Good Lord in Heaven...

I thought meme's were gone for good.

But.........................my good buddy Redneck tagged me so I will do it to please him.  Isn't that what love is all about?


11 Questions for my friends:

1. Do you cut your sandwiches into squares or triangles?

I cut them into triangles and always eat the pointy side first because everyone knows the curved crusty side is the best.  I always save the best for last. I loathe sandwiches cut into rectangles.  Ruins the taste.

2.  Do you know Beethoven as one of the worlds greatest composers, or as a big dog in a rather ordinary children's movie.

Big dog in a children's movie?  Huh?

3.  What color is your toothbrush? And, is your toothbrush interchangeable with your spouses?  With their full knowledge and consent?

My toothbrush is purple, but could just as easily be another color.  I use a regular toothbrush, a Sonicare brush, floss, and a water pik. Let someone else use my toothbrush?  Ugh!  I don't even let my husband drink out of my glass.

4.  Do you stir your coffee right to left or left to right?  And do you ding your spoon on the edge of the cup until the rest of the family screams blue murder?

Don't stir. Drink it black.

5.  Do you ever wear odd socks?  And if you do, do you always start the day by saying you hope you don't die today?

Don't wear socks except to work outside in the garden.  They match.

6. Is perspicacious part of your vocabulary?

Why no, but in the future it will because it clearly defines who I am.

7.  What was Donatello before he became a world famous Ninja Turtle?

He was an enforcer for the Mafia (and quite good at his job, too)

8.  Does your exercise regime challenge more than your wii controller muscles?  

I occasionally wii outside on the property when I'm a ways away from the house.  Does that count?

9. Do you laugh hysterically at your own jokes?  At confession?

I rarely laugh at my own jokes because I'm more focused on delivery (which I'm very, very good at.)  Usually the priest is laughing at me in confession and questioning his vocation.

10.  What are the names of Donald Duck's nephews?

Huey, Dewey and Louie

11.  And, lastly, for fans of the brilliant Charles Schultz, have you ever had occasion to call any of your children "Pigpen"?

I have no children, but I confess to having called my husband Pigpen.

I won't tag anyone by name.  If you want to do this, be my guest - buuuuut, let us know in the combox.  M'kay?

Awards and Accolades

Well, fiiiiiinaly!


About a gazillion years ago, Joe of St. Therese awarded me the anti-muffin award. The anti- muffin award is given to those blogs operated by insane people who aren't afraid to speak their minds... (I added the insane part, but it fits and it's my blog - so there!)

We're all waiting with baited breath (whatever the he** that means - sounds fishy to me) for Joe to make a big announcement. I however, would not be surprised if there might not be a new priest in the Church in about however many years it takes to make a priest. Just sayn"....



Other famous people that received this award are:

• LarryD at Acts of Apostasy (one on the funniest people, evah!),
• Lola (a lady who never fails to raise my spirits and make me feel very, very important - which is important, doncha know),
• Karen over at Gem of the Ocean ( Karen is a true gem who has perfected the art of the well turned phrase - which is a nice way of saying, I love her rants),
• Cavey over at The Lair of the Catholic Caveman (another person who takes no prisoners),
• Adoro (she has her days when I wouldn't want to cross her),
• Subvet over at Blowing San #1, (husband to the mighty Mighty Mom)
  
• Angela (who taught me everything I know about whining to get my way.)

Not to be outdone

Sarah who just moved to Hawaii (lucky girl), sent me an anti-muffin award, too.

She also has been waiting patiently for my address (it's on the way, Sarah), annnnd..........gave me a meme to do:

The Seven Things About Moi That Make Moi Awe-Summm:

1. I'm try to be a good friend (unless you cross me and then you're dead meat)
   
2. I'm short (short girls can date tall boys and the short boys)
   
3. I'm a good teacher (if I don't know the subject real well, I'm capable of making it up as I go along)
   
4. I'm generous
   
5. I treat my husband like a king (at least as far as I'm concerned and his opinion doesn't count)
6. I have ADD (adults with ADD are sooooooooo fun! We drive the rest of the world crazy, doncha know!)
7. I speak the truth (not the "truth as I see it", but the truly true truth!)

I think I'm supposed to give this to a bunch of people but instead I think my readers should appoint themselves recipients and link back to their "awesome post"

Moving right along with more accolades and awards, Ebeth, over at Catholic Mom Climbing the Pillars, awarded me the Loyal Friend and Visitor Award and said some really nice things about me, which makes her one smart cookie!

I'm not only a loyal visitor of Ebeth's (she shares my outrage on most things political), but I'm also a loyal visitor of her Avon on-line store. I love many of their products and I really love having a my cute UPS guy in his summer shorts deliver my beauty products. Gives new meaning to their advertising slogan, "what can Brown do for you."

Thanks, Ebeth. You Rock!!

At Adrienne dePitera: Secret Sunday Places

meme

Uh Oh

I just realized that I haven't done a meme from back on the 29th of last month. Motherhen68 over at the Chicken Coop tagged me. Sorry Mom!!

And so...

The Rules:

Mention the person that tagged you
Complete the lists of 8’s
Tag 8 of your wonderful bloggy friends
Go tell them you tagged them

8 Things I Look Forward To:

1. Hopefully going to heaven
2. Fridays with my hubby - shopping, maybe eating out, just hanging out together
3. Lilac Day parade
4. Clean sheets every week
5. Going to the library (we have a great library in Post Falls)
6. Taking some hikes this summer
7. Riding my bike
8. The day our current President vanishes!!

8 Things I did Yesterday

1. Went to Mass
2. Worked out at the gym
3. Did some massive shopping and bargain hunting
4. Made a meat loaf (well ok - it was made but I had to take it out of the freezer and cook it)
5. Read
6. Made my "Sassy Water"
7. Worked on my schedule
8. Blogged

8 Things I wish I could do

1. Go to Italy

I really can't think of one other thing. If I want to do it badly enough I just do it....

8 Shows I Watch

1. Dancing With the Stars
2. Criminal Minds
3. Without a Trace
4. Cold Case

Sorry - can't get to eight. This week I only watched Dancing. I also like true crime but so many of them come on at 10:00pm and during the summer that is too late.

8 Bloggers Tagged

I'm tagging anyone who wants to play. Let us know so we can see your answers :-)

More Catch Up Sunday

25 Random Things About Me

Numerous folks on Facebook have tagged me with this little task. I decided to do it here in an effort to kill 25 birds with one stone.

1. I'm 5'2" tall - which is plenty tall enough. When I was young I got to date the tall guys (6"5" was my tallest) and also the short guys (5'4" was the shortest). What a deal!!
2. I play Rock drums and have a 10 piece set
3. I love to paint in oils
4. I used to teach ballroom dancing
5. I grew up in St. Paul, MN (and don't miss the weather one little bit)
   
6. I love being Catholic
7. I am an adult with Attention Deficit Disorder - which is really kinda fun (most of the time - sometimes it's the pits)
   
8. I'm very mechanical
9. I don't like country music
10. I'm Italian (mostly - with a bit of German, English, and French)
    
11. I'm a good swimmer
12. and a good ice-skater (Minnesota, remember? We grew up on skates)
13. I miss my Mother
14. I am most peaceful when I am working in my garden
15. I hate a dirty car
    
16. and a messy purse
17. I spend waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time on the computer
18. I don't have any children - and that's ok, except someones going to have to volunteer to care for me in my "older age"
19. I love to teach the nuts and bolts of the Catholic faith and I take no prisoners. No sugar coating from this lady. It is what it is!
    
20. I've been in every state of the union except Alaska
21. I sell "stuff" on ebay
22. I can sleep anywhere on command, so to speak. Kept waiting at the doctors office and bored? Train running through the room? Not a problem. Close eyes and sleep - instantly. Drives hubby crazy. It's the hyper-focus part of ADD.
23. I love pretty paper, fountain pens, old postcards, and old letters
24. I want to go to Italy
25. I love having met so many wonderful people by blogging and Facebook

Paul McCartney is performing on the Grammy's right now and his drummer is awesome!!! Wonder who it is??

Awards

Once again I have some awards. I "heart" awards and am always grateful when someone thinks of me.

MightyMom, has a Wonderful Life being married to Subvet, who hangs out at Blowing San#1. Even though Subvet has been seeing me behind MM's back she has allowed me to pick out my own award from her site. Now how's that for being an understanding wife??? Angela must have told her what happened when I didn't get an award. All that crying and grinding of teeth. Not a pretty sight in one my age.

So I picked out the Smile Award (also known by it's other name - the purple award). I chose it in honor of my Mother whose favorite color was purple.


The qualifications to receive the award are:

A. Display a cheerful attitude.
B. Love one another.
C. Make mistakes.
D. Learn from others.
E. Be a positive contributor to the blog world.
F. Love life.
G. Love kids.

And I'm adding Love animals to the list....

The Rules:--I'm breaking all the rules so I don't expect you to follow them either!

I Award this to all my friends that visit me here and on Facebook

What It's Like to Have ADD
(short form)

****One of these days I plan on giving you all an idea of what it's like to be an adult with ADD. One thing I can tell you is the rate I absorb information on a daily basis is probably not the best thing in the world for me. But, dang, it's fun. It's the hyper-focus part of ADD that others sometimes envy that makes this possible. However, sometimes the focus isn't where it should be. Sigh

****My Google Reader is at 306 right now. I have over 250 blogs and news sites on my reader so in that context, 306 isn't too bad. Thank goodness God blessed me with the ability to read really, really fast. To keep me humble, he made commas and the proper placement thereof, all but impossible for me. And trying to remember the difference between then and than? A struggle!

I've been tagged by my cyber-nephew, the most sensitive and lovely, Tom in Vegas.

The rules are pretty simple:

Go to your photo files and find the fourth photo from the fourth folder and then post it.

What popped up for me was a welcome reminder of spring last year. These are wild yellow roses that were a gift from a dear old lady who has since passed away. She gave me one little slip of a plant and it has gone, well, wild. It's sneaking up in the lilacs, poking through the daylilies, and inching up through the iris. Like most wild roses they don't bloom very long but the reward is a heavenly scent while they last.

When you are a gardener and share your plants you live on in this world in a very special way. Below is a closer view. I tag anyone who wants to share a photo (or two)

Favorite Ornament Meme

****Carolina Cannonball over at The Crescat, a most talented and very funny lady, tagged me for the favorite ornament meme. Unfortunately, this year we will not have a tree. The storage shed is so completely snowed in that retrieving our tree and other decorations is impossible. I was quite depressed about this turn of events and so my hubby dug out two little table top trees from a snow drift by the wood pile and, at least for this year, those will have to be my Christmas trees.

***My "special" ornaments are packed in a trunk in the house. Today I was able to decorate one of the little trees with a few things and put out my Nativity. That seemed to slow my heart down to a steady 70 or so beats a minute.

**** I'm sure most of you, knowing what an intelligent and cultured lady I am, would have me pegged for some Faberge type, high end, work-of-art ornament. *Sorry to flood your bathroom, but the Christmas tree is not complete until the "poodles" go up. *I've had these three critters for at least 35 years and until someone came along and informed me otherwise, they were always "the poodles."

****About 15 years ago someone came over and I was pointing out my "poodles" with their sweet little faces.

****She glanced at them and turned to me and said, "those aren't poodles, they're lambs.

****" Whaaaat? *No, no, they're poodles."

****"Sorry, they're lambs!"

****It's not that I don't like lambs; I love lambs. *I just always thought they were poodles. *Did it also mean that any number of people, out of charity, kept this knowledge from me whilst rolling their eyes behind my back? *I'll never know and they will always be "the poodles" to me.

This would have to be hubbies favorite. It's a moose poking his head through a wreath. Maybe I should name it Sarah in honor of Sarah Palin. She likes moose's, too!****Also in my trunk is my favorite Nativity. *The figures are old ones that once belonged to my Dad. *They were purchased at Woolworth's over 60 years ago. *For you younguns out there, Woolworth's was the last great five and dime. *A trip to Woolworth's in downtown St. Paul for Christmas shopping was a must for little kids.


****The figures were all made in Italy, hand-painted, and are really quite beautiful. *The main figures are the only ones remaining, although I see pieces on ebay from time to time.


****The poor little pink angel is not recovering from a two day drunk. *I just haven't figured out exactly how I'm going to attach her to the mirror. *This is not the usual place for the Nativity and a push pin was not going to work on the mirror.


****The crib is empty until after vigil Mass on Christmas Eve. I did bring the baby Jesus out of hiding so you could see Him. Just imagine; a little baby born in lowly circumstances will become the Saviour of the world.

****The gold wise men were all made by my Mom not too long before she died. They were really the last things she did before she became too ill with terminal cancer to do much of anything. We had just moved to Sedona, AZ, and she attended a class to make these. They are paper mache, yarn, trim, and fabric that has been soaked in glue and plaster and draped on a wire form. My Mom didn't think she was very artistic but these figures tell a different story.

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Calvary is a Solemn Place

Why Mass Isn't a Friars Roast

This is worth a read. Hat tip to my friend "Robert Kumpel" at St. John's Valdosta

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Favorite Rosary Meme

****The top crystal rosary is my "everyday" rosary. Notice all the medals where the two sides join? That is in imitation of the middle rosary, which was my grandmas. I wanted mine to be like hers and she had all those way cool medals. Grandma's rosary lives on my prayer table. The bottom one is sterling and my Dad brought it back from Rome about thirty-five years ago. It was blessed by the Pope, probably during his weekly address in the square.

Simple Rules

1. Show us your three favorite rosaries.
2. Don't have three? Do your one or two.
3. Don't have one? Better go shopping, we'll wait.
4. No camera? Draw us a word picture.
5. Tag three others. (Let them know they've been tagged)

****Gem of the Ocean tagged me with instructions to tag Tara, who is to tag Father Eric. The world breathlessly awaits the news of his favorite rosary. Is it made out of spent or unspent shell casings? Only time will tell.

****It goes without saying that Angela must be tagged or she will whine, cry, and snivel which is an ugly sight in one her age.

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****And I think my third pick will go to Mary Rose who, longing to be a member of the "Twitterati", sits hunched in the back of her closet sending tweets and counting her followers. She definitely needs a distraction.

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****And..............my blogs, my rules. I'm picking one more and that would be Tracy, A Catholic Mom in Minnesota.

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Sneaking in an Update Before Mom Gets Here and Throws Me Off The Computer....

It's meeeeee again. I gotta write fast 'cause Mom's on the way and she's muttering something about trying to write something intelligent.

My doc called yesterday and I don't have cancer. I do have Lymphangieatosia and IBD. So Mom got a whole new list of drugs and special foods to run around and pick up yesterday. They even had to have the trolls in the basement of our local compounding pharmacy mix me up something special. But hey - it's liver flavored. How cool is that?

Mom and Dad hauled out my special wicker "sick dog" bed and put it in the dining room. I'm not supposed to be jumping up on their bed or stuff, but I've been doing it anyway. But the "sick" bed is kinda fun and I've been using it enough to make Mom feel good. And then tonight Mom gave me a sponge bath with some special dog washing clothes. She said something about my being ripe, but I think I'm about the same firmness I was before, so not sure what that's about.

Oooops - here she is. Gotta go but first a big shout out to Tracy's kid Lucky. Tracy's a Catholic Mom in Minnesota. Hi to you too, Lucky's Mom!! Thanks for the thoughts...

Mark - not sure about suing my caretaker (wouldn't that be my Mom?), but the slip and fall is looking real good. It would even be better if I still had my stitches, wouldn't it? Keep your cell phone on.......hee, hee!

The Happy Meme - Finally

Kirk over at Practicing God's Presence tagged me. Now there are more people that tagged me including, I think, Ebeth over at Catholic Mom Climbing the Pillars. I have been run so ragged and then broke my rule about writing down stuff on the notepad sitting right next to my computer. How dumb is that? So whoever you are, I apologize!

List Six Things That Make Me Happy

1. Being Catholic and a child of God makes me happy. There is great comfort when you have the gift of faith and, trust me, said the spider to the fly, faith is a gift. Now this doesn't give me a card to pass go, collect $200.00, and go straight to heaven. It means even more will be expected of me and sadly, most days, I fall way short. All I can do is get up, brush off the crumbs (I get lots of crumbs on myself), and keep moving forward.
2. My husband makes me happy. Even when he's being a dork, which is often, he is still the best doggone dork in the world. He's my best friend and someone I can always talk to. We spend hours every morning over breakfast and coffee just talking. That's one of the perks of working from home.
3. Spring flowers, autumn colored leaves, snow in winter, and summer sunshine make me happy. Along with that comes digging in fresh garden soil in the spring, clean up in the fall, shoveling in the winter, and sitting in my chaise in the summer when it's hot.
4. Books - lots and lots of books make shivers run up my legs. If a storm is coming, other people stock up on food - I head for the library. I have such a terror of running out of books, I actually hoard them for emergencies. I usually read about 6 - 8 books at the same time, which drives the hubby crazy, and most weeks chew my way through about 5 or more books. The best books, when it comes to novels, are BIG books. If it has 1000 or more pages, thin paper, and small margins, they are pure ecstasy.
5. Ephemera is another thing that rings my bell. The definition of ephemera is, “something short lived or transitory”, in particular all types of paper documents both printed or handwritten produced for a specific purpose and normally intended for disposal. Examples would include auction broadsides, posters, greeting cards, rewards of merit, tickets, invitations, illustrated letter or billheads. I grew up in St. Paul, MN, and our house was located next door to a small family-owned grocery store. When they emptied their files of invoices and hand written bills of sale and threw them in the trash can, I would fish them out and keep them. I like anything with beautiful penmanship. A few of my treasures are a list of Catechism students from 1907, written in the most beautiful old copperplate, and many beautifully written post cards. I have them framed and hanging in my office. I find most of this stuff in junk shops, inside the pages of old books, and in big boxes of old papers at auctions.
6. My "fur people" make me happy. When I was a little girl, my Mom used to say, "I hope whoever she marries likes animals and plants." Nothing has changed. There has never been a time when my life was not populated with dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, and ducks. Sometimes all at the same time.......eeeeeek!
7. I know this is more than 6 but no list would be complete without some mention of food; Italian food, Mexican food, French food, American food, Food food. Darn, I like FOOD!! My special guilty pleasure? Nachos. Huge plates of perfect homemade chips, heaped with sharp cheddar cheese, and piled high with jalapenos. Lots and lots of jalapenos. After assembly, they must be melted under the broiler so that a few of the edges of the chips turn light brown. The thought is making my mouth water.

And lastly, my blogging friends make me happy. I have met so many wonderful people blogging. My goal is to some day visit some of you. If we move to Toledo, I will be within striking distance of a bunch of you. Lock your doors and turn off the porch light! LOL

Fun Meme

OMGosh! Mac over at Mulier Fortis has saved me from having to "brain" today. This is a really fun meme.

It's a "what were you doing, and where" meme... Now Mac, being Mac, put these events in chronological order (which I would have done, too.)



1. President Kennedy's Assassination - 22 November 1963.


I actually can remember this like it was yesterday. I was at home in St. Paul, MN and my brother called me from work and announced that President Kennedy had been shot. I thought he was joking and almost hung up on him. He finally convinced me to turn on the TV. Those of us that were "of age" (I was 17), remember this as the event that changed our world view.

Walter Cronkite was the first on-air news person to announce President Kennedy's death, which he did while choking up with tears. I was in shock, as was most of the country. I clearly remember being in front of the TV almost 24/7 as the events and funeral played out. I will also never forget the sight of Jackie Kennedy in her blood stained suit that she refused to change. "Let them see what they have done," was her reason for not putting on a different suit.

The photo above is Black Jack, the riderless horse that was part of the funeral procession.

2. England's World Cup Semi Final v Germany - 4 July 1990

Not even on my radar. And since I didn't quit drinking until the 25th of that month I was probably drunk.

3. Margaret Thatcher's resignation - 22 November 1990

I don't remember what I was doing at the exact moment it was announced, but I remember following it in the news. July 25, 1990 was when I became a "card carrying" member of A.A. My husband entered the program in November just days before this happened, so I'm sure we were very busy with meetings as we started our journey into the world of sober folk.

4. Princess Diana's death - 31 August 1997

I heard she had been in an accident while I was driving home. About an hour later I was out in front of my house and my neighbor drove by and said Diana had died. My shock was immediate. I always had great admiration for Diana and was deeply affected by her death.

The royal wedding took place not too long before my Mom's death from cancer. My Mom was living with my husband and I so we could care for her. In order to watch the wedding live (we lived in Arizona then), we had to get up at some weird time like 2 or 3 am. Both my Mom and I put on fancy hats and our gloves (while still in our jammies), and sat on her bed drinking tea while watching the festivities. I can still see my husbands face at the bedroom door. He was in complete disbelief that two grown women would do such a thing. I miss my Mom and I miss Diana. My prayer is for them to be drinking tea together in heaven.

5. Attack on the twin towers - 11 September 2001

I had just arrived at work as an optician. The doctor had that day off so I was alone to run the office for the day. I turned on the radio right after arriving so it must have been about 9:00 am our time when I heard the announcement. I could not wrap my brain around what I was hearing and because I couldn't leave the office I didn't see any TV coverage until I went home at about 3:30. I will never, ever, ever forget the first time I saw the footage of those planes flying into the WTC or the sight of people jumping from the upper floors. Ever!!! And none of you should, either.

6. The election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger to the papacy - 19 April 2005

Oh yes, indeedy! I was glued to the TV and when I heard his name I exploded with glee (even though I had guessed wrong. Nothing that has happened since has changed my mind. God sends the right man at the right time.







I'm not going to tag anyone, but I will make strong suggestions for who should do this meme. No extra purgatory time if you decide to not do it. Promise!



1. Jeffrey at Roving Medievalist 2

2. Paramedic Girl at Salve Regina

3. Christine at A Catholic View

4. Mark at Dominican Idaho

5. Anyone who thinks this would be fun. Let me know if you decide to participate

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Two for One

Today is my lucky day. Therese over at Aussie Coffee Shop has tagged me as well as Uncle Jim at a second chance. Well - guess what? I've already done this meme. So here's a link to the original meme. The first time I forgot to list my "to do" list and I thought it would just be easier to take a picture of my appointment book. This was a fairly light week.

For those who may be interested I use a Planner Pad. It is one that is recommended for people with Adult Attention Deficit Disorder. For the most part it works great. The top is for things to get done during this week (determined in your weekly planning.) The middle section is for your "to do" list for that day, and the bottom is for your actual appointments.

Upcoming Ordination

Uncle Jim's nephew Dennis at Vita Mea will be ordained June 7th for the Diocese of Memphis. Let's all go over there and flood his combox with prayers and good wishes. Men like Dennis are the future of our Church.

A Must Read!

Padre Giovanni Trigilio over at Black Biretta has a wonderful post today called Catholic Catharsis. Take the time to go over and read it and leave a comment for him. He is, as always, the "voice of reason."

Comment from Mary Jane --- "Adrienne - Just found your blog and wasted a good chunk of time reading back entries. You're going into my favorites." Welcome Mary Jane. Stop back often. When are you going to start a blog of your own????

Irene is starting to exhibit violence because I haven't gotten back to the 12 Steps for Catholics. After developing into a near panic state I buzzed over to her blog and discovered she hasn't even posted since April 8. Since she is out on the road that means we have no idea of where she is hanging out. She could be right down the street from us and we wouldn't even know. Scary!!

Tagged Again

It's All About Meeeeeeee!

Mac over at Mulier Fortis tagged me days and days ago. I just managed to get our paperwork to our tax guru so I’ve reclaimed what little life I have.

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
Each player answers the questions about themselves.
I get to tag 5 peeps and let them know via their combox.

What I was doing 10 years ago:

I have no earthly (or heavenly) clue. I can barely remember what I was doing yesterday. Since I have lived in this house about 11 years, one thing I know for sure I was probably doing was working my rear patootie off in the “yard.” We bought a house on 5 acres that looked like it had been nuked (the property - not the house, although the house was only marginally better.) There was not one tree, bush, or blade of grass. What we did buy, in abundance, was knapweed. The hugest knapweed I have ever seen. Knapweed for those who may not know is the most hated and virulent noxious weed God ever allowed on this earth. He put it here to keep us humble. I am very, very humble.

The first few years we planted over 150 trees and over 50 shrubs. We also planted 50 or 75 lilacs that we acquired by digging up starts from a vacant lot. We designed and planted a circular herb garden, a cutting garden, a veggie garden, a meditation garden and a wildflower area. We fenced in a “yard” area and planted beds there. We put in a circular drive and several acres of grass. After that I said, darn, why don’t I start a daylily nursery. So we plowed up a bunch of the grass and planted daylilies – hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of daylilies.

All this was done without benefit of big equipment. Can you say garden fork, shovel, and rake? I am truly nuts. Truly!

And guess what's sitting in my barn? You bethca! Six trees, 30 shrubs, and bags of bulbs.

5 Snacks I enjoy:

Nachos with real cheddar cheese and buried in jalapenos
Anything with lots of carbs.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

I would build us a new church but would insist on being in complete control of the design. I would buy a tractor and hire someone to pull weeds.

Five jobs that I have had:

Ballroom dance instructor.
Hairdresser
Cocktail waitress while in college
Teacher
Car salesman

Three of my bad habits:

Being controlling, being controlling, and being controlling.

Five places I have lived:
St. Paul, Minnesota
Houston, Texas
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Sedona, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Post Falls, Idaho

I know that’s six but I figured I’d just include them all and in their proper order.

I tag anyone who hasn't been tagged yet. Let us know in the combox if you are playing.

Parable Party

Scott over at SoberNuggets and Mark at Dominican Idaho have tagged me for the same task. I told Scott in a moment of insanity that since I had been tagged twice, I would pick ten of my favorite parables instead of the required five. What was I thinking???

The Assignment:

First, list your five favorite parables from the New Testament.
Then, tag 5 new peeps to do this!
Thirdly, link back to this post for reference.

First, though, let me tell you a bit about these two wonderful bloggers. You may have guessed by the title of Scott’s blog that either he is a recovering alcoholic like yours truly, or a very serious person. If you guessed recovering alcoholic, you would be correct. We are both Catholic members of Alcoholic’s Anonymous, but choose to be very public about our addiction. For me, it's a way of doing what we in the program call “12th step work.”

Unless you have been living in a cave, you know that we drunks have a program called the Twelve Steps, and as my pastor said after reviewing the steps, “You know, those steps are very Catholic.” The 12th step says, Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” My continued sobriety depends on my being available to those that still suffer. By not being anonymous I make myself more available. That is my choice and is in no way a reflection on those who choose anonymity. Visit Scott and witness how theTwelve Steps can transform a life.

Mark, at Dominican Idaho, is a lay-Dominican. Along with John Keenan, he has been instrumental in initiating the Blessed Margaret of Castello Chapter of the Lay Dominicans in Boise, Idaho. Mark’s conversion story is one of the most inspiring I have ever read. I have linked here to both versions, which are available on their Blessed Margaret site. Spend some time getting to know Mark, as it will enrich your life.

My favorite Parables (subject to change at any time and yes, Mark, there’s only 5.)

The Forgiving Father (Prodigal Son) Luke 15:11-32
The Seeds Matt. 13:3-23, Mark 4:3-20, Luke 8:4-15
The Straying Sheep (Divine Mercy) Matt.18:12-14, Luke 15:3-7
The Mustard Seed & the Leaven Matt. 13:31-35, Mark 4:30-32, Luke 13:18-21
The Good Shepherd John 10:1-21

Poll in Sidebar

I tossed about the idea of actually doing a series on the Twelve Steps for Everyone from a Catholic/Christian perspective. I know there are books available, but for us internet junkies (addicts??), it would be a way to access some of this information while we are worshipping in front of our favorite idol. On the left is a poll, so take a moment and vote.

Hit and Run

I was just sitting here trying to conjure up something that would fill the need for an uplifting, intelligent, relevant, and spiritual post. As official overseer of the swollen hand (see previous post), I am teetering on the brink of exhaustion.

Along comes Swiss Miss at St. Monica's Kneeler to save the day with a meme to keep me occupied and online. Swiss has performed a cyber hit and run. She hit me with a meme, and ran to a party. Party? Isn’t it Lent?

Middle Name Meme

Rules:
1. You have to post the rules before you give your answers. (Well, duh!)

2. You must list one fact about yourself beginning with each letter of your middle name. (If you don't have a middle name, use your maiden name or your mother's maiden name).

3. At the end of your blog post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged.)

My middle name is Louise and I think just about every lady close to my age has the same middle name.

L - The L would definitely stand for light hearted. A person from my past used to say I had the gift of insouciance, which has led to a life of serendipity. I would have to agree.

O – Opinionated is really my middle name. I have an opinion on everything and I’m usually right. Just ask Tom of Vegas. By the way Tom, I ran into someone using "irregardless" that should have known better. In the spirit of Lent, I kept my commenting fingers to myself.

U – My friends and family would call me uproariously funny. That is a result of a lifetime lived with ADD. Folks with Attention Deficit Disorder develop their comedic side as a means of protection. No one will notice if you can’t memorize your multiplication tables if they are busy laughing.

I – I could be called the Inquiring Italian. One of my mottos has been “Inquiring minds need to know.”

S – If my Mom were still alive, she would say "sassy" but I would rather say "silly". Neither of these traits is good.

E – I have been accused (more than once) of being effusive. It's definitely an Italian trait. Everything in my world is unrestrained and over the top. My pastor calls me a drama queen. He’s just jealous.

In need of a nap, I call on all my blogger friends to pick up the stick and run with it. I need six people to do this meme.

Penance for Lent

Karen over at Gem of the Ocean has tagged me. This truly creates suffering worthy to be offered up for Lent. I thank Karen from the depths of my itty-bitty soul.

We are to tag bloggers from around the world that we really like to read. I will do my best to comply. An exact number of tags were not specified so let your conscience be your guide.

My number one all time favorite would have to be Father John Speekman at Homilies and Reflections from Australia. Father John always has something profound to say that touches my heart. He would be close to perfect if it wasn't for his obsession with lizards.

Father Valenchek at Adam's Ale closely follows Father John. His love for God, the Church, and all of us shines brightly in his musings. Ohio is sort of like a foreign country, isn’t it?

Andrew Haines at In Umbris Sancti Petri is going to be busy this next week with exams at the Pontificià Università Gregoriana in Rome. When he returns maybe he will take a moment to join in with a few tags of his own. I'm very interested in what these smart fellers studying to be priests read in the little bit of spare time they have.

I have to tag Angela at Where Angel's Go 'cause if I don't she will end up in the corner sniveling and twisting her hair around a finger. This woman LOVES to be tagged - for anything! Ooooops! I see now that Karen has already tagged Angela. Just 'cause I love her she's staying.

And last, but certainly not least, Tom in Vegas at Science, Religion, and Miscellaneous Babble. He deserves to be tagged for playing the best music of any blog I visit, and sharing his home with Critter, the cutest dog in blogdom (except for my two.) If Ohio is “sort of” a foreign country, Las Vegas definitely is!

Catch Up Friday

Today I will break my rule and actually say something personal. I have been rather slow with my posts while getting myself "back on track." As an adult with ADD (attention deficit disorder) my coping skills must be maintained. Sometimes, when I'm derailed, time must be spent reviewing and updating my skills. For the past few weeks the organization books have been getting quite a workout.

I know there are lots of folks out there with ADD, and often the co-existing conditions of alcoholism, bi-polar disorder, and fibromyalgia. Please consider yourselves as I do - the lucky ones. We know the problems and have a plan or a program. And, we always have a God who loves us!

In the past few weeks so many of my blogger buddies have given me awards and meme's. Today I will do my best to get caught up and I thank you all for the wisdom and humor you share.

Karen over at Gem of the Ocean gave me a nice award except blogger won't let me post a picture so you'll all have to wait to actually see what award it is. Oooops - working again. She also blessed me with this fun meme. This just in as I try to catch up - PaulaB52 at As We Wait in Joyful Hope has awarded me the Excellent Award, too! Wow, thanks Paula. And.......Maryellen at Grandma's Musings gave me one. My blog runneth over!! If you haven't been to visit Maryellen do yourself a favor and stop by. Not only is she one gorgeous woman, but she's actually older than I am. Now, that doesn't happen too often.

1) Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

That would have to be The DaVinci Code. I’ve even heard some priests claim it was a fun read but there’s too many really good books out there to waste my time on this one.

2) If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Victor “Pug” Henry from Winds of War, by Herman Wouk. Emma from Jane Austin’s book of the same name, and Scarlett O’Hara. And, no event would be complete without Tony Soprano.

3) (Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for a while, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

Am I the only person who had to look up who Jasper Fforde is?? It looks like I may never die ‘cause if a book doesn’t grab me the first 20 – 40 pages, it’s history. Therefore, it would be impossible to actually find the most boring book since the boring ones never get finished. Ergo – I’ll live forever.

4) Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?

I’ve never lied about reading a book. I even have a touch of “reverse snobbism” and take great delight in telling people that some books are waaaaaay beyond me ie: Lord of the Rings

5) You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (If you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalise the VIP).

I would have to recommend the best available book on reading comprehension and how to read faster. People don't read 'cause they don't do it well.

6) A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

Russian or French if I was trying to impress everyone. However, I hate Russian novels and I lost my taste for French nonsense a long time ago. So, that leaves Italian in order that my BFF Tony Soprano, my cousin Vinnie, and I could sit around big plates of baked ziti and discuss all things Italian.

7) A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

Absolutely impossible to just choose one and I read very, very fast so I will choose more than one. In This House of Brede by Rumer Goddin, And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer, Gone With the Wind by Magaret Mitchell, Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk, anything by Jane Austin, Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, and The Thorn Birds. I’m sure there is a gazillion more but I must leave time for new books.

8) I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

I think finding some of the writing and book blogs have opened up a whole new and exciting world for me. Writers tend to be a bit nuts so I'm very comfortable lurking about their blogs.

9) That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather bound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

My library would be like what we called a “sun porch” when I was growing up (as in St. Paul, Minnesota.) Window on three sides and only the fourth side for bookshelves. There would be a wood stove for winter and a big ceiling fan for summer. I would need one cozy chair and a table for writing and study. Naturally, there would be plants. I have no need to actually own books other than the reference books I use over and over again.

TAGGED








I've been tagged by PaulaB52 (don't you love her name?) at As We Wait in Joyful Hope with a really fun book meme. Paula just celebrated her birthday. Happy Birthday, Paula!!

Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.


The nearest book to me was, What Do I Want in Prayer, by William A. Barry, SJ.

On the unhappy anniversary of Row v Wade, this is what I found by following the above directions:


Soul of Christ, sanctify me.


Body of Christ, save me.


Blood of Christ, inebriate me.



Please pray for the little ones who fell prey to the evil called abortion.

I tag:

1. MLH @ Palmetto State Thoughts

2. Father Longenecker @ Standing on My Head

3. Rachel @ Would you like blog with that?

4. Angela @ Where Angels Go...

5. Anyone who thinks this looks like fun.

On the Lighter Side

Tagged

I try not to post anything personal, mainly because I think I'm a pretty boring person, but I promised Therese from Aussie Coffee Shop I would do this meme way back on the 13th of December. Therese is also hosting the Catholic Carnival. What a little bee she is!!

We have been very busy moving our lady friend, who has terminal cancer, into a retirement apartment. She is failing so fast that we may have to move her immediately into assisted living. We will know more after I speak with Hospice this morning. Please keep Rose in your prayers.

I realize the questions call for "one" book but I do everything to excess!

1. One book that changed your life: They all helped change my life in some way.


2. One book that you’ve read more than once: In This House of Brede, The Screwtape Letters, and Winds of War


3. One book you’d want on a desert island: How to Build a Boat


4. One book that made you laugh: The World According to Garp, Comma Sense


5. One book that made you cry: I don’t cry very often


6. One book that you wish had been written: Eating Carbs While Staying Slim


7. One book that you wish had never been written. Huh?? Oh, I guess The Course in Miracles.


8. One book you’re currently reading: I never read one book at a time. Right now I am reading God’s Providence Explained by Father Henri Morice, Cell by Stephen King, Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo, Peak Learning by Ronald Gross, and Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark.


9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: That would be pretty much any book I hadn’t read yet.

I tag anyone who reads.

Tagged for a Meme

Just a few of my daylilies

I've been tagged by Father Tim, that wild and crazy guy from SOV2.

Father Tim was tagged by Therese at Aussie Coffee Shop

Rules

Here's what you do:

Each tagged person must post 8 random facts or habits about themselves on their blog. At the end of the post, choose 8 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment telling them that they are tagged and to read your blog. Have fun!

1. I love high heels


2. I could live on nachos - the more jalapenos the better! Think I'll have some tonight!


3. I was the first women to sell cars in Spokane, WA


4. I was a hairdresser for 25 years and owned a salon in Sedona, AZ


5. Tony Soprano is my hero


6. I taught ballroom dancing for Fred Astaire for many years and won the United States Ballroom competition in the mid 70's


7. My AA birthday was July 25 and I was 17 years sober


8. I own and operate a daylily nursery on my five acres
   

I will be tagging:

1. Swiss Miss at St. Monica's Kneeler

2 Tom in Vegas at Science, Religion, and Miscellaneous

3. Athanasius at 50 Days After

4. Paul Cat at Alive and Young

5. Karen at Gem of the Ocean

6. Justme at Oh, and..This

7. Pilgrim at Twisted Valley

8. Uncle Jim at A Second Chance