School Revisited

Blog prompt: Schools Revisited

Furman University: I loved my college life! It was my first experience with independence (800 miles away) and I made so many friends. Those were good years. I loved it so much that I got my master's degree here and I was married at the Bell Tower on campus. I even am an adjunct instructor here teaching courses to teachers who are getting their master's degree in special education.

High School - those years are fuzzy. My oldest sister died right before I entered high school so everything is blurry. I had transferred to a new school in a different district (for reasons you will see as you read on) and it was hard making new friends. I did have a best friend in high school called Bunny and she helped me survive. I was so advanced that I took all AP courses in 12th grade and had early dismissal. I was also part of the drama club which helped since my parents were extremely overprotective.

Junior High - Horrible. I hated every minute of it but the event that clinched the whole thing was a major gang fight that I was innocently involved in. An acquaintance who walked the same way I did to get home somehow was walking with me this one day. Apparently she said hello to this other girl's boyfriend (known bully who was a couple of years older than us but had been held back for a couple of times). This bully and her gang of girls confronted the acquaintance and me (since they thought I was her friend). Since I was a chicken, I remember knocking this boy off his bike and riding home. My dad put the bike in the car and drove me back up to the scene. When I gave the bike back to the boy, I tried to get the acquaintance in the car but she refused because she didn't know my dad (stupid!). We left and the next day I found out the acquaintance was in the hospital with a broken collarbone, broken arm, broken leg, internal injuries, and kicked so much between the legs that she would be unable to ever bear children. Needless to say, I was a nervous wreck the rest of the year. Of course I was also shocked when the victim came back from the hospital and became friends with the bully. I knew I wanted out of there, so we used my sister's address so I could go to a high school in a different district.

Elementary- elementary school was good for me except 4th grade. This was the year that influenced me to become a teacher. We had a teacher (I still remember her name(s)) and she was engaged, married, and divorced in the one year that we had her. She came to class with sunglasses a lot and physically abused us by slamming students in the wall or jerking them out of the chair by their hair if they gave a wrong answer. She threatened to kill us if we ever told anyone and I don't think any of us ever did. In fact, I never told anyone about this until I was married after college. I had the beginning of an ulcer that year but I was the perfect student with straight As. I swore that when I grew up that I would become a teacher and my students would never be afraid of making a mistake.

Photo credit: Furman Bell Tower from Furman Alumni Page

TV Shows

Blog Prompt: Those TV Shows

I tend to watch TV shows that are hokey, good family shows. During the day I like to watch reruns of the Waltons, Little House on the Prairie, and Touched By An Angel. At night I watch Criminal Minds, CSI, Law and Order SVU, NCIS, and Grey's Anatomy. (oops! left off Numbers but just saw it on Tammy's blog so I came back here and added it.) Of course right now all the reruns are at night so I play on the computer and use the TV as background noise. I'm so sick of reruns. I can't wait to see new episodes. Of course when the new episodes come out, we will be on the road and won't have any TV while camping in a tent so I will watch everything for the first time when they are really reruns!

Photo credit: The Future of Television by Lee Bennett

Worth Remembering

Blog Prompt: Worth Remembering (things I don’t want to ever forget)

1. My husband loves me.
2. Appreciate the things I have.
3. Learning is a lifelong experience.
4. Never stop dreaming.
5. Look for the good in everything.
6. Keep a positive outlook on life.
7. Be thankful every day that I wake up.
8. Don't forget to tell people thank you for things they do.
9. Keep in touch with friends and don't let them slip away.
10. Family is family no matter how mad they can make you feel.

Note: How cool is this! I'm in the car on my laptop doing this while hubby is driving us to the trailhead for a hike with our hiking group. Verizon broadband is the bomb!

A Day In My Life

Blog Prompt: A day in my life (things about my day)

Since I have retired, my days are pretty routine unless we are traveling or going for a hike and I love it!

I get up very early in the morning and have about two hours to myself which I use by reading my bible, checking email, writing on my blogs, working on my summer course that I will be teaching, and reading messages on Twitter (if you have never used this, it is pretty cool and I'm addicted). If you want to know more, click on Twitter in Plain English.

When my hubby wakes up, we go to Panera Bread for a bagel and tea. We have been eating there every day for so long that they put the bagel in the toaster before we get out of the car. As soon as we enter, the bagels are presented on the tray ready to eat.

When we leave Paneras, will either do my grocery shopping (no crowds in the store because everyone is working or in school) or we end up home where I do some chores around the house like folding clothes, vaccuuming, washing bathrooms, etc. before I get on the computer. Once I get on the computer, all is lost and I don't emerge unless I have to. I don't think it is a serious addiction though because I have no problem leaving to go shopping or walking but I really have nothing pressing that I have to do so I can play when I want to.

If the weather is nice, we will go walking our 4 miles either before our after lunch. Since we retired, we are actually eating at home more often so we will fix a light lunch at home. Hubby usually has a sandwich and I have left overs from the night before (hubby won't eat left overs) or I have ramen noodle.

The rest of the afternoon usually involves either playing on the computer, reading a book, or crocheting. Once the weather warms up, it will involve gardening also. I have also been teaching my hubby how to blog and do things on the computer so it helps that we are sitting side by side at our respective computers while he is learning. All I have to do is lean over and fix whatever he has done. This is also the time we go shopping or the library.

Around 4pm, I start cooking dinner and we eat by 5pm. After I do dishes, we watch the news on TV and our usual TV line up. I do more crocheting, reading, or playing on the computer until bedtime. This is also the time I call my parents in FL or my sister in NY and talk about the day.

By 9pm, I'm usually in bed reading or watching TV and by 10pm, I am asleep.

As you can tell, I'm a creature of habit and I love my routine. That is what I missed most when I retired was a routine. Slowly I have established a routine that works for me and may change when I tire of it. I hope you aren't bored to tears now or sound asleep. That is my routine for the day which doesn't vary much unless we are traveling. Since we will be gone for 2 months traveling, I will have 2 months of non-routine and that should be interesting and stressful for me!

photo credit: Hospital Hallway by Headur

Snail Mail or Email?

Blog Prompt: snail mail or email?

Most definitely email. Ever since I learned to write letters, I have despised preparing envelopes. I could write letters all day long, but they would sit because I wouldn't make the envelope. I have no idea why I hate envelopes but I do. Then the other matter is the price of postage and I hear it will be increasing again soon. I do not think it is worth the money to mail a piece of paper like that. This past year I did not send any Christmas cards and it saved me abotu $50 in postage. I have told my family that they will now get birthday postcards (which I can make on my computer) instead of cards. One December, I sent my parents a Christmas card and they never got it but never said anything to me. In Februaray I got the card back saying "no such address." I called my step mom and told her that and she said that she had been living there for over 30 years and hadn't moved! I took the card to the bank and explained to them that there was a mistake and they told me that I could resend it but I would have to pay new postage! Needless to say, they got it the next time I visited them and could hand it to them in person.

I love email because I don't have to fill out an envelope, and I can write and answer when it is convenient to me. I can also use my computer which means if I make a mistake, I can always fix it easily. If it is a business email, it can save and refer to it easily. It also save room when filing and saves trees too.

Photo Credit: KidNews/WeeklyEmailNewsletterForm by Ada Community Library

Things That Make My Day

Blog Prompt: Top 10 things that make my day.

1. Seeing my hubby first thing in the morning.
2. Having the sun shine a day around 65 degrees.
3. My hubby saying that he was willing to go hiking.
4. Comments on my blogs.
5. Emails from my friends.
6. Compliments from my hubby that my meal was delicious (because I am such a horrible cook.)
7. A scrapbook page that turns out better than I expected.
8. Learning something new and exciting on my computer.
9. Finishing a crochet project
10. Having someone appreciate something I did for them.

photo credit: Happy Smiley Face Button Badge by Michaeldb

Day four into our journey of self. What are your favorite things?

1. Computer
2. Digital Camera
3. Books
4. Hiking Boots
5. Hiking Sticks
6. Backpack
7. Zip Off Pants (pants that become shorts when legs zipped off)
8. Cell phone (relatives are on Verizon so our calls are free)
9. Exercise watch (time, stopwatch, pulse, calories burned0
10. Scanner
11. Printer
12. Treadmill
13. Microwave
14. Hot Tub
15. Ipod
16. External Hard Drive
17. Refrigerator (can’t imagine living in times without one)
18. Toyota Prius (at almost 50 mpg, I can go anywhere)
19. Built In GPS in Prius (we call her Mabel, gets us wherever we need to go)
20. HDTV (hubby loves it so he can watch what he wants, like Nascar races, while I watch what I want on the other TV.

All Things to All People

Blog Prompt: All things to all people…(list of the *things* I am to others)

1. Wife
2. Best Friend
3. Lover
4. Mother
5. Friend
6. Confidante
7. Advisor
8. Educational Resource
9. Leader
10.Teacher
11.Daughter

Pieces of Me

Blog Prompt: Pictures or word that describe me

1. Wife
2. Mother
3. Teacher
4. Retired
5. Hiker
6. Books
7. Crochet
8. Camping
9. Computer
10. Digital Scrapbooking
11. Caring
12. Compassionate
13. Happy
14. Content
15. Loving
16. Fun
17. Sense of Humor
18. Short
19. Conscientious
20. Over achiever
21. Perfectionist

Favorite Colors

Blog Prompt: Your favorite color. Has it always been your favorite? If not when did it change and why? Go into detail about it. What feelings does it evoke when you see it? Is it a color you prefer to see or to wear? Etc.

I actually have 2 favorite colors. I think blue has always been my favorite and have always worn blue, even growing up. Then when I went to college at Furman University, the school colors were purple and white so my wardrobe became full of purples. Since we have season tickets to the football games and go to all of them, my mother in law made us a purple and white afghan. We even got married at the bell tower at Furman so my bridesmaids' gowns were lavender. I really like all shades of purple but sometimes it makes me stand out too much and then I wear blue. I will work on a scrapbook page of this and update this later.

Leaping into Life

Blog Prompt: Today is Leap Day. Have you ever “leaped” into something without thinking? What was it and how did it turn out?

A few years ago, we hiked 5 miles up to The Hike Inn in Georgia, which in fact, is the only way to get there. It is really neat inn with small rooms, a dining hall, bathroom and showers, and a sun room with a porch filled with rocking chairs. I love to sit out in the rocking chairs in the morning and watch the sun rise over the mountain as I drink a hot cup of tea. After dinner one night, they had a program and this one night they talked about how they compost everything. They have composting toilets and they also compost most of their food scraps. This is where I first learned about the worm composting system.

All the way back down the mountain I thought about the worms and how I wanted one. Luckily my hubby is used to me and he knew what I was thinking so he agreed to help me. The day we got home, my parents came to visit from FL and my dad is really handy with tools. So the very next day, we bought plywood and supplies and my dad built me two huge boxes (4'x2'x2') for my worms (in fact, they look like little coffins). Then we had to go find the worms which was difficult because I needed about 10,000 worms which would not cost me a fortune. I finally found someone who sold me worms wholesale, because the little bait containers would have cost me about $1000 instead of the $100 I spent. Now, keep in mind, this all took place within a week of our visit to the Hike Inn!

I'm proud to say after all this time, I still have my worms and we compost with the poop. My flowers never looked better and I feel I am helping the environment by using natural fertilizer. And it is fun!

Utterz 2/29/08

Click here to listen to my Utterz for today.

Take the Blame

Blog Prompt: Feb. 13 was Blame Someone Else Day. Have you ever blamed someone else for something you did? What happened?

I have to admit that I constantly blame my husband for a lot of things. If I can't find things, I swear he moved them (and usually 80% of the time I am right). If I leave something behind when we go somewhere, I usually blame him for rushing me (which he usually does 90% of the time). Isn't that what husbands are for? They are supposed to take the blame whether they deserve it or not just because they love you! (Or at least that is what I tell my hubby anyway!)

My Favorite Color to Wear

Blog Prompt: What is your favorite color to wear? How many outfits do you have with that color? Why do you wear that color?

I love to wear Blue. I love my blue jeans and any shirt that has blue in it. I feel that blue is a neutral color and anything goes with it. Almost everything I have that I wear has blue in it because I feel that dark blues make me look thinner. I also like black but with my eczema and dry skin, black shows too much and grosses people out. My students always were brushing off my shoulders so I don't wear solid darks on top, just mostly pants and skirts. Then I would wear some kind of print with blue on it as a blouse or shirt.

Self Esteem

Blog Prompt: This month is International Boost Self Esteem Month. What do you do in your life that boosts someone else’s self esteem or your own?

I think my hubby and I try to boost each other's self esteem all the time. He gets up every morning, gives me a kiss, and tells me he loves me. I always try to find a different way to tell him how much I love him. For example, "I love you more than all the grains of sand on the earth." Sometimes I'm harder on myself than others and he is always there to tell me that I'm understimating myself. In the same way, I believe that my hubby has some form of learning disability that was never diagnosed, so he gets frustrated when writing letters or filling out forms and constantly thinks he is stupid. I try to be patient with him and encourage him to be patient and take his time in doing things. I know he boosts my self esteem and I hope I do the same for him.

My Robot

Blog Prompt: Feb. 7 was Love Your Robot Day. If you had a robot, what would you want this robot to do?

If I had a robot, it would take care of my house for me. By that I mean, decluttering (being smart enough to know what to keep and what not to keep) and then filing away everything neatly, pay my bills and balance my checkbook, cook our meals and clean up afterwards, do my grocery shopping, clean the bathrooms, wash and fold my clothes, and do all and any house repairs whenever necessary. I'm not asking for much am I? I think she would look like the robot on the Jetsons and I think her name was Rosie wasn't it? I could spend the rest of my time hiking, playing on the computer, reading, crocheting and doing whatever else I wanted. Oh wait, I do all of that anyway and my house doesn't get taken care of. Oops!

Weekend Happenings

We had a nice weekend other than finding out that our oven is broken. Don says it is my fault because I started cooking again and the oven had a rebellion. It has been working fine the past 2 months. Of course I hardly used it much in the previous years but I had no problems with it at all. The gas stove and the broiler works but not the oven. We don't know what to do now because it might be cheaper to buy a new stove/oven than to try to get this one fixed. When we first moved here about fourteen years ago, we bought all new appliances. I had heard that Maytag was so wonderful so we bought all Maytag stuff: the refrigerator, the stove/oven, the washer, and the dryer. We have had to have the refrigerator fixed twice and once we repaired it ourselves. The stove has also been repaired twice and now this. I'm so disappointed because I guess I believed all those silly commercials about the lonely Maytag repairman.

Other than worrying about the oven, I worked on my taxes, played on the computer, watched old movies, read books, and crocheted most of the weekend. I didn't really accomplish much.

Today we went out hiking because I needed to get out of the house. Yesterday was such a beautiful warm day that my neighbor asked me to go walking with her in the neighborhood. After this, I couldn't wait to go hiking on the trails so we packed up our stuff and went on an adventure today. Of course the weather report said cold and cloudy in the morning and then rain showers all afternoon. I don't think I was meant to hike much though because my boot lace broke before we started and then I realized I had forgotten my water. We were on the trail around 9am and around lunch time the weather looked threatening so we came home. After we put everything away and I sat in front of the TV to watch more old movies I got from the library, the sun came out and it was beautiful all afternoon. I guess I wasn't meant to have a big day of hiking.

Now I think I will curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book, and just chill out!

Am I a Liar?

Blog Prompt: Today is George Washington’s birthday. He was known for not being able to tell a lie. Have you ever told a lie? If so, what was it? Were you ever caught?

I am not good at lying at all. I get red in the face, short of breath, and feel like I'm dying! So, I remember telling a lie when I was in high school. The school allowed me to leave during lunch time (all seniors could leave) to get supplies for the drama club. We were putting on a major production and we needed paint and supplies for the set. Even though the school let seniors leave, my parents did not give permission for this (which was required). I left anyway and went with my friends downtown to get this stuff and as we were walking down the sidewalk, I saw my father pass by in the car. I immediately looked away and my heart was beating so fast I knew it would jump out of my body. I forgot to mention that I had a ski jacket that was bright purple, pink, orange and white so I guess I stood out. Well, that night at dinner my father mentioned that he had seen someone wearing a coat just like mine. I did not say it was me and all I said was that someone else must have the same taste as me so they must have bought the same kind of coat. I did feel so guilty that I never left school again without my parent's permission.

Home Remedies

Blog Prompt: This month is Wise Health Care Month. Do you have any home remedies or traditions passed down that fights colds/diseases?

• Eat radishes because they have a natural antibiotic in them. I don't like them so I slice them really really thin and put it in my salad or put salt on them.
• Echinacea - If I feel a cold coming on I either drink the tea or take the capsule.
• Aloe Vera - cut off part of the plant and rub on a burn to soothe the burn.
• Accent (meat tenderizer) - put on sting (even jellyfish stings)
• Cucumber - put cool slices on puffy eyes to reduce swelling
• Exercise – gets endorphins going to fight off whatever is trying to bring you down
• Carrots – keeps your eyesight sharp (my mother always said that you never saw Bugs Bunny wearing glasses)
• Vinegar – is supposed to do all sorts of things for you
131 uses of vinegar

Love Your Pet Day

Blog Prompt: Today is Love Your Pet Day. What is something special you could do for a pet?
If I had a pet, the most important special thing I could do for it is to spend time with it. I had a dog named Caesar whose only desire was to be with us. He was more like our baby than a dog. I also had an umbrella cockatoo who adored me. We called her Cleo and she was potty trained and only used the bathroom in her cage. She used to sit on my pillow and guard me if I took a nap. If anyone came in the room, she would spread her wings out and bark like Caesar. Both animals just craved attention and you can tell that they loved it when they got it. When we started traveling so much, I couldn't give Cleo the attention she needed and donated her to a local zoo (after I checked them out closely). In fact the head person took Cleo into her home so they could bond for a year before she went into the zoo. I was able to go visit her whenever I wanted. Caesar eventually had to be put to sleep. I really miss them both but I know that I just don't have the time to give a pet the attention that it would deserve.

Meme

I've been tagged!
I've been been TAGGED! By Dawn-in-NZ
Now, here are THE RULES...

1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.
Seven random facts......

1. I have played an accordion since I was 4 years old.
2. I am going to do my first live broadcast on the internet next week (a Council for Exceptional Children’s meeting on Using Technology in the Classroom)
3. I started using Twitter to connect with other teachers. (I go by loonyhiker)
4. I started cooking dinner at home regularly (have not done that in over 20 years until now).
5. I will be going on a trip out west for about three months exploring the country and stopping whenever the mood strikes us.
6. I want to learn how to roller blade.
7. I am still in love with my husband.
I am not sure who I will tag because I did something like this not too long ago and I don’t want my “blogging friends” to slap me! I will think about it and add them on this when I can add them.

Hot Breakfast

Blog Prompt: This month is also National Hot Breakfast Month. What is your favorite hot breakfast to eat.

I don't eat a hot breakfast that often. Our version of a hot breakfast is to go to Panera Bread and get an everything bagel (sliced and toasted) with butter and unsweet tea (this is really a southern sacrilege!). But when I feel inspired, I really like to fry some eggs (over medium) and bacon. I love bacon! Of course I am so lazy that I don't really take the time to make it and right now we are on the bagel kick. When I was teaching I boiled our eggs each morning and fried bacon on the George Foreman grill. When I would leave for work, I would wake my husband up and he would eat the breakfast that I left him.

PS: There will be a lunar eclipse on Wednesday. Here is a link for more information:NASA Lunar Eclipse Home Page

Favorite Baked Good

Blog Prompt: This month is Bake for the Family Month. What is your favorite thing to bake? If you don’t bake, what is your favorite baked thing to eat.

As I've told many of you, a kitchen Queen is definitely what I am not. I have been doing better about actually cooking dinner during the week and it isn't anything fancy but it keeps us from starving. I have to admit that my favorite thing to bake is walnut brownies. They are straight out of the box (I like Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines) and I like to make them cakey, not fudgey. Plus I like to eat them when they are hot and fresh out of the oven. In fact, they are so hot that I can barely hold them but they practically melt in your mouth when you eat them. I say "them" because I can usually eat about 5 or 6 at a time. And since I use those no stick pans, the clean up is really easy. I may not be a fancy baker but I can definitely bake a mean brownie!

Amusement Parks

Blog Prompt: Feb. 14 was Ferris Wheel Day. Do you like to go to amusement parks? If so, what is your favorite park and favorite ride?

I used to love going to amusement parks when I was younger and we had young children. I didn't seem to mind the lines, the heat, the crowds, or the noise. We live a couple of hours away from Six Flags Over Georgia and about 90 minutes from Carowinds so we used to always go to both of them. We also liked to go to Disney World on the way to my parent's house until it got too expensive. Now that we are old(er) we don't go to any of them anymore because I can't stand the lines, the heat, the crowds, and the noise.

I used to love getting on the Tilt-a-whirl which was a ride that you turned the on the inside by leaning one way or the other to make it spin and spin and spin until you got dizzy. While you were spinning, the ride was also going around in circles.


I hated roller coasters and log flumes because I always felt like I would get killed on them. The only big one I ever rode until I was married was Space Mountain at Disney World because I had to take my glasses off (so I couldn't see anything) and I was strapped in tightly. I would ride the little mine train at Six Flags because it was more of the jerky kind of ride rather than a big up and down. Two years ago we went to Williamburg on the condition that I would ride all the roller coasters at Busch Gardens if my husband didn't complain about an educational thing. So I rode all the roller coasters and I didn't mind because I love the shoulder harness in them. Now I would ride them again as long ast there is a shoulder harness.

Until they put a shoulder harness in a log flume, you won't find me in one!

Happy Valentines Day (and a rant too!)

Blog Prompt: Today is Valentine’s Day. What was your favorite Valentine gift?

My favorite valentine gift is the one I got this year. I decided that I wanted a web cam so I can talk by video with others and maybe even try to do some podcasts. I mentioned the possibility and the next thing I know my hubby tells me to research what I want and takes me out shopping to buy it. Now I have a webcam but noone to video talk with yet. I just found out my sister doesn't have a webcam! I am on Skype now but don't know anyone to talk to so if you have a webcam or skype, I'm loonyhiker!

Tonight I'm making lasagna for dinner since this was the first meal we ever had together! Keep your fingers crossed. I got this lasagna noodles from Barilla that are "no boil."

Now for the rant:

Last August I went to the emergency room for food poisoning. When I got the bill from the doctor's office (Gastroenterology Associates) in September, it stated that Blue Cross Blue Shield denied payment so I called. I found out that it wasn't listed as emergency services but as outpatient and emergency services should have been covered. After about 4 phone calls back and forth between the doctors office and the insurance company, the girl at the doctors office said she would call and get it straightened out and refile if necessary. I asked her to let me know if there was a problem and never got any call or bill since then. Today I get a letter from a collection agency telling me that they will ruin my credit because I didn't pay.

I called the doctor's office who said they would refile but when I asked for an email address so I could send a letter to verify the phone call, she refused to give me one. The lady did say the woman in charge of collections MAY POSSIBLY call the collection agency and put it on hold. I asked that this woman call me today when she gets back from lunch and I am still waiting. I will probably call around 4:15 if I haven't heard from her yet.

I called the collection agency (Merchants Credit Association, Inc.), long distance of course, who said I had to send a letter in writing and I asked for an email address to send the letter but she refused to give me one and said I had to send it by mail (does her family members work for the postal service?). She also told me that I shouldn't worry about documentation in case I go to court because they PROBABLYwon't go to court over $236. I asked for her supervisor or the owner of the company or even her attorney but she refused to give me that information and was extremely rude! I guess I made her mad by asking for someone higher up but they are threatening to ruin my credit! Needless to say I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau online (and they even supply an email address to contact them if necessary!)

I am willing to go to court if necessary. I am tired of calling the insurance company who tells me to call the doctors office who tells me to call the insurance company and the collection agency tells me to deal with the doctors office. No one wants to give me a straight answer and I should not be penalized for this since I pay my insurance premiums and I pay my bills on time! Maybe if we go to court I can get the doctor, the doctor's office people, the insurance company and the collection agency people all in one room to get this settled!

Thanks for listening!

A Different Name

Blog Prompt: Today is Get a Different Name Day. If you could have a different name, what would you want?

I always wished I had a more interesting name instead of Patricia. I was called Patricia whenever I was in trouble and grew up with being called Patty by my family. My middle name was Ruth which was my grandmother's name and I never really liked it because it made me think of old ladies (like my grandmother). I tried being different by spelling my name differently: Patty, Patti, Pattie, or Trish (no one ever called me that). Then before I was married I was called Loony (Loon was my maiden name) and finally I decided that Pat sounded more adult-like so I go by Pat now.

If I could change my name I think I would like a name like Brigitte or Sabrina because I think they sound interesting and adventurous.

Honesty

Blog Prompt: Today is Lincoln’s birthday and he was known as “Honest Abe.” How do you feel about honesty? Is there ever a time it is alright not to be honest?

Honesty is one of the most important things to me. I would rather someone say to my face that they don't like me than act friendly to me and stab me in the back. My husband and I trust each other totally because we know that we will always be honest with each other. (Sometimes it makes me mad when he says he doesn't like what I'm wearing.)I told my students that it is more important that they are honest with me than anything else. I would rather them tell me that they just didn't do their homework than tell me the dog ate it. I tend to go berserk when I find out they lied to me.

I have to admit that I'm not perfect and I have told my share of lies but I really hope they were lies in order to not hurt someone's feelings. I never meant to lie and I usually ended up feeling so guilty that I would confess. My family always can tell if I'm lying. I can't look at them and I get all flustered and my hands start shaking.

So don't worry, friends, I won't lie to you...at least not on purpose.

Umbrella Day

Blog Prompt: Feb. 10 was Umbrella Day. Do you use an umbrella? If so, describe your favorite umbrella. (Is it a plain one or a fancy one? What design does it have?)


I have to be honest, but I hate using umbrellas. By the time I get it open and get to the car, then I have to close it and find a place to put it where it won't make everything wet, I'm soaked. If I get it before I get out of the car, then I have to open it before I get my stuff out and when I try to reach for my stuff, the umbrella gets caught in the roof and door and I look like a remake of an I Love Lucy show! Once I had a huge blue and white golf umbrella that I won when I somehow crashed a golf party (that is another long story) and it was almost as tall as me and my students used to tease me that it would cover the whole class in a rainstorm. Of course I didn't use it much because it was just too big. I do have a small black compact umbrella that I bring with me on trips in case we will be out in the rain walking for a long time. But I never actually take it with me because then I don't want to have to carry it if the rain stops. I guess the bottom line is that I'm just too lazy.

In Honor of Potato Lover's Month

Blog Prompt: This month is Potato Lover’s Month. Describe your favorite way of cooking potatoes.

I have to admit that I'm not a very creative cook so my choices of cooked potatoes are very limited but I guess they are all my favorites since they are the only way I know how to cook them.

1- mashed with lots of butter and garlic
2- boiled served with butter.
3- cooked (I guess they can't be considered baked) - in ziplock bag in microwave
4- baked in the oven
5- frozen french fries - follow directions and bake in the oven or toaster oven.

Here are the 2 projects I just finished yesterday:

Prayer Shawl:



Scarf (I don't know who this is for but I liked the yarn that I got on sale after Christmas. There wasn't enough to make anything but a scarf.)

My Neighbors

Blog Prompt: Today is Greet Your Neighbor Day. Describe your neighbors.

First I have to tell you how we ended up here, in this little town, much like Andy Griffith's Mayberry. My husband's good friend, David (friends since they were in their early twenties) lives next door. David's wife, Fran calls and tells me that the house next door to them is up for auction and so are the antiques inside so we had to come to the auction (Don loves antiques). We decided we wanted the pretty oval pictures in the foyer and I told Don to bid on them. We discussed the house too and we both liked it but we were in the middle of remodeling our house on the other side of town. While I went next door to visit with Fran, David and Don stayed at the auction. After it was all over, we ended up winning the bid on the house (which I'm not sure how that all worked out but somehow it all did).

After we get the house, I met some of the neighbors that live in the 5 houses across the street. At one house, there is an elderly couple and I find out that he is one of the pastors at my church! One neighbor is the mother of a good friend that I went to college with. The elderly lady directly across the street is the mother of an acquaintance that we've known for a long time. So, I didn't feel like I moved into a new neighborhood and immediately bonded with my neighbors.

Now after many years, the elderly lady directly across the street has passed away but I still miss her. Her house has been empty since she died. My pastor and his wife moved to a retirement subdivision where she died two years ago. David and Fran bought their house and they rent it out. My college friend's mom still lives there and we laugh because we hardly see each other unless we are invited to a party of a mutual friend or some social gathering.

Pay a Compliment Day

Blog Prompt: Today is Pay a Compliment Day. Who would you compliment today and why?

I paid a compliment to my husband as soon as he woke up because I love him so much.
I paid a compliment to the girl who served our bagel at Panera because she is always so friendly and welcoming when we come in.
I paid a compliment to my old boss because she looked like she had lost weight.
I paid a compliment to a friend because she altered two pairs of pants for me and they were perfect.
We are going out with some friends for dinner so I will make sure I compliment them tonight.

The Weather Forecast of My Day

Blog Prompt: Today is National Weatherperson's Day. Describe your day as if you were a weatherperson using weather words.

Today will be partly sunny with intermittent clouds. No rain is expected.

I am healthy and happy so that accounts for the sunny part. We went and got the oil changed in the car and made a reservation for the Grand Canyon campground. Now we just have to get off our lazy butts and drop it off at the post office. I’ve spent most of the day playing on the computer, crocheting, and reading a book wish is extremely relaxing! The intermittent clouds mean that I have to balance the checkbook and wash the bathrooms today and I keep putting them off. Nothing major bad is happening so there is no rain expected.

Standing Up for What is Right

Blog Prompt: Rosa Park’s birthday. She is the one during who refused to sit in the back of the bus just because of her race. Have you ever stood up for something you felt was right? Or do you know someone who has? Tell about this.

Last year I had a 17 year old tenth grade student with down's syndrome pull the fire alarm at school. He has never done anything like this before so I was really shocked to find out that he did it. This was the second year I had him and thought he was actually doing well in my classroom so I felt responsible when this happened. I was in the process of teaching him job skills and he was working for the janitor sweeping the main hall way when he decided to pull the alarm and was caught on video. The principal was so mad that she wanted him arrested. I know that he knew it was wrong but I really believed that he didn't understand the consequences so I was upset about the thought of him being arrested. The boy's mother was super supportive of everything I've done for her son and I hated for her to have to deal with his being arrested. Luckily, after lots of talking to the assistant principal and the school resource officer, they agreed with me that he should not be arrested. Of course, this put me at the top of the principal's bad list!

Computer Time: Organizing is the name of the game!

I've been busy on my computer this weekend. I decided to move most of my bookmarks onto del.icio.us. I'm exhausted but I feel rather good about doing some organizing there because it was getting annoying every time I hit my Favorites button.

I also went into Shelfari and added the books I plan to read. I had originally had them all in an excel list that I never really looked at. I'm hoping that Shelfari will make it easier for me to decide what book to read next.

I have to admit I spent most of the weekend stuffing my face with all the junk food I had planned for the Super Bowl. Instead of waiting for the game, we spent the whole day nibbling on the "stuff"! Now I feel sick because I've eaten so much and I haven't even made the brownies or the apple turnovers yet.

My "Groundhog Day"

Blog Prompt: Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day. Do you remember that Bill Murray movie where he wakes up to the same day over and over? If it was you, describe the day you would want to repeat over and over.

I know many of you would expect me to tell about a hiking day but I'm going to surprise you and try to imagine the perfect day without hiking.

Imagine a beautiful spring day as I tell you the day I wouldn't mind repeating over and over again. First I would wake up with the sun just beginning to rise and it would be warm enough to sit on my back deck with a cup of hot tea. After that, I would do some gardening while it was still cool but not cold outside. There wouldn't be a lot of weeds and it would be more maintenance gardening than hard gardening. I would walk around my yard and have meaningful conversation with my flowers. My hubby would wake up and we would go out for breakfast. When we returned he would have projects to keep him busy so I could do what I liked. I would do a little crocheting because my housework was finished the day before. We would go out to lunch, do any necessary errands and return home to work on our own projects. It would be too hot to work anymore outside so I would spend this time creating some scrapbook pages, reading blogs, and playing on my computer. By this time I would cook a fabulous dinner which my hubby would declare was the best I had ever cooked (I'm not a good cook so this in itself would be a miracle!) and then he would offer to wash the dishes. After dinner we would enjoy some time in our hot tub and talk about our day. I would then sit outside on the deck again either reading or playing on my computer enjoying the beautiful sunset. My hubby and I would then watch a couple of wonderful movies together while eating popcorn. By this time it is bedtime and I would fall asleep with wonderful thoughts in my head.

Something Funny

Thursday's prompt: Share something funny: a joke, a funny video, a story, whatever makes you laugh.

A friend showed this to me at a meeting (when I supposed to be serious and should have been paying attention to the materials). I couldn't help but laugh and sometimes when I feel overwhelmed I play this so today when I was getting ready to do some household chores that I hate, I played this. Then I was in a pretty good mood to do what I had to do and got them done quickly. I folded 3 loads of wash (I keep putting it off until the laundry basket gets so high the clothes won't even stay in a vertical pile!) and vacuumed my house (I hate having to unplug and plug and put the hose on for tight places and take it off again). So here is a video for your enjoyment (It is pretty short and funny.)


The Broken Escalator

Using My Eyes on the way to The Rock

Wednesday's prompt: Choose one of your senses and use it to describe something you experience today.

I know it is no surprise to my friends but I went hiking today so I will choose my sight and describe what I saw today.

We met our hiking group at the trail head which was nothing more than a pull off on the side of the road with a little sign stating Parking Area. All around us were just bare hard wood trees, pine trees, and some evergreens. When we started, the trail went straight up and full of rocks but since I was cold I didn't mind. I looked all around at the forest that surrounded me and wondered what it would look like in the spring and summer.

When we would get to a level spot we would wait for everyone to catch up. I would look at everyone and see everyone breathing hard. Some people would be sweating and some would be shedding their coats, hats, and sweaters. Everyone had a pack on to carry their lunch and water. Some people were carrying one or two hiking sticks.

A couple of times we had to cross a creek and had to hop across rocks or tree limbs. The water was rushing by and it even looked cold.

When we finally got to "The Rock" which was our goal, we all spread out to eat lunch. This rock face was open at the top of the mountain and the view was awesome. In front of me I could see Paris Mountain State Park in the distance and even see the city of Greenville with its tall buildings in the horizon. To the right I could see Table Rock State Park with its bare rock face. I could see 360 degrees around and the view was unbelievable

Sights like these make me glad to be alive!

Born in the Wrong Time?

Blog Prompt: Have you ever thought (or been told) that you were born in the wrong time? When in history do you think you would best 'fit in'?

I think I'm more conservative than many people in my area that are my age. It may be because I grew up sisters who were 10 and 12 years older than me. I loved the 50s and wish I had grown up during that time instead of the late 60s and 70s. I was not big into the hippie days with the free sex and drugs running rampant all around me. My parents did not have a lot of money so by the time I could afford fashions and fads of the day, I was already 3 years behind. I love the fashions and the music of the fifties because everything seemed more romantic during those days.

I love the southern belle outfits of the Civil War days but I'm too attached to modern conveniences to want to have actually lived during those day. I love the gallantry of men during the Civil War days too (can you imagine any of them wearing "sagging pants"?

My Favorite Toy

Blog Prompt: Today is the 50th Anniversary of the Lego! In honor of that, answer this question: What were your favorite toys or games when you were a child?

I have to admit that Legos were my favorite toys next to books when I was a child. I always wanted to be a teacher so I liked to read and make up class rosters and take attendance, teach lessons etc. I used Legos constantly as things for my classroom. I would sometimes make little desks for my Barbies to sit in for class. Sometimes I would make cash registers to teach math. Of course my father was really into James Bond movies so many times I would make up spy tools to use with my cover as a teacher in the classroom! Those Legos would become anything I could dream up!

On the side: Hubby and I went hiking today because it was so beautiful. We started talking about the possible serial killer who killed that girl hiking in Georgia. He is a suspect in the killing of a couple who was hiking where you normally hike. Both of us think that we recognized him and possibly came across the killer when we were hiking. It made me realize that we don't really know how many times God has kept us safe and it made me so thankful that God loves me and takes care of me even when I don't know it!

Visiting Grace

Finally got a photo of the shawl that I made and sent to my friend Grace. I forgot to take a picture before I sent it. I was in Washington DC when Grace's daughter emailed me to let me know that Grace had a heart attack and was in rehab. Since we were only 2 1/2 hours away, I talked my wonderful hubby into driving to NJ to see her. We met Grace and her husband about 9 years ago on a cruise and we've been friends ever since. Have you ever met people that you hit it off with right away and knew you would be good friends? It doesn't matter about the age difference (Grace is 84 now and Jerry turned 90 last year)because we have the same interests and values which makes them so easy to talk to. We didn't call first because I wanted to make sure we could get a hotel room before we called. Then it had gotten late so we decided to just show up at the rehab place. When we got to Grace's room, she was asleep but the shawl I had made for her was covering her (you can see it in the picture). It made me feel so good that she was using it and liked it enough to have it with her. We had a wonderful visit and sat with her while she had dinner. Even though her body was wearing out, her mind was as sharp as a tack and we had a great discussion about politics and presidential candidates. Unfortunately we couldn't stay long but I was so glad I got to visit her. Her daughter hopes that she will return home this weekend so I will try to call her later. We missed Jerry because he had already gone home so I hope we will get to see him on our next visit. It is so hard to find good friends you trust, so when you get them, you want to cherish them as much as you can!

Here is Grace with the shawl I made:


Here we all were on a cruise in Italy a few years ago:

Reading List

Blog Prompt: What's on your reading list? How many books are waiting in the queue?

I am currently reading the last of a trilogy by Nora Roberts called Red Lily. I've read this trilogy before and still enjoy it. Since I've been reading James Patterson's Alex Cross novels that involve murder and mystery, I needed a little romance to lighten things up. I have 2 Patterson novels waiting to be read and I also have a couple of Debbie MacComber novels (I can't remember which ones because I've read most of them)to give me a breath of fresh air if I need it from the Patterson novels. All of these books are from the public library so I really need to get busy! Plus I have a whole list of books I want to read if I get in the mood to read them or am looking for something to read. I get excerpts from an online book club that I subscribe to and if I like the book, I look for it in the public library. It is so so cold, that I might get under the covers with some hot chocolate and get reading!

Coffee or Tea

Blog Prompt: Is it coffee or tea for you in the morning? Give some free advertising for your favorite morning pick-me-up.

I have to admit that I don't usually go for coffee or tea. Instead I head for a big glass of diet pepsi. Every once in awhile I try to get off the diet pepsi kick and make unsweetened ice tea. If I'm really cold in the morning, I sometimes make myself a hot cup of tea (usually white tea, darjeeling, or chai). I love the smell of coffee but coffee doesn't always agree with my tummy (I know, too much information!)and makes my tummy hurt for hours, sometimes all day. I wish they would make a potpourri smelling like coffee.

DSP prompts 01/21 -01/23

Monday's prompt: Finish the sentence 'Today I would like ...'.

• Today I would like to…
• Catch up on my DSP prompts.
• Wash my bed sheets (I am ashamed to admit that I don’t do this often enough.).
• Make some scrapbook pages before the challenge deadlines.
• Look at photos I took this past week from my trip up north.
• Walk our 4 miles in the park instead of on my treadmill if it isn’t raining.
• Work on my prayer shawl.
• Call a friend who just recently resigned from teaching due to health problems.

Tuesday's prompt: Have you ever gotten 'attached' to a piece of clothing? One you didn't want to get rid of, even when you knew you should?

I had a denim shirt that I wore like a sweater so much that it was showing extreme signs of wear. The cuffs and the pocket were frayed and looked messy. It had that washed out denim look from so many washings over the years and was so soft and comfortable. I finally broke down and bought a new denim shirt but it wasn’t as comfortable as that one. I guess it was some subconscious thing but I have lost the new one so I’m back to wearing my old one until I find another new one that I can live with.

Wednesday's prompt: Where would you rather be?
I have to admit that there is nowhere I would rather be right now than home. We have been away again for another week and I am so glad to be home. I had been complaining before we left about how cold it was in SC and I should have kept my mouth shut. When we got to Washington DC, I was soooooo cold! I was feeling sad because I was missing the first snow at home for the first time when it began to snow while we were walking around DC. This was really magical because the flakes were so big and fluffy! The wind chill factor was bone chilling and made me really want to be home and not where I was. So, to repeat the line from the Wizard of Oz: There’s no place like home!

Crochet Projects

People have asked what I have crocheted up to now so these are my crochet projects up to now. I just started in May of 2007 so I'm still learning. They are not really fancy or very good but I have really enjoyed making them.

This is my first afghan and first thing I have ever crocheted. I also made a shawl that looked just like this but only smaller which I sent to my friend Grace.


This was for the Furman football games:


I thought this would be cool for me to wear around the house:


I made this for my hubby but he won't wear it because he doesn't like to wear a scarf or a hat:


This was for me:


This is the prayer shawl I made with yarn that was donated to me for this project. I learned how to make the granny square from YouTube.

Thursday and Friday's prompts

Thursday’s prompt: Things that bug us. Make a list, then when the everyone else posts, cross off things that more than one person listed.
1. People who finish my sentence before I do or at the same time.
2. People who share their racist or bigot-ed ideas out in public.
3. People who make fun of and ridicule others who are different.
4. When my husband will step over the garbage bag rather than take it out to the trash can.
5. Wet towels left on the bathroom floor.
6. People who won’t leave a message on the answering machine because they don’t like answering machines.
7. People who call me after 10pm when I’m usually falling asleep because I get up at 5am every day.
8. People who burp and fart out in public and think it is funny.
9. People who use their cell phones in the library and movie theater.
10. People who tend to invade my personal space when we are standing in a line and have to touch me with their body or belongings.

Friday’s prompt: What kinds of humor do you enjoy the most? Tell us what makes you laugh!
1. Cartoons about funny things that happen in everyday life that makes it look like someone is secretly seeing my life unfold.
2. Stupid criminals and the things they do thinking they won’t get caught and then do get caught.
3. Knock Knock jokes that are really stupid but told by a child who thinks it is the funniest thing in the world and can’t stop giggling.
4. Humorous sitcoms that are about every day life like Everybody Loves Raymond and Seinfeld.

Photo Story

Blog Prompt: Go to my blog, choose one of the photos, post it on your blog and write something creative about it. It could be a description, a short story, a poem, how it makes you feel...whatever you want!




I am on this path that leads to a hiking trail, which is my favorite place to be. The weather is cool enough to hike so that you don't get all sweaty while you are on the trail. It must be spring because flowers are starting to emerge along the path. The birds are singing joyously because they feel as if the earth is experiencing a rebirth. It must have rained yesterday because everything is looking green and fresh. I love the crispness in the air and the way the sun rays weave in and out of the tree branches. It makes me thankful for the world that I live in and that God has given me this chance to see his beautiful creation. I am filled with joy and wonder and feel invincible.

My Favorite Quote

Blog Post: Post a quote that you like and write about why it means something to you.

My favorite is "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you."

I believe the off shoot of this is "what goes around, comes around" because I know it really happens. I have seen it happened and it is not always pretty!

When I get angry at people, I try to remind myself of this quote so I don't do anything stupid (which doesn't always work) but sometimes it helps me stop and think first. I try to think about why I would act the way that person did, and maybe I'm having a bad day or had a fight with my hubby and how I would want others to act toward me. Sometimes this helps me calm down and walk away, or sometimes it makes me stop and ask that person, " is everything okay?" This can bring amazing results and open a conversation that I know would never have happened if I hadn't thought of my quote.

Sometimes we actually do things for other people in hopes that when we need help, there will be someone there for us. I guess I see it like "putting it in the bank for a rainy day." Since we hike a lot, we know how hard it is for long distance hikers to get supplies so sometimes we go up to Fontana Dam in NC and bring food supplies and hot chocolate to the Appalachian Trail hikers. They usually really appreciate it and only take what they need. I figure that someday I will be on the trail and need food and some "trail angel" will be there for us too.

One time we had a flat tire in Georgia and because of my husband's back injury, he was unable to change the tire. We called AAA to send a tow truck to help us but that could take hours. This wonderful young couple stopped and the young man insisted on changing our tire for us. When we tried to give them some money, they refused it and said they were just glad to be able to help us because it could be them someday. Of course this quote popped in my head again. What a wonderful world we live in!

Things that Make Me Smile

Blog Prompt: Write a list of things that make you smile -- which I know we've done before, but the twist is that each of our lists should be unique. So make your list, then when you read the others' posts, if both of you list the same thing, strike it out on your list. I want to see how many distinctly creative things we can come up with today!

1. My husband's laughter
2. The sun shining on my face
3. A hike in the forest
4. Happy thoughts
5. Ice Age movie
6. A small child giggling
7. 2 people so deeply in love with each other that you can feel it just being near them
8. My dad winning a card game (because it really makes him happy!)
9. When my husband really likes something that I've cooked
10. Reading something funny on someone else's blog

Favorite Moments of 2007

Blog Prompt: Describe some of your favorite moments from this past year.

1. The day my department threw me a surprise retirement party at my favorite restaurant. That meant more to me than the "official" retirement luncheon that the whole school attended. I have worked with many of them for a lot of years and it was hard to make the decision to retire. I really felt loved and I will miss them a lot!
2. As we sat out on the porch of the best hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky, the fireworks went off right in front of us to begin Thunder Over Louisville. We were right on the river with nothing in front of us so we had an awesome view. This was the beginning celebration of the Kentucky Derby and I've never been to anything like it.
3. The day of my husband's retirement party when everyone came to wish him well. As a judge, he has not always made everyone happy, yet there was still a huge crowd of people who showed up. Many people I didn't know came up to me to tell me how fair and honest he was which made me so proud of him. I know he has made a positive difference in many people's lives.
4. My dad was recovering from his stroke and finally back at home. The four of us sat around the table and played a card game called Scat. I was so relieved that my dad was well enough to play cards that involved some heavy thinking and fine motor skills. I knew then that he was going to get better.

My Favorite Books of 2007

Blog Prompt: My Favorite Books of 2007

I have to admit that I don't have a favorite book as much as I have favorite authors. And my favorite book is usually the one I'm really into at the moment. So here is a list of my favorite books/authors:
1. all of the Harry Potter books
2. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
3. Debbie MacComber
4. Nora Roberts
5. Books by Dorothea Benton Frank that are set in South Carolina
6. James Patterson
7. Janette Oke

Favorite Movies of 2007

Blog Prompt: Favorite Movies of 2007

We really don't go to the movies much and wait until it comes out on my satellite TV which means I usually see if months or a year after it has been released. I can't believe how much movies and food are now. We went last week to see the new National Treasure movie and my husband almost freaked out at the concession stand. Our matinee tickets (for 2) totaled $13 and then a medium popcorn with 2 large drinks cost $16! We did go out a couple of times last year and I can't remember what I saw except one which is my favorite movie. It was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. My husband knows that I love all the Harry Potter books and movies and will not wait until it comes out on my TV. I guess I saw my one movie for the year and that will be it until next year (unless they have a sale at the movie theater!). LOL

Favorite Scrapbook Pages of 2007

Blog Prompt: My Favorite Scrapbook Pages of 2007

Here we are with my parents on a cruise.

I finally got to meet Yolanda when we went to San Juan.

This is my niece and her daughter, Kaeli.

Here is Kaeli with her oldest sister.

I love butterflies!


Things we see when we hike.

My Favorite Photos of 2007

Blog Prompt: My favorite photos of this year are:




This crazy picture is Don and me at our Chinese New Year's Party.



This mother bird was bringing food to her babies. I can't believe she posed for me!



Callaway Gardens, Georgia



Providence Canyon
Lumpkin, Georgia



Devil's Courthouse
Blue Ridge Parkway, NC



Thunder Over Louisville
The Celebration to kick-off the Kentucky Derby

Word of the Year

I have gotten this idea from Tink who got this idea from ArtcTrish and I thought it was wonderful. I think my word for this year will be:

ENJOY.

Main Entry: en·joy
Pronunciation: \in-ˈjȯi, en-\
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English enjoien, from Anglo-French enjoir, enjoier to gladden, enjoy, from en- + joie joy
Date: 15th century
intransitive verb
: to have a good time
transitive verb
1 : to have for one's use, benefit, or lot : experience
2 : to take pleasure or satisfaction in

Now I know a lot of you already think I enjoy my life but I don't think I enjoy it fully for many reasons.

1. I tend to overcommit so that instead of enjoying an activity, I resent the time I am putting into it. I will say no and ask for a raincheck.
2. I am pretty shy about getting in front of people to talk. I will say no to the things I know will actually stress me out.
3. I sometimes feel pressured into doing things. I will say no to the things I really don't want to do.
4. I will enjoy the moment. Sometimes I worry about what other people are thinking or how I look or sound that I really don't enjoy the present moment. I will consciously make myself push out the negative thoughts.
5. Be more positive. If I am in a difficult situation, I will look for something about it that I can take pleasure or satisfaction from it.
6. I plan to exercise, meditate, and pray daily in order to get more enjoyment out of my life.

New Foods

Blog Prompt: Is there a new food you want to try this year? Or a new recipe you want to make?

I am a really picky eater so I can't think of anything new I want to try but my husband wants me to try curry so I will probably do this. He has read some health books that say spicy foods are good for your health (of course this could change next year).

I plan to try a lot of new recipes this year but I'm not sure of any specific one. Of course it will depend on the mood I'm in and how hard the recipe is. I'm not a very good cook but I hear that with practice I will get better. Even though we have been married 25 years, it isn't too late to try. Of course my husband LOVES food, so he is excited about me trying new things. I'll let you know how it goes.

Things I Used to Enjoy Doing

Blog Prompt: Is there something that you used to do and enjoy that you would like to start doing again? Tell us about it.

1. I used to play my accordion at the nursing home but due to all sorts of obligations and committments, I have not had the time to do that. I am hoping this year that I can spend at least one day a month (I was going once a week) playing my accordion for the residents while they eat their lunch. They seemed to enjoy it and it made me feel good about myself.
2. I would like to cook more at home. I liked doing it when I had the time and the energy but when I was working and raising children, I didn't have either. Now that I'm retired with just the 2 of us at home, I hope I can get back to cooking. I was never very good at it but I enjoyed it when I did it.
3. I would like to ride my bike more often. When I was growing up I used to ride my bike in the neighborhood a lot. A year ago I bought a bike at a yard sale and rode it about 10 times and haven't gotten on it since. I always had an excuse that it is too hot or too cold but hopefully in another month or two, it will be just right.

Scrapping Goal

Blog Prompt: What new scrapping technique do you want to try this year? Or do you have a goal with your scrapping this year?

I think I would like to try blending again this year. I took a class last year but never got the hang of it and gave up. I use PSE4 and I have to do something complicated but I think I never had enough time to play with it. This year I should have more time to do that.

I also plan to scrap a lot of older photos that I never had time to do until now. Since Club Digital is on sale (6 months/19.99), I couldn't resist and now will have motivation to scrap more!

Happy New Year!

Blog Prompt: What is some new activity/hobby that you want to try this year?

Happy New Year everyone! I am really excited about this year. I feel like this is going to be such a grea year. I am feeling so optimistic and full of good vibes that I can't help feeling great today!

I couldn't pick out just one thing so here are some new activities I want to try.

1.I want to try to learn knitting and roller blading this year. I have tried roller blading one time and think I should give it another try (I shouldn't have given up after one time no matter how bad it might have seemed).
2. Now that I've learned to crochet, I would like to try my hand at knitting at some point. I've always felt intimidated by my mother and sister's success at creativity that I've finally come to terms with it and willing to try some of the things they were good at.
3. I am also hoping to hike down into the Grand Canyon this year.

Who knows what other great things are in store for me but I'm excited about finding out! It is so great to be alive!