Tuesday, February 4, 2014

To Keurig or not to Keurig

Digging out from the snow most days lately, but I am doing OK.



I love the smell of coffee, but have never enjoyed its  taste.  I learned at an early age how to perk a good pot for my parents, but after tasting it, I decided to stick to milk.  My mom also had a rule that children should not drink this caffeinated drink until they were of a certain age, and it was always assumed it was when we moved out of the house.  Being Irish Americans, we were allowed to drink decaf tea when we reached 12, and that has been my drink of choice since then.

Hubby also does not drink coffee, although in the past few years he does have a cup at work when he gets there in the morning.  We have happily gotten along without a coffee pot taking over precious space on our counter top for 46 years.  However, when our children left home, three of them went to the caffeine well and became junkies. I broke down and bought a small coffee maker that I keep on a shelf in the basement, only to be taken out during the holidays.  Any other time the unwritten rule is, if you want it, bring it with you.

Then Keurig became the next big thing and everybody had to have one.  I just dismissed it when friends showed me theirs and gushed over it ad nauseam.  "See, Arleen, it makes tea also" they would say.  With my old lady attitude, I would say, "I've got a kettle for that."   Eyebrows would raise and they would walk away probably talking about what an old fart I was.

In November, hubby made a quick run to the store to get some butter and came home with a large box.  He had this guilty smile on his face and presented me with a Keurig.   I sent him for butter and he came home with a big, expensive coffee maker.  I was not happy and the shock on my face when he told me how much it cost turned his smile into a frown.  He gave me all his reasons for buying it ( it was on sale) and because I felt somewhat bad about my negative reaction, I relented.  He placed it on the counter and set about making some fancy brew.  

He is happy, my family is happy and they are all wired happily together.  Things could be worse.

Maybe, when no one is looking, I will make myself some hot chocolate on that machine - but I will never tell.



54 comments:

  1. It looks very state of the art. I'm a kettle person too Arleen, but if you're sneaking a hot chocolate, maybe I could join you Maybe? It sounds very nice.

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  2. How sweet of your hubby to buy that for you and your home. I prefer to buy whole beans, usually organic, and grind them right before making coffee. So no Keurig for us. And like you I have a kettle for tea.

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    1. He did not buy it for me, as he knew how I felt about it. It was something that he wanted, he just pretended it was a gift for me. I have to admit that I have done the same thing at times.

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    2. Reminds me of early on in our marriage, when after target shooting one day, my hubby told me he was gonna get me a lightweight plastic-stocked rifle for Christmas. I just looked at him for a sec, and then said, "Fine. You do that. And I'll get YOU a new sewing machine."

      Needless to say, we purchased neither...

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  3. It must be your Irish genes that lead you to prefer tea! My late Irish mother-in-law lived on the stuff. I like tea and coffee but never have more than two caffeinated drinks a day. When in the States or Canada we never got tea made the English/Irish way except at the home of relatives. Although Keurig is available in the UK they are rare.
    CLICK HERE for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. Having a cup of tea gives me comfort as long ago memories with my parents always come to mind.

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  4. I used to be a devoted coffee drinker, but over the years have switched to tea. Earl Grey is my favorite.

    P. S. What the heck is that frog/toad doing in your header? Is it crazy?!

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    1. Old Earl is my favorite also.

      No amphibians were hurt in the taking of my header picture. The frog is not crazy, but I may be. It is a lawn ornament peaking through the snow. It symbolizes all of us on the east coast who are screaming, "Get me out of this snow."

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  5. The kid's dentist has one. Two cups gets me through three appointments. And, one trip to the bathroom.

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  6. This is the coffee maker that makes one cup at a time isn't it? How economical is that?

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  7. I expect it isn't, but it only takes seconds to brew each one and everybody can have a different type.

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  8. OH......we have one OF THESE....and we could not be happier. The LAZY MAN'S coffeemaker. LOL LOL

    xo

    Jo

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    1. Hubby fits that description perfectly, but he has earned that right.

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  9. KEURIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it! Hope you love it as much as I do. sandie

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    1. I tried the tea on the Keurig, but it is way to strong for me. I am still using the stove and leave the machine to others.

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  10. I also prefer hot chocolate, but we're the minority. In our defense, I read that two cups of hot chocolate a day help boost memory. I would also compromise and put chocolate in my coffee when no one was looking.

    Julie

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    1. I am with you on the hot chocolate, Julie. Maybe then I could drink the coffee.

      I do like Irish coffee and maybe I will try that next month.

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  11. My first coffee of the day is instant Nescafé (I'm drinking one now), at 5.30am it has to be fast and easy. Otherwise we use a simple Bodrun Cafetiere, which is wonderful.

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    1. That should read Bodum, not Bodrun..... it was too early.

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  12. My brother has one of these and the coffee from it is not bad. However, I'll stick with my cone drip probably forever.

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  13. Boil the kettle, fill the tea pot, etc. Nothing complicated with that, and you can have just about whatever tea you like. I tried making coffee at home, but I just couldn't get accustomed to it. The only place I drink coffee now is at church, first thing in the morning on Sunday. Strange, that; very strange.

    Blessings and Bear hugs!

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    1. Rob-bear, you can't mess up making coffee in the Keurig. Attach your coffee packet, hold your cup under spout and push button. Voila, a hot cup of coffee in seconds.

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  14. I love my coffee machine. I bought it a couple of years ago and have never regretted doing so. I don't drink a lot of coffee. I'm not one for having cups of coffee all day long. I only have one cup a day, most days, that is. Sometimes, I might have a second cup.

    I don't drink a lot of tea, either. I have runs on tea-drinking - I get the taste for it and that might last a few days...and then I'll go for months without having another cup.

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  15. Laughing--- no one tells a story as good as you do!! I'm with you- I'm not sold on them. I love coffee- but I'm a coffee snob. We have a keurig at work/ and I think the coffee is horrid. But I could probably do the hot tea choice-- but then a microwave can do that!!

    Thank you for your precious visit:)
    Xoxo
    Vicki

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    1. The tea is very strong, Vicki. I prefer mine a dark bronze color, not the same color as coffee.

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  16. Most peeps I know love coffee, and me too.
    Meanwhile - what on Earth is staring at me from your banner??? It looks like some kind of alien snow lizard. If I saw that outside my door, I'd never leave my home. :O

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    1. Yes, coffee is the drink of choice everywhere. I just never developed a taste for it.

      My header is a frog lawn ornament in the snow. Right now, with all the snow we have, we can't find him. Everything is white around here and more storms are expected.

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  17. If you are stuck with the fancy machine, you might as well use it.

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  18. I love, love, LOVE that header picture. I imagine a lot of folks around the country feel exactly like that little fella.

    I toyed with the idea of buying one of those gadgets, but decided against it. Our friends in NC have one, and it was pretty nifty, but they drink a lot of coffee. Doesn't make economical sense for us. Hubby drinks one cup of decaf a day, and I drink tea... or occasionally coffee... one cup at a time as I see fit. We don't even have coffee-drinking visitors frequently enough to make it worthwhile. So, I reckon this Next Best Thing will pass me by. (Besides, I'd miss my whistling teapot...)

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    1. My family are over often and they (including their young ones) love coffee and anything that the Keurig can make so I guess it was worth the cost. I had a Superbowl party of 20 something people last Sunday and it came in handy. At the beginning of the second half, everybody switched to coffee. Of course, that might be because the game was such a snooze.

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  19. I think I'd be wanting to get rid of it forever after. Somehow the idea of having to keep something I don't want, really bugs me. But I suppose making hot chocolate is a reasonable second best! :)

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  20. I keep a lot of things I don't want, Jenny. One has to compromise in life.

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  21. It's best not to send a man shopping. Give him a list and he'll come back with something else, ha ha ha. Did hubbie bring home the the butter? Or was he sent back with his tail between his legs? ha ha ha.

    I love my coffee although I don't drink it as much as I use to. That machine would fit in very nice with my kitchen. Black, silver, stainless steel, yes yes yes. I think you know where I'm going with this......... :)

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    1. Very true, RPD. He usually comes home with less expensive things though. This time he outdid himself. Yes, he did get what I sent him for. He knew he had to butter me up before he gave me his surprise?

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  22. Dear Arleen, oh, hot chocolate! I had some on Saturday when I stopped at the QT filling station just up the block. Like you, I don't drink coffee--haven't for 30 years--but I do drink tea. And like you, I just heat the water and make the tea. No excuse for a Keurig. But oh that hot cocoa sounds good. Still, it's just another small appliance to put away somewhere or have cluttering the counter top. I think you and I are alike in this: less is more. Peace.

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    1. Hot chocolate can easily be made on top of the stove, however, you have to wash the pot. I guess this Keurig for the one, two, or three cups I have a year will be convenient for those times.

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  23. Dear Arleen, I forgot to mention how much I enjoyed seeing the photograph at the top of your blog. Those eyes! Peace.

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    1. Lost in the snow, like many of us are, Dee.
      Thank you, I am glad you like Froggy.

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  24. Little adjustments, here and there, are perfectly reasonable. :-)

    Pearl

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  25. You can’t have them think that they’ve won, I fully understand that.

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  26. I wonder what would of happened if you sent him to the store to get a coffee machine.

    Time for a secret cup of hot chocolate, perhaps.

    Gary :)

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  27. He probably would have brought home a blender also, Gary.

    Tomorrow we will have another snowstorm (a bi-weekly occurance lately), so I might have that hot chocolate.

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  28. We start the day with hot chocolate made from pure cocoa, milk and honey. I find the keurig irritating. I don't have one but my in laws do. It seems we are always waiting in line for our turn at it in the morning. Then the water well is empty and so on and so on. Give me a pot of tea any day.

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  29. Arleen, I still use a kettle for my tea, and a coffee pot to brew my coffee. Now the chocolate? That sounds good. Enjoy, I'll keep your secret.

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  30. Arleen, I still use a kettle for my tea, and a coffee pot to brew my coffee. Now the chocolate? That sounds good. Enjoy, I'll keep your secret.

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  31. Hi. I just happened on your blog while commenting on someone elses. It's nice to meet you. I had to stop and read it because I recently bought a the same machine - ha ha - and I don't drink coffee either. But it sure is nice when you get company and don't want to fix an entire pot of coffee.

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  32. I still make coffee with a melita filter, one cup at a time when it's just me and I have a bigger coffee maker for guests. I have debated getting a Keurig, but it seems a little pricy and I'm trying not to buy any more small appliances. I'll probably break down one day and get one. They're so easy to use.

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