Cafe Gratitude

Cafe Gratitude is a running joke in the Bay Area-- a joint where giving thanks is taken to the extreme. Everything on the menu is a variation on the "I am _______" theme. Think about ordering the "I am luscious" and you'll get a sense of the place.

Only in California, right?

But I gotta say...

Sometimes so many blessings pile up in a day that it's all I can do not to get down on my knees by the side of the road and take in the wonder of it all.

Maybe it's the Californian in me.

In any case, today it hit me like a ton of bricks: I am so dang grateful for the wonderful people that NOLS has brought into my life.

This morning --after bumbling around the house in a daze of earliness and inadvertently waking Rathke up-- I got to start out the day trading wandering thoughts with her over coffee in the kitchen, both of us bleary-eyed and pajama-clad.

Next I got to catch up with Yost at Apple Valley Market. More coffee. We wrote a list of things we wanted to remember to talk about, checking off topics as we went: "Our Lives as Artists", "Downsizing", "The Seven Principles That Make Marriage Work", "My Plans For Your Future".

And then, on an afternoon walk, we came across men in fatigues surveying the scene at City Park from atop various tank turrets. Clair, small and bright in her turquoise puffy, walked up to one gentleman and after some frank questioning --she with her head thrown back to look up at him and him fumbling to take off his helmet and earphones to hear her-- came back to us with the cheerful report, "They're guarding us!" Waving in their direction, we continued on our way.

I am seriously lucky, people.

NOLS barely pays a living wage but when I think of all the benefits --like this amazing community I get to be a part of-- I couldn't be better compensated for my labors.

So I'll take an order of "I'm filthy rich" please.