Coffee

Darby loves slurping the steamed milk from my coffee when I am careless enough to leave my cup within reach of her tongue.  This time my Tim Horton coffee cup was nearly empty but that didn't stop The Darbs from trying for a taste.

I acquired my Tim Horton coffee mug on a family vacation in June of 2008.  Glenn, Erika and I flew to Portland, Oregon, took in some sights in and around Portland then drove to Whitefish, Montana.  As it turns out, it was our last vacation together as a family of three -- Erika got married a year later.  And while the trip had a few rocky moments as most family vacations do if the families involved tell the truth, it was a great trip and one that took us through "the mountains to the prairies to the ocean white with foam" (but in reverse!)

We weren't content to stay on the US side of the border and drove into Canada and to Fernie, BC which is a lovely town.  It was an easy day trip there from Whitefish which is an especially lovely place and one Glenn and I think would make a good retirement home if it weren't so far from Erika.  And so foggy in the winter.  But, I digress.  One of Erika's dear friends is Canadian and told Erika all about this great chain of coffee shops in Canada that very generously donates to local sports teams and is otherwise a good corporate citizen in Canada.  As we sat in the car outside a Tim Hortons coffee shop, Erika called her friend to confirm we were in the right place and in we went.  The fast-food type food is served by very nice, polite Canadians on REAL stoneware dishes.  Made in England!  And the coffee mugs are for sale and of course, I had to have one.

If you're ever up there in Northwestern Montana and decide to make the trip from Whitefish to Fernie, give yourself enough time to stop in Eureka, Montana.  Brown's Pottery is a must-see -- operated by a 7th or 8th generation potter from North Carolina! 

By-the-way, that Tim Horton's coffee?  It is awfully good!