Today afternoon its unusually quiet. I am sitting in the
balcony, sipping hot and sweet ginger tea. It’s a holiday for school but
strangely I cannot see even a single kid running around in play area. I am
enjoying this quiet. Vary rarely I get to enjoy it. Small joys of life.
Usually, on a weekday morning, the only thing I drink at
home is a sip of water. My day starts early. Usually I am already out of home
and on my way to office at 7 am. 10.30 am is the time reserved in office to
have first cup of beverage. I don’t have a preference in office – It can be
anything of the available choices – tea, coffee, badam milk or green tea. It is
part of my routine now. I do it out of habit. I tend to skip it if I do not
have company. Actually this hot cup serves as a tiny break in the early busy
hours of the day.
But on weekend the story is different. There are only two
morning in the week where me and husband can spend some morning time together.
Every Saturday and Sunday morning a question is hung in air – Tea or
coffee?
I love ginger teas throughout the year, irrespective of the
weather. The aroma of tea, spicy taste of ginger and the sweetness of concoction
just brighten up my mornings. But it does not mean I do not enjoy coffee. But I
enjoy coffee the typical Marathi way – 3.4th milk, 1/4th
water, mild coffee with cardamom and nutmeg. Husband is on the other side of
the bridge. He supremely enjoys experimenting with different brews, loves the
bitterness in his cup of coffee and milk just for touch. I think he is a psudo Indian
in some way – ( I know this is very unfair statement but how can he not enjoy
tea? Surely this is a strong question mark on his Indian-ness). We have around 5-6 different kind of coffee
powders at home. Thankfully till now he is satisfied with the functioning of
the basic coffee maker we have at home. But I strongly suspect arrival of a French
press anytime soon in coming months. Cutting it short, coffee it is on most
weekend mornings.
But now, husband is off to USA. I am back to my lovely and hot steaming gingery sweet cup of ambrosia. Not that I don’t like coffee,
but it has its own time and situation – after sumptuous south Indian breakfast,
on a rainy afternoon, during late night “gappa” ( chit chat – discussions) at
home. Today is bonus day for my tea
life. It’s a weekday but a holiday – so here I am with my cup of tea, enjoying
the rarely quiet afternoon.
The question – “Tea or coffee?” can rest till husband is
back.