Coffee to Tea

12:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 54 Comments

Michael's Coffee Hop
Ahhh coffee...how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways?

I love thee to the stench of breath you bring
My soul can wake, when ingesting caffeine
For the end of brewing  and ideal taste.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by gurgle, cough, and spit.
I love thee freely, or for dollars a cup;
I love thee purely, black, straight up.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my early hours, eyes stubborn to wake.
I love thee with a love I will never lose
With my saints, I love thee with bad breath,
Colombian, Mocha, or Java- if God chooses,
I shall share a cup better after death. 

Yes. Coffee is special to me. Just the aroma stirs special memories.

Every day at 6:30 AM my dad left for work. Five days a week for over thirty years, my dad went to a job he hated because he had five kids...and that's just what dad's did.

When I was a little girl, I'd meet him dad at the front door so he could pick me up and give me a hug. As I got older (and heavier!) I'd meet him instead with a cup of joe.

I later realized I was a HORRIBLE coffee maker, but he never complained. I got a head pat and a "thank you baby". Then he would settle down in his chair with his newspaper and choked down my cup of love.

One of my saddest, reality smacks to the face was when Dad's cancer treatments made coffee a stomach saboteur. He couldn't drink it anymore because it made him feel sick. But in typical Dad fashion, he simply said, "Not to worry. I'll take a cup of tea."

My dad, Ken.
Always was the most special guy. 


54 comments:

  1. Hi, Elizabeth.... I am so glad this was the first entry I read. LOVELY tribute to your dad! I got all choked. I wrote about my mom.

    LOVE the poem. Very clever and amusing. WE are off to a GREAT HOP!

    Thanks SOOOOO much for participating!

    Have a great weekend. And don't forget to drop by on Monday to see who gets the COLOMBIAN ELIXIR OF LIFE .... LOL.

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    1. I am just getting around to reading them. What a great idea you had Michael!

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  2. Aww! Sounds like your dad was an awesome man!

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  3. TEARS.

    Elizabeth...this was beautiful. The poem was cute and snarky (and quite enjoyable), the tribute a delight.

    A pure pleasure to read this morning over my cup of coffee.

    M.L. Swift, Writer

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    1. Thanks Michael. We all have somebody we miss, but I guess that makes us appreciate the people we still have!

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  4. You were a good daughter. Lousy coffee maker, but a great daughter.

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  5. What a special father and you were a devoted a little girl. Such a sweet post.

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  6. Oh, what a sweet story. He sounds like a wonderful dad. :)

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  7. Great post! No one makes coffee like my Dad. He uses one of those old stove top percolators and no matter what I do or how I do it, my coffee never tastes the same. :)

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    1. My grandmother always used one of those and it was some of the best coffee. They can be hard to find now.

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  8. Hi, Elizabeth. What a wonderful tribute to your dad.

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  9. Beautiful post Elizabeth. And I am a coffee lover because of my Dad too. Just the smell of it brewing reminds me of him.

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    1. I agree. I love to smell it brewing. So many of my favorite people have shared that love. That smell is better than pictures to bring back memories.

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  10. Got me all choked up with this post…yes, coffee and dad - special memories indeed!

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  11. Such wonderful memories. Thank you for sharing Liz and this hop is a nice one.

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    1. My pleasure! And yes, Michael came up with a good idea :)

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  12. My parents drank it all the time, but me, tried it a few times and blah, so no coffee for me.

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    1. My husband hates it too. Loves the smell, hates the flavor. I learned to like the flavor after working a few years...coffee was always free and I was always broke!

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  13. Coffee makes me feel sick, too. Can't even drink decaf anymore. I can have tea, though. Love my Yerba in the morning.

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    1. Coffee can be hard on the stomach evidently. I love my tea too. I'm an equal opportunity drinker ;)

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  14. Elizabeth, remarkable poem and tribute to your dad.

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  15. I do like my coffee, but I have met a few I didn't like. I like tea as well. Such a nice dad, with a lovely daughter who just wanted to make his day a bit nicer. Enjoyed your post!

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    1. He had five kids...the man deserved a break every now and then! I have had some horrible cups of coffee...usually made by myself!

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  16. I'm sure your father appreciated the thought if not the effort.

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    1. I think he did. He was a pretty easy guy to please.

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  17. Wow. lots of this hop posts made me laugh but you choked me up. Dads are special.

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    1. Oh no, I hate to be a downer...but as long as other people made you laugh, it's good, right?

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  18. I like French Vanilla creamer with a tiny bit of coffee :)

    I once decided to bring my dad breakfast in bed, which consisted of two poptarts and a beer. He still says it's the best breakfast he's ever had. Dads are great!!

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  19. Lovely story. What a kind dad, and a wonderful daughter. Thanks for making me smile!

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  20. Hi Elizabeth,

    Your dad, what a marvel. This was a bitter sweet posting. And no reference to your coffee making.

    Take care, Elizabeth.

    Gary

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    1. I've gotten better at the coffee Gary. I got some tips from some master coffee makers!

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  21. Aw, what a great guy. My dad's always drank coffee too. It's one of those things we share a love of. Smiles for your dad!

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  22. Your dad sounds lovely. I realised only recently that I'm not very good at making coffee either - Hubby had to teach me!

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    1. Oh no! I never let mine teach me anything. I just tell him he's the master at it and let him make me coffee! LOL. I am so lazy.

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  23. You sound like a very thoughtful daughter to meet him at the door every day.

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    1. It didn't start as a noble endeavor. He used to bring me candy stashed in his lunch box.

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  24. Ah. That was absolutely wonderful.

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  25. Aww, what great memories. I keep trying to like tea, but I can't do it. Coffee all the way!

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    1. I like both, but I drink more tea because my husband doesn't like coffee.

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  26. That's really sweet. I've been a coffee drinker since I was little because my mom worked nights and let it there. I also love tea.

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    1. I like them both too. My dad started drinking coffee as a very young boy (about 8) because his dad was a postal carrier and would leave for work early and the coffee would be hot and ready when dad woke, so he drank it. He said my grandma always told him it would stunt his growth, but he was over 6 foot, so I don't think it hurt.

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