Welcome to my April 2021 Great and Powerful Blogging from A to Z Challenge!

I’ve revealed my theme (Photos and Stories), and once again, in spite of the best laid plans (who am I kidding, there were no plans, only aspirations) I am going to be blogging my theme letters on the fly.  So, here goes nothing!

Today, C is for Coffee mugs.  This piece is part of my one of my assignments for the Creative Writing course I just finished.  I am hoping to do more of this kind of writing as I get my act together here!  The pictures, those are all new.

Coffee coffee coffee.  I confess, I need coffee in the morning, first thing.  Well, after I get up and feed the cats.  Cats need to be fed first or there will be no peace for coffee.  Then coffee. I am so glad we bought this new machine with so many fancy coffee options.  So glad that I stick to the traditional Americano, customized so it just fits my favourite mug.  No experimentation for me.  I mean, I’ve had enough change over the past year, I don’t need to seek out more.  The rules exist for a reason.

I take one sip before I meditate, just enough to dust off the brain and ready it for mindfulness.   Then a few  more sips while I write my morning pages.  Ah… I wake up feeling tired and foggy and like I’m catching a cold, but coffee brings me back so I can face the day.   Then, the routine continues, rules dictating a second cup.  A second cup with breakfast on work days, a second cup to savour on its own on weekends.  Then eventually  a third.  On weekends after lunch, on weekdays before my first morning meeting of the day.  All easy now that I work from home.  No commute, no lineups at the coffee place, no shelling out money for an expensive latte (‘cause I can’t just drink regular coffee at a coffee place…yes I have weird rules.)  No.  All at home, and all in my favourite mug.

The rules will never allow me to drink coffee at home out of another mug. It reminds me of my grandmother and  the prairies, from a pottery store (Hanson and Ross) in the valley, south of where, my brother, parents, and i lived in Regina.  My grandparents visiting from the states, bought these mugs took them away and probably used them.  Then when my grandma passed away, the mugs came to me, since then, my go to for the comfort that wakes me and keeps me going.

I can’t believe I still have all four of them, sitting now with me as I write, one watching me now and lending its quiet support during my evening coffee, the rules allowing me one more post work as I wind down and head into relaxation.  I wonder how long I will be able to indulge in this caffeinated joy before my aging body refuses to sleep for reasons outside the realm of work related stress and worry.

Thanks for visiting my 2021 A to Z Challenge – Letter C.  You can find links to more blogs participating in this challenge at A to Z 2021 Challenge Master List (Google Docs).