Coffee, Tea, beach-walks, Dad & Me.

Early AM, Dad roused out of bed what ever kid he could to accompany him on outings of beach-walks, breakfast on the boardwalk, and a final stop to buy the paper, groceries and the day's fish.

I was sleepy, but I cooperated. Besides having Dad all to myself, the early morning walks yielded great beach-combing finds and a delicious boardwalk breakfast at The Henlopen Hotel.

We always had a table with an ocean view. How I happily remember walking in, seeing and smelling the sea of white starched cloth-covered tables, with white fat china pots full of the morning percolated coffee. Jam pots cluttered the table top.

Therein lies my "problem".

I'm a tea-drinker! Only estate-tea, hand-picked will do! I keep Assam, two types of Darjeeling, and a Ceylon on hand to do my daily blends. All night I await and look forward to my morning pot of tea.

Upon my return to the beach I did drink percolated coffee! It was delicious. The leftovers turned into iced-coffee was even better. This delight had to be given up upon my heart saying: no way.

Oddly, at the beach for me any type of British-style tea (excepting the herbals which I drink by the gallons), tastes "weak and off". I get by with "PG Tips" tea, two bags to a pot; sometimes doped-up with a smattering of loose Assam.

My only explanation is the above story where for me beach-side early mornings demand coffee.

Once in a great while in the morning I find myself near the ocean/bay and coffee! Once in a while I let myself have not even 1/4 cup with some milk. Glorious, glorious it is.

It is not me.

Yet, it is my youthful palette that never drank the coffee, saying a happy !YES! to youthful Summers gone by.