Sunday Morning Worship Services

As I've mentioned before, I worship at the church of NPR on Sunday mornings with my favorite show ever wait wait ... don't tell me! and Says You! and Studio 360 all from 9 - 12. Family and friends know not to call me from 11 -12 when wait wait is on unless it's an emergency. When I go to Chicago again, I'm going to the Chase Auditorium and watch them broadcast a show. I hope my favorites Roy Blount, Jr., Paula Poundstone, and either Adam Felber, Mo Rocca, or Tom Bodett will be there. I LOVE that show! It's a humorous look at current events. You can listen to it on your NPR station or podcasts of it. I promise that other liberal political junkies and those who keep up with what's going on will love it. Let me know if you already listen to it and thank me for turning you on to it if you learn about it and like it.



Paige, Tina, and I are going to TPAC next month to see Says You and are looking forward to it.


Today on Studio 360, Kurt Anderson was at the Aspen Ideas Festival where they were looking at ways to use the economic crisis to our advantage. I cannot urge you strongly enough to listen to a podcast of this show. You can access it from their webpage HERE or listen to it on this page. I listened to it on the radio and don't know if the whole program is on there or not.

Trust me, you'll be glad you listened. Kurt's "Forever Young" piece about the attitude of the Boomers explains quite a bit and is accurate along with how the generation my parents' age coped after going through the Depression and WWII. My parents were babies during the Depression, and I was born during WWII. Check it out when you have time and let me know what you think. I'm going to blog about it soon.

Description from website:

Studio 360 comes to us from the Aspen Ideas Festival, where Kurt and his guests are looking for ways to use the economic crisis to our advantage: think of it as the Great American Reset. Writer Susan Orlean remembers the optimism of her late father, who came of age during the Depression. The band They Might Be Giants has a warning about dangerous fads. And inventor Saul Griffith explains how to get kids excited about the future again.

Spanish Car Trivia

Why isn’t the Chevy Nova sold in South America? No va means "it doesn’t go" in Spanish!

Request

Tina has a new post on our collaborative blog we have with Jackie. It's called Observations from the Knee-Deep South. Thanks to David for following it and commenting and being supportive. Thanks to Nutwood Beth and Charlie for commenting and to Brian for following. If any of you care to click HERE to check it out and follow us, we'd appreciate it. Thanks! Besides, Tina and Jackie are cool people!

House Blend Dinner

This probably seems to be an inappropriate post after the previous one, but it really isn't. Today is Melissa's birthday, so they came down for the July Farmer's Market Dinner at House Blend. I checked my blood glucose a while after I got home, and it was OK. The dinner was absolutely delicious! I had the shrimp and grits which were as good as those at Anson Restaurant in Charleston, SC, and that's saying something! Both dishes were quite similar and so incredibly scrumptious! Next time I'll get a picture of Holly for the blog. We talked with her a while after dinner, but I didn't think about it. I also didn't get any photos of the desserts this time. If you click the menu, it will embiggen.

Melissa and Brendan

Melissa's Birthday Party with Brian, Me, Paige, and Carl

Jeremy, co-owner with his wife Holly the most excellent chef

Brian, Paige, Carl, and Brendan got the Polenta Fries with Balsamic-Tomato "Ketchup"

Melissa and I had the Grilled Peaches

Heirloom Tomatoes that Carl, Brian, Brendan, and I enjoyed

Salad with Blueberries for Paige and Melissa

Brian and Carl ordered the Chicken Caprese

Brendan had the Turkey Meatloaf

Paige, Melissa, and I had the Shrimp & Grits

You might notice that we didn't have flowers and candles on our table like the others did. Because the shrimp and grits were so absolutely incredible and they were really busy, I decided not to make a big deal of it here on the blog. I'm sure they are grateful even though presentation is important. I watch Top Chef and Top Chef Masters and have learned what to look for! Close call this time! :-) (they read this)

We all had such a good time. Carl is Brian's godfather (our cousin Sally is his godmother), and we've been friends with Paige and Carl for almost 40 years. I love them! Brendan was so good and such a fun dinner companion. He likes to try all kinds of food and isn't a picky eater but a discriminating one.

Looking Back and Berating

The last few months have been hard on me, and it's all my fault. Because my A1c and other numbers were not high enough, Healthspring, my Medicare plan, kicked me off of Januvia around six months ago, which left me all on my own to control my type 2 diabetes with diet and exercise. Well, I haven't done it.

My numbers have crept up and were the highest they've ever been during the last month. I've felt like crap. Then all this becomes a Catch-22 conundrum of dysfunction. I'd feel better if I were more active. I don't feel good enough to get out and move around. And on it goes.

During my appointment with my internist last week, he gave me samples of Januvia and wrote another prescription. I told the pharmacist that we were trying again but didn't think they'd approve it. She checked on the computer and amazingly they did! Thank goodness! I was at the point of researching how to get the script filled in Canada.

For the first time ever, my reading got over 300 after a meal several times. It had been over 200 some which is bad enough but that scared the fool out of me. My A1c has always been in the 5's and below. (over 6 is considered diabetic) This time it was 6.6 - highest ever! What really flew all over me was my doctor's saying this is the first time I've been classified as having "uncontrolled diabetes." No, no, no, no no! I will not be called uncontrolled! That motivated me and the pills enabled me to find the track or wagon to get back on. I don't want to have a heart attack, liver damage, or be on insulin. Exercise is not an option. I have to do it. Activity is the most important factor in this equation.

So eating properly, exercising, and losing weight are vital. What's with me for being self-destructive? I must be completely nuts. I'm pretty sure I need to see a therapist. I walked around the lake today and have been cooking and planning. Now I'm confessing to people I know read my blog and all those lurkers I don't know are reading it. I hear from various sources that some relatives, friends, and others do but have no clue who all does or not. Anyway, I'm making a public confession and am accountable.

Jodie

Comedian/actor Billy Crystal portrayed Jodie Dallas, the first openly gay main character on network television, on ABC’s Soap, which aired from 1977 to 1981. Various church groups protested the seeming "acceptance" of homosexuality.

More Bat Trivia

An anticoagulant from vampire bat saliva may soon be used to treat human heart patients.

As long as it's not a Twilight vampire bat, I'll be OK. Do any of you know how much I hate those books?

Einstein Quote

It is almost a miracle that modern teaching methods have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for what this delicate little plant needs more than anything, besides stimulation, is freedom.

A Break

I'm running hither and yon! Busy! Busy! Just saying hello! So here's a cartoon to entertain you while I'm gone.

Transported Beyond the Moon

Ms Moon writes so well it takes my breath away. Every time I read her blog, I get so many thoughts and images that I want to respond to and write about. I might quote some of her words and use them for writing prompts when I'm so inspired I can't keep it to myself.

The first part of her poem (not featured here) describes the humidity of Southern summers you can see in some of those pictures I posted from Tennessee.

Please go to Bless Our Hearts and read her July 14 poem. You'll be glad you did. Here is a bit of it. See what I mean?

This morning I walked down to the creek
The No Trespassing Sign has disappeared which was sign enough for me to go
Down that path and into the woods where I always think
They'd never find me if I disappeared here by snake or crazy person or wild cat or bear
Or allergic reaction.
Never. And then I think,
Oh well.

The creek is running slowly and is small in its sandy banks right now
And as brown and clear as iced tea
And indeed it is a tea, leaves brewed in its water as it flows.
Oaks and pines and cedars hang over it, grow beside it
And I thought to myself that if I lived by a real river of majesty and wonder
I couldn't bear the beauty
This small creek almost does me in
As it runs all by itself, no one to see it but me.

Life as I Know It

Things are getting back to abnormal. Brian feels better but will be off work the rest of the week. I took Brendan home this afternoon and visited with Brian and Melissa for a while. I'm so proud of their relationship with each other and with Brendan. They've been together 16 years (married 14) and are so in love and are best friends, too.

My mother has had shingles for over a month and doesn't feel much better. She's had two rounds of drugs and pain pills for it and now has begun those patches to help with the pain. Her 89th birthday was Sunday, and she's always been healthy and active. This has slowed her down and is the worst thing she's ever experienced. I hope this goes away soon and that she can enjoy her life again.

This is Easter in her back yard with Brendan.
Click to enlarge the photo.

Dirty Money Trivia

A study of American coins and currency revealed the presence of bacteria, including staphylococcus and E. coli on 18 percent of the coins and 7 percent of the bills.

Tennessee

Some of you asked about that photo at the top of my blog. It's of the Columbia River in Oregon. I'm planning to change the pictures periodically and thought I'd show you some of Tennessee. The state is geographically divided into East, Middle, and West Tennessee, which are capitalized because they are the official names of the grand divisions and are represented by the three stars in the state flag. I really don't know why I'm writing about this but for some reason got into it when I was searching for TN photos. Maybe I need to focus on the pretty parts of my state right now.

East Tennessee is known for the Smoky Mountains. The Appalachian Trail goes through them. (smirk) Knoxville is the largest city, home of the University of Tennessee, and on the Tennessee River.

Middle Tennessee, where I live, has rolling hills and Nashville, the capital, which is on the Cumberland River. That's where Vanderbilt and Fisk University are located as well as about ten other colleges and universities and gave Nashville the nickname "Athens of the South" along with "Music City, USA" because of the Grand Ole Opry and music business. That's why one of the most accurate replicas of the Parthenon was built here and is in Centennial Park. My friend Linda works at the Parthenon. Her blog is Wings Unfolding.

Statue of Athena which was commissioned several years ago.

The Narrows of the Harpeth is near where I live.

General Jackson, a riverboat on the Cumberland River.

West Tennessee is flat and grows cotton. We have corn and tobacco around here. Memphis is the largest city in the state and home of Beale Street where the blues is played, B.B. King has a restaurant, and Graceland is located. I went to college in Martin, which is in the upper left corner of the state opposite Memphis which is almost in Mississippi and Arkansas on the Mississippi River. There's a joke that Memphis is the 3rd largest city in Mississippi - the other two are Mobile and New Orleans. The Pyramid is a sports and events arena and was built because Memphis, Egypt, is a sister city.

Reelfoot Lake on the New Madrid Fault was formed by an earthquake.

Update

Brian got to go home this morning so is doing fine. Brendan and I are having fun. He asked if he were here just for today or permanently. I told him he'd probably go home tomorrow, and he said he wanted to stay with Grammy 100 times forever. I'm glad he feels that way.

ER

Melissa called this morning to let me know that Brian was going to the ER because he thinks he has appendicitis. Turns out he was right. I went to the hospital and so did Sally, so we stayed there with him while he had some tests. The CT scan confirmed that he needed an appendectomy. I got to spend some time with him, and then Sally and I went to their house to get Melissa and Brendan because Brian drove to the ER. Then Sally stayed with Brendan while Melissa and I went to the room where they moved Brian in preparation for surgery.

I brought Brendan home with me to stay for a couple of days. I wanted to be in two places at once, but this was the most helpful I could be. I know it was just an appendectomy, but something can go wrong with anything, and besides this is my beamish boy. I hated to leave him there, but of course his wife was with him and I was making that possible. A hospital is no place for children for many reasons.

Melissa called about an hour ago to let me know he had the surgery at 7:00 and made it fine. His hot surgeon said that's the way he likes them to be. Brian's pain wasn't that bad, and he went early enough that the surgery went really well.

He'll probably get to go home tomorrow, and Brendan will stay here with me until Tuesday and maybe Wednesday. His surgeon said he'd need to be off work for about a week.

Quite a day! And it's my mother's 89th birthday.

Redecorating

Guess you noticed that I changed my template and heading photo. I got tired of the wide open spaces.

Fashion Trivia for Heads

In 1418, women’s headgear was so tall that, on the orders of the queen, the doorways of the royal castle of Vincennes, France, were raised to allow the ladies of the court to pass through without ducking.

My House

This is one of my favorite poems. It's by Nikki Giovanni who is my age and has a son almost the same age as mine that she also brought up by herself. Her roots are in Tennessee, and it was a highlight when she read some of her poetry at the Academy for Writing at UT during the summer of '89. In preparation for her appearance, Richard Marius read it to us during a plenary session and discussed what he thought it meant, but I think it's so much different for a man to understand what it means for women who grew up when we did to own our own houses and make them our homes. It's about that and so much more.

My House

i only want to
be there to kiss you
as you want to be kissed
when you need to be kissed
where i want to kiss you
cause it's my house
and i plan to live in it

i really need to hug you
when i want to hug you
as you like to hug me
does this sound like a silly poem

i mean it's my house
and i want to fry pork chops
and bake sweet potatoes
and call them yams
cause i run the kitchen
and i can stand the heat

i spent all winter in
carpet stores gathering
patches so i could make
a quilt
does this really sound
like a silly poem

i mean i want to keep you
warm

and my windows might be dirty
but it's my house
and if i can't see out sometimes
they can't see in either

english isn't a good language
to express emotion through
mostly i imagine because people
try to speak english instead
of trying to speak through it
i don't know maybe it is
a silly poem

i'm saying it's my house
and i'll make fudge and call
it love and touch my lips
to the chocolate warmth
and smile at old men and call
it revolution cause what's real
is really real
and i still like men in tight
pants cause everybody has some
thing to give and more
important need something to take

and this is my house and you make me
happy
so this is your poem

[26 feb 72]

From My House, Poems by Nikki Giovanni © 1972
Quill Books
William Morrow
New York

Check This Out

Alan Jackson's property in Franklin is for sale for $38,000,000. Attached are photos of the property. All of us could move there and still have privacy. Some of you could do the cooking, some take care of the flowers, some could take care of the horses, some the ponds, others the grounds, and all kinds of things! Wow!

(See photos of the mansion here.)

Apparently he wants to downsize.

Want to live like Alan Jackson? You can, for a mere 38 million dollars!

Alan and his wife Denise are putting their Franklin, Tenn, home on the market. The country superstar admits that the 17,000 square foot house is pretty big for two people.

"We love it here, and there are a lot of memories because the girls have grown up at this house," he says. "But we like living in Florida, and we probably will do that when the girls are not living with us anymore, so it makes sense to sell it if we're not gonna live in Nashville that much anymore."

The sprawling home is described as a "magnificent offering without compare. Bordered by Harpeth River, surrounded by equestrian estates. Amenities include stocked and aerated lake with boat house and three ponds, 20 car garage, gymnasium, two bed log cabin overlooking river, barn with two bedroom apartment above, in-ground pool, barn and more."

The Tara-style home has 20 rooms, including six bedrooms and seven full baths, plus two half-baths on two-and-a-half stories. Built in 1997, the house also has a formal dining room, five fireplaces including one each in living room and den, and a fenced-in yard. The home, which sits on 135 acres, also has many windows and balconies with multiple views onto the rolling hills of Williamson County.

Here I Go Again

I just noticed that I have new followers! Thank you! :-)

Then I noticed if I had two more, there would be an even 50. I suppose everyone has become a follower who wants to, but if two of you haven't, now is your time to move the numbers up to the next tens place. It's OK if you don't, but I might have a few control issues and need it. Those with real OCD, call it CDO because that's in alphabetical order. I don't have it but wanted to work in that joke my son Brian told me.


This is my disorder: (What? Don't we all have one? What is yours?)

The Rest of Chester's Story

Rhea asked if Chester Greenwood got a patent on those earmuffs, so I googled. This article from a site about inventors tells us about it, so I thought I'd pass it on. You know how it is - it's a teacher thing. We can't just know something but have to tell others about it. It's a blessing and a curse, depending on which end of it you're on.

So, Charlie, did you know that about Farmington's being the earmuff capital of the world? Have you been to the parade? Perhaps this could be a Dust Bunny field trip. Al, I'm sure this helps with your fitting into life in Maine. I'll stick with my Sonicare instead of that steel tooth rake. Yikes!

Chester Greenwood was born in Farmington, Maine in 1858. A grammar school dropout, he invented earmuffs at the age of 15 (1873). While testing a new pair of ice skates, he grew frustrated at trying to protect his ears from the bitter cold. After wrapping his head in a scarf, which was too bulky and itchy, he made two ear-shaped loops from wire and asked his grandmother to sew fur on them. He patented an improved model with a steel band which held them in place and with Greenwood's Champion Ear Protectors, he established Greenwood's Ear Protector Factory. He made a fortune supplying Ear Protectors to U.S. soldiers during World War I. He went on to patent more many other inventions. In 1977, Maine's legislature declared December 21 "Chester Greenwood Day" to honor a native son and his contribution to cold weather protection.

Farmington, Maine, is now the Earmuff Capital of the World. There is a parade that celebrates Chester's birthday the first Saturday in December, with local police cruisers in the parade decorated as giant earmuffs.


Another of Chester's inventions was the steel-tooth rake - U.S. patent #2066036, issued on December 29, 1936. Chester Greenwood accumulated over 100 patents in his lifetime.



By Mary Bellis

In Some Cases Trivia

A species of sponge called the red sponge can be pushed through a piece of fabric so that it is broken into thousands of tiny pieces. But the animal does not die. Rather, all the pieces reassemble until the sponge returns to its original form. Now, if only humans could do that when they go to pieces!

We Are Slackers Trivia

Chester Greenwood from the United States was 15 years old in 1873 when he invented earmuffs.

Hero Schmero

Especially since the OJ debacle, I've given quite a bit of thought to how casually the word "hero" is bandied about. We hear so many people say that various sports players, movie actors, singers, and celebrities known only for being famous are their heroes. I wonder in what way. How so?

It's one thing to enjoy watching Steve McNair, Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Serena and Venus Williams, Roger Federer, Michael Phelps, Anton Apolo Ono, Shaun White, and hundreds of others at the top of their games but another to idolize them as role models. Some of them might hold up under that, but they are human and have faults. We need new words for all this. Because someone sings, performs, and entertains in ways that have an impact on us isn't reason to call them heroes. We are fans. What are they? Idols? Doesn't seem quite right, either. Not heroes. Maybe role models if they have qualities and actions we want to emulate.

Here's the Mirriam-Webster definition of hero:

1. mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability, an illustrious warrior; a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities; one that shows great courage
2. the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work; the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3. submarine sandwich
4. an object of extreme admiration and devotion, idol

Some of those definitions apply to celebrities and stars in terms of achievement, but to me, a hero is someone who takes risks and stands up for the betterment of others. Some of them save lives, some lead movements, some bring hope, some change lives, and some expose truths. I have a list of those.

Definition of idol:

1: a representation or symbol of an object of worship; a false god
2: pretender; impostor
3: a form or appearance visible but without substance — P. B. Shelley
4: an object of extreme devotion; also ideal
5: a false conception; fallacy

What do you think about all this?

McNair Update

Metro Nashville Chief of Police Ron Serpas gave a press conference this afternoon on the murder investigation of Steve McNair. They have concluded that it was a murder/suicide and that Sahel Kazemi shot him four times when he was sitting on the couch asleep. Then she sat on the couch beside him and shot herself in the temple positioning herself to fall into his lap when she died.

Kazemi was barely 20 years old (underage) and bought a 9 mm pistol for $100 in a parking lot of the mall where she worked as a waitress at a restaurant McNair and his family used to go. It's just too easy to buy guns. She bought this one a few days before she killed them and a day before she was stopped for a DUI. According to friends, she heard he was seeing another woman and told someone her life was messed up and that she was going to end it all. This was a tragedy in all kinds of ways.

I feel bad for his wife and children. It's hard enough to get over a death but a murder is even worse. Then on top of all that, she has to deal with adultery, indiscreet vacations and going out, the girlfriend's being the murderer, and helping their children cope with it, too.

More about all this HERE.

I'm thinking people should watch Fatal Attraction at least once a year as a deterrent. Yes, I do realize this is an inappropriate illustration.

MJ Memorial

Did any of you watch Michael Jackson's memorial service? I got caught up in it and cried several times. There were heartfelt, emotional, humorous, and loving eulogies and songs that were touching. It was a fitting tribute to a star who made such an impact on music. Those revolutionizing entertainers don't come along that often and are superstars like Frank Sinatra, Elvis, the Beatles, and Michael Jackson. Other stars who also don't fade are Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, JFK and Jackie, and John Lennon.

Some of the fans in attendance at the Staples Center didn't know how to act, though. They were not at a concert but shot pictures, whistled, applauded, cheered, and shouted, "Michael, I love you!" like they do at concerts and awards ceremonies, which is also in poor taste. Do I sound like the Church Lady yet?

Planetary Trivia

The surface of Venus—millions of miles away and hidden by clouds of sulphuric acid—has been better mapped than the Earth’s seabed.

Venus is one of the 9 planets in our Solar System. It is the second planet from the Sun (the closest is Mercury). Venus is one of the rocky planets. Although, Venus is only slightly smaller than our own planet Earth it would not be a very nice place to live. It is hotter on Venus than on Mercury even though Venus is further away from the Sun. This is because Venus has thick clouds which stop the heat from escaping.

And Yet Another Death

Robert McNamara died today. He was Defense Secretary during JFK's and LBJ's administrations and wrote a book in which he said the Vietnam War was a mistake. (We knew it at the time, just like we're right about this war that's been going on in Iraq for years!)

There was a documentary made about him titled The Fog of War, which I am glad I watched. He also was instrumental during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is called "The Most Dangerous Two Weeks in History" in this article HERE. I was in college then and didn't completely understand what was happening but knew everything was very tense. Later on, we were told how close we came to nuclear war.


I can't believe all these deaths of well-known people so far this year!

Blog Recommendation

I discovered a blog that's new to me titled Bless Our Hearts and just love it. Check it out HERE. Anyone who enjoys clever, witty, irreverent Southern writing will enjoy it. I know some of you would especially appreciate her writing such as Freda, Vicki, Ell, Linda, Sylvia, Kathy, Nutwood Beth, Ginger, and probably Al, Bob, Brian, and Sam. (but not limited to them) Let me know!

Also please be sure to stop by Observations and tell Tina hello and welcome! Thank you, David, for the supportive and kind comment you left on there. :-)

Apologies

I almost never check my gmail account but decided to go there today. How embarrassing! I have all kinds of email from some of you I never acknowledged! How unSouthern of me! I'll start checking it regularly from now on. My comcast email is always connected and on, so I know immediately about that email when I'm on the computer. Some of those emails appeared on both accounts. My apologies to those of you I ignored. If I ignored you when you sent me email on comcast, it was intentional. LOL Sorry, being a smartass runs in my family.

Major apologies to MarkDE for all the answers to comments and emails I didn't know I had from you! I'm using some of those jokes and pictures on my blog. Also Bob did that and now I know answers to questions I asked him on the comments. I thought Marc ignored my comments all this time but now know what happened. So some of you are getting replies to ancient emails today and now know why. To others, I'm letting you know on here!

A Miracle Has Occurred!

I'm not sure what happened, but I am thrilled! Tina posted something on our collaborative blog! Jackie, Tina, and I started it, and they posted for a while and then quit. I hope this means we'll be hearing more from Tina. Check it out, please, say hello and encourage them both to carry on with this blogging!

It's HERE on Observations from the Knee-Deep South. Tina already feels as if she knows many of you since I talk about you, and she actually does know some of you in person!

Desilu Trivia

Television’s I Love Lucy began as a radio show, My Favorite Husband, in which Lucy played the scheming wife of a bank vice president. CBS wanted to move the show to television—but almost scrapped the idea because of Lucy’s insistence that Desi Arnaz play her husband. Lucy persisted and finally got her way—the rest is TV history.

Twister Watch

And now we're having tornado warnings! No matter what else happens, the weather carries on!

Update at 11:20 - It moved on and didn't do any damage as far as I know.

Another Celebrity Death

Steve McNair and a woman were found shot to death today at a condo in Nashville where he stayed when he was in town. He played quarterback for the Houston Oilers, TN Titans, and Baltimore Ravens and was 36 years old. He is survived by his wife and four children who live in Mississippi. McNair recently opened a restaurant in Nashville, Gridiron 9, and had been working many hours to get it off to a good start. It was located in a neighborhood that McNair hoped would benefit financially from it by providing jobs and a reasonable place to eat.

The local news has updates all along. He was shot in the head, and the police know the identity of the woman who was also shot but haven't released her name yet. They just showed the house the McNairs own in an upscale neighborhood of Nashville. His wife was there with all kinds of security to keep people away. I guess they have homes in both places, and that condo isn't all that far from their house in Green Hills.

It's obvious the anchor and sportscaster know things they aren't saying. More pieces of the puzzle keep emerging. Updates to follow!

Wimbledon

What a game!!! And what a warm-up trench coat!

Then there's this t-shirt!

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July! Hope you have lots of fireworks of the best kind! Good luck to Sam and Bill for surviving their extravaganza!


Isn't it encouraging that we're still friends with England after the break-up?

Thank You Note

A huge thank you to all of you who let me know how long you’ve been married or not! I do appreciate your letting me know and for the helpful explanations for what keeps you together. Some of you have been with your spouses for an impressive length of time. Congratulations! Maybe I can remember all this better now.

Specifically, thanks to the following:

Nutwood Beth
Bob
Kathy
Charlie
Brian and Melissa
Ell
GigiHawaii
Kim
Jeff
Freda
Al
Debi
Maddie
Soul Sister Ginger
Howard (another feathered friend)
Stephen
Dan
Tivo Mom
Sam

Beatles Trivia

The song "Hey Bulldog" on the Beatles’ album Yellow Submarine was the last song John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote in full collaboration. Oddly enough, while the song was on the album, it wasn’t used in the film of the same title.

Elvis Trivia

Elvis wanted to be a political activist, so he hand-delivered a letter to a White House guard and met with President Nixon on December 21, 1970. Presley embraced the president, gave him a gun, and stated that he had been studying "drug culture" for the last ten years. Nixon awarded Elvis an honorary Narcotics Bureau badge.

Creeps Me Out Trivia

Don’t worry about feeling drained. Vampire bats need only about two tablespoonfuls of blood each day. And the creature is able to extract its dinner in approximately 20 minutes.

Nudge

For those of you who haven't answered my nosy marriage question, scroll on down to "Information Please" and comment if you'd like to. I'd appreciate it. Thank you for your time and attention. :-)