I started the day with gusto, but my energy was starting to wane.
86 coffees hadn’t sustained me through my morning, so I decided to kick it up a notch.
I was going to make my first cappuccino.
All
on
my
own.
My husband had made the last 300 or so, and it had looked so easy.
Yet, when I approached my new cappuccino maker, it slowly turned into a dragon.
A dragon I had to slay.
A couple of Christmases ago, I bought my husband a minimalistic, handmade, expensive coffee maker from Holland. The type you have to buy at a pizazz Kitchen place. No Wal-Mart gift from this gal. GO big or go home.
This Christmas, my hubby continued the coffee dream and my obsession with cappuccinos with my own machine. He is super nice, and I was stealing too much of his coffee.
I love cappuccinos. But, the milk, be it cow’s milk, oat, almond or soy despised me. Tummy ache central. Lactose free milk was my salvation. Yet, I wasn’t going to be one of those weirdos who takes her own milk to Starbucks to make a cappuccino or latte. No way.
Thus, I had to be content with my first world problem and stick with my regular coffee every morning. Until now.
I tried to remember everything my brilliant and mechanically inclined husband had done. Water, check, coffee, check, milk, check.
I started the coffee and made the mistake of checking my phone at the same time. This is only a two- or four-ounce small glass pitcher. I had a spastic fit as the coffee spilled over the rim and onto the spill proof tray. When I darted to turn off the machine, I hit it, unsettling the coffee into streams running down the cabinet, burning myself in the process.
I took deep breaths.
Deep. Deep breaths.
I removed the pot and cleaned the mess. Step 1 down. Coffee was made. I counted that as a success.
I started the steamer and with trembling hands brought the silver pitcher of milk up to the dragon’s breath.
And was baptized with milk.
Not the sprinkling kind of baptism, but full immersion.
I took a deep breath. Choked on my lactose free milk.
Turned off the steamer and tried again.
Better. I had it better under control that time.
Until the steam fizzled out. I fiddled with the knob, turned it back on and the machine STARTED BOUNCING.
I turned it off and fled from the now steam-free dragon.
I finished my milk bath. Changed my clothes and cleaned up my mess.
No one ever had to know.
I grabbed my keys and wallet and drove to Just Coffee. I received a free birthday cappuccino.
Got a tummy ache, but it was worth it.
Talk about kicking my morning up a notch.
The next day I made cappuccino with my husband watching my every step.
I did it!
Thought, Word & Deed
A weekly newsletter by Katie Rea.
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