Coffee Troubles

There are a couple appliances I can't live without. Before I got married I said (in jest), "I'm not getting married unless I know I'll start out with a Kitchen Aid Mixer and a Cuisinart Food Processor." I just figured I'd be a much better wife if I came with my arsenal of kitchen appliances. My mom instilled the love for cooking and gadgetry in me so she provided the necessary tools for my leap in to matrimony. I'm sure my dear husband is grateful-he's eaten well ever since. In the last 16 years I've replaced the bowl and lid on the Cuisinart a couple of times (thank you ebay) and added one more Kitchen Aid mixer (bigger, faster, stronger and RED).
In addition to those kitchen favorites are the coffee pot and the vacuum cleaner. I seem to be REALLY hard on these two household appliances. In years past when I felt stressed or anxious I would vacuum. Vacuum every day. Vacuum into the wee hours of the night- that was from the pre-kid era. These days, I'm so stinking tired when they go to bed, there's no vacuuming going on! But needless to say, the vacuum has been a source of cleanliness, but also a stress-reliever. It's had many miles put on it and it is barely hanging in there. It has numerous broken parts and accessories and my mom just taped up the exposed wires in the cord on her last visit. We've had it for a couple of years, but it looks like it's been around for decades. The first word that comes to mind when I think of our vacuum is "Pitiful."
The coffee pot, on the other hand, isn't abused, it is "LOVED!" It is only given the best water to fill its reservoir, it is gently used EVERY DAY and many afternoons. I love it when my sweetheart makes my coffee (he doesn't drink coffee. Other than that he's perfect in every way) on weekends. The smell of fresh brewed coffee can wake me from the deepest sleep. It just gives me the warm-all-over feeling that's not just related to the drink itself. It's the memories, the associations, the wake-me-up-get-the-day-started kind of feeling. I LOVE IT! I have special cups that no visitor touches. They have special handles, the perfect rim, they hold the "right" amount of coffee. We buy only whole beans so we can grind them every morning- so fresh and aromatic! I try to use only imported brown sugar cubes from Belgium. My mom has connections and hooks me up (thank you for this blessing!). There's something about these little cubes that adds to the perfect coffee experience. And then to top it off is the evaporated milk. To me it makes my coffee taste like Europe. When in Europe having coffee, I found their cream is like our evaporated milk. Doesn't this all sound so good, so cozy and warm? It's a perfect way to start each and every day...
Except today (big sadness and protruding lip going on right now). I think my coffee pot is dying...it may be a slow death, but it's near. I came downstairs this morning, filled the reservoir with filtered water, ground the coffee beans, and turned the switch. Nothing. I turned again and nothing. And then something. Enough coffee brewed for about a quarter of a cup (I'm a 2-3 cup girl, which is more like 8 cups according to the coffee pot measurements). Then it died. And I started this blog post.
Since I've been typing the coffee pot has mysteriously started again and finished the remaining water. Funny, it works for a minute, shuts off and then starts up again. It's dying. I'm so sad. Looks like I may be heading to Costco for another coffee pot.