Day Twelve: Thankful for Coffee

                          

We're almost halfway through November, already, and I'm starting to think I better get my behind in gear and do some Christmas shopping!  I never usually wait this late to, at least, get started with it.  But, I've had so much going on, lately, and my weekends have been pretty full with other stuff....

That's why I'm so thankful for coffee.

And no that wasn't a complete "squirrel" moment, shifting from one topic to the next.  One of the many reasons I'm thankful for coffee is because it gives me some calmness to my stress.  There's just nothing like a hot cup of coffee to help ease the mind and body.

I have been a coffee drinker for as long as I can remember.  It's the first thing I run to when I wake up in the morning, and during the cold months, it's the last thing I do before I go to bed.  I've been drinking coffee for so long, that it doesn't have an effect on me if I drink it five minutes before hopping in to bed.  I'll still sleep like a baby.  

Drinking coffee doesn't effect me, but not drinking coffee has detrimental effects on me.  I will have headaches if I go too long without some coffee...and I'm talking days, here.  OK, maybe two days.  I am obviously addicted to caffeine, but there are worst things I could be addicted to.  I've also been told that I can be quite crabby if I go too long without having a cup of coffee.

Case in point, first thing in the morning.  Hubby and the kids know that it's probably not a good idea to speak to me or even make eye contact with me until I've had a few drinks from my first cup of coffee.  It's one of the reasons I get up an hour before everyone else in my house during the week.  It gives me some time to get some coffee inside of me before the kids get up.  I tend to be a little touchy and short fused until I've at least got a cup of coffee in my hands.  

But regardless of the side effects the coffee, or lack thereof, has on me, I absolutely LOVE coffee.

During the warm months, I can settle on drinking coffee first thing in the morning, and that's just about it.  I might have a couple of cups first thing in the morning, and then I'm good to go until the next morning.  But, when it's cold outside?  There's just nothing better than having a hot cup of coffee to warm the hands and warm my insides.  Hubby always has a pot of coffee ready for me when I get home in the evenings, and then I curl up on the couch with my crocheting and my coffee and relax the evening away.

Pure, winter, paradise.

And, there's always the amazing creamers that come out during the winter.  I'm not a black coffee drinker, I like some creamer in my coffee.  For the most part, I stick to non-fat, plain powder creamer.  But, during the winter, I'll spend a small fortune on the festive flavored creamers that are available.  

Being that the cold weather started around here about a month ago, I've already tried a couple of different creamers.  I've had the Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie, Cold Stone Creamery Sweet Cream, and the Caramel Macchiato.  Right now, I have Bailey's White Chocolate Peppermint and White Chocolate Raspberry in the fridge.  

While those types of creamers can be detrimental to weight loss efforts, I am thankful that I need less than a teaspoon of creamer in my coffee in order for me to enjoy it.  I want to be able to taste the coffee, and not be overwhelmed by sweetness.  I drip enough creamer in my coffee so that it turns a dark brown color, and that's perfectly fine with me.  I like the hint of creamer with my coffee rather than the reverse.

That's also why you won't find me at places like Starbucks spending a fortune on a cup of coffee.  I just can't bring myself to spend $5 on a cup of coffee that doesn't even taste much like coffee.  I don't want flavored milk with a hint of coffee.  A regular, old cup of black coffee with a drip of some creamer is perfectly fine with me.  

Another thing I've found coffee to be great for is helping relieve stress.  If I'm overwhelmed or stressed about something, a hot cup of coffee really helps me take a breath and put some things in to perspective.  If I'm having a tough day at work, I'll walk down to the break room and grab a cup of coffee.  If I'm cursing at my computer because I can't think of what to write for a homework assignment, I'll take a second to get up and grab a cup of coffee and sit and think while I'm drinking it. If I'm tired and grumpy, I'll grab a cup of coffee and just focus on the soothing steam and warmth of it in my hands.  All of those things are relieved with the coffee, and I'm able to start over, clear my mind, and just perk up if I have that cup of coffee.

I'm sure that drinking as much coffee as I do between the months of October and April is somehow bad for my health, but like I stated earlier:  There's worst things I could be consuming in such large quantities.  I'm quite sure that coffee is much better for me than soda.  Black coffee is calorie and sugar free, and even if I add a half a teaspoon of creamer to each cup, I'm not exactly drinking tons of calories there.  I'm happy I rely on coffee versus alcohol.  I'm sure that some of the stress I've encountered could be fatal if I was a heavy alcohol drinker.  But, I don't have to worry about that, because coffee does the job I need it to do.

So, this morning, this FREEZING cold morning, I am thankful for the warmth and comfort my coffee provides me.  It helps me prepare for my day, warms me up, and gets me pumped and ready to go.  

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!