The Girl in the Red Sweater

A continuation of the earlier 30 things, I finally sat down and finished it. (The original 30 are at the bottom.)

1. I am right-handed.
2. I started using computers in the second grade.
3. I prefer crochet over knitting.
4. I met Hubby on a trip to meet a friend of a friend I had met online. Hubby was the roomate of the friend of the friend.
5. Things I always carry in my purse: a book, my digital camera, my Palm Pilot, and a scrunchie.
6. I had my ears pierced twice, but my skin is so sensitive I can’t wear earrings.
7. I’ve never had a cat or dog.
8. I think most people choose not to live up to their potential. Before you think I’m being harsh, I include myself in that judgement.
9. I love raspberry bubble bath.
10. I have always been convinced that grape popsicles taste much better than cherry or orange. Although many of my tastes have changed, to this day I always eat the grape popsicles before I start in on the leftover flavors.
11. I have very wide feet. So wide that men’s shoes fit me better than women’s. Too bad the dress shoes aren’t interchangeable.
12. I am fluent in HTML.
13. Bad grammar is one of my pet peeves.
14. So is bad spelling.
15. The only kind of steak I like is a ribeye. Don’t bother serving me sirloin, filet mignon, prime rib, or a t-bone. I’d rather have chicken, or better yet, seafood.
16. I love going to Renaissance Faires. In fact, my mom’s cousin is the queen of one.
17. I hate answering the phone, whether it’s at work or at home.
18. I chipped my front tooth in elementary school. I still have the filling, but they had just started using the new plastic kind, so you can’t see it.
19. I used to play the clarinet. No, I never went to band camp.
20. I love iced tea, especially with lemon, lime and sugar.
21. I dream of living in the mountains. Somewhere less spoiled by humans where I can actually smell the fresh scent of the trees and see a clear blue sky.
22. I had a friend in elementary school I called my twin sister. She was born within 15 minutes of me, but one year later.
23. I am horrible at sports. And when I say sports, I include everything I have tried: soccer, football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, racquetball, croquet, tennis, badminton, ice skating, gymnastics, and track.
24. I have a birthmark. (No, I won’t tell you where!)
25. I don’t get football. It’s been explained to me, but I don’t understand how people can enjoy watching or playing something where you throw a ball, then stand around for 10 minutes while they play commercials, then line up and throw the ball again.
26. I once tried out to be a cheerleader. (Didn’t even come close.)
27. I can usually find anything in the house within 10 minutes.
28. I have worn glasses since the 3rd grade.
29. I have trouble thinking of things about myself that I believe others would find interesting. That goes double for this list. Please, let me know if you are actually surprised or interested by anything.
30. Things I always have in my fridge: cranberry juice, filtered water, yogurt, and jam.
31. I love “Get Smart.”
32. I’m very impatient with people who are willfully ignorant. That includes anyone who says “I’ll never understand computers” or the like because they simply refuse to try.
33. I have only lived in three states.
34. I do not like living in those three states.
35. I can read a map quite well. Hubby taught me when he was driving over the road, and I navigated for him.
36. I can type 120 words a minute.
37. The only time I sleep well is during a good steady thunderstorm. Without one, I never sleep through the night.
38. I dream of one day owning my own business. But I still haven’t decided what kind of business. It could be a used bookstore (complete, of course, with an official Bookstore Cat), or a little copy shop, or maybe a laundromat which is also a coffee shop with a little library.
39. I can trace part of my family tree back to left-handed Scottish swordsmen in the 1600s.
40. I have made a quilt and more than 10 afghans.
41. I hate to be late.
42. I also hate to be early, so I am usually about two minutes early for anything.
43. I have only been camping once, and I was 8.
44. I have been fishing countless times. The last time was three days ago.
45. I have never liked reality TV. If you want reality, turn off the TV.
46. I never wear shoes unless I have to. But if I’m going out of the house, I consider that having to.
47. I enjoy solving puzzles. Especially logic problems and Tetris variations.
48. I could never be a vegetarian. I love meat too much, and I don’t think it’s morally wrong to eat animals as long as they are raised decently.
49. I have never smoked.
50. I have a set of golf clubs. They don’t get used much.
51. I have a little red scooter. It gets used all the time.
52. My wedding ring has a heart-shaped diamond.
53. I used to be a natural blonde, but my hair is slowly turning brown.
54. I love escargot.
55. I can never remember my dreams, even if I try to write them down immediately upon waking up. The last dream I can remember having was when I was 6 years old, and I dreamed about a lady in a beautiful Victorian gown with a parasol walking through Monet’s garden.
56. Despite this, I get deja vu a lot. I’ll half remember that I dreamed about something, and then it’s gone.
57. I’ve never been skydiving (and don’t intend to.)
58. I have also never been skiing, snowboarding or surfing. (But I do intend to someday.)
59. I met my first boyfriend on the internet. This actually led to me meeting Hubby in a roundabout way (see #4).
60. Growing up, I wanted to be a fine artist. I gradually realized I would never make any money at it.
61. I have had 3 gerbils and a hamster.
62. I very rarely get angry, but you’d better watch out if I do.
63. I wore tennis shoes under my wedding gown.
64. I don’t wear makeup. Just Chapstick.
65. I hate Wal-mart. It’s because I used to adore them, up until somewhere between 5 and 10 years ago. They used to carry all the things I liked, like my favorite tea and plain t-shirts, and I could count on them to have whatever I needed and a few impulse buys. Last time I went there, they were no longer selling 8 of the 12 items on my list.
66. My favorite flavor of ice cream is spumoni.
67. I like Macs and PCs alike.
68. I have never broken any bones, but I have lost count of the number of times I have sprained my ankles.
69. I hate ham.
70. I took piano lessons for 5 years as a kid, but I never could buckle down and practice.
71. I’m a night person.
72. I am a chocolate addict. An imported Swiss chocolate addict.
73. My favorite color is blue. (Not red.)
74. I love touching things. Up until the recent “formaldehyde in the Chinese clothing” scare, I always used to run my fingers over all the clothing in store, especially the soft clothes like sweaters and bathrobes.
75. I can’t stand beer. I can’t imagine how anyone can drink it.
76. I have a sister who is 5 years younger than me.
77. I was a nerd until high school, when I developed more people skills and became more of a nobody.
78. I love to read.
79. I’m absolutely addicted to Gilmore Girls.
80. I have five stitches in my chin. I got them when I was 2 years old and I ran into the corner of my little desk. I don’t remember anything except the fact that after the doctors were done with me, my parents took me to Hardee’s as a treat. I can still point out which parking spot we parked in that day, although it’s not a Hardee’s anymore.
81. I used to ride horses in 4-H shows.
82. I’m allergic to pine trees.
83. My Hubby is allergic to pine trees. (No, seriously. I couldn’t believe it either.)
84. I have 3 sock monkeys.
85. I’ve read all the Harry Potter books and seen all the movies.
86. I used to draw and paint a lot. I even won a Gold Key in the regional Scholastic awards.
87. I knit and crochet all the time.
88. I’m allergic to Easter lilies (well, all lilies, but Easter lilies are the worst).
89. I’m allergic to poinsettias. (Seeing a trend here?)
90. My favorite city is Paris.
91. I can’t do basic arithmetic to save my life, but I got a 4 on the AP Calculus exam.
92. I have a bachelor’s degree in Commercial Graphics from Pittsburg State.
93. I would rather do almost any chore than do the dishes or fold the laundry.
94. I have been to 6 countries outside the U.S.: Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, and Italy.
95. I attend a Community of Christ church.
96. I like coffee. Chocolate-flavored coffee. (I know, I know, it’s a shocker for you if you have known me more than 6 months.)
97. My favorite kinds of music are country, Christian, smooth jazz, pop/soft rock, and classical.
98. I am semifluent in French.
99. I have a PC and a Mac. I usually use my PC because it’s newer and faster.
100. My favorite season is fall.

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Happy moment of the day:

Just when you get disappointed with life, something little reminds you that all you need to do is step back and appreciate the simple things.

Almost every time we visit Hubby’s parents out in the country, there is a fresh batch of kittens. Some of them are wild, so you have to ask which ones are okay to grab before you reach a hand out to pet them. But some of them are just as tame as a sassy old lap cat. I could sit on the front porch petting kittens for hours. (And I usually do.)

The thing about the cats is they tend to hang around the porch, which is always covered in interesting items. This little one found a birdhouse to perch on. Other times you’ll see two kittens scamper across an old rusty cash register. Whatever they do, they’re nice little reminders of the joy and wonder of life.

If only we had a front porch.

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I miss snow. I really do.

But I do like being able to ride my scooter comfortably, without a snowsuit, on Christmas Eve.

We spent several days this past extended weekend scooting all around town. All of it was ostensibly with specific goals, like “Let’s go get some breakfast and then go downtown to the art supply store,” but Hubby and I are quite impulsive, and plans change quickly.

In the end, it just boiled down to “Let’s go out on the scoots and have a good time.” We went anywhere and everywhere and just enjoyed the ride. My scooter now has over 125 miles on it. And we’ve only filled it up twice.

We stuck to the nicer parts of town, where people drive a little better, and so far we’ve had great luck with drivers actually seeing us and not aiming to mow us down. Even the SUVs haven’t cut us off yet.

(Not that I expect that luck to hold out indefinitely, but I do seem to attract a fair amount of attention, being a female on two wheels. I’ve only noticed one other female rider, ever, around here, so I get lots of stares and smiles. Even the girls at the bank told me Friday as they sent me my cash, “We’d just like to say that we love your scooter!”

I think it helps, too, that Hubby and I usually scoot together, so there are two pairs of eyes on the lookout for idiocy before it happens.)

After a nice morning ride on Christmas Eve, with stops for breakfast and a peek in a very cool bead store downtown, we ended up at the grocery store so we could grab some chicken liver for bait. It was actually a pretty normal shopping trip, although it took some scheming to secure the last parking spot in the entire shopping center.

As soon as we got back, the scooters went back into the garage, the boat came out of it, and in no time we were at the lake. Only as we paid the admission fee did we realize we had forgotten the fishing poles . . .

We tried fishing with some sticks Hubby had in the truck, but he was the only one who had any luck. My perfect record of outfishing him was tarnished by the cutest little half-pound catfish you ever saw. (Poor little guy. At least he got to swim away.)

But fortunately we had come prepared otherwise; we each pulled out our books and some snacks and enjoyed the beautiful afternoon. We also took a moment to call our families and brag about the beautiful weather.

All in all, we had a lovely holiday weekend. And I figured out what crafty project to tackle next: a balaclava to go under my helmet. Even when it’s 50 or 60 degrees, the wind tends to chill your chin if it’s not covered. I tracked down some lovely soft red yarn that ought to be just the right thickness . . . I’ll let you know how it turns out.

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I’ll try to work up to the traditional 100 Things About Me, but hey, this is a start.

1. I’m a night person.
2. I am a chocolate addict. An imported Swiss chocolate addict.
3. My favorite color is blue. (Not red.)
4. I love touching things. Up until the recent “formaldehyde in the Chinese clothing” scare, I always used to run my fingers over all the clothing in store, especially the soft clothes like sweaters and bathrobes.
5. I can’t stand beer. I can’t imagine how anyone can drink it.
6. I have a sister who is 5 years younger than me.
7. I was a nerd until high school, when I developed more people skills and became more of a nobody.
8. I love to read.
9. I’m absolutely addicted to Gilmore Girls.
10. I have five stitches in my chin. I got them when I was 4 years old and I ran into the corner of my little desk. I don’t remember anything except the fact that after the doctors were done with me, my parents took me to Hardee’s as a treat. I can still point out which parking spot we parked in that day, although it’s not a Hardee’s anymore.
11. I used to ride horses in 4-H shows.
12. I’m allergic to pine trees.
13. My Hubby is allergic to pine trees. (No, seriously. I couldn’t believe it either.)
14. I have 3 sock monkeys.
15. I’ve read all the Harry Potter books and seen all the movies.
16. I used to draw and paint a lot. I even won a Gold Key in the regional Scholastic awards.
17. I knit and crochet all the time.
18. I’m allergic to Easter lilies (well, all lilies, but Easter lilies are the worst).
19. I’m allergic to poinsettias. (Seeing a trend here?)
20. My favorite city is Paris.
21. I can’t do basic arithmetic to save my life, but I got a 4 on the AP Calculus exam.
22. I have a bachelor’s degree in Commercial Graphics from Pittsburg State.
23. I would rather do almost any chore than do the dishes or fold the laundry.
24. I have been to 6 countries outside the U.S.: Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, and Italy.
25. I attend a Community of Christ church.
26. I like coffee. Chocolate-flavored coffee. (I know, I know, it’s a shocker for you if you have known me more than 6 months.)
27. My favorite kinds of music are country, Christian, smooth jazz, pop/soft rock, and classical.
28. I am semifluent in French.
29. I have a PC and a Mac. I usually use my PC because it’s newer and faster.
30. My favorite season is fall.

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(Another) Happy Moment of the Day

America: the melting pot of oh so many cultures.

I was going through some old photos and laughed once again when I saw this one. It’s from the St. Patrick’s Day parade. I know, I know, I hoard photos for way too long before I publish them. But I bet you weren’t expecting to see a St. Pat’s float when you pulled up my site — let alone this St. Pat’s float.

You’ve got to admit, the Mexicans who came up with this float really came up with something to make the people smile. I don’t always understand them, but it’s nice to be around some different influences. (Now if only they would learn a little more English so I could understand them better when they speak.)

We also had Irish Dancers…

and Colonial drummers…

and my personal favorite, the Shriners in the little red cars that go round and round and round:

I do love a good parade.

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Happy Moment of the Day

Ahh, yes, I do love my Hubby.

(You may hear me say that a lot. It’s so true.)

Last week we were faced with a challenge: come up with two gifts for Hubby’s company Christmas party. The theme was — you guessed it — white elephant gifts. So we set out on a quest to track down two positively hilarious gifts. We were stuck with China Dollar Mart (more commonly known as Walmart) due to time constraints, but that didn’t stop us from coming across some great weird stuff.

One almost-winner: a neck massager shaped like a purple elephant. He was next to a foot massager shaped like two lime-green frogs, which was almost thrown into the cart too. But we found both of these crazy gifts (ah, yes, and a bath back scrubber shaped like a dragon, next to the kids’ bathtub crayon sets) in the seasonal aisle, and we figured that anything so prominent might already have been picked. And you don’t want two purple elephants in the same room. It would just be too weird.

We wandered out of Seasonal over into Toys. Little did we know, we were about to hit the jackpot. After quite an extensive search of every aisle, we found just what we were looking for on the top shelf of the back wall.

Spider Spud.

I am not making this up — they made a Mr. Potato Head that has a Spiderman costume, complete with webbing which can shoot out of any of his various orifices. Not only one, but two. Apparently in the third movie there is a Black Spidey along with the traditional Red Spidey — and this was a set of spuds.

I didn’t know how we could possibly top this gift, but meandering through the Christmas ornament aisles I spotted an entire aisle devoted to singing, dancing critters. (I say critters because they were not limited to humans or animals — there were reindeer, turkeys, Santas, elves, snowmen, Disney princesses, the works.) I almost thought the turkey was it, but somehow he just didn’t seem right.

Then I spotted him: The Hip-Hop Snowman.

Those of you familiar with Vanilla Ice will cringe as you read this. He was the most adorable little hip-hopster little chubby snowman you could ever imagine, and he had his own “Ice” necklace. To my absolute delight, as he sang part of “Ice, Ice, Baby,” the necklace started to glow from a blue LED cleverly hidden within. He bopped his head around like a little thug and even had a fake diamond ring. This was it.

Here is a conspicuously similar one. He doesn’t look quite as cool — he doesn’t have the necklace, or a leather jacket, or sunglasses, but the shape of him and the movements are just about the same. You’ll still get a kick out of him.

Back to the turkey: I just couldn’t walk away without looking at them one more time, and when I tried to put the chosen one back, Hubby insisted on getting him for me. He even has his own AA battery pack, so when the power dies, I can resurrect him. He sings “Deck the Halls,” and several times throughout the song he gobbles with a rather realistic turkey sound and shuffles his feet forward. He ends up walking a good 5 feet by the time the song is done.

Ahh, my little Christmas turkey. I needed something on my desk that was guaranteed to make me smile when the customers are mean to me.

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I love my Hubby.

A month ago, I had so little to do at work that I picked up a motorcycle magazine one of the other girls had left behind. I was bored flipping through until I saw an ad for a Honda Metropolitan scooter. $39 a month, it proclaimed — that’s less than I spend on gas each month, let alone the car payment and the insurance.

After a week of research, we found we would indeed save money by buying a scooter — making a monthly payment on the scooter, plus buying gas for it, plus getting it insured — so Hubby (being the one who has actually ridden motorcycles before) got himself a little Kymco Super 9.

After our first ride, he saw the gleam in my eyes and said, “Oh, I see how it is.” I wasn’t quite sure what he meant, but I knew I enjoyed riding that thing a far sight better than my dad’s motorcycle.

Three days later, Hubby was surprised to see a new helmet sitting on the counter. “If I’m going to ride around with you, I want both of us wearing them,” I said, and I only meant to wear it either with him or on short little parking lot tours.

But after we came home from our disappointing vacation in Arkansas, we stopped by the motorcycle shop. Hubby had brought me there under the pretense of having his muffler checked, since his scooter was pretty loud, but upon being greeted by a salesman he said, “I’d like to see about a muffler — and a scooter for my wife.”

I knew this scooter wouldn’t end up saving money for a couple of years to come, so it was a toy — but oh, what a toy! In the end, despite the pricetag, I couldn’t resist, and after trying several models out I came home with a Buddy.

And a week later I came home with the nice riding jacket you see here. It doesn’t look like most of those clunky synthetic ones, but it has all the armor and tough material the rest of them do.

Next project: decorate the scooter! So far, I’m thinking a nice Hawaiian hibiscus flower theme. Ideally, I picture a beautiful blue sky and cloud motif, but since the Buddy doesn’t come in blue and it seems a little too vain to spend $200 on a paint job, I’ll work with the red.

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