Comments on: No One Drops In For Coffee Anymore

By: Heather Conrad

Heather Conrad — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:32:46 +0000

Precious story, precious people, so well written. Great to catch up with you for a moment!

By: Sally

Sally — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:31:27 +0000

My parents have lived in the same house since 1957 and countless people have dropped by for coffee and sat at their table for supper over the years, too. My Mom finds it odd that people do not socialize that way anymore.

By: Dee @ Red Dirt Ramblings

Dee @ Red Dirt Ramblings — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:45:39 +0000

My goodness, that reminded me of my Grandma Nita’s kitchen right down to the rolling chairs and linoleum. I will say some of my girlfriends and I still have coffee or tea, but we must make a date. Everyone is working. I think that’s the key. Women stayed at home. They worked hard, but knew when to rest too. Keep up the great writing my friend.~~Dee

By: Susan

Susan — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:23:50 +0000

Loved your post – it stirred up some great memories. It reminded me of my best friend when I first met her nearly 20 years ago, when we lived in neighboring small towns in northern Maine. I used to drop by her house every other week or so for a coffee and visit. She had an old fashioned kitchen, with a big Star Kineo wood cookstove that, besides using for warmth, used for cooking on occasion, just for fun.(she made the BEST apple raisin bread pudding in that thing!) She was into Green Mountain coffee (they were pretty new at the time) and usually had a few flavors on hand. She always asked me what I’d like, and then listen to me share my heart, either sitting at the table with me or while she worked around the kitchen baking something, or frying chocolate donuts, one of her specialties. (this was on her day off, as she worked a full time job) She lives in Florida now, and we both cherish those memories still.
Since we moved to CT 5 years ago, I have found no one just ‘drops by’. People here are very reserved, very busy.
I miss the days when people really cared about each others lives, and less about your job title and your address. Before cell phone interruptions, 500 channels on satellite, and overly busy lives.
Nowadays, no one seems to get together for supper either.
My girlfriend also used to invite us over for supper at least once or twice a month. Something fun she introduced me to, kind of like a mini potluck. She would call me up and invite us over for supper, asking me to bring what we were having that night (since it was usually last minute), to share with what they were having. Lots of food for everyone, cleanup was shared, and never the same combo twice! :0)
PS: Someone said in a comment that Hospitality is different than Entertaining. Good observation! You don’t need your fine china and perfect house for hospitality, just a cup of something hot, a caring heart and a few minutes of your time.

By: Megan (FriedOkra)

Megan (FriedOkra) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:27:27 +0000

You always make me feel a little bit less old fashioned, AM. And I mean that in a totally positive, complimentary way. In my adult life, no one has really ever dropped in for coffee, yet I find myself missing it as if it once was a common occurrence. Maybe it’s a stubborn Southern hospitality gene that hasn’t finally mutated or “evolved” itself out of existence yet (praise God for that!).

Something compels me to have my kitchen clean around 9:45 AM every morning – a polished table, an empty sink, just in case somebody shows up. I do invite friends over often (and they come when I do!) but somehow those planned coffees (while wonderful!) don’t quite live up to the spontaneous charm of a “drop by.”

By: WarsawMommy

WarsawMommy — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:32:08 +0000

I am so lucky that I have my own business, so I can control my time (mostly). I work from home, so when meeting clients, I always ask them to meet me in a cafe. Most raedily agree, and so our first ‘meeting’ always turns into a chat. We talk before getting down to business… I think this informal and friendly approach to business really relaxes things and starts us off on good footing.

But the really good thing is that I usually arrange a coffee with a friend after my meeting is over – that way, I get coffee, a client AND a conversation with a friend – all in one go.

Coffee time is important to me

By: Leslie Maddox

Leslie Maddox — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:18:16 +0000

The last time I remember someone stopping by was when I was growing up, living on a military base in Italy. It had a small town feel. Everyone had screen doors and kept their regular doors open to let in the breeze. My parents’ best friends lived across the street and stopped in on a regular basis. Sometimes my mother would still be in her PJ’s, so Fred would come to the door and yell in, “Carmen, are you decent?” Cracked me up every time.

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:56:26 +0000

I love this.

By: melanie gao

melanie gao — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:38:16 +0000

I wish I lived close enough to you to drop in for coffee. I wish more people did this.

By: Glenna

Glenna — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:09:21 +0000

We would love for you to drop in anytime. There is always
something to be shared,blessings to give or receive.

We have the open door policy–what ever that means.

I will do the same when I come your way.