There are times in your life when you just feel rich. Might not have a thing in the bank or have been laid off with no prospects, but there are little things that make you feel rich. During the last few economically trying months I felt rich with friendship. So many people are genuinely worried and thoughtful about how we are doing and are we going to make it (the answer is hell yes!).

Sometimes it is as simple as eating as much bacon for breakfast as I choose. Growing up with seven siblings, when we had bacon, it was strictly doled out by my father. Two pieces if you're over ten and one if you’re not. My best birthday as you can imagine was my eleventh!

Odd senses of security make me feel rich. A full tank of gas does wonders for my psyche as does a hundred dollar bill. Might be my only hundred but it still feels good. I breathe a sigh of rich relief when I take a loaf of Gwen's whole wheat bread home from our Dahlia Bakery. I slice it thick, pack it into a ziplock bag and freeze it. On those sleepy, weary mornings, it's a warm comfort to pop a piece in the toaster and taste that wheaty goodness, of course, slathered under butter.

Having just visited my daughter at Colgate University in Hamilton NY, I feel rich with pride at what a nice young lady she is becoming. Loretta is thoughtful, charming, interesting and rich with friends. Jackie and I were bombarded by her "BFF's" when just a few short months ago she was a scared puppy who didn't know a soul.

Rich is indeed a relative truth that I value immensely. I am on the board of Food Lifeline, an organization which can turn a single dollar into 16 pounds of food. Now that's a kind of money laundering I can live with.

A big thank you to all who have continued to support our restaurants and to those who would like to but are having difficulties in this economic turmoil. I hope you find a few little things that make you feel RICH!

-Tom

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