A couple of weeks ago when of my favorite neighborhood bars, George Keelys, hosted a fundraiser for hurricane relief. As part of the fundraiser they sold raffle tickets and as prizes you’d be able to select one out of a selection of some really rare specialty craft beers. For a craft beer lover like me those were magic words and when I won I was psyched.

The choices were overwhelming, but I’d been chatting with a guy who works in the beer industry and he helped me make my pick.

According to the guy who was helping me Hill Farmstead Brewerys Vera Mae was brewed only once and never shipped out of Vermont (someone had brought it themselves and donated it for the fundraiser) so I likely had one of the only bottles in New York! I’m waiting until next weekend, when I have some beer living friends visiting, to try it. I’m so excited and of course I’ll report back.

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10 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 9

Today I’m thankful for all of the amazing friends that blogging had brought in to my life.

I used to have a personal blog which is how I met most of these amazing people, but now so many of them have become friends beyond blogging.

My relationships with my blog friends formed largely in the same way pen pals did way back when. We learned about each other largely through the written word, but we bared our souls and let ourselves be vulnerable and opened ourselves up to this amazing community of people. I am beyond lucky to have a great group of close friends and these days I count many of the friends I’ve made through blogging among them. They’ve laughed with me and cried with me and are steadfastly in my corner always cheering me on.

They say that you can meet “the one” anywhere. I believe that and I also believe it goes for friendship too. If you open yourself up you can meet some extraordinary people and form lasting bonds in unexpected places.

So bloggy buddies, today I’m thankful for YOU!