Candyland list

tumbled upon this list of candies in the days post-Halloween, and it made me laugh in its specificity--especially the "burn it with fire" category.

I am mostly "meh" about candy in general (I could relate to the blogger's sentiment that he was surprised to find he was ambivalent about a number of candies), and never simply pick up a candy bar at the grocery store for kicks... it takes something like a bowl of M&Ms sitting on someone's desk, or the platter of leftover Halloween candy on a counter at work to get me picking at it as I wander by. I discovered in the weeks prior to this Halloween that there was a bag of leftover Halloween candy in the cupboard... from what year, I can't say for sure. How does that happen?

In general, my sweet tooth has greatly diminished from my younger years; if I'm going to pick up something sweet, it will probably be for something other than candy (see Sweet Things section in recipe list to the right!).

Meanwhile, here's my rundown of the same candy list I referenced above. Go ahead and judge me for my Junior Mints and Pop Rocks--I certainly judged him (Cadbury Egg Cremes? Top Shelf? As if.).

Top shelf 
Heath bar
Junior Mints
Kit-Kat
M&Ms
Pop Rocks
Reese's peanut butter cup
Reese's pieces
Snickers
Toblerone
Twizzlers

I like this
Almond Joy
Butterfinger
Dots
Gummi bears or worms
Hershey Bar
Hershey's Kiss
Jelly beans
JuJu Bes
Lifesavers
Mallobar
Mentos
Mounds
Nutrageous
Oh Henry
Pay Day
Rolo
Skittles
Smarties (both American and Canadian versions!)
Sprees
Swedish Fish
Sweet Tarts
Twix
Werther's Original
York Peppermint Patties

Not bad/Not sure if I've had 
Andes Mints
100 GRAND Bar
5th Avenue
Atomic Fireball
Baby Ruth
Chunky Singles
Circus peanuts
Clark bar
Cow Tales
Good & Plenty
Hot Tamales
Jawbreakers
Krackel chocolate bar
Lemonheads
Mary Jane
Mike and Ike
Milky Way
Mr. Goodbar
Nerds
Nik-L-Nips
Now and Later
Peanut Butter Kisses
Pez
Pixie Stix
Pocky
Sour Patch Kids
Starburst
Sugar Daddy
Symphony Bar
Take Five
Three Musketeers
Whatchamacallit
Zagnut

If I was starving 
Blow Pops
Candy cigarettes
Fun Dip
Jolly Ranchers
Laffy Taffy
Milk Duds
Peeps
Ring Pops

Burn it with fire
Cadbury creme eggs
Necco wafers
Raisinets
Red Vines
Tootsie Rolls/Tootsie Roll pops
Wax lips
Whoppers

Eat once a year, but no more (I added this category to the original list)
Candy Canes

Worst candy in existence
Candy corn

How would your list run down? At the very least, tell me your favorite candy!

More questions! It's a questionpalooza!

here's a question-y meme that's been making it's way around the interwebs lately. I first spotted it here, at one of my regular haunts, a few weeks ago and tucked it away for exploring when I had a bit of time. Then, just last week I saw it pop up on a new-ish to me blog, Diary of a Square Toothed Girl, and saw that she opened it up to ANYone, so thought, hey, I'm in Q&A mode (as evidenced from my most recent Thursday 13), let's go!

1. Do you like your first name? Why? 
Now, yes. As a child, it took some getting used to. It stood out too much, especially since I went by Sher, and got a LOT of "Hey, Sher, where's Sonny?" Between high school and college I made the decision to go by Sherilee, and sort of embraced the name. But I'm fine being called either Sher or Sherilee--just no Sheri or Sheryl. Those are not me.

2. What is your favorite television show? Why? 
This changes, of course, with whatever new flavor is around, but I would have to say Downton Abbey has made me a very loyal watcher, the past two seasons. And Smash was a lot of fun just recently. The Middle makes me laugh out loud, as does Modern Family.

3. What is the greatest life lesson you've learned? 
Greatest? Oy. Just about anything I toss off here will sound pithily flip, and I'm sure I could dig up a quote or two to fit the bill... but here goes: Life is what you make it. I know people in very rough and tough circumstances who are pretty convinced they have it made, and I know people who sit quite comfortably to all outward appearances, and are miserable. So figure out what you want your life to count for, and aim for it every day.

4. Who is your favorite author? 
Too many to pick from! I usually haul out a C.S. Lewis for these kinds of questions... I like his mind, his subject matter, how he puts words together.

5. If you could be a pair of shoes, what kind of shoes would they be? 
Well, I posted a grateful list that featured shoes recently, and while I'd say ANY of those shoes would fit the bill, truthfully, the most like me are:

6. Twilight. Love it? Hate it? ;) (If you don't know what it is, lucky you.) 
I imagine myself as a non-fan, but I honestly don't know. I do not in any way enjoy vampire/werewolf stuff, so I haven't even been tempted to peek. I have heard that "it's SO not about the vampires and werewolves, it has big life issue implications" in the story, and to that I say: I'll take my big life lesson implications in a different wrapper, please. (Apologies to my girlfriends who are Twiheads. I love you, still.)
 
7. (Besides blogging,) what's your favorite hobby? 
What, to pick just ONE? Cooking. Gardening. Crochet. Calligraphy. Pinterest (that surely counts, doesn't it?). Depending on the time of day, or day of the week, it's one of the above.

8. Are you a fan of eggs? What kind? 
All eggs, any which way--though scrambled comes up on the no-thanks list much more than most other preparations. I would say poached, deviled, as salad or omelet or in a custard. Oh yes, in a custard. A friend posted this piece on Alice Waters and an egg she's famous for on Facebook just yesterday. Heavens, that sounds like a good egg. Might be worth a try, if I could find the right spoon...

9. Where is the most exotic place you've ever traveled? 
Exotic is probably in the eye of the beholder... or backpack of the traveler as the case may be. I would probably say Penang, Malaysia. Singapore. Hong Kong. All on the same trip. It was a great deal of fun and adventure.

10. What's the WORST thing you've ever eaten. (If it's your mother-in-laws cooking, I'll never tell...)
I myself have come up with some horrifying flavor combinations on my way to a meal, more than a time or two. But apparently I have blocked them out, as I can't recall exactly what those combos were... I did, though, come by it honestly--my paternal Grandmother was frightfully good at putting together many disparate ingredients and wrongly calling them a "casserole" or "salad," but it seems wrong to mention that, with her having passed a decade ago. I would actually give a great deal to have a meal with that lady one more time...

11. Can you keep a house plant alive? 
I am proud to say that I can. That has not always been the case. I used to refer to my method of tending plants as a "hospice." It was not uncommon for me to walk by, feel the dirt and say, "This needs water," and keep on truckin'. Days later: "This really needs water." And so on. I turned a corner somewhere in the past 10 years, and have kept some plants alive longer than they deserve--we had a couple of plants with mites last summer; I took them outside and I sprayed them and watered them and wiped them... leaf by fricking little leaf... and still. Mites. I finally called it good on one and threw it on the burn pile, all the while feeling guilty, like I could have done more! Ha.

Some people tag other bloggers, some just open it up for everyone... I want to do BOTH!

Here are my questions:
1. What would you pick as a major, if you could go back to college and do it again?
2. Who is the one celebrity with whom you would most like to have an indepth conversation?
3. If you could make a living doing ANYthing, what would that be?
4. What's your all-time very favorite dessert?
5. How many pairs of jeans do you own?
6. What is your favorite flower, and why?
7. What book has most changed your life?
8. What is your least favorite vegetable? Is there any way you can be persuaded to eat it?
9. If you could take a nonstop first class flight to any destination, where would you pick to land?
10. If your 15 minutes of fame included a stint on American Idol, what song would be your trademark solo?
11. If you could pick one former friend (who has remained elusive in this wild Facebook world) to reunite with, who would you unearth?

Here's who I'm tagging. Let's hear what you've got to say, then come up with 11 questions of your own and keep the meme going!

Jen at Stuff Jen Says
Chel and Gingerblue Studios
Janet at Fond of Snape
Shirley at The Livin' is Easy
Sherwin at Shower Wisdom
Rebecca at Mommy With A Cape
Cha Cha at Noodleroux
Slow Panic

Other bloggers, please do feel free to answer, and link back. If you don't have a blog--and why don't you? Come on, people!--feel free to fill up my comment area with your answers!!

Happy weekend questioning!

Quizziness

eems like ages since I've done a quiz-like thing... saw this on my friend Janet's blog, and thought it sounded like a bit of fun on a Saturday night. I know, I should get out more!

1. You have been awarded the time off from work and an all-expenses paid week anywhere in the United States. The catch is that it must be somewhere you have not been before. Where do you choose to visit? Florida Keys.

2. Name three of your guilty pleasures.
*Revenge, that trashy ABC show. I can't believe I'm admitting it.
*Marshmallows. I buy every kind of silly seasonal shape that they now make. (We just finished a bag of bunnies and are now into the jumbo egg-mallows...)
*Queso, from a jar.

3. The best kind of Girl Scout Cookie is: I haven't had one in years, but to the best of my memory, Thin Mints are pretty good...

4. What do you value most in other people? Integrity, wrapped in tenacity. I could go on, but if those two things are present, I'm usually good.

5. Be honest. Do you sneak some raw cookie dough when you’re baking cookies? Whyever not?

6. Have you ever looked back at your life and realized that something you thought was a bad thing was actually a blessing in disguise? Oh my goodness, yes. Just thinking about the last decade, it's chock-a-block full of such blessings.

7. What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited? Really hard to choose. Amazingly, my first thought is that I haven't been anywhere stunning, but then I realize that I probably live in such a place of beauty, I'm inured to it. I do remember thinking that the scenery in Langkawi (small island in Malaysia) was pretty spectacular, back in 1994 or so... and I would also put Sydney Harbor quite high on the list... but I am also quite fond of the Oregon Coast, and the Eagle Cap Wilderness in Oregon is also jaw-dropping at times.

8. Are you more of a thinker or a feeler? On the spectrum, I'd veer more toward the thinker. That's what many, many tests have told me, anyways. So the crying at Hallmark ads? Go figure.

9. Name three things you are thankful for right now.
*My family, from the boys in the room with me right now, to all the more extended family, scattered across Canada and the U.S.
*My health.
*My Creator.

10. Have you ever participated in a three-legged race? Of course. What childhood is complete without that humiliation?

11. When you are at an event that plays the National Anthem, do you place your hand over your heart? Absolutely. And I usually tear up too, so what does that say about #8???

Feel like playing along? Please do, either in the comments or on your blog!

Thursday 13: Survey says

ran across this fun survey over at Randomness with Rachel, and tucked it away to use down the road... then it occured to me that it could be fun to make into a Thursday 13... I had to add a couple of questions, and changed one or two around to suit me, but it still does mostly resemble the one she posted. Mostly. Enjoy!

13 places I have visited:
1. Sydney, Australia
2. Melbourne, Australia
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Singapore
5. Penang, Malaysia
6. Hong Kong
7. Alaska
8. Hawaii
9. NYC
10. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
11. Keene, Texas
12. Palm Desert, CA
13. San Luis Obispo, CA

12 items on my bucket list:
1. Have high tea in London.
2. Eat macarons in Paris.
3. Visit early Christian churches in Eastern Europe.
4. Eat gnocchi in Italy.
5. Do a Holy Lands tour.
6. Live on an island (as its only two inhabitants [with husband]... a very small island, maybe in a river rather than the ocean. This is more pipe dream than bucket list...).
7. Learn to sing. Really sing.
8. Learn to play the piano. Really play the piano.
9. Get a poem published. (By someone other than myself!)
10. Run a marathon. (Once upon a time this was going to happen by 40. Ha ha ha ha.)
11. Build a house. Well, participate in the building of the house by telling people what to do. And maybe swing a hammer occasionally.
12. Dip my toes in every ocean on Earth. (I might just look at the Arctic Ocean... Brrr.) I guess I just have Indian and Arctic to go, unless you're one of the people who buy into the fifth ocean thing... I don't mind adding Antarctica to the list!

11 things I love to eat (this list will not surprise anyone!):
1. Figs
2. Basil
3. Cheese, pretty much any kind but especially chevre, fresh mozzarella, brie and blue cheese
4. Crusty white bread, ie baguette, but more dense and chewy... ciabatta?
5. Custard
6. Hazelnuts
7. Sun-ripened tomatoes (especially WITH basil and cheese)
8. Steak
9. Warm chocolate chip cookies and milk
10. Roasted vegetables: cauliflower, butternut squash, potatoes...
11. Fondue (this deserves its own category, separate from cheese)
12. Berries: blueberries are at the top, followed quickly by raspberries and strawberries...

10 items currently on my desk:
1. Please do not be horrified, but 3 (count 'em) laptops in various stages of workability. Working on getting to ONE.
2. Nail polish
3. Files of stuff I pretend to work on
4. SanDisk to transfer photos from my good camera to my computer
5. Coupons from a massage therapist I went to recently. She's good.
6. A Little Book of Healing Prayer
7. Takeout menu from PFChangs
8. Wallet I keep meaning to transfer stuff into
9. Landline phone and iPhone
10. Box of tissues (for reading things like Mona Simpson's eulogy for Steve Jobs, or watching Parenthood. Gah.)

9 flowers I would fill my house up with every day if I could:
1. Plumeria
2. Gerbera daisies--every color!
3. English tea roses in pinks and yellows and peaches
4. Forget-me-nots
5. Siberian irises
6. Lilacs
7. Dahlias, in peachy pink shades
8. Sunflowers
9. Peonies

8 favorite songs (hard to keep to 8...):
1. Abide in Me, Kristen Chenoweth
2. The Luckiest, Ben Folds
3. First Day of My Life, Bright Eyes
4. The Way I Am, Ingrid Michaelson
5. Living Prayer, Alison Krause
6. Sailing to Philadelphia, Mark Knopfler
7. Extreme Ways, Moby



8. A Million Ways, OK Go

7 things I can't get through the day without:
1. Coffee
2. iPhone
3. Prayer (feel bad putting that in third place, but it's where it naturally occurred to me...)
4. Kiss/hug/I-love-you to/from husband
5. Hug from Seth (if he's here...)
6. Food
7. A shower. Well, I can, but I really have a better day if I do.

6 favorite authors:
1. C. S. Lewis
2. Jhumpa Lahiri
3. Anne Lamott
4. Donald Miller
5. Mary Oliver
6. Bill Bryson

5 animals I would have as a pet if I could:
1. Giraffe
2. Exotic cat, like an ocelot
3. Red panda
4. Fennec fox
5. Hedgehog

4 words to describe myself:
1. Persistent/persevering
2. Optimistic
3. Cheerful (especially after coffee...)
4. Honest

3 models of vehicles I have owned:
1. Subaru
2. Jeep
3. Honda

2 physical traits that attract me to someone:
1. Eyes
2. Smile

1 favorite season: Doh! Autumn.

Well, that was fun. I'd love to hear yours... you can play along in the comments or on your own blog!

For more Thursday 13s, go here.

We know how to do up Saturday night around here!

hat's a whoo-hoo Saturday night for you? Well, around here, things are a bit mellow tonight... just my speed. So, when I found a new blog (via another blog that has already slipped my memory, sigh) and did a little looking around, I saw this survey and thought, "Hey, it's been awhile since I did one of those, let's have a whirl!"

So here goes. Me, laid bare. Ha.

A. age :: forty-two

B. bed size :: king, massive and lovely

C. chore you hate :: poop-scoopin'

D. dogs :: they for whom I scoop: Jack, Darby and Chief

E. essential start to your day :: pills and coffee (sounds naughty, but both pills and coffee are completely necessary, I swear!)

F. favorite color :: green, still

G. gold or silver :: both, and sometimes even together, scandalous!

H. height :: five eight and a bit

I. instruments you play :: plink plink on the piano

J. job title :: wife, mother, crafter, cook

K. kids :: one precious Seth, 14

L. live :: Washington, the state. (Thank goodness, I could not do that "other" Washington.)

M. maiden name :: Goerlitz (or Girl Zits, as they said in high school...)

N. nicknames :: Sher

O. overnight hospital stays :: for the boy's birth (1996) and the thyroidectomy (2003)

P. pet peeve :: negative, defeatist talk

Q. quote :: Many, many that I enjoy. Here's one I just found today: There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity. -Washington Irving

R. righty or lefty :: right except for hockey, where I shoot left.

S. siblings :: one dear brother, Shelby

T. time you wake up :: with the sun in the summer (too early) and generally around 6 a.m. the rest of the year (with an alarm when it's pitch black at that time).

U. university attended :: one Walla Walla University. It was Walla Walla College when I attended... oh and Avondale College in Australia for a semester. Most expensive semester you can imagine.

V. vegetables you dislike: can't think of any I dislike, but I tolerate beets, usually. And peas.

W. what makes you run late :: miscalculating the time it actually takes to get downtown. I always think it's six minutes when it's really 12. And, I think it should take me 10 to get across town, and it's really closer to 17... I know, such a commute!

X. x-rays you’ve had :: dentist

Y. yummy food :: so so much, but I will be brief and just say figs, basil, artichokes, pasta, custardy desserts, anything and everything with cheese, eggs in many forms, all fruit but especially berries and nectarines and watermelon

Z. zoo animal favorite :: koala bears

Have at it! Answer in the comments or on your own blog, but be sure to let me know about it, so I can come and visit.

Characters meme

potted this meme over at A Design So Vast, and just had to play along. I've seen a few of these name combos before, but not such a fun, extensive list.

1. Rockstar Name (first pet, current car): Dinah Insight

2. Gangsta Name (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Peanut Butter Chocolate Born

3. Native American Name (fave color, fave animal): Green Rabbit

4. Superhero Name (2nd fave color, fave drink): Orange Coffee

5. Nascar Name (first names of your grandfathers): Frank Berthold

6. Stripper Name (name of your fave scent/perfume, fave candy): Daisy Marshmallow

7. TV Weather Anchor Name (5th grade teacher’s last name, major city that starts with same letter): Jones Joplin

8. Spy Name (fave season/holiday, flower): Spring Gerbera

9. Cartoon Name (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Blueberry Slippers

10. Hippie Name (what you ate for breakfast, favorite tree): Museli Aspen

Please share yours, either in the comments or on your own blog--but be sure to tell me that you did so I can come and check it out!

Meme-ish-ness

Here's an alphabet meme that's been rambling around the interwebnets; I think I initially saw it on Sunshine's blog... I thought I'd use it as a while-we're-on-the-road filler. How kind of me, no?

A – Age: 42
B – Bed size: King, beautiful King
C – Chore you hate: There really isn't any chore I HATE as long as I have my yellow rubber gloves. I can do almost anything with those puppies on!
D – Dog’s name: Jack, Darby, Chief and Ruby; yes, we are card-carrying members of the too-many-dogs club.
E – Essential start your day item: Coffee and pills (seriously)
F – Favorite color: Green, almost every shade, but you already knew that, didn't you?
G – Gold or Silver: Silver, usually, but I've been much more kind to the gold lately
H – Height: 5' 8.5"
I – Instruments you play: A pathetically small amount of piano, even less of flute; every once in awhile I think I want to take them both up again, but then I think, When exactly would I do that?
J – Job title: A little of this, a little of that; Jack of all trades, master of none...
K – Kid(s): Seth, 14. I shake my head every day at how blessed I am in the kid department.
L – Living arrangements: Beautiful home currently in transition due to a smallish leak in a pipe under the kitchen sink. Countdown to normal commences in 10, 9, 8, 7...
M – Mom’s name: Shirley Ann
N – Nicknames: Sher (Shelby can comment on any other names, I've blocked tham out.)
O – Overnight hospital stay other than birth: One, a total thyroidectomy about seven years ago
P – Pet peeve(s): Negativity and complaining, whining's pretty high up on the peeve list too...
Q – Quote from a movie: "You have bewitched me, body and soul." -Mr. Darcy. Swoon. Yes, I'm a Jane Austen freak.
R – Right or left handed: Right
S – Siblings: One brother, 18 months older
T – Time you wake up: My alarm is set for 5:40 (basketball mornings) or 6 a.m. (all other mornings)
U – Underwear? Yes, please. I'm a little too old for any other answer, really.
V – Vegetable you dislike: Beets. I have tried, I really have.
W – Ways you run late: I can spend a bit of time looking for keys. It's another pet peeve of mine, not being able to find keys or cell phones, etc.
X – X-rays you’ve had: Teeth
Y – Yummy food you make: I love food. I love yummy food. See recipe list.
Z – Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Please play along, in the comments or on your own blog. Thanks!

Days of Awe

osh Hoshanah took place this past week--sunset Sept. 8 through sunset last night. Not being Jewish, or having extensive knowledge of Jewish traditions, and not living in an area with many observant Jewish people, it passed by my notice as every other year.

But in catching up on reading a few of my regular blog feeds over the past couple of days, I found a number of posts about the tradition of Rosh Hoshanah, and what it represents in terms of renewal and fresh starts. And, you know me and fresh starts... love 'em. New calendar years, new school years, new months, even a new morning, a blank journal... all good.

The days between Rosh Hoshanah and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, 10 days later, sunset Sept. 17 through sunset Sept. 18) are called the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim). Isn't that a great name: Days of Awe? During these 10 days, it's a time of reflection on the past year, to recognize the wrongs of the year and reconcile with each other and with God. (Who, I've noticed, Jewish people refer to as "G-d" when writing... I had to look it up and discovered that apparently spelling out the name might be taking it in vain.)

A couple of my favorite posts were at Eat The Damn Cake and in the SmartlyLA blog. At the end of Kate's post at Eat The Damn Cake was a list of questions that she uses to reflect on the past year and move forward. I enjoyed reading her questions and thought I'd answer them in my own way here, as my own kind of Rosh Hoshanah practice. It's a new meme! And maybe, just maybe, I'll remember this next year and come back and see if I really do learn anything or am just stuck on repeat, year after year. (Some days it does feel like that.)

What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned this year?
I seem to learn the same lessons over and over: Slow down. This applies to all areas of my life. Driving. Talking. Thinking. Moving. Mowing. Making decisions. Reacting. Speaking before thinking.

What is a new skill you’ve acquired?
I have learned bits in photography. A little with sewing. I definitely want to keep going further with the photography, and add in more artistic creativity to my life overall.

Did you do something big that you never thought you’d be able to? What was it?
Can't think of anything BIG.

What do you find beautiful about yourself that you didn’t before this year?
I can't think of anything. I may need to ponder this one a bit.

Who did you grow to love even more?
My husband.

Who did you grow to love or appreciate for the first time?
A new friend. A lovely surprise.

Who impacted you in a profoundly positive way?
A group of women I have lunch with about once a month. It's pretty great.

Who surprised you?
My son, with his maturity and insight.

Who infuriated you? Have you been able to come to terms with it?
Can't say, we live in a small town. And, no, haven't come to terms with it. I'll keep working on it.

Who hurt you? Have you been able to forgive them?
No significant hurts to me personally this past year. But, when you hurt my guys, you hurt me... I actively work on forgiveness; it's a process.

What do you recognize in yourself that you want to work to improve?
Pettiness. Seeing issues in other people and being blind to my own "stuff."

What food did you discover? Or what food did you grow to love?
Is there any food I don't already love? That is the better question...

What negative thing have you let go of?
The need to be right; I don't need to be right, I need to be learning. But I'll be reminding myself of that one over and over in the coming years, I'm sure.

What is something you’re truly sorry for?
Turning a blind eye to situations and circumstances that have needed my attention. Letting things be, thinking they'd fix or improve when in fact they needed addressing.

Who did you really hurt? Did you tell them you’re sorry?
Significant other of the past. Yes.

What goal did you accomplish? (It’s OK if it’s something “small.”)
I have started running again, and practicing my calligraphy on a daily basis. And writing more, but I need to get more consistent with that discipline.

What are you really looking forward to?
Celebrating my fifth anniversary with my husband in Hawaii.

What is one of your favorite things about your life, looking back?
That I made a choice to turn back toward a more spiritual basis for living and learning. The blessings have been innumerable.

Would love to know how you'd answer these, either in the comments or on your own blog. Shalom.

Photo source: (A Rosh Hoshanah tradition includes eating apples dipped in honey in the hopes that eating them will bring about a sweet new year.)

One word meme

rabbed this from slow panic. How's that for a cool blog name? Some days, eh?

Each question must be answered with one word. We'll see about that. One word is not my strong suit.

Your cell phone? iPhone

Your hair? long

Your mother? patient

Your father? artistic

Your favorite food? figs

Your dream last night? bizzare

Your favorite drink? coffee

Your music? eclectic

Your dream/goal? heaven

What room are you in? bedroom

Your hobby? plethora

Your fear? loneliness

Where do you want to be in 6 years? here

Where were you last night? bed

Something that you aren’t? finished

Muffins? bran

Wish list item? peace

Where did you grow up? Canada

Last thing you did? Band-Aid

What are you wearing? jammies

Your TV? off

Your pets? quiet

Friends? plentiful

Your life? busy

Your mood? restless

Missing someone? no

Vehicle? insight

Something you’re not wearing? makeup

You? happy

Your favorite store? etsy

Your favorite color? green

When was the last time you laughed? tonight

Last time you cried? recently

Your best friend? yes

One place that you go to over and over? kitchen

Facebook? yup

Favorite place to eat? outside

Have at it. I'd love to see your stab at this on your own blog, or in the comments!

Easter Better Basket Blog Hop

o, my dear friend Jen at Stuff Jen Says tagged me for an Easter Better Basket Blog Hop. She was tagged by her friend Jen at Mommablogsalot, who was tagged by another blogger, and so on and so on.

The sweet news here is that Hershey’s is donating $10 per blog to the Children’s Miracle Network for every blog that participates. Of course, I'll be tagging a few fellow bloggers, so keep an eye out below!

What would I put in virtual Easter baskets for my lovely bloggy compatriots? That's easy. I am going all Etsy. It's been that kind of week--I am more in love with Etsy than ever, after having a little time on my hands to browse while on vacation this week...

A sweet bunny pendant from Shizen Designs (spring break sale ends this weekend, just sayin').

A colorful print from Katie Daisy at The Wheatfield shop.

A sweet little bunny sculpture from Art Mind.

Some bright and cheery cupcake liners from Cupcake Social.

And just so they don't have to make all their own Easter treats, I'd throw in a few chocolate covered Oreos from Sweeties by Kim. Heavenly!

And because price is no concern when you're giving virtually, I would package it all in this amazing bag from FarragoBags. Now THAT's an Easter "basket." You can thank me later, ladies.

I'm tagging:
Anastasia at The Gift
Cha-Cha at noodleroux
Rachel at Randomness with Rachel
Michelle at Six in the City
Janet at Fond of Snape

Each of these ladies makes my online world a little brighter with their fun blogs and posts!

Here's how it works:
Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop Rules

* Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.
* Create a blog post giving a virtual Easter Basket to another blogger – you can give as many Virtual Baskets as you want.
* Link back to person who gave you an Easter Basket.
* Let each person you are giving a Virtual Easter Basket know you have given them a Basket.
* Leave your link at BetterBasket.info/BlogHop comment section. You can also find the official rules of this #betterbasket blog hop, and more information about Better Basket with Hershey’s there.
* This started as a meme of HERSHEY’S donating $10 per each blog participating to the Better Basket Blog Hop to Children’s Miracle Network up to $5,000 – but after so many bloggers participating, HERSHEY’S decided to donate a total of $7,000 honoring the kindness of blogger community.

Imagine all the happy kids at Children's Miracle Network! Thanks for playing along.

Meme for a foggy Friday morning

oing what I'm told, yep. A blogger I follow, Cha Cha at noodleroux, posted this meme a week or so back and invited her readers to steal it. So here I go, on this still, gray (and yes, still-gray) Friday morning, as I get ready for a conference call to a meeting in Seattle that I'm supposed to BE at, but there was no plane to fly out on this morning... the joys of small town/small airport/big fog living!

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
My men and I on vacation, with sunshine.

What is your greatest fear?
Dying in great physical pain. Torture.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Smugness.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Negativity.

What is your favorite journey?
Life.

On what occasion do you lie?
Really try not to. Learned a long time ago that honesty works best for sleeping at night and looking in the mirror in the morning. So don't ask me if those pants make your butt look big, please.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Good. Sometimes even twice (so I've been informed), as in: Good good.

Which living person do you most despise?
No one comes to mind. I'm pretty sure there are some tyrannical leaders of third-world countries that I have some hate for, but no one in a 100-mile radius.

What is your greatest regret?
Being too opinionated at times, not being open enough to a change of plans or diversity of thought. Not being teachable.

Which talent would you most like to have?
I'd really like to be able to sing beautifully and effortlessly. But I consider it an act of God to keep me humble that I sing so-so (on a good day) and best in a group.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
To be more realistic some days... less boundless optimism.

What is it that you most dislike?
Negative self-talk. Not in me, of course. Others.

What is your most treasured possession?
Little trinkets Seth has made for me over the years. My wedding ring.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Addiction.

What is your most marked characteristic?
Probably that boundless optimism I mentioned earlier.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
Character. And kind eyes.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Companionability. Is that a word?

What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.

How would you like to die?
In my sleep. When I'm 99. (Aim high! Boundless optimism!)

What is your motto?
It changes often. Right now it is: What will you do with your one wild and precious life? --Mary Oliver

Your turn! Feel free to post to your own blog, or answer in the comments.

Christmas meme frivolity

A quiet afternoon by the fire, by the tree... what could be better? Not much. The house is quiet. The oven is OFF. Goody boxes to be assembled... a bit later...

I grabbed this meme from a blog I read daily, noodleroux... well, I read as often as Cha-Cha posts, anyway. A clever writer with many good stories to be told! She got the meme from another blogger who got it from another blogger, and so on. Like that old shampoo ad... yeah, that one.

Here we go!

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping? Oh my, yes. I'd say it's almost done. A couple more tidbits to go, but nothing major. I have a few kinks to work out on both the boys, but since we're not ripping the wrapping, as it were, until we're all back together the first of the year, I have a moment to pause and ponder.

2. Tell me about your special traditions. When I was a kid we played a game called philopena. You must go look that up, it's a hoot. I haven't played in years, but I think I associate it with Christmas because there were so many whole nuts around the house, with a nutcracker. My mom rocks at philopena. Just try to beat her. For some reason I think I always kind of thought it was a racist game, called "Philipino." Now I feel ashamed I thought badly of my family for playing such a game...

3. When do you put up your tree? As soon as possible after Thanksgiving.

4. Are you a Black Friday shopper? Not much. Certainly not in the 4 a.m. style. If I wander out later, I wander. But the bargains, while I do love a bargain, don't really seem to be aimed at me on Black Friday...

5. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home? Seems like we travel a lot at Christmas. I'm hoping to be here next year and have people come to us. Hear that, people?!

6. What is your funniest Christmas memory? Maybe the year Shelby sliced his finger with the exacto-blade while making a model? No. Not that one. Funny and Christmas don't really seem to go together for me... not that it's NOT a funny time of year, but nothing really pops to mind. I have many lovely memories of skiing on Christmas day, the years we lived practically next door to a small ski hill... and I have a real strange fondness for going to movies on Christmas day, but I can't think I've done that more than once or twice... Now, the Christmas we were on Majuro, when I was 11 or so, and my parents were helping rebuild a school after a tidal wave went over the island... that was a "funny" Christmas, in that we ate all kinds of odd things the Red Cross dropped off for all the islanders--corned beef hash, dry-flake mashed potatoes, Apple Jacks (I had never eaten those before, and frankly haven't since!), and went snorkling on Christmas Day... OK, still not funny in the traditional sense...

7. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time? Elf. I also like Home Alone. A little Christmas Story is good too. But don't get me started on Love, Actually. Really, don't. I know everyone just loves that movie, but ugh. No thanks, even though there are a couple of cute story lines, the infidelity and crushing on your best friend's wife... not so much my cup of tea. Husband is going to be appalled that I don't mention White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, Holiday Inn... but I just wasn't raised with those... that's why he's around, to educate me!

8. Do you do your own Christmas baking? What is your favorite treat? That's a funny one! Ha. Do I do my own baking... hmmm. Just a little. My favorite treats can vary over the years, but the few that really stand out, still, are butter tarts of the Canadian/Grandma Kandt variety, Florentine shortbreads, and this year I made some coconut cake snowballs that I am in love with. All to come in later posts...

9. Fake or real tree? We need a biggun with the living room we have right now, and, well, after the first year where the tree died within a week (I bought a cheapo) and the replacement cost about $150, we decided to go for the fake-o. It's big a beautiful and really doesn't look fake, I swear. I have a great appreciation for the smell of Christmas trees, but I also have a great appreciation for not contributing to the death of more trees and also not burning down the house.

10. What day does the actual panic set in to get it all done? Right around when the tree goes up. I like to get my panic out of the way early.

11. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? Usually, yes. It's surprising why I wait (procrastinate), since I really enjoy the activity of wrapping...

12. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas? Mexican train dominoes. Stuffing stockings at midnight with my mom and sister-in-law (and piling up the stuff that doesn't fit into the stocking somewhere under the stocking!). Undoing the stockings in the morning. Christmas breakfast. The whole day.

13. What Christmas craft do you like best? Coming up with new trimmings... wreaths, stockings, that sort of thing.

14. Christmas music, yes or no? And if yes, what is your favorite song? Oh my yes. iTunes says I have more than 500 holiday songs, which is kind of shocking. I make a Christmas mix every year, as do several of my friends, so there is a lot of music swapping going on and new music to be enjoyed. I do have a few favorites... of the sacred variety I am extremely partial to almost anyone singing "Mary, Did You Know?" and of the merry secular variety I adore Michael Buble's "Grown Up Christmas List" and Alison Krauss' "Only You Can Bring Me Cheer," and of course Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Barielles singing "Winter Song"... the list is quite long.

15. When do you plan to finish all your shopping? Sometime next week, obviously. By Wednesday, I'd say, since Wednesday night I will arrive somewhere fairly remote.

16. Do you know the names of all of Santa’s reindeer {without googling it}? Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen, Dasher and Dancer... Vixen? I was informed by husband that Rudolph wasn't part of the gang, but what about the song? I'm confused and frustrated not to be able to google it.

17. When do you take down your Christmas tree? Sometime the first week of January, depending on schedule and mood.

18. Hardest person to buy for? Husband, brother, father. Men in general. 'Cept Seth. He's easy peasy, mostly.

19. Easiest person to buy for? My mom. We have similar enough tastes and interests.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Nothing right now. Isn't that shocking? We need something that signifies this family... not sure that's an angel. Probably a star!

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The busy-ness.

22. What do you want for Christmas? My two front teeth. Seriously, not much. Just a relaxing time with husband, safe travels for my family, a peaceful time for everyone... and if a few shiny, pretty things find their way into my stocking, well, that's fine too.

Here's the blog that started it all: Top 10 Christmas. If you're so inclined, play along on your blog--or post your response in the comments--and link back to her. The more the merrier!

Monday random meme

Playing along with Jen's meme... I always do what I'm told!

Is there anybody you just wish would fall off the planet?
In my petty, dark moments, sure. But then I remember that everybody has someone who cares about them (well, most everyone...) and would feel pain at the loss, so I magnanimously allow those individuals to NOT fall off the planet. I know, how big of me.

How do you flush the toilet in public?
With my foot, if at all possible. So let that be a lesson to all of you still using your hands. My FOOT has just flushed the toilet...

Name one thing you worry about running out of.
Sense of humor. Can you imagine? How horrible.

What are your super powers?
Knowing when Seth hasn't done what I've asked of him, yet. Divine power, really.

Where are your car keys?
Try not to be too horrified: in the car itself (which is in the garage). I like to know where they are when I'll need them next.

Last song you listened to?
Currently listening to God Help the Girl's album that I ripped from Shelby and Kim yesterday (thanks!). Trying to decide if it's enough different from Belle and Sebastian... I think enough so...

What’s your most annoying habit?
Making up my mind quickly and not looking back. I believe it's called a short backhand. It doesn't annoy me, natch...

Where did you last go on vacation?
This last weekend we were in Seattle with family, does that count? If we're looking for actual away time, I think it would be our week in August at the Oregon coast...



What is your best physical feature?
Not an area I dwell on much... more comfortable in the "least" categorizing! But I have been complimented on my eyes a lot in my life... so we'll go for that.

What CD is closest to you right now?
No CD within 25 feet or so--my office, I'm in our bedroom--so let's just say all gobzillion of my songs on iTunes...

What three things can always be found in your refrigerator?
Apples, orange juice, cheese

What superstition do you believe/practice?
None come to mind.

What color are your bed sheets?
Dusky gray blue flannel. Cozy.

Would you rather be a fish or a bird?
A bird, so I could fly fly fly.

Last thing you broke?
This is SO my area, but nothing is coming immediately to mind. That scares me, cuz it means I'm due any moment... yikes.

Do security cameras make you nervous?
No, but they do make me want to either dance or pick my nose. Either. Or.

If you wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
"She Does Like to Look on the Bright Side, Doesn't She?"

Last time you went to a cemetery?
Two summers ago, when we held a memorial for a great-aunt and great-uncle in Kelowna, B.C.

Last concert you went to?
Painful to remember we were SUPPOSED to be at the Owl City concert last Tuesday... before that it was SYTYCD '08 in Tacoma last September.



Favorite musician(s)/bands you’ve seen in concert?
Probably Norah Jones, even though it was in the rain. James Taylor on July 4 at the Gorge was pretty fun. Sting on the last night of his world tour in Sydney was also rather fun (it was my very first concert too).

Next concert you’re planning to attend?
Nov. 20 in Everett: SYTYCD '09. Will NOT miss.

Do you talk to yourself?
All the time. Some of my best conversations.

Have you ever adopted or purchased a pet?
Yes, both.

Have you ever been present when an animal is being born?
Oh yes. Cats, many times. Calves, a few times. A horse, once.

OK, I feel like I've done my duty for the day. Off to get a few things accomplished, and talk to myself while I'm doing them! Happy Monday.

Food related "getting to know me"

Found this fun little meme on a food blog Brownie Points the other day, and thought it would be fun to play... you know me, lovin' to share!

Cutting board: silicon or wood?
Depends on what I'm chopping. I have colored mats for meat and poultry that I can sanitize after use, and a nice big wood board that I use for fruits and veggies. It gets a lot of use right now!

Knife: carbon steel or stainless?
Global, Global, Global. All the way.




Kitchen Aide or hand mixer?
Kitchen Aide. Why mess around with beaters and a tiny little engine when you can go with the big guns?

Cooktop: gas, electric, induction?
I've had gas, I've had electric. Right now I am happy as can be with my electric flat-top, other than it is difficult to keep really clean looking... But I've discovered a few secrets to that too, since I'm a bit of a spiller (understatement of the year).

Side-by-side, freezer on top, fridge on top?
Love love love my fridge on top, double doors, freezer down below. I never have been wild about the side-to-side and this last one just did me in, reaching all the way back in the narrow spaces...

Apron or whoops?
More often than not, it's whoops. But when I'm dressed proper and want to stay that way, I will throw on an apron. Especially for baking, where the flour might be a flyin'.

Mashed potatoes: by hand, ricer, or mixer?
Ricer all the way, with a hand masher finish. Nothing beats the smoothness and texture of a ricer. Can't believe I didn't know that until I was in my 30s. Ah well, it was a great discovery.

Sandwich or wrap?
Not being particularly "bready," I would go wrap. Now if you want to slather it with olive oil and stick it in a panini press, I can be all about the sandwich...

PB & _________ ?
Jam. Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry... any of those. No bananas. No pickles. None of that stuff. Just the basics.

Pancakes: syrup or applesauce?
Maple syrup, please.

Cake: scratch or mix?
Oh dear, confession time. Actually, it depends on the cake. If it's a "birthday cake" kind of cake, I just go with the box. If it's something interesting, different, unique, I'll go from scratch any day. But I'm not going to mess around with making a yellow cake from scratch. Tell me I'm wrong, that's OK. Same thing goes for brownies. I've made so-so from scratch and had rave reviews from the box. Go figure.

Chili: beans or no?
Oh yes. Especially given most of my chilis are going to be semi-vegetarian... what else would be in there besides the beans?

Napkin: cloth or paper?
Depends. I have paper around for everyday, but get the cloth out for guests, special, weekends.

BBQ: takes the whole weekend to make or take out?
Neither. Not a BBQ gal.

Chicken: white or dark?
White. Dark kinda scares me. I know, a bit of a freak when it comes to meat, still.

Ice cream: cone or dish?
Usually a dish. But recently I had a hankering for one of those waffle cones and it was good. There was too much ice cream inside it, but it was very very good... ice cream coma, I think they call it?

Metal or non-stick?
Are we talking fry pans? Baking sheets? Either way, why wouldn't you do the non-stick? Non-stick is good. Very good.

Cast iron or stainless?
I have a love affair with my cast iron. Heavy stuff, but it works so well and is pretty to boot.

I would love to hear your thoughts on these very important items! You can always comment (please) or post at your own blog.

Happy cooking. I'm off to pick more plums. They just keep hanging in there, literally!

Monday music meme

So Jen stole a meme from her friend Chris (and it appears he did the same!). So I'll keep it moving. I'm looking to delay starting my workout this morning, so I'll use up a few minutes fiddling around on my iphone...

The rules:
* Turn on your music player or computer.
* Go to SHUFFLE songs mode.
* Write down the first 30 songs that come up–song title and artist–NO editing/cheating.

Jen also made a crack about my new-ish (actually a hand-me-down, but why split hairs?) iphone being the 26th ipod to join my collection... a well-deserved crack, and one that made me snort my coffee, but I must protest just slightly, ever so slightly...

This list is from my iphone, which has a great deal of music, but not my entire collection. So it should bring up stuff I really like, as opposed to strange one-off downloads from itunes Free Music Tuesday! We'll see. I can't say I'll stand by every song, but very close...

1. Tracy Chapman, Fast Car
2. Ingrid Michaelson, Little Romance
3. Fleetwood Mac, Big Love
4. Everything but the Girl, 25th December
5. Joni Mitchell, You Turn Me On I'm a Radio
6. Amy Grant, Abide With Me
7. U2, All That You Can't Leave Behind
8. The Rongetz Foundation, Almost
9. Chris Rice, The Old Rugged Cross
10. The Shins, Mine's Not a High Horse
11. Stevie Wonder, You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
12. JMDee Beat, A Fool Like Me
13. S-Tone Inc., Dreamer
14. OMD, If You Leave
15. Michael Buble, Home
16. Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack, Ringa Ringa
17. The Bird & The Bee, How Deep Is Your Love (I love this cover!)
18. Goldfrapp, Beautiful
19. The Pfeifer Broz. Orchestra, Sex and the City Movie Theme
20. Fleetwood Mac, Everywhere
21. Sarah McLachlan, Fallen
22. John Denver, Poems, Prayers and Promises
23. Norah Jones, Come Away With Me
24. Elton John, I Want Love
25. Rachel Lampa, Blessed
26. Carole King, The Reason
27. Fernando Ortega, Be Thou My Vision
28. Big Bang, Yo Yo Jazz
29. Ingrid Michaelson, The Way I Am
30. Paolo Nutini, New Shoes

Yep, that's pretty much it. No real surprises. A little weighted toward a jazz collection that I ripped from Corinne when I was in California this spring, but pretty much everyone else is on there very intentionally... I'm sure it would be quite a different story if I did it off my entire itunes library, which right now has enough music that I could listen for 312 days straight and not repeat. Yikes. That includes books and videos too, but still, that might just qualify as a sickness... I have my excuses, but they are pale.

I'd love to hear what your music shuffle brings up too!

Music meme

Here's a fun meme that Jen posted on her blog just today. I recently have been (very slowly on the weekends) coming up with a "Sher soundtrack"--songs that have been significant for me at different times of my life, so this meme plays right into that music obsession. It was a bit of a challenge to pick the artist, but I ended up going with Joni Mitchell. Sara MacLachlan was a close runner up, as were Neil Diamond, Elton John or Anne Murray! All my old childhood faves... Oh, almost forgot one: you can thank me later for not doing Roger Whittaker!

Using only song names from one artist, answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title.

Pick Your Artist: Joni Mitchell

Describe yourself: Sunny Sunday

How do you feel about yourself: Both Sides Now

Describe where you currently live (where I am this minute...): California

If you could go anywhere you wanted to go: River

Your favorite form of transportation: Big Yellow Taxi

Your best friend is: Woman of Heart and Mind

Your favorite color is: Little Green

Favorite time of day: Rainy Night House

If your life were a TV show, what would it be called: Ladies of the Canyon

What is life to you: The Circle Game

What is the best advice you have to give: Court and Spark

If you could change your name, what would it be: Amelia

Your favorite food is: Banquet

Thought for the Day: Last Chance Lost

How I would like to die: Sex Kills (I couldn't resist!)

Your soul's present condition: You Turn Me On I'm a Radio

The faults you can bear: Not To Blame

My motto: Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire





I included videos of Joni that just happen to be 30 years apart... while her voice has definitely changed over time, I really like them both. She's just an amazing artist.

So do yours! Please. You can do it here in the comments or on your own blog and let me know!