weekly gratitude

thank you boots, even though you have a hole in the right sole

At around ten o'clock Sunday night I decided, "Hey, that pie crust in the fridge needs to do something. It needs to fulfill its destiny!" 

Followed closely with, "I think I bought pears... (investigates kitchen)... Hey, I bought pears!"

And rounded out with, "What else can I slather this fig jam on?"

(the answer to that last question is two-fold, answers being: a spoon and/or a pie)

The result of the thrilling trills of these innermost thoughts of mine was the smell of a fig & pear galette filling my apartment. This smell, I'd like to point out, made me rue the fact that sticking my head directly in the oven to wrap myself in that smell would have been a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad idea. 

It also begs the question of whether Sylvia Plath was just trying to get a whiff of a pie in that oven of hers.

Too far?

//

1. Thank you for Maria and Gavan and Kerrigan. My girl, her nephew and her sweet friend joined me at church Sunday and it meant the world, the whole dang world, to me. Aside from the obvious joy at not going to church alone (though truly, even though I show up alone I have made wonderful friends and rarely feel "alone") I was so happy they came. Maria showed up with a smile - that smile of joy I've so missed seeing on her face - and said over and over how happy she was that she was there. i swear, my heart could have burst right out of my chest. And as soon as my eyes stop welling up every time I think about this amazing little turn her life is taking, I'll let you know. On top of everything though, I am so grateful that Gavan came too. He is Maria's thirteen year old nephew and is facing a dark, dark season. A week ago his best friend was killed in an act of senseless, heartbreaking violence. No one, and especially not a thirteen year old, should ever have to bear this. I wanted to hug him and never let go. But he is blessed in the support system he has in his family and I am thankful he has them. If you think of it, pray for Gavan and the family of the young man who lost his life, that they all might find some peace and rest in this.

2. Thank you for Jared coming home safe! After almost five months away, multiples fires put out and a few fires lit, only minor scars and an impressive beard, the Indy kid made it back to Portland last weekend. Three fires seasons down, and I continue to be so ridiculously proud of him I could bust. (and so incredibly thankful when he comes home alive. Oh, yes, alive is good).

3. Thank you for positive affirmations at work. I know I'm not curing disease here, or doing anything particularly noble, but I love what I do and it means so much to have customers thank me for a lovely visit. And what means the most is when they thank me for "[my] knowledge" on the wine industry, the history of the valley, the wines... That's really what means the most a lot of the time. That I've been able to share what I've learned and teach people something is such a sweet feeling and I am incredibly grateful when people let me know they've had as much fun as I've had.

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So short and sweet this week.

Now it's time to attack the pile of dishes in my sink and maybe, maybe get around to finally changing the clock on the wall so I stop panicking every time I look at it.

Ah... To have goals.