Meet Me on Monday

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This week's questions:

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags?

I prefer wrapping paper, although gift bags are easier to deal with.

2.Real or artificial tree?

I love the smell of a real tree, but that is where it stops. We have an artificial tree. My husband's family used a real tree in one of their rooms when he was a boy, but I grew up with artificial trees.

3.When do you put your tree up?

Our Christmas season officially starts on December 18 as it is the birthday of one of our children. However, our tree stays up all year long.

4.When do you take your tree down?

We don't take it down. We used to take it down on the Day of Epiphany, but now we leave it up year-round.

5.Do you like eggnog?

I don't know. I've never had it.

6.Do you have a nativity scene?

I would love to have one, but we don't yet.

7.Favorite Christmas Movie?

There are two and, no, I can't decide between them. They are: It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street (the old version). They are classic and both have a wonderful message of faith and love.

8.Favorite Christmas cookie?

I love sugar cookies, unfrosted.

9.Where will you eat Christmas dinner?

My husband and I will be at home with our three remaining children.

10.Angel, bow or star on top of your tree?

I prefer to have an angel on top of the tree. I collect angels and try to get one each year in memory of our babies that are waiting for us in Heaven.

11.Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

The crowds and crazy drivers...and the commercialism are the worst things about this time of the year.

12.Do you like Fruitcake?

I'd rather have chocolate cake or my granny's pineapple-coconut cake.

13.What are you most excited about the holidays?

I'm not really excited, per se, but I do enjoy seeing the way folks have their houses decorated. It is really pretty driving through town at night seeing all of the lights.

14.Do you open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

Yes! It just really depends on our mood at the time. This isn't something that we've been really tied down on over the years.

15.Will you still be wrapping presents on Christmas Eve?

No. There's nothing left to wrap.

Merry Christmas, everybody! May your day be blessed with laughter, love, and lots of family all around to thank Him for the wonderful gift of His love, born as a baby in a lowly stable that silent night so long ago.

Meet Me on Monday

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Questions:

1. Tomorrow I'm going to _________?

Take my oldest daughter to one of her final exams and take another one to the dentist. From there, I'm not sure what the day holds. We're always on call and never know when we'll be called to do a job.

2. Pudding or Jello?

Can't I have both? I love them both, but since I have to choose, I will choose pudding, chocolate pudding. I'd like that with Cool Whip, please.

3. What book are you currently reading?

     

I actually have two going at the moment. One is Twilight Serenade by Tracie Peterson and the other is Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War by T. J. Stiles. I've been doing an awful lot of "help you feel better and grow into a better person"-type books lately. It is time for something light. What better than a book about love and life in Alaska and one about the Robin Hood of the South? I'm on a quest to prove or disprove my kinship with Frank and Jesse James, so am reading and watching as much as I can about the guys. If it turns out that we're not really related, it has still been an interesting adventure.

4. What is the first concert you went to see?

I believe that the first concert that I saw was a Sandy Patti concert. I think that she's great! "We Shall Behold Him" is my favorite of all of her songs. Just beautiful!



5. What is your current weather?

It is cooler than it usually is around here, but not cold. It has been overcast and yesterday there was so much glare that it made my eyes hurt. It never gets really cold around here although it did get to 27 degrees a few days ago. I put on my regular shoes for that one. Usually, I just wear my sandals everywhere.

Meet Me on Monday

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Questions:

1. Monday's are _________?

Mondays are very busy around here. The majority of our merchandising jobs have to be done between Monday and Wednesday and we do what we can to get them all done on Monday in case another opportunity comes along.

2. What is your favorite kind of milkshake?

Chocolate milkshakes have always been my favorite. After chocolate comes strawberry, but I don't really like any of the other choices beyond those two.

3. What monthly bill do you most dislike paying?

I would have to say the water bill. It is ridiculously high at almost $200 a month. This is for water, sewer, and garbage pickup. Back home in South Carolina, the water bill was $18 a month and garbage pickup was $25 a month, with no sewer bill (we had a septic tank). At first, we thought it was just us, that we must have a leak or something else weird going on with the plumbing here. But, after talking to several others in our neighborhood, we know that we aren't the only ones dealing with an overly high water bill.

4. How many email addresses do you use on a regular basis?

I use three e-mail addresses on a regular basis. I am trying to cut it down to one because my main e-mail address has been taken over by the spam monsters, but I'm having trouble getting blog subscriptions switched over to one of the other accounts.

5. What color lights are on your Christmas Tree?

We only have one color of lights on our tree. They shine yellowish through clear covers.

Meet Me on Monday

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Questions:

1. I really need to clean my _________?

Mouth! Something upset me greatly earlier this evening and something not nice at all came forth. Where's the Dial when you need it?

2. What food makes you think of Christmas?

Sugar cookies...no matter what time of year I eat them, even if they look like Halloween pumpkins, they make me think of Christmas.

3. If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?

I would choose to be forever nineteen. With the exception of the fact that I would not have my children because I didn't have my first child until the year I turned twenty-one, nineteen was the perfect age for me. Though I've never been rolling in self-confidence, at nineteen I was full of hope for the future and way more self-confident than I am now. I was nineteen when I got married. With the exception of asthma, my health was perfect, and I had the rest of my life with my husband to look forward to. While I still have the rest of my life to look forward to, that "rest" is now twenty-seven years shorter than it was when I was nineteen.

4. What was your first paying job?

I was a customer service representative, cashier, and gopher at my late father-in-law's Western Auto Store. Yep, I married the boss's son. :)

5. Have you read the Twilight series?

No, I haven't, but my oldest daughter has read the series. I'm more Blossom Street and get-me-closer-to-Him than vampire these days.

Meet Me on Monday

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Questions:

1. I wish I had more time to _________?

I would love to have more time to work on my photography and other art, as well as to write the way that I really want to, rather than just quick posts here and there.

2. What is your favorite kind of soup?

Until a few weeks ago, I probably would have said cream of chicken or broccoli-cheese soup. But, the last time that we went to a local pizza parlor, I tried their chicken noodle soup and loved it. The noodles weren't like pasta noodles; they were thicker and more bread-like, but not like a dumpling, either. It was really good. I have been on a quest since then to either find a recipe for this soup or find a canned soup that tastes like it. No luck so far!

3. Where will you eat Thanksgiving dinner?

At this point, I'm not sure that there's even going to be one, but I know that it won't be where I would dearly love for it to be. I would love to be back at Granny's house, back in South Carolina, like we were for every Thanksgiving since I was a little girl until the family trauma happened in 1997. But, Granny died March 2010, and there's no going back. Thanksgiving will never be the same.

4. What is your favorite time of day?

My husband and I are both night people. It is totally against our body clocks to be up during the day and sleeping at night. It just doesn't feel natural at all. Our jobs are mostly during the day (with some exceptions), so we've had to get with the program and go against our nature and be awake at the same time as the sun. OY!

5. Did you start Christmas shopping yet?

That's another "iffy" holiday around here this year so, no, we haven't started Christmas shopping yet. However, the tree has been up since last Christmas. That counts for something, right? :)

Meet Me on Monday

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Here are this week's questions:

1. Does your family/friends know about your blog?

Yes, they know about my blog and sometimes they even read it and comment.

2. What is your favorite card game?

It is a version of Rummy that my husband I created. We call it "Bobalated".

3. What do you wear to bed?

Something featuring Pepe and Penelope. 'Nuff said.

4. What is your favorite kind of French Fry?

I don't like the local drive-in's fries, but other than that, I pretty much like all of them out there. What-a-Burger and McDonald's usually do a really good job with their fries. However, I like potato wedges even more than I like fries. The delis at Walmart and HEB make great potato wedges.

5. What is your usual bed time?

It varies. We're up all hours of the day and night. We're available whenever the clients need us and that could be 3pm or 3am.

Meet Me on Monday

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Questions:

1. Are you excited for the holidays or are you dreading them?

Not really either one. The holidays just don't have the same spark that they used to have, when the kids were young and when Granny was alive.

2. Do you hit the snooze button or get right up?

I generally get right up. Our alarms are across the room from where we sleep so that we have to get up to shut them off. Otherwise, we'd just sleep right on through whatever we're needing to get up for.

3. Do you still have your tonsils?

No. Dr. Brown yanked them out of me during Christmas vacation when I was sixteen years old. Because of the timing of the surgery and my recovery, I missed too many days at the beginning of school after the break and had to drop the driver's education class that I was enrolled in. I ended up not getting my driver's license until I was 18. I'm OK with that. I don't think that I was really ready for that yet anyway.

4. What was the last piece of candy that you ate?

I think it was a snack-sized Three Musketeers bar.

5. Do you shop at thrift stores?

I have in the past and have no problem doing so. You can often find some really cool things there.

Meet Me on Monday

Each week, the gang meets up at Java's place to get to know each other better. Please click the button above to play along!

Now, on to this week's questions!

1. My current weather is _______?

Today was a sunny day. Though warmer than it was yesterday, it was still cool compared to a week ago. We only got up to 82 degrees today!

2. What is your favorite sound?

I love, love the laughter of my children and the steady breathing of my husband in the night.

3. What is the worst flavor of ice cream?

Is there a worst? I've never heard of such a thing. :) I'll have to think a minute on that one...OK, I think banana ice cream would be rather yucky.

4. What magazine do you look for when you are stuck in the waiting room?

I generally take a book with me into places that involve waiting (the doctor's office, the school parking lot, etc.). If I decide to look at what's available in the waiting room, I generally lean more toward cooking, home design, and home decor magazines.

5. What is your favorite condiment?

I really like honey-mustard sauce and ranch dressing, but not together!

Meet Me on Monday

Each week, the gang meets up at Java's place to get to know each other better. Please click the button above to play along!

Now, on to this week's questions!


1. My favorite kind of animal is _______?

I love cats. Big ones, little ones, domestic, or wild. It doesn't matter. I love them all.

2. Do you like your handwriting?

I used to like my handwriting but, after fifteen years of being online and almost exclusively typing, my handwriting is deplorable!

3. What is the last movie you saw?

We went with a gang of Bronys (or would that be "Bronies"?...anyway, folks that totally love My Little Pony!) to see The Lion King 3D movie. While I'm not really into 3D movies, I do love The Lion King. The only part of the movie that seemed to come forth from the screen to me was at the beginning when Zazu was flying around. I swear that bird was sitting on the chair right in front of me.

4. Do you buy things on eBay?

We do not make a habit of it. We did find a book that was my favorite from my childhood on there and we bought it. We have purchased a few other books from there over the years, but I could count our e-bay purchases overall on one hand, probably.

5. What did you have for lunch yesterday?

I think that I had a sandwich. If I ate at all, that is most likely what I had. I don't remember!

Meet Me on Monday

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Questions:

1. The best part of waking up each day is __________?

Well, it's not Folgers. :) The best part of waking up these days is working with my husband and a close second is creating new fractal images. I am having a blast with the free fractal programs that I've found. David and I have a new adventure each day with our job. We are learning more about the layout of the area and how the little towns connect to each other so that we can make our jobs more profitable.

2. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

That is a good question. At the moment, I'd probably swear I was 96 instead of 46.

3. Red or Green Apples?

I prefer red apples, but generally we buy green apples as that is what the rest of the folks prefer.

4. Do you forgive easily?

I wish that I could say yes, but letting go is not something that I ever learned how to do. It is something that I am working on.

5. If you could live in any home on a television series, which would it be?

The house on The Addams Family. I love that big, old house!

Meet Me on Monday

Questions:

1. What is your favorite food?

Shrimp, definitely shrimp! I love it as cocktail shrimp, fried, popcorn, grilled; you name it, I love it.

2. What color scheme is your bedroom?

"Scheme" would be the word for it. haha There isn't one. It is a jumble of different colors and styles in here. That will change once I can afford to change it. I have a definite plan in mind. I saw a beautiful French Country bedroom on a blog a week or so ago and fell in love with it. I would like to try that here and maybe throughout the house, not just the bedroom.

3. Do you carry a donor card?

Back in South Carolina, it was marked on my driver's license that I wanted to be an organ donor. I am not sure if it is on the Texas DL or not. I don't have a special card for it, however.

4. In your opinion, is the glass half empty or half full?

Here lately, empty. Not half-empty, but completely empty. I look forward to full again some day.

5. Vanilla or Chocolate?

If I have to choose one over the other, I generally choose chocolate, but I actually like them swirled together.

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Meet Me on Monday

Please join Java and the fun over at Never Growing Old!

Each week, five questions are shared to help us get to know each other better.

Questions:

1. What feature of the opposite sex do you notice first?

I have always been an eye person, no matter the gender. Eyes are just something that I notice and I find them intriguing. I think the eyes can answer a lot of questions about a person.

2. Do you talk to yourself?

Sure, why not? At least I know that I'm listening and sometimes I'm the only one listening.

3. What is your current relationship status?

David and I have been married for almost 27 years. This August, we will celebrate 30 years of being a couple.

4. Do you have a garden?

No. I would love to have a huge garden, but with a tiny yard and no sunlight entering in AND a non-stop drought, there's just too much against even trying to have a garden right now.

5. What is your favorite licorice flavor?

BLECH! Licorice is icky, icky, icky!


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Meet Me on Monday

The following questions come from Never Growing Old's Meet Me on Monday. Please visit her site and play along!

Questions:

1. What is your favorite yogurt flavor?

I like strawberry yogurt and also peach yogurt. I can't choose a favorite between the two.

2. Ankle or knee socks? and on the same theme, white socks or coloured??

I usually wear sandals, so no socks. But on the occasion that I do wear socks, I wear black ankle socks.

3. How is the weather right now?

It is very hot here. We have already been as high as 108 degrees.

4. Are you a fast typer?

Relatively...it depends on what I am typing. If I am composing, then I type faster than if I am typing from copy.

5. Red or White Wine?

Neither. I don't drink wine or anything else alcoholic anymore. When I did, my poison of choice was vodka. It wasn't for social reasons. It was for the drunk and the escape. At this point in my life, it would be dangerous for me to drink. It would be too easy to fall victim to it and this is a choice that I can make on this side of the bottle. I choose not to. I don't want alcohol to take over and destroy my life as it has the lives of so many people that I love.

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Meet Me On Monday

These questions are brought to you by Never Growing Old. Please be sure to visit Never Growing Old and join in the fun. They are a 40-friendly bunch. :)





1. What is your favorite bagel flavor?

ICK! I don't like bagels at all. They are like eating old, stale, hardened doughnuts. I would much rather have a Krispy Kreme glazed, regular doughnut.

2. If you had an extra $100 right now, what would you spend it on?

There is no such thing as "extra" when it comes to money around here. With a contract coming to a close, the money would be needed to help offset the loss of that income. In an ideal, not-needing-it situation, I would be most likely to buy a book, one of a zillion that I have sitting in my Amazon wish list.

3. What is the last thing that you felt guilt about doing?

Forgetting to pick up the fries that my oldest daughter requested from the grocery store. We remembered the requests of the other two and forgot hers. She feels like she's always forgotten; I know the feeling. But, we honestly did forget. The request was given to us just as we were leaving and not written down. Truth be told, we forget things that ARE written on the list, so those given to us verbally as we're rushing out the door don't stand a chance.

4. Soft serve ice cream or hand dipped?

Hand-dipped, but only if they are clean hands!

5. Are you allergic to anything?

It would be easier to list what I am not allergic to rather than attempting to list what I am allergic to. Sometimes I am convinced that I am allergic to being alive, plain and simple.

I am allergic to all of the major antibiotics, experiencing my first anaphylactic response as a newborn less than a week old. Penicillin was the culprit then; I was born with bronchitis.

I have allergies and intolerances across all of the food groups, with the most dangerous ones being in the fruit and nut department. Here again, it is a game of Russian Roulette with anaphylaxis being the bullet.

I also have chemical sensitivities. Some smells adversely affect my breathing. Perfumes give me a headache, although this has backed off somewhat since the tumors were removed. I can tolerate more smells now than before.

At this time of the year, and in the fall, I am allergic to air. OY! The congestion is killing me. I don't know what specifically is in the air that is bothering me, which pollen, whatever, but it gets to me really bad twice a year. It backs off in the actual summer and winter, though I am congested to a degree all year long long.
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Meet Me On Monday: 16 May 2011

These questions are brought to you by Never Growing Old. Please be sure to visit Never Growing Old and join in the fun. They are a 40-friendly bunch. :)



Questions:

1. Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?

Smooth! Although I like crunchy peanut butter, too, I prefer the creamy because it just seems to have a better flavor and I don't have to spend all day plucking nuts out of my teeth.

2. What is your favorite color Rose?

Pink! Belinda's Dream is my favorite antique rose.

3. Do you remove your shoes when you walk into your home?

Not generally, though I do once I get into my room. I wear slide-on sandals almost exclusively; easy on, easy off.

4. What is your favorite season?

My favorite season is winter. I love cool to cold weather, but we don't really get winter here. I don't do well in the heat and heat is something that this part of the country excels at. Into the 90s by mid-April is not unheard of and 110+ degrees in the summer time is the norm.

5. Approximately how many hours a day do you spend blogging?

It depends on if you mean actual blogging or if you're including reading and responding to the blogs of others. Whichever is the case, way too many hours and I don't feel like I've accomplished anything no matter how much time I spend on it.

Have a great day!

Meet Me On Monday: 2 May 2011

Usually I do this challenge on my Random Thoughts by Suzanne blog, but I wanted to answer on P.S. Annie! this week instead. :)

Please be sure to stop by and visit Never Growing Old! Each Monday they post questions to help us get to know each other better. They are over-40 friendly. :)

Now, on to this week's questions.

Questions:

1. What is your favorite kind of muffin?

Blueberry muffins are my favorite!

2. What was the first car you ever owned?

I didn't own any cars as a teenager. The first car that I had part ownership of was the Mercury Marquis that my husband had when we got married. The little Ford Fiesta that we have now is the first car that has ever been bought just for me.

I love this little car, but am sad that our old 1995 Ford Aerostar had to be retired. It was beyond repair, so we had no choice.

3. Which TV Show were you sad to see end?

Monk! Monk and I are alike in many ways. I like symmetry. I like things to be even. Crooked frames on walls irritate me, especially if I can't reach them to straighten them. The rule of thirds in photography drives me mad, so I just take it as a suggestion that I don't have to use. :)

4. What is your lucky number?

I'm thinking it is five, as that is how many are living and loving in this household right now.

5. Pretzels or Potato Chips?

Definitely potato chips. My favorite flavor is KC Masterpiece barbeque. I also like Pringles on occasion.

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