Virtual coffee with the family

 

I had Saturday morning's coffee outside on a balmy Sonoran Desert morning in Arizona with my mosquito repeller turned on because the little buggers are back! I took my glasses off so I could get more morning sun in my eyes. I love the bright green of the mug, which I got at the Cameron Trading Post near the Grand Canyon.

As I was sipping my morning coffee -- alone -- I thought about how nice it would be to be able to meet up with family now and then for breakfast. I envy families who can do that. But since we all live in different states, the next best thing was to shoot out a group text asking them to show me their morning beverages. Here they are!

From my son's family in Madison, WI, Ozzie enjoys his Starbucks toy ...

... while Dad (my son) uses a mug from his favorite movie, "The Big Lebowski," and Mom (daughter in law) loves her owl mug and farmers market flowers.

Across the country in Spokane, WA, another family pet gets in on the morning coffee. Pops insists on being on my son-in-law's lap with his thermos of coffee ...

... while my daughter sips from her favorite mug, which was given to her by my daughter in law in Madison.

Can you tell there's a toddler in the house?

We don't show their daughter's face on social media, so Dad stands in for her with her sippy cup of water and some morning reading. Or maybe he's just regressed, because parenthood can do that to you!

My sister Terry, visiting her son's family in Minneapolis, uses a handmade pottery mug. She's an artist.

Her husband's photo came with the comment, "Assembly required." But he also drinks espresso throughout the day.

My brother Kevin in San Diego, on the other hand, NEVER drinks coffee. But when he's headed out for the day he gets a Big Gulp filled with 85% diet Coke, 10% horchata, and 5% melon juice. He's an engineer, hence the precision. He said, "When I'm heading out early it's usually for a long day, so the steady low-grade caffeine infusion is therapeutic."

My other sister, Kathleen, enjoyed coffee on her deck on a soft western Washington morning. I see the mug is from Astoria, OR, a great little NW town.

And finally, Dave in drizzly Gig Harbor, WA, had his coffee in the mug our son gave to him years ago because they used to go canoeing and fishing every summer in Canada.

Well, it's not quite the same as visiting in person, but it was fun -- we'll have to do that more often!

Have a colorful day