Coffee

Is there anything better in the morning than a good, strong cup of coffee? I love to drink coffee in the morning, especially that first cup right from the coffee maker. There are days when I don't have to work when I literally drink a whole pot by myself. But there are certain aspects of coffee drinking that continue to puzzle me. WHY does anyone drink de-caf in the AM? How can people scarfing down a fast food hamburger wash it down with java? Don't get me wrong, I love Mickey D's coffee. It's a far better value than Starbucks and a heck of a lot easier to order. At McDonald's you say "give me a large", at Starbucks you pull out your French/American travel dictionary and try not to look like a first time visitor when ordering a grande or vinte or whatever. I remember my first trip to a Starbucks. It was in Seattle and I went with my then 11 year old daughter. She being an SB veteran, led me by the hand and promptly ordered some 5 word concoction that I had know idea what it was. They made no attempt to card her so I assumed that the transaction that had just taken place was completely legal. I on the otter hand, stood stupefied by the menu of available beverages, finally looking the young pup barista in the eye and proclaiming, "I just want a regular cup of coffee". I KNOW that the little twerp behind the counter was chuckling to his core, but he successfully concealed such mirth, at least to the point of not embarrassing me to death. Oh well, we can all learn from our kids, can't we.