another borrowed post topic

I just saw this on Cheri's blog & figured I'd borrow it.


What are your middle names?
His is Michael. I'd tell you mine, but then I'd have to kill you.

How long have you been together?
Since August 1, 1983

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
A couple of hours.

Who asked whom out?
He did, after we had spent the whole night sitting on a dock at the lake talking.

How old are each of you?
45--I'm two months older.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
His during the summer.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Oh where to begin...

Did you go to the same school?
We graduated high school together but had never met. Ironically, we met 100 miles away, out of state, where we now live.

Are you from the same home town?
Yes.
Who is smarter?
Depends on the topic. I'm more 'book smart' while he's more everyday smart.
Who is the most sensitive?
Definitely him.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
We hardly eat out, but we both like T-Bones.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Bermuda, or is it Milwaukee? I dunno which is further.

Who has the craziest exes?
Neither one of us has crazy ex's. (dunno which is correct: exes or ex's)

Who has the worst temper?
Both of us can have bad tempers--I can control mine a little better.

Who does the cooking?
Me--all of the cooking actually.

Who is the neat-freak?
I wish one of us was a neat freak!

Who is more stubborn?
I'm Irish. There ya go.

Who hogs the bed?
Him, although we finally just got a queen-size after 23 years on a full, so it's much improved!

Who gets up earlier?
Him. I hate mornings.

Where was your first date?
Friendly's ice cream.

Who is more jealous?
Me.

How long did it take to get serious?
A week or two.

Who eats more?
Definitely him.

Who does the laundry?
He doesn't even know where the washer is.

Who's better with the computer?
He doesn't even use a computer except when he's forced to at work.

Who drives when you are together?
I drive there, he drives home.

A Thanksgiving Meme

I borrowed this from Elizabeth Bienas blog.  http://elizbienas.blogspot.com/  Sad that I'm so lacking in the writing dept that I have to steal! lol



1.What are the traditional favorites?
turkey, stuffing, mashed taters, squash, green beans, gravy, cranberry sauce, and black olives.

2.What new recipes will you try this year?
None--keeping it simple. I will be trying out my new 5 burner range though--woohoo!

3.What part of the meal do you never compromise?
It's basically always the same.


4.Who gets to carve the turkey?
Around here it's not 'who gets to,' it's more about 'who can mess it up less?


5.Family style around the table or buffet style and everyone sits wherever there's room?
Family style since there's only 4 or 5 of us.

6.How many will be at your table this year?
Five, the four of us and ds's gf.

7.Three best pies for Thanksgiving dessert?
Apple and custard--that's it.

8.Cranberry sauce...yeah or nay?
Yaay, but only jellied--no lumps.

9.What time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner?
This year will be early, about 12:30 or 1:00. I like to eat mid-afternoon, like 2-3:00 but ds and his gf have to hit her mother's for a second meal so we're bumping ours up.

10.Favorite leftover?
All of them!

I'm drained.

I visited Dad in the hospital today. He has cellulitis in his leg (his good leg) but it's responding well to IV antibiotics and he will likely be released tomorrow. It's very hard to see him in the hospital. The big, strong hero who used to take care of me is now an elderly, fragile man (at only 71) who becomes scared and almost childlike because of his fear of hospitals. We did have a nice visit though. He told about his time in the Air Force, and some stories of his childhood. Dad was usually off working when I was a kid and when he was home he was very quiet, so I never felt like I really knew him at all. Ever since his stroke several years ago though, he's become more talkative. I love hearing all of his stories, but it does make me feel a little sad and scared, since my father-in-law started telling me all his stories over the last few years of his life. It must be a natural thing, to want to pass on your story and legacy before you die. I need to write them down to preserve them for my children and grandchildren.

It just boggles my mind

I cannot understand how some people can be so clueless, so selfish and self-absorbed. I think that if I ever had to call an ambulance for a stranger on the street I would probably climb into that ambulance and go with that stranger to the hospital just so they wouldn't feel as alone and scared. I can't even fathom someone sending their husband of 46 years, the man who worked 3 jobs, 18 hours a day to provide for said wife and family, who is now elderly and handicapped, off in an ambulance to sit alone in the ER for five hours before bothering to call any of the children. How could you let someone feel alone and scared like that when they are ill and in pain? I don't understand. My stomach is sick just thinking of it. And yet, according to my God and his Word, I am supposed to honor this person. Well I can't.

Almost There

5 and 1/2 more weeks of student teaching. Not that I'm counting or anything! I can't wait to get back to my regular school. It's so much more fun there. This school I'm at is so business-like. No one every laughs. The kids can't catch a break...literally...they have to work right through their snack break and just have a short recess and lunch. They have no social time at all. They're not even given any time to go to the bathroom, poor things. I feel so mean but I have to uphold the rules of the teacher I'm working under. She even made them do work during their Halloween party! They had to get a plate of food and go back to their desks and keep working. And for all of it, I don't think their test scores are any better than the scores at my regular school. All that said, I have learned a lot, especially about teaching reading & writing, but I'm ready for it to end.
I just got an order of Shimmer yarn from Knitpicks and am going to cast on today for a Clapotis shawl for a Christmas gift. I hope I can finish in time! It's supposed to be a very easy pattern and most people seem to complete it in a month, but when it comes to knitting I am not 'most people.' Why do I frustrate myself like this? Every year it seems I wait for the last minute and then decide to start some big project with a looming deadline. I drive myself crazy!
On the family front, ds seems to be doing great living out on his own. We used to see him a lot, but now we hardly ever do : (  I'm happy for him, but I miss him a lot. Looked at a college with dd this weekend. She liked it well enough but still mentions joining the service sometimes. I'm praying she'll change her mind herself so that dh & I don't have to lay down the law and tell her we're not signing permission for that. We have to get going on that college application soon so she can get a dorm. We took a bunch of pics the other day hoping to get a good one to use for her sr photo. Here are a couple of possibilities. They haven't been cropped yet, or photoshopped, so just a preview...

Busy busy!

I've spent all weekend doing a lot around the house. I primed and painted D's old room and we made it a den. Moved in the bookshelves, my computer desk, the recliner & a side table.

That left half the living room free, so we made that back into a dining room (like it used to be). It'll be nice to have more room when the kids come home for meals instead of being crowded in the kitchen. Of course, this made the kitchen empty so we moved the patio set inside, just until I decide what to do in there. It's t the far end of the kitchen, and we don't really need another table, so I'm considering getting a wicker loveseat, chair and coffee table and just having a little sitting area. It's a nice bright spot because there are two windows on both walls and it looks out into the woods. I also did some work in the garden to get it ready for winter. I'm bushed!

I also made some time for knitting. I'm currently working on a pair of fuzzy socks. I've actually been trying to make socks for about a year, but have ripped them out every time. Then I learned how to do 2 at a time on 2 circs, toe up. I'm almost to turning the heel, and so far so good! I finished my Shawl That Jazz several weeks ago but never got around to posting a pic.

September Goals Update

I think it's close enough to the end of the month so that I can update. Here are the goals I set for September:

SEPTEMBER GOALS:
1. exercise: 1 good 60 min. workout on weekends, 2-3 30 min. workouts during week
2. plan dinner and clothes the night before
3. get to bed by 10pm, 10:30 at the latest
4. pay bills weekly
5. write more often (here and in my journal)

Well, I've done pretty well on numbers 2,3 and 5; not so well on 1 and 4. Will continue to work on those.