Coffee for #1

Or three at our favourite coffee #1 in Brecon. Joan insisted on a morning out (“I wanna go”!), so it’d be rude not to.

A lovely Portuguese Tart, a couple of Pains au Raison, and three of their coffees. (If you Google “Portuguese Tart”, do you get a tractor web site – Ed.). A quick buzz round the shops, and a trip to Smith’s for a greetings card, into the car and a whizz round the discount store. Back home and a lovely morning.

Joan really loves this place, early morning Brecon slowly comes to life, early morning shop workers grab a shot of life, reps selling the shops the latest must-have items while away minutes waiting for opening time, people meet in twos and threes and older “grey heads” join others in half-dozens to catch up on social happenings in the town. Several people don’t talk but their presence adds an intellectual aspect as surely they are the next JK Rowling as they tap into their laptops – such is the atmosphere that the imagination works overtime as to who all these people are, and why are they wearing that.

The hum of conversation becomes louder, but never raucous and Joan comes alive, is giggly, and young – even coquettish, and is once again the twenty year old dating and flirting with the wartime US servicemen at the wire around the Green Park encampment. The atmosphere lifts her as she shoots the breeze with us and the very crema (d’ya see what I did there – Ed.) of Brecon society, who are all clutching their iPhones and either talking into them or filling their diaries with next weeks events.

It’s a frothy coffee but not as we know it. It’s the standard roast without the multiple choice sprinkles or toppings, syrups, milk substitutes or shots (what are they all about ?- Ed.). But it’s not just the frothy coffee, it’s a frothy coffee #1 thing. Wonderful (for her, and us!).