Cooookieeeeee

I've made all my cookies for Jean's party tomorrow night. Rum balls. I know, they are supposed to sit for a few days, but one day will have to do this time.

Laura: Are you going to Jean's party?
Me: I may go late. The presentation of the Heisman trophy is at 7, but who knows how long they'll stretch that thing out. This is funny-- I thought the Heisman announcement was Monday night, and I was trying to decide if I should cancel dinner plans with friends to watch! Turns out it's Saturday night, so it's not a problem.
Laura: Saturday?
Me: Yes.
Laura: Well Jean's party is on Sunday.
Me: I thought it was Saturday!

Yeesh. I think my brain is on vacation.


Saturday 9: Blue Christmas

1) Do you ever suffer the blues during the holidays?
No, although I have moments where I really miss my mom, who passed away December 19 six years ago.

2) More than 18 million visitors have toured Elvis' home, Graceland. Have you ever been there?
Strangely enough, Mom and I made a point of visiting the tiny, tiny home where Elvis was born in Tupelo, on our way to Nashville once, where we did NOT tour Graceland. It was her 20th high school reunion in Huntsville AL. Dad was working, so she and I went. We hung out there for a couple of days, did the reunion and stayed with her best friend Francis, and then went to Nashville for a couple of days with Francis and Larry and their kids.

Not to go on a tangent, but I am remembering vividly watching my mom chatting with her desperately serious and completely unattainable high school crush at the reunion. I can't believe I can't remember his name right now, but this was one of those über-popular guys who she adored back then, who was incredibly handsome (still was, at 38) and so charming and sweet, and made the effort to get to know kids from every single clique in the school. You know that guy, right? Everyone thinks he's awesome. I think every high school class has one. Ours was Peter Griffith.

Anyhoo... He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek when they met at the reunion, and I could tell she was DYING. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... So cute! He didn't do that with everyone. Many of the ladies, but not all of them. He sat at our table and talked with the group for quite a while. She and Francis giggled like teenagers about it for two days.

3) Elvis dyed his naturally light brown locks black. Do you dye your hair?
Nope

4) He also insisted his young girlfriend, Priscilla, dye her hair jet black. If your lover asked you to change your hair, would you?
Sure. As long as it doesn't look awful. Now ask Jeff how many times I've asked him to let his hair grow out into its wavy/curly glory. But noooooo...

5) Elvis served his country at an Army base in Friedberg, Germany. Have you ever been to Germany?
1) lived there from birth to age 3- Heidelberg/Worms area.
2) Visited when I was a freshman in high school- Dad's side of the family in Worms & Hamm, my uncle Brian and family then stationed at Wiesbaden, then toured all over the countryside up and down the Rhine staying in guest houses.
3) Jeff, Lauren and I went back when Lauren was 3- Munich for a week, then Berchtesgaden for a week.

6) Elvis famously had an affair with Ann-Margret during the filming of Viva Las Vegas. Have you ever indulged in a dalliance with a coworker?
I went out with a few waiters while I was a hostess in high school. I also dated JohnN, a comp sci major with whom I worked in the Dean's Office my junior year of college.

7) Thinking of his movies ... Elvis was, by and large, unhappy with his film career and once said, "The only thing worse than watching a bad movie is being in one." Are you happy with the way your career is going/has gone?
*eye roll* The timing of this question is lovely. Not happy in any way, shape or form with the way my career is going. I've convinced myself that some perfect opportunity is about to come up.

8) Elvis lost "the battle of the bulge" toward end of his life. Are you happy with your weight?
I'm working on losing 15 pounds at the moment. Ask me again in a couple of months. :)

9) As a teenager, Elvis worked as an usher at a movie theater. What was your first job?
selling newspaper subscriptions over the phone for the Houston Post when I was 16