Starbucks on a Snowy Day

One of my favorite things to do is to go to my local Starbucks.  It has long been my haven away from home.  I'm fortunate that we have a Starbucks close enough that I can walk or ride my bike there in good weather.  Today is not one of those days, however.

Now that the sub-zero temperatures are gone, we are getting more snow.  It's not a lot-just enough to be a nuisance.  Traffic is slow and congested.  If you're running errands, you have to clean off your windshield and windows so you can see-especially  the rear window so you can back your car out of the parking space.  The snow is wet enough that it builds up at the edges of your windshield as the wipers try to do their work of keeping your visibility clear.  All of this just goes with a winter in Minnesota.  So, after running errands and watching the snow accumulate, I decided to treat myself to Starbucks.

My visit to Starbucks today was a joy!  I ordered my non-fat latte and grabbed a table where I could watch the snow outside and still feel like I had some privacy.  I grabbed my kindle and spent a lot of my time reading.  Periodically,, since my Starbucks is a PokeStop, I would go to my Pokemon game, and spin to gather Pokeballs.  (Yes, I still play Pokemon from time to time.)  While I was there, my older son called me so I also had a chance to catch up with him. Those of you who know me will not be surprised that I also engaged in one of my favorite pastimes: people watching!  This was a great way to spend a snowy winter afternoon in Minnesota and made me very happy.

Have you found your joy today?

30 Days of Beauty-Day 7: A Job Well Done

Tonight we went out with friends and had a wonderful time!  We laughed a lot and caught up on each other's lives.  We left around ten o'clock.  As we started heading home, Don and I both decided it was too early to go home.  We started our hunt for a coffee shop that was open or a late night venue for dessert.

As we suspected, all Starbucks and Caribous were closed.  I don't understand why none of them stay open. When I was in college, going to late night coffee shops was the thing to do.  I suppose that most people don't want coffee late at night; it might keep them up!  That is never a problem for me plus I am a night owl.  Maybe if I went near the U of M I could find a coffee shop that didn't close at 10:00 PM.  Needless to say, we did not find one tonight that was open.

Since we couldn't find a place to have coffee, we started looking for a place for dessert.  Chocolate was on the top of our list.  We weren't interested in TGIFridays or Applebees.  We didn't feel like Perkins or IHOP.  We decided to go to the Broadway Pizza near our house to get our son's favorite dessert: a giant chocolate chip cookie with ice cream, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream.  It is always a hit!

I did indulge in a few bites which were yummy.  However, what I enjoyed the most was watching our server/bartender, Kevin, as he ran around the restaurant.  We have talked with him before when we were seated in the bar for a late night pizza.  He is personable and highly skilled at what he does.

He is the only server at that time of night.  He quickly and efficiently fills drink orders and runs to tables to take orders, deliver orders, and dispense bills.  When I say runs, he literally RUNS.  He is awesome to watch.  There is a beauty in the way he does his job so well.  Even though he is so busy, he takes the time to talk with you if you initiate a conversation, and he always smiles.  It is obvious that he enjoys his job; this makes him a joy to watch!  I really appreciate a job well done.

Have you found your joy today?