A Fun Meme

I woke up this morning feeling slightly more alert than usual. My brain normally takes about 3 hours to catch up with the rest of me once my feet hit the floor in the morning. However, I'm not awake enough to come up with any original ideas for a post-I had this idea set aside for a rainy day and since it's pouring, and my brain is only semi-alert, I thought I'd follow this meme I found at As A Parent, The Days Are Long.....

In your entire life, have you ever......

gone on a blind date? Yes, twice. Once when I was in high school I went out with a college student. He was already balding and he took me to the art museum. At the time those were two strikes against him. The next, and only other time I ventured into the world of blind dates I went out with a guy who was missing a few screws. He really gave me the creeps and boy howdy, was I happy when he dropped me off at my apartment. (I think my roommate set me up with him so she and her boyfriend could have our apartment to themselves for an evening.)

skipped school? Yes.

watched someone die ? Yes. I worked in a nursing home when I was 18. I was with one of the little grandmas when she died. I had to wash her body before the hospital staff could take it to the morgue. I also watched my mom die and was with my dad as he was dieing.

been to Canada? Yes, just once.

been to Mexico? No, but I peeked at it from across the border of New Mexico.

been to Florida? Yes, I actually spent an entire month there when I was 20.

been on a plane? More times than I can count....

been lost? Yes, but only one time was I really worried about it. I got lost in a nasty little area of London.

been on the opposite side of the country? Yes, up and down, east and west.

swam in the ocean? No. Does wadding count? I've done that...

had your booze taken away by the cops? No....

lettered in high school sport? Ha!

cried yourself to sleep? Definitely...

played cops and robbers? Not that I remember....

played dolls? Oh yes. That was my most favorite thing to play.

sung Karaoke? Are you kidding me?

done something you told yourself you wouldn't? More times than I can count.

cheated on an exam? Well, to be honest, yes.

made prank phone calls? Yep.

laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose? Only once or twice.

caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes....

danced in the rain? No....but I've played in the rain and splashed in the mud with our sons.

written a letter to Santa Clause? not that I can remember

watched the sunrise with someone you care about? Oh yes....

been kissed under the mistletoe? Yes, but they weren't romantic kisses.

Ever been arrested? Nope....

blown bubbles? Yes....

gone ice-skating? Yes. Many times.

been skinny dipping outdoors? Another "Ha!"

had a nickname? Nutley and Jude

been to Africa? No....

eaten cookies for dinner? No, but I have 2 every morning with my coffee.

been on TV? Only if home movies count.

been in a car accident? Yes, but I was so young I don't remember them.

What is your Mother's name? Juanita Esther. How's that for a girl who was 100% German?

favorite drink? water

favorite alcohol? Well, when I was 9 or 10 my brother Jimmy used to take me to the bar with him so he could hang out with his friends and play pool. He would buy a Tequila Sunrise and plop me on a bar stool in front of it while he played. Is there a ten year old on the planet who wouldn't want to taste something so pretty? I loved them! Now the only alcohol I like is pink champagne.

birthplace? the windy city. (Chicago)

favorite vacation spot? road trips with my husband

favorite salad dressing? balsamic vinegar and olive oil

favorite pie? Apple or Derby. Derby pie is just a pecan pie with chocolate chips thrown in. It's so good I never make it because, well, I'd eat it.

favorite number? 18 or 22

favorite movie? A&E's version of Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Master and Commander, Lord of the Rings Trilogy....probably others I can't think of right now

favorite holiday? Thanksgiving

favorite food? depends on the day but I do have an emotional attachment to Pizza Hut pizza

favorite day of the week? Monday

favorite brand of body wash? Prairieland Herbs Sugar Scrub-Rosemary and Mint. (Thank you sooooo much Rachel!)

favorite toothpaste? Crest

favorite smell? Baking bread, new babies, rain, mint, eucalyptus, patchouli, lavender, brownies baking, etc.

Do you have any tattoos? Ha!

body piercings? Only ears.

Do you drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4-door.

What do you do to relax? Read, blog, walk, hike, coffee with friends

How do you see yourself in 10 years? That's a gloomy picture. Our youngest son will be 17 and I'll be looking at a truly empty nest. I'm not going to go into all that right now.

We Should've Known Right Then and There

One afternoon, when my firstborn son was four, he climbed up onto my lap for some cuddle time. He was silent for a long time and I wondered what little thoughts were floating around in his head.

Is he thinking about the dinosaur book we'd just read? Maybe he's wondering what kind of snack he'd like? I bet he's wondering where his favorite plastic pony is....

Suddenly he took a deep breath and looked at me,
"Mommy, if I would've been born god, would you have named me Benjamin David God?"