With apologies to Elizabeth Barrette Browning…

Ah coffee, how I love thee; let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
Of my coffee cup; and when being out and about,
To the bottom of my favorite non-spill travel mug.
I love thee to the level of the Venti cappuccino.
(More often needed with sunrise than candle-light.)
I love thee fresh-ground as we strive for perfect flavor;
I love thee “light” as we turn from fat and calories.
I love thy caffeine with a desperation arising from
Sleep deprivation and children’s frantic schedules.
I love thee with a clear mind I seemed to lose
With my marbles. — I love thee with the groggy
Motherliness of my mornings! — and, if well-brewed,
I shall love thee more with each cup.

Once upon a time there was a tall, dark, handsome, slightly smart-alecky College Boy who worked in the campus library. Actually he’s more than slightly smart-alecky but this is a fairy tale so we’ll go along with the illusion.

In the same library worked a tall, beautiful, soft-spoken, and just-plain-smart Irish Girl. Did I mention she is beautiful? And tall? Very tall – almost as tall as College Boy – which is saying something ‘cuz he’s no shrimp.

One night at work College Boy met Irish Girl and discovered that she was his One True Love. After completing many difficult quests which I would recount here except this is a modern fairy tale not a traditional Grimm tale – and yes, I know that disappoints you College Boy, but as your grandma would say; get over it. he finally won her heart and asked her to become his wife. She agreed, and there was much rejoicing.

Over a long holiday weekend the families of the smart-alecky boy and soft-spoken girl took a long and arduous journey How long and arduous? Imagine two adults, one teen, and three children aged 4 months, 2 years and 4 years together in a minivan without a DVD player for nine hours. Need I say more? to witness the joining of College Boy and Irish Girl in the bonds of holy matrimony.

And so their Happily Ever After begins. Congratulations both of you, and welcome to the family Irish Girl!

As I’ve said before, Little Guy loves my camera. He still hasn’t learned to keep his fingers off the lens; once he does he’ll be on his way to photography fame. Or maybe he’ll be known as “that guy who takes photos between his fingers.” Here are some of his latest works in the Kitchen Counter series – I wish just once he’d take some when the counter was clean.

The flotsam and jetsam of our lives.

I Spy…

Same shot with varying amounts of focus. Aka “Get as many pictures as I can before Mom takes the camera away”

If you like those, I have a ton more to post. And it gets better – Uncle Jon got Z-Man his own camera for Christmas. If you like endless shots of end tables, feet, and ceilings you won’t want to miss Z-Man’s photos!