Millie

Today I am grateful for how the sun went down behind the house, how it feels to swim in the dark. I am grateful for her morning conversations and the tapping of her nails on the floor. I am grateful for a return to the ocean.




In response, thank you for spoiling me.

Jemba's Playlist - Dance

I'm spoiled.

I lost Snowman, but he found him.

Did I say forgiveness? I am grateful for forgiveness.

in these parts

She saw a deer this morning. There's at least fifteen baby hogs on church road, and not all the dogs invited to the party came.



Today I am grateful for the hostess with the mostess and the return of two champions.

teacher

I interviewed a man, a teacher, a highly intelligent person of India who so kindly walked with me and described with his hands and his eyes and his being what an education has meant for him and what his life proves it means for the students he teaches.



Today I am grateful for forgiveness, second chances and a walk with a teacher.

running with the cows

There is no video evidence of her running with the cows, but it happened while she was laughing on a morning when the temperature was perfect and we only had point six miles to go before they sent us the wood medallions we will hang in our rooms.



Today I am grateful to share an experience.




In response, wow. I am grateful you share your music.

six months

Our first and our last are runs because it's been a while since we've been on the hill. It gets dark enough that we use the light and begin slapping hands and saying, "You got this."

"You're amazing."

Tadpole says, "I'm fast now."

"Yes."


Today I am grateful for six months ago yesterday, for a book and a choice and some kids and a hill.
I am grateful for enough good food and plenty of good will.

poetry

Behind everything
I see, something I don't
Know how to look for.
                Forrest Gander




Today I am grateful for patience, kindness and understanding.

swim #alot

She is a floating aficionado who lays back in the water down by the steps in the shallow. Her arms and fingers spread as if they are separate but the same. I don't remember when she closed her eyes but it's less eyes closed and more she goes to another place. Thirteen minutes fifty-four seconds in and her eyes open. Her feet sink. She blinks.

She smiles before saying, "I'm in the deep end."


Today I am grateful for teachers.

Tuesday is this again.

Monday

Alicia

timer

I left my timer at the beach. It's one of those that your friends will make fun of because why not just use your phone. "Look. This is a timer!" She'll say and make 'em all laugh at me. But then the joke becomes a timer between me and my friends. Anyway, I left my timer at the beach, but this morning I found a new way to time my morning coffee.

It will be ready in two minutes at 5:15, Dee Dee!


Today I am grateful for a week.


In response, we'll have a Jemba's playlist at the end of this week! Thank you for being here when I got back.

softly

Today I am grateful for a question, three friends and a beach.

tadpole

Her is not going to do that and I wonder if you've ever witnessed a pronoun or subject which does not fit, but she's so dang cute that you don't want to correct her. How in the world did she get a British accent?



Today I am grateful for tomorrow, the lights on the porch, the bell that never rings but is perfect for a wasp nest, and a swim.

Perry's Playlist

Leon
Justin ft. Quavo
Maren Morris
The Weeks
Thomas Rhett & Kane Brown ft. Ava Max
Luke Combs
Tim McGraw
Khalid
Jonas Brothers
Nora Jones
McKool ft. Daniel Herrington
McKool ft. Arabella
Riley Green
iMarkkeyz ft. Cardi B
Brad Paisley
Old Dominion
Eric Welford


Today I am also grateful for Jemba's legacy.

lemon pie

More to say thank you in a sense that no matter how much I say thank you there won't be enough voice to say thank you as many times as would be required to sufficiently convey all the thank yous you are owed, pop.                        Not enough voice.


Today I am grateful for the guy who never stops.

countdown, the

Four more days, 3.1 miles and less than a week away.

Today I am grateful for the beach and the birds.

mind set

Today I am grateful for fish and squash and cabbage and the last of the black eyed peas and how a two hour swim can put me where I need to be.

ten four

Today I am grateful for a walk, a swim, broccoli, music, clocking out, getting ready, and yes, the opportunity of now but ohemghee next week.

iconoclasts

I send you a video. I am so old that I watched the first airing of that show in my living room in Senatobia, made my kid watch it, and whenever I saw it again - thought how grateful I am for the internet.


Today I am grateful for recent history and how much better the world feels when we get to watch Dave Chappelle and Maya Angelou talk.

your strength, your confidence

It's your arms, your shoulders,
the weight you can carry.
You are genuine, kind, intelligent, strong, confident,
but are you funny?



Today I am grateful that you continue to humor me by answering my absurd questions.


This guy, right?

good stuff

Today I am grateful for rain and a playlist from Jemba.

Sic'Em on a Chicken
Fast As You
Meet Virginia
Tube Snake Boogie
Get Low
Shake it Off
Good Time
Safari Song
Flower Power
1985
Hard to Forget
Text Ur Number
Mustang Sally
So Blue Over You
The Dock of the Bay

simple

I am grateful for an opportunity to serve, to repeat myself over and over until I don't. Maybe they'll understand or they won't. But I gotta get to work.

exchange

Today I am grateful for a conversation.

horsefly season

You just have to allow it to land, the horsefly that is. The torture of the buzzing bug which has sought you out, it'll make you lock the door knowing that bug don't know how to open an unlocked door. I want to be cool enough to not run from that bug, but that one single bug can take over my whole dang porch. What a ridiculous notion and sad fact.


Today I am grateful for a working camera and a working computer and a working Adobe Premier Pro. I am grateful for a job indoors and maybe later on the porch. Maybe he'll get tired of waiting.


Doesn't this week feel like Lauryn?

plan to climb a mountain

Today I am grateful to consider a future and for a reason to keep training.


It's obviously poetry day, and Kipling is our man.

pink

Day 12

Today I am grateful for her email, his smile, his laugh, her day off, her appointment, what she said and the way he says, "Hey, Boog."


In response ~ I wish you would've been around when we named the blog. Better title, I think.

I am his Theo

Day 10

Today I am grateful for my brother, for last night's drinking buddy, and a whole album.

In response, dang.

on the importance of laughter

Day 14 - Winona

Today I am grateful for the 100 miles she walked, the example she continues to set and her laugh.

In response ~ pinch 'n roll, mess with the dough as little as possible