Simply Sunday: The Joy and Consolation of Coffee in the Neighborhood

Sunday in mid-March feels like the beginning of a major flirtation. We’re flirting with spring and all of the optimism and bright energy that accompanies it. But on this Sunday, we’re in a holding pattern. The snow is melting leaving patches of green-brown grass and slushy puddles of water behind. At the same time, forecasters call for 1 to 3 inches of snow on President’s Day. Translation: All outdoor play dates will be moved indoors. The gyms will be thrumming with activity. There will be a minimum of grousing to go with the shoveling---grateful as we are that it’s almost over.

Sunday is another day in the neighborhood. We wake up to bright sun and pre-brewed coffee. It’s Casi Cielo---an esteemed blend---and the last of the coffee to be found in the house. The baby is terribly congested to the point that we must put her semi-sitting in the stroller so she can breathe properly---and walk her around to calm her. So instead of going to my Sunday morning Zumba class at Studio360, a very energetic downtown boutique studio in Montclair, I put on a tunic and jeans and head to the drug store to get “Simply Saline” and the New York Times. I get a kick out of using my Extra Bucks.

Then I head across the street to Starbucks where I buy 2 half-pounds of coffee (house blend and Kenya). I am able to briefly sit and read about Paris in the travel section.

My week is chock a block with fitness activities—Zumba, yoga, cardio-scultping, machines, pilates, resistance workouts, long afternoon walks…but today, Simply Saline trumps zumba. I finish my coffee and head home and spend the rest of the morning dancing to Gershwin to entertain my blissfully irrigated baby.