Have Thermos, Will Travel

In an effort to save money (and the environment) I've stopped picking up coffee each morning. For the last three years I have been a dedicated Caribou girl. Each morning I would stop and pick up a large dark roast to take to work. On Fridays it would be accompanied by a piece of Cinnamon Coffee Cake or a French Toast Muffin. My treat for making it through the week.

But you don't have to be a math major to figure out how fast that adds up. A large coffee with tax is $2.11. A large coffee with pastry is $4 something. Over the course of a week that works out to $13, and that's only if I don't tip. So this week I stopped going. I drove past Caribou and went straight to work. But don't even get the idea that I've stopped drinking coffee. In fact, I'm drinking far more than ever.

A couple years ago I bought a Thermos brand thermos, which came in incredibly handy when I broke my ankle. And while I would make coffee at home occasionally, I never really used the thermos. Now I keep wondering why. My thermos can hold most of a pot of coffee and the amount left over is perfect for a travel mug (it's like they planned it that way :-) ). The thermos can keep the coffee hot for at least eight hours which means that I can have wonderfully hot coffee in the afternoon, if it lasts that long. So I've started making coffee at home and taking it to work.

Now instead of a 20 oz coffee to start my day, I drink an entire pot...of decaf. I know that I shouldn't drink an entire pot of regular every morning (not that I can't) so I brew decaf. I've set up my coffee pot to delay brew and have fresh piping hot decaf ready for me each morning. So far I haven't noticed the lack of caffeine. The only thing I worried is that I would miss the coffee lid. I used to hate drinking coffee through those tiny slit lid. Now I find that I'm addicted. I love how slow it allows me to drink, savoring my coffee for hours while still keeping it hot. Luckily the folks at DC Craft have my back. This is the "I Am Not a Paper Cup" cup. Refillable, washable, it comes with a silicone lid and silicone wrap for my hand. It holds almost 20 ounces and makes me incredibly happy. So in one week I've gone from Caribou addict to happily self-sufficient. If only my meals were that easy.

Queen of Caffeine no more

If you asked me what my favorite beverage is, it would be coffee. Of all the vices to have coffee is my biggest one. I can drink it all day. I tend to be the happiest when I have a fresh hot cup of coffee in hand. Jeff hates even the smell of it but it is one of those things I just can't give up. Leaded, decaf, doesn't matter as long as you don't add anything too it. I'm not a cream and sugar girl.

I recently switched to decaf because I can then drink more of it. I have decaf at both home and work and drink a pot of the stuff every day. I was starting to notice that after a pot of regular coffee my stomach felt bad and I was jittery. Decaf tastes just the same without the adverse side effects.

This morning though I stopped at Caribou on my way in for a large dark roast and a chocolate covered graham cracker. Heaven!! Apparently going decaf means that it is impossible for me to go back to leaded. I'm not even finished with my 20 oz and already I'm shaky. My stomach has the sour feeling that it used to get after a full 70 oz. I am apparently losing my ability to handle caffeine. So here I sit at work, with my hands shaking, my mind racing, my body trying to jump out of its skin, and a slightly sick feeling. I'm going to swear off the stuff. It is the only way to stop this terrible feeling. No more. Caffeine I mean. I could never give up coffee!