Sometimes I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Even though I live in a small space and only have so much room to dedicate to all things coffee, I can’t seem to lose the mugs. Why? When I lived in my apartment I hoarded them, like some caffeine-addled dragon in her lair. Something about coffee mugs, the larger ones (not those pansy little ones) just have me hooked. I agonized about parting with many of them when I moved aboard my boat. I had to give them to my mother, so I knew they’d go to a safe home. Seriously. I’m such a freak.
A lovely blue. Perfect for the Northwest.
Ornate yet so full of personality.
Great, fun colors. Stripes would liven up the morning.
Starbucks with a bold, simple design.
This is how I feel in the morning.
One of my all time favorite mugs is a cheap–but adorable–little number from Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart! I saw it and knew I must have it. The cup was around two bucks, and I love the stupid thing. It’s a rich red and makes me feel all warm and cozy whenever I look at it. Do I have a problem? Is there some kind of group I can join, where I stand up and say: “I’m Courtney and I love mugs?”
This problem gets worse. A cup was lost at sea, and I still pine for it. It was a happy spring green color, round and ready for the coffee. I had left it in my sink and went out sailing, and as typically happens when sailing, the boat heeled and my heavy soap dispenser fell into the sink and chipped the cup! I hated myself for not properly storing all of my stuff prior to sailing, and since the Green Cup Chipping Incident I have always remembered to stow my crap before heading out. At least the little green cup didn’t die in vain.
The S/V Libby is a small boat, just 30 feet long. At most she can comfortably host four people, yet I have about six mugs. WTF? Why do I need six? To be fair, most of the mugs that survived the purge were gifts, and I couldn’t separate myself from them for that very purpose… Yet I sold or gave away plenty of other items that had been gifts, so I’m not sure that logic is sound.
What gives me some solace is the idea that I’m not alone, just like how there are other lip balm addicts. I’m fairly certain that other people also have an affinity for coffee mugs, especially ones that have really cool designs or neat shapes. Something about them makes us (or just me) feel comfortable, homey, and warm. In fact I would love a job where I design coffee mugs. Maybe I’ll have to look into that…
What about you? Are you a coffee mug hoarder? Do you have a favorite?
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