I have this condition..a tendency really..to work as much as physically (and legally) possible. I’ve been spending long days and long weeks at work lately, which has caused a bit of an absence from me in blog land. I haven’t had much down time to read blogs lately, because my free time goes to the gym, or to crafting, or to spending time with friends.
I’m not complaining, or even apologizing for my lack of appearances lately, but I do feel the need to make a note of it. I love to work, it keeps me busy and makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something in my days. Last week I managed to work over 40 hours, along with three openings shifts in a row (and to think I used to open every day at TJ’s wow) which has led me to appreciate the two days I have off today and tomorrow. My first day off in 9 days, I’ll take it. Tomorrow I run my 4th half marathon, and I am so excited.
This is a leaf..made to look like a turkey…with running shoes. What I really do with my free time.
I worked thanksgiving morning, which I really didn’t mind. I was off by 10:20 and had my run complete by 12. I was able to get wild in the kitchen for hours leading up to the feast. I’ll spare the photos of the traditional foods, but I did make some new delicious sides that included butternut squash with carrots and walnuts glazed with a coconut oil/brown sugar mix, and rosemary sprinkled Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes.. Of course I also made this pie, and it was just as good as I remembered. It was gone in two days.
While at work, plenty of people passed through to get their morning fix of caffeine. Locals partaking in turkey day races inflicted a twinge of jealousy in me, which I quickly shoved aside after reminding myself of my upcoming half. One customer that really stood out, was a regular customer. He comes in during the dark hours of the morning, orders a double short americano with an 8 grain roll (my favorite thing ever) and sits at a table to write.
I was finally able to experience some of his writing, as he brought the workers of Starbucks a letter of thanks for all that we do. He and his wife have been coming in for years now, and they have further inspired me to remember the importance of a local coffee shop. Below are his words, which were written so beautifully I just had to share!
“Dear local Starbucks,
It has been a while since we wrote to tell you how much we appreciate what you do. During that time we hope our gratitude has not been completely hidden, but now we have a granddaughter, and seeing our coffee shop habit imprinted on a third generation brings new clarity to what we are so thankful for.
What is a local coffee shop to someone whose age is still counted in months? It is a place to not be shushed while mum is sleeping in. It is a warm bite for breakfast, warm smells on a cold day, Van Morrison and a big picture window on the rising dawn. It is a place of endless greetings, pausing here while others begin their workday routines. There is a sense of resilience and optimism as each smiling hello is fit between one bite and the next. And for us regulars, perhaps more than for those just passing through. There is a crew, ever busy and bright, balancing efficiency with just a touch of luxury: a simple meal prepared by someone else to afford a moment of welcome and wonder.
Good things happen here, and it’s all your fault. Thanks for proving each day when you come to work that for us to claim we have a local Starbucks is not an oxymoron, and for making our coffee shop habit something we are happy to be handing down.”
I hope to be back next week with posts about crafting, running, half marathon-ing, blogger meetups, and of course more posts about coffee shop shenanigans.
Q: What are your thoughts about your local coffee shop?
Blissfulbritt 
42 thoughts on “The Beauty of Words”
Davida @The Healthy Maven
What a nice letter! I think local coffee shops are wonderful. If I had a bigger budget I would frequent mine daily!
Amy
So happy for you that you’re keeping busy, Brittany! And even more so that you’re staying true to your priorities and don’t feel obligated to blog all the time. You’re an inspiration! 🙂
GOOD LUCK ON YOUR HALF!!! I’m praying that the bees, wasps, and hornets all stay far, far away from you tomorrow and that you get that BIG mug of coffee at the finish line. Can’t wait to hear how it goes!!
Brittany
HAHA!! YES, keep those pesky hornets AWAY FROM ME!
Amy
I’ve already issued them a warning! 😉
pickyrunner
Good luck tomorrow girl! I know you’re going to ROCK it! That is such a nice letter and it’s really great to hear you’re doing well! Being busy just works for some people, myself included. I don’t know what it is but that’s when I’m at my happiest, and it sounds like you are too 🙂
Brittany
You and I would get along fabulously, that is if we ever had time for each other! HA!
katymarie5
Good luck running your half tomorrow! I can’t wait to read your recap 🙂
Kelly (@LeafynotBeefy)
Oh, what a beautifully written letter! 🙂 Good luck on your half – you completely amaze me!
P.S. If you have time before you go to bed, you’ll want to enter my giveaway for $100 gift card from Swanson 😉
Gillian @ That's G
Love Starbucks/local coffee shops in general — always a day/mood brightener for me!!
Good luck tomorrow!!
Heather @ HeatherRunsFast.com
Super Duper Good Luck tomorrow! I’ve been missing my doses of Brittany and I’m glad you be back in the blogosphere 🙂 What an awesome customer Thank You! Always feels good to know your hard work is recognized and appreciated.
kathy @ vodka and soda
DO NOT EVEN TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR BLOGGER MEET UP BECAUSE THAT WHOREFACE MEGHAN SHOWED OFF THE PICS AND REBEKAH AND I ARE SO INCREDIBLY JEALOUS!!!!!!!! AND I’M TYPING THIS IN ALL CAPS SO YOU KNOW I MEAN BIDNESS! right now i’m gchatting with rebekha and we are seething with rage and by that, i mean we’re weeping that we want to be there too.
now that’s out of the way, i miss your guts in blogland. please don’t disappear like that on me ever again.
that is such as sweet note and good luck on your half! if you happen to run by or with meghan, trip her or slap for me please!!
Brittany
BAHAHA I just ADORE Meghan!! She was such a gem, and I cannot wait to hangout with her (AND YOU + REBEKAH BIATCH) again! No really though, I wished you guys were there too! I’ll give Meghan a spank on the ass if I see her, but that’s not likely since we start an hour apart..boooo!
PNWRunner
I am soooo sad that we couldn’t meet up today. Tomorrow it is on! Sopping wet and all! 😉
I love getting to know all the Flywheel riders in SLU and Bellevue. The Flywheel family is theeee best! Everyone helps one another regardless if you are new or a life long member. The relationships make me never want to leave!
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
I think we all like to feel productive.. work away and enjoy while you have the opportunity:) You must be the best barista there! I loved reading that letter, he is so right about the heart center of a local coffee shop and her regulars! Ha! I personified your coffee shop! Good luck with your half marathon.. I can’t even imagine running for 20 seconds, so I’m sooo impressed by you!! xx
GiGi Eats Celebrities
Um, excuse me miss……. You fill ALL OF YOUR FREEEEEE TIMEEEE snap chatting and texting and skyping with MOI! LMFAO! However, even though that is all you do outside of WORK WORK WORK and GYM GYM SPIN SPIN MAKE A COOL BASKET SLEEP SLEEP HARRASS YOUR CATS EAT EAT EAT – you failed to mention this letter!!! What a sweet man!!!
Brittany
“MAKE A COOL BASKET” hahaha YES!
kadeecramer
Good luck on your run!! I agree that working hard can be really addicting.. it feels good!
Also.. gotta love that turkey ;p
Change of Pace
So sweet to take the time to thank you guys and his local shop. Well, since I’m not a coffee or tea drinker, I don’t really have a local coffee shop!
Glad you still had a nice Thanksgiving despite working in the morning.
GOOD LUCK TOMORROW!!!
Brittany
I always think of you when I write my coffee posts, because I know you don’t drink coffee OR tea so I hate that you can never relate!! I need to find another alternative that you can relate to!
Change of Pace
Ha- that’s ok! I still love to read it!
I do like very few peppermint teas when my throat is sore!
Jan @ Sprouts n Squats
Good luck with your half marathon!! Sure you will rock it!!
I laughed so much at your leaf turkey haha too funny! 🙂
Elizabeth
this made me miss my coffee shop so, so, so, so, so much!! my local coffee shop has been the scene of long hugs, countless jokes, tears and butterflies. it’s the bedrock for a million emotions. love it.
you are going to DESTROY your 1/2!! here’s hoping all the nasty bees and wasps stay awwwway!
sincerelylily
so…. WAS THIS MAN A FAMOUS AUTHOR!?!?!? holy baloni…. that letter is so raw and honest and musical. He must be a writer. I love how he wrote ‘good things happen here and it is all your fault.’ that has got to make you feel pretty good about your job 🙂
its okay to work and run away from blog land a bit….. and i love your turkey leave. so you. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR HALFLFFFFF!
sincerelylily
LEAF*** not leave. i cannot spell apparently.
Life After Swimming
that is the cutest note ever! people can be so good!
Katherine
I’ve been terribly busy lately, so no worries about a lack of appearance. I’m not even appearing on MY blog lately! It’s crazy! I love that note. I think being able to eloquently write is something so timeless and beautiful. Notes like this always seem to pop up right when I start to wonder how many good people are really left! We have the cutest little coffee shop downtown that I just love. They have live music and fairy lights and the atmosphere always makes me SO happy!
Britta
ahhh I love this man already!! I wanna stick him in my pocket and carry him around with me!! LOVE. When I think of Starbucks, I don’t necessarily think of it as a “local” coffee shop BUT here is the irony.. whenever I am travelling, visiting another city or even just take a day trip somewhere I search around for a Starbucks or I may just stumble across one – there is this immediate connection and I have to go in because it feels like “home.” <— funny how that happens but no matter where I am in the world (I remember feeling like this in Amsterdam & Prague) Starbucks creates a little nest of coziness and comfort. ❤ BIG LOVE FOR THAT! Hope you had a great run today – I am positive you killed it – cant wait to hear all about it!
Aussa Lorens
Oh, wow! What a kind note! I always think about doing things like this and then I don’t– I totally should!
And, my local coffee shop… I have one that I love going to and have been a regular for years (the owner is totes creepy though, so if I go for too many days in a row he will try to touch me) but I have a post coming up in the next few days about a Starbucks experience from when I used to go there all the time! Ah! Madness!
Lovely post and good luck with the half marathon! Wait… did it already happen I think?! Good luck recovering, if so!
Brittany
NOOOO TOUCHY!
jessiebearwhat
Mmmmmm thaaat pie.
An Unrefined Vegan
What a nice guy and a thoughtful gesture. I’m sure it made everyone’s day and made you all feel good about what you do. Coffee shops are indeed special places and I’m happy for the coffee habit in this country (now we just need better bakeries and more of them)! How did your half go??
Brittany
Recap in today’s post!!
jessielovestorun
I know you keeping busy has been helping with keeping your mind off things. so I’m happy 🙂 I’m also happy that you completed your FOURTH half marathon. You go girl!!
Brittany
You are one smart girl my friend! Being busy does indeed keep my mind occupied as well!! HA! 🙂
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
What a wonderful note. It’s always great to get a bit of gratitude for a job well done.
I think local coffee shops are a gathering place for the community. Restaurants too.
Can’t wait to hear about the half!!
Megan
I love people are are so clever with their words! I always am so jealous of how they can weave sincerity into something so simple. When it comes to a local coffee shop… my frugal bones steer me clear of coffee shops. I can’t help it! When i can snag free coffee from my apt or pay a little for a bag that just keeps on giving for weeks I can not justify spending cash money on a cup of joe. I am easily the biggest coffee shop grinch. Now when Brennan’s parents are in town an insist on Starbucks a few times a day and are footing the bill I happily hang out for hours!
Brittany
I completely understand the frugal aspect of not going to coffee shops. Before I worked at Starbucks I only went in once in a while, and only ordered drip coffee ($1.90 after tax) but I LOVED sitting in there to blog, or read while busy bodies came and went. It’s wonderful.
I still only pay for drip coffee (when I am not working, becasue when I work I drink fo free) and don’t go to other coffee shops as much as I would like!
Amy @ A Desert Girl
What an amazing letter. He has a gift. And so do you. Best of luck on the half! I can’t wait to read all about it.
allieksmith
I’m so happy that you’re enjoying life and keeping busy! I can’t wait to read about the half you ran. Also, the letter is amazing!!
Melissa @ Al Forno Mementos
haha that leaf is too cute. I love getting such positive words at work. keeps you motivated to do your best!!
Rach @ This Italian Family
I’ve said it before, but I so wish you lived near by! Mostly because you are awesome and we’d have so much fun together, but I’d also love how much you love your job. I’d love it if you worked at our local Starbucks. The one closest to our house is pretty great, but I went to a different one in a part of town where people just don’t care about anything and literally had the worst experience ever. I was so upset that I was shaking by the time I left. But anyway, I love hear about people who love what they do. You are making peoples’ days! 🙂
The Vegan 8
That’s an awesome beautiful letter! I bet that made y’all feel so good to have him as a customer and more importantly, that truly appreciates you!!