My First U.S.Open

Went to NYC to celebrate Lisa's milestone birthday(fellow cooking co-op devotee)- also in attendance was Debbie(still trying to convert)- both ladies in my cooking DVD.  My daughter, Parker, who lives in NYC, also enjoyed our amazing 2 days of tennis.  In our first match,  we watched 17 yr. old Melanie Oudin upset #4 seed Dementieva and we literally bumped into Rafa Nadal at midnight as he was laughing and cutting up with his friends in front of his hotel.  I did not realize that the entire complex in Flushing Meadows, is named the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.  This takes me back to her book, PRESSURE IS A PRIVILEGE.  One of her rules for life from lessons at the dinner table, is to show gratitude.  Definition for gratitude:  appreciation or thankfulness for having received any favor, kindness, or good fortune.  How do you feel when you are grateful?  Calm, centered, joyful?   As we enter the fall, let every dinner begin with 3 things each person at the dinner table is thankful for- circumstances, relationships, abilities, talents.  My goal with my DVD and web site is to encourage you to keep the dinner hour.  Cooking co-op has helped me.  Dinner is a time to count our blessings!