Samantha Joyce & Lucy

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Samantha and I live in West Seattle with a person called Chris and a 9.5-year-old yellow Labrador retriever named Lucy. I am a writer for Seattle Coffee Gear, an online retailer of coffee and espresso machines. More than just sales, the company mission is to educate so I spend much of the day writing fun and informative online coffee tips. I also answer coffee questions people send in via Twitter and Facebook.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Lucy and I enjoy work-from-home Wednesdays together, but today we are in the office with the crew in Lynnwood, WA. Lucy makes a great supervisor. Currently, she is watching Kaylie and Sarah test a new Krups superautomatic home espresso machine to see if a) it works and b) it tastes good. (She is not allowed to sample any cappuccinos though. Caffeine is toxic for dogs!)

What's brewing?

At home I make pour over coffee in a Chemex. At work I make drip coffee with a Technivorm coffee maker and fresh roasted whole bean coffees. Today I am sipping Brazil Condado Estate single origin from Velton’s Coffee Roasting Co. in Everett, WA. We have demo models of all the machines we stock, so it is truly a coffee lover’s dream. When I feel like a latte at work, I use a home espresso machine like the Nuova Simonelli Oscar.

Any treats for you or Lucy on this occasion?

Since Coffee with a Canine is a special occasion, I brought coffee cake from Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle for my coworkers while Lucy nibbles a biscuit under my desk.

How did Lucy get her name? Any nicknames?

Lucy was named after the action star Lucy Liu. Now that her sweet and caring personality really shines through, it is obvious she is more of a ‘Lucinda.’ We also call her BooBoo and Piglet.

How were you and Lucy united?

We adopted Lucy from a loving home just east of Tacoma, WA. A friend of a friend told us about a litter of puppies born to Oliver and Abigail, both happy dog-parents that live with a nice people-family there. All of the puppies were yellow Labradors, even though Labrador parents can have puppies of any color (black, chocolate or yellow).

Who are Lucy's best pet-pals?

Lucy's best pal is Remy. Remy is a young rescued terrier mix from Yakima, WA who now lives in Seattle with our people-friends. They enjoy chasing each other around the yard on play dates and playing tug-o-war. Even though Lucy weighs 72 pounds and Rem weighs less than 20, she lets him win and is very gentle with him.

Where is Lucy's favorite outdoor destination?

Lucy loves going to Lincoln Park in West Seattle, which we can walk to from the house. People passing by always talk about the funny way she holds her own leash in her mouth as she walks. If we had a biscuit for every time someone remarked, “That dog is walking herself!” we would have a lot of biscuits.

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

Tennis ball all the way! We have a case of tennis balls from Costco. More than one person has spotted the box in the garage and remarked, “Oh, I didn’t know you played tennis?” (We don't!)

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

For some reason, the letter carrier is public (Labrador) enemy number one and his arrival is the only time when Lucy will let loose her mean bark. After that, squirrels and birds must be chased relentlessly. Cats are a puzzle--we don’t really understand cats.

What is Lucy's best quality?

Her loving nature. Especially as she grows older she seems like Nana in the original Peter Pan novel, wearing a kerchief and taking care of family members with a look of concern on her doggy face.

If Lucy could change one thing about Seattleites, what would it be?

Attention Voting Citizens of King County: Labradors should be allowed to play on beaches and swim all they want in Puget Sound. That is all.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Lucy could speak, which actor should do her voice?

Drew Barrymore has the perfect quirky-happy voice to narrate Lucy's quirky-happy dog thoughts.

If Lucy could answer only one question in English, what would you ask her?

Lucy is seemingly more active in her sleep than during waking hours. Sometimes she runs so much in her dreams that it shakes the bed and wakes me up. We would ask her, “What are you chasing and why?”

You can ask Samantha Joyce and Seattle Coffee Gear coffee and espresso related questions on Facebook or Twitter.

--Marshal Zeringue