Vegan MoFo 2017 Day 17: Give Me Chocolate

There is no video today, instead quasi stream of consciousness ramblings from yours truly.

Our prompt today is "chocolate." Another home run.

When my father was alive he had few clothes in the scheme of things. All his life, dad leaned more toward humor even with clothing (or maybe that all really just started when us kids came along). I still have a Far Side cartoon t-shirt of his, yup survived Irma. His clothes always made me laugh, in particular a sweatshirt with a bear on it that said "give me chocolate and nobody gets hurt." Trust me, it was funny. As we go about our lives around here frantically restoring, repairing, rebuilding it's about 1000 times a day I want to pick up the phone and call him. Then the other part of me simply gives thanks he's not alive to see this, it would be a crushing weight for him to bear, one no parent deserves.

The past day or so has been a test in the faith we have in our own selves, a test of patience, and a test I think of how strong we will continue to be no matter how many times it seems we are being tested at every turn. Thing is, we know we are not alone probably the majority of the Keys community feels the same at this moment for one reason or another.

So, how does this tie in with chocolate

When Charlie Wilson of Date and Thyme came up to hand deliver fresh, delicious, organic vegan food she brought a chocolate bar in the care package. I think it was the first thing I tore into. I will never forget those deliveries from Charlie and her angels nor that chocolate bar. I savored it bite by bite as the day wore on, zero guilt, 100% happiness and gratitude. It made me feel better. Chocolate is my ultimate comfort food, you should know that by now if you follow us here or Facebook. One of my most memorable food moments of my entire life was the first time I went to a full vegan restaurant I think over 20 years ago. So ahead of their time. I ordered a slice of chocolate ganache cake for dessert. To this day that slice of cake remains the best cake I've ever had for so many reasons. They are long out of business though just another casualty of being ahead of one's time. I can relate to that whole ahead of your time thing with our own business model. The majority of things done here pre Irma were through our own good steward initiatives, certainly not because any incentives were involved. I sit here wondering if any of it mattered, didn't get us extra business nor recognition. Cost us gobs of money in the long run fighting tooth and nail often against our own government to do things, there's often times big reasons people go into government, not many are visionaries and innovators that's for sure. However, our green business model insured we always slept with a clear conscience in that regard. Likely  I ate a lot of extra chocolate through the years, you never thought all those asphalt miles I pounded out were because I like running did you?

Yes we are being tested and you just can't keep good people down here or anywhere else in this Keys community. Look out, we are coming back with a roar, we are not lying down, and most importantly we are both locked and loaded with our chocolate.

Ps for good measure I'll see what pictures I may have of chocolate things lingering on my phone, I'll get something up on Facebook because right about now seems to me we all need more chocolate in our lives. 😬