Sunday Stealing

It's been a while, so maybe you'll forgive me for indulging in yet ANOTHER meme all about me!!   LOL!


Sunday Stealing: The Books Meme

1:Favorite children's book?   

Absolutely love Winnie the Pooh even though I didn't discover it until I was in my teens!  (Thanks, Flossie!)

2:What is the next book you plan to read?    

I just got "The Last Original Wife" by Dorothea Benton Frank.

3:Books on your "to read" list?  

I generally don't keep a list.  If a book interests me, I'll buy it and read it right away.

4:Top 5 authors?   

My current favorites, in no particular order --  Robyn Carr, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Emily Richards, Kristen Hannah, and Jacqueline Druga.  Over the years there have been many, many more.

5:Favorite genres?   

Women's Fiction, Science Fiction, Humor (Again this is currently. There have been others over time.)

6:Do you have multiple books in process or just one at a time?  

Usually have 3 or 4 going at once.  

7:A book that you've cried over?   

I cried every time I have re-read "Little Women".  Must be about 20 times by now!

8:A book that made you laugh out loud?  

"The Princess Bride"  I laughed out loud on practically every page!  Funniest book I've ever read.

9:Fiction or nonfiction?    

Reality is full of non-fiction!  When I read, I want happy endings!!   FICTION!!

10:First book you've read by your favorite author?  

I don't have just one favorite author.  And generally when I find an author I like, I will try to read everything they've written, so it's difficult to remember what came first.

11:Best book-to-movie adaptation?  

I will not usually see a movie adaptation of a book I liked because they are rarely even half as good.  I did, however, like the movie of Leon Uris', "Exodus", but that was mostly because they cast Paul Newman in the role of Ari Ben Canaan.  Perfection!   :)

12:Do you read comics/manga?  

You're kidding, right??  I'm a little beyond comics!

13:Hardcovers or Paperbacks?   

Or Kindle!!  Yes to all three!

14:Do you buy books as soon as they come out or wait a while?  

For certain authors I will even order them pre-release!

15:Do you buy books spontaneously without any prior knowledge of what happens in it?  

Generally not, I need at least a short synopsis before I decide to buy. 

16:Have you ever bought a book based on the cover alone?   

Hate to admit it, but yes!

17:Where do you usually buy your books?  

Amazon, Goodwill, Half-Priced Books, Costco, garage sales, Barnes and Noble, flea markets, drug stores......I'm not picky!

18:Book that had a strong impact on you?   

There have been so many...."Anne Frank --  the Diary of a Young Girl," "Atlas Shrugged,"  "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Exodus," "Time and Again."

19:Historical or science fiction?   

Science Fiction....(but definitely NOT fantasy).

20:Dystopian or Utopian?  

Dystopian  (I'm going through a phase!)

21:Once you start to read a book, do you feel compelled to finish it?   

Heavens NO!  If a book does not capture my interest after about 30 pages, I stop reading it!  If I don't like a book even after reading more of it, I stop reading it!  .   There are too many wonderful books out there to waste my time on something I don't like!!

22:What genres do you refuse to read?   

horror, porn, graphical violence, among others.

23:How many books do you own?   

Hundreds (over the course of my life, it might have been thousands.)  I have to periodically purge otherwise my house would have no room for furniture!!

24:Do you go the library?  

Not so much anymore, because of the ease of finding things to read among e-books.

25:How many books do you read a year?  

Since I retired it has usually been around 275-300 a year on average. (I'm a fast reader!)

26:Do enjoy reading the "Classics"?    

Not usually.

27:Do you ever re-read a book?  

I will often re-read a book I loved.   It's like visiting an old friend!

"What's the Use of Wonderin'?" (one more time...)

You would think that anyone who has lived well into their 60s (like me) would have pretty much encountered most of life's weirdness by now!  It doesn't, however, appear so. There are still a whole bunch of things I don't understand...new trends, styles, inventions, attitudes, behaviours  that I just don't get.  More new ones cropping up every day....and there are still other things that have been around for a long time that I still don't get.   For instance:

1.  I don't know what this is officially called, but to me is seems a bit like a reverse French manicure!  It is a new style of manicure where the majority of the nail is left either natural of with just a hint of color, but the tips of the nails are painted in something bright or sparkly or really dark, or with some small design.  I haven't seen one yet that looked good.  In fact, they are mostly just a big ugly!  've seen it done on both hands and toes.  Why?  Why would anyone want to make their nails ugly??  I just don't get it!

2. I continually come across word usages and phrases that are being incorrectly used.  It's particularly irritating when they writer is close, but misses anyway.  The words they use just don''t mean what the writer thinks they mean!   I read this one on Facebook recently.  The person was talking about starting a new healthy diet plan.  She called it "her  new regime."  What she meant was her new regimen.  The words are spelled very similarly, but leaving out just one letter changes the whole meaning.  She used it several times so I don't think it was a typo.  She just used the wrong word.  It only takes a couple of minutes to look up a word so that you ensure you are saying what you mean to say!!  I just don't get it!

3.  One of life's biggest annoyances falls into the category of a pet peeve:   I am seriously annoyed by people who don't return phone calls, or emails.  By not returning them in a timely manner you are more or less sending the message....." I just don't care about you or your question or your point of view."  It's tantamount to a slap in the face.   Some people just won't get back to you, even when you say please!!  That's flat out rude!  I just don't get it!

4.  People who don't RSVP to invitations fall into a sub-category of #3 above.  We have hosted many parties over the years and we have pretty much always sent written invitations.  We always ask people to let us know whether or not they are coming.  Usually this is to make sure that we have enough food and drink planned, so that no one goes home hungry and we SAY SO on the invitation.  Still we never hear from everyone.  Never, never!  There is some correlation between the no shows and the no response people, but even that's not 100%.  Really it only takes a minute to call and say yes or no!  But it just doesn't happen and the host is left with a mystery.  Maybe they don't understand what R.S.V.P. means....but I doubt it!  It's annoying and I just don't get it!

5.  Have you ever wondered why some days feel like they last forever while other days whirl by like a dervish and its suddenly over and you can't even remember what you did??  That's generally true of all different time period designations.  Sometimes 5 minutes can feel like 5 days and 5 days can feel like 5 minutes.  Our perception of time has a lot to do with whether or not one is doing something enjoyable.  Still I don't quite understand why time doesn't ever feel like a finite thing!  An hour is 60 minutes....always.  A minutes isn't that long of an interval.  Shouldn't they always feel the same??   Why one minute can feel long while another one feels short is a thing, I just don't get!

6. I don't know if this is just me or if happens to everyone, but some days when I am getting dressed (even on an ordinary unimportant day), I will look in the mirror and sometimes I will feel like I look really good.  Other days....not so much.  Every day I do the same routine of skincare, hair, make-up, etc. etc.   Its the same face I had yesterday and I'll have the same face tomorrow,   I should look the same.  But some days, I'm Grace Kelly and other days I'm Emmet Kelly (a  very famous, but sad looking clown from the 50's!!) Why should this be?  I just don't get it!!

7. Why isn't everyone fascinated and intrigued by Science?   We live in such an amazing universe and new things are being discovered every single day.  Yet there are many people that not only seem totally and completely uninterested, oftentimes there are people who don't even believe  that what  has been done is really true!  This blows my mind.   And I'm not just talking about Fundamentalists or others whose belief systems are driven by their church or whathaveyou.  Science is fact.  Just because you have never heard of something before doesn't mean it is untrue!  Not interested in Science??  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to learn new information about this world we live in.  Check out this site; it has some stuff that you probably didn't know and it should amaze you.   https://www.facebook.com/ScienceIsSeriouslyAwesome  It you aren't interested and amazed, well, I just don't get it!!

8.  All of a sudden, there has been an explosion of blogs, Facebook stuff, and other websites where the writer(s) are using what appears to be a GREY or BLUE font.   If that weren't bad enough, the greys or blues  they are using are LIGHT grey and LIGHT blue.  They might not realize it, perhaps it shows up differently on their computer monitor for some reason, but when it shows up here, those fonts ARE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE.  Seriously!!   Often the size of the font is on the small side and between the pale color and the small size, I cannot be the only one who can't read it!!  Please use black ink.  Please use a visible font and size.  I beg you writers, think about your audience!  Some of us don't have great vision for lots of different reasons.  If you want to be read, please, make it VISIBLE!!    If not, well why are you bothering to write?   I just don't get it!!


As always, I probably won't ever understand any of this so, really, "What's the Use of Wonderin'?"  These things seem perfectly clear to me, but others don't agree with me.  Haven't you all accepted the fact that I am always right??    LOL!!  Well, I'm sorry but I just don't get it and I never will!

Sunday Stealing

I haven't done one of these in awhile, so thought I'd do a spot of Sunday Stealing....  More stuff you probably didn't know (or care) about me!

What was your first alcoholic drink? 

• I was about 20 and we went to a Christmas party at Mike's boss's home.  I had never had any kind of drink, so when asked what I wanted to drink, I asked for what my dad always had....a 7&7.  I was seriously sick the whole night.

What was your first job? 

• While in college, I worked part-time in a Kresge's 5&10 (it was the same company that later started K-Mart).  I worked one of the check-out registers and was  quickly promoted to work in the office totaling up the day's receipts and counting the cash.  Me and numbers!  Right, they had no idea the chance they were taking!!  :)

What was your first car? 

• In the early 70s I got a 1967 Corvair convertible. 

What did you do on your first date? 

• Went to a movie in the afternoon with David F.  I don't even remember what it was, but I wore a yellow dress!  He was also my first grown-up kiss but that was a couple of years later!

What is your first proper memory? 

•  I remember the house we lived in when I was 3, my 4th Birthday party and the dress I was wearing.

Who was your first teacher? 

• I had Sister Regina for both 1st and 2nd grade, she seemed very, very old, but she was a good teacher and she like me.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

• Oh, that's easy....a little town in central Florida called Lake Wales.  It will always be home!

Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane? 

• I think it was from Chicago to L.A.

Who was your first best friend? 

• Janie T. and we're still in touch (thanks, Facebook!)

What was your first detention for? 

• I was never in trouble in school....I was a very good little girl.

What's your strongest sense? 

• My emotions, hands-down

Who was your first kiss? 

• Should I count Buddy Young in 1st grade??

What was the first film you remember seeing at the cinema?

• "The Wizard of Oz", I got scared when the house fell on the witch, started screaming and we had to leave! 

What's the largest amount of money you've ever won? 

• Won?  Won???   I don't win ANYTHING, much less money!

What's the largest amount of money you've spent in one spree? 

• I don't spend a lot on myself at any one time, couldn't have been more than a $200-300 tops

If you had a warning label, what would yours say? 

• Caution, Volatile Substance, Handle with Care!

Have you ever got sweet revenge on anyone? 

• Oh yes, but I can't write about it! It was Very satisfying :)

 Have you ever been to a live concert? 

• Of course, many, many.  I've performed in concerts as well.  Seen lots of personalities in concert, only two "rock" concerts though...Air Supply and  Paul McCartney about 30 years apart.

Have you ever been to see stand up comedy? 

• Sure, no one famous though.

Have you ever needed stitches??  

• Unfortunately yes, badly cut two fingers on my left hand at work one day.  Still have the scars too.

Sunday Stealing

I have been sorely lacking in inspiration for writing lately.  It's been a full week since I've posted.  Abysmal performance!  Because I don't want you to forget me....uuhh.... still don't have anything fun to write about.....uuumm.....am the most self-centered human being on the planet....(ahem)..... can't come up with anything else....errrr.... think these things are fun, I thought we might all enjoy another round of Sunday Stealing!

1. You have 10 dollars and need to buy snacks at a gas station. What do you get?     If I want sweet, it's Mr. Goodbar, but if I need an infusion of salty/crunchy, I head right to the Cheese Curls!  And iced tea!




2. If you were reincarnated as a sea creature, what would you want to be?    A mermaid, of course!




3. Who’s your favorite redhead?   Brenda Starr!  (Is she even around anymore??)




4. What do you order when you’re at IHOP?   Pancake platter, crispy bacon, extra butter, and warm maple syrup and iced tea!  (Known as "the usual" to the staff at my local IHOP!)




5. Last book you read?   "Suburban Renewal"  by Patricia Morsi




6. Describe your mood.   Content




7. Describe the last time you were injured.    Do paper cuts count??




8. Of all your friends, who would you want to be stuck in a well with?   Stuck in a well???  Why ever would I want to be stuck in a well with anyone??!!!




9. Rock concert or symphony?    I have to choose??  Really???




10. What is the wallpaper of your cell phone?   It's a photo of a great traffic sign for a roundabout.




11. Favorite soda?    Pepsi




12. What type of shirt are you wearing?    A Mickey and Minnie  pajama top.  (Hey, it's the day of rest....don't judge!)




13. If you could only use one form of transportation?     I am content with a cute car!




14. Most recent movie you have watched in theater?   I think it was "The King's Speech."   I don't do movies much.  There's just not much I want to see!




15. Name an actor/actress/singer you have had the hots for.    Ahhh, I hate being predictable, but I would have walked through fire for Paul Newman.




16. What’s your favorite kind of cake?    I love spice cake with cream cheese frosting!!




17. What did you have for dinner last night?    A croque monsieur, pasta salad, and mushroom soup at Le Madeleine.  Lovely!




18. Look to your left, what do you see?    TWO boxes from Zappos with shoes I need to return before May, 2013.  (They have the BEST return policy, bar none!)




19. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?   Most of the time




20. Favorite toy as a child?    My Teddy.




21. Do you buy your own groceries?     Not anymore!  After doing the shopping for 40 years, my dear, sweet Mikey , is now the official grocery boy!




22. Do you think people talk about you behind your back?    I'm pretty sure some do!




23. When was the last time you had gummy worms?     I tried one or two when they first came out years ago!




24. What’s your favorite fruit?    Bing Cherries!!




25. Do you have a picture of yourself doing a cartwheel?   Are you  kidding??  I have never done a cartwheel with or without a picture!

Today we ripped off a blogger named Metalmom from the blog I Don't Want to Hear It. We will do the fifty questions in two parts. She explains that she got it fromRobin from the blog Libra Girl. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time.Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at  Sunday Stealing.

"Bits and Pieces"

As I am wont (don't you just love that word?) to do from time to time, here are a few Bits of this and a couple of Pieces of that from the hodgepodge of thoughts that run through my mind on any given day....


1.  I lived in the state of Illinois for something like 30 (non-consecutive) years of my life.  Although all those years were in Chicago (which is almost like a state all by itself), I learned to sing the State Song...."By thy rivers gently flowing, Illinois, Illinois...," I know the State Motto is "Land of Lincoln", I know that Abraham Lincoln lived there for most of his early years.  What I did NOT know until our recent trip to Chicago, is that the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library is in Springfield, the State Capital.  How could I not have known this?  I lived there for 30 years and I never once heard about the Lincoln Library??  So consequently, I never WENT to the Lincoln Library!  Lincoln is one of my heroes and I still missed it!!  How is that possible?




2.  There is a phenomenon of the human body that I don't understand at all.  Well, actually there are many phenomenon that I don't understand, and come to think of it, the particular phenomenon I am going to write about (if I ever GET to it!) very probably applies to most species in the animal kingdom as well as humans.  So finally to the point, have you ever had a splinter that was rather deep and was impossible to remove without digging around in your rather sensitive epidermis until you bled?  But it remains stubbornly embedded in you! Or have you ever had a food particle get stuck "in" a tooth and no matter how much you floss and poke and rinse, you can't remove it.  You know that it is still there because it's the size of the Rock of Gibraltar, and it hurts every time you chew in that vicinity.  Still, it will not be moved!


In both of those situations, I remember my mother saying to me, "Just leave it alone.  It will work itself out."  And it generally did, eventually.


What I want to know though is HOW?  HOW does this not so little piece of detritus actually "work itself out?"  There are no moving parts in those areas that could be pushing out the strange intruder.  There is no freely flowing liquid that could swish it along with all the other waste.  There is no little teeny, tiny person sent in to do a search and rescue, no Navy Seals who make a daring raid to kidnap and eject said intruder, no handheld laser or phaser, or transporter (if you're into Trekdom) to break it down into molecules and recreate it outside of you!  


So how does it WORK ITSELF OUT??  Or is this another of those unexplained mysteries that drive researchers (and ME) crazy??




3.  It occurred to me the other day, that M-t-G is now 11 and going into the 6th grade.  I believe that I was in the sixth grade when I had my very first  "crush" on a real, live....(gulp)....boy!   Yowza!  If memory serves, at 11, Ratchlet too, began to be aware of boys as something possibly more interesting than dirt!  As far as I know M-t-G has not yet shown any interest in the male of the species, but that could (and probably will) turn on a dime any minute!  Oh boy!  Or rather oh, BOYS!   


Of course, our girl has always had her own schedule for when things happen.  For instance, she didn't walk until she was 18 mo. old....but then she just stood up and walked like she had been doing it all her life.  Sooooo, she may not discover boys until she's 18 YEARS old!!  Or it could happen next week!  


Either way, I'm pretty sure we'll all have to fasten our seat belts!




4.   After 46 years of married life, one  make that two grownups accumulate a LOT of stuff.  As I look at several rooms in our house, I realize that we are only one or possibly two Christmases away from Critical Mass!  Purging is desperately needed.....but not today!  I think I feel a headache coming on.




5.   Summer has already made its presence known this year.  We hit 95F one day last week.  As the heat looms for the rest of the summer, I am (once again) struck by the idiocy of our HOA (I'll blame them, because I'm not sure who else to blame!)  Despite being an upscale development with home values ranging from $250,000 all the way up to $2M+, there is NO community pool!!  Oh there is the pool at the Country Club, but it is restricted to use by members only....and membership costs mega-bucks!  There are somewhere over 400 homes in the "neighborhood" at least 2/3 of which have multiple children.  Some homes have their own pools, but many, many do not (including us.)  Most developments, even those at the low end of the economic scale, have a pool, sometimes several!  Yet we do not.  We pay a reasonable amount in our annual HOA dues, so I think most of us wouldn't mind a sensible increase if it were used to finance a pool for the non-Country Club set!  However, one simple phrase keeps running through my head as I think about this.  Does "FAT CHANCE" tell you anything??




6.   Have I ever mentioned that I love a pretty yard?  Lovely landscaping can make your home just sparkle!  Unfortunately, I have neither the talent, the money, nor the commitment, for making it happen where I live.  Sigh!  When we lived in CA, our yard was small, beautifully landscaped by the previous owners, and reasonably managed.  We had roses, jasmine, a couple of small fruit trees, and close to the front door, hydrangeas, a gardenia, and a gorgeous hot pink azalea!  In the eight years we lived in that house, I managed NOT to kill them!  Remarkable!  


We have lived in this house for 11 1/2 years and we inherited none of those beautiful flowering plants and my yard, while presentable (mostly), is certainly never going to be a contender for "Yard of the Month!"  It's times like this when I really wish I could just wave a wand, or twitch my nose, or do a little hocus-pocus and make the yard gorgeous with lots of beautiful blooming plants....and a pool!




7.   Have you noticed that there is a growing trend in blogging for writers "taking a break?"  This is a real shame, because most of those who take a break, essentially disappear.  Oh there may be a sporadic "update" that will appear, but in fact, they never really come back.  And their friends and fans are left wondering what happened and if those MIA are all right!  


The sad truth is that blogging is a very draining experience!   It drains your free time.  It drains your creativity.  It drains your stash of "stories."  It drains your excitement about having your very own blog!!  


And sometimes life just gets in the way!  I can understand that....we never know what obstacles will suddenly pop up  as we travel the roads we have chosen and some of them are just too overwhelming to write about.


However, as Ross and Rachel (remember them??) found out to our infinite amusement, "taking a break" really means the end of a relationship!  


So, even though I can understand why some bloggers feel the need for a break, I will try very very hard never to type those words in relationship to my own blog.  For it surely would be the kiss of death!!  Even though several days may separate my postings, I remain a committed blogger!  I'd never leave my friends just hanging like that!!  


Heck, I was raised Catholic, I'd have way too much guilt about unfulfilled promises!!  LOL!




And, there you have it, "Bits and Pieces" of life inside my head!!

"I Never Knew"

I read somewhere a long time ago, that one of the things that keeps you "young" is continuing to learn new things to keep your mind active (or something like that.)   If I pay attention, I keep encountering things "I Never Knew."  So I thought I'd share a few of my most recent factual finds, after all, maybe you never knew either!  :)



1.  I find it amazing that Author and Playwright of the Pulitzer prize winning drama, "Our Town", Thornton Wilder (born 1897) was actually three years YOUNGER than Soviet Premier, Nikita Khrushchev (born 1894)!  Somehow they don't really seem like they could even be part of the same era!  A fact that I had to ponder for a while to accept that it could be true!  But it was!



2.  Have you ever heard of an  in·ter·ro·bang??  Me neither.  Although I am a reasonably well-educated and well-read person, I had never stumbled across this word.  But Webster tells me it is a real word!  Who knew there was such a thing?

Oh, you want to know what it means?  Well, of course you do!


An interrobang is a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), " indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question."  Hmmmm, seems like it would be very useful and should have appeared in printed materials a lot, don't you think‽    So, how come I've never seen it before‽‽  (That's definitely a rhetorical question.)



3.  This one is not so much of a surprise, considering how little I watch TV or go to the movies, still.....anybody still remember the original television production of Rogers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" from 1961 with Leslie Ann Warren as Cinderella?  I remember seeing it on our small (no more than 17 inches, tops) screen TV when I was about 14 years old.   I thought Lesley Anne was a beautiful Cinderella and I think I fell for the prince, just like she did!  :)  I love the music too....."In My Own Little Corner".... "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?"...."Ten Minutes Ago."    Perfect songs for Cinderella and not nearly so cutesy as the Disney version's "Bibbetdy Boppitdy Boo"  or "Cinderelly."  But until this week, I never knew there was another very well done production of Roger's and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" made in 1997 with Whitney Houston, Bernadette Peters, Whoopi Goldberg, Jason Alexander, and Brandi, in the title role. The Prince was played by Paulo Montalban, a particular appealing young man!  It was made with color-blind casting which I find disconcerting visually.  Nevertheless once you get past that (in just a few minutes),  I think it was actually better than the original!  Film for television has come a long way since 1961!  If you've never seen it either, the film is on YouTube and only about 90 minutes long.  And there isn't a singing mouse in either version!!






4.  Now this is not a great revelation of some factual tidbit, but this one rocked me anyway....I found out that my husband, the Big Guy, with both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree, the fellow who enjoys reading as much as the rest of us in the family, the man who knows a lot about a lot of diverse and interesting things, the guy I have been married to for 46 years...... has never read "To Kill a Mockingbird!"   Never‽‽  Not only that (and this is really hard for me to believe), but neither has he seen the movie!!!  How is this possible ‽‽   One of the most influential and well-written books of the 20th Century, and he never read it!  Wow!  Talk about "rock my world!!"    


[Did you see the interrobangs?  I really am surprised they never caught on!]






So, have you learned anything new lately?  Want to share??  Go ahead!  You know you want to!!!  lol!


Class dismissed.....

Things I Should Never Do!

Sometimes other bloggers are a great source for good blogging ideas!  I freely admit I stole.....borrowed.....copied this idea from one of my favorite bloggers, Shell at Things I Can't Say  http://thingsicantsay.com/2012/04/8-things-i-should-never-do.html
Thanks Shell!!  I love this.  Shell had 8 things, but I'm a lot older than she, and I've screwed up a lot more often, so I ended up with 10! 

10 Things I Should Never Do!!


1.  Never pass up a chance to go to the bathroom....ever!


2.  Never buy a pair of shoes that are  "just a little tight" in the store, thinking they will stretch....they won't.

3.  Never buy a pair of jeans that actually fits comfortably in the store, forgetting that they will stretch, because they will become positively baggy before I get to the third wearing.

4.  Never send an email written while upset, angry, or sarcastic....it will come back and bite me in the ass!

5.  Never forget that my face gives away exactly what I'm thinking.

6.  Never decide to pass up more than one motel after 7:00 p.m. when on a road trip.....the next acceptable motel will not show up for at least another hour!

7.  Never, but NEVER, get into the car without two sets of keys!

8.  Never arrive late when meeting a group of friends at a restaurant....the only seat left will be at the end of the table next to the person I like the least!

9.  Never go to the grocery store looking like the Wreck of the Hesperus....I will run into the most attractive man I know!

10.  Never wait till the last minute to put together an outfit for an event....nothing in the closet will look good with anything else and I will not have any shoes that work at all!

"Bits and Pieces"

Just a few bits of this and some pieces of that in my world on March 14, 2012....

 

1.  Last week it was hinting at Spring.  Bare trees would pop into colorful displays practically overnight.  As I drove about the city.  I would suddenly see wildflowers that weren't there the day before.  Landscape nurseries appear to be filled with brand new plants covered in blooms and buds.  The temperature weren't terribly cooperative.  It would tease us with temps in the high 50s and low 60s and then dump us back into winter at night.  Then it would throw in a couple of cold, grey, rainy, dreary days in the mix and everything just seemed to lose its vitality and good cheer.   It's been a yo-yo effect, up and down, up and down.   It's almost impossible to know how to dress for this kind of mixed message.

 

But yesterday?  Yesterday it happened!  High temps in the mid-70s, bright sunshine, gentle warm breezes rustling through the trees and suddenly it felt like Spring!  Real Spring, clear, bright, comfortable, awakening Spring!   Ahhhhhhh............. It was still here today and  I hope it will still be here tomorrow!  I am really tired of my "winter" clothes!

2.  On a related matter, I just love Daylight Savings Time!  I know its an arbitrary choice that a lot of people don't like, but I'm not one of them.  Being a late riser (which results from being a late go-to-bedder) having more sunlight/daylight into the evening is very helpful to me and it just makes me feel good.  I think it is a good way to negate the affects of S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder; it's why I get depressed in winter....not enough sunlight!!)  So from now until sometime in October, I should be a happy camper!

 

3.  Things I have learned about our house guest this week:

• For a little dog, she sure takes up a lot of room in a bed!!
• For a little dog, she sure puts out a lot of heat!
• For a little dog, she sure can hear every little sound...no matter how quiet I'm trying to be!
• For a little dog, she sure can jump fairly high!
• For a little dog, she sure still wants to explore our whole big backyard repeatedly!
• For a little dog, she sure has a loud bark!
• For a little dog, she sure is a cutie!!

4.   Several days ago I wrote about helping stage a house for putting on the market and it's practically instant sale.  Well, today the seller of said house and I went with her realtor to see a few houses that are on the market.  The whole reason she was selling was to move to something smaller with less land and work!  But now with the sale, she has to find someplace to live!  She has some time, possession of her house won't happen until May or June, but she wanted to get started looking.  She asked if I would go with her when she looks at houses to provide another pair of eyes!  I love looking at houses, so I happily agreed to help out.  We saw four houses today one was a dump (really!!  icky!), a second needed some work, but was on a hill and the driveway and walk to the front were both very steep, a third was lovely, beautifully updated, nice yard, great layout, but it was kind of a split level and there were a LOT of stairs, the fourth was a bit small but very attractive; unfortunately, the neighboring houses were all practically on top of each other and it felt like there was no privacy at all.

 It was fun, but we didn't find her dream home.  From what we learned from her realtor, she can expect to have lots of choices coming up in the market very soon.  She'll just need to make a decision right away.  Evidently her house is not the only one that sold quickly.  All of a sudden Austin has turned into a hot real estate market.  Things are selling fast, so if you see something you like, you have to move on it right away or it will be gone.  According to this realtor it is anticipated that Austin will attract around 90,000 new residents this year! (I think that's what he said.)  90,000!!  Yikes!  The great news for home sellers, but there are all sorts of downsides to it as well!  But boy, what a change from the last few years!  Realtors are dancing in the streets!  Sellers are finally finding buyers!

The rest of us?  Not so much!  "Why not?" you might ask.  I can give you the answer in three words....traffic, traffic, and more traffic!   More traffic??  Peachy!

And that just about wraps it up for this version of  "Bits and Pieces."

"Getting to Know You"

Well, okay, this post is really more about "Getting to know ME"  lol!  I've mentioned before how much I enjoy these quizzes and today it felt like one of those days.  So I hopped on over to Sunday Stealing here and in their time-honored tradition stole this meme.  Feel free to use it if you like, your choice....but I hope you enjoy it!

http://sundaystealing.blogspot.com/

Today we ripped off a blogger named Tense Teacher of the blog Tense for a Reason.  She does not say where she got it from. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing:

The Never Ending Meme, Parts One and Two

1.  Song that always makes you sad?    "Slippin' Through My Fingers"  (from Mamma Mia soundtrack).  It is a beautiful, bittersweet song that I completely understand.

2  Last thing you bought?   A red purse for part of my costume needs.

3.  Last person you argued with?   The Big Guy, but, not to worry, we argue a lot....bicker, bicker, bicker.....it's one of our favorite activities!   LOL!

4.  Do you put butter before putting the peanut butter on?   No, but Mikey does!

5. One of your stuffed animals’ names as a kid?   I named my teddy bear, Teddy, I was so creative!

6.  One place you could travel right now? Anywhere I can get to by driving! I do not fly anymore.

7.  Favorite day of the week?   Since I've retired, any day I wake up  still breathing is my favorite!!

8.  Favorite sundae topping?   Hot Fudge!!  Is there any other kind?

9.  Did you take piano lessons?   No, but I always wanted to play piano.  I didn't want to "learn" how, I just wanted to KNOW how!   (lazylazylazylazylazy)

10.  Do you use umbrellas?   I have one located very handily in my car door.  I don't believe it has ever gotten wet!  (Thus, the answer would be NO.)

11.  Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem?   No, why ever would I?  I live in Texas!

12.  Favorite cheese?   Almost any food is improved by Cheddar cheese!

13. Do you prefer blondes or brunettes?   I loved being blond!  I'm more than a little sorry I gave it up.

14.  Best job you ever had?   I worked at Camelot for four years....(fodder for another post on another day.)

15.  Did you go to your high school prom?   No.  Nobody asked me.  Men!  Hmmppf!

16.  Perfect time to wake up?   About 7 hours after I go to bed.

17.  Perfect time to go to bed?   When I can't keep my eyes open one minute more.

18. Ever been in a car accident?   Yeah, darn it!  More than once.   Luckily, I have never been injured (nor has anyone else!)

19.  Closer to mom or dad…or neither?   My mom and I were very close, but I miss them both!

20.  What decade during the 20th century would you have chosen to be a teenager?   The 60s were the perfect time, I'm glad I lived then.

21.  Favorite shoes you have EVER owned?   When I was in my 30s I had several pair of absolutely killer heels, and the legs to show them off!  I loved them all, but my all time favorites are a black suede pump with a slim braid across the top, and a not-too-high heel with a slight flair at the bottom.  They are a great, sexy shoe!  I truly miss being able to wear great heels.  (But NOT the current style of sky-high platforms....they make my feet hurt just to look at them!!  They look ridiculous and no one can walk in them gracefully!)

22.  Do you have an article of clothing you have had since you were in high school?   Heavens No!  Do you know how old that would be???  Fabrics don't last very well over centuries, you know!

23.  Were you ever in a school talent show?  Yes, I sang (now there's a surprise!)  It was in college and I sang "I Can't Say No" from Oklahoma.  I didn't win, but they all laughed when they were supposed to!

24.  Have you ever written in a library book?   I've never written in ANY book!  And I haven't dog-eared a book since I was 11 years old!

25.  Allergic to?   The only thing I might possibly be allergic to is scallops.  This is unconfirmed, but twice I was violently ill very soon after eating them.  I will never eat them again!

26.  Favorite fruit?   The forbidden one!  :)

Cheers to all of us thieves!

  

"A - You're Adorable" -- 2011

I stole this idea from my friend C.Beth, two years ago . I really enjoyed doing it too. I haven't re-read last year's list(or the year before's) to avoid planting a word in my head.  I hope that will keep me from duplicating.  Amazingly enough, I actually remembered in time to do it again this year! So here is List #3....that's right! It is the

Third Annual Alphabetical List of

Things I Am Grateful for this Thanksgiving Season

(Whoo Hoo!!)

Here is my A to Z list of things I am grateful for, like.......

A - Accessories!  They can make (or break) an outfit, a room, or a lifestyle!  In the words of the insightful Clairee Boudreau ("Steel Magnolias"), "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize!"

B - Bacon!   Cooked crispy and just right, there is no finer companion for pancakes and a BLT is hard to beat.  However, keep it out of my casseroles, potatoes, salads, and so on. 

C - Children!  Their innocence, their curiosity, their observations, their cuteness, their potential.  They bring joy just by being there!

D - Driving!  I've always loved it.  Long trips, short trips, makes no difference.   Being on the road is the ultimate freedom!  I dread the day when I can no longer drive, it pretty much is the end of independence.

E - E-Books!  I never thought I would embrace anything electronic, but having a gazillion e-books on my Kindle actually has improved my reading experience in the area of convenience and ease of access.  Not to worry, however, I still must hold a book in my hands from time to time!  It's like comfort food, sometimes you've just got to have some!  :)

F - Friends!  After my wonderful visit in April with my two dearest friends, I realize how much I am grateful for friendships that last for decades!

G - Green!  For months and months we had nothing but brown, but at last,with just a little rain and cooler temps, the grass, trees, shrubs, and plants are green again.  Now the weeds aren't the only thing green outside.

H - Highways!  Thanks to President Eisenhower over 50 years ago, the U.S. has a highway system that makes it pretty easy to get from any Point A to any Point B almost all the time!  Except of course, this also requires one of the greatest annoyances of modern life....ongoing and never ending road construction!

I - Insurance!  Most of the time the concept of insurance irritates me.  You are essentially betting against yourself.  However, when insurance pays the bulk of hospital charges, collision repairs, dental work charges, to the tune of thousands and thousands of dollars, I realize again how grateful I am.  I'll try harder to remember that when I pay those premiums!

J - Jonquils!  One of the early spring flowers that gives me hope every year that winter is really over!

K - Knowledge!  I am grateful to those who pursue it and share what they learn with the rest of us.  I am continually amazed by the things that I learn everyday.

L - Love!  The love we give, the love we receive, the love we seek, the love we find.....love for people, love for things....the search for love, the comfort of love....in all its permutations.  Life would be unbearable without it.

M - Mikey!  Speaking of love, how grateful I am that we met and had the good sense to recognize that we were soul mates, best friends, true loves, and partners.  This man is the perfect man for me!  And I am grateful beyond measure for the life I have lived with this man.  My guy, Mikey!

N - Nuts!  Love them all....peanuts, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds....healthy, natural, crunchy, easy, good for snacking, good for cooking (i.e., peanut butter!).  An essential part of Thanksgiving!  Really!  What would Thanksgiving be without Pecan pie??

O - Orchestras!  Music is one of the essentials of life, but the human voice is limited.  It can only make one note at a time; but put a bunch of woodwinds, strings, percussion, and brass together, playing a gazillion notes together and you have the beauty of the fullness, harmony, rhythm, and joy of music at its best.  For everything from sonatas to marches, an orchestra can make the music come alive.

P - Puppies!  Simply the definition of cute!  Funny, clumsy, excited, joy on four legs.  If a puppy can't make you smile, you must be emotionally stunted!

Q - Quince!  I am grateful for the lovely quince, because if it weren't for quince I wouldn't have any Q to be grateful for!!  :)

R - Retirement!  Retirement is a wonderful concept.  Before it became financially possible (thank you FDR!) for people to stop working and receive social security, people would either work till they dropped or relied on the good graces of their children after they were too old  or feeble to work.  retirement is much more dignified.

S - Solitude!  I have always enjoyed time to be alone.  Time to read, to think, to sing, to wonder, to just be alone.  Sometimes I absolutely must escape from crowds, even a crowd of just 1!  Without periodic solitude, I would lose my mind.

T- Theatre!  Watching, Acting, Directing,  great writing, wonderful stories, humor, pathos, tragedy, farce, music, dance, drama, mystery, all of it!  I am grateful for every minute I spend in the theatre!

U - The United States of America!!  With all its foibles and follies, it is still the only place on this Earth I would be willing to call home!

V - Veterans!  For every man and woman who served, fought, or died with any branch the U.S. Military in defense of our country or for the concept of freedom anywhere in this world, I give my thanks and gratitude, especially Uncle Norb, Uncle Tom, Uncle Joe, and most particularly my dad, Jim, who served with the Americal Division on New Caledonia and Guadalcanal during WWII in the South Pacific.

W-  Words!  English Words!  Because of being a big reader I have accumulated a vocabulary that is better than some, not as good as others.  I am grateful that our language is complex enough to support tens of thousands words.  I don't pretend to know even half of them, but I know enough of them to make it possible for me to write a blog that some people find amusing, or thoughtful, or interesting.  Without words how confusing life would be!

X - Xerox!  I was already working at the time of the debut of the first photocopiers from Xerox.  Oh my, how those machines changed how America (and the world, I guess) did business.  As a working secretary at that time, I was more than glad to discard carbon paper, mimeograph machines, and onionskin!  Of course, instead of making 2 or 3 copies of anything, we could suddenly make 50 copies (with a lot less work) and sending them to every single soul who might possibly be interested!  It was definitely a good news/ bad new situation!  Still, it made life easier in the long run. 

Y - Yellow!  My favorite color.  It makes me happy to wear it, to decorate with it, see it in artwork.  I just love yellow and I undoubtedly always will.

Z - Zoos!  There is something fascinating about watching animals in synthetic habitats that call us to see these creatures up close.  A well-run zoo is a joy to explore.  I've spent many happy hours visiting my favorite animals.


Whoo-Hoo, I did it again!  26 things that I am truly grateful for.  There are others, of course.  The things we are all grateful for....our families, our health, our friends....those never change.  But it's nice to be thankful for some of the less universal things that bring joy to each of us!  The point is at Thanksgiving, we take the time to look at our lives and recognize those things.  So what are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?