It wasn’t all bad. Copious cheating and countless lies aside, there are still nuggets of goodness that waft into my memory.

It was a summer’s day in Southern California. We took a drive down the coast to check out Hearst Castle. The road hug the cliffs, setting up a landscape fit for paintings and photographs. Waves crashed along the rocks below and freighters chugged along the horizon.

As we neared our destination, we passed a little deli. The outside resembled a log cabin and a neon sign blinked “wine” and “beer.” We stepped inside and the sweet scent of freshly baked bread took over. He grabbed wine and glasses while I gathered up some French cheese, salami and a loaf of crusty bread.

We drove looking for a spot to eat and came across a huge field of long grass overlooking the ocean. He laid down a blanket and we setup our picnic. The sun warmed our skin as he poured the wine. We clinked our glasses and toasted to our future.