Magic beans

 I like coffee.  A lot.  These days, it's one of my primary remaining joys.  To have a cup of well-made espresso in the quiet early morning before a hectic day is a transcendental moment for me.  To this end, I've expended a lot of time, study, and expense in making good coffee in my home.  So when I learned that the "dumbest trade war in history" would almost certainly lead to much higher coffee prices, I decided to lay in a supply that would hopefully sustain me through the storm.  As is my custom, I placed an order with Roastmasters for a shipment of green coffee beans that I expect will keep me caffeinated through the end of this year.  The consignment left the vendor in Connecticut on February 26, 2025 and finally arrived on March 7, 2025- a journey of nine days.  This makes yet another dismal performance of the USPS Priority Mail service that promises 1-3 day service.

According to tracking information, the parcel's odyssey began as expected.  From pickup in Branford, CT it went to the distribution center in Springfield, MA.  Two days later, it was close to its final destination, in Palmetto, GA.  Then it sat there for two days before turning up... back in Springfield MA!  Like an unwilling hostage, the package "departed" and "arrived" at Springfield, MA for two days before moving on.  Then the beans became magic and achieved some sort of quantum duality when at 3:10 am on March 5, 2025 they arrived at both Springfield, MA and Palmetto, GA at the exact same moment.  Lucky for me, they recovered from this mysterious state and the next day arrived in Birmingham, AL and then were finally delivered to my home.  Fortunately, unroasted green coffee beans are not especially perishable.  They now stand ready for me to personally roast to perfection in my Hottop roaster, then brew in my Rocket R58 espresso machine.  Outside lies a troubled, turbulent world, but with good coffee I am more able to face the tempest.