Coffee, coffee, everywhere and not a drop to drink.

I'm a fan of coffee.  I'll drink it most ways as long as it's not McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, or Quik Trip brand, but I generally buy it iced from Starbucks, Dancing Goats, Java Monkey, or Revolution Doughnuts and add a shot of espresso and very, very light cream or almond milk. I put absolutely no sweetener in my drink of choice, because that addition would detract from the flavor of fully roasted goodness. Being an avid and dedicated coffee drinker may not be surprising, but what may set me apart from the crowd is how far I will go for coffee when I'm out of beans and there is an impending ice storm. I went to the Farmer's Market to eat lunch and grab some organic bread and chocolate before I was snowed in again, and, while its aisles were congested, I am used to a throng of exuberant shoppers there, so I plowed on and purchased my items.  Because of my previously mentioned affinity for Starbucks coffee, I decided I should also stop by Kroger for my afternoon fix and a bag to take home; however, I was greeted by a line that wrapped around all the way around the frozen food section and to the back of the store, ending basically a half a mile from the checkout lanes. Needless to say, I dropped by basket and went on my merry way.  I was thinking I had enough grounds at home to make one more pot of coffee, and I would just savor it and be okay.  WRONG! After a long evening carting adolescents and navigating the formidable streets of Atlanta during rush hour, I picked up my dog from daycare and drove the twenty minutes home only to find that I had about one teaspoon of coffee left over in my freezer.  This would obviously not do, so I packed up my wallet and drove about a mile to the Kroger on Metropolitan Parkway.  On a good day, this store is sleepy and filled with Ramen Noodles and Tahitian Treat but has a great organic section and Starbucks coffee, generally on sale. Last night the store was so packed I could hardly walk through the aisles sans cart, and I was bumped and pushed repeatedly within the first five seconds. The lines were snaked behind every register and led down each aisle to the back of the store: much worse that the afternoon Kroger trip. I  quickly grabbed my Espresso Roast and prepared to survive a 45-minute line behind families buying gobs of genetically-modified Frankenfood. Oodles of self control was exerted when a woman rung up $400 worth of groceries and had to put them back because she forgot her debit card pin. A cashier had to leave her line to take a bathroom break which nearly incited a riot, but I left the store surprisingly unscathed and surprised at how many shenanigans I will tolerate to drink a cup of coffee in the morning. Despite the drama of procuring my bag of coffee I was grateful to wake up this morning in my warm house and make a balanced breakfast, with coffee as the anchor.  Cheers!