Wedding Songs Part Deux...
Terry was kind enough to play with Quick Time and the song I mentioned in my previous blog. He created a Quick Time movie that is resident on his blog.
Here is the link, please enjoy, with my compliments, "When Loving Lovers Love". Feel free to hang yourself afterwards!!
When Loving Lovers Love ClipLabels: Lovers
Wedding Songs
Like many couples, Terry and I have a song that we consider uniquely 'ours'. Never one to buck a tradition, ours is a Disney song!
A Whole New World from the movie "Aladdin" was played at our wedding and I can still close my eyes and visualise that memorable day.
But, times change, as do tastes, and so we have, in a way, moved on. One of our favourite TV series (which alas is no longer televised) is
Mystery Science Theater 3000. Let me explain for those neophytes among you - MSTK3 takes bad movies and through the dialogue of three characters (two of whom are robots) completely tear the movie to bits. They intersperse this with riffs, and the following song comes from one of our favourite episides,
Overdrawn At The Memory Bank.
So, without further ado, please enjoy the lyrics of 'our' song!
When Loving Lovers Love
Sung by: Pearl Forrester and Observer (Brain Guy)When Loving Lovers Love
Their loving love on wings of golden
loving love we fly above
Their love is such a soft and precious love-
It’s love
A lovely love is all we seem
to need when we’re in loving love—
But then- it’s gone
It is nothing but a memory (
memory)
Memory (
memory)
And then it’s back
And loving lovers love again
Who knows where it flies
The lustrous love must rise
Into the endless skies
A new day shining bright
Your heart has wings to fly
And no one else can fly
I really can’t say why
I really do like pie
I… know a couple guys
--They really do like pie
(
together) And loving lovers love as loving lovers love
Golden,
Shimmering,
Lustrous,
Lovely,
Loving, loving love
P.S. Just in case you couldn't tell - this is all tongue in cheek! This is NOT our new favourite song, but it makes us laugh as it parodies every romance song ever written!
Labels: Lovers
Wonderful Sunday Preaching
Terry and I are priviledged to attend a
church with incredible teaching, caring pastors and a group of people as diverse as the city from which they come! Part of the reason I love to come to the church is because of the sheer number of
South Africans and the best part is that sometimes Pastor Theo invites special guests. Today he invited Allan Bagg, pastor of one of the 'plant' churches that Pastor Theo has founded. It is inspiring to hear the Word taught with such authority and with a fresh perspective. I teased Pastor Allan after the service that he gave Pastor Theo a run for his money with the sheer depth of his teaching.
Tomorrow night Pastor Theo has organised for the leader of the African Democratic Christian Party, Dr. Kenneth Rasalabe Joseph Meshoe. We are looking forward to hearing him! Pastor Theo has known this man for over 20 years and is impressed with his stance for Christianity while working in parliment.
Labels: Christian Family Church, Pastor Theo, Terry
In Memory Of...
my aunt, Iris Matthews, nee Lennon. She passed away yesterday, January 11th 2007. She will be sorely missed by my Uncle Tom, my two cousins Denise and David, their spouses and her grandchildren.
My Aunt Iris loomed large in my life which is funny seeing that for 32 years of my life I lived over 6,000 miles away from her, first in South Africa and then the United States. When someone mentions the word 'lady' my Aunt always came to mind. A small, black-haired, blue-eyed Welsh woman, my Aunt was the epitome of a true British lady. She was unfailingly kind, and seemed to live with the mantra that if you couldn't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. She always put others before herself, and her door was always open to family and friends.
Aunt Iris had struggled with her health for many years. Rheumatoid Arthritis had robbed her of mobility and every day was a fight against it. My uncle Tom converted one of their closets into a walk-in shower for her as getitng in and out of a bath was a sheer impossibility. She was on strong steroids to help contain the pain and to give some range of movement.
In December she was diagnosed with cancer and started chemo. Her body reacted to the chemo and she rapidly went downhill. Doctors think the years of drugs for the arthritis had scarred her lungs so badly that she was unable to handle the chemo as well as the surgery she had undergone to remove the cancer.
Her 72nd birthday was coming up on February 6th, and it will be strange not calling her on her birthday, or any other time. It is weird to know there are no more letters coming from her; or cards for the kids with £5 enclosed for me to buy them a toy, or something 'for their stocking'.
Rest in Peace Aunt Iris. I will see you on the other side soon enough!
Labels: Aunt Iris
Putting Money to Work
Several months ago Terry and I bought a book called "Total Money Makeover" by
Dave Ramsey. This book has single-handedly changed the way we look at and work with our money!
I know that ultimately you can read a million books on a subject and agree with everything written, but then never implement any of the steps that a book recommends. I understand that a book alone is not responsible for any changes that we, or anyone, brings into their lives, but this book is what really catapaulted us into changing the way we see our money.
Like many young couples (I think we qualify as a young couple!) we have responsibilities with our five kids, a car payment, house payment yada yada...so for us it seemed impossible to do more than live pay check to pay check. It appeared that as soon as we got some extra money something would come along and take the money from us! Car repairs, Dentist bills, or something else. The "Total Money Makeover" book gives very common-sense, practical ideas on how to (a) increase income and (b) reduce debt and (c) save an emergency fund and beyond. It means our family has to make some changes this year, but we plan on being one of the minority who don't live pay check to pay check any longer! According to stats, approximately 70% of American families do live pay check to pay check. We are no longer letting our money dictate our lifestyle, but putting our money to work for us.
One other book we're looking at getting is "48 Days To The Work You Love". We'll keep you posted on what it's like!
Labels: Dave Ramsey, Total Money Makeover
We Have A Tiger In The House
Back in 1993 Terry introduced me to what I think are some of the best cartoon strips since "Peanuts" and that is the genius of Watterson's character Calvin and his sidekick Hobbes. Initially Warrick fell in love with Calvin & Hobbes and read all of the books that we bought or borrowed. Then for a while I was the only one who really read the books.
However about 6 months ago the younger 4 kids discovered the wonders of Calvin and his tiger, Hobbes and since then the comic books have become even more dog-eared, and I ordered some new ones when the elementary school held one of their fundraisers. Just last week at the library I found a 600-page hardcover copy of several of the books compiled into one copy. I have to admit to sitting on the couch for 2 hours last night reading cartoons that are brand-new to me. And the kids all fight about whose turn it is to read the book next - gotta love something that will get the kids reading.
I understand why Watterson stopped drawing his cartoons, all good things must come to an end; but he really did capture the essence of a six-year old boy and his imagination.
If I was a poet I would write an ode to Watterson, but seeing I am not, I will just give my heartfelt thanks for bringing so many hours of entertainment into the Smelker household.
Labels: Calvin, Carson, Garrick, Hayley, Hobbes, Teagan
They Call It Puppy Love
Just a couple of photos of my dog and one cat - a love-love relationship
And tonight, Dad and Teagan decided to enjoy some time on the floor together - it was not long before Josh and Serena decided they needed company!
Labels: Joshua, Serena, Teagan, Terry
So A New Year Begins!
The Smelker family went 'South African' last night as we spent the evening with about 30 other South Africans, although there was the odd American dotted here and there - just as a reminder that we still live in the U.S. of A. Food was plentiful, laughter abounded and the kids went wild. Interspersed with English were conversations held in Afrikaans, although if a non-Afrikaans speaker joined the group, we would switch to English. Strangers became friends in one night as we swopped stories of growing up in Africa, and quite a few of us realised that we had grown up within a couple of miles of each other. And in some cases had even visited the same hang-outs - like the waterfall pictured here.
It was wonderful to feel connected to both my American family, and my extended South African one - to bring the two worlds together and have them merge in harmony. In fact it was so great, we're all getting together at the end of the month for a birthday celebration as two or three of our friends celebrate their birthdays!
As they say in Afrikaans - 'Gelukkige Neuwe Jaar, en al die beste vir 2007!' or, "Happy New Year, and all the best for 2007!"
Labels: Afrikaans, New Year, South Africa
