Coffee Maker, Coffee Maker...Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?

Something very, very sad happened this morning.  I can barely stand to being myself to talk about but I suppose I must so the healing can begin. 

Let me set the scene for you:

My alarm went off at 6:45am, which I should have taken as a sign of things to come.  I hardly ever sleep all the way to my alarm.  Sleeping is for wimps....or at least for those without sleep issues of all shapes and sizes.  :)  Anyway....after my alarm went off, I stumbled out of bed, wiped the sleep from my eyes and attempted to get my bearings.  I left my room and headed down the hall.  I could hear Kelton already up and playing a computer game.  With bleary eyes, I made my way to the living room; turned off the porch light  and pulled open the blinds on the windows.  I passed the couch and straightened up the cat bed and then rounded the corner into the kitchen.

Coffee.  Coffee.  Coffee.  Beautiful coffee was waiting for me.

WAIT.

No it wasn't.  What the...?????  I stared at the empty coffee carafe in disbelief.  My eyes shot up to the program features.  Green "timer" light was on.  The red "on" light was on.  WHY WASN'T THE COFFEE READY AND WAITING?  What just happened here? 

I checked the contents.  Water?  Check.  Coffee grounds?  Check.

WHAT THE HECK????

Is this really happening?  It can't be.  This must be a nightmare.  I couldn't quite fit the pieces of the puzzle together for I wasn't yet awake...because...you know....I HADN'T HAD ANY COFFEE YET!!!

I double checked that the coffee maker had power.  Yes..the clock was on the the lights were lit.

CRAP.  Now what?

No extra pot because I gave it to Dakota when she moved out.

I went back to my room and climbed back into bed.  What to do, what to do? 

I Facebooked, of course.  A friend of mine posted back asking if I had a French Press.  Did I?  I couldn't remember.  Then it hit me!  I DID!  It is a teeny tiny one that came as a gift with something ages ago but it would work in an emergency and this was definitely an emergency.

I boiled water, put coffee grounds in the press and waited for the coffee to turn the right color.

I poured it into my waiting cup.  And then made another press-full because that one?  It didn't even come close to filling half my cup.  I added the second press-ful to my cup and added my creamer.  I took a drink.

BLECH!  I apparently don't like French Press coffee.  I did what any solider would do, though.  I sucked that puppy down and waited to start feeling human.

Yeah.  Not so much.

I got the kids ready for school and sent them on their way and then headed over to Stephanie's because I *KNEW* she would have coffee and I also knew she would have an extra coffee maker in her cabinet that I could borrow until I got a new one (in moments like this, I'm very glad she holds on to stuff.).  I walked in, barely said hello, and went straight to the coffee pot.  BLISS!  I made a giant cup and sat on the couch and drank it.  Every drop.  Then I turned to face Stephanie (who was already hard at work on business stuff) and sweetly said "Good morning!"

She laughed.  At me.  :)

Two additional cups later - I was feeling better. 

This afternoon I scoured Amazon, Target, WalMart and Overstock to see what I could find in the way of good coffee makers and I think I found one that will work out.  It's another Cuisinart but sadly, only a 12 cupper instead of my beloved 14 cupper.  I think it will do, though.  And it was price comparable to other machines on the market.  Shoot me but I have a problem with Mr. Coffee machines.  I don't know if it's the name or what but it's something and I just can't go there.  I looked at a Kitchen Aid maker at Target....for the price I would expect better.  MUCH better.  Passed on that one.  The Cuisinart I found wasn't any more expensive that a Mr. Coffee.  How long will it last?  I don't know but considering I have had this one for .....four years?  And I have worked it hard...I think I will get my money out of it.  And then some.  :)

But....it will take two days to get here.  Until then, I have the old dusty one from Stephanie's pantry.  Yes - it may take 20 minutes to brew a pot of coffee but there WILL be coffee in the morning.  And that is very, very important.