How to Live in the Northwest Rule #1: Frequent the Coffee Shacks!

Until 2011, I spent all my life on the East Coast, and most of that in the South (GRITS!  If you don't know, just go to Cracker Barrel and check out the t-shirts!  =)).  Since we moved to the beautiful Northwest, it seems like every day is a study in the contrast between life in the South and life up here.  Both great and amazing, just much more different than I expected.

So here is Rule #1 about how to live in the Northwest:  you got to learn to drink the hot brown stuff.  I was never a coffee drinker before I moved to the NW.  I drank Diet Coke by the bucket and supplemented with sweet tea from Sonny's - it was hot outside nearly all the time, so why would I want to drink something hot?  (Side note: If I were going to do a series on How to Live in the South, Rule #1 would be that you have to go to Sonny's on Sunday after Church.  Don't worry about the calories, that's what your long runs are for!)

Anywho, about a month after I moved here, my dear friend wisely said that she knew I'd be converted to coffee in due course, and low and behold, she was right - I'm not firmly in the "coffee is delicious" camp!  And, to make things even better, the NW has tons of funky little coffee shacks with their own flavor and devotees.

Now, I still drink and love my diet coke and coke zero, but I've cut back and here's why I think coffee>diet coke:

• More caffeine!  yay!  who doesn't want to be more productive?
• Warm drinks really ARE better on frosty mornings - and we have frosty mornings up here from September to May!   
• love that delicious smell of coffee when you wake up!

And I know there are a lot of other reasons too. But surely you are rolling your eyes at me and this ridiculous post by now, but here's the important part:  Dutch Bros. is donating proceeds from drinks sold tomorrow (FRIDAY) to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  MDA works to fight ALS, which is an incurable disease that cuts many lives short, too soon.  If you live in the NW, get yourself a DB treat tomorrow and do some good.  You can bet we'll be there, and I hope you will be too!

Have a blessed Thursday.