[editor's note, by PoliSigh] early morning for me--see you later!

Today's Meditation:

   COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your blessings
   See what God has done
   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your many blessings
   See what God has done


   When upon life's billows
   You are tempest tossed
   When you are discouraged
   Thinking all is lost
   Count your many blessings
   Name them one by one
   And it will surprise you
   What the Lord has done


   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your blessings
   See what God has done
   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your many blessings
   See what God has done


   Are you ever burdened
   With a load of care
   Does the cross seem heavy
   You are called to bear
   Count your many blessings
   Every doubt will fly
   And you will be singing
   As the days go by


   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your blessings
   See what God has done
   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your many blessings
   See what God has done


   When you look at others
   With their lands and gold
   Think that Christ has promised
   You His wealth untold
   Count your many blessings
   Money cannot buy
   Your reward in heaven
   Nor your home on high


   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your blessings
   See what God has done
   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your many blessings
   See what God has done


   So, amid the conflict
   Whether great or small
   Do not be discouraged
   God is over all
   Count your many blessings
   Angels will attend
   Help and comfort give you
   To your journey's end


   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your blessings
   See what God has done
   Count your blessings
   Name them one by one
   Count your many blessings
   See what God has done


~ Johnson Oatman, 1897

There's more....

I am filling in for Deb Brown--she and her family were lucky to get tickets to see Sen. Obama--can you imagine her leaving us for that?  Yup, me too.  I worked and then Mom and I went to Marshall's where I scored some really great looking lamps and end tables for the living room.  The end tables I have right now are about as old as I am--so they are pretty close to being antiques!  I have a pink lamp and 2 off white ones that look like pottery--very 1990s--time for a change!  I can hardly wait to get this all together.  

Some college presidents are calling for the drinking age to be lowered again.  It seems silly to consider at 18 you are an adult in every other way--and sometimes earlier.  The drinking age was 18 when I was that age--although the states could decide for themselves, so there was a patchwork of often odd laws across the country.  New Jersey allowed 18 year olds to vote, Pennsylvania stayed at 21.  I went to college in Pennsylvania!  Ohio allowed drinking over 20 and from 18-20 they could drink 3-2 beer as it was called--3.2% alcohol.  That was a difficult law to watch.  Drunk driving deaths increased, but some of that was due to the need to drive to neighboring states to drink.  It made it easier for younger kids to get alcohol since they were more likely to know an 18 year old rather than a 21 year old.  We drank our lunches during High School a few times--we got served at 17..... I wish we didn't make drinking such a forbidden fruit.  If it wasn't a big deal, I don't think we would see so much binge drinking.  It is a nightmare to deal with under-aged drinking in colleges across the country.  Students have no idea just how stupid they act and look when they drink too much.  There seem to be so many more predators today--we had great guy friends who took care of us, who would never take advantage.  

So, what are you up to?  What are you eating and drinking and thinking about?  Pull up a chair and chat for a while.

Welcome to Coffee Hour. Grab a glass of lemonade or iced tea (sweet or unsweetened, check the pitcher label!). If you're looking for a bit harder, there's margarita and mojito makings over on the side table. I've got some amazing roasted corn/jalapeno salsa left over this weekend, and Mr. Brillig whipped up a batch of guacamole, so grab some chips and a chair and tell us what's going on in your world today.

On Saturday Casa Brillig took our annual trip up to my friend Peter's house. His family's cabin on the lake, to be exact. He's been throwing a party there for 20+ years for his college friends. I met him at a friend's wedding in 1990 and thus get invited even though my undergrad was elsewhere. Over the years it's evolved from a weekend blowout with much alcohol, gaming and a trek into Boston to dance, to a heavy-on-the-bottled-water day party because the kids have to be in bed at a decent hour :-). We missed last year's because some conference was happening in Chicago and we decided to go :-),  so it was great to see all these people we never see otherwise.

I'm determined to be better about keeping contact with everyone during the year; I was reminded on Saturday just how nice they are. Finding smart, caring, sane, interesting friends with similar values is not easy, and to have them and not deepen those friendships, now that's just a waste. I have another interested party in this... Kid Brillig made friends with another of the Next Generation, and it would be nice to let them be in touch.

Do any of the friends of your youth have any sort of similar gathering? Can friendships be meaningful even if the contact is infrequent? And most importantly, what do you eat and drink at these sorts of things?!

Yup, it's an Open Thread, so feel free to chat about anything!

Today's Meditation: thanks to poetseers.org

My Song


This song of mine will wind its music around you,
my child, like the fond arms of love.


The song of mine will touch your forehead
like a kiss of blessing.


When you are alone it will sit by your side and
whisper in your ear, when you are in the crowd
it will fence you about with aloofness.


My song will be like a pair of wings to your dreams,
it will transport your heart to the verge of the unknown.


It will be like the faithful star overhead
when dark night is over your road.


My song will sit in the pupils of your eyes,
and will carry your sight into the heart of things.


And when my voice is silenced in death,
my song will speak in your living heart.


~ Rabindranath Tagore

" I touch God in my song
   as the hill touches the far-away sea
     with its waterfall.
The butterfly counts not months but moments,
   and has time enough."


~ Rabindranath Tagore

There's more:

This one just makes me giggle!  I am just about to leave for my 6th day in a row of work--I'm tired!!!  I worked last night, so I only watched a bit of the forum last night--I didn't get to watch Obama at all.  I mostly heard the flap about how well McSame did...well--he should have.  I was put off by the quick, simplistic answers--haven't we all had enough?  We have had eight long years of over simplistic answers that simply do not work.  I am so tired of the lies about Obama's tax policies--Tony Perkins should ashamed of his lies last night on CNN.  Very interesting definitions of Christianity these people have.  Anyway....doesn't anyone believe we have to PAY for this war and all this spending one of these days?  Sheesh.  

Have you seen the lies against Unions?  Groups like Unionfacts.org are running anti-union ads constantly around here.  McSame spouted their rhetoric.  Somehow, I just can't imagine these groups, funded by the likes of Wal-mart REALLY have the worker's best interests at heart!  They don't want to lose the ability to harass workers themselves. Americans are just so dumb--we have fallen for the management arguments hook, line and sinker throughout our history--unlike Europeans.  Why do we protect the wealthy--are we really stupid enough to believe the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" myth?  Maybe it's the "I'm gonna win the Lottery" myth.

As I type, I sit wedged between Zanzibar and Maggie May--they were groomed on Friday and look glorious.  I woke up yesterday morning with Zanz, lying on her back in the crook of my arm (all 50 pounds of her).  Her paws were draped across my body and her face was on mine.  No one has dared to tell these two that they are actually dogs.  They bring such joy and laughs.  

So, what are you up to?  What are your plans for the week?  We are going to head up north to Polly's Pancake Parlor on Wednesday morning for the annual pilgrimage.  I really need to start painting--I'm tired of my wall colors!!!!  Will post photos when done!

Help yourself to coffee or whatever--grab some danish or a strawberry cheese croissant and a chair and chat with us for a while!

Welcome to the Friday Random 10, StreetProphet's weekly music discussion group. Grab a beverage of your choice from today's Happy Hour thread, pull up a comfy chair, and start thumbing through the records, 8-tracks, tapes, CD's and mp3's lying around. If you're not into music, here's some noise-canceling earplugs- they'll filter out the music while you stay and chat with us about other stuff :-).

If you are old enough to have been around... where were you this weekend, 39 years ago? I hear you scratching your head, wondering how the Purgatory you're to be expected to know that, when you don't remember what you had for lunch last Tuesday.

Well, this one is easy...

Happy Hour has begun!  Hope your day is going well.  I need to run off to work.  It is the BIG sale weekend.  I took Mom this morning and we spent way too much money, but got some great stuff.  I got some sweaters and a great jacket which will all work for my real job!!  The Poodles got groomed--they look so gorgeous!  They are exhausted...it's hard work to look so good!  Other than that, not much happening at this end--how about you?  Any plans for the weekend?  What are you eating and drinking?  Grab a libation and pull up a chair and chat for a while!  

[editor's note, by PoliSigh] Early morning for me....see you later!

Today's Meditation:

Thank you, God,
for your messengers that you send to us.

Thank you for your angels
that show us your mercy, power and judgement.

Help me to remember that you are with me in many ways.

Make it part of my mission today,
dear Lord,
to seek the angels that you have sent just for me.

Today's photo was taken at the New Hampshire Veteran's Cemetary.




There's more......

I don't know if there's a formal substitute plan in place during the Pastor Family's vacay, but I figure if it's 8 pm EST and no Coffee Hour's up yet, it's anyone's gig. :)

[Bumped by brillig, who isn't sure who was supposed to set out the coffee, but agrees that coffee should be set out :-)]

Today's Meditation:

Psalm 121


A song of ascents.


I lift up my eyes to the hills—
      where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,
      the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
      he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel
      will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—
      the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,
      nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm—
      he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going
      both now and forevermore.

Today's photo is from my friend Ken!




There's more!

Hello, all:

As a member of my church's women's mission, I think I may be asked to speak at Women's Day. I'm terrified. I'm way more liberal than most members, and I'm quiet. I don't have the preacher's cadence. I am afraid not only that my topic might be too radical (Mary and Martha, I know, but still) and folks might not get my sense of humor.

[editor's note, by PoliSigh] tired morning!  See you later--happy vacation to the PastorDan family!

Today's Meditation:

    "Travelin' Prayer"


~Billy Joel


Hey Lord, take a look all around
And I'd a-find where my baby's gonna be.
Hey Lord, would ya look out for her tonight
'Cause she is far across the sea.
Hey Lord, would ya look out for her tonight
And make sure that she's gonna be alright
And things are gonna be alright with me.


Hey Lord, would ya look out for her tonight
And make sure that all her dreams are sweet.
Said now, would ya guide her on the roads
And make them softer for her feet.
Hey Lord, would ya look out for her tonight
And make sure that she's gonna be alright
Until she's home and here with me.


Hey, Lord would ya look out for her tonight
If she is sleepin' under the sky.
Said now, make sure the ground she's sleepin' on
Is always warm and dry.
Ummm, don'tcha give her too much rain,
Try to keep her away from pain
Because my baby hates to cry.


the rest can be found here.

Today's photo was taken from photobucket, it is of women meeting in Zanzibar.


there's more....