Coffee Poppets Protest!

I have made a grave, grave error. I am out of caffeinated, unflavored, pre- ground coffee. I was preparing to submit myself to the mildly chemical taste of something that has been made with French Vanilla Flavoring when the Coffee Poppets emerged from the bowels of my baking cabinets and set up their protest site. 

Yes, they have discovered that I used to be fanatic enough to grind my own beans regularly. 

They started the Grinder Sit In nonviolently. Simply sitting there with their empty pot and their cafe menu, letting me know in no uncertain terms that while they liked a little French Vanilla with half and half there were other options that I was perfectly well acquainted with. I had time, so why would I settle, when I could really live? And then they silently looked at me when I explained that since I was the only coffee drinker in the house it seemed a little much for me to keep buying expensive brands and whole beans, so I hardly ever did that anymore and maybe they would prefer the Gevalia Blueberry? It's really wonderful. . . . 

Apparently it was not acceptable. They found my supply of whole beans that were packed in the airtight sealed stuff and just looked at me plaintively for a while. They subtly pointed out that my late breakfast plan included a gourmet Irish butter and some of the best challah ( an egg bread) I've ever had in my life, all of which had no artificial ingredients. I, still bleary from lack of caffine nodded my head in agreement which was all they needed.

I did tell them to be careful with the scissors. They supervised the grinding of the beans.

.

And discovered that in order to operate the grinder you needed to put weight on the cover and bear down.  

Two Poppets, Coffee or Otherwise are not sufficient to weight down the Grinder. They admitted that they needed my help after all. Of course they also hinted that if there were enough of them for critical mass and a few Steampunk Poppets to help with the engineering I might easily be unnecessary. I hinted that they would then be just like some of those fancy, really expensive, automatic coffee makers . . .  except pickier. They agreed that the household budget would be better spent building their cafe. Especially since they seem to have some interesting "high/low" design ideas, but their high is very expensive.

They studied the fruits of their (our!) labor and declared the outcome "good" and told me to get on with the coffee preparation. Which, of course I did. 

While I would have been annoyed had anyone else tried to outsnob me before my first cup of coffee, their choice of mug for their victory celebration amused me to no end and I forgave them. Also I had made enough fresh ground coffee to supply myself for the rest of the week. 

And the coffee was really good.