Randomness

1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?


No I haven't been afraid, mainly because Dawn and I with a van full of softball girls got lost in East St. Louis on Sunday morning instead of Saturday night.  We finally made it back to the west side.

2. Have you ever been to an island?

I have been to Manhattan island, and Alcatraz.  I haven't been to a tropical island, but it is on my list.  Alcatraz was a very interesting self-directed tour with headphones that told the story of the prison from the prisoner's and jailer's points of view.

3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?

Definitely a thinker - overanalyzer.

4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?

I am a gray thinker.  There is very little in this world that is only black and white.    But it is easier to follow black and white thinking, so that is why cults and fundamentalists have their followings. (Not that they are the same group of people.) 

5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.)

A dictionary.  I don't think there is another book I wouldn't get tired of.  I could write my own book in the sand.  Make my own paper out of papyrus leaves, boil up some ink.

6. What are you most afraid of?

I am not real comfortable with change.  Don't know if that means I am afraid and change encompasses so many things.

7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?

Stupid question.

8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?

My husband, my kids and their spouses, my parents and siblings.  Those are the important things in this world. 

9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)

We had a normal, United Methodist church wedding, then went to the Elks for an after reception.  My kids make fun of my 1980 wedding dress because I was covered from my neck to the tips of my fingers and toes.  I would do that differently.  I also wouldn't put the men in burgandy tuxes, but again, it was the thing to do in 1980.

10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not forgetting.

11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?

Read the magazines, watch the other people.  Of course when you are in a town the size of ours, you know the other people, so I might visit.

12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?

Same - Blond, blue eyes
Different - long beautiful legs

Randomness

1. Ever had any run-ins with the "library police?"


I have been trying to do better since our library went on a computerized system about six months ago.   Before that, they used cards and hand wrote your number on it, and then the nice library ladies would just renew for those numbers they knew.  Now they say they are going to be imposing the fines. Probably all of $.10 a day, I don't know.  I miss the cards with my number because I could pull the card and see if I had already read the book.   That is purely reading for enjoyment when you don't remember whether you read the book later on.

2. Do you have a special organizational plan and place for wrapping paper, gift bags, etc., or do you just purchase whatever you need as you give gifts?

I have a little bit of stuff accumulated in one spot.  Bags are so in now, and they are easy but not the same as unwrapping gifts.

3. Have you ever been in (first-hand witness) a natural disaster?

Been in - I guess no, but when I was growing up in Pratt County I saw three tornadoes and have seen none in the last 30 years in Clay County.  We had a bad freeze in May one year when all the row crops were already up.  That is a farmer's natural disaster.

4. What's your favorite Barry Manilow song?

Barry - I liked several of his song but I chose Ready to Take a Chance Again


5. What's the best costume you've ever worn?

Undercover cops for a FH party.  I wasn't ever much for dressing up, so this fit me great.

6. Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?

Definitely the thesaurus.  I use the tool on Word all the time.

7. What's your favorite breakfast food?

I always eat the same thing for breakfast.  Cereal, OJ, milk, coffee.  Most important - coffee.  If I don't eat something in the mornings, I am apt to get sick in about an hour.  I have learned to manage late breakfast dates.

8. Have you ever purchased anything from an infomercial?

I don't think so.  

9. Have you ever crawled through a window?

No.  We have a story at school about a girl who tried to crawl out the window of the special ed room.  Still makes me laugh.

10. Do you believe in love at first sight?

I am not saying it can't happen, but lust at first sight is probably  more common.

11. How man pairs of jeans do you own?

Three pair.   I like them all which doesn't happen all the time with jeans.


12. If someone were going to bake a cake to honor/represent you, what would it be? (Think creatively, like Duff and Crew on "Ace of Cakes.")

A pile of books with a computer and an apple.  It would be my childhood favorite, chocolate cake with fudge frosting.

Busy Weekend

I had a great and busy weekend starting on Friday.  We had Student Led Conferences last week, so I had Friday afternoon off which worked out well with attending the dedication and open house for the Leadership Studies building at KSU.   Tamara, my daughter-in-law, works in recruitment and retention in the leadership program and also teaches.  Here she is in her brand new office. 

And I also took a picture of her and Blake.  After the baby comes in August, it will be all about him and not them. 

It is a beautiful addition to the campus, and while it is much more modern than Anderson Hall, I stopped to take a spring picture of it too.  That was Tamara's old work location.

Then Friday night we went to Clifton to eat with Paige and Russ as well as Russ's parents for Paige's birthday which was Thursday.  I didn't take any pictures at Tailgaters, but the prime rib was really good.

Then on Saturday, I went to Riley to present my portfolio for my master's class through Baker University.  Two more class nights, and I will officially be done.  Then I went to Manhattan for Abby's sorority's Mom's Tea.  I forgot to take my camera in there, but did get a picture of Abby and I in our matching shirts.  She didn't even cover up her shirt with a jacket in the mall this year. 

We went to Blake's in the evening.  Kyle had been down to play in a FarmHouse golf scramble with Blake and their team finished first.  I forgot to ask if they ever used Kyle's shots.  Earlier that day Blake got an award for the Outstanding Alumni.  He has been on the board and they have been through a tornado and pipes breaking with a lot of water damage. 

Then on Sunday, after SS and church, Kyle and I headed to Phillipsburg to get a horse to keep LT company and for people to ride with Kyle.  Patrick, named that because that was the name of the guy we bought him from,   is 13 years old and well trained.  The guy had called him Grulla because that is his color, but that is a terrible name. 

The only downer of the whole weekend was stopping in Belleville at the Dairy Queen and learning they didn't have butterscotch topping anymore.  What!!!

1. How do you feel about "Gladiator" sandals, also called "Roman" or "Jesus" sandals? A fashion yea or nay?


I don't really care for them.  They look like you should be in the movie "Ben Hur" and I don't think they are flattering.  I don't know where I would ever wear them, but maybe they would work for a person who sat behind their desk all day.


2. What is your favorite pizza?

Supreme - no jalapenos.

3. There are plans in the works to sell roughly 1,000 items from Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. This means you could buy Picard's chair for your family room. If not a Star Trek item, what prop, background, set, etc. from what TV or movie would you buy if you could?

[Ex: Hurley's "I Love my Shih tzu" shirt from LOST, the plantation home "Tara" from Gone With the Wind, or Tracy's tambourine from the Partridge Family.]

The bracelet Marsha wore in the battle with the boys building  the house of cards in Brady Bunch.
The girls won and they were going to buy a sewing machine, then ended up buying a color TV for the whole family.

4. Name a local food or restaurant that your area is famous for.

Tasty Pastry - a real bakery with delicious rolls, doughnuts, etc.  Their signature pastry is the nut roll.  Located in downtown Clay Center.

5. What is your current favorite snack?

Strawberries or chocolate, my go-to snack.

6. Hypothetical: You are required to be a reality show contestant. Which show would you choose based on your probability of success? (You cannot choose "none.")



A. Dancing with the Stars

B. Biggest Loser

C. Survivor

This is really hard.  My dancing skills are pretty bad, but maybe I could be as good as Kate Gosselin.  I debated about Biggest Loser because I think I could do the workouts, then Kyle said when they yelled at me like in tug-of-war I would just drop the rope and walk away, which is true.  And I don't think I could win at the weight loss contest either.  The people the show is getting for contestants now are really big and lose my body weight in 13 weeks.  Survivor is probably a no to. Mrs. E. on Easy Street blog put in Amazing Race and that would be my choice too because I really like the show, but I don't know who I would go with.  When my family is choosing up partners, I am always the one left out.  I don't understand it.  Who wouldn't want a 50ish woman who hates heights with them?  So my final answer is Amazing Race and I will be the one who applies to be on it so my family member can't vote me off the island.

7. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being uninhabitable and 10 being cleanliness that meets the standards of OCD, how clean is your vehicle's interior?

8 or 9

8. It doesn't feel like Spring until _________.

I paint my toenails and wear sandals.

9. Something that made you laugh really hard recently is ____.

I can't remember what that would be this morning.  I will try to think today.
10. Tell me about a goal you're working toward.

About done - will get my masters in education at the end of the spring semester.

11. Share a thought-provoking or inspiring quote this week.

"I didn't do anything."  Isn't that inspiring????  Just talked to a girl yesterday about her behavior in another class with a sub because the regular teacher is on maternity leave.  I said to her, "Now why did I think that was going to be your response?"  What started out as a quiet talk immediately turns loud with this girl.  How can we teach kids to accept what you say to try to help them?  She isn't going to be happy when she misses track practice with a detention.

12. Name one thing that you do as a parent that you absolutely know will make your kids happy. If you're not a parent, feel free to substitute "friend" or nomenclature that works for you.

Fix their favorite meal.

10 on the 10th

It is the day for a new 10 on the 10th.  Beautiful weather makes for a great spring weekend. 

What are we doing this spring?

1.  We put our sun shades up on our back patio today.   It makes my stomach hurt to see Kyle up on the roof, but we got it done. I wouldn't watch but I always need to help.   It makes such a difference in our living room temperature.

2.  I brought summer clothes down from upstairs.  I had no short sleeved shirts to wear and very few summer shoes.  I have a whole tub of flip flop/summer sandals.  Definitely more summer than winter foot wear.

3.  I planted some of my garden last weekend.  So far we have potatoes, onions, beets, and spinach in. 

4.  I love going for my walks without a jacket.  I think I will walk up in the cemetary today.  It is always pretty quiet!

5.  Abby was going to a KSU baseball game today.  We went last year to one and it was fun. 

6.  I am planning to go to the Tiger's softball game on Tuesday.  It is kind of nice to go when you want to, and if the weather is bad, you just don't go.

7.  It was fun listening to the kids talk about their track meet on Thursday.  The 7th graders have no idea how they will stack up with other kids until their first meet.  The 7th and 8th grades girls and the 7th grade boys all were first in team totals.

8.  Grilling outside is so much easier when the weather gets warmer.   We are going to grill salmon from our Alaska trip tonight.

9.  Enjoy the flowering trees.  The crabapple, pear, and redbud trees are really pretty right now.

10.  Get out the old self-tanner so the summer legs and arms won't be quite so scary.  I like this foam stuff from Neutrogena.

Random Dozen

1. Define a great relationship.

Understanding, forgiving, accepting.

2. Why is it called a "drive-through" if you have to stop? (Real question: What was the last food/drink you purchased at a drive-through?)

I really can't remember so I am going to say a diet strawberry limeade at Sonic even though I'm not sure that is a drive-through because you drive in, order, and back up.


3. As I type this, the Butler Bulldogs are getting ready to play in the NCAA championship game. Every Hoosier is hysterical about this except me. So in honor of the Bulldogs ... what is your favorite breed of dog? (I tried.)

Mixed - Chet - see last post for a picture.

4. If you had to move to a state besides the one you currently live in, where would you move?

I don't really have a hankering to live anywhere else.  I like Colorado in the summer when the humidity and heat are bad here.  But I don't think I want their winters.  And I like Florida when it is cold here, but I don't want their summers.
5. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?

Nothing - it was a great childhood. 
6. Who's the funniest person you know?

Personally, or like on TV.  I really think Ellen is funny.  Personally, I can't choose.

7. Did you get enough sleep last night?

Yes, I even slept before I went to bed and missed some of The Good Wife.
8. What's the first thing you thought about this morning?

Did I make it through the night without sleeping on my stomach?  It's a goal for me.

9. Grilled or Fried? --HONESTLY

I like them both, but if all things were equal with nutrition, I would choose the fried.

10. Are you afraid of the dark?

No, never have been.

11.When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to work at Dairy Queen.  I never could understand why my relative laughed at that, and I never did work at Dairy Queen.

12. If you had one word to describe yourself , what would you choose?

Organized

Easter Day

Yesterday was a beautiful day for Easter.  There were lots of people out enjoying the weather. 

It was also my Easter debut playing piano/organ duets at church at the second service.  We played Holy City for the prelude and a medley for the offertory with C.L. on the trumpet.  Then the congregation sang all the good Easter hymns, "Up from the Grave", "Christ the Lord is Risen Today", and "He Lives".  The attendance said 325, but I saw some people come in late, so it was more than that.  It was also good to see some old friends who had brought their dad back to Clay Center for church.

We took a couple of pictures outside.  Abby wanted hers taken with Chet.

Kyle and I had ours take by the forsythia.

Paige and Russ had gone home to change, so no pictures of them.  We had ham, cheesy potato casserole, asparagus, bread from the $2 breadmaker Kyle got at the UMW Rummage sale, and strawberry rhubarb crunch.  We played several card games, took a walk, and watched Amazing Race.  It was a great day.  Blake and Tamara were in Augusta and we kept in touch with my sister's celebration from my nephew's texts. 

Happy Spring!

The flashback this week surrounds our fashion memories. You may elaborate on your childhood Easter fashionsand/or share about styles in general. What fashions were popular when you were growing up? (Any time from birth to high school graduation) What did you beg to wear? What style did you happily embrace that you now look back and think, "Ugh! Whatever possessed me to wear that? ( Of course, pictures would be great - the more hideous embarrassing, the better!) Have any of these come back into style? What have you worn that you vowed you never would? (You can also include hairstyles in your walk down Memorial Fashions Lane!)

I really need to get a new printer/scanner.  That is definitely on my list of things to do.  But for now I will just find pictures of things I can remember wearing or wanting.

I really wanted go go boots when I was in grade school/jr. high.  I had some boots eventually, but they weren't white.  I had trouble getting some to fit because my calves were big.  If I was in high school now, I would be one of the smaller girls, but in the 70s I was just average sized and thought my calves (and lips) were big.

Scooter skirts.  There were shorts that had flaps over the front and back so they looked like a skirt.  I had several and they were in really bright, big prints.  Thankfully hemlines started to fall as I got into older high school grades.   I think my shortest dresses were my 8th grade graduation and baccaulaureate dresses.

Smock tops were all the rage and oftentimes were made from fabric as colorful as the examples shown above.  My mom said they looked like maternity tops.  That would have been true of the day, but anymore maternity fashions are pretty form fitting.

Hair was a whole other issue.   Long and straight was the general style and I could do straight, but my hair was pretty thin for long.  We didn't have the nice flat irons to straighten hair so some girls actuallly ironed their hair.   When I was in grade school, if you wanted curls, you had to sit under something like this.

It was a perfect excuse to read a book for an hour or so.

It's a happy Good Friday day off today.  Easter steak tonight per Abby's request.

Easter Randomness

1. How do you feel about the marshmallow Easter Peeps?

If they are around I will eat one or two, but they are pretty low on the list of favorite candies. 


2. Chickens are notoriously nervous creatures. When you are nervous, what is the best way to calm down?

I don't get nervous as much as I worry too much about things I can't change.

3. People say, "April showers bring May flowers." Do you enjoy Spring rains?

I like spring rains that rinse things off and make them look clean.  I didn't like spring rains when I was going to a softball game, golf meet, or track meet.

4. When I was randomly flipping through TV channels this week, I saw a show in which tattoo parlor employees received tattoos of a co-worker's face on their bodies. I can't imagine having a portrait of a colleague tattooed on me. But if someone forced you to receive a portrait tattoo (face only) of anyone, who would it be? Why?

Never, no one, end of story. 

5. Would you rather have a tattoo (any kind) or a nose ring?

Neither.

6. Do you have any special plans for Easter?

Abby will be home from KSU.  I am playing piano/organ with Cathy at church, then we will have traditional Easter ham with Paige and Russ too. I don't have a new Easter dress.

7. Cadbury Eggs or Reese Eggs?

Tough call.  Cadbury I guess.

8. What was the last thing/person you took a picture of?

I took this picture of Tamara on Tuesday.  She was one of the stars at the KSU Dancing with the Stars competition.  It was a very well done production and a fun evening.  They didn't win the dance contest, but she was the contestant that raised the most money for the UPC. 


9. What book are you reading now, or what was the last one?

I am reading Roses, by Leila Meacham.  It is about a lady who managed a cotton farm in East Texas. 

10. What do you think is the most difficult task when it comes to Spring cleaning?

I need help cleaning some of the windows.  The other thing I don't like to do is switch out my winter and summer clothes in my closet. 


11. How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?

About a million zillion.   I painted my toenails last night, so might wear some kind of sandal today, but maybe not flip-flops.  I didn't used to like them when they were called thongs and you wore them only to the pool.  They had a gigantic piece of plastic that went between the toes instead of a small one.

12. Which color makes you happiest?

Yellow - springy and sunny