I love Earl Grey tea, but mornings belong to Joe

I had just finished my chores when I spotted a car parked in front of the house.  Suddenly, my feet were moving and the race was on--through the den to the foyer, a short slide across the hard wood floors and a sudden skid, drag, stop at the open screen. Ninja skilled Bertie didn't have a chance in hell this morning. I was at the door ready to greet on cue before she could sneak away with the keys I had placed in the mailbox for her.

"Good morning," I said ."Gotcha, I was ready for you today Bertie.  Didn't want you to think I sleep all the time."

Laughing like a kid who just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar, Bertie said, "I thought I saw somebody up in the front of the house. I'm impressed. Usually, you're still in bed."

"Yeah, well not today. I was bound and determined to get to the door first. You doing all right this morning? How about the storms; did you have any problems on Saturday with the tornadoes?"

"Nope, we were find, but I drove around yesterday and took a look at the damage. It was pretty bad. Sanford was hit hard."

"You got a couple of minutes? I've got a fresh pot of coffee on."

"Sure, why not!"

***

Fifteen years ago, my alarm clock rang at 5 A.M. and by 6 A.M. the kids and I were driving to work/school- a 45 minute drive to the northern part of the county.  As a whole, we were lucky. I always made it a point to have my kids attend the school in which I taught. It was easier to keep an eye on them and their studies.
But now, I'm lucky if I climb out of bed by 7:30. Most would call me a slugbug, but I call it a lapse in reason for the betterment of those I live with.  I'm much happier having an extra couple of hours of sleep followed by a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Mix this with laughter and conversation and life is almost perfect.

                     "A cup of coffee commits one to forty years of friendship," Turkish proverb