Alert and Oriented (x4)

Honestly, I told myself I wouldn't be blogging this week. It's the last week before the big huge retreat that gives me tics in my eye and ulcers and not enought sleep. But behind me, if you were here, you could hear my trusty Canon ImageRunner cranking out multiple copies of two different booklets, along with their covers. I figure there's at least 30 minutes left on this print job. They will all be stapled tomorrow and loaded up, with the help of a very nice lady. SO...Lidna at 2nd cup of Coffee is doing the Random Dozen blog again, and for what it's worth, here's my take: 1. Tell me something about your favorite teacher. Her name was Betty Askew. She was my 6th grade teacher and she convinced me that I was more capable than I ever believed. Her husband was on a tour of duty in Vietnam and she had the most adorable little 2-year-old boy. 2. Tell me about one pivotal moment in your life. When my mom died, I was 18. I was 31 when I lost my dad. It was pivotal...

Lidna over at 2nd Cup of Coffee is continuing her fun Random Dozen meme this week. Pop on over and link up at her place. 1. Candy corn: Your thoughts? Eh…it’s ok. Not my favorite Halloween candy. Good for making fake vampire teeth when you stick them over your own teeth. When I do eat them, which is a seldom occurrence, I have to bite off each color successively from the pointy part first. I think I am now officially weird. And oh-so-OCD. 2. Briefly, what was the first conversation you ever had with your spouse? (or best friend, if you're not married.) (Or someone significant, like your librarian.) I was walking into concert choir room and he said, “You have great lips!” I don’t remember how I replied. 3. Could you ever become a vegetarian? If I had access to Dion’s Santorini pizza, probably. 4. Have you ever dressed up your pet in a costume? Claire has a coat that looks like a Santa outfit. Tyler bought it for her last year for Christmas, oddly enough. She really loves it. We as...

This has been a strangely contemplative week. I’ve been contemplating the fact that I’m one year older as of Friday. Older doesn’t really freak me out. Hating the wrinkles, but loving the confidence I have now. But now I’m just 4 years younger than my mom was when she died. Does that mean I’m within 4 years of being as wise as she was? I’ve been contemplating something that the son of a friend said about eternity. On Monday, I had the opportunity to share the gospel with an 84-year-old woman. She was a pretty little thing, and smoked like a chimney. Her voice sounded exactly like Roz from Monsters, Inc. Exactly. She asked me, with a little bit of wonder in her voice, if I knew that the Jews did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God. And that they (the Jews) don’t believe that Jesus is coming back. She had just come across those facts in the last day or so. Wow. Talk about an open door. Not sure if maybe, being 84, she may have known those salient facts last week and ...

Well...here you go. See how well you did: Brushes with Celebrity 1. I once sat next to Grant Goodeve (the oldest--and best looking--son on 8 is Enough) and his wife on a flight. Bad thunderstorm, she was hysterical. I thought I’d have to slap her a la’ Airplane. 2. I was an extra in Convoy . They didn’t pay us, but gave us hotdogs, beer and coke. It was really, really hot. I was about 5 yards from Ali McGraw and Kris Kristofferson. The scene was at the end of the movie when they rolled into town in their big convoy. You can’t see me in the crowd. But I was there. 3. Sandra Bullock commuted to Albuquerque while making a move back in the early 90’s. She was a regular on our red-eye flight and once brought me cookies that she had baked. My husband still thinks she is really h-o-t-t. I still think Kris Kristofferson is, but the man can’t even speak on key. Brilliant lyricist tho’… # 3 is the lie. This is one of those half-truths. Do ya'll remember The Facts of Life, w...

Ok…time for the second edition….these are harder to come up with than I originally thought. Please play along, post your own and then come back and link up. It’s kind of like that old TV game show To Tell the Truth…. Brushes with Celebrity 1. I once sat next to Grant Goodeve (the oldest--and best looking--son on 8 is Enough) and his wife on a flight. Bad thunderstorm, she was hysterical. I thought I’d have to slap her a la’ Airplane. 2. I was an extra in Convoy . They didn’t pay us, but gave us hotdogs, beer and coke. It was really, really hot. I was about 5 yards from Ali McGraw and Kris Kristofferson. The scene was at the end of the movie when they rolled into town in their big convoy. You can’t see me in the crowd. But I was there. 3. Sandra Bullock commuted to Albuquerque while making a move back in the early 90’s. She was a regular on our red-eye flight and once brought me cookies that she had baked. My husband still thinks she is really h-o-t-t. I still think Kris...

Time for this week's edition of Random Dozen. I just argued with myself over the placement of that apostrophe. It's way too early for this. Anyway, play along and head on over to 2nd cup and link up. (wow--that rhymes) 1. On an average, how often do you splurge and buy something for yourself? Maybe a couple of times a year. But the thing is, it usually has to be on clearance, and then additional savings off. Last week I gained huge ground and bought a top that was just on sale, not clearance. I don’t have this problem when I buy things for others, just myself. 2. Are you more like Hall or Oates? Just kidding. Real question: What is the last creative project you began/finished? Feel free to post a pic of it. Creative? Like in crafts? Pshaw. I wrote a pretty good article for our church website. Does that count? 3. OK, Goldie Locks, do you consider your house too big, too little or juuuust right? I love my house. But it has 6 people and 3 bedrooms and 1600 sq feet. In the gran...

The big reveal…..Ok. I’m coming clean. Here are the answers… Animal Planet (Please don’t tell P.E.T.A!) 1. Finding a dead gerbil (mummified) in the air conditioning/heater system in our Jeep. No wonder it always smelled funny when we turned it on. 2. Finding half (top half) of our hamster, Cinnamon on the living room rug. The cat ate the bottom half. 3. Starting the car one cold winter morning and hearing a terrible racket. Opening the hood and finding a bull snake curled around the engine. In pieces. # 3 is the lie. However, Ted’s cousin used to live with us when going through a tough time. He started his truck one morning and found a cat had decided that under the hood next to the warm engine was a nice place to nap. Quite a disturbing noise. We had to pull the kitty’s claws out of the fan belt to disengage her. The cat survived, but always walked with her head listing to the right after that…. I broke down and looked in the trash at the poor, unfortunate victim in #1. I...

Have all of you played that icebreaker game called Two Truths and a Lie? You put on a name tag and list 2 things that are true about yourself and one that is a lie. People try to guess which is which and in talking, they get to know you better. This is a game-meme thing kind of like that. Post some sets of 3…2 truths and a lie. And then come back here and do some linkage love. Here are mine: Animal Planet (Please don’t tell P.E.T.A!) 1. Finding a dead gerbil (mummified) in the air conditioning/heater system in our Jeep. No wonder it always smelled funny when we turned it on. 2. Finding half (top half) of our hamster, Cinnamon on the living room rug. The cat ate the bottom half. 3. Starting the car one cold winter morning and hearing a terrible racket. Opening the hood and finding a bull snake curled around the engine. In pieces. Emergency Room for Dummies 1. Breaking my pinkie when I get stuck going down a slide with my nephew in my lap. I weighed about 97 lbs at the time an...