Grant Robert, Barista

My morning begins with coffee.  Coffee is among my worst vices.  I go through several cups per day.  It helps me get my day started and by midday it helps keep me going.

Most mornings my routine merely consists of going downstairs and setting up the coffee pot.  I check the news and email and within that amount of time the first floor is filled with the wonderful smell of coffee.

For the last few months I have had a helper. If Grant is awake he eagerly jumps out of bed with me and announces, "I'll help!"  He then says that he will make coffee with me but pronounces with a "T" so it comes out "toffee." He holds my hand as we walk downstairs or requests a piggyback ride.

I perch him on the counter and he talks me through the steps. Get the filter (he pushes it into place).  Get the grounds (he helps scoop them into the filter).  Get the water (he pours the water into the reservoir).  Close the lid.  Press the button (his favorite part because he gets to do it all by himself).

Once these steps are done so is he and takes off for cartoons on the iPad or jumps back into bed with mommy.  Task complete, he has no interest in the actual beverage itself.


My reward is spending some simple time with Grant in our own private ritual.

Maybe I'll teach him how to do it all on his own and I can sleep in a little longer!