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I am so thankful this Thursday and here's a few reasons why:

•Third time's a charm on trying to connect to the Internet today. WOW. The things you take for granted.

•Life in the barrel is a LOT cooler these days. I'm thankful for our new cozy blanket.

•I'm thankful I met Laura Bly, a travel writer with USA Today. Her article about Big Sur is in USA Today tomorrow [I think it's in the travel section].I'm featured in the article. Learned a lot about reporting from Laura. I am thankful that in my own way I helped during the fire by connecting people. And making that connection is what writing is all about.

•I'm thankful I'm coming to terms with my gypsy status. I've lived in Big Sur more on than off over the past 8 months, and in the past month I've been back to SoCal for only a few days [the lure of the wine barrel]. So....when asked if I'm a resident I didn't really know how to answer. Part-time? Resident? I guess I'm really a temporary resident--through this December for sure--although my heart will always be here. Truth is Joe and I will move around a lot with his work. Not quite sure where we'll end up next. We're gypsys now. But, like our good friend Christian said the other day at Esalen, now we have two homes.

•I'm thankful for my two inspiring daughters. Their passion is powerful and their dreams, amazing.

•I'm thankful for Joe who's always been by my side.

•And...I'm thankful for Dad who took the time to translate letters from a Grandma I never met but who's fate was slightly similar to my own, and sent them to me in the mail. [I'm stopping by the post office on my way back to the barrel....]

•I'm thankful to once again be sitting on the patio outside of the library at Ventana, writing.

•And I'm thankful for the brave and heroic people who help people through crisis every day and for the memories kept alive of those we lost seven years ago.

Here's a shout out to my bro and his family in Houston. Take good care. They are, I'm told, not going on a hurrication and choosing to ride it out at home.