February 4

I never understood why my mother kept my hair short when I was young. Then Ruthie came along and it all suddenly made sense. There have been many mornings when she ends up at school with serious bedhead because she refuses to let anyone run a brush through the tangles.

I am thankful today for Sheryl, stylist extraordinaire, who tamed Ruth's locks and brought peace back into our mornings.

February 3

Five years today!

Today I'm grateful that I have not smoked 36,529 cigarettes. I think I should have earned more than 9 extra months of living time for the effort, however.

If anyone knows where I can pick up that check for $7,468.34, please drop me a line.

February 2

♥ ♥ ♥ I heart my plumber. ♥ ♥ ♥

Four years ago we had the basement plumbed for a bathroom, but never got around to actually putting one in until last year (and it's still not finished, but at least it functions).

Unfortunately, our toilet has lately been giving us fits. You know it's bad when your house guests yell out from behind the closed door,

"Ummm, Buffy? The toilet's not flushing right."

"That's okay, hold down the handle and try again. It should work the second time."

"Ummm, Buffy? It still didn't go down."

Hart and I had gotten to the point where we were regularly making the long trek upstairs to use THAT bathroom and avoid our own toilet. This morning, in exasperation, he called the plumber who came right out and immediately diagnosed the problem. We had vaporlock.

Apparently, we should have remembered the instructions our first plumber gave us four years ago and know that the cap on the sewer vent needed to be removed and piped to the outdoors. With that little adjustment, the toilet is now the best-flushing toilet I have ever seen.

I am grateful for my new quick-flush toilet.

I'm sure any future guests will also share my gratitude.

February 1

‹disclaimer›I never promised great photos. I only promised grateful photos.‹/disclaimer›

This evening, mom and I threw open the doors of Village Inn and reinstituted our Wednesday Night Chef Salad Tradition. I am grateful for black olives, ranch dressing, and my mom's company (in no particular order, of course!).

January 31

To finish off the month of January, I am grateful I have managed to find 31 photographable gratitudes. (Encountering an unphotographable gratitude has been a constant worried little thought in the back of my mind this month.)

And although an audience wasn't one of my requirements before starting this project, I'm also thankful that I do have one. All of your comments are sincerely appreciated.

January 30

I know, I know. Two fish shots in one week? But believe me, this one was better than posting this one (WARNING: don't click if you're squeamish).

I'm thankful that the kids' dentist is so cool that not only does he have a gigantic tank full of saltwater fish (containing both Nemo and Dory), but he also has video screens embedded in the ceiling above each dentist chair. Ruthie loves her dentist so much that she actually gets excited when her six-month checkups roll around.

I'm also grateful that both of them came away from the appointment with no cavities (that picture was really nothing more than the aftermath of losing yet one more baby tooth...).

January 29

This morning I played hookey from Sunday school in order to spastically practice Jack Schrader's arrangement of Amazing Grace. Bluesy-licks, peppered liberally with gigantic chords from one end of the keyboard to the other, are his hallmark. I finally left for church, wishing madly that I had one more week with the piece. I don't think I've felt that unprepared for a gig, except in nightmares.

I'm grateful that I managed to pull it off during the service and although I did drop the innards of more than a few chords, I hit no major clunkers. Amazing Grace happened this morning, for sure.