I get up at 6 am in the morning and travel up to London on the 7.15 am. As it is only an hour to Liverpool Street and I am not due at my desk until 9.15 am the mathematicians amongst you will work out that I have an hour to kill before I need to go to the office.
There is a lot one can do in an hour. There are plenty of shops at the station, Torq, Lush, WH Smith, Books etc, Accessorize, Thornton's Chocolates, Boots, Body Shop et al so if I wanted to I could do all my Christmas shopping there, and probably will.... However, unless I need to get some toothpaste from Boots or grab a pair of tights, I will head off to Costa Coffee in Houndsditch. I have been popping in here every morning for the last four years along with other assorted regulars who I see each day. We don't talk to each other, dear me no, the Brits don't do chat, but we nod and smile and Nice day today, and Have a good weekend, and then retreat to our habitual seats. I like to sit on the sofa in the window and get very annoyed if somebody else should take over MY seat and occasionally a one-off caller will do so and have to sit there drinking his coffee while I glare at him and wait for him to move. They usually move pretty quick, can't think why.
The staff there know me well and a friendly, happy bunch they are too. By the time I reach the counter my coffee is ready for me (skinny, primo cappo) and they know I like loads of foam (one barrista, Anna, can produce foam at least one inch high specially for me) and lashings of chocolate on top. They also dive for the sound system as soon as they see me coming and turn it down. They are all wonderful.
I sit there with my paper, do my Sudoku, watch the world go by and generally enjoy the quiet half hour before the work day begins. I could not do without it and even if my train has been delayed or is late, I still have my half hour and if my boss has to manage without me for a bit, well, he will survive.
My elder daughter does the same only she is a Starbucks 
fan. I do not like their coffee, find it weak and tasteless but she is a devotee and so we do have the odd heated discussion about the relative merits of each other's addiction. Earlier on this year Costa had a refit and was closed for a week. I was forced to go to the Starbucks opposite and hated it and greeted with joy the reopening of Costa the week after.
I also love visiting tea shops, as does Patternings, and enjoy tea drunk out of a fine china cup. The addition of home made scones or fruit cake adds to this pleasure, but first thing in the morning, I need my caffeine shot.
Now, I am sure you are all intensely interested in the above (not) but just felt like writing about it and so I have. It is the end of my lunch time at work now, so before I get back to the heap awaiting me, I think I shall go and put the kettle on.
