'preciate it

we are all thankful. for family, home, friends, work. today I felt exceptionally thankful for many, many things, a very big list ~here is a quick short list

~this tea, over there to the right. 5:30 each morning. 3 cups.

~Tim Keller's head and heart understanding of the gospel
~for our dear Donnalyn, who loves my kids and my dogs equally
~our Altima, smelling of pipe (we can talk about that later) taking scott back and forth to Philly 6 x's a week

~Redeemer Presbyterian church
~that these two men are actually in seminary (please click on the pix)
~that my dogs love my children
~That when someone in our community sends up a smoke signal, 50 people respond almost immediately

~for this lady right here-who told us this week it was a privilege to be our dr. ...it's truly the other way round.

~the dinner table scene in talladega nights
~for The Geneva School of Manhattan
~for Martha
~for Molly
~for honey bear Sam or Samuh as honor says
~that Karen actually takes my calls and listens

~that this little boy is well

~for Oxford Insurance -Naomi F and Vanessa H
~and Duke children's hospital

~for friends in Nashville that we miss very much
~that Trisha now thinks Elvis is cute
~That the Hansen's have a beautiful baby boy
~that the coombe's do too

~for London and friends there
~ that friends send tea
~that friends who send tea read blogs
~that friends who send tea and read blogs have a better sense of humor than I
~the tea

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

the other one of you who reads this, asked me why I am not blogging.
I am blogging, often, actually.
but all in my head.
and they are wonderful, I am sorry you are missing them.
I seem to be busier than ever. and actually, every mom I know is busier than ever-every single mom.
and I am tuckered. if you can believe it,
I fell asleep walking down the street with my children-twice-this week. closed my eyes, stroller veered, dreams began-so odd.
and I pee'd my pants while walking with the kids, but I guess I should keep that private, right?

but here are a few of the blogs I have written/ with pix/ that you have missed.

1. JP is really a carpenter in St. Louie
- aka-Vacation bible School @ Redeemer with uncle kevin with his hand up a penguin puppet

2. Mass. girls NOT malled by pit bull, news at 11
-my nieces came to stay with us for a week this summer and fell in love with -Molly. and she loved them too

3. Absolutely, I'm great with kids
-babysitting the beautiful Wolma children this summer and all our excursions

4. my favorite place ever
-cape cod at miss nancy's house this aug with mum and dad

5. are we really this loud all the time?
-our wonderful family labor day picnic in Maine at Mike's house.

6. you wanna paint the ceiling blue as well? to save you time? ah....
-having the apt painted this summer by the landlord's painter

7. That was yummy cake! Not!
-the camping trip with the Lehmann's and Wolf's that never happened.

8. the backyard
the many, many dinners in our backyard garden with friends and cousins this summer

9. Conversion @ Graceland
watching and listening to Trisha realize just how handsome Elvis was @ our Graceland visit 10 years ago this Oct.

10. Honey, does this sequined Manuel outfit make me look fat?
asking the supreme Elvis expert (even on 20/20 show) just how much elvis weighed when he died and watching the middle aged, over weight, elvis loving housewives (my, that describes me now) move away from Trish and I and banish us to the back of the Elvis line.

is it just me?

• I have a terrible time 'connecting' with blogger aka blogspot when posting-anyone else?
• this is why I rarely blog.
  
• wrote blog, attempted to add pix and 'link' with blogspot could not be reached, over and over-I can post words, but the pix thing has taken over an hour and still-nada-hence this post instead.
• how is wordpress miss harris from kansas?
  

bull terrier alert

ok, with all the dog fighting stuff in the news........I am going to leave Elvis to the side for a sec-wait till I tell ya about Elvis and my cousin Trisha-

anyhoo, scott went to Costco in NJ today, a hot, hot, muggy day. too hot to bring 3 canines and leave them in the car, and yet, he did just that.
I asked "you did not bring them to Jersey, did you?"
"Of course I did"
"You left them in the car as you went into Costco?"
"Yes. windows up and all. "
"WHAT??!!"
"I left the air conditioning on and the car unlocked. Who is gonna take our car with 3 dogs in it and Molly in the driver's seat? I had no worries at all. None."

ok. Peace of the Lord? Peace of Cesar Milan? Piece of whoever tries to get in our car?

Graceland

ahhhh,
Graceland.
now say it a bit faster.
good.
now say it in one syllable.
even better.
now leave off the d.
well done.
now make the A of land an (i) like in inchworm.
that's it.
Gracelin.

a trip to remember...
I will fill, the two of you reading this, in tomorrow.

The King.

Elvis presley ( thats alright mama ) edited djf

This is a video response to Elvis Presley (love me tender) edited djf

I remember exactly where I was when I found out.
Great moments in history and time are forever saved in peoples memories aren't they?
...where they were when Pearl Harbor was attacked, JFK in Dallas, space shuttle....
and for me-it is the day Elvis died.
I did not even like Elvis then.
I was obsessed with the Beatles, having been given the red and blue albums by my mother
-thus starting another life long obsession
~we can talk about my fasting and fainting when John Lennon died another time.....but i digress.
on Aug. 16th '77
I was leaving the carlisle swim club with my friend.
The day before had been my birthday,
I was in a good jolly mood.
her mother came to pick us up-
yes, they dropped us off and left us there (at 11 years of age)
and as we walked through the parking lot
she mentioned that Elvis had died.
Her daughter then began to make wisecracks
about him and the warm air
was replaced by a cool and bitter yet reverent chill.
Her mother had stopped in her tracks.
Mrs. Coffman began to berate us about
showing respect to the dead and
especially to the King. the King.
that week a boy in school already had a 'tribute to Elvis' tee shirt on
-red I believe.
He lived in the trailer park on the other side of town,
had long stringy hair and a strong PA accent.
I did not know much about him. I lived on the other side of the tracks,
so to speak.
and my parents were drinking Manhattans and
listening to the Sting on their deck in the evening.
This kids parents were not doing that on their porch.
someone in class commented on his shirt in school.
That same air of reverence came over the
entire classroom and he said
"don't make fun of the King. My family loves Elvis, Elvis is the King"
as I grew up, I began to listen to those early recordings from
Sun Records-we are talking '54. just listen. they are amazing.
he is silly young, combining gospel and country into
the new born rock and roll.
he is raw, fresh and honestly, just plain talented.
Like listening to Frank Sinatra-you cannot deny his talent and star quality. Elvis had that too~ some
talented people have a charisma that draws you towards them. This young man had it.
no one was singing like that,
looking like that,
or moving like that (in public)
and he is having a grand ole time doing it too.
and he was definitely not from the Manhattans
on the deck crowd, but
he had 'it'.
and everybody knew it.
and in a very short time from the release of these records he had a major recording contract and began to appear on The Milton Berle Show and The Steve Allen Show,
and not to be beat or miss the boat-Ed Sullivan had him on the show too.
so now i want a tribute to Elvis tee shirt myself.
and I got to marry another boy from a trailer park-I do so love the wrong side of the tracks.
if the film isn't working above-click this

Thank you, thankyouverymuch.

sorry to the two of you who do read this~ we have been on vacation in cape cod with no computer access-and are going away agin this weekend.

just wanted to prepare you-Elvis week, although officially this week, will begin next week right here~
today is the 30th anniv. of his passing.....by the by.
perhaps rent viva las vegas to prepare? or this is Elvis?
see you next week.