E Is For...Elephant

E is always for elephant, so how could I deviate?

A couple, three months ago I went downstairs first thing in the morning, and saw a pink elephant. No, I hadn't been secretly drinking, nor was I imagining things. All right it was a small stuffed pink elephant, but there it was--right in the middle of the floor! How did it get there? Where did it come from? It's not like I have little kids who leave toys scattered about the house, and I assure you that my 16 year old son does not play with pink stuffed animals of any kind, or even any-color stuffed animals! I picked it up and chucked it away into Erica's closet [the "catch-all" place for the storing of all the girls' left behind stuff. And didn't give it another thought.

Until there it was again! Only this time it was only one of several small stuffed animals in a trail reminicent of Hansel's bread crumbs. The route? Erica's closet to the living room. The culprit? Erica's cat, Fleury. As indoor cats, ours are frustrated in their attempts at hunting. Todd goes nuts chasing light and reflections. Fluery wants to deliver up something tangible. It used to be wet washcloths retrieved from shower and tub. But now he had discovered the container of stuffed animals stored in the closet...and decided they must be fair game. Literally. So we find stuffed animal "presents" all over the house now. Sometimes he even gathers them all up one by one at delivers them to Erica's room at night, though I think with her leaving, that will end. [It was nice while it lasted--picking up after himself.] So yes, I see pink elephants.

I have an ongoing project of framing and preparing to hang pictures. One section includes some of my kids childhood artwork and projects from the past. In the meantime, they are sitting on the floor along the hallway wall awaiting hanging [for how can I hang them until everything is gathered?] While Chloe was here, she loved to go "look at pictures " [especially hers and her cousins!] One is a Jungle sand painting. It has a zebra, a giraffe and--you guessed it, an elephant. Coming from her 2 year old mouth it was just so cute sounding. I enjoyed looking at it several times each visit just to hear her say, "elephant." Carefully and correctly.

I hate roller coasters. I hate most carnival rides. I hate most amusement park rides. I suffer badly from motion sickness. so it is not fear as much as nausea--and I had my fill of that during my 100 and 1 pregnancies! [Not to mention my hours logged fly all over the country as a kid.] So I avoid them. [OK truth--I am scared of roller coasters--but not the others] The Ferris Wheel, the Carousel, I'm done. But each and every time the opportunity has presented itself--I will wait in line for as long as it takes. I love riding an elephant! I find it an exhilerating thing to be up so high with such a powerful, yet docile animal underneath me. I'm sure that born in another place and time I would have been an elephant boy. No doubt! I think that elephant rides are the cherry on the top of an otherwise wonderful/ wonder-filled day. Like the Rennaissance Faire in VA. Like a special zoo trip. [or Wild Animal Park.] And always in the company of family--my favorite people. So, yes, E has to be for...Elephant!