Wrangler Dani

My birthday falls at a very unfortunate time of year, when you’re buying gifts for everybody in Creation and going to parties and way too busy, and then here I decide to have a birthday and a bridal shower, which is really the last thing you need to add to your schedule in mid-December.

But, I have awesome friends, and they not only ponied up and came to both parties, but brought presents too! And they know me really well, because most of the gifts had to do with coffee and cowboys and Christmas and the color brown, which all are some of my favorite things and also (side note) start with C.  C is Cool.

Anyways. That was all a side story to explain how I went to Starbucks this morning in my current state of broke-dom, and it was all on the generous backs of my kind friends who know that love is plastic and shaped like a credit card and wrapped in festive felt for Christmas.

So, I was in Starbucks and making small talk with the barista. (I have a feeling that nobody gets to the Ladera Ranch Starbucks until their kidlets are in school, so it’s pretty dead before 7 a.m. I’m one of about five kid-less people in this whole community.) I’d ordered a grande eggnog latte with an extra shot, no whip. “Want another shot?” the barista asked nonchalantly.

Is Eggnog fattening?! HECK YES. He poured in the extra shot and handed me my drink with a smile. “If I’m working, just let me know and I can always get you a free extra shot. They pull evenly and we’d just have to toss it anyway,” he said. “Have a great day.”

Great day, indeed.  And the start to a beautiful, free-shot friendship.