coffee

Coffee Girls: Confession #12

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My grandmother passed away a few days ago. She was 82. Such a sweet, mellow, dear old lady. She didn’t live close by, but family would go visit every few months. When she allowed it. We always had to give her advance notice… boy did she insist on having advance notice. Even though she sometimes seemed a little off, she was always interested in everything we did.

What I remember most about her is how much she loved pizza. And dancing. And scented candles. She would have scented candles all over the house. And large fans in the windows. I never could understand why she had such an affinity for window fans… until she passed. She was using them to clear the air. Seems sweet Nana was growing marijuana in the vegetable garden. Growing, harvesting and smoking it. I guess, that explains a lot of things. Way to go Nana! I’m both shocked and kind of proud.

Coffee Girls: Confession #9

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I like crossword puzzles. I just love challenging myself to filling in those little white squares. And, yes, I often have a cup of coffee while doing one.

I was introduced to these brain challenges at an early age by my father. He was a crossword junkie. If there was a puzzle within a paper, he’d be on it like gravy on mom’s mashed potatoes. It was how he started his day pretty much every weekend and on weekdays once he retired. I can still see him in my mind at the table with his morning cup of coffee and the newspaper opened to the crossword puzzle. (I can also still see him with paper and pen in hand on his way to the “throne room”.)

Unlike me, the more difficult the puzzle, the happier he’d be. As a kid, the easy clues would be thrown my way and later, the harder ones. It was a game I loved to play. When I didn’t know the word, mom would find an excuse to leave the vicinity so he wouldn’t throw them her way. She didn’t play this game. Anyway, my dad started me on this path and after all these years, I’m still on it.

Coffee Girls: Confession #8

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I think coffee is so cool. I drink it hot, but I think it’s cool. You know what I mean? I didn’t like it at all the first time I tried it. I was like, this is terrible! I think I was twelve. However, I’m fourteen now and my taste buds are more mature. Most of my friends drink their coffee cold, you know, “iced”. That’s ’cause they like to carry it around and be seen with it. At least that’s what I think. I don’t drink it every day. My mom won’t let me. She goes on and on about too much caffeine in my body. Like I’m gonna pee too much or something. I don’t know. Sometimes she’s so weird. I tell her it helps me concentrate on my homework. Actually, it helps me concentrate on my favorite YouTube channels.

Coffee Girls: Confession #7

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If I tell a bestie that “I really need a cup of coffee”, that’s my code for I’m having a pity party and I need some sympathy. Sometimes this party happens at my place, sometimes at theirs. Depends on how big the meltdown is. These never happen at a public place, like a coffee shop. Goodness no. I don’t have my pity parties in public. That would be embarrassing with the mascara running, and the sniffling, and the squeaky voice… you know what I mean. Why coffee and not something stronger? Well, for me, coffee is so much more sympathetic. The cup is warm and feels like a hug in my hands. It’s also like a little blanket of warmth as it goes down… unless I let it sit too long while I’m telling my sob story. Mostly though, it’s because it’s cheaper than booze.

The Coffee Girls: Confession #6

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There’s a coffee shop that I go to a lot that I haven’t told my best friends about. It’s not an upscale place. Nothing trendy or anything like that. I’m not sure my friends would even go there if I casually brought it up. Most likely they would roll their eyes and at laugh at my choice. It’s kind of an old hole in the wall place. Trust me, you’d never see it on a list of popular places to meet up. It’s dark, quaint, off the beaten path. However, they don’t know what I discovered there.

The coffee isn’t the real reason I stop in. Coffee is pretty much the same in all the local coffee bars in my area. So it’s not the coffee, though it’s good there. No complaints about the coffee. What keeps me coming back is that I discovered this grande, steamy hot South American blend that makes my mouth water the minute I walk in the door. Antonio. His name is Antonio. He could be selling Folger’s in a dixie cup for eight dollars a pour and I’d keep coming back. Don’t ask me where this place is. I’m not telling.

The Coffee Girls: Confession #1

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I wasn’t always hooked on coffee. It wasn’t until later in life that I discovered the thrill of a hit of hot caffeine to get the brain juices going. For most of my life, I was more of a soft caffeine kind of gal. You know, a Dr. Pepper or a root beer poured over the rocks or straight up from the can. I’m not sure what got me started on the hot stuff, I’m thinking it was most likely the need to fit in, to be one of the cool kids… ok, the cool adults. To be able to smile and be part of the coffee bar group.

I never thought coffee would affect me much. I didn’t feel like it was making me act any different. I was wrong. It’s a sneaky little charmer. It sucks you in. A morning coffee hit becomes two hits. Once a day becomes two or three times a day. You’d think that after so many years, I’d develop a tolerance. Nope. I crave it. I need it. It’s my bean of choice.

I think I hide my coffee addiction well, but to be honest, I’m totally wired most of the time.