This ISN'T Kansas Toto!

I've lived 55 years without experiencing the priviledge of dining at a 5 star restaurant. Now, some of you may say....well, so what, big deal! You may feel that Woody's and Pier 6 are fine, along with an occasional Tree Steak House dinner and you're good to go. Well, you're right, it definitely is. But tonight, for the first time in my life, I was treated to an elegant dinner at a restaurant in Healdsburg that was absolutely amazing! Japanese beef, Thai marinated lobster with avacado, rack of dover sole with sweet corn, cheeses from around the world and desserts to die for! And that only scratches the surface! I've never eaten so much in my life. Five courses, if I remember correctly, and in between each one we "cleansed" our palate with sorbets and other things I can't remember! After dessert was finished....then they brought out trays of chocolates, tiny cookies, toffee crunch etc and filled a plate for the table. THEN we each were given a beautiful white and gold box with a wrapped brownie inside, as well as a copy of the "Chef's Tasting Menu" JUST for US! I felt like a queen and it would have taken a kings ransom to pay the bill! My brother-in-law treated myself, Pat, Meredith (their daughter) and her husband Rich. Rich's 40th birthday was yesterday and my sisters is Tuesday so it was a birthday celebration for them both. What a wonderful time we had. I closed my eyes at the table as I was tasting yet another course in the meal and did everything I could to "savor" not just the food, but the moment I was in the middle of. Life is made up of many glorious moments and many tough moments. I was honored to have been invited to enjoy one of those glorious moments and I was trying to capture everything about that moment I could. How thankful I felt that I had such divine food to eat, a family who loves me so much and a brother-in-law willing to shell out a mortage payment worth of food on just one dinner just because he loves all of us so much! I'm blessed beyond measure and thank God for the memory I'll cherish always of this special night. I probably won't ever be able to eat at a 5 star restaurant again, but that's ok. I made memories to last forever tonight and I'll cherish them always. Thank you Lord for all you have so graciously and abundantly blessed me with. Let us all be thankful for the blessings we have been given.