This morning, we had an exceptionally fine Sunday brunch.

For one, we had hazelnut coffee, which we both like, adding to it a bit of the intense coffee beans which we bought from Ten Thousand Villages (or as I like to call them, to my daughter's dismay, Ten Thousand Maniacs). Along with that, we had seasoned bacon -- thick cuts of bacon which were seasoned with rosemary, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper. But the piece de resistance was the waffles, and only then when my daughter looked up and slyly asked if she could put a scoop of ice cream on hers. Ice cream? With brunch? Well, what the hell.....

Paper, coffee, good food, family -- excellent. Truly excellent.