Coffee talk

Jerry and I were at Living Room Coffee and Kitchen this morning in Maplewood, between an appointment and an errand. We’re on a search for “our” coffee place. We’ve tried the Protagonist and their sister shop, the Antagonist; the Maplewood Coffee and Deli, and of course, the MauHaus Cat Café, which is a little further down the street from Living Room. We did try a place in Belleville called Justitia’s Coffeehouse (across from the county courthouse), but the coffee was not great, though it is next door to a wonderful little independent bookstore.

I’ve been anxious to find a good cappuccino, and I deduct points if there is any talk of “wet or dry?” I want it the way it is served at Bazzanti Café Sas in the old city of Gaeta, Italy. When I mention this, I get the 'bless your heart' head nod. Followed by a lukewarm, bitter, or very weak coffee in a milk mixture. Bah. Living Room has come the closest so far. So that was nice. And while we were there, we were able to discuss and solve some of the world’s conundrums. Nothing US-based, really, but certainly how to keep the stone skipping competition in Scotland honest.

We went down a bit of a rabbit hole on what must be the awkwardness of Goofy and Pluto, as one is a dog that gets to drive cars, wear clothes, and talk, and the other is someone’s (Mickey Mouse) pet. Shouldn’t Goofy be trying to liberate him? Is Mickey really Goofy’s friend, if he can subjugate another of the species? It got a bit deep at table 11, but it was a good way to make the hour pass.

And here’s the black panther that enjoys our yard (and the many treats we share).

Everything will leave us except the shadows*

The weather has been cool, the air dry and clear. We have had two or three days where we've had the windows open all day, and we have woven ourselves in and out of the house as needed to visit neighborhood cats -- this is "Socks" -- he's a nice fellow who comes around now and again. 

The birds, too, are enjoying the weather. The wrens are glorious with song. My little garden is wild and full of blooms and tomatoes. I've harvested some of the cosmos' seeds for next year and will leave the rest for whoever hungers. 

Mostly, I've been trying to pay attention. Woke, if you will, going back to what woke means. Reading some good things. Have you read Chloe Dalton's Raising Hare? Just a lovely story. Defenestrate by Renée Branum? Another charming and fresh story, with characters that intrigued me. (Branum is the sister of one of my new poet friends, and I met her in Barcelona this summer)

Well. That's it. Some wonder, some cats, some light. Stay safe, stay woke.

 

*W.S. Merwin The Wings of Daylight