessings.

First, I am blessed to be able to get myself to my coffee spot everyday. I have been blessed with good health, safe and reliable transportation (via my car, my bike or my feet).

Second, I am blessed that I am able to purchase my cup each day. Yes, it is only a $1 refill each morning, but it today's world, many don't even have that much extra to spend.

Third, I am blessed to live in a place where I am allowed to come and go as I please, whether that be to my coffee spot, or anywhere else.

Lastly, I am lucky that I even have a refill mug to....refill. There are many people in the world that don't even have that!

The small things that I sometimes take for granted, come into clearer view at this time of year. I am grateful for all of the big things, but the little things get a bit clearer.

I am grateful that every year at this time I realize - my cup runneth over.

Give Me a B!

On any given day at my coffee spot, this is what I see...

Blackberries ringing,
books being read,
business being conducted,
Bibles being shared,
babble between friends and acquaintances
babies begging for mom's attention, banging tables and biting bitty snacks,
bagels,
buns,
big mugs brimming with brew,
boisterous boys and girls on their lunch break,
Best and worst traits of people.