Should I get mad? I’m trying to be kinder to people during this lockdown period but sometimes it’s hard. I buy ground coffee by mail order from a small, local coffee roaster. It is a “mom and pop” concern and I know they have young children. I had bought coffee from them in person for a couple of years prior to Covid19 and all the trouble that has caused. I thought I’d continue to support them as they had set up a mail order website and I like their coffee.

The last delivery was the wrong blends and the third error they have made in 6 months. It’s not as if my order is huge and complicated. I ask for 2 different ground bean varieties from the chocolaty type of coffee bean (usually of the Bourbon beans grown in Africa or Central America), 250 grams of each, sent via parcel post. All of this is a standard option on the website, I’m not asking for special treatment.

The first error was a missed delivery that left me without decent filter coffee for 2 weeks. They said it was lost in the post. Fair enough. The second error was a consignment of whole beans and as I don’t own a grinder they had to go back (don’t try using a food processor to grind coffee, that’s a mistake!). Luckily I was able to visit their shop and they ground them for me. The latest consignment is from the Espresso option on the website, not what I’d signed up for. I was out of coffee, what should I do?

I tried it and it was nice. I have decided not to complain as I’m trying to be kind, lockdown 3 is hard on small businesses, I’m supporting a local business so support them I will and I’m acutely aware of what a small problem the wrong filter coffee really is and should probably do some sort of penance for being a moany old git!

And, of course, I have tried a different coffee that I otherwise would have ignored, so I’ll shut up and drink on!