Don't Cry Over Spilled Coffee . . .

I love coffee. I have for years. I remember years ago, when I was in high school, lets forget exactly how many years ago that was shall we?) anyway waaay back when I was in high school it was nothing for me to drink 8 cups of coffee a day. And last year, I found myself drinking 2 pots a day by myself. Nobody in my house drinks coffee but me, especially now that my coffee-drinking friend is relegated to cyber coffees from miles away. And I have cut myself back to less than a pot a day. Which means that lots of times there is coffee left in the pot the next morning.

So after a life-time of coffee making pleasure, you would think that I had this coffee making thing down by now. Wouldn't you? I should have it down pat, I should be able to stumble into the kitchen bleary eyed, fumble for the coffee and the perk and make this lovely drink of the gods in my sleep.

You would think so . . . but you would be wrong.

You see, I got this lovely new coffee perk about a year ago. I love it. It is beautiful, it is stainless steel with a lovely stainless steel insulated pot that keeps my coffee hot all day long and keeps it tasting like it was just made. It is wonderful. I love it.

Buuuuut . . . did you notice what that lovely coffee pot was made of? Stainless steel. Nice right? I have discovered that I am too stupid for a stainless steel pot. When I have a glass pot, I can see whether it is empty or not. With a glass pot, I am smart enough to empty out the pot when I make a new pot.

Now picture me, bleary-eyed, stupid tired, fumbling with filters, and coffee and water trying to create my little bit of liquid heaven. I put the coffee in the filter, I pour the water in, I push the little button and I go to sit down in a zombie like fashion staring at the paint on the wall, until the coffee is ready to wake me up properly. After a while I go into the kitchen, cup in hand, walking to my lovely perk and I see it. In my bleary state, I once again forgot to empty out the pot!! My pot overflowed and there is coffee everywhere, on my counter, on the floor, dripping incessantly into the sink.

I can see doing this once, maybe even twice! But I have done this sooooo many times. I tell myself to empty the pot before I make coffee. That isn't complicated. As I clean, I repeat it in my head, "Empty the Pot. Empty the Pot. Empty the Pot" like a child writing lines, trying desperately to drill this simple little fact into my head. And I will remember . . . for a while. Then one particularly tired morning, I will walk into the kitchen to be greeted once again by that mess taunting me with exactly how little I should be trusted first thing in the morning.

Apparently I am too stupid to operate a coffee perk first thing in the morning . . . . and they trust me with a child that hour of the day? Hmmm . . . go figure.