1. February 22nd is National Be Humble Day…what makes you proud? What keeps you humble?

Knowing that is could all be over in an instant, keeps me humble. My daughter and my husband make me proud!

2. Where is the catch-all (aka dumping ground) in your house?

The office. It seems like everything gets put in there, with the idea that we’ll get to it later!

3. Do you make it a point to visit State/National Parks when you travel or even in your own hometown? What’s your favorite?

Yes. What a wonderful time we’ve had doing it too. One of my favorite was Mount Rushmore!

4. How would you define honor?

Doing the right thing, even if it is the hard thing to do. Being true to your family, your friends and yourself. Following God’s commandments.

5. Angel’s food or Devil’s food-which cake do you prefer?

Definitely Devils Food!

6. What’s the most recent road trip you’ve taken? Where did you go and how many hours did you spend in the car? Do you like to zoom to your destination without stopping or leisurely wind your way there with stops along the way? What is your car snack of choice?

I went down to see Mandy last weekend. It’s a little over an hour from here. I made a few stops along the way, and I was still early. On the way home, it was the same, made a few stops and got back around supper time! My car snack of choice? I don’t like to eat in the car.

7. Recent headlines told how a preschool child in NC had their packed lunch from home taken away and a school lunch substituted by a school inspector who deemed the homemade lunch unhealthy. Reportedly the parent was then billed for the school lunch (chicken nugget meal) although an update to the story says the parent was not billed. The inspector was conducting a routine inspection of the classroom-he/she was not there solely to peek in the lunchboxes. The packed lunch contained a turkey and cheese sandwich, an apple juice box, a bag of chips, and a banana. Your thoughts?

First of all, that was a balanced meal for a child. They were making a brew-ha-ha because there was no milk, but there was cheese! There is the dairy! What if this child was lactose intolerant? That do-gooder could have made her very sick! Please keep these Inspectors out of the classrooms!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Did you ever have one of those mornings skiing, where you are this-close to being the agony of defeat? I kept catching my edges, fell, for the first time this year, and got hit by the chair lift when I got on, knocking the wind out of me. Honestly, I started to get worried that my minutes were numbered! I am home safely, but hope I don’t have another day like this!

Laptop is in the shop. So I thought I would try my kindle for posting an update. It didn’t work with the visual settings, but seems to work with my html settings.

1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special for your guests to make them feel at home? How long should a house guest stay?

Mandy and Matt will be coming up and I am hoping that I can get my house sitter and hr husband over for dinner.

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week (December 5) back in 1905 …what’s your all time favorite Disney movie? Here’s a list in case you’re struggling…and yes, you have to pick one.

The original Fantasia, and the original The Santa Clause. But really, so many of them I really like. Good clean family fun.

3. What was the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact?

In the last few years I try very hard not to purchase things carelessly. We just do not have the money to waste.

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?

About 5%. I really need to step it up and get it done!

5. Amaryllis-snowdrop-poinsettia…your favorite winter blossom?

Poinsettia. I remember going to Bermuda with my parents and going to the gardens there full of beautiful poinsettia plants!

6. What is one thing on your personal Christmas wish list? I think we all want peace on earth so let’s make this answer an actual item.

Just a healthy and happy grandbaby!

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be?

Blessed!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

First, I had my retinal exam today on both eyes. Things are okay and no surgery is needed at this time. Yay!

Second I want to thank my cousin Janet, Dave and Hubby for buying me a Kindle Fire for my birthday. It took me three weeks to decide what I really wanted and today I placed the order. Thanks you three!!

Happy December First! Can you believe that we are starting the last month of the year, and that there are only 24 days until Christmas? Next week I need to get out and do some serious shopping so I can finish up my Christmas errands and then mail everything! For this week’s Thursday Thirteen, I’m going to share some of the things I do each year that makes Christmastime warm and bright.

1. I set up my Christmas tree. Although I have not done that yet. I’m a little late, (usually the day after Thanksgiving) because I have been REALLY busy!
2. I sit down and hand address my Christmas cards. It’s an act of love because I have arthritis in my hands. So forgive me if the envelope is a bit unreadable. I really do try.
3. I go to Christmas Fairs and enjoy the music, decorations and smiling faces.
4. Baking. I used to bake for my family, for myself. Now I tend to bake and then give it away.
5. I pick out a toy and then I donate it to the Marine Corps. They do the Toys for Tots.
6. I keep a little wallet in my purse with dollar bills. Then whenever I pass a Salvation Army Bucket, I pop in a dollar and wish the volunteer Merry Christmas!
7. I start listening to the “Holly” channel on XM Radio.
8. I start planning Christmas dinner. Not sure what we’re having.
9. I help out at The Festival of Trees, which is a charity event, benefiting those in need in our town.
10. Watching my favorite Christmas movies. My absolute favorite? “It’s A Wonderful Life”.
11. I also make a simple jello salad, that reminds me of my grandmother. Make lime jello, pour into a dish you have put pear halves and maraschino cherries (in the pear half). Chill and serve with either mayonnaise or whipped creme.
12. Hubby and I have German Stollen Bread Christmas morning and we also enjoy Lebkuchen cookies.
13. I even buy gifts for the dogs! Best of all, they know how to open them!

Here I am on the eve of my nephews wedding to the most wonderful girl. Mike and Karan make an amazing couple and share a great love. She is a good mother to his daughter and has already become a great and much loved member of our family.

For me, Mike’s Aunt and Godmother, it makes me so happy to see him with someone who loves him so much, and whom he loves so much!

It was so nice to spend the time with them, and with my sister and her husband of nearly 40 years! They’re still kids themselves!

Well, here we are, and it’s now Saturday and later today Mike and Karan will exchange their vows. How wonderful to be part of something so beautiful!

At this time of the year I really enjoy my seedlings. They’re almost as fun to watch as the puppies are when they are newly born. You see, right now I have planted my seeds for cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, and butternut squash in our green house, and for a few days I watched, and now they have begun to poke through.

For instance, this morning a few had barely poked through the dirt in the pots.

And then I let the warmth of the sun do their work and I go back at the end of the day to check and see what miracles have occurred.

Now, I have had a garden for many years, but I still get so excited each time I go through this phase. In the morning they are barely peeking and by nightfall, they have popped through!

These are my slicing cucumbers. They really went crazy on Saturday. I love it! They won’t have seeds  inside and will be good for eating. They’re also known as European Cucumbers.

This week I hope to go to the local shops that carry tomatoes, eggplant and pepper plants and buy some of those as well. I tell myself each year that I will start those in February, but I never do and it’s just easier to get them at the store.

I truly love spring, and all the new beginnings! What’s happening in your part of the world? Spring or Fall?

1. April rolls in at the end of this week….what is something foolish you’ve done?

Long ago, back in my late teens, I was out with a bunch of friends at a bar, listening to a local band. (Back then it was legal to be 18 and drinking) The band was great, and I was into the music, and they invited someone to jump on up on the stage and join the fun. Well, all I can say is I must have had one too many margarita’s, because the next thing I knew I was up there dancing away! For those of you who know me, you will simply not believe that this shy girl would do something so “outside” the box! It was the first, the last and the only time I did anything like that!

2. With April comes Easter and that classic edible treat known as Peeps…so tell me…what’s your favorite way to fix/eat chicken? That wasn’t what you were expecting, was it? I ‘fooled’ you. Teehee.

My favorite chicken recipe is a classic, “Julia Child’s Roasted Chicken” I mean, you slather that sucker with butter, salt and pepper and roast it slowly until it is done. OMG! It is the best ever!

Now, if I am being a good little weight watchers, I rub, Penzey Spices Barbecue of the America’s on the chicken and put it into my Ronco rotisserie and cook it that way. Literally, all the fat drips off. And by the way, I detest Peeps! My sister loves them.

3. What’s the best museum you’ve ever visited? Or your favorite? Or the one you’d most like to visit?

I love the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Not only is the Museum beautiful, but it is well laid out and the staff are all so knowledgeable. I met a guard there one who knew every picture in his area and we spoke at great length.

4. You know what they say about April showers…what’s your preference-a shower or a bath?

It depends. If I want to relax and mellow out, I take a long hot bath. It I want to feel clean, I take a nice hot shower.

5. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”…fact or fiction? Why?

I would think yes. I know when I have been away on trips and Hubby was at home, I always can hardly wait to talk to him or see him and tell him all about my adventure. Don’t get me wrong, a trip to the grocery store does not elicit this feeling. Usually it is when I am away for more than just a few days.

6. What’s your favorite product made in your home state/province? That would be the state where you physically reside as in an actual geographical location, not states such as confusion or chaos.

Probably Maple Syrup. I just love real New Hampshire Maple Syrup! It is just the best. So unlike pancake syrup! Sadly I do not eat it often because of my healthy eating, and Maple Syrup is all sugar!

7. What is going on in the world today that affects you the most?

What doesn’t affect me, would be a better question. Since I have to chose the other, I would say, the falling value of our dollar. I mean, I’d love to be able to go down to my bank and say to them, “Yeah, I know I’m spending way too much money on a lot of crap that I don’t need, so how ’bout printing me up another million?” Yeah, like that’s going to happen!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Joanne had her surgery to replace her skull flap in her head, and all went well. So well, she is back at her rehabilitation facility and ready to go forward! What a blessing!

My friend, Carol is home from the hospital and she is also doing well. She is getting back on that new knee of hers and will be dancing in no time!