The kitchen is flooded with the strong morning light of summer. I wonder once again how it is that anyone can prefer any season over summer, its soft warm air, its permeating light. Surely the darkness of December can never come again! The forest is radiating light from every quivering leaf, and the birds are soaring and singing through the trees. This is the peak of the year. It builds from the first of May and gradually declines once the earth turns away from the sun, but today it is all mine.
I rub sleep from my eyes and fill the coffee pot with water, then carefully scoop the rich, dark grounds into the filter, salting them lightly. I turn on the back burner and fill the little pot with water for the soft boiled eggs. Then I start on the veggies, crisp peppers in rainbow colors, plump and juicy grape tomatoes, cucumbers sliced in rounds, bits of cheese and ham and spicy pepperoni slices. I organize them in little piles on the bright red-and-blue Finnish plates, a gift to us from my sister-in-law. The matching mugs are waiting on the counter for the strong, hot coffee. Eggs chirp on the back burner and the coffee, slowly dripping down, fills the kitchen with its wakeup aroma. I pop the English muffin into the toaster and turn it on. I reach into the fridge for the HP sauce and the sweet apricot jam that I love.
Everything comes together. My husband pours the coffee. Meanwhile, I arrange the rest of the food on those exquisite plates and carry them into the bedroom.
We set everything on the bedside tray and pile back into bed, snuggling under the covers. Nat King Cole’s velvety tones fill the room. Unforgettable! That’s what you are. Warm summer air comes in through the open window. Now and again, cardinals and woodpeckers swoop past. Talk flows easily between us; no subject is out of range.
This has been our practice for many years. Before I retired from teaching, when I dragged out of bed at 5:40 AM, this is what kept me going. He did all the work while I got ready. Now it is still our everyday party. Now we can take our time. No need for me to rush out the door.
I highly recommend breakfast in bed as an antidote to divorce.
