Never borrow trouble...

...imaginary things are harder to bear than real ones.

I don't know who to credit with this quote, but I found it in the sidebar of a book I am reading and it has kept me grounded these past few days. My reality is a wealth beyond measure of amazing friends and family, (and blog readers - thank you!!) a great little home, good health and of course, Max the wunder-schnauzer to name just the highlights. My imaginary worries got the best of me last week - worries about the future, which, if you really think about it, is imaginary. There is no other moment than now. So now is where I am living today.

And speaking of now, I am now the proud owner of a trunk-turned-coffee-table, which I found for a steal while antiquing with a girlfriend this weekend. I am hoping it holds up better than the checkerboard table, though I have yet to test it on my family. It looks pretty durable, but I haven't dropped a 220-pound man on top of it yet. If I do, you'll be the first to know!

ramblings

Elvis, is that you?

My friend Miriam invited her friends to help celebrate her birthday this weekend with one of the most unique parties I've ever had the opportunity to attend. In addition to the family, friends & food found at most parties, this party included a combination of arts & entertainment I am likely never to see all in the same place again... While enjoying food and conversation, we each had our photo taken with the birthday girl and then made two 6 x 6 scrapbook pages to leave behind for Miriam's memory book.

But it was Elvis (or was it?) who stole the show. Actually it wasn't the real Elvis - my first clue was when he told us his computer had "crapped out on him, (he'd forgotten to pack his Mac power cord) so he had to go back to CDs." My second clue was his wife/assistant...no, not Priscilla --but the Number One Female Elvis Impersonator in Europe, who performed the warm-up set. I wanted to be impressed with her title, really, I did, but, I mean, how many other female Elvis impersonators...in Europe... did she have to beat for that title? Two? Maybe? I don't know. Maybe there are dozens.

Nevertheless, in true Elvis fashion, he girated and sweat, and curled his upper lip, and worked the crowd as best you can when you're competing with printed papers and glue stick and ribbons and punches and a cheese platter and baked ziti.

But one of the other party-goers asked the question I now ponder, as I remember this one-of-a-kind party...

"I wonder if they have real jobs?"

-- Thanks Miriam. May you have a wonderful year!!!

Textures of an early autumn stroll...

It was a smash!

The McElroy Clan reunion...



An impromptu gathering of my mom & two of her siblings last night at my house led to a little too much red wine (not me this time!!!), and sadly, my table did not fare well. In fact, it was like a movie stage prop from a bar brawl scene. Although it looks as though it was perhaps smashed over someone's head, it was just breaking the fall (literally) of one of my guests, who shall remain nameless.

You may recall that I featured this formerly cute little table (now reduced to kindling) in a recent post, and while I am sad that this great little piece has had such a short life in my home and would perhaps have fared better in a more sedate household, I will remember it fondly, along with this evening stroll down McElroy memory lane. A stroll, I must add, that is not for the faint-hearted. I remember my grandmother as caring and well-dressed, but somewhat aloof. Apparently aloofness (I'm not sure that's even a word), is not the most desirable trait in a mother, if this band of McElroy hooligans can be believed...and I think they can.

An aside to the missing sibling:
Roberta, I apologize that I was unable to invite you - but this was a very last-minute-same-day invitation. Ed had a meeting in my office building, and the next I knew, I'd invited the local sibs to my house for food, wine and destruction of property. If I have the opportunity to do it again, I'll let you know!

Just these words today...