Friday's Feast #18

Appetizer

What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?

I had 2. At one point, I was really big on Garfield. But of all the ones that were on when we were kids, I'd have to say that The Smurfs were probably my most favorite! :-)

Soup

Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?

We'd get a cat. I don't know what we'd name it, we'd have to talk about it first. I'd probably let the kids name it though. They are always good for an interesting name for an animal, even if it's stuffed, and if it's just based on the animal itself (like hoppy for a bunny rabbit).

Salad

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

2. There's nothing really wrong with getting dressed up, but it's not my most favorite thing to do. I make sure to wear a skirt and nice shirt for church, because that's how I was brought up, but I prefer just a t-shirt and sweat pants.

Main Course

What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?

The same as I do any other time I listen to music---country.

Dessert

When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?

The only clock I can think of that I bought was my alarm clock. And it's in the bedroom. But the last clock bought in the house would have to be the one T bought to put up on the wall so he can open his eyes and look at it to see the time, so he doesn't have to move to see the alarm clock.

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Think about joining in on my contest too, it closes on Wednesday, May 7th!

Friday's Feast #17

Appetizer

Name something you would categorize as weird.

Besides the question? Conservatives. But that's kinda hypocritical, because I'm conservative in many areas of my own life. But my views are very liberal. So I guess the one thing I would categorize most as weird is myself. And the desire humans possess to find weirdness or abnormalcy in others. :-|

Soup

What color was the last piece of food you ate?

White. I had microwaved 94% fat free Act II popcorn.

Salad

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

Somewhere between a 3 and a 5. Which is good, because there's always someone around. Usually they are small and cute, but sometimes they are big and good looking. Ask me when I've had a long day with one of the kids though. It WILL be a 1.

Main Course

Fill in the blank: I will cast a vote for a history making candidate in 2008.

Dessert

Describe your sleeping habits.

I think this is a bit personal.

I go in my bedroom, cover myself up, and go to sleep. I sleep on a mattress that's on the box spring, on the floor. It's easier to co-sleep that way. I don't have to worry about the little guy falling so far. He doesn't do it often. That's about it---I sleep at night (my husband usually sleeps during the day as he works at night), and I try to go to bed around 11pm. Which means I need to go soon.

Friday's Feast #16

Appetizer

Name a color you find soothing.

Black. Think sleep.

Soup

Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.

Everything after nearly taking out the tree in my parents' front yard backing out is cream-puff.

Salad

What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?

Sweatshirt material. I look forward to the day that it's denim, or silk (ha ha, not with our budget) or cotton.

Main Course

Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?

Oh my. This one is hard. If you had asked me 10 years ago, it would have been Meat Loaf. 15, Garth Brooks. I've already heard him in concert, and heard the song live, but---I think the only one I'd love to hear, and that I MIGHT chance waiting outside overnight for would be Tracy Byrd, because he sings our song "Keeper of the Stars." Otherwise, I'm not THAT into music right now.

Dessert

What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?

If you are counting my first, middle, maiden and married last names, it's a tie between N and A. There's one of each in my first name, 2 N's and an A in my middle (duh, that one you can almost get on your own), an A in my maiden name, and one of each in my last. :-)

To see other participants, go here.

Friday's Feast #15

Appetizer
Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it.

What more beautiful flower than the ones God has already made can I invent?

Soup
Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.

My daughter, hands down. And my mom too

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?

2. It's embarrassing. But our car is often HORRIBLE. Yes, even on the day of the car accident---which is really ironic because T was getting ready to go clean it out that very evening. But instead, all the horrible stuff in it got moldy (there were 2 yogurt containers in there), and what was already moldy got worse. After this episode and how hard he had to work to clean it out, we're making a commitment to keep it clean. Let's just see if we can follow through!

Main Course
How do you feel about poetry?

I was an English Major, I'm a writer, I took a poetry class my last year in high school, I'll still write it if the feeling strikes---

How do you THINK I feel about it?????

Dessert
What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?

Before the camera was lost (it may just be in the box on the futon)---P playing with his blocks. Which one day I will post here on my blog!!! :-D

Friday's Feast #14

Okay, I say in the post you might have read before this that I've taken a brief (ha ha) hiatus---this was written after that post, but I like this meme so much I just have to catch up on the weeks I didn't do them. Like here and here and here.

Appetizer

What does the color dark green make you think of?

This dress I tried on one year for an Easter dress. It was way to mature for an Easter dress---and my age, which was about 11 or 12---but I looked pretty good in it. Way to mature though.

Soup

How many cousins do you have?

In my generation, I've got 2. My dad's brother had a boy and a girl---they are now of course grown, and married (I still get to say I'm first on this side of the family too :-D), the boy still lives in the same town they grew up, in Michigan, the girl recently moved to Missouri. My mom has a few cousins which are of course mine, and my mom's sister got married to someone who had kids (as she did get married really late in life), but they really aren't my cousins. There is this one girl I've seen at college and around town who is so butt ugly that I swear if my mom's sister had an illegitimate kid and gave it up for adoption, this girl would be the first candidate. My mom's sister is butt ugly, for real I'm not just saying that because of the bad blood between us all. She's not just ugly---she's about as much of a sour puss as my mom's sister always looked like in pictures.

Salad

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how honest are you?

Pretty close to an 8 or 9. There are more lies by omition than anything. Some things I haven't told people. But I can't just out right LIE. It's hard for me---sometimes I say the truth too easily.

Main Course

Name something that is truly free.

God's love for you and me. Yes, a great cost was paid, but there is nothing more that we have to do to get it than profess our love and belief in him. That's it. And how much is that, really.

Hey, that reminds me----Go HERE. Are you truly saved? This gave even me a pause, because I'm not sure I'm as transformed as I thought I was...

Dessert

Using the letters in the word SPRING, write a sentence.

Some Precipitation Really Is Not Good!!! That is one of my favorite techniques from college! I have to use that, because it doesn't came all that HARD to me!!! :-D

Friday's Feast #13

Appetizer

Given the choice, would you prefer to live in the country or in the city?

The country, because then I'd be able to let my kids run around outside without worrying so much about cars driving by all the time (we live right on a major route---it's spans the whole US, literally). And I wouldn't have neighbors so close. And I wouldn't have to deal with pollution quite so much.

Soup

Who is the cutest kid you know?

P. He's a doll. Though I will tell you, Lotus' son is a close third---my daughter being an even closer 2nd.

Salad

Fill in the blank: I couldn’t believe it when I heard ___________.

I couldn't believe it when I heard that Heath Ledger had died. I even wrote a quick post about it.

Main Course

If you could star in a commercial for one of your favorite products, which one would you want to advertise?

Oh my goodness---I don't know if the company would ever do it, but I would LOVE to be in a commercial for the candle biz. Hmm...maybe I should start treating a whole lot of my life as a commercial for it, at least online.

Dessert

What type(s) of vitamins and/or supplements do you take on a regular basis?

At the least, a multivitamin when we remember. T used to have a whole load of them he'd have us take. But we try to have a multi just as often as we can---sometimes we even have them several days in a row!

Friday's Feast #12

Appetizer

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how much do you like your own handwriting?

I'd say about a 9. I also like my husband's handwriting a lot. I LOVE the way I sign my name (the "signature" from Signatures.com down there is not really close likeness, but I don't want it to be because I don't want people to use it, if ykwim). It's all loopy but thin in a way too. I've liked it since I was in high school, as I've signed my name as I do since then---and I was happy after a while when I realized my first and last name rhyme, because I've got the last 3 letters in my last name practiced---son. I have a certain way those get signed too. And I think my ex-best friend's handwriting is probably one of the few things I still like about her. I don't know how to explain it, but I always feel comforted when I saw a letter from her, something in her handwriting, or maybe the fact that she was actually making an effort to write to me. I think the person whose handwriting is closest to hers that I know now is my pen pal Teresa, from Michigan :-) I like her handwriting a lot too :-)

Soup

Do you prefer baths or showers?

I take a lot of showers, but that's because the baths we have are always rather difficult to get in and out of being a rather large woman. I'd love a huge whirl pool tub though. Of course, you can't discount the value of a nice long hot shower. :-)

Salad

What was the last bad movie you watched?

Oh, man, the last movie I saw that I wish I could have gotten that time back---Blades of Glory. It's oddly good, but those parodies are ridiculous. But I guess that's how they're supposed to be. Runner up---Epic Movie.

Main Course

Name something you are addicted to and describe how it affects your life.

Well, there's a lot of things I'm addicted to. Food. I've already gone over this in another post. Computer games. I sometimes spend WAY too much time on the computer playing this game or that. Yarn, crocheting, knitting. Probably one of the few things that do not adversely effect my life. Not like food or computer games do. Because it's part of me, it's productive, and I can put the stuff down.

Dessert

Which instrument is your favorite to listen to?

Clarinet. It's what my daughter plays, and she's not bad at it. Which reminds me, she hasn't practiced at home for ages. :-|

Friday's Feast #11

This is the "first" in this series of catch up posts for this meme. It's one I really like, and I like that I can go back and fill them in :-)

Appetizer

If you could be any current celebrity for one whole week, who would you want to be?

Oh, here be a hard one. I wouldn't want to be any really out there celebrity. Hmm, if I really were to be one, though, I'd want to be Julia Roberts. We both have redish, auburnish hair, and she's married and as I understand it totally in love with her hubby. So, I wouldn't be that far off from who I am to begin with---which for me is the whole point. I don't want to be a crazy celebrity, or be that well-known, though part of my life ambitions (writing) I'd like to be very successful at. I just am not crazy about all that scrutiny. :-|

Soup

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you enjoy talking on the phone?

10. You might not know it, but I love to talk, and I really do like talking on the phone. Give me hours in which I can talk, and on a really good day, I can talk to one person---my mom, or one of my best friends---for hours on end. :-)

Salad

Name a charitable organization to which you have donated (or would like to).

Oooo...I've been a member (though currently not an active one) of HeartMade Blessings since 2002. They crochet 12 inch squares and assemble them for people who have had a death in the family or serious illness, and one of their main focuses, which I've also been a part of, is Operation Purple Heart, in which they make afghans for the families of our service members who have died in the War on Terror.

Main Course

What is a food you like so much you could eat it every single day for a month?

Pizza. Need I say more?

Dessert

Have you or anyone in your family had the flu this year?

Okay, the date for this post is at the beginning of March, but I'm writing it at the end---if that's what us all getting sick (except for T---odd) was, then yes. Otherwise, no pukey, no seriously ill---no, I think we have, because D, P and I all ran something of a fever. And that's a big part. And we were all drained. So, yes.

Friday's Feast #10

I may be participating in Blog365, but since I've already taken a few days off, with or without meaning to, I'm just going to go right ahead and post right through our "day off". Gotta make up for those others somehow! :-P-Psssst!

Oh, and once I realized I was a bit behind on my Friday's Feasts (as in, I saw someone else had already posted this week's and so I went to the sight and saw that they had a bunch of them up from when it went down until this week), I posted the ones I had missed. So they are here and here.

Appetizer

Who was the last person you hugged?

P. Since I put him to bed every night, and it's usually about the time T goes to work, it will almost always be P who will be the last person I hug at night.

Soup

Share a beauty or grooming trick or tip with us.

Don't make me laugh. Me? Beauty or grooming tips? They don't belong in the same paragraph, let alone the same sentence.

All I can say is, if you try to keep stains off your clothes, and make sure to only wear them once before you wash them (especially undergarments), then you should be good. And keep your hair combed (though sometimes for me that's just running my fingers through them, which isn't the greatest since I have longer hair now). You know I'm having a really good day when I get as far as to brush my hair, look decent, make sure I put on deodorant and slap a little lipstick and mascara on me. Teeth brushing is optional---if I've made it that far, man is it a GOOD DAY!

Man, do I sound like a slob or what?

Salad

What does the color yellow make you think of?

T. His favorite color of roses is yellow. Also, I guess it's a "Gemini" color. Or is it just May? Oh well! :-)

Main Course

If you were to make your living as a photographer, what subject would your pictures revolve around?

Either people's craft objects (like, I'd go around and make sure everyone I know that crafts has had their items photographed), or families. But candid, not posed. There's so much more life in the candid ones than the posed ones. I'd also like to do live action---I'd go and take pictures for a local paper or something like that, not so much for sports but for everyday life, parades, meetings, etc. I could do that---it sounds like fun. My sister actually DOES make her living as a photographer---she's the manager of the PictureMe studio---the portrait studios in WalMart---down in the town they live in.

Dessert

What was the longest book you ever read?

This is an easy one---The Complete Unabridged Version of The Stand by Stephen King. Just after I turned 14. :-D I'm pretty sure it's even longer than the Bible, which should be the next longest thing I read...I've got to get to work on that! :-P

Friday's Feast #9

Appetizer

Have you ever played a practical joke on anyone? If so, what did you do and who was your victim?

I'd have to say that the biggest practical joke that I can remember is when I got back into my pjs one day when we had a snow day then walked into my parents bedroom to tell my mom we had no school that day. I had to prove it to her before she'd believe me that I didn't have school. :-|

Soup

What do your salt and pepper shakers look like?

Well, I don't really use them as salt and pepper shakers, and they're pretty much destroyed now, but they are angels. Of course. Because I collect them. :-)

Salad

Where is the next place you plan to visit (on vacation or business)?

Take a look at the top post of my blog----to Colorado of course!!! :-D

Main Course

What kind of lotion or cream do you use to keep your hands from getting too dry?

Biz plug!!! --- My candle biz's Bella Balm. It helps out a GREAT deal, and while the amount might seem a bit small for the price, it's WELL worth it!!!

Dessert

Make up a dessert, tell us its ingredients, and give it a name.

Choose as many fruits as you'd like. Some can be canned, or not. For this, having them be canned might be best. Take a traditional Apple Crisp Crust recipe, multiply it as many times as fruits you have, then make it, divide it according to how many fruits you have(if you made it all together) and set it aside. Take each fruit and alternate them with the Crust, putting the crust as the last layer.

Friday's Feast #8

Appetizer

Name one thing that is unique about you.

My red hair. I do not often point that out. But I've got really great red hair---sure, there are lots of red heads out there, but in my whole immediate family---my natural nuclear family, of my parents and my sister, and the 4 of us in this house---I'm the only one with red hair. I thought for sure one of the kids would end up with it, but they both have blond/dishwater blond hair. Their dad has black hair. How did that happen?

Soup

Fill in the blank: My favorite _________ is __________ but I like _________ too.

My favorite food is pizza, and I love lots of other junk foods, but I like salads, fruits and vegetables too.

Salad

What type of wood do you have for your home’s furnishings?

Ha! We've got pressed and plywood for our home's furnishings. Nothing fancy, though the new couch we got (the one from Salvation Army, which we didn't get the matching loveseat for) might have some fancier wood on it.

Main Course

Who do you talk to most often on the phone?

My mom, hands down. Next would come my kids (when I call home and there are here---but especially my daughter) and my husband and my dad.

Dessert

What level of responsibility do you have in your job?

Complete and total responsibility. I'm a SAHM---that's 24/7 doing everything, watching out for everything and taking care of everyone. If something goes wrong, it's my fault. If the kids are bad, it's my fault (you know, if they turn out bad). If anything is good---well, hey, that's my fault too! :-)

Friday's Feast #7

Appetizer
What is your favorite kind of cereal?

Cheerios. Really.

#2 (especially since it's a CORE food) - Shredded Wheat. The Bite Size ones.

Soup
When was the last time you purchased something for your home, what was it, and in which room did it go?

Our "new to us" couch. We picked it up at Salvation Army. It has a matching love seat, but we didn't have the money to get it in time, and when we went with money to look yesterday, it was already gone. Not including tax the couch was $69.99, and the love seat was $39.99. Like I said, though, we didn't get the love seat :-( It would have been nice to have something that matched for once though.

Salad
What is the funniest commercial you’ve ever seen?

I hate to say this, but I can't answer this. I'm sure there are a lot that have tickled my funny bone---but lately so many seem absolutely silly. I can't tell you how many times T and I have looked at each other and one of us has said that what we just watched was a horrible commercial. :-|

Main Course
Make up a name for a company by using a spice and an animal (example: Cinnamon Monkey).

Cayenne Giraffe. I don't know what they sell. The question doesn't ask for that.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I haven’t ______ since ______.

I haven't had a good night's sleep since sometime in July or early August of 2004. First there was mom's surgery, and dealing with all the garbage from that. Then starting up my last semester of college and THEN getting pregnant with P in September 04. When I got pregnant, one of my first signs was that I was just so tired all the time. So, I haven't slept by myself since then (which a husband who works nights, I slept by myself most of the time, which I was just fine with).

To see other Friday's Feast participants, go here.

Have a good day :-)

Friday's feast #6

Appetizer
How many times per day do you usually laugh?

Depends on a lot of things. I try to laugh often, but if I'm in a bad mood, it's out of the question. If I'm in a good mood, and sometimes even if I'm not, T can usually get me to laugh once or twice. And I love making my little boy laugh, which makes me laugh :-)

Soup
What do your sunglasses look like?

I always get photo-greys when I get new glasses---basically the element in a set of glasses that is often advertised by LensCrafters or whomever as being Transitions---so those are my sunglasses. Thus, they don't look any different from my regular eyeglasses. It's better if I just show you---See?



T on the other hand, he wears a very particular type of sunglasses. I've tried but I can't find a picture with him in them. Which is sorta odd, because I KNOW I've taken them before :-|

Salad
You win a free trip to anywhere on your continent, but you have to travel by train. Where do you go?

Probably right back to where we've been before, and where we might go this summer---Colorado to visit family. And Michigan because I have family and pen pals there too. And on the way, I'd want to stop in Missouri. You guessed it, family. My side and T's. And if it's anything like the airline industry, we wouldn't have won it, we'd be able to go because T's dad works from a railroad company. :-)

Main Course
Name one thing you consider a great quality about living in your town/city.

The college, hands down. It's highly ranking, and a SUNY University. I went there. :-)

Dessert
If the sky could be another color, what color do you think would look best?

What a crazy question. I'd guess pink, because it looks best when the sun's setting and the sky starts turning pink and such. Remember, red at night, sailor's delight. It means we're going to have a calm night :-) Weatherwise at least!

To visit other Feasters, go here

Friday's Feast #5

Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?

Raspberry Tea, but lately I've been drinking a LOT of coffee....I guess once I went back to it, I really hit that one hard!

Soup
Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.


The computer tower, printer and monitor. Oh, you mean other than that? Papers, a can we put loose change in, and all my office supplies. It's a very full desk :-|

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?


An 8. The 2 points I deduct are because with certain people I leave stuff out. And sometimes there's a lot of things I leave out. But I try very hard not to lie. It's a commandment after all, right?

Main Course
If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?


This is a hard one. I think it would be the town one over from ours. It's got another name they've been thinking of calling it, and it's actually on a lot of their signs. I'm not sure why it's not called that, or why it's called what it is, but I think the name they've been throwing around changing it to is much prettier, and might give people a better image of this area. :-)

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?

Oh my, the list of what stresses me out is too long to really go through. But I'll give you the highlights---money, the house being a mess so often, my weight, money, my weight, the house....yeah, that about covers it. I mean, if you're a regular reader, you really should already know all this....throw in how I am as a mom...I'm not going to be perfect, but sometimes I'm really scared that I might get even a bit close to the really bad ones. I don't really think so, on one level or another, but I'm still scared. I guess it's a good thing to worry about that, huh?

As for what calms me---3 things are big for me. (1)My hobbies, especially crocheting or knitting (I just LOVE to see things "grow" from my fingers). (2)Cuddling up to T. From the day we fell in love, I've always felt that when I'm in his arms, the whole world disappears, and it's just us. If I'm thinking about something or worried about it, being wrapped up in his arms clears it out of my head for a while. Like a whole bunch of white noise in the background. (3)This is kind of a new thing, but I've noticed I feel very refreshed after---going to church. I need to put in more times when I'm at home of just me and God, but you can't deny the fact that concentrating on Him just makes things better. And if you REALLY think about it, all 3 things are the same thing---crocheting and knitting (or creating, period) are all God-given gifts to express myself and honor Him. And T is the one God gave me to be my one flesh partner---my one and only. So, it's all the same, isn't it? :-) Good thing....good thing! :-D It's amazing to stop and think how He's been at work inside me and in my life even when I wasn't focusing on Him! And I guess it's not really new....

Friday's Feast #4

Appetizer
What is your middle name? Would you change any of your names if you could? If so, what would you like to be called?

Anne. I used to play around with other names to be called when I was in high school, the most notable being Cheri. I'm no longer interested in that, I like my name. Especially since now my first and last name rhyme!

Soup
If you were a fashion designer, which fabrics, colors, and styles would you probably use the most?

Considering I'm a fiber artist, I'd use a lot of hand crocheted or knitted objects, first off. But I also like to sew, so flannel or fleece might be what I use a lot of, and some cotton as well. If I want to be fancy or sexy, I might go with silky, draping fabrics. I know no matter how fat I am, I'd have my styles leave a LOT more to the imagination---lots of the clothes I see are no bigger than postage stamps and/or a transparent as a sandwich bag!!! :-(

Salad
What is your least favorite chore, and why?

Dishes. It gets redundant, and they collect up way too quick. Besides, I don't really like standing there, trying to keep P out of trouble, and getting my belly all wet. But I like vacuuming!

Hey, if you'll come over and do my dishes, I'll come over and vacuum your floor!

Main Course
What is something that really frightens you, and can you trace it back to an event in your life?

I'd have to say losing my family. There's no one thing in my life I can trace it back to---I've never had problems in my life that would result intervention by governmental authorities. T's been in foster care, but my parents have been married for 33 years, and have always been good law abiding citizens. T's foster care visit had something to do with a custody battle or some such. Though you could probably say that my mom hasn't helped in this area, because she has put the fear of God in me about my house being "too dirty" (it's never been REALLY bad) or all the shows and such focusing on horrible parents getting their kids taken from them. My mom isn't so much a guilt monger as she's a paranoia spreader (don't tell her I said that!)

Dessert
Where are you sitting right now? Name 3 things you can see at this moment.

Well, duh, in front of my computer in the computer room. I can see (1) my son playing in the area at the bottom of our stairs, which I've recently organized well enough that he can play in there, and he can hide because we put up a curtain just before Christmas to hide the mess that was there (why is it that as soon as you do someting like that, you manage to be able to clean it up??). (2)T is sleeping in the living room, his head on the end of the couch that is right in line between the door from the computer room into the living room and D's room into the living room. (3)If the curtain is not spread out (like now, because P's been playing with it, has it sorta wound around itself, and he just put it so it will stay), and with the bit of space in the window on that area, I can actually see outside. I see the roof of the back room of the house next door (what they use that room for I have no idea), and the trees in their yard, between their fence and the driveway.

Friday's Feast #3

Appetizer
When was the last time you received a surprise in the mail, and what was it?

Depends on the type of mail service you're talking. Snail mail, it was the first fb I had started for myself since getting back into fbs and penpals being returned. Email, it was the email I got today saying that our electric bill had been credited $77 for the wrong meter being used for billing. And for other delivery services, it would have to be my Candle of the Month showing up this evening. The last you can argue that it's not really a surprise that it showed up, as I expect it every month, but it's always so nice opening up the box and smelling the scent that month! (Plus, that's a selfless plug! :-D)



Soup
If you could have a summer and/or winter home, where would you want it to be?


Depends on where we're living at the time. If we're living in Colorado, it would be here. Otherwise, it's Colorado. :-D Cassadaga if we're living in Colorado, Bellevue otherwise. :-)

Salad
Pick one: pineapple, orange, banana, apple, cherry.


Now what is the point of this one? I mean, why do we need to pick it? You know, all of those are fruits which you pick off a tree. Maybe that's it? I don't know....anyhow, it's kinda hard to pick one, but I'd say apple. There's nothing like a good apple---Granny Smiths are great---I love their tartness. Golden Delicious too, I love how they're kinda sweet. MacIntosh are also good, the best for doing pies is Cortland, I think. Gala are my current snacking favorite though.

Main Course
Describe the nicest piece of clothing that you own.


Perhaps the nicest piece of clothing I own is my prom dress for my Senior prom. There's not going to be a day too soon that I'm going to be able to fit into it again, but I'm not letting that thing go!!! A dear friend of mine (who I haven't seen or talked to in ages, though I talked to her mom at the fair last summer) made it for me, between her making it and the materials it cost me $70. And it looked just awesome! I went stag, caught a ride from the friend who made it (her brother drove, which was a bit uncomfortable because he was in my class, she was in the year behind us, and since I had had a crush on him in 9th grade and he had gone out with one of my best friends at the time [different one than my ex best friend, and it was my own stupid fault for introducing him and my friend on the phone---the slut. She really was a slut too.], we had been on bad terms...he thought of me as some kind of feminist. In 9th grade? Well, I welcomed the label even then, but still). Maybe I can find and post a picture of me in it before I get done with this! That would be cool!



Ha, it did not take much! That's in my parents' backyard. I don't have the watch or the shoes, and I certainly don't have the corsage or the flowers from my hair (boy did those curls hurt), or the glasses, but I've still got the dress!!! Also, the bow, inner fabric on the skirt and the shoes are sort of a mint green color. Wow, this is an OLD picture---like 14 years almost!!!!

(Now to find our digital camera!!!!!)

Dessert
If you could forget one whole day from your life, which day would you choose to wipe from your memory?

Hmmmm...so very hard. I mean, each day of your life and your memories of that day effect and shape who you are. There are some pretty tough days (especially lately), but in nearly all of them, if I think hard enough, I could probably come up with SOMETHING about that day that's good and sweet and positive, that would give me a reason to salvage it from the dung heap.

But maybe I can come up with a day, and I can be VERY specific about that day. January 29th, 2000. It's the day my friend Aimee died. Now, she wasn't my BEST friend, but she was a good one. We had spent that New Years with her and her husband of 6 months. It was scary, after finding out she had been in the car accident (my mom was the person who told me and my ex best friend's mother, who told my ex best friend, who HAD been best friends with her for some time, because my mom had found out from my sister who worked with Aimee's older brother at the grocery store in town. Aimee's older brother was in my grade---it had been 5 1/2 years since we graduated from high school, Aimee was 2 or 3 years behind, but we were still friends, in part because she lived 2 doors down from me when we first moved into town), thinking "well, if she dies I'll make sure to come out and get *my ex best friend* so she can at least go to viewing hours." I remember having that specific thought. And talking on my ex best friend's mom's phone both times---when my mom told me about the accident, and when my mom told me she had died. Just after the words came out of my mom's mouth, my ex best friend's mom told her. OMGoodness, the deep soulful, painful wail that came out of her---I never heard anything like it before, and I never want to hear anything like it again. For the first time in a REALLY long time, I'm tearing up just thinking about it. I had become numb to that feeling and the ones that arose in not wanting her to feel that way about me, because of all the stuff that has happened since with my ex best friend.

Now that I think about it further...I have a few thoughts. How did that effect my ex best friend? Has she been pushing people away (for example, me) in her actions, inadvertently, to prevent her from having THAT feeling again? How does it make her feel? I mean, we did talk about a lot of stuff, not just fluff stuff or the kids or crocheting, there were times both before we met our men (her boyfriend/fiance at the time I had to stop being her friend, and me with T), and after, that we'd sit and talk about things, about how we felt and everything. But I don't think I truly could ever understand how that made her feel, even with knowing how close they were in high school and just after, and knowing that she and Aimee had gotten back in contact---through me.

The time during which I had to stop being her friend is another period that holds days that might be best forgotten. When I learned of a big part of the reason that I had to stop being her friend, when I told her about the reason, that whole week in between.

And then there were periods at the end of 1995 (I really meant 1995 the whole time, dang! 2005 was pretty good! 2006 sucked, 2007 redeemed, but in totem, they never equaled 1995!!! Well, actually, 2006 itself easily rivaled it!) that might be best forgotten too. But all that turned out for the best---without those days I wouldn't have T, D or P. :-D So I guess I can live with them. They all had T in them. :-D

Friday's Feast #2

Appetizer
Make up a word and give us its definition.

Gobbersnots: Those clumps of mucus that collect in little kid's noses, and you just want to grab a tissue and help them blow it out of their nose, especially when the kids are sick and the stuff is running down the front of their faces! Oh, that bugs me!!!! Especially when it's GREEN or YELLOW, because those kids are really sick---and mommy and daddy just don't want to keep them home!

Soup
What is currently your favorite song?

Do You Hear What I Hear? Because it's my favorite Christmas song. No one ever puts it on their lists.....not a single person whose had that as their Thursday Thirteen (and that I've read) has had THAT ONE on their list!!!! :-(

Salad
What’s at the top of your Christmas wish list this year?

1. That people would buy candles
2. Finding a place for the tree
3. Keeping the relative peace I've had for the last few months, even through the hardest parts.

Main Course
Name a scent that reminds you of someone special in your life.

Cinnamon in Applesauce---it reminds me of my mom, who said it always reminds her of hers. There's few scents that really remind me of something or another, and if there are I can't remember them off the top of my head.

Something else too. Coffee---it reminds me of my husband (of course), and coffee the way I love it (it's still how I LOVE it) reminds me of going to church....they'd have the pots of coffee going in the kitchen, and I just couldn't wait until I was old enough to get some!!!!

Dessert
Who is someone on television that you feel probably shouldn’t be, and why?

Britney Spears. Do I REALLY have to explain this one???

Friday's Feast #1

Appetizer
What was the last game you purchased?

The last game we purchased was the one that accompanies Pirates of the Caribbean 3. My plan for this year's Christmas game for the family---BUZZ WORD!!! Poor everyone else in the family, they will probably be sadly and repeatedly defeated by ME. I think I mentioned why in a previous post....:-)

Soup
Name something in which you don’t believe.

I don't believe I'm going to live forever in this form. After I die, I will go on, just not as I am now. That would be a mite bit depressing.

Salad
If you could choose a celebrity to be your boss, who would you pick?

Oprah

Main Course
What was a lesson you had to learn the hard way?

There have been many---dealing with money, to release control, that this is no longer the apartment for us. And I figure there will be a lot more.

Dessert
Describe your idea of the perfect relaxation room.

A nice warm bed with lots of blankets and my husband to cuddle with under them, and a nice big bathtub so I can take long soaks!