Coffee on the Porch (According to Charlie)

It is currently 29 degrees outside.

Twenty. Nine.

The kind of cold that makes the air feel sharp, like it has opinions. The kind of cold where coffee does not stay hot, it simply gives up. Quickly.

And yet.

Charlie is sitting across from me, staring. Not blinking. Not moving. Just staring with the unmistakable energy of someone who believes I have betrayed him on a deeply personal level.

Because apparently, it is time for Coffee on the Porch with Pooches.

Now listen. I am not unreasonable. Fifty-ish degrees? Sure. No wind? Even better. A hoodie, a blanket, a warm mug, and a dog pile. I can romanticize mild discomfort like a champion.

But the thirties? No. That is not porch weather. That is survival weather.

Charlie disagrees.

He has positioned himself so that I cannot ignore him. Strategic placement. Maximum side eye. There is a faint sense of wounded dignity radiating off his little body, as if he is thinking, "We had a routine. You broke the routine."

I try to explain. I gesture toward the window. I point out the frost. I mention that my coffee would turn into an iced beverage against its will.

He remains unconvinced.

The look he gives me says, "I would sit out there. I would be brave. I would be noble. I would judge you silently while you shivered."

And honestly? That feels unfair.

So today, Coffee on the Porch is postponed. Not canceled. Just… rescheduled. Deferred due to weather and common sense. Charlie is coping. Barely.

He has moved exactly six feet away from me. This is punishment.

I am choosing to believe that love can survive this setback. Spring will come. The porch will call again. The ritual will resume.

Until then, we will drink our coffee inside. Together. Warm. Slightly resentful. Mostly amused.

And if Charlie happens to sigh dramatically every few minutes? Well. That is just part of the experience.

Some relationships are built on compromise. Others are built on being judged by a dog who thinks 29 degrees is perfectly acceptable porch weather.