20 Random Facts About – Me!

February 27, 2015February 26, 20156 Comments

Happy Friday!

In an effort to blog more, I have resorted to finding blog challenges and using the prompts to give me a push. As a result, if you stick with me, you will soon learn twenty completely random things. Maybe you will find we have a few things in common … or the opposite! Either way, I hope you have as much fun reading a little about me as I did writing a little about me. I’ve included links for fun.

In no particular order, here we go…

1) I am an Aries with Libra Rising. This, apparently, makes me very charming and difficult to resist, not to mention, high energy. I’m also an INFP. I agree with this. If you tell me your birthday, I’ll probably never forget it.

2) My favorite foods are pizza, shrimp, and chicken parmesan. Yum, yum, yum! Let’s not forget the chocolate for dessert, especially if it is a chocolate milkshake. Or brownies. Or anything. I firmly believe that dessert should come first.

3) I started studying French in junior high school. I loved it so much that I added Spanish in high school. When I got to college, I also studied Portuguese and German while I chose Spanish Language and Culture as my major. At the time, I was intent on teaching English as a Second Language and living in Puerto Rico.

4) I am often described as “quiet” and “easy going”. My best feature is my eyes. They are three different colors and I’ve been told they say a lot more than I do.

5) I’ve always been a fan of exercise, especially running, yoga, and pilates.

6) Some say I’m strange because I don’t drink coffee and I don’t eat butter, margarine, or any of the substitutes. As a matter of fact, when pregnant, the smell of coffee used to make me vomit. Blech. I don’t have to be pregnant to have that reaction to butter. Gross stuff. Plain toast, plain baked potato. Plain bread. Plain is good if it means avoiding butter.

7) My first favorite song was “Fly Like an Eagle” by the Steve Miller Band. I was too young to understand it then. Now, I just find it ironic. Music has always been a big part of my life. As a kid, I made “videos” in my head when I listened to my favorite songs. Now when I do it, I call it writing.

8) I’ve watched “Stand by Me” more than any other movie. During one summer as a kid, I watched it every day. Literally. Every. Single. Freaking. Day. I had a bit of crush on Kiefer Sutherland, admittedly. The only exception to my obsessive watching was that when it came to the scene with the dead body at the end of the movie, I closed my eyes every time. It wasn’t until later in life when I came across the movie that I actually saw that scene. Crazy but true.

9) London, England is my favorite city. During my younger days, my brother and I decided we wanted to visit so we made it happen. I had such a great time that I returned the following year on my own. It never occurred to me not to enjoy traveling alone. I stayed in a youth hostel and met some of the most interesting people. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I’ll have to blog about it someday.

10) My favorite Disney movie was and always will be “Lady and the Tramp“. The link will take you to a youtube clip of the best scene in that movie.

11) I’ve always loved dancing. Any dancing! I started with a ballet obsession as a kid but later picked up all sorts of ballroom dancing as well. I loved Salsa and Swing Dancing the most. I own all the Just Dance games for Wii. 🙂

12) Camping! Need I say more? I grew up camping and it’s my favorite part of looking back at my childhood. I wish my kids loved it as much as I do.

13) I have an unnatural fear of aliens and falling off the earth. I know we have this handy thing called gravity and all but have you ever laid under the stars at the top of a tall hill on a clear night and felt like you could just float away? The aliens are probably laughing at me. I’m pretty sure they abduct me while I’m sleeping just to try to figure me out. (Give it up, guys, it’s no use.)

14) My favorite color is red.

15) I may not like coffee but I do enjoy a cup of tea now and then. My favorite is Bigelow’s Earl Grey.

16) Funny guys win. For as long as I’ve noticed the opposite sex, I’ve always had a crush on the class clown. (Minus that time when I was four years old and fell for the kid with the Fudgsicle – but hey, chocolate. My love lasted as long as he shared.) The true love has always been about the guy who makes me laugh the hardest.

17) My favorite movies are comedies. See #16! I fell hard for Vince Vaughn when I saw Wedding Crashers. sigh… I’m easily amused and you will often find me laughing out loud at just about anything, even when I’m on my own. My mum has always loved that about me. 🙂 I’m usually pretty good at making people around me laugh too. My kids call me silly. This is probably accurate.

18) My favorite animal is a dolphin. I have always wanted to swim with them. Being a big fan of swimming as a kid, I often thought that it was a shame I had to leave the water at all. I often wished on the stars that I would turn into a mermaid. Remember the movie “Splash” ?(love, love, love Tom Hanks too.) I watched that one quite a number of times. Daryl Hannah had fins when her legs got wet. I used to concentrate very hard on making that happen to me. It hasn’t happened yet. Darn.

19) If I can’t be a mermaid, I want to be Stephanie Plum when I grow up. (See Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.)

20) But… I’ll never grow up. 😉

Now it’s your turn to comment and tell me one random thing about you!

Saying Goodbye

February 23, 2015February 23, 20158 Comments

Last week was a very long and difficult week for my family. Earlier in the month, my grandma had suffered a silent heart attack. Despite all the efforts at the hospital and the initial optimistic views that she would be going home in a few days, it never happened.

Sunday the 15th the hospital suggested that all the family come to say our goodbyes.

My grandma had six children, including my dad. Most of those children married giving her many grandchildren and even great grandchildren now as well. It’s a big family!

From Sunday to Wednesday, my dad and his brothers and sisters lived at the hospital. No one wanted to leave Grandma’s side for fear that when they did, the worst would happen. Sleeping on chairs or waiting room couches took its toll on her children but everyone else pulled together to be there and offer support in any way we could. There was always a full crowd in the waiting room and people ready to make a run to get food.

The hospital staff bent the visitation rules because there were so many of us there to see her. Instead of only allowing two to three visitors in her room at a time, there were as many as ten at a time.

It was during this time I realized how blessed I am to be part of such an amazing family. It was a sad experience to know that I was there to say goodbye to someone I loved but at the same time, it was amazing to watch everyone come together and just be there for each other – no questions asked. Sometimes we just sat, each lost in his or her own thoughts staring at the wall or with head in hands but it wasn’t always sad and serious either. The days sat by Grandma’s side were filled with reminiscing of the happy times and remembering other loved ones that had gone before her.

Tuesday night her children spent a sleepless night by her side and Wednesday morning she passed away.

Those six children are living proof of the good person my grandmother was. They are six people who will always be there to support each other in any way needed. They didn’t turn out that way by accident.

I’m sad to say goodbye. I can’t imagine the holidays without Grandma. I can’t imagine not having her around. But I am also very honored and grateful to be a part of this family so if there is any good that comes out of an otherwise painful experience, it’s knowing how much love we share and that we’re never alone.

RIP Grandma. I will always have fond memories, especially of all the fun camping trips that we shared while I was growing up.

Grandma is pictured above on my wedding day with her youngest son, my Uncle Tom.

Happy Love Day!

February 14, 2015February 13, 2015Leave a comment

Birds are mating. We’re halfway through February. Cupid strikes.

Today seems just as good as any day to celebrate LOVE and I hope this four letter word finds you wherever you may try to hide. No matter if it’s romantic love or friendly love…

Have a Happy Valentines Day!

Live in Fear of the Dreaded …. Saturday the 14th?

February 13, 20151 Comment

It’s kind of funny the way something that happens to us as a kid has a lasting effect on the way we approach something as meaningless as a date on the calendar. It happened to me.

Flashback to an eleven year-old Me. Back then, it was fun to “fear” Friday the 13th. But even as we poked fun at the day, I ended up having incredible luck. I don’t remember the details of what exactly made it so amazing but I remember those fly-high feelings. I remember deciding at a very young age that bad luck on Friday the 13th was nothing more than a silly superstition.

Then came Saturday, the 14th and that changed everything.

Saturday, those happy feelings came crashing down right along with me as I plummeted down the steps. As if that wasn’t bad enough, later that same day, I fell off my swing. The swing incident might not have been so bad if it weren’t for the fact that I’d instinctively clutched the metal chain trying to catch myself, slicing open both my hands in the process. Ouch!

While I didn’t suffer any major injuries for either of these mishaps, they certainly left a lasting impression, one that made me look at the calendar in a whole new light. Maybe for me, I thought, Friday the 13th isn’t the bad luck day – it’s actually Saturday, the 14th! As if someone needed to prove this theory true, since that horrible day, I don’t remember having anything good happen on a Saturday the 14th, and believe me, I pay attention.

So now, as some of you step tentatively out your door this Friday and fear what fate may lurk around the corner, I will be embracing what I expect to be a wonderful, good luck day.

And tomorrow… Well, maybe after all these years, I should finally forgive that one bad day and accept that maybe Saturday the 14th is just another day on the calendar after all…

Maybe.

In the meantime, check out this article on BBC News – Friday the 13th: The Accidental Superstition?

Do you have any superstitions or exceptionally bad luck stories that center around a specific day on the calendar?

Frolicking My Way Through Friday

October 3, 20142 Comments

As some of you already know, I recently added a new addition to my pack… errr…family. I was told she’s a black lab/retriever mix. I don’t know if this means she’s black lab mixed with a golden or a lab mixed with some unknown breed. She looks a lot like a lab though.

The young couple that had her before us adopted her at 8 weeks, kept her for 4 weeks, and then decided they needed to find a new home. They never took her to a vet but aside from having two types of worms and a few fleas, she’s very healthy according to our vet. And oh, not only is she absolutely adorable but she’s one of the cuddliest dogs I’ve ever met.

Maybe I’m just not used to a dog that likes affection. Webster is a good dog but he made it clear from day one that he had no interest in being held and even when you go to pet him, he often leans away as if he’s trying to let you know that he’s not really into the contact. He’ll let me give him attention but it’s limited and he would never jump in my lap. But if it’s playing you want to do? Well then, grab a rope toy because he’s ready to go!

Now that Pepper has been a member of our family for three weeks, we’ve had a chance to get settled in and I’m happy to say that she’s a perfect fit. Even on her first night in a new place, she had no anxieties about being somewhere different. We’ve had a few hiccups learning where to potty but for the most part, she’s also good about going outside now as well.

And then there are Webster and Pepper together! They are two dogs that simply cannot get enough of playing. It’s rather amusing to watch “giant” Webster with “tiny” Pepper, although he’s surprisingly gentle with her. He will grab a rope toy and entice her to chase him and obviously, she can’t resist. I am grateful that we’ve been having such warm and sunny weather because it’s nice to be able to tell them to go play outside in the afternoon. They chase each other through the woods behind the house and all over the yard. I often watch them and wonder who is getting more tired – Webster or Pepper but I think the real answer is ME! Ha ha

When they do manage to exhaust each other and it’s time to rest, Pepper has attempted to cuddle up next to Webster but each time, he gently takes his paw and pushes her away or he gets up and moves. He’s truly not a cuddle dog, not even with other dogs. That’s okay though because then she ends up on my lap instead and I am not complaining a bit.

Dogs are awesome. They are loyal, happy, friendly, playful – everything you could ever ask for in a friend. They live in the moment and love life. We all should be a little more like them. Okay, maybe they have their annoying moments as well. (Don’t we all?) But for the most part, you can’t go wrong having one or two around.