The Sounds That Drive Me Bonkers

Link up with Stasha at The good life for Monday Listicles. It's a different topic every week - follow along and join in. Stasha's a great host and always has interesting things for us to make our lists about.

This week's list is Sounds That Drive Me Bonkers. Ha, she may be sorry she asked!


1. My dog repeatedly licking herself. And by that, I mean licking a paw, her leg, her lips, whatever. Especially in the dead of the night. Ugh.

2. Geese honking on the pond at 5:00am. Fortunately, it hasn't happened in a while. I may or may not have, once upon a time, been seen looking like a crazy lady, throwing rocks into the pond from my backyard, attempting to scare them away. At 5:00am. (Not at the geese - just into the water. Near the geese.)

3. The power washer of the neighbor down the street, droning on all. freaking. day. long. He brings home his semi-truck cab and power washes it on perfectly nice, sunny, lovely days when I'd like to have my windows open. It takes him hours. I could wash it by hand in 1/5 of the time.

4. An alarm clock that goes off anytime before 7:00am. I'm usually awake by then anyway.

5. The bathroom fan left running, and running, and running, long after the user of the bathroom has left.

6. My husband's spoon scraping on the side of the cereal bowl over and over and over as he mixes his two kinds of cereal, fruit and milk.

7. The sound of the leaking toilet tank that requires me to get up, go back in there, lift off the lid to the tank and hold the float down so just a little bit more water will come in and make it stop.

8. The drill at the dentist. Even if it's not being used on me. Ack.

9. The sound of my SIL's voice when she screeches at her husband. Makes me nuts.

10. Snoring. From anyone besides cute little puppies. Because, really, cute little puppies snoring are adorable. Unless it's the middle of the night, that is.

***Ally
Tweet

Priorities In Forgetfulness

A couple of weeks ago I somehow managed to head into the office and forget my laptop. That in itself is quite an accomplishment, as the thing usually looks like an appendage of my body.

The problem was that I had an enormous gap in my schedule and dinner plans with my cousin. I wanted to show her something I had on the computer and what in the hell was I going to do with myself for three hours between my early patients and my late patients? (My schedule doesn't usually go this way - it was a particularly frustrating day.)

I fought back the panic. I tried to calm my racing heart. I mopped the sweat from my brow. I tried to think rationally. And then I did the only practical thing a rational computer addict would do. I drove 35 minutes home and 35 minutes back to retrieve said laptop. Hey, it ate up some of that three hour gap....

With my baby safely within my reach, my afternoon relaxed back into a state of calm.


Yesterday morning I was talking to a friend on my cell phone (who was in the midst of a crisis of sorts) as I was leaving the house for work. I grabbed my computer (hey, I learn from my mistakes - sort of) my keys, my bag of snacks and headed out the door. Only when I was nearly at work and thinking of pulling over to snap a picture of the Space Needle sticking out above a morning fog layer, did I realize that my purse, with said camera in it, was still at home.

No license. No credit card. No money.

Oops.

Meh. I wasn't concerned about the license. I wasn't planning on getting pulled over and I know my license number by heart in case of "emergency" need. They money and credit card were frustrating, as I'd been planning stops at Trader Joe's and the natural food store next door to where I work before I came home. That was problematic as the store next door is the only one I will buy meat from. And I wasn't trekking all the way back over there until Monday, as yesterday was my last day at work for the week.

Oh well. The family would just have to survive on what we had for food. They'd have a vegetarian weekend or eat lots of fish, which I could buy closer to home.


Did you catch that? I was far more distressed about forgetting my laptop, than my purse which held my license to drive as well as the money I needed to feed my family.

::hanging my head::

I might need to work on that addiction...

***Ally
Tweet

Fivesies

Eating with my English born in-laws was always interesting.

I remember the first Thanksgiving we spent with them. There was a bowl of something bright orange on the table resembling baby food. I wasn't far off, as it was mashed carrots. I'd never had them that way before and have never had them that way since, I'm quite happy to say. My brother-in-law and I had to make our own pumpkin pie, as she was making trifle for dessert. For Thanksgiving! Not that her trifle wasn't good, it was. But it was Thanksgiving, and there were just some traditions that couldn't be overlooked.

Not ones for spicy, Asian or adventurous, our meals with them were usually pretty tame and mainstream. Though they did appreciate good Italian food.

My husband talked fondly about his mother's Swiss chard casserole and zucchini pancakes from his childhood, two things I was fortunate enough not to ever have to try. However, I was not fortunate enough to get to try the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding he raved about.

Eating out was always an experience. My mother-in-law, though I loved her, was extremely difficult to please. Wait staff were rarely good enough, and the meals ordered rarely met her expectations. She was not shy about her displeasure, either. Which left me, the people-pleasing-conflict-avoider, squirming in my chair and slipping extra tips to the waiter.

Looking at menus often included conversations like this:

MIL: What are you thinking of having?

FIL: I'm thinking of A.

MIL: Oh, I was thinking of B.

FIL: That sounds nice.

MIL: Why don't you get C and I'll get B and we can share.

FIL: Yes, dear.

And so she got half of two menu items she wanted and he got half of two menu items she wanted. He was a saint.

On particular time I remember, she ordered a blue cheese burger, and with roughly three bites left, declared it really wasn't very good, wasn't cooked quite right. Not very good, but good enough to demolish, apparently.

We all have our own little idiosyncrasies. In fact, I'm sure I have more than my fair share. I loved them both, and their peculiarities.

There was a time to eat and drink, however, that we all shared with equal enthusiasm. Five o'clock was a daily ritual with them. Quite honestly, it didn't really matter what you ate at 5:00, because you were having it with a drink. Crackers, chips, cheese and meat, didn't matter. It all tasted good with a drink. Their drink of choice was beer. It went something like this:

MIL: Is it time for Fivesies?

FIL: Yes, dear, it is. Would you like a beer?

MIL: I'll just have half of yours.

FIL: Yes, dear.

He would proceed to pull a can of Old Milwaukee Light out of the refrigerator and pour half of it into a glass for her. Did I mention he was a saint? Of course, half a beer doesn't last very long.

MIL: Shall we share one more?

FIL: Yes, dear.

And the process would be repeated, in the end each of them having consumed one beer, her declaring she'd had 'half a beer'. Which she had. Twice. I always laughed to myself and thought it humorous that they didn't just each have their own beer. But it was their ritual, and it was them through and through. 

My husband or I will occasionally look at the clock and declare it time for Fivesies with a smile and a nod to my late in-laws.

Cheers!

***Ally
Tweet

Good And Bad About Birthdays

Link up with Stasha at The good life for Monday Listicles. It's a different topic every week - follow along and join in. Stasha's a great host and always has interesting things for us to make our lists about.

This week's list is about all things Birthdays. 

10 things I like and don't like about birthdays.

1. I love putting thought and effort into the perfect birthday gift for someone.

2. I don't like struggling to find any gift that someone might appreciate, when I'm blank for ideas.

Funny how I never can tell which way it's going to go.

3. I love making birthday cakes. For other people.

4. I don't really care much about eating cake. I'd rather have pumpkin pie.

I'm an October birthday.

5. I love an excuse for a party. Birthdays are perfect.

6. I don't like being the center of attention, so I don't like parties for me.

I know you don't believe that, since I have a blog that I practically beg you to come read.

7. Getting older means more aha moments, more wisdom, more life experience.

8. Getting older means more aches, more pains, more creaks and more things gravity has moved to new locations.

Ironic, isn't it?

9.  I love the big birthdays: 16, 18, 21, 30. Yes, I liked 30.

10. I don't so much like all the rest that happen starting with 31... of which I've experience more than I care to count.

***Ally
Tweet

Dear...

Dear Mother Nature,

I'm sorry about the PMS. I really do understand. I'm a little unpredictable when I have it, too. But the majority of this country is slowly dying of heat stroke, while us here in Seattle keep checking the map to see if we've been transported to the midwest. Because humidity, thunderstorms, lightening... that's not really classic Northwest weather, if you know what I mean. Still, I'm not complaining, because it's warm but not unbearably hot, but a little less of the dramatics would be appreciated.

*****

Dear Facebook Poster,

While I can appreciate you posting a few pics from your ongoing vacation, "checking in" at every hotel on the Vegas strip - as you walk down said strip - is kind of obnoxious. There's a lot of hotels on that strip, which makes for a whole lot of posts on my feed. (I would unsubscribe from your posts, but my husband is so amused by the nonsense that he doesn't want me to.)

*****

Dear Facebook Poster, again,

Having the poolside bartender take your picture with your phone while you hold the two drinks you just bought sorta reeks of... I don't know,  desperation maybe?

 *****

Dear Loving Son,

While I have sat through most of your baseball team's games this season, watching you keep the stats from the sideline with only one hand while the other is in a nice bright green cast, I do hope you understand why I'm not watching these current tournament games. Because $7 per game, with a 5 game minimum is a bit pricey to watch you not play. I love you though, and I know you kick some ass if you were able to be out there.

*****

Dear Dog,

I envy you your bladder control. I have no idea how you make it through the whole night, then look outside at the rainstorm in the morning and decide you can hold it longer because you don't want to get wet. IF I made it through the night and found my toilets disabled in the morning, I would pee outside in a rainstorm without a second thought. That's how bad I have to go by morning.

*****

Dear Bike Trainer Sitting In My Room,

I don't know what I did to you to make you stick your leg out and jam my toe as I walked by. I'm wondering if I'll be able to run today, or if I'll lose my nail in a few weeks. Though it is kind of interesting to feel every heartbeat in my fourth toe, the throbbing has calmed to a dull roar.

Love,

***Ally

Tweet

10 Good Iron Things - Monday Listicles

Link up with Stasha at The good life for Monday Listicles. It's a different topic every week - follow along and join in. Stasha's a great host and always has interesting things for us to make our lists about.

This week's topic is 10 Thanks. But I've been super busy all weekend, didn't have anything started, late getting this post out... and I'm going off topic.

So, you read that title and thought I was going to talk about ironing? Cast iron pans?

Um, no. Domestic goddess I am not.

Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens. That's what I'm talking about. WAIT, no, I didn't race the Ironman 70.3. I did, however, work as part of a treatment team there. On Friday and Saturday there were a group of us that all practice Active Release Techniques that volunteered treating athletes at our booth. (It's a specific muscular therapy treatment - athletes get it quite often) Anyhoo, on race day, we are then put in volunteer positions for the race. In our case, we worked the finish line handing out mylar blankets, as our temperatures plummeted on Sunday leaving the finish cool and windy. Sweaty, exhausted athletes get chilled quickly when they stop moving.

So onto the list. 10 great things about working this race:

1. I already had a ton of respect for these athletes, and I work with both full and half Iron athletes in my practice fairly often. But getting to see them finish first hand? Pure awesome.

2. Working with someone who is having pain and doubts about their ability to get through the race, and then being there to see that athlete finish and have them express their gratitude about how much you helped them - well that's a total confidence boost right there.

3. My respect for Pamela at Road To Joy just went through the roof. She does this stuff. The swimming, cycling, running, that is. She also writes, but that's a whole other line of respect.

4. We were stationed across from the medical tent, and occasionally had to grab an athlete about to fall and guide them over. There was a very cute EMT/paramedic assigned to the race over there. Did I mention he was cute? I was totally entertained during the down times. (Oh come on, I'm married, happily at that, and he had on a ring too, but I'm not DEAD. The boy was damn cute and fun to look at. And his flirty eyes said the down times were just as boring for him.)

5. I got to meet a whole handful of providers I hadn't met before. It really is great to meet people who do what I do. We really aren't that competitive, and it often really helps to have a network of people to both refer to and to learn from.

6. My inspiration bank for running has gotten a refill. In case you aren't familiar with the 70.3 race, they swim 1.2 miles, ride 56 miles, then run a half marathon - that's 13.1 miles. (And really 13.1 shouldn't be called "half" of anything. It's an accomplishment in and of itself.) If they can run that after all the rest, I can surely put a little more effort into my runs.

7. It is absolutely fantastic to see all the different kinds of people that run these races, from the elite pros to the guy or gal running their very first one.

8. A Biggest Loser winner from a few years ago competed in her first 70.3. Along with her film crew. She was treated at our booth by another provider and I wrapped her in the mylar blanket at the end of the race - which she completed! That was pretty entertaining, as she was a really good sport about the whole thing.

9. Did I mention the eye candy across from us at the finish line? Just checking.

10. I sometimes get too comfortable and depressed in my little cocoon of a comfort zone. In doing so, I actually do myself a disservice. I learn so much from being around other athletes, other work providers, other people. Pushing myself to step out of that comfort zone is SO good for me.

***Ally
 Tweet

Nice View

I was at my son's baseball game last night. You know, one of those games he can't play because his arm is in a cast. Sigh. But we're good sports and go anyway.

So I'm sitting there, minding my business, mostly watching the game.

We had the early game, so the other two teams for the next game were already arriving. Apparently, they were very focused on their upcoming game and not at all aware of all the other people filling the stands and surrounding areas watching the current game.

Because this is where a group of them came and stood:

Right between me and my view of home plate.

Seriously oblivious to the fact that they walked right past my chair, with me in it, that was two feet from the fence.

Eventually, a dad on our team made a comment to me, which led a player outside of the above view ask me if they were bothering me. 

*insert very dramatic eye roll by me here*

***Ally
Tweet

Turn It Around

Yesterday morning started fine and then quickly went down hill.

I got up, had my coffee, read some blogs and then got dressed to run.

My run went well. The dog didn't poop where she was supposed to, but she did poop not far from a garbage can at the middle school so I didn't have to carry a plastic bag of warm poop for another 2.5 miles. Yay!

I returned home and checked email. And that's when things went down hill. I had a very unpleasant email from a very unpleasant person who berated me in a very unpleasant way for something someone else hadn't done, which it turned out they actually had.

It didn't exactly put me in a good frame of mind.

Initially, I wanted to be grumpy. I wanted to be pissed off at everyone. I wanted to have a bad day and blame it on the email.

Instead, I decided to attack my day with happiness and kindness. I gave myself 15 minutes to be pissed off. And then I let it go. I read some positive quotes. I joked with my husband. I let rude drivers go in front of me. I smiled at strangers. I held the door for someone in my office building. I let someone go ahead of me at the grocery store.

And you know what? It worked. I chose not to let my day be funky. I chose to do something to turn it around.

It was a good day.

***Ally
Tweet

Things I'll Miss And Things I Won't - Monday Listicles

Link up with Stasha at The good life for Monday Listicles. It's a different topic every week - follow along and join in. And I'll keep saying it - look at her beautiful pictures while you are checking out her site.

This week's topics is inspired by Nora Ephron's Lists of What She Will Miss and What She Won't. It was suggested by MannahattaMamma. I really enjoyed reading Nora's lists, and with all kudo's to Nora, I did keep my lists on the short side, and didn't even bother to number them. I just went with the first things that popped into my head!


What I'll miss:
Chick flicks
Summer
The quiet of a snow fall
My husband and my son
The joy my dog exhibits when I come home
Blooming flowers
Chocolate milkshakes with my son and husband

What I Won't Miss:
Adult acne
Cancer
Periods (yes, I said it.)
Politics
Mosquitoes (can you tell it's summer?)
Facebook posts meant only to get someone to ask "What happened?"
Shaving my legs

What will you miss or not miss?

***Ally
Tweet

Red Writing Hood Link Up

This week, your prompt is a simple concept that can be fraught with complication.

You have 400 words to write a fiction or creative non-fiction piece about freedom, in any way that makes sense to you.

From Red Writing Hood at Write On Edge

I used something I had just recently written for another project. 

Letting go was difficult, really difficult. At the same time it was one of the most freeing feelings I’d ever experienced.

My biggest issue over the last five years or so, was that I had always left a tiny sliver of hope alive. Hope that we could find a neutral place to have a relationship in. Hope that somehow we could just once have a conversation that didn’t decline into some sort of competition of crazy. Hope that we could meet in person and not have it include a public display of an emotional tantrum. Hope that my husband could have relationship with his sister, but not realizing that it was my hope, projected onto him by me, and not his hope.

Keeping that hope alive was akin to keeping a candle of anger burning in the back of my head. Because with the sliver of hope came the acknowledgement of all that had gone wrong in the past. I had no ability to separate hope for the future with anger over the past. The mere act of having to hold onto hope for the future just reminded me of the awful that had filled the past. The pain, the frustration, the hurt, the anger, all of it was kept burning with that sliver of hope.

It was time to blow out the candle. There was not going to be a neutral relationship where we could pretend to get along. That’s all it would be, pretend, not real, not honest, not free from the anger. It was time to let it all go.

I felt relief. I’d never again bite my tongue while watching her hurt someone I loved. I wouldn’t proofread correspondence six times to make sure I wasn’t saying something that would flip her switch and start her on one of her tantrums. It no longer mattered what she thought of me. To care what a crazy person thought of me was a kind of insanity I no longer needed to carry around with me.

I felt like I was taking off a thick, heavy coat too late in spring. I felt the weight of it slip away as the freedom of moving forward opened up the world in front of me.


***Ally
Tweet

Temperature Crazy Is All Relative

Do you ever read a blogger's post and for whatever reason it inspires you to write your own? I do. And I like to give credit where it's due. Yesterday I read a post at Good Day, Regular People by Alexandra, aka: The Empress. I was struck by the irony of more than half the country sweltering in the heat while I've been pouting about our gray and clouds and rain. Anyweatherstatement, keep reading for my take on the weather:

There's been a heat wave all across the country. Everywhere except here, that is. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we not so patiently await for summer to begin on or around July 4th. That is the norm.

I do have memories of a few summers where it was hot before the kids got out of school (which typically happens the third week of June in these parts). And I might have one memory of wearing shorts and a tank top on the Fourth of July. In general, however, we look to July 5th.

Now to be completely fair, August is the most fantabulous (it's a word, trust me) month you can imagine here. Usually. Most years. Drop dead gorgeous Augusts. And September? It's our little secret that we send our little ones back to school, breath a sigh of relief and enjoy yet another month of drop dead gorgeous weather.

But people, it does not get hot here. Okay, okay, a couple of years ago we had a hot spell. Like over 100 degrees hot. You would have thought it was freaking Armageddon. I'm quite sure they sent news reporters outside to see if an egg would fry on the sidewalk. For real. Honest. But you have to understand, 98.3% of people in the Pacific Northwest do not have air conditioning. Why the hell would we? We think 80 degrees is a heat wave. If it hits 90, all you hear are the words "record heat" on the news.

Me? I was not really meant to be a northwesterner. I really love heat. Not 103+ with 90% humidity. That's not heat, that's hell on earth. Been there (Branson, MO in August), done that. I know, many of you live in that shizzle. That, my friends, is nuttier than a bag of almonds. No, give me a steady 82 degrees, maybe a light breeze, where I know I can get up in the morning and put on shorts and possibly need a light sweatshirt after the sun goes down - that is my kind of heaven. I stop wearing a sweatshirt when the temperature inside my house hits 75. That is comfortable to me.

So when we do get summer, I am content. The most you'll hear me say is, "Beautiful out, isn't it?"

However, we have a special breed of folks around here. They like the cool weather and the gray skies. Like it, I tell you. They don't mind the rain. I shake my head with a lack of comprehension when I hear them admit it. My cousin, who I adore, she is one of them. Breaks my heart. When the temps hit 80, they can be heard saying crazy stuff: "It's just too hot for me." "Hope this heat breaks soon." "Whoo, I just can't get anything done in this heat." Or to my absolute horror: "Phew, can't wait until fall." WHAT? Who are these aliens that inhabit the land in which I live?

It's all relative, I guess. It's supposed to be 86 here by Sunday. The first person that says, "It's too hot!"... well, let's just hope they aren't standing near me. This crazy chick? I'm in my happy zone - total 'relative' weather perfection.

***Ally
Tweet

Wordless Wednesday - Happy 4th!

***Ally
Tweet

What's Your Number?

I saw this at Batcrap Crazy and over at Terri's Little Corner. Like Terri, I love me a good list, so I had to join in. It's a bucket list of sorts. See how many YOU'VE done~

1. Started your own blog 
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band 
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (a really small one)
9. Held a praying mantis (I've seen one though)
10. Sang a solo (cringe)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm 
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Take a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (dammit)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language 

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait drawn or painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie 

56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching (and had them swim under our boat)
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (horrified)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (does "laid off" count?)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Dislocated a joint
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (not YET)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the paper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (rattlesnake - I skinned, but didn't kill)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit 
98. Owned a cell phone 
99. Been stung by a bee

 53 out of 99. Not bad. How about you? What's your number?

***Ally 

Tweet

Random Answers - Monday Listicles

Link up with Stasha at The good life for Monday Listicles. It's a different topic every week - follow along and join in. And I'll keep saying it - look at her beautiful pictures while you are checking out her site.

This week Stasha gave us a random list of questions to answer. This is right up my alley!


1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, and find line 4. What is it?

"...the list of other women who are about to have their own lives and schedules collapsed as if they were made of air." From Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish


2. How many times a day do you say Hi?

I never thought about this before as a whole! 2-4 times while I'm out on my runs. I always make eye contact and greet other walkers and runners, they say it's a deterrent to anyone who might be up to no good. Then at work, up to 8-10 times in person, and sometimes a few more times on the phone. Twice when I get home, to The Boy and Hubs. Often there's a greeting to my two closest neighbors when I go to check the mail, water the plants, etc


3. Have you ever worn a uniform?

I had to think about this, but the answer is... no. I'm not sure if I should be sad that I never had the decision of what to wear made for me, or happy that I never got stuck in an outfit I hated every day!


4. What do you think about the most?

The incredible human that my husband and I made and have raised. I can honestly say that these days I probably think about happy thoughts involving him more than I think about bills, money, job searches, asshat sister-in-law, etc. It's a really nice and positive change. And besides, he'll be a senior in high school next year - there's a lot going through my head! Though, I should probably have prefaced this entire answer with the fact that my thoughts flit from thing to thing faster than... well something really, really fast.


5. How many keys are on your keyring?

Four. Two to the office, one to the house, and my car key.


6. What was the last thing you bought?

Two books on writing memoir, a pair of sandals and a laptop stand for my son. I list them all because I bought them all Saturday morning in one sit down at the computer. The books and sandals I bought with my PayPal balance from selling other stuff on eBay. Score!


7. Are you growing anything these days? 

Besides my ridiculously long hair that is finally getting trimmed up on Wednesday? (Yep, my hair stylist is working on the 4th!) Yes, we have a garden growing parsnips, carrots, lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, and green beans. Nine pots of flowers. And a bed of strawberries and a raspberry patch - first berries of the year have been DELISH!


8. What is under your bed?

My wedding dress - cleaned, preserved and in it's box. Where am I supposed to keep that thing?! Some plastic shelving broken down that I'm convinced if I get rid of it, I will immediately find a place to need/use it. A plastic tub that holds 30 years of letters and cards from my bff, Lela. And a baseball bat. You know, for safety and stuff...


9. What is most important in life?

The easy, and true answer is my family.  If you want to get more complicated, I could make a list: health, self respect, respect for others, love, self love, freedoms, spirituality (in whatever form that may take), the simple things, etc, etc


10. What is the strangest word you used this week?
 
I'm terrible at remembering things like this. Probably some medical term like sartorius or articularis genu. They are both muscles, by the way.  I could tell you my most used word this week, but I've made it all the way to #10 without cussing, so why start now... (I blame PMS. I'll be better next week.)


Thanks for the great list of questions, Stasha!

***Ally
Tweet