Coffee

Number 14 on my list was to have a coffee. 

Probably a strange one for most people who frequent Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Caffe Nero or any number of independent coffee shops that have grown over the last few years and taken over the high street. 

But it's been about 10 years since I had my last coffee. 

I can't remember when exactly, but Mrs P and I have been together for over nine years and she has never seen me drink one. 

So, the reason for not drinking coffee. 

About 10 years ago I went to the doctors for a bit of a health check.

I was not in the best shape: I hardly did any exercise, drank a bit too much and didn't eat as well as I should. 

I also drank a lot of tea and coffee everyday, in excess of 10 cups, with sugar in. 

At the health check I weighed in at 16st 7lbs - the heaviest I had ever been. 

The doctor told me to make some changes. 

So I cut down on booze, started to eat better foods, began running and cut sugar out of my tea and coffee. 

I found I didn't like tea and coffee without added sweetness, so I stopped drinking them both and turned to green tea (which I now drink in great quantities). 

I remember going to a Cornwall Chamber of Commerce breakfast event about three months later and had a coffee. 

My head completely span out from the caffeine and that was the last one I drank in a decade. 

There have been times when I have missed it: I used to enjoy an espresso after a meal, particularly when in France. 

However, with 40 approaching I thought I'd give it a shot. 

In my head I'd planned to make it a ceremonial event, similar to brewing my beer, but it didn't work out like that. 

It just sort of happened. 

We'd arrived in Brittany for our family holiday with Mrs P, Olivia, Bryher and the in-laws (mother in law - Cathie, father in law - John and brother in law - Dan).

As we were unable to checked into our accommodation in Fouesnant until 3pm we stopped off at a creperie in Beg Meil for lunch.

A combination of tiredness from the overnight crossing from Plymouth to Roscoff and our Franglais not being up to speed the post-lunch coffee order for Cathie, John and Mrs P slightly confused our waitress, who ended up bringing out four coffees.

So what to do with the extra petit cafe?

The extra petit cafe

On the spur of the moment, and thinking about this list, I said  I'd have it.

Drinking the petit cafe 

Mmm, this is quite nice

The finished petit cafe

And I really enjoyed it, although I could feel the caffeine in my head over the next few minutes.

So, when Mrs P and I went back to the creperie for a date night, I decided I'd have another.

Date night crepes

Another petit cafe

Since we got home I've had one more coffee, from Costa, when we were in Yorkshire to watch the Tour de France. And again, I really enjoyed.

I think I will start drinking coffee again, but I'm not going to go down the Gold Blend or Nescafe route like I used to.