The happy thread !!

[Khamûl]

It's almost band camp time. (Yes, I'm a dork who actually enjoys band camp. ) One of our three halftime shows is going to be Latin. From what I hear it's going to be hot. Being a trumpet player, I've got a good feeling because Latin music usually has killer trumpet parts. I just hope I'm up to it. I also hope I can make it to first part, because it would be awesome to play lead for a college band.

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Mercutio

Now...should I paint the walls pale yellow or blue?

Maybe a cream, or ivory?

[Rían]

Originally Posted by trolls' bane

Mom is doing better...

I'm SO glad to hear that!

[Valandil]

Hee-hee! Long overdue, but we got our son's school video last night! There's a parent who makes it up every year - goes in and films everyone and puts it to music with a couple songs. Last year (when he was a kindergartener) our son only showed up for an instant or two. However, this year he got a big speaking role - two big lines at the start (this year the guy did a mimic movie preview before the two songs - it was hilarious!). So of course I ordered five!

[Nerdanel]

Working 9 to 6 the first day makes 9 to 3 feel like nothing..

[Earniel]

*Happy sigh*

Watched all videos from my little foster orphaned elephant, Icholta, today. How she has grown! So pretty, so cute... I've been trying to memorise the other orphan-elephants names and 'family connections' but with over 40 elephants it's sort of difficult.

Also read that the Henson company are making a second Dark Crystal movie. With puppets! And Shadowraiders is coming out on DVD this month! Wheeeee!

[Andúril]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Also read that the Henson company are making a second Dark Crystal movie.

Brilliant.

I watched Dark Crystal once, when I was really, really young. About ten years later, I started remembering characters (specifically the female lead gelfling and that witch monster thing), but I could never remember the name of the film. Then one day, it

Damn thi s staek is good..

Finish post first.

Then one day it aired on one of our local channels. It was really bad, but it meant such a lot to me to see it again, after all that time. That little dog thing was so cute.

[Nerdanel]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

*Happy sigh*

Watched all videos from my little foster orphaned elephant, Icholta, today. How she has grown! So pretty, so cute... I've been trying to memorise the other orphan-elephants names and 'family connections' but with over 40 elephants it's sort of difficult.

Also read that the Henson company are making a second Dark Crystal movie. With puppets! And Shadowraiders is coming out on DVD this month! Wheeeee!

You have a foster elephant? That's lovely! Where is it (country)?

Happy! What A Thunderstorm!! I've been complaining about the lack of one the entire summer.. Now I got one, and it wasn't a tiny one! *dances* I stood on the balcony during the entire show. I got thoroughly soaked..
They even had to call off the Athletics World Championships for a while.

[Tree Dweller]

Thunderstorms rock, don't they, Nerdanel!
We get one everyday and I never get tired of them!


I don't really know most of you here, but wanted to share some good news.
Hubby and I are buying our first home! We close this Friday!
I am so excited and can't wait to put a garden in our nice big yard!

So, I might be absent a bit while we move and get internet going there.
But I will pop in whenever I can until that time.

[Spock]

Tree Dweller, I share your happiness. We are just one year in our new home, design input by us helped make it very special. Local wildlife visit everyday and it's a joy to come home to. May your home be a place of solice and happiness.

[Tree Dweller]

Thank you, Spock. I really appreciate that!

We have been in apartments for over 9 years now, so we are ready for a place of our own (and the privacy).

[Rían]

oh, congrats Tree Dweller! Enjoy decorating/planting!

I just got back from Home Depot (you'll be going places like that a lot) and added a coupla racks in the closet for my hat collection. And picked up some paint for my oldest son's room, too - we finished the other two kids' rooms, now it's his turn. Mostly blue, with gray and ORANGE accents!

[Jonathan]

Happy because I'm going to London tomorrow and will stay there for my birthday. I've been in London before and I think it's a lovely city

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Nerdanel

You have a foster elephant? That's lovely! Where is it (country)?

May I introduce you to the one and only Icholta? A young female, born in 1999, found stuck in the mud and brought to Daphne Sheldrick's orphanage. Anyone who knows a bit about African elephants and their protection will probably recognise that name. Icholta is now happily residing in a surrogate herd in Voi, Tsavo National Park in Kenya.

(Icholta's the one on the left, the right one is a young bull named Laikipia)

When I graduated from high school I gave myself a graduation present: Icholta. She's been my foster elephant ever since. I'm very proud of my 'little' foster child (as you probably noticed ).

If you have BBC you might have seen her and the other orphaned elephants. They had a whole series (Elephant Diaries) about the orphanage in Juli.

[Linaewen]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

Happy because I'm going to London tomorrow and will stay there for my birthday. I've been in London before and I think it's a lovely city

Have a great time defying those terrorists and have a wonderful birthday. We'll talk more when you get back.

Eärniel, Icholta is beautiful! (Who does one pronounce her name, though?). What a lovely colour. Are you going to adopt a rhino next?

Nerdanel, I love thunderstorms too. Heh, do you enjoy standing out in the rain? I do too. I had so much fun running through it one day. I got soaked and my clothes were pretty thin because I was still wearing my dance concert costume but it was cool. Today it was so cold in the morning (by Melbourne standards, that means a top of 10°C for the day), that it even SNOWED down on the coast. Snowed! It rarely snows on sea level. It rarely even snows in Melbourne CBD (I wasn't aware that that was possible!). Anyway that's my waffling for today. Snow!

[Nerdanel]

Originally Posted by Linaewen

Nerdanel, I love thunderstorms too. Heh, do you enjoy standing out in the rain? I do too. I had so much fun running through it one day. I got soaked and my clothes were pretty thin because I was still wearing my dance concert costume but it was cool. Today it was so cold in the morning (by Melbourne standards, that means a top of 10°C for the day), that it even SNOWED down on the coast. Snowed! It rarely snows on sea level. It rarely even snows in Melbourne CBD (I wasn't aware that that was possible!). Anyway that's my waffling for today. Snow!

I do enjoy that! I got soaking wet too, I couldn't stay inside.. They said it was our worst storm this year. I surely got my batteries loaded!
You had snow?^^ I didn't know that happened over there.. That's quite cool!

And Eärniel, Icholta sure is beautiful! What a great gift you got yourself!

[Rían]

really cute elephant, Earniel! I'm glad for her

I"m happy now because - it's quiet! and I'm at home alone - my oldest son is at our church's high school summer waterski trip all week, and my parents took my two youngest on an overnight trip to the beach I've just been relaxing and bumming off - really enjoyable (and much needed after the Ecuador trip, which was NOT a vacation for me!)

[Linaewen]

Originally Posted by Nerdanel

You had snow?^^ I didn't know that happened over there.. That's quite cool!

Neither did I, and that's what I've been telling people who ask. Well, it happens so rarely you may as well say it doesn't happen at all. I really wanted to have a snowball fight like they did in Gippsland (a couple of hours away).

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Linaewen

Eärniel, Icholta is beautiful! (Who does one pronounce her name, though?). What a lovely colour. Are you going to adopt a rhino next?

I'm not really sure about the pronounciation. I tend to pronounce it the Flemish way (like the german sound 'ch') but on the video's the keepers seem to pronounce it more like 'Isholta'.

I did manage to convince my sister, a friend and her brother to also adopt one of the orphans. (My dad needed no encouragement, oh no! ) But no, (sadly) no rhino next. Not enough money for that and the Dutch agency through which I foster Icholta only fosters the elephants.

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

really cute elephant, Earniel! I'm glad for her

You know, the best part of the foster programme is that it has such widespread effects, aside from the obvious benefit of wild life preservation. By fostering the elephants, you also support the native caretakers of the orphan-elephants. They get jobs on which they are paid more than the avarage wages. And the elephants nursery, which can be visited, plays an important role in educating children that they need the elephants and that elephants and humans can co-exist. You'd be surprised how many African children never saw an elephant in their live. It really is a wonderful initiative.

[Lotesse]

I looked it up, when you put up the elephant link, and I tell ya, if I could afford it financially, I'd love to do the same thing as you, Earniel, and adopt one. I really like the older elephant, I think it's Catherine? anyway, what a wonderful set-up, an orphanage for elephants. Had me teary-eyed for a few minutes, reading those stories.