roasting coffee beans | WEGGIEBOY'S BLOG by Doug Thomas

I misjudged the roasted coffee bean level in my coffee grinder yesterday. I thought I had enough for one more day, today, but actually had enough for about a quarter cup! Why!? Why!? Why!?

After I had my moment of horror, I realized life goes on without coffee. In fact, I should enjoy the next batch all the more for having suffered this terrible deprivation!

Stirred with something like a rotating Archimedes screw turning in the center of the glass cylinder, the beans are subjected to hot air and agitation till they are roasted to perfection! The aroma is heaven!

[This is what my roaster looks like.]

Yes, I finished a batch of beans in my little roaster. You can use a hot air popcorn popper, too, but this little roaster I use gives you more control over the roast.

Yum! Done! Let them rest till tomorrow morning, and they will be perfect for grinding.

While I had the roast on, Andy drew my attention to something happening in the other room.

Mischief is afoot. Spelled D-O-U-G-Y!

Andy didn’t point his tail in the direction of the mischief, but I could trace a line from his eyes to…trouble!

Dougy sees me watching, watching. What ‘s up, pussycat? Eh!?

Yes, once again, Dougy had his eye on the tub Andy and I know is ANDY’S TUB! Dougy knows we know he knows we know he knows we know he knows we know he knows…um…yeah! It’s Andy’s tub, folks!

Andy gave Dougy “The Eye”. Dougy left to take Andy’s favorite sleeping spot in the bathroom, by the shower. Dougy will be naughty one way or other! It’s his day!

Dougy just walked by to tell me “Mrow-mrow-mrow!” which is as close to an apology as Andy and I will get from him! Yes, it’s been an eventful day here today. 😉

We got up early today, about 1:30 or so. By “we”, of course, I mean “they” – Andy and Dougy – got up early, then tormented me till I got up. The boys wanted to be fed early! I made them wait till 2:30, and, I assure you, no cats got substantially scrawnier for the extra hour’s wait!

I made myself some coffee and waffles for breakfast, then watched the news after feeding the cats.

Andy climbed on his favorite morning perch beside me on the end table.

Andy resting on back_edited-1

Dougy whined and moaned about something. I asked him, per morning ritual, “What’s the matter, Dougy? Timmy in the well…again?!” (It’s one of two jokes the cats and I have. The other is when I say “woof-woof” to them. You have to be there…!)

I, of course, knew what was on Dougy’s mind: he wanted to play “feather toy”! After a bit more teasing, I pulled out his toy, and Dougy bounced and rolled around, tearing up the front room catching, chewing, mauling his favorite toy. Andy doesn’t get it. Oddly enough, he doesn’t get involved in play until well into the game.

By 5:30, I was sick of “Morning Joe” and Joe Scarborough. I decided to roast some coffee beans. I sat on my bed, under the fire alarm, because I’ve had problems with fire alarm hyper-sensitivity. Roasting coffee beans produces enough smoke it sets off the alarm! In Winter, anyway. In Summer, I can open windows and doors, turn on the vent fan, and usually avoid the alarm.

Andy saw me on the edge of my bed, broom at ready to push the reset button on the alarm. He thought I was going back to bed and acted like that wasn’t agreeable with him. He looked stressed by the fact I was on my bed! This may be a response going back to a year ago when I spent lots of time in bed because of illness. The boys would bring their toys into my bedroom and leave them by my bed while I slept. I’m still touched by the thought of it.

Anyway, the alarm went off, the boys ran helter skelter, I punched the reset button, but my roasted coffee bean supply is assured for four or five more days.

I returned to the front room to watch a little Home and Gardens programming before dealing with this post and all of the e-mails piled up in my account. I fell asleep.

When I woke up three hours (I think) later, Andy’d nested in the clothes dryer, and Dougy’d snuggled up in the top one of the stacked cat carriers by the recliner. We’d all took a morning nap!

I like my cats when they just wake up. They wake up happy and sweet. Dougy’s always up for ear rubs and chins scratches, so it’s no big deal he wakes up sweet. Even Andy, my little cynical cat, wakes up forgetting he’d rather not be scratched on his tummy, something he truly likes if he’d just let himself indulge in the pleasure.

I’m more like Andy. As long as no one expects too much of me until I sort out being awake, I’m happy when I wake, too.