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1. What's something blogging has taught you about yourself?
As a teacher I was known as the story teller... I loved to teach history through storytelling to make the events come alive to my students.. After retirement I needed an outlet for the many stories that swirl about in my mind and soul, so I find that many posts are spun by my story telling heart....
2. Leftovers...are you in the 'reheat and eat' camp or the 'put them in the fridge until they spoil and then toss them' camp? What's your favorite thing to have leftover? What can you not abide as a leftover?
I am somewhere in the middle of the left-over heat/eat or store/throw away camp... We enjoyed finishing up the turkey and especially the cranberry sauce I made...yum! But since I didn't have typical gravy this year,, we just used the cherry sauce from the turkey cutlets, the left-over dressing went begging.. It truly is only good leftover with yummy gravy!
I always purposely make extra mashed potatoes because we love to make potato cakes following!!!
3. 'Me time'...your thoughts?
As an only child, I learned to really enjoy my own company. All through my life I have needed to have my own separate space. This was pretty difficult in my middle years, as a teacher, wife and mother, but I still tried to carve out some me time when I could. I retired at age 53 after 30 years of teaching and had 10 years of me time, as well as the empty nest, so I really got into recreating myself. I took up oil painting and I really grew in my spiritual life and development. Then Hubs retired and a new phase of togetherness was a bit of a struggle for me. Now I only ever want to spend my days with Hubs and we do everything together... me time has lost its appeal!
4. When people come to you for help, what do they usually want help with?
I have mentored younger women who are dealing with the transition of being the child to being the care giver to their failing parents.. My situation was very difficult for me being an only child.. my mother was not easy... love her sweet heart, but as she aged her temperamental side became a ruling factor.. In my situation Mom was in such a horrible state with her crippling arthritis that when she broke her back we had to seek a nursing facility... Finances were such that we had to have mom and dad in separate facilities.. Dad was very happy to be on his own at the veterans center, while mother never understood why we made her leave her home. There was just no way I could have taken care of her needs in her pain ridden and incapacitated state. Her total time in outside care was 4 arduous years for everyone. Because of the strong pain meds she required, she refused to eat, nothing I could bring her satisfied her... I spent most of every day visiting them both in facilities across town from the other..Those 4 years were probably the biggest trial of my life.
Years ago we were sought for help in going through foreign adoptions.. We loved to share our story and loved to see friends make the decision to adopt...
Now I love to share my faith and witness with others.. I lead small groups of Bible study and I have been asked on occasion for help in understanding and applying various texts.
5. If your childhood had a smell what would it be? Tell us why.We had our windows open in fair weather all the time.. so there was a fresh scent of piney fragrance.. we had several pine trees in our yard. In autumn and following there was a hint of wood smoke hanging in the air, first from the burning leaves of October and November then and crackling fires in our fireplace... Dad kept the fires burning. The years of my childhood mom did not work outside the home, so there was always something wonderful simmering on the
stove... or in the evenings mom would bake up a treat for those long cold nights like Orange Glazed Chelsea Buns.. In the summer I loved the scent of fresh rain.. I can still remember the feeling it evoked in me... I'd lie on my bed and watch it rain ...I was really attuned to the natural world's impact on my life...
I loved the magnificent view we enjoyed as the sun set over the Allegheny Mountains!! That fiery, rosy glow the sun cast upon the walls of our porch, the golden moment when everything had a magical glimmer of glory! I know there was no smell but the senses were on overload for just a few moments!! I loved those sensations and alas I have never lived anywhere since where I have experienced such grandeur!!! Here we cannot even see the sunset or the mountains..!😢
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Love his heart... Hubs is at this moment rustling us up a lovely breakfast ..The bacon is sizzling and he is attempting to fry me an over easy egg... I will now pause to say a wee prayer!!!
