Postscripts

Non-working meter in Oakland

Earlier this month I wrote about...

The "Most expensive breakfast ever," in which I told the sad story of being nailed with a $55 parking ticket while meeting a dear friend for breakfast in Oakland, California. On top of the $55, I was notified that I was being assessed a $25 "administration fee" by a company acting on behalf of Avis, as I'd been using a rental car during the time I'd gotten the ticket.

Good news: The third-party company notified me recently that it had waived the $25 fee. Whew.

A "Neighborhood fundraiser for Dougy," in which I noted that my neighborhood Peet's coffee store had agreed to host a week-long fundraising event for The Dougy Center, the Portland nonprofit that for nearly 30 years has provided ongoing peer support groups to children experiencing the death of a relative or friend. I showed up for a couple hours on Christmas Eve morning and joined fellow board members in greeting friends and strangers alike.

Good news: Customers contributed nearly $2,000 and Peet's followed through with its $1,000 pledge in matching funds so we raised about $3,000 for the center. Nice.