Awww... (or is it Aarrrgggghhhhh?) August

We’re sure y’all have heard: In Texas, we’re ABSOLUTELY ABLAZE with heat. We’re suffering from a drought that even the best AIR conditioning can’t ALWAYS ASSIST. We know there are many other places in AMERICA also trying to cope with ABNORMAL temperatures. As we all AGONIZE and attempt to ADAPT, we send up prayers, on the wings of ANGELS, to ASK Our Dear Lord for some blessings and ANSWERS—and to ALLEVIATE our ANXIETY.

Please ALLOW The Leightons to offer y’all our ADVICE as you ANTICIPATE this “A” month’s AGENDA :

DO BE ACCOMMODATING! ACCOMPLISH and ACHIEVE. Be ACTIVE, ADMIRABLE, AFFECTIONATE, AGLITTER (who can resist glittery peeps?) and AMIABLE. Have an APPRECIATIVE ATTITUDE. Be ASSERTIVE and ASTONISHING. ASPIRE to be AUTHENTIC, AWARE and ACCOUNTABLE.

PLEASE, do NOT be: ABRASIVE, AGGRAVATING, ANTISOCIAL, AVERAGE, ARTIFICIAL, ABSENTMINDED or ABRUPT.

ACQUIRE a taste for: ANCHOVIES (okay, no, you don’t have to do this—YUCK!); AVOCADOES (tres healthy and yummy!); ARTICHOKES (love ‘em!); APRICOTS and ALMONDS. Hey, eat an APPLE (or email from one! Ha!).

WATCH OUT FOR: ALLIGATORS, ANACONDAS, ANTEATERS, ANTELOPES (okay—they may not be that dangerous) and our personal “Texas” favorite (not)—ARMADILLOS (they are oh so annoying).

VISIT (by AMTRAK?): an AQUARIUM, ABERDEEN, AUSTIN, the ADRIATIC Sea; ATLANTA, ARKANSAS, AUSTRALIA, AFRICA, ATHENS (Greece or Georgia—your call), ARIZONA, ANCHORAGE, or ANTARTICA. Be ADVENTUROUS!

ADJUST, adopt, ADORE, adlib, APPLAUD, agree, AMAZE (especially yourself!), answer, APOLOGIZE, accept, ACCENTUATE (the positive!), and accessorize (with amethysts* and/or aquamarines* please see ASTERISK below).

Have you ever considered being: an ASTRONAUT (oops—never mind—not a great future in that field at this time) or ACROBAT or ACTOR or AERIALIST or AFICIONADO (of ALPACAS, perhaps?) or ALGEBRA teacher or ARCHITECT or ARISTOCRAT? How about singing ACAPPELLA or learning to fly an AIRPLANE? AUDITIONING for an ALLELUIA Chorus?

DID YOU KNOW: ELC is an ARIES; TLC and ELC ALWAYS ABBREVIATE but try to ABSTAIN from using ACRONYMS (too confusing for ELC—she ends up suffering from CRS syndrome); you can never have too many AHA moments; ACQUIRING ANTIQUES can be ADDICTIVE; ELC gets all AFLUTTER when she sees the color AZURE? (See 33 Unsolicited Facts about ELC.)

Do you remember what we told you Autumn’s talent is (hint: starts with an “A”)? (See Out to Lunch for the answer.)

ABRACADABRA—we’re done. ALMOST.

ADIOS. ADJOURNED.

Amen.

* these are the birth stones, respectively, for TLC and ELC. It would have been sad to try to ABIDE without that info, right?

this image has nothing to do with "As"

but ELC wanted to share her pretty periwinkles 

that are surviving despite the AWFUL heat