1. What's surprised you most about your life or life in general?
I never imagined that I would be estranged from my birth family. I never imagined that I would be a thousand miles away in a nursing home with David, getting the call that my daddy was dead. I never imagined not being there for his funeral. Even if I’d had all the money in the world, how do you choose between your daddy and your husband? My place was here.
But the biggest surprise for me was getting married in the first place. I didn’t think that was something that would ever happen for me. It was just for the pretty girls, not people like me. It was something that I had hoped for, and becoming a mother, too, but I just didn’t think it would happen. Even after David and I were a couple for a long while, I still couldn’t believe it would happen.
The top two things on my life’s “to do” list have been done. Now the surprise will be whatever happens next.
2. Sweet potato fries, sweet potato casserole, a baked sweet potato, a bowl of butternut squash soup, a caramel apple or a slice of pumpkin pie...you have to order one thing on this list right now. Which one do you go for?
It would either be the squash soup, caramel apple, or pumpkin pie. I love squash and can still eat it. The same with pumpkin pie. I totally love caramel apples, but I cannot eat them due to a problem with my jaw. I can’t open my mouth very far. If the apple could be cut, then I’m there!
3. What's a famous book set in your home state? Have you read it? On a scale of 1-5 (5 is fantastic) how many stars does it rate?
I don’t know if this series of books is famous or not yet. It has won an Agatha Award. It seems like there was another award, too, but I can’t remember the name of it. The Liz Talbot Series by Susan M. Boyer is set in South Carolina lowcountry in a fictional island town called Stella Maris, which is near the real city of Charleston. Liz is a detective and a pretty good one. I have read books 1-6 and the series most definitely rates a 5!
Thank you for adding to my “to be read” pile with this question, Joyce! haha
4. There are 60 days until Christmas...have you started your shopping? How do you stay organized for the holidays?
I stay organized for the holidays same as I do for the rest of the year - I don’t! Really, there isn’t anything for me to organize specifically for the holidays here. Most likely, it will just be David, Laynie, Petra (grand-dogger), Vivaldi (froggie), and me here for Christmas. We get what we need or want (sometimes)throughout the year, so we don’t really have a mad rush at Christmastime. We try to concentrate on the real meaning of Christmas, not the commercial endeavor it has become.
5. October 26th is National Tennessee Day. Have you ever lived or spent any time in Tennessee? Is this a state you'd like to visit one day? The top rated tourist attractions in Tennessee are-
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park (Gatlinburg area), Elvis's Graceland (Memphis), Birth of the Music Biz (Memphis and Nashville), Dollywood (Pigeon Forge), Tennessee's Military Heritage (many battlefields), The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home), The Parthenon (Nashville), Oak Ridge American Museum of Science and Energy, Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley Railroad, Downtown Knoxville, Lookout Mountain, The Titanic Museum (Pigeon Forge), The Museum of Appalachia (Clinton), and The Lost Sea Adventure (Sweetwater)
How many on this list have you seen? Which one on the list would you most like to see?
I have spent time in Tennessee. We were there for part of our honeymoon. We’ve been to Graceland, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Gatlinburg, the Hermitage, and Lookout Mountain. We’ve been to all of the towns that are mentioned, with the exception of Clinton, Sweetwater, and Oak Ridge. David’s sister lived there at some point, but we don’t remember going there. Most of the attractions were closed for the season when we were there in November 1984.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I have had a blast the last couple of weeks putting together puzzles featuring the kitty cat artwork of Charles Wysocki! I learned about these great puzzles from Barbara over at Teleportingweena.
We have completed four of them (David and Laynie helped me). The pictures link to their listing on Amazon. These are the four:
Ethel the Gourmet
Frederick the Literate
Remington the Horticulturist
Maggie the Messmaker
Have a blessed week, y'all!
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These puzzles have been a lot of fun. I love you, my Zing! I seem to recall visiting Black Rock just on the Georgia side of Tennessee once. Ouch!
ReplyDeleteMaybe I could give you another reminder of that Black Rock visit. haha
DeleteI love you, too, my Zing. :)
Your answer to #1 is beautiful as it really highlights how life constantly surprises us, especially when it comes to family and love. I never expected to get married either, but then my beloved appeared and that idea went out the window.
ReplyDeleteLove the artwork of Charles Wysocki, well done on all the puzzles that you've completed.
Have a great week.
Thank you, Pamela. I am very glad that you found your beloved, too. :)
DeleteThank you! I had a lot of fun completing these puzzles. Now, to frame them and get them on the wall. The Puffed Mice one is definitely going in the dining room. haha Maggie the Maker is going over my sewing machine. I haven't yet decided for sure where the other two will go.
Have a blessed week!
One of my girls is a Maggie and she is quite the mess maker! I will look into those books that you mentioned. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you enjoy the books. :)
DeleteIs Maggie a common name in your family? It shows up very frequently in my family(on both sides) and a few times in David's family, too.
Have a blessed week!
I can relate to your surprise and conflict as I was far across the country when my mother died and at home in another state when my dad died. So many of my friends tell of being present to say goodbye, but that has not been the case for me with any of my loved ones.
ReplyDelete{{{Hugs}}} I am sorry that you didn't get to be with your parents when they passed away either. One friend of ours, very recently, lost her daddy. On the way to the funeral for her daddy(in another state), her husband had a heart attack and died. How awful to have no time to process the one before you have to face it again. :(
DeleteOur oldest daughter, who was almost 2 at the time, and I were in the room when my Grandpa Spence died. My aunt had just left the room, so it was Laynie, the hospice worker, me and Grandpa in there. I will never forget it. I would have been with my Grandma Spence when she died, because she died during my scheduled visit time, but I hadn't gone that morning due to being up all night doing laundry and visiting with a neighbor. While I have felt guilty for a long time about not being there for her, I know that Heavenly Father kept me from being there. He knew that I could not handle so directly her loss. I probably would have died there, too, or on the way back home (45 miles away at the time).
Did you get to be at your parents' funerals?
Have a blessed week!
I love puzzles, but haven't put any together since last winter. You've inspired me to go dig one out for this weekend.
ReplyDeleteBlessings~
Cool! What are your favorite types of puzzles to put together? Have fun working your puzzle. :)
DeleteHave a blessed week!
I wish I could do puzzles. I like the idea of them. When I have tried to do one my mind gets confused, and I get frustrated. Even small 50 piece puzzles. Good for you having fun with them!
ReplyDeleteIt can be difficult to sit down and focus on something so detailed for a very long time. I had to take breaks to rest my eyes pretty often. It got to the point that I was even dreaming about putting puzzles together. haha
DeleteI'm sorry that they are so frustrating for you.
Have a blessed week!
I didn't realize your Dad passed when Dave was so sick. I am sorry you had to go through that. I am sure your Dad would have understood your choice.
ReplyDeleteIt was 9 December 2012. David was hospitalized on 2 November 2012 due to a septic toe, that had to be amputated. He was in the first hospital 1 week, the second hospital 3 weeks, and then the nursing home for over almost a month. He got released just before that Christmas, but was hospitalized again just before New Year's Day. We rang in the New Year at the hospital.
DeleteEarly on during this, I had gotten a call from my sister telling me that Daddy had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He already had COPD. Apparently the cancer was already pretty far advanced, because he died 6 days after his 71st birthday. At no point during any of this was I able to go back home to tell him good-bye. One thing that I beat myself up about is that he never wanted anyone to tell him happy birthday, but I generally did it anyway. But, I didn't call him on his birthday that time...and then he was gone.
I still mist up when I think about him. I can't talk about him without my voice breaking and sometimes just outright bawling my eyes out. I've never been able to completely let go of the loved ones that have gone on, especially Daddy, Granny, and Grandma, and our Dorian.
It is true that he would have understood that I had to be here and, financially, really had no choice. I know I will see him again some day.
Have a blessed week!
((HUGS)) to you for the things that caused your heart to hurt in #1. I respect your answer for #4 and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas. Glad you are enjoying the puzzles. You just gave me a good thought. I own a lot of puzzle and recently I have been suffering from anxiety. I think I need to pull one out and start working on it!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debby. (((Hugs)))
DeleteI hope that you enjoy putting your puzzles together. What is your favorite type of scene on puzzles? I am sorry that you've been dealing with anxieties. You're in my prayers.
Have a blessed week!