Coffee in Bed

A small but not insignificant retiree’s reward for a lifetime of rushing, rushing to school, rushing to work, rushing home, rushing somewhere, anywhere, is that, in addition to the pension, the travel, the midweek matinees, the  aimless walks through the park, is  the possibility of drinking coffee in bed. No more Styrofoam or those iconic blue and white pattered Greek diner cups, impossibly stained metal thermos’, bitter Starbucks, lukewarm Dunkin’ Donuts, despicable office blend from a grungy pot, but an oversize coffee bowl of steaming brew, precipitously perched on a pillow as I read the morning paper. Open the blinds, watch the river, enter a little piece of heaven (for at least an hour or so).

If I wake too early, I might try to sleep some more but eventually give up, a little tired but cheerful because I have just been awarded some extra coffee time. 

It’s not that I’m an addict.  Yes, I do get a headache if I miss my daily dose of caffeine.  Yes, I do get cranky.  But there is also something so cozy and  comforting about being under a big fluff of down with a deliciously hot cup of aromatic Jamaican Blue Mountain.

My barista skills are limited.  My daughter bought me a Chemex (the nice one with a handle) and I broke it and two replacements. Then she bought  a Le Creuset French Press and I broke that one too (don’t ask). She has forgiven me but I listened to those liars at Wirecutter and bought their number one pick in drip machines, its stainless steel carafe, practically indestructible.  The coffee is never hot enough,  but the machine is still standing.

This coffee habit means that I’m constantly running out of coffee.  After several emergency trips to Zabars, I decided to treat myself to a coffee subscription. First, it was Peet’s, but like any good junkie I am always looking for a better fix.  Now, it’s Atlas, rated best single origin roaster by some very “Wired”  Cutter reporters.   Every month, I get two bags of coffee from a different exotic country.  I don’t know if it’s really the best coffee, but the bags sure are beautiful.