In which I am a lucky duck and my ability to share improves drastically

Let me preface this by saying two things. One, that I was taught at a very young age not to gloat about your fortunes. Which I think is important.

And two, as a child, I sucked at sharing. I wasn't selfish; I just didn't get it. I'd either give all of my candy away to everyone, leaving none for me, or share none of it.

I know it will shock you to hear that there was no moderation, no middle ground.

I have postponed writing this because I didn't want to sound all, "lucky me lucky me lucky me!" And have you maybe think I am a big jerk. But the thing is that kindness and generosity and sparkly surprises just can't go unacknowledged.

As you know, I did this yippee dance a couple weeks ago, all kinds of delighted about a present from SD, all jump up and down-y -- in a virtual sense, of course.

Except in person, where the Quad heard me exclaim, "A present! I got a present!" And jump up and down.

And so I have to just admit that I'm doing it now. Even though I just did it. I hope you don't think I'm gloatalicious.

Because the thing is, I feel so ridiculously lucky. And I want to put thanks on LG.

Here's what happened last week. A box arrived. A wedding present! From my friend HKW! And this one, this one I was able to make myself wait until getting to Nick's office to open.

HKW gave us the Joy of Cooking! You have no idea how much we need this book. She picked it to help us start a home. But she helped us more than she could imagine. It would be hard to convey how much help we need in this area.

Because one of us? Is used to eating steamed vegetables and popcorn for dinner. And the other? Would butter his steak if he could get away with it. And pair with a side of sausage. Wrapped in bacon.

So we have asked for a couple cookbooks, and I know for many, the Joy is a staple. It is hugely wonderful.

That night, I was at Nick's office, waiting. I often commute with him, which means that at the end of the day I wind up sitting in his office for a while. He's rarely done before 7:30, and if he intends 7:30, it often means 8 pm. And so I try to remember to have reading material.

Nick apologized for taking a long time to wrap up, and I said, "No worries - I'm just reading some of the recipes in my present."

"Your present?"

"Yeah - the one from my blogfriend? The we just opened?" The tone of this sentence? Duh. You were right there opening it with me.

"Your? Your present?"

Oh. Oops.

"Our! Our! Our present!"

And then - and this is what tipped me over the edge into "stop worrying and just post it already" - earlier today, I got another box! From Nicole! Lovely Nicole who helped me so immensely with all kinds of insight into knives, espresso machines, and other things foreign, kitchen-y, and daunting.

She sent wedding presents! A salad dressing whipper upper - a kitchen power tool! - that I seriously cannot wait to use! And a salad spinner. So awesome!

She had no way of knowing (or maybe in the way that all of us are connected in the world she just knows) how into salads we are lately. And how we are trying to be creative yet not crazy fattening with the dressing. And even though I generally agree with her that more is, in fact, better. . .when it comes to squeezing into a wedding dress (or tux) - um, it isn't.

And so will continue in this salad-obsessed manner relentlessly and tirelessly until approximately September 27.

Nick loves it, I assure you.

So, HKW and Nicole, thank you both again and again. You so incredibly sweet and kind and generous!

Lucky me lucky me lucky me!

I mean. . .Lucky us lucky us lucky us!