The budget café

The view, the noise, the atmosphere...the cost

I’m just a few months into a novel - a prequel to The Widow & The Will, and it hasn’t been moving too quickly. A busy life is the common lament of many writers like me, busy-ness which is composed of a demanding job and a family and other social obligations. As of right now, I generally only work on my project on the weekends, and I like to do that in a café.

Café X in Moncton

There are a couple close to me that I really like, but my favourite spot downtown designed its interior for two different kinds of clientele: the talkers, and the workers. The hallway leading from the front door is in the centre of a partition. The talkers are on the cozy side of the partition, with round tables and benches, lots of cushions, and even a couple of swings (Yes, so you can be dizzy while you drink your coffee cocktail). On the other side of the partition is a brighter area with lots of bar seating and electrical outlets to be used by the laptop set. You can sit in the window and watch people walk by as you clack away.

Some people like to write in the absolute quiet, but I like the ambient noise of a café. The clattering of dishes, the whooshing sound of milk being steamed, and the chatter of strangers all around me provide a backdrop that somehow helps me focus. I’m less likely to procrastinate with social media reels for some weird reason. And, if I’m really lucky, the students sitting next to me will gossip more than they work, so I can copy down the conversation. Don’t worry - so far, I haven’t eavesdropped on any state secrets, but if I ever write a novel about breakups, terrible professors, snotty managers, or unscrupulous landlords, I have some great dialogue in my back pocket.

Here’s the issue, though, and I’m sure you’ll relate. These days, all of life in our fair country is unaffordable, and cafés are no exception. This morning, my husband and I played hookey from church (we were late - this is always my fault, no exceptions - and the parking lot at our busy church was full). So instead, we stopped for coffee and went for a little drive in the Sunday morning winter sunshine.

Lovely.

However, two coffees, a muffin and a croissant cost $26.

Whut?

Can’t do that every day. Can’t do that every weekend.

It’s especially concerning for me, because I’m a Gen Xer, and when I was a little kid, a famous takeout we all know was still broadcasting commercials with the tagline, “Feed a Family of Four for Four Dollars!”

I don’t eat garbage anymore, but you get the point. We all have to tighten our belts, and a $6 - $10 coffee seems luxurious, especially when during a writing session, I would most definitely buy more than one.

So if I need café noise, a sunny spot by the window and a hot beverage in order to make progress on this novel, what do I do?

I create a reasonable facsimile at home, that’s what.

My husband set me up with our aged patio bistro table and a comfy chair by our patio doors, which overlook a wintry deck.

He made me a coffee and put it in my favourite mug. He topped it with some whipped cream, and promised to bring me more as long as I don’t sexually harass him. (He likely wouldn’t mind that at all…oh wait, he was joking. Right. Funny.)

The Coffee Café is my husband’s digital cartoon, just for fun.

And on Spotify, he found some café sounds to play in the living room. I’m such a luddite that the availability of café noise surprised me.

The best part is that I don’t have to get anyone to watch my computer while I go to the bathroom.

So, now that I have this pleasant spot permanently set up for the winter, I don’t need to spend any more money on cafés...of course, you know I will from time to time, anyway.

I will have to stop writing blog posts, though, and get on with it.

Whatever projects you are working on through this chilly, snowy winter, I wish you much success.