Random Dozen #5 ... and Silly Haiku ...
1. Tell me the absolute best way to watch a movie.Ohhhhhhh Linda... I have to really search back into my memory for this... for ME the best way is to not watch one. But on the rare occasion that I do... I definitely prefer to watch them at home than in a movie theater, where I can curl up on the couch, and maybe have a bowl of ice cream ... or something! 2. Do you ever think about your own funeral? If so, do you have specific ideas about how you would like it to be?
I don't think about it often, that's for sure! But I do know I definitely want to be cremated, and I do want a memorial service at church - with a LOT of my favorite praise songs! Other than that, I don't want sadness and weeping -- I want people to be HAPPY that I've gone home to be with Jesus, and to remember whatever good times they've had with me. I would like it to be more "festive" than dreary. Death is a part of life... it IS sad for those left behind... we MISS our people so much when they leave. But for the person who died, it's not sad at all.
3. Are you more of a giver or a taker?
I am definitely a giver! I'm not good at taking - at all! I have actually been working on that in recent years... being a gracious receiver - because that's not my nature.
4. Vacations: planned activities and schedules, or play it by ear?
It's good to have an idea of things you would like to do on vacation - but once there, just play it by ear. Sometimes, certain activities have to be registered for though - so you have to be open to having some time restraints placed on you IF you really want to do those things! Last year while we were at the beach we wanted to take Luz on the Pirate Ship. Well... that only leaves at certain times of the day - so we had to "schedule" it... But for the most part, we like to just decide day by day - even hour by hour - what we feel like doing.
5. What is one often overlooked item in your home that needs to be cleaned regularly?
Mmm... I was going to say the ceiling fans until I thought about the refrigerator! I HATE to clean out the fridge! Just hate it! And so I put it off, and put it off... and if I would just DO it - every few days - then it would be fine and I wouldn't even need to hate it! But noooo... I look at those leftovers and say "I still might use that" ... right up until the day that I say "ew... no way! I'm not touchin' that!" Then I have to call Honey! "Hoooooonnnnnney... somethin' in the fridge STINKS! YOU get it!" LOL! Actually... I have gotten BETTER about it in recent years... HE hasn't had to do it too often lately... but that truly IS the one place that I really NEED to be better about!
6. Name a cause that means a lot to you.
World poverty... hunger... homelessness... I have a child through Compassion that we help provide for. I wish I could have 100 of them! Right now I'm getting involved with this group.
Sometimes I forget that we have so many hungry people right here in our own area. We live in the 6th richest county in the NATION -- I just learned that! You would think the 6th richest county would have NO hunger! Not true... so I'll start here. Maybe one day we wOn't have hunger here...
7. Do you eat a regular old peanut butter jelly sandwich, or do you customize it? And by the way, jelly or no jelly?
Mmm mmm! I LOVE a regular ol' PB&J - and I like grape or strawberry or blackberry jelly. But THIS time of year I reallllllly like PB with apple butter -- or PUMPKIN butter! YUM! But ya know what? As much as I love 'em -- I only eat PB&J a couple of times a year! I just never think of it... I have to admit I HAVE been thinkin' about it MORE since that jar of Pumpkin Butter came into the house! 8. If we were having a conversation in person, how would I know if you were nervous?
Oh wow! I don't really know... I don't SEE myself when I'm nervous. I would think that I might be more distracted -- you know - I think it MIGHT depend on what I was nervous about! If I was just nervous about meeting you (which I can't imagine being nervous about) then I might behave differently than if I was nervous because I was on my way to a doctor's appointment or something... you know? But honestly... I don't get nervous very often - and I truly don't knOW how my behavior changes when I am!
9. Do you have an elaborate bedtime routine, or just the basics of toothbrushing and jammies?
Jussssssssst the basics!
10. Have you ever regretted something you wrote on your blog?
I have! There was a time when one of my kids made me so MAD that I came in and wrote a humongous long scathing rant about this child's stupidity and my feelings on such... and then I hit publish. And then I went NO! And I deleted! But by then it was already on the feeders... it was no longer ON my blog -- but you can't get it back off the feeders! I learned my lesson that day to really be CAREFUL about what I publish!
11. Has anyone ever told you that you look like a famous person or celebrity? Did you agree?
No... I don't think I've ever been compared to anyone famous for my looks. People used to compare my personality and style to Erma Bombeck (a GREAT thing in my eyes!) - but that hasn't been mentioned for a long time! I think I've grown more serious in my old age! LOL!
12. If you were going to dedicate a song to a loved one or friend, what would the song be and to whom would it be dedicated?
Ohhhhh man! There are so many songs I would dedicate to my loved ones... but I'll just do one each for my kids...
Amanda -- She's Got A Way , by Billy Joel
(which IS the ringtone I have for her)
Mathew -- Carry On My Wayward Son, by Kansas
(also his ringtone on my phone)
Krysti -- I Loved Her First, by Heartland
I don't care that this song is sung from a Father's
perspective, it fits MY feelings perfectly!
(Krysti's ringtone is Independence Day, by Martina McBride)
Derek -- Don't Worry, Be Happy, by Bobby McFerrin
(Derek's ringtone is The Gambler, by Kenny Rogers)
Silly Haiku Wednesday is hosted by Jenn at You Know That Blog.
This weeks theme: Light
Light as a feather
Floating to my hips and thighs
marshmallow creme puffs
Labels: Random Dozen
Some of a Meme...
Thom had this meme for his Sunday Stealing this past weekend. I didn't like all of it, so I deleted some! But I thought some of them were good for a slow week... so here they are! The original title of the meme was It's Not Fall Until... but that really only applied to the first question.
What did you need to do in the waning days of summer for it to feel complete? I guess that probably go "back to school" shopping. Summers were all about swimming and relaxing - always for me. I did do a lot of babysitting when I was a teenager... but I still had plenty of time for ME. And as an adult, it was about relaxing and keeping my kids entertained... so I guess the last thing we always did was "back to school" shop... and then the excitement for the new school year began.
If you could only attend one major sporting event what would it be? LOL! I have enjoyed every sporting event I've ever been to, but I have to say that attending them is NOT anywhere NEAR a priority on my list. So... first off, this question doesn't say if it's one a year, one a season, or one a LIFEtime... but regardless, if there is that much of a shortage on tickets or revenue, or WHATEVER, then I'm giving MY event up to somebody who will reallllllly enjoy it! Or maybe I would hold a "Feed the Hungry" event and raffle my event off to the person bringing the MOST non-perishable food items! That sounds good....
Assuming that you write an anonymous or partially anonymous blog, by what non-physically identifying characteristics might you be identified in a bar? There is absolutely NOTHING anonymous about my blog! I use my real name and what you see is who I am! Now, by what NON- physical characteristic can you identify me? Just listen to me talk for awhile... I'm the one who ALWAYS says ... "well"... or "Oh!" before my sentence!
Most blogs cover some sort of niche – personal, political, dating, culinary, etc. What topic, if any, would you like to address on your blog but doesn’t fit into your niche? Since my niche is personal, anything I want to talk about fits. If it didn't fit, I would twist it and squeeze it until it DOES fit!
If you could manipulate the time space continuum and give as many as three pieces of advice to a younger version of yourself, what advice would you give and to what age of you? I'm FULL of advice for a younger me! As a teenager? I would tell me to JUST SAY NO! As a young adult I would probably repeat that advice and add in "KEEP the weight off!" (not that people didn't tell me that... and not that I listen to myself any better than I listen to anyone else!) And the last advice would have been to the young married me, and that would have been to TAKE the kids to church -- back when Krysti was BEGGING me!
Who among your friends do you really wish had a blog because their stories, or perspective on something ought to be shared? Wow... I often times wish my Pastor had a blog! He has so much to share... and I also wish my friend, Gale, blogged. She has ALWAYS got stories -- and they are WILD!
If you were to take an e-cation (vacation from the trappings of our electronic world,) and assuming that employment obligations would allow it, how long of a break could you take? What would you miss the most, the least? If I was to be kept busy enough, I could last probably the rest of my life! What would I miss most? YOU! And my praise music! Least? Well... since I don't watch television anyway -- I guess I wouldn't miss IT at all, huh?! That's not really fair - because I really wouldn't... ummmmm.... I don't know...
On September 11th of this year, I attended a couple of parties and was somewhat conflicted by the fact that this ignoble anniversary shall pass with it being just another day in the eyes of many (and in some ways my own eyes as well.) Thoughts? Time (with God's help) is the healer of all wounds. Eventually (maybe now) we DO have to go ON with our lives. We should NOT forget... just like we should NOT forget Pearl Harbor or the Holocaust. (need I remind us that the holocaust killed MILLIONS) But neither should we continue to "actively" mourn forever. On 9/11/2001 - 2,993 lives were lost. An additional 6, 291 were injured. That's a grand total of 9, 284.
FAR more people die
EVERY SINGLE DAY (25,000 today... 25, 000 tomorrow... 25,000 on Thursday...) from hunger and illness associated to poverty than what died in the 9/11 attacks, and nobody raises a flag to remember those people... September 11th was a horrific event in our Nation's history and one that we most certainly should NOT forget. But we are a very BLESSED nation that we have not had too many events of this nature! And we SHOULD be thanking God EVERY day that we haven't -- because some countries are NOT so fortunate. Some countries live with terrorism daily. Some countries live with SO MUCH terrorism that all but the worst isn't even news worthy. I think that if people hold parties "in honor" of those lost on 9/11, it is okay to laugh and enjoy the time spent together and to remember those lost for who they were and how they lived.
The sexiest thing a man or a woman can say to you (or has said to you) is:I'll feed the baby... you sleep.
Prayer Drill
Yesterday morning Krysti and I had this conversation text messaging...
From Krysti: An absolutely HORRIFIC picture of someone who's legs were brutally cut, bloody and bruised, with the text:
Look what I got today! (Krysti is a volunteer EMT - things like this excite her... )
Me: Ohhhh that's awful! What happened?Krys: Massive explosion. 15 casualties.I immediately bow my head and pray for the Lord to comfort these people, and bless the doctors who work on them to do the best thing for each and every one... and to please begin immediate healing. I ask him to give Krysti strength and courage to deal with whatever comes her way - and an extra dose of compassion for those she attends to. Then...
Me: Oh dear! How sad!Krys: Yea... this one's definitely going to lose his legs.Me: Where did this happen Krysti? Are you there NOW? (I'm wondering what in the world she's doing texting me while this is going on!)
Krys: The FBI building. We're on our way back to pick up more victims.
Me: Krys, if you can find it in your heart, please pray for these people - WITH them! It will comfort them. If not, at least let them know your mom is praying.(oh, and then I go on to tell her about the near miss bomb in Texas that was caught by the FBI sting op. I wonder if they
didn't actually get them all, and maybe THIS was one of them...) And then....
Krysti: P.S. This is TOTALLY a drill! It's all fake and make-up! All the hospitals in DC and Virginia are running drills in their ERs.Me: YOU BRAT!!!Then I prayed for the Lord to keep me from THROTTLING that child!!!
Colorful Stuff...
When I got up Tuesday morning, and stumbled to the sink to make coffee, I looked out the kitchen window and this sight popped out at me! WHERE in the world did that red come from all of a sudden? I have NEVER seen it there before! A quick glance around my woods told me there was no more of it anywhere...
... and so I went to explore...
Ahhhhh HA! Tis berries! And some little birdies in the
trees cheepin' at me to stay away from them!
Not to worry! I have NO idea what they are!
Amoeba?
Whatever they are, they didn't last long...
that beautiful splash of red is already turning brown.
I'm sO glad I went immediately to explore...
sometimes I might have put it off a day or two...
and been sorry.
And then...
Wednesday when Luz came to plant her tree seeds...
we noticed these pretty yellow flowers where they've
never been before too!
And when we got up verrrrry close to examine them
we found that most amazing BUG! Do you see him?
Don't squint - just BIG it!
Even Luz, who is not fond of bugs, thought that one
was pretty cool!
And last... but in no way least...
... my YELLOW peppers are finally turning YELLOW!
YAY!
This is the plant that was dead until halfway through
the growing season! How exciting is THAT???
And just ONE more piece of color...
had this test over on his blog yesterday - what else is new? huh? Thom finds a different test for every single day! And insists we all take them... oh
yes he does! I usually just take them and report my results to him and be done with it -- but this one was SOOOO absolutely correct that I just HAD to put it on MY blog! What COLOR do I ALWAYS say I am???
Your Name is Orange
(of course it is! Too match my HAIR!)
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Your name tells people that your are flamboyant and vibrant. The amount of energy that you have is simply amazing. You are enthusiastic about everything that comes your way. You love having new experiences and trying new things. People see you as bold and even a little wild. You can be an overwhelming force. You tend to get noticed a lot, and to be honest, you feel a bit sad when people aren't paying attention to you.
That last sentence is not true ... I don't mind being ignored at all... unless I'm in a mood to NOT be ignored! The rest is absolutely spot
on!!!
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Friday Fave 5 ... and Stuff.
Susanne at Living to Tell the Story hosts Friday Fave Five in which we share our five favorite things from the past week. If you would like to play along just post your 5, link back to Susanne and visit her to see who else is playin'!
1. This has been a great week filled with little excursions here and there. One of the things I really enjoyed was getting to spend a good bit of time watching a blacksmith create an artistic hanger type thing at ArtsFest. More about that on another day.2. One day this week some BIG yellow heavy machinery showed up on our circle! Dennis came home and said "it looks like they're going to be re-paving our circle soon!" ... oh my goodness! I got sO excited! My boys started a campaign to repave the circle when they were in MIDDLE school! That's when they started skateboarding -- they wanted smooth blacktop! Well... my boys don't really skateboard anymore. And middle school was quite awhile back! But MACHINES were on my circle! So the next morning when I heard them, I ran up to talk to their men. Dennis wanted to know if they would also pave just the top skirt of our driveway so that it's not like driving over a STEP for us. Well... the supervisor man said THEY are not the pavers... and that it would probably be 2 months before the pavers actually show up -- but that they usually DO pave those little skirts - 10 feet in to the property line. THEN he said that even when the pavers come, they will just put down a cheap coat of pavement for the winter - and then they'll come back in the spring to do the FINAL coat! Ohhhhh geeeeez! This is going to be a very long process! I have a feeling things will get WORSE before they get better! (I hesitated to tell about this for fear Jientje might think I ordered the paving just for her!) LOL!3. WHY? Because... Dennis and I cleaned the windows on the house this past weekend for the first time in 7.5 years... LOL! Annnnnnnd... I'm spillin' it -- I DID get somebody to come Wednesday and clean the top floor windows on the outside! For those of you who missed this, my top floor windows have never been washed on the outside. EVER. We built the house 22 years ago... I THINK it was TIME -- whether Jientje was coming or not! LOL! They also cleaned our gutters and got the trees that were growing in them out!!! YAY! Gutters can't really support the weight of full grown trees - so you DO have to have them removed from time to time. About every two years we find! Had I known that gutter people and window people are often times the SAME people, our windows MIGHT have actually been washed before! Live and learn!4. Mom & I headed out to do a little shopping on Thursday. I wasn't actually in "buying" mode... I was more in need of finding some things for my photo hunt mode! We did. I always hesitate to walk into a store and start snappin' pictures. Especially the smaller stores. Department stores - sure! I don't think twice! But the novelty stores and "specialty" shops -- they can get a little testy sometimes! But this trip I actually had people who were very willing to HELP me capture something for my scavenger hunt! That was really nice! In 3 different stores! How cool is that?5. The chicken and rice dish... the one I spoke of in Linda's Random 12 on Wednesday... and some asked for the recipe. Okay... I don't cook with recipe's ladies. I'm one of them. But just for y'all... I'm going to try to figure it out but ya might have to use your imagination some.
Ingredients
A whole chicken
water
chicken bouillian
poultry seasoning
bay leaves
sage
rosemary
thyme
salt & pepper
flour or corn starch
rice
I hear you lookin' at that list and sayin' "how much"? I HEAR you! I'm workin' on it! Take your BIG pot... the BIG one... you know - when you buy a "set" they give you a BIG one -- that's the one! You boil the chicken in that pot - so you put the chicken in and you cover it with water -- that's how much! However much to the top of the chicken. Then you add about 6 bouillian cubes -- or a few teaspoons of the granules. And I'm pretty sure I use about 2 tsp. of poultry seasoning. If you think that's too much, maybe only 1 1/2... THEN... I use those fresh herbs you can get at the grocery store. Do you know the ones I'm talkin' about - they're in with the fresh produce? Sometimes they are actually packaged into a "poultry" pack... I don't know if they're the same ones - but those are good too! But if I buy them separate, the four above are what I buy - but ALWAYS bay leaves - no matter what else! Definitely use BAY leaves! I use 4 or 5 bay leaves, and then several sprigs of rosemary and thyme... and maybe 5 or 6 leaves of sage. (probably too much - but I like it!) I know you have to use a lot more of the fresh herbs than you do the dried powders. If you use the dried stuff, probably just maybe 1/2 a tsp of each... and then just salt & pepper to taste. You let the chicken boil in that until done. Then take the chicken out and skin it and pull all the meat off. Set that aside and mix the cornstarch (or flour) - I use cornstarch because it doesn't make lumps -- if I use flour my gravy always has lumps! So, I mix cornstarch with water and mix my gravy that way - adding it to the boiling broth. You can actually turn the broth down to less than a boil at this point. I usually have to mix cornstarch and add it 3 times -- I do about 1/3 of a cup of cornstarch at a time. Soooooo probably a cup would do, and you'd only have to do it once -- but sometimes it thickens faster than others... and it can become gel pretty quickly if you use too much... so be careful. The rice you just cook to the directions on the bag -- I NEVER use minute rice! You can if you want to, but rice is my MAJOR comfort food, and I want good ol' homemade STICKY rice! Then once the rice is cooked, you just dish it onto the plates, and top it with some meat, and then pour the gravy over top... You COULD just mix the meat WITH the gravy and then pour it over the top.... but that's not how I do it! LOL!
I just know this is gonna get me in trouble!
If ya have questions, holler!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stuff...
Barbara commented yesterday that she didn't realize Mom doesn't even know who I am now. But it's not now. She hasn't known who I am since she came to live with us! When I picked her up from her house that day and brought her home with me, she had NO idea who she was going with or where she was going. Most of the time she does still know that Dennis is her son... but sometimes she does not remember his name -- most of the time she thinks he's George. And sOmetimes she thinks he's her brother, Joe. But she doesn't know my name, and she does not associate me with being married to Dennis. EVERY time either one of us says "She's my WIFE, Mom", or "He's my HUSBAND!" she looks at HIM and says "you never told me you got married!" LOL! She was AT the wedding! Sometimes we just laugh and say "oh... we're sorry." Other times, in just little frustration one of us will say "You were AT the wedding." On a couple of occasions we've resorted to showing her PICTURES of herself AT the wedding! But that only works for a minute - so there's really no sense! 2 minutes after we put the photo album away, she'll ask him "who's that woman in the other room?" ... that is if she HEARS me... because if she doesn't hear me I don't exist! If I put her in front of the television and then come in the living room to play on the computer, he'll come home from work and she'll give him a pity story about how she's been sitting there allllllllllllllllll daaaaaaaaaaaay looooooong all by herself! LOL! The day we went over to Tilghman Island and all, we got home about 7:30 that evening -- Dennis was home and he was eating dinner in his recliner when we came in. She and I had eaten dinner over on the island. She went in and used the restroom and then went and sat next to him, and looked pitiful because she wondered where her dinner was -- but she won't ask. He asked HER what she did today - just for kicks and giggles -- and she said "oh nothin... I've just been sittin' here all afternoon." And that IS what it is! Life is only "in the minute". She does know tomorrow exists - because she tells me goodnight and see ya tomorrow every single night! She does know tomorrow comes! But she doesn't have any ... and I mean ANY idea how old she is. We went and got pedicures and manicures yesterday and when they finishe my feet, they took me into the front room to do my nails. Her tech kept her in the back and did her nails while she sat in the pedi chair and let her toes dry. Well, she started worrying about where I had gone, and he told her I was getting my nails done. She wondered when "her friend" was going to come pick her up. He asked how old her friend was. She said "oh, about a year younger than me I guess". LOL! He knows I'm her daughter in law! He just nodded to her -- and then came out to tell me! Oh! And Barbara mentioned "common sense" disappearing. YES! There is almost none of that left either. I was cleaning up stuff the other day, and she was sitting in the living room. She can not "read signals" at all anymore. She is sO confused by the day to day living of life - it's really sad. I gathered up trash and was taking it to my car so I could go to the dump (in a little while). Well, I still had a few more bags to go - but as I took out the first two, she toddled along behind. I didn't realize she was there, and when I turned around I about knocked her down! Of course, we were BOTH startled, and I pulled a "WHAT are you DOING???" Well - then she knows she didn't get it right - so she makes something up. She said "oh, I just came out to get some fresh air for awhile." So, I said "well, enjoy your fresh air!" and I went back in the house! LOL! It was only a few minutes and she came in and sat down on the couch again. A little while later I went to take some more of the trash out and found the front door WIDE open! I didn't say anything. I just took the trash out. I came back in and said "okay. We're going to go now." I grabbed my keys and my purse, and the last two bags of trash and said "come on". As IS our custom, she followed me. I put the trash in the trunk, and started to get in the car, and she was still fiddlin' around at the door. I said "c'mon Mom!" ... she peeked around the corner and said "well... I was just wondering... should I shut this door here?" OY VEY! Yes mom... we're leaving... we should shut the door.... Barbara, you just thank God every day for every brain cell your mil still has! Ask him to BLESS those brain cells and KEEP them functioning!!! There is NO WAY that MY mil could live on her own!!! Not under ANY kind of "assisted" living!
Labels: Friday Fave 5
5 Words... and Stuff...
Luz planting tree seeds yesterday...
I have a very new reader, Betty - from
A Glimpse Into Midlife. A couple of days ago Betty did a meme on her blog - one that I have done before - where a friend gives you five words, and you address them. Since it's been awhile... and every friend will give different words anyway... I volunteered to do it again! So yesterday Betty sent me these words... and wants my thoughts on them. Of course, my loyal readers will probably be bored... but Betty's a new friend and she wants to know ... so here we go!
1. Kids - Well, I have 4. Amanda is 32, married to Hector and they have my one and only grandbaby - Luz - who is 5 years old, and just started kindergarten. Then I have Mathew, who is 22, and he shares an apartment with Amanda & her family. My twins just turned 20 years old. Krysti is a Junior attending the University of Mary Washington, majoring in psychology and minoring in criminology. (used to be the other way around but she changed it this year.) Derek is my late bloomer and the reason that #2 is really not going to apply to me yet! He still lives in his bedroom - and by that I mean even though he is home when he's not at work, we NEVER see him! We rarely get a word with him. He is a bit of an odd child - and still I adore him! Which brings me to my thoughts on kids. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM!!! The only thing I ever really wanted to be in my life was a mom, and it is the one job that I have always valued above ANY other! I am sO blessed that God chose to trust me with these 4 people, even though at the time I was not trustworthy. I pray for them and wait to see the wonders of His work in them! Nothing - apart from God - NOTHING means more to me than my children. Nothing. And it is only because of MY love for them and my unconditional forgiveness with them, that I am able to UNDERSTAND how God feels about us! Sometimes it is that very thing that makes me "get it".
2. Empty Nest - Well, as I said... I haven't truly emptied the nest yet. I keep hoping. (yes, I can LOVE my children and still want them out of MY house!) Actually, I have very mixed feelings about Derek leaving. I have mentioned to him a few times that he might start thinking about it. Of course, he really isn't in a financial position to move out yet -- and really that's fine! Like I said, he IS my late bloomer. He's been out of High School for a couple of years and he didn't want to do college, and he's been kind of floundering -- but not really. He works as a chef and he's apparently a good worker. His bosses have all been pretty happy with him. He makes some dumb decisions from time to time. Like quitting one job without having another lined up because he gets a new manager that he doesn't like. Things like that. But now he's looking into going to the community college and he does want to do something with his life -- and so if he needs to live at home to accomplish that - then it's fine with me. Really! I mean... since MOM moved in, my nest isn't going to be EMPTY anyway... right???
3. Mother-in-law .... Speak of the devil...
*angelic grin*... Let me start by saying that a couple of years ago Dennis and I were having this "issue". HE wanted me to work. I didn't WANT to work. I prayed and asked God to "fix it" so I wouldn't have to "work"... and He did! Now I have Mom. Mom has alzheimer's. God has a GREAT sense of humor! And a great sense of justice. See, MY mom had dementia too. (we're not sure it was alzheimers) But I had NO patience with MY mother. My mother and I didn't have a great relationship. I could have tried harder. Soooooooo... God's giving me another chance. I'm not doing much better this time around! She doesn't know who I am... she doesn't know who Dennis is half the time. She certainly doesn't remember EVER having any grandchildren! Well... these days she doesn't even remember her last name unless we say it right before we ask her. But she's mine! She's with me from the time she gets up until ... after dinner! Then Dennis takes over and HE puts her to bed! We don't eat dinner until around 7:00 pm and they go to bed at 9:00! God has a great sense of humor! I dO write about her from time to time... when it's funny.
4. Cooking - I hate to cook. Noooooooo... that's not true. But I'm not a great cook... Noooooooo... that's not true. I used to be a very good cook - very creative - always coming up with new things! I don't know. I'd rather eat out! That IS true! You know... some women just LOVE to be in their kitchen and doodlin' around and they have a real servant's heart and they just WANNA take care of their family. That is NOT me. It USED to be me... when the kids were small. I got into the holidays and baking the cookies and preparing the FEASTS to feed an army. And now? I just don't WANT to anymore! I am convinced that this is why our daughter's grow UP -- so THEY can take on those family feasts! But see... that's not
really true either - because I LIKE having all the kids at MY house... I just don't want to do all the cooking. Or the cleaning.
5. Passion -- haha... Oyyyyyyyyy vey! I actually am a verrrrrrrrrry passionate person. I am passionate about MY beliefs. My father called it hard-headed. My teachers called it spirited! My employers called it tenacious. My family calls it a pain in the butt! But I believe what I believe. I can't help that! I believe in God, and Jesus as my savior. I'm passionate about that! I believe that if someone needs help and I CAN, that I should. I'm passionate about that. I believe that children, nor adults should have to go to sleep at night with a hungry belly. And I'm pretty passionate about that too. It about kills me sometimes that I can't feed the WORLD! And I'd really like to take every homeless person off the streets and just bring them home with me... here... sleep on my floor. I know I
can't do that. I knOw there are people out there who
WANT to be out there... I also knOw that the majority of them do NOT
want to be out there! And I wish I had Bill Gates money so I could help... HE does help though - not MY charities - but he has passions of his own and he does use his money to help a lot of people! I like that about him. I don't mean I'd like to take his money away from him ... I just mean I'd like to have as much as he has to help with! I'd like to have even more! WE are sooooo BLESSED and I just don't understand why the world isn't evened out some. How can some people be soooooo greedy when other people neeeeeeed sooooo much!? I just don't get it...
So Betty... I hope you got your money's worth here! I don't think anybody else learned anything new about me! :) If any of my readers would like to have 5 words, just say so when you comment, and I will be happy to give you some!
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Stuff...
I'm wondering how everyone else that signed up for my Photo Hunt is doing thus far! We are one week away from the big reveal and I still need to find TWELVE items! I'm starting to feel the pressure! I am positively AMAZED that I have 21 people signed up to play! I NEVER expected that! (Gattina was right!) I'm really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has found though! Yea... I'm really excited to see what else I'M gonna find too! Aiy!
So, you see the picture at the top! Yep! Luzi Goose and parents game by after school yesterday. I wasn't home, but came home while they were here. Luz and Hector were down in the back field planting TREE seeds! Luz was sooooooo excited! Her class went on a little nature hike and they found seed pods and Mrs. Chaney said they could plant them and trees would grow! So of course Luz wants to grow a tree! So, of course I pointed out some spots that I would tell PopPop NOT to mow and we will see if a tree grows! And then to be a little on the safe side, I had her plant a couple up in my front garden where the "good" soil is. If they do indeed sprout - either now or in the spring, then we will nurture them until they can be transplanted. I am NOT certain which kind of tree they are -- I am HOPING Mimosa. But they MIGHT be Locust. I do NOT want anymore locust trees. I do not LIKE locust trees. They are ugly. I would LOVE more Mimosa trees. They are beautiful! So... we shall see. The leaves will tell the story. IF anything grows! :)
Random Dozen #4 ... and a Silly Haiku ... or 4
Notice to Non-Americans: KLONDIKE Bars are ICE CREAM!!!
1. Please share one middle school memory. It can be good, bad, ugly, funny. Pictures or words, I don't care, just share. I don't think I have a single picture of me from my middle school days! It will have to be words. For us "middle school" was Junior High - and in my town it included 7th, 8th and 9th grade. High school didn't start until 10th. Not important to the story! I was NOT a bad kid in Junior High... I saved it all until High School! But I do remember one bit of trouble I got into... I was in Geography class and we had finished up about 10 minutes before the bell was to ring. A friend and I were drawing and writing on the blackboard, and when the bell rang, we fled! Well, the next day we came into class and Mr. Leonard made a BIG deal about the VERY CREATIVE letters that had been drawn on the blackboard the day before and said he had a project that he would like that person to letter! WHO was that talented person??? Well, I popped my hand up - It was ME! I did those letters! He looked at me and put out his hand and said "Give me back my chalk!" LOL! I must have put the chalk in my pocket instead of on the little shelf of the chalk board! I'm sure I didn't do it intentionally -- but the poor teacher's did have chalk disappear left and right! I know I FELT guilty and I didn't have the chalk with me to give back! I did bring it in the next day for him though... He was very creative!
2. What's your favorite Beatles song? I'm not a BIG fan of the Beatles, but I do like a bit of their music. Mostly the really playful stuff! I like Good Day Sunshine... and I like Penny Lane... but my favorite is probably When I'm Sixty-Four! Even without the words it's still just a FUN tune! But the words do make it better!
3. If I asked you to describe your most comfortable outfit, what would it be? My ever so old baggy sweat shorts and big old baggy t-shirt! I've got NO STYLE!
4. Would you rather host a party or be a guest? Neither. I'm not big on "parties"... I like to host a "get together".
5. Do you think we will move completely from traditional books to digital ones, and if we do, are you OK with that? Probably we will... and no, I'm NOT okay with that! I LOVE books! I like the look, the feel, and the smell of books! I do not want to curl up on the couch beside my granddaughter and turn on a CRT screen to read her a story! I want to open the book and flip the pages, and point to the pictures... I don't want to go to bed with a Kindle... I want to go to bed with a BOOK! And while we're on the subject... I like to sit at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a NEWSPAPER... I do sit here with my laptop too... but NOT to read the NEWSPAPER! And besides... what would people look at in the grocery store lines?
6. Do you learn best by reading, listening or experiencing? As a child I learned best by experiencing. Now I can learn any of the ways... as long as I'm not learning algebra! And I actually enjoy all 3 methods, although reading to LEARN is not as much fun as reading for pleasure! Of course... Listening doesn't work either if I'm not interested in the subject... I have a very interesting world that goes on in my head... It's probably a good thing I'm not in school anymore....
7. If you are (or when you were) single, what is the kiss of death for you concerning the opposite sex? (That is, what is one trait or behavior or habit or anything at all that immediately turns you off from considering that person a potential match for you?) Bad breath or a body odor that I can not tolerate. Not necessarily a BAD odor - but just ... you know... there really is sOMething to those pherenomes... Also, if a man blatantly didn't like children... that was allllllllllll she wrote.
8. Snacks. Salty or sweet? CAKE! I don't do chips much... occasionally. I don't really do snacks much - but honestly... when I DO snack, it's usually cheese!
9. Look around you in a four foot radius. What object is around you that you didn't realize was there or forgot was there? How long has it been there? LOL! My old broken lap-top. It's on the shelf under the hermit crab home. It's been there since I returned from Wisconsin in May... I guess I should throw it away... I just hate to do that... I'm not quite over the trauma yet I guess!
10. What is your favorite Tom Cruise movie? Mmmm.... well... it will be an OLD one since I don't watch them anymore. The LAST Tom Cruise movie that I saw was Jerry McGuire... what's THAT tell ya? I think my favorite though was A Few Good Men!
11. You buy a bottle of shampoo and discover that you don't like what it does to your hair at all. What do you do with that full bottle? I'm fortunate in that I have other people living in my house that will use it! Dennis isn't at all picky about his shampoo... and if he really hated it too, then I would use it for Mom! She won't be complaining!
12. Your favorite Fall comfort food? (Last week it was beverage.) Hmmm... interesting... because chili was the first "fall meal" I made this year... but that is NOT my favorite -- probably only 2nd favorite. I make a killer chicken and rice dish... it's all about the gravy! And it truly is my comfort food to end alllllllllll comfort foods! I did make IT this week! I'll have to make it when Jientje is here ... and then she can teach me how to present it in a PRETTY fashion! But this meal is really NOT about looks ... it's all about flavor!
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Silly Haiku Wednesday is hosted by Jenn at You Know That Blog.
This week's theme: Music
Cat pawing window
Dog barking and scratching door
Music? I think not!
Soft, rhythmic breathing
Hum of the ceiling fan
Music to my ears
Wake up Maggie Mae
A Little Good News Today
Melodic flash-backs
How Great Is Our God
Awesome Is The Lord Most High
Music to live by
... SOMEbody STOP me!
LOL!
Labels: Random Dozen
Tuesday's WWC #102 ... but MY First!
Note to self: WWC stands for WEEKLY Word Challenge ...
not WEDNESDAY Word Challenge... *sigh*I really don't know who owns this meme... or how to find the clues for next week! Apparently *Tink* is the keeper of it - but her website hasn't been updated since Sept. '07... then Jay is mentioned... I didn't find it or any links to it over on his blog... so I'm just sorta following the leader who introduced it to ME...
Kcinnova! I have NO idea where to find a linky and other
folks to visit - so I'll just run through the ones that visit Karen!
This weeks words: Go Green & Square
My GREEN... on the GO!
SquareThe 10 Squares that make up the cross highabove the altar in our sacristy.I was RUSHIN' to get there before the sun wentdown last night ... but it was a little darker than I hoped.I thought it hadn't come out at all. Llooking on the camerait appeared the squares did not show at all - only the circles.So, on the way home I had a thought...
... what would ya doo-oo-oo for a Klondike bar?Or more importantly... what would a Klondikebar do for YOU?Be square!
The LAST Time... and Stuff...
Meme stolen from Thom.
1. When was the last time you bought something for someone else, and what was it?
Last weekend I bought a LOT of something's for Krysti for her birthday... mostly clothes. 2. When was the last time you complimented someone, and what was their reaction?
At Artsfest on Saturday I was complimenting people left and right on their artwork... every one of them was pleased and said thank you! The gal I bought something from was particularly thankful! 3. When was the last time you had to return a purchase to the store?
I honestly don't remember the last time I returned something. I do know that several years ago I was SUPPOSED to return a set of sheets I bought that was the wrong size for my son's bed at the time. I didn't return them. A couple of years later he was in need of some sheets for the new bed he just bought --- guess what? They were the RIGHT size! I took them out of the closet and handed them to him and he was a happy camper!!!4. When was the last time you had an ice cream cone?
That was about 2 months ago. Luz was at the grocery store with me and asked me to buy some cones. So I bought some ice cream too! 5. When was the last time you had to go to the doctor’s office?
TODAY! I should go to the chiropractor TODAY! (but I'm not...)
Just a few weeks ago. I wasn't sick ... I just couldn't get my prescription refilled again without 'seeing' him! So I went... 6. When was the last time you were embarrassed by something you did?
Ohhhhhhhh dear ... I don't know! I embarrass pretty easily -- and I turn bright red! But I'm not sure if that's because I'm laughing so hard or because of my embarrassment! I tend to SAY things that embarrass me more than DO things. I'll get caught for not paying attention when I ask a question that has just been answered! Something like that... and so I laugh - cuz I'm busted! (actually... IS it embarrassment if you don't MIND it? cuz if not, then I guess I really don't embarrass easily... I just DO laugh easily!)7. When was the last time a stranger was kind to you?
Surely you must mean like more than a nod and a smile -- cuz THAT happens all the time! I'm thinking the last time a stranger went out of their way to DO something for me... was probably when we lost Mom at the beach this summer. I was in the water, and the kids were semi keeping an eye... she got up and looked lost, so a very kind gentleman had helped her up to the hotel we weren't staying at found her a seat by the pool! Could have been a disaster because I mighta NEVER found her except that he saw me looking for her and told me what he'd done. I thanked him and ran! She can get away quick -- and I run slow!!!8. When was the last time you locked yourself out of your home?
That was probably when I was a teenager. If you really want a funny story - it's the one where I locked myself IN the bathroom! WithOUT my cell phone! I wonder if I blogged that... it was hysterical!
9. When was the last time you thought about cheating (on anything, a test or a person)?
I would love to say that my character is above and beyond EVER thinking about cheating... I would LOVE to say that! But it's not. I have thought about cheating. But I don't do it! Anymore. Just Saturday paying to get into Artsfest - it was $5 each for me and Mom. I gave the guy a $20 and he gave me back two $10s. I looked at it... and then I looked again - and out it popped! This isn't right! As I handed him one back... Now, THIS time I didn't think about it... but that has happened a time or two when I DID think about it. And back in my dirt poor days I DID keep it! And God was watching!!! And he LET me get away with it! It's easy to have good character when you can afford it. It's not so easy when you're dirt floor poor! I wish I could say my character WAS that good.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stuff...
Yesterday was a productive day at the ol' Homestead! Nooo... I still didn't get to the back room! BUT... Dennis and I got all the windows on the lower level of the house washed! This poor house.... honestly... we thought about a LOT of things when we decided to build a house... but washing windows was NOT one of them! The windows that he and I washed yesterday have only been washed on the outside two other times in the history of this house! People, that means about once every 7.5 years!!! This is bad! These windows are sO hard to get to! And the UPPER level windows -- I admit it - they have NEVER been washed on the outside - not once. We HAVE an extension ladder. A biggo BIGGO extension ladder! But we can't use it! Our house sits on a hill. If you put the ladder feet ON THE GROUND, the ladder tips about 33 degrees one way or the other! Yea... I'm not gettin' up there and I'm not the one afraid of ladders! We've tried building leveling devices... they always wobble ... a lot! Sooooo... without a cherry picker those windows don't get washed. Do you KNOW what it costs to rent a cherry picker!??? I'll let ya research that one! I AM going to call some professional window washers and just SEE how much they will charge me IF they can get to those windows! If not... it might be another 20 years and a new owner before those windows get washed!!! Actually... we might REPLACE them before they get washed! Oy...
Artsy Tartsy!
I woke up yesterday morning thinking all I had ahead of me for the day was a trip to WoeMart and cleaning out a back room. BOY WAS I WRONG! I managed to avoid that back room altogether AGAIN! As Mom and I were on our way to WoeMart I passed the sign. It reminded me that ARTSfest was this weekend! How do YOU spell...
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
We drove right PAST WoeMart! Whooooo hooo! Off to one of my favorite places! Youuuuuu reeeeeemember! You've heard me talk about Annemarie Gardens
before. And
before. And
before! And a few other times too! :) But I don't THINK I've ever blogged ArtsFest ... and it is worth blogging! I love it because it fills all my senses!
SO many wOnderful things to see!
Oh the man who carved this was very kind!
He also makes canes, and pipes, but mostly
he just turns trees into art!
*not that God didn't make them beautiful to begin with...*
And gorgeous window covers and sun catchers!
My absolute favorite was an egret in a pond -it
was gorgeous - but the artist preferred I not
photograph it - and I understand that!
And for my ears... (and my eyes)
These little darlings doing a little soft shoe to a song I had
NOT heard before, but which was darling! It was very
playful and tongue-in-cheek... and I think it might have
been sung by Liza Minelli.
And then I walked around the corner and through the grass
(off the beaten path) and this group was singing PRAISE
songs! Some of my FAVORITE praise songs! I couldn't believe
it! Mom & I sat our butts down and listened for the rest of
their concert -- which was only 4 or 5 more songs. But they
were all good ones! :)
I bought 6 chances on this beauuuutiful quilt! Oh, how I
would LOVE to win it! I wanted the ladies who helped to
make it to get in the picture with it - but they said that
would make a picture of Beauty and the Beasts! LOL!
(they were all
lovely women!)
I had to take a picture of this... please big it!
I
think it
might be the most hideous thing I've ever seen!
I'm tempted to put it in
Quilly's contest...
but I'm afraid it would win and the artist
would SUE me!!!
(people... those are puzzle pieces glued on that chair!)
Asking price? $375!
I wonder how many she sells...
This gent was much more to my liking!
I like to watch artists do their thing... I always wonder
how they can with ME staring over their shoulder.
I do not LIKE to be watched while I create!
Annemarie Gardens is nestled in the woods...
and every time I walk through there, I find some
new little piece of...
Serendipity!
Next weekend there is another arts & music fest down at
Quiet Waters!
I can't wait...
But for now...
THIS is the day the Lord has made!
Let us REJOICE and be glad in it!!!
May the peace of Christ be with you today!
Eastern Shore Or Bust...
Mom made friends with this delightful
recycled giraffe!
I have been trying for the past month or so to get over to a section of Maryland that I have heard MUCH about... but never been to. It is referred to as the Eastern Shore... though I don't know why - because I would refer to Ocean City as the Eastern SHORE! LOL! But the area to which I refer is the St. Michaels / Tilghman Island area -- another peninsula / island along the Chesapeake Bay. I haven't been able to get there because other things have gotten in the way... birthdays and Mount Vernon and more birthdays and such... oh and the ever threatening - but never appearing weather! I can't tell you how many days I haven't taken this day trip due to it was SUPPOSED to rain all day - and indeed looked like it MIGHT! Yesterday it looked like it MIGHT too - but I decided to call it's bluff! I'm glad I did!
Before you get excited, you should know that this adventure was a BUST! Well... not entirely a bust... we did have fun! But it was NOT at all what I expected it to be! I wanted to go over and take pictures of watermen and fowl and dilapidated structures. And I was really HOPING to find and old abandoned gas station where I could get a picture of a real old timey gas pump for my Photo Hunt! Sometimes hearing too much about a place is bad... especially if you read it in a book or a magazine where the author is using poetic license to make a place sound like something with MUCH more character than it really has! NOT that these places don't have character... it's just that most of the character has been bought up by the rich and proclaimed "off limits" to the rest of the world now. It's sooooo sad. I'm not going to go there today - but this is an issue that I have had GREAT discussions with God about for a long long time... and I've blogged it before.
Crabbing Boats
(docked at the restaurant)
So what DID I find? Well, on Tilghman Island I found ... not much! I think I drove the entire island - every street that wasn't marked private, and there just really isn't much there! The far end of the island has mostly been demolished and rebuilt with brand new high end luxury housing. The near end is still quite quaint and has two restaurants -- we had dinner at one of them - it was good but not great and was disrupted toward the end by a party of 4 men who MUST have been watermen - cuz they certainly cussed like sailors and as loud as they pleased! They are probably the the four who keep the place in business, because on a Friday evening it wasn't well populated, and those of us who were there, and complaining about them, couldn't make them go away! Apparently their everyday money trumps our piddly little tourist money! Let's just say that I was not impressed with "the character" of Tilghman Island. (but I bet Jientje could make it look just like the infamous "they" say it is!) LOL!
The Cherry Street Inn
St. Michael's, MD
St. Michael's on the other hand, was lovely! It was not what I thought - in that I really expected it to be much more run down too... but again - I guess it doesn't take long for Money to hear the same stuff I hear, and go gobble it up and "fix" it. However... it is ONLY being "fixed" -- and the character is being maintained. There were several pretty little B&B's off on the side streets. Talbot street - the "main street" is lined with adorable little shops and Mom and I really did enjoy looking around.
Coming out of one of the shops, I found my self smack dab in front of this very pretty church. I would like to go back and explore it a little further. It has it's own cemetery and just sits pretty as you please right there in the midst of all that shopping! I'm sure that gives the Pastor enough excuse to preach on tithing! LOL! It is interesting how often in these little old towns the church IS right there in the "town square" so to speak... I like that!
There is also a Museum on St. Michaels ... maybe a couple of them, and a historical society - which most likely accounts for the town being preserved rather than rebuilt! We often think of historical societies as being boring ho hum little elitest groups -- but they really DO serve a wonderful purpose! Without THEM our entire world would be chrome and glass... and vinyl siding... I didn't go into the museum... that wasn't what my agenda was about this day. Another day perhaps. I did walk past it though... and this lovely little park... with the darling little couple sitting enjoying the beautiful day...
Funny that the pond actually belongs to the B&B on the other side!
I'm sure I'll go back to St. Michaels.
I doubt I'll travel the extra 15 miles to Tilghman Island again.
But now I know!
Friday Fave 5
Susanne at Living to Tell the Story hosts Friday Fave Five in which we share our five favorite things from the past week. If you would like to play along just post your 5, link back to Susanne and visit her to see who else is playin'!
1. My Monday night Bible study started again after 2 weeks off. We had finished Judges 3 weeks ago (harrrrrd study), and then this week we have started studying Mark. This is such perfect timing for this newly released study because the next several weeks our gospel message is from Mark! I'm loving that! Our new Vicar has joined this study - as well as about half a dozen people who had taken the summer off - so it was really good to have him, and see them back and to have such a LARGE group! (for us 15 is large! Next week it should be 17 or 18!) And the thing is... we are a very "tight" group. Very close! But also very welcoming and inviting! I remember NEVER feeling like I didn't belong there.
2. A delivery from Amazon of some books that have been recommended by blog friends! A 2nd delivery brought me The Humor Of Christ, which Dr. John quoted last week. Lots of new reading material for me!
3. Three appointments this week that went off without a hitch! Mom had 2 Drs. in one day... which honestly could have been a NIGHTMARE - and I didn't plan it that way... but it happened. But she did GREAT and I am thankful! And then of course - my miracle trip to the DMV! Whoooo hoooo! I think I've had a GREAT week! It really IS the little things that count!
4. Chili! I made my first pot of the season this week! Ohhhhh YUM! With rice - and cornbread! Cheese and sour cream on top! Yes!
5. Last night I got to attend Luz's kindergarten Open House! It was sO much fun going to meet her teacher! And not only that, but because I formerly taught in this school, I ran into a LOT of old friends, and got (and gave) LOTS of hugs! And I've already signed up to be guest reader in Luz's classroom one Friday! YAY!
Labels: Friday Fave 5
Thematic Photographic - Urban.... and Stuff.
Thematic Photographic 67hosted by CarmiToday's Theme: Urban 
Baltimore...
as seen from the 27th floor of the World Trade Center
I chose this picture (as opposed to one of the other views I took that day) because this one shows how faaaaar the urban sprawl goes... sort of. You really don't see the end of it! It just goes and goes forever, it seems! And yet, I know it doesn't... because I live in the country! About an hour away. I love that I am only an hour from Baltimore, and 45 minutes from Washington, DC. I really don't think I could ask for more! And as much as I love to explore them... there is still sO much I have never seen. And I've lived in this area almost ALL my life! (2 years in Minnesota... the rest, here.)
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Stuff...Soooo... NO QUILLY... my wrong doing with the MVA (formerly known as the DMV - Department of Motor Vehicles -- or now as Motor Vehicle Administration) that I had to get fixed yesterday was from a repair order I had gotten for a broken tail light. I didn't remember to tell Dennis about it until a few days later, and when he went to fix it, it wasn't broken. Apparently there had been a little electrical snafu. So I SHOULD have taken the paper back down to the PD the next day and gotten it signed off on. . . but I forgot. Then the tail light DID break and I had to wait until I remembered to tell Dennis again - which was awhile. Then I should have taken the paper down to the PD right away - cuz it was already waaaaaaay more than 10 days! But I forgot. Numerous times. So, while Krysti was home this weekend, I asked her to FIX it for me ... cuz she has friends... ya know? Well... I had waited too long! One of her friends DID sign off on it for me - but as "late" -- and he told me to get to the MVA on Monday in HOPES that my registration had not yet been suspended! Well, I couldn't go Monday... Krysti needed me to do a favor for her. And I couldn't go Tuesday - cuz Mom had a dentist appt. in the morning and a neurologist appt. in the afternoon! Soooo yesterday I made sure I got my butt up to the MAIN MVA which is about an hour away -- up near Baltimore. It was GREAT though! God really WAS with me! I walked in, went to the information desk (which had NO line) told them what I needed to do, they pointed me to a door and up the steps and to a window. I went. Behind that window was the smiling State Trooper. I told him I am BAD and explained what was up, and that I was about 2 months late getting the paper signed off... and he stamped my paper, signed my paper, tapped some keys on his keyboard, said it WAS suspended but it's not now, told me to keep the paper IN my car for the next 3 days, and bye-bye! I was not in that building 3 minutes I don't think! I've never had such an experience at the MVA in my LIFE!!! It was awesome!!!
Jiente... I hope I cleared up your troubles with our foreign initialized government organizations! Also... yes, we were talking about "returning" Christmas gifts in yesterday's meme. I could tell you were very startled about that! I do not DO the returning of gifts thing UNLESS it is clothes that I bought for one of my kids that they just realllllllly do not like! I do ask them to tell me. (OR if they are the wrong size, we go swap them out for the right size) But no... ANY other kind of gift we do not return! And I do not re-gift either. But mostly I just don't buy my kids clothes anymore for Christmas. If I buy them for their birthday - we do like Krysti and I did this past weekend and make it a girls day out together! Then there is no returning to be done, because we got the right size of what she liked to begin with! I absolutely LOVE to shop for my kids ... but my taste and there's is NOT always the same! So it's just better that I don't!
Labels: Thematic Photographic
Random Dozen #3 - and a Silly Haiku
Hosted by:
Linda at
2nd Cup of Coffee1. Which is worse: a long, boring meeting or standing in a return/exchange line after Christmas?Oh! What awful choices! I try to avoid both like the plague.... I guess it would have to be the long boring meeting. At least standing in line for the exchange, you HOPE to come away with something BETTER in the end! Not always true with long boring meetings.2. Except for maybe Rosie O'Donnell or Ann Coulter, nobody likes confrontation, yet we all have to deal with it. When you feel cornered and defensive, do you "bite back" or become passive aggressive?
Usually I just CRY! But it depends on what I'm feeling cornered about. I have been known to bite back! If I know I'm in the right.3. Do you know anything about your genealogical background? (What country, culture, ties to prominent historical figures, or other stuff.) My father did a whole genealogical study and put it all together and had it published. He called to ask me if I wanted a copy and I was uninterested ... honestly, I still am! I didn't get the book. I know on my mother's side we came straight off the boat from Ireland. My father's side has some German, I believe some Scottish, and some American Indian! LOL! I'm a fine mix, huh?4. What is the quickest way a person can endear him/herself to you? I have NO idea. Maybe by professing their faith in Jesus. That does seem to draw me close quickly. But it's not a requirement... Maybe by being born cute... and my grandchild! THAT would certainly do it! 5. Cake, pie, cookies, or ice cream? (Note there is no "all of the above" option. You must choose one. Feel free to elaborate on flavor or memories tied to this dessert.) If you'd like, you can share a recipe, but you certainly don't have to. No ifs ands or buts about it! Hands down I am a CAKE girl! (not the kind that jumps out -- just the kind that eats lots!) If you read this blog often you know cake is one of my favorite foods! For a long time it was all about chocolate, but that was because the kids were small and that was THEIR favorite - but in recent years just about ANY flavor will do! Carrot cake, spice cake, strawberry cake, lemon cake... pineapple upsidedown cake! I love them all! 6. Females: Do you regularly change your handbag to coordinate with your outfit? I do NOT change my handbag for every outfit. I have certain handbags for "the season"... and I have a few outfits that I have a special handbag to go with. MOSTLY I carry so much junk that I just want ONE handbag to carry all the time - unless I'm dressing for a special occasion and then I might take a different bag just for that day!7. Are you task-oriented or relationship-oriented? Oh dear... I don't think I'm either! Must be relationship? I'm never on task! But... if I AM doing something, I do NOT like being interrupted ... but on the other hand... I don't like being asked to DO something when I'm socializing either! Oh, can't we all just play NICE together?8. IHOP, Bob Evans or Cracker Barrel? BOB EVANS! Sausage gravy and biscuits... Oh BAD!9. Have you ever left a movie in progress in a theater? Why? I most definitely HAVE! I left the Indiana Jones movie when the part where they were crawling through snakes caused me to vomit! I've left a few other's too - when the language was just off the wall bad! I do not pay good money to watch people cuss for NO REASON at all! I can understand a foul word when the situation might call for it - but when they are just tossed in there just ... oh never mind! Do NOT get me started! I'll go on for days...10. What is one area of life in which you would like to develop more discipline or organization? Hooooo boy! Well... I'm a stay at home housekeeper... and my house needs keeping! What does THAT tell you?!? I also need to develop a LOT more discipline about diet and exercise again! 11. Was middle school fun or painful? A little of both. I was such an awkward kid... but I did have some great times in middle school - especially during basketball season! I loved attending those games! But ONLY in middle school -- I never attended ONE in high school! Weird, huh?12. What is your favorite Fall beverage? LOL! I guess that would be pumpkin spice coffee. I would drink it not JUST in Fall... but the manufacturers seem to have decided FOR ME that I should only have it in Fall! I do also like a nice warm cup of cider from time to time... but I don't mull a big ol' bowl of cider just for me. If I happen to go somewhere and it's offered, I will usually have some!I'm off to battle the MVA (DMV) over a whopper of a mistake I made... so really I'm going to eat Humble Pie ... but I will be around to visit you all later! Hopefully this won't take all day! The Holy Spirit is traveling with me today - please try not to interupt! ;)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I forgot all about the Silly Haiku thing today, until I visited Quilly,
so this part has been added late in the day!
Off to D M V
Thank you smiling State Trooper
My problem is fixed!
And thank you Jesus, too!
Labels: Random Dozen
