I'm slow moving this morning, with little sleep last night. Even on the rarest occasion of both the baby and toddler slumbering through the night, I was wide awake. I've always kind of been this way. I can recall countless nights of my youth, Dad driving us home late at night, back to the east side after visiting friends down south in Huntington Beach or cousins in Costa Mesa or others further inland. Packed up in our Dodge Ram Van, after a long afternoon and evening of games and mischief and spent energies - everyone finally too exhausted to do much but get along, each of us seven finding some odd position of personal comfort, and most quickly trailing off to sleep on their respective bench. 

But I'd be wide awake for the dark drive. My mom would put on an easy listening station, almost always 103.5, and we'd listen to Love Songs on the KOST... with Laurie Sanders. Request lines were open for all lovers awake in the night. Laurie would read their notes and dedications and take live calls. Little windows into the sappy souls of strangers, sharing their feelings of love and loss and longing. There was a predictable Hallmark cheesiness to it all that I rather enjoyed. The quaint and hokey tie ins: "Kyle, if you're listening... Sharon just wants you to know that the fire in her heart still burns... " and Sharon would request Eternal Flame by the Bangles or something of the sort. Sometimes there would be some left turns: "Jen, Richard knows how stressed you are at work these days" ... and then Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye would follow. (Richard!). Other times it was really out there: "Alejandro, Cassie says she's still so conflicted - and is sorry about what went down at the work party..." (What?? So many questions!). If it was really juicy, mom would sometimes insist Dad keep the radio on for a few more minutes outside the house, the others still sound asleep, knowing nothing of Cassie's conflict nor of Kyle's fire. 


Phone lines are open today and everyday. And we're taking ONLINE REQUESTS as always, all day and all weekend. We're now open Tuesday through Sunday 12-6pm. Thank you to all of you who continue to call in and connect with us, and to all who keep sharing the love. Let us know how we can best be there for you too. We welcome all requests - an email came through recently asking to know more about orange wine, another customer wanting more beer and hard cider options, and still another encouraging us to have an full online store. We're working on it. Thank you for reaching out! We hear you and we're here for you. Eternally.

Sending love,

Daniel


p.s. Check our Instagram today for pics of our new OAKLAND YARD totes! We will be selling these for $10 - with ALL proceeds going to APTP and Mask Oakland. Use the ONLINE REQUEST FORM to order and support!