happy

it's matt's birthday today.

i've been trying to arrange a fun experiential birthday present for him, 

which so far i am striking out on, 

but the process has been fun,

and 

at least i have fun stories for him about my attempts.

we celebrate birthday week around here, of course,

so it is fun to sprinkle birthday festivities throughout the week.

happiest of days to my husband...

lover of 

justice, beauty, goodness, hope, grace,

a good cocktail & a good glass of wine, 

discovering new food,

peets english breakfast tea with copious amounts of sugar and whole milk, 

gritty movies, 

our sometimes gritty city (oakland), 

jesus,

food from the dive-iest and the nicest restaurants (yes, both),

building relationships between different worlds of people,

running in the redwoods,

really complicated recipes,

a well-painted wall with no holidays,

mid-century modern furniture,

surfing,

hanging out with people,

using something until it is completely worn out,

yellow legal pads and old school composition books,

resting on sunday,

front-yard gardens,

walking the neighborhood as a family,

the wire,

multiple course meals around our long table,

reading by the fireplace,

the new york times on a sunday afternoon,

long conversations,

studying with a good cappuccino at his side,

no dishes to wash,

a quality charcuterie plate,

punk rock & hip-hop,

the new yorker,

art,

community,

two little girls who have cracked open his whole world 

+ me.

(lucky are we)

happy birthday to my best friend.