Sunday Stealing

Do you like to see it snowing outside?
If I saw it snowing outside, it would be a miracle.  We've lived here almost 43 years and it has snowed, briefly, twice.

Do you tell your family you love them enough?
We are all pretty good about telling each other we love each other, but especially after Paul and David died.  We end almost every conversation with "I love you" ... because you just never know when it's going to be your last conversation.

Do you like getting jewelry or do you not wear any?
The only jewelry I wear is a necklace and earrings from my granddaughters.  I never take them off.

Do you watch a lot of NFL football?
No.  It's not that I don't enjoy it, I just never turn it on myself.  If Walt is watching, or if we are at Tom's house, I enjoy the camaraderie of watching together, but football ain't my thang.

Have you ever used the word ‘lame’?
Probably.  Mostly to describe a limping animal, though.

Are you/Were you in a band? If so, what was your band name?
Nope.  Never in a band.  My closest to being "in" a band was being a band mom.

When is the last time you went to the doctor?
This month is doctor month.  I've taken my mother a couple of times, I've had eye appointments and I am due for my annual physical next week.

Do you own any shirts with a peace symbol on it?
Yes.  A yellow t-shirt with a giant peace symbol and the word "Peace" on it.

Would you ever go to Japan?
As much as we have traveled, Japan has never been high on my list of places to visit.

What was the last thing you went to Walmart for?
I don't go to WalMart.

Ever gotten in a car accident?
The day I got my license, at age 16, I became a hit and run driver when I ran into the back of a parked car while delivering something to the nuns at my school at night.  The nuns were there watching and never said a word.

Have you ever been in a choir?
I sang choruses on public for years. first in high school and then in various church choirs.  Haven't sung in years, though.  I don't have a singing voice any more.

Do you like the color of your eyes? If not, what color would you want them?
I am happy with my hazel eyes, which Walt has always called "green with yellow flecks."

When was the last time you went ice skating?
Probably in grammar school.  My Girl Scout troop took lessons and we used to go skating at the huge skating rink at Sutro Baths in San Francisco, which was torn down in 1966.

Do you like to brush your teeth?
Sure.  I'm so lazy, I have a Sonicare brush that does all the work for me.  All I have to do is hold it in place.

Have you ever had a surgery?
Only tonsils, when I was 4-1/2

Do you look older or younger than you actually are?
Apparently younger.  When I tell people I'm nearly 73, they don't believe me.

When is the next time you’ll be up on stage?
Hopefully never.  Stage is not my thing either.

Where did you spend your last birthday?
Ned and Marta took Walt and me to Joe's Crab Shack for a double birthday celebration (his birthday is the week after mine).

What is the last show that you watched a full episode of?
The Man in the High Castle

Do you know anyone who lives in Utah?"
Not any more.

Is there anything you need to work on doing soon?
I need to start writing the review of the show we saw last night.

Do your feelings get hurt easily?
As my father told me, continuously, all of my life, "I'm too sensitive."  So, yes.

Do you, or do you know someone who has taken karate lessons?
David took karate lessons.  Our two grandchildren (age 7 and 4) are taking karate now.

Were you ever a boy or girl scout?
I was a girl scout all through grammar school.

Sunday Stealing

76. What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
"Never go to the foot when the head can be had." My godfather told me that when I was a child.  He meant that if you need assistance or to complain, don't go to the underling, who doesn't give a rap about your satisfaction, but to the head guy who wants to keep your business.  (Of course in this day and age I'm not so sure that is still true in all cases, but that advice has definitely served me very well over the years..)

77. Is it easier to forgive or forget?
Definitely forgive.  It's difficult or impossible to forget the pain that some actions cause.

78. First mobile phone?
I don't remember, but it was the size of a regular phone and we kept it in the car.

79. Strangest dream?
Last night I dreamed Bobby Flay had all of his fingers cut off, to the first joint and he was trying to learn how to cook again.  (This may have been because I was sleeping through his show on the Food Network!)

80. Best dream?
I don't really dream much and I can't remember an outstanding good dream.

81. Who is the smartest person you know?
Stephen Peithman, a friend from the Davis Comic Opera Company.  He's a walking encyclopedia of theater.

82. Who is the prettiest person on you know?
My two granddaughters, of course.  Could there be any doubt? 

 

83. Do you miss anyone right now?
I miss my sister, who was murdered in 1971.  I would like to have someone to share decision-making and visits with our mother.

84. Who do you love? Why?
My family, of course.  Because they are so loveable!

85. Do you like sharing?
Depends on what, but basically yes.

86. What was the last picture you took with your phone?
I took a selfie at the hospital yesterday when I was volunteering and there was absolutely nothing to do but sit at the desk reading..

(not a very good selfie!)

87. Is there a reason behind everything that happens?
I suppose that in the grand cosmos there is, but darned if I can figure out what it is sometimes.

88. Favorite genre of music?
Show tunes

89. If you had one word to describe yourself, what would it be?
Fat

90. Describe your life in 5 words.
Writer, daughter, committed, content, frustrated

91. Craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Baked 10 pumpkin pies to give to 10 children so they could toss them at each other.

92. First three songs in your favorite playlist?
I don't really have a play list.

93. Are you more creative or logical?
Oh my word, there is no "logical" in my brain.  Definitely creative.

94. Would you rather lie or hurt someone with the truth?
Lie.  The truth could hurt too much.

95. What are you most proud of?
Raising children to adulthood, seeing what wonderful adults they have become, and considering all of them among my best friends.  Second would be writing a book. 

96. What personality trait do you admire in other people?
Empathy, kindness, a sense of humor and a love of dogs

97. When you imagine yourself as really, really relaxed and happy, what are you doing?
Sitting in my recliner, with a book on my lap, the TV on, and me napping.

98. How do you usually start a conversation?
Hello.

99. What is the best news you could hear right now?
That Donald Trump and Ted Cruz had left the race.

Sunday Stealing

1. What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?
Took an ocean cruise.  We went from Barcelona to Venice.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make resolutions and won't next year either.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, but our dog sitter, whom I love, just announced she's pregnant, so next year I will be able to say yes.

4. Tell us a valuable lesson you learned in 2015?
I learned more about Alzheimers than I ever thought I would need to know.

5. What was your favorite new TV program?
I am loving the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.  I never watched his old show and never watched Letterman, but the combination of the two is just great.  I also love Code Black.

6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
I didn't really lack anything in 2015.

7. What dates from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I may not remember the actual date, but I will forever remember that my cousin died the day after Thanksgiving.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably starting to work for the Sacramento News and Review as one of its 4 theater critics.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I know it's hopeless, but I just wish I could drag my mother out of her apathy.

10. What was the best thing you bought?
Membership in Blue Apron!  It is making meal planning effortless (at least 3 days a week)

11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I'm pretty proud of our president, actually.

12. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted?
I'm wondering how many Sunday Stealing participants will join me in saying Donald Trump. Maybe even mre appalling and disgusting are his supporters who stand by him no matter how outrageous he is, no matter whom he mocks.  The last one I heard was a guy who said that inspired by Trump's rhetoric he set fire to a mosque the day after Christmas.  What a wonderful thing to do in this season of peace.  I am also appalled and disgusted at the congressmen who held off giving medical assistance to 9/11 first responders until so many of them died and Jon Stewart took them to D.C. to beg for their vote.  But then congress pretty much appalls and disgusts me most days since the Republicans vowed never to pass anything Obama wanted, even if it was for the good of the country.

13. What song will always remind you of 2015?
I'm not really familiar with popular music, so nothing special.

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Flossing

15. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Bemoaning being unable to shake my mother out of her apathy.

16. What was the best book you read?
It's a toss up between Stephen King's "11/22/63" and Alan Cummin's "Not My Father's Son."

17. What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?
To have my "old" mother back again, not the apathetic person she is today.

18. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"You've got to accentuate the positive / eliminated the negative / latch on to the affirmative / and don't mess with Mr. In-between."

Sunday Stealing

1. Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Nice, of course.  I'm always nice.

2. What do you want most for Christmas?
A new Republican candidate for president. 

3. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
Miracle on 34th Street, the original, with Maureen O'Hara and Natalie Wood, not the remake.  I also like White Christmas.

4. How many Christmas cards do you normally send out?
I used to send >100, but with postage skyrocketing, I went to an on-line Christmas letter, which goes out to about 100 people.  A shortened version (fewer photos) goes to a handful of people for whom I do not have e-mail addresses.  This year I have sent fewer than usual because when my computer died, I lost many of my addresses!

5. Do you still get a stocking?
Only fuzzy socks, which I wear, not stockings that get hung up to be filled.

6. What is your favorite Christmas song?
"Silver Bells" (Bing Crosby version) and "Little Drummer Boy"

7. What is your favorite Christmas tv special?
It's not exactly a Christmas special, but this is the season where they usually run Wizard of Oz and I usually watch that.  I do love A Charlie Brown Christmas, though.

8. What is your favorite way to wrap gifts?
I've always loved wrapping gifts in wrapping paper, and used to make ornate ribbons with roses and other fancy things, though lately I have been using more bags than wrapping paper, I think

9. What do you look forward to most at Christmas?
Seeing the grandkids.

10. What did you do for Christmas this year?
Well, this should be what WILL you do for Christmas, since it's being posted the Saturday before.  This will be a very low key Christmas since Jeri and Ned and their spouses are going to Jamaica and my mother forgets that it's Christmas.  Tom and his family will come over and spend some time with her (and us) some time Christmas day.  But it will not seem like the Christmases of old, when we had lots and lots of people here at our house.

11. Who do you want to kiss under the mistletoe?
My granddaughter, Brianna...but I suspect there will be no mistletoe.

12. What kind of Christmas tree do you have?
With no company coming, we have not put up a tree, though I will probably today get our ornament tree set up.

 

13. Did you take part in a Secret Santa?
Not in many years.

14. Did you go to any Christmas parties?
No, but we will go to a Boxing Day party on the 26th

15. How early do you wake up on Christmas morning?
When the kids were little, we would get up around 6, at first because they woke us up and later, as they got older, because we were eager for THEM to get up.  Now, we just sleep till we will just sleep till we wake up, since there won't be anybody here on Christmas morning but the two of us.

Saturday Nine

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (1979)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) According to a marketing research firm, this song is both one of the most played and most hated songs of the season. Do you like it?
I've always liked it, ever since I first heard it.  I have a weird sense of humor that it seemed to speak to.  Never thought it would become the big hit that it has, though!  My least favorite Christmas song is "Feliz Navidad."

2) In this song, Grandma's troubles start when she drinks too much eggnog. Do you like eggnog?
I like it.  I used to love it, but somehow it never tastes as good as I remember. I should make my own.

3) In the song, Grandpa recovers from losing Grandma by drinking beer and playing cards with Cousin Mel. Will you be celebrating the holidays with cousins?
Sad question, since my best-friend-cousin just died.  But no, I never did spend holidays with any of my 32 cousins.

4) When did you most recently drink a beer? Was it in a bottle, a can or a glass?
I'm not a big beer drinker (or drinker at all), but I think I did have some beer on our cruise.  It would have been in a glass, though, since a bottle is far too much for me to drink.  I only like it ice cold and a bottle gets too room temperature too fast.

5) The lyrics refer to "pudding of fig." In "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," the carolers demand figgy pudding. Yet despite its popularity in holiday songs, Sam has never tasted fig pudding. Have you?
I think I made one, many, many years ago.  It reminded me of fruitcake and, as I recall, the best part was the hard sauce that went with it.  "Hard sauce" is described very accurately by the Pioneer Woman as "a soft, spoonable topping meant to be plopped onto the top of warm (and the “warm” part is important) desserts like pies, pudding, cobblers, and crisps. It has a butter base, so when it hits the warm dessert, it takes its own sweet time melting and running down the sides of whatever the dessert happens to be. It’s absolutely out of this world."

6) Thinking of holiday sweets, would you prefer a gingerbread cookie or slice of pumpkin pie?
Definitely a slice (or two) of pumpkin pie.

7) This song was recorded by a duo named Elmo & Patsy. It occurs to Sam that she has never met anyone named Elmo. How about you? Any Elmos in your life?
Other than the Muppet?  I have not met an Elmo, but I did know an Elmer a million years ago (he was the first husband of one of my cousins and used to babysit my sister and me)

8) Do you need snow to get "into the spirit?"
Since I grew up in California, I have never known a white Christmas, so...no.

9) Random question: Are you going to get/have you gotten a flu shot this year?
I got one the first week they were available at Kaiser.

Sunday Stealing

Why Do You Want To Know That Meme

Stolen from: Love me some surveys

1. List 5 things you want to do before the year ends.
* Get new glasses
* Get things settled with my mother and Assisted Living
* Talk her long term care insurance company into paying for it
* Have a good Christmas day with Tom and his family
* Finish reading "Americanah," which it seems like I've been reading forever

2. What color are your pants?
It is rare when I am not wearing black pants.  Today I am wearing black pants.

3. Favorite motivational quote.
"You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp." -- Anne Lamott

4. When was the last time you drank coffee?
I am drinking coffee now.

5. What was the last thing you ate?
A Boursin cheese omelet

6. Favorite animal.
Wild:  Elephant; Domestic: Dog

7. Favorite song.
Oh so many.  I love Leonard Cohen's "Halleluja"

8. Last movie you watched?
In the theater: Mr. Holmes; at home: Unbroken

9. Any turn ons?
Crashing ocean waves

10. Any turn offs?
Listened to any Republican politicians lately?

11. List 4 big words off of the top of your head.
*antidisestablishmentarianism
*triskadekaphobia
* sphygmomanometer
* anthropomorphism

12. What are some meaningful movies?
* To Kill a Mockingbird
* Dead Poet's Society
* A Thousand Clowns
* Dave
* Gorillas in the Mist

13. 2 most important people in your life right now?
Walt and my ophthalmologist!

14. What are 3 things you want for Christmas?
* World Peace
* A Clean House
* Donald Trump's withdrawal from the race
(gift wrapping optional for all three)

15. When was the last time you read a good book?
The last three I read were excellent:  Darkest Fear by Harlan Coben, Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming, and The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

16. What was the last thing you studied?
Directions for making the recipe I made last night.

17. Do you have any nicknames?
Just Mom and Grandma

18. Favorite kind of perfume? (fruity, alluring, etc.)
I haven't worn perfume in years, but my favorites tend to be more floral than earthy.

19. Do you have any international friends / friends who live out of state?
Too many to list.  We have hosted foreign students often and have friends all over the world, plus many, many friends who don't live in California.

20. What is something unique that you do every single day?
Wear socks with Birkenstocks

21. If there was a movie based on your life, what would it be called?
Funny the World

22. When was the last time you bought a gift for someone?
I recently ordered my husband's Christmas present--and no, I won't say what it is.

23. Are you a shopaholic?
Definitely not, well, except for books.

24. What are some songs that always make you feel better?
A lot of songs by John Denver, a lot of songs by Judy Garland, songs from many musicals, like The Music Man, Les Mis, and Mama Mia (I am embarrassed to admit the last one!), Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, and a host of oddball singles I have loved over the years.

Sunday Stealing

Stolen from Would You Rather...

1. Would you rather be stuck on an island alone or with someone who talks incessantly?
   Alone.  Definitely alone
2. Would you rather be too hot or too cold?
   Too cold.
3. Would you rather have a cook or a maid?
   A maid who would also plan meals and shop...I'll cook.
4. Would you rather be the youngest or the oldest sibling?
   I was oldest, so I'll go with oldest
5. Would you rather get rich through hard work or through winning the lottery?
   The lottery, of course...instant gratification.
6. Would you rather have a 10-hour dinner with a headstrong politician from an opposing party, or attend a 10-hour concert for a music group you detest?
   I'll go with politician.  Like 10 hrs with Chris Matthews.  Might be interesting.  I couldn't handle 10 hrs of music I hate.
7. Would you rather be an Olympic gold medalist or a Nobel Peace Prize winner?
   Nobel Peace Prize winner. 
8. Would you rather have a desk job or an outdoor job?
   Desk Job
9. Would you rather live at the top of a tall NYC apartment building or at the top of a mountain?
   Oh definitely a NYC apartment building
10. Would you rather have Rambo or The Terminator on your side?
    Good lord.  I don't know enough about either of them to choose, but since if I had to choose between Stallone and Arnold, I guess I'd go with Arnold.
11. Would you rather be proposed to in private or in front of family and friends?
    In private.
12. Would you rather have to sew all your clothes or grow your own food?
    I suspect if I had to do either, I'd be naked and starving.
13.  Would you rather hear the good news or the bad news first?
    The bad. 
14. Would you rather be your own boss or work for someone else?
    My own boss 
15. Would you rather have nosy neighbors or noisy neighbors?
    What terrible questions these are.  I guess I'll go with nosy.
16. Would you rather be on a survival reality show or dating game show?
    I'd never survive on a survival show so I guess dating game show, though that idea is abhorrent! (are there any dating shows for fat old ladies who are already married?) 
17. Would you rather be too busy or be bored?
    Bored, I guess.  I can always read or watch TV, so I'm never really bored.
18.  Would you rather watch the big game at home or live at the stadium?
    At home, where I can see the plays better and have it all explained to me.  Plus the food is cheaper
19. Would you rather spend the day with your favorite athlete or you favorite movie star?
    Movie star
20.  Would you rather live where it is constantly winter or where it is constantly summer?
    Constantly winter

Sunday Stealing

Are any of your friendships on a fine line? No
Have you ever witnessed a birth? 5 of my own, nobody else's (except on video)
Where’s your favorite place to be when you feel depressed? At home in front of the TV
Are you currently looking forward to tomorrow? Oh YES!  Lamplighters Gala!
When was the last time you held someone’s hand? Walt's, on the trip, plus all those guys who helped me off buses and onto boats!
Have you ever faked sick? Not often, but yes.  Especially when I was young.
Are you currently wearing jeans? I don't own jeans.
Have you gone to a coffee shop within the past week? We went to a cafe in Venice for cappuccino and gelato.
Would you like to be able to read thoughts? I don't know.  Scary thought.
Do certain swear words just roll off your tongue? Hell, yes.
Are you often the last one to understand a joke?  No.  I'm pretty quick.
Can experience be gained just by reading? Not really.  Nothing like living through it.
Does playing the guitar make a person more attractive?  No.
Have you ever slept in a tent, indoors or out? Sure.  We used to camp all the time (not now, though)
What does your hair look like at the moment? Cut about 1-1/2" and curly
Are you mad right now?  if you mean in the "angry" sense, nope.
Who did you spend your summer with last year? Did not go on a formal vacation, so the same old people.
Did you eat a cookie today?  Not yet, but I'm about to make some for a bake sale.

This is from last week, but I wasn't around to answer it last week.

Is there anyone else in the room with you atm? What are they doing?
I am all alone in the room, except for MSNBC reporting on Paris. 

Do you show your teeth when you smile, or do you prefer smiling with your lips closed?
I don't smile with my lips closed, but my teeth are set back far enough that when I smile, usually my teeth don't show anyway.

Would you rather be told the truth, even if it isn’t what you want to hear?
Yes.  It keeps me from making things up that may be wildly untrue.

What is something that you plan to buy, as soon as you’ve saved up the money for it?
No big plans to purchase anything of that nature in the foreseeable future.

Do you play Sudoku?
No.  My brain doesn't work that way.

Have you ever had a migraine?
A few times, but not in a very long time.

What was the last book you read for pleasure?
Most of the books I read are for pleasure.  The last one was "Not My Father's Son" by Alan Cumming.

What was the last item of clothing you purchased for yourself?
I bought a pair of slacks for the cruise.

Your first serious relationship, do you still talk to him/her?
That was more than 60 years ago.  We dated for 4 years.  He became a Jesuit.  We exchange Christmas cards.  I recently discovered he has been moved to a semi-cloistered location because of allegations of sexual misconduct.

Who is the last person you texted?
My daughter.

How close is your family?
Geographically, too far scattered (Sacramento - Santa Barbara - Boston).  Emotionally, I hope very close.

Is there anything too serious to be joked about?
I joke about a lot of serious things (death, for example) but there are many things too serous to joke about --the terrorist attacks in Paris, for example.

Do you like to understand and have good knowledge of things?
Depends on the "thing," but as a general rule, yes.

What is worse? Back pain or shoulder pain?
I have no shoulder pain, but have back pain, so I'd have to go with back pain.

Have you ever almost fallen off of something high off the ground?
Thankfully, no.  (Unless you consider a bike "high off the ground.")

What’s one fruit you love in drinks?
Orange juice, or pureed strawberries.

What is something simple that you’re afraid of?
Big trucks on the freeway.

Has this weekend been good?
Still recovering from our cruise, but things are leveling off.  Show to review last night, show to review tonight, show to see (not review) on Sunday.  My mother seems to have survived our period of absence.

How much time do you take to get ready in the morning?
Under 5 minutes.

Last movie you watched in theaters and with whom?
Walt and I went to see Mr. Holmes a few months ago.

Sunday Stealing

1. Did someone die in that last movie you watched?
Let's see...the last movie I saw in a theater was Mr. Holmes and nobody died in that.  Or at least nobody that anybody cared about.

2. Are the trees pretty colors outside for you now or at all?
We get some beautiful fall color, but so far not this year.  It's been such a dry year I'm wondering if we're going to get color at all, or if the leaves will just all commit suicide.

3. Have you ever made a bad first impression on someone's parents?
Not that I'm aware.

4. When's the last time you video recorded something on TV?
This morning.  A cooking show had a recipe I wanted to review and I recorded it.  But I record something every day, usually many things.  ("Record" = saved on DVR to be erased after watching)

5. What is a career you wanted to have when you were younger, and still kind of want to have now?
Oddly enough, all I really wanted to be was a secretary, and that's what I was.  A glorified secretary when I became office manager, but basically a secretary.

6. What are your views on sunflowers?
I love sunflowers.  We are surrounded by fields of them in the late summer and I usually try to find an accessible field where I can photograph some.  Sunflowers make me smile.

7. What is your favorite incense or candle scent?
Depends on the season.  Mostly the froufrou floral scents, but around the holidays, those homey kitchen scents that have cinnamon in them are quite nice.

8. Caramel apples or candy apples?
Caramel, but I can't really eat either any more, because I worry they will pull my teeth out.

9. Have you ever walked into a wall?
Yes.  Embarrassing!

10. Would you ever or do you make your dog wear a bandanna?
Sheila wore a bandanna once, to a dog walk-a-thon publicizing the SPCA, but I'm not big on dog clothes.

11. Do you find dandelions when they're gone all white pretty?
I love them.  I don't know why people think them weeds.  I loved blowing them when I was a child.

12. What makes you laugh?
Lots of stuff, but lately it's been some of the ridiculous things that come out of the mouths of some politicians these days.

13. The scariest moment of your life?
Hearing news of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake (yesterday was the anniversary) and having no way to reach my children who were in San Francisco at the time.

14. What’s the coolest thing you’ve bought lately?
A book called Voracious by Cara Nicoletti.

15. What’s the worst you’ve had to do because of losing a bet?
I don't think I've ever made those kinds of bets.

Saturday 9

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!
 

Saturday 9: Beyond the Sea (1959)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
 1) This song mentions golden sands. When do you think you'll next visit the beach?
I have no plans to visit a beach, but I will be on a cruise later this month, stopping in many ports and who knows whether there will be a beach or not?

2) Shortly after "Beyond the Sea" hit the charts, Bobby Darin  met and married movie sweetheart Sandra Dee. Her squeaky-clean image is spoofed in the song, "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee," from Grease. Can you name another song from Grease?

Probably all of them, but "Greased Lightning" comes immediately to mind.  Then there's "We Go Together..." and "Beauty School Dropout," etc.  Grease is one of those shows that I have problems with because of its very bad message (to be accepted you have to become a slut), but I do enjoy the music.

3) Years earlier, Bobby had an ill-fated romance with singer Connie Francis. According to Ms. Francis, Darin wanted to marry her, but her father forbade it. Have you ever had a relationship that your parents disapproved of?
My mother wasn't too happy with Walt at first, but since that relationship has lasted 50 years, she's OK with it now.

4) Bobby was a Renaissance man: Grammy-winning singer, Oscar-nominated actor, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and an excellent chess player. Are you good at chess?
Not at all.  I know which way the pieces move, but that's about it.

5) A car buff, he drove a 1960 custom car that was so unique and spectacular it's now in a Detroit museum. The bright red paint was mixed with ground diamonds to ensure that it sparkled in the sun. Each of the four bucket seats had its own ac/heat control and radio speaker. The steering wheel was slightly squared for easier handling. What features would your dream car have?
Built-in WiFi; seat warmers for if it ever gets cold in California again; self-parking, since I have become so inept at it in my old age (used to be an expert parallel parker.  Now I can't park correctly to save my soul) I don't really care what the car looks like, as long as it's comfortable inside.

6) Beyond the Sea is also the name of the 2004 screen biography in which Kevin Spacey played Bobby Darin. Who would you choose to play you in the story of your life?
Rosie O'Donnell

7) When he was just 8 years old, Bobby Darin was stricken with rheumatic fever, and the disease left him with a dangerously weakened heart. Did you spend much time in the hospital when you were a kid?
I only went into the hospital once, to have my tonsils removed, when I was 5 years old.  My sister was never hospitalized, but she spent a lot of time at the doctor because of her allergies.

 8) In 1959, when "Beyond the Sea" was popular, Alaska became our 49th state. What comes to mind when you think of Alaska?
Big produce and hot air balloons.  We were in Palmer, outside Anchorage, one year for the Alaska State Fair and saw a fabulous hot air balloon race and the huge produce that is grown when there is 24 hour a day sun.  Blueberries the size of kumquats, cabbage measured in feet across, giant pumpkins, etc.

9) In 1959, Conair introduced the first hair dryer developed for home use. Is there a hair dryer in your bathroom right now?
I think so.  I never use one, but Peggy asked me to buy one for her when she was coming to visit in 2000 and I still have it.  I occasionally used it to dry puppies after bathing them.

Sunday Stealing

A: Accent --
American, Californian, San Franciscan (don't want anyone to think I used Valley Girl speak, which people often connect with California accents.)

B: Breakfast --
I eat a full breakfast, but it varies from day to day.  Today I had scrambled egg wrapped in a tortilla, and yogurt.  Yesterday I had a waffle.  The day before cereal and toast.  etc.  Whatever mood strikes me and we have food for.

C: Chore you hate --
All of them?  Mostly cleaning the bathroom (which Walt does), and folding laundry, which I leave until I can't pile things any higher.

D: Dad's name --  Albert

E: Essential everyday item --
Hmmm.  Probably iPad and Kindle.  I can live without my cell phone.

F: Flavor ice cream --
I generally choose something with a vanilla base and either something crunchy or chocolate-y in it.  But sometimes a fresh fruit flavor.

G: Gold or silver --
Kind of a toss up, but I think I prefer gold

H: Hometown --
San Francisco, and proud of it.  I have been fortunate to travel many places in the world, but San Francisco is still my favorite city.

I: Insomnia --
My nightly companion, though lately I seem to be able to get back to sleep better.  I have found a Jane Austen based movie is a great soporific.

J: Job title --
Theater critic

K: Kids --
Yes.  3 living, 2 dead

M: Mother's birthplace --
California

N: Number of significant others --
Do I need more than one?

O: Overnight hospital stays --
Six.  One for tonsils, at age 5, and one for each of my childbirths.

P: Phobia --
Only semi trucks along side me on the freeway.

 

Q: Quick at --
TV remote control

R: Religious affiliation --
Recovering Catholic, no other formal affiliation, though I guess if I had to put one on a hospital form it would still be Catholic.

S: Siblings --
One.  Died 1971.  Murdered by her partner.

T: Time you wake up --
3 a.m., and then, if I'm lucky 7 a.m. or later.

U: Unnatural hair colors --
I have never colored my hair since the 1970s, when I discovered that I was NOT going to be auburn-headed like Maureen O'Hara, but the coloring gave me a metallic purplish red tint.

V: Vegetable you refuse to eat --
Beets!!!!

W: Worst habit --
Overeating

X: X-rays --
A few, not many.  I think last one was for my back pain ("some deterioration" was the diagnosis)

Y: Yummy --
Chocolate, of course.

Z: Zodiac sign --
With a good sense of humor, the Aquarius-born love to share a joke and lighten the atmosphere wherever they go.  What appeals to them a lot are humanitarian activities. They try their best to do whatever is possible to make the world a better place to live in. The Aquarius-born people are intelligent and always look for intellectual stimulation. They are known for their wide-ranging interests. They are so popular because they are loyal to their friends and loved ones. Although they are good listeners, it is very difficult to make the Aquarius-born change their pattern of thinking. 

(They also tend to be disorganized and messy!)

Sunday Stealing

1. What would you pick as a major, if you could go back to college and do it again?
Probably journalism.

2. Who is the one celebrity with whom you would most like to have an in-depth conversation?
This is the question I almost always answered "Robin Williams," but now I guess I would choose Jon Stewart.

3. If you could make a living doing ANYthing, what would that be?
Being a salaried professional TV watcher.

4. What’s your all-time very favorite dessert?
I have several, depending on my mood and time of year.  Creme Brulee, homemade fruit pie, strawberry shortcake, pumpkin pie or cheesecake.

5. How many pairs of jeans do you own?
Zero.  Have not worn jeans in years.

6. What is your favorite flower, and why?
I like yellow roses, but actually any rose that has a perfume (which almost none of the store-bought ones do any more).  I also like daffodils, daisies, and chrysanthemums.

7. What book has most changed your life?
A little book called "How to Survive the Loss of a Love," which a co-worker gave to me after my friend Gilbert died and which helped me get through not only the grief of his death, but also of several deaths since then.

8. What is your least favorite vegetable? Is there any way you can be persuaded to eat it?
Beets...and I hope not!

9. If you could take a nonstop first class flight to any destination, where would you pick to land?
Australia.  That's a 30+ hour flight and I could make the most of my first class accommodations! 

10. If your 15 minutes of fame included a stint on American Idol, what song would be your trademark solo?
Isn't it Patsy Cline who sang "I'm Sorry"?  That's the only appropriate song for me to sing anywhere.

11. If you could pick one former friend (who has remained elusive in this wild Facebook world) to reunite with, who would you unearth?
A grammar school friend named Marie Davilla, whom I have not seen since 1960 and with whom I would very much like to reconnect. (the problem with finding female classmates is that we have this annoying tendency to marry and change our names!

12. 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?
Mason City, Iowa, the town Meredith Willson based The Music Man on.  (Of course that is only a 2-3 hour visit, so I would spend the rest of the week visiting my cousin)

13. Name three of your guilty pleasures.
Ice cream bars, NCIS Marathons, taking the long way home to listen to my audio book longer.

14. The best kind of cookie is:
Snickerdoodle

15. What do you value most in other people?
Friendship, loyalty and above all, a sense of humor.

16. Have you ever looked back at your life and realized that something you thought was a bad thing was actually a blessing in disguise?
Many, many, many times.  Any time I look back, I  realized the good things that resulted in something bad happening and realize that even if I had the power to go back and change things, even the very bad things, I would not.

17. What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited?
The Cliffs of Mohr in Ireland and the aqua blue of the Indian ocean (this answer may change if I ever get to see Iguacu falls in Brasil/Argentina!)

18. Are you more of a thinker or a feeler?
Very definitely a feeler.

19. Name three things you are thankful for right now.
The health of my husband, remaining children, and grandchildren, still having my mother in my life even in her demented state, Hagen Dasz mini ice cream bars

20. Have you ever participated in a three-legged race?
Sure, but not in a very, very long time.

21. When you are at an event that plays the National Anthem, do you place your hand over your heart?
Sometimes.  Not always.

Sunday Stealing

Mac'n Cheese Meme
Stolen from: Love me some surveys

Can you ever get enough of mac ‘n’ cheese?
Well...yes, eventually.  But I love the stuff.  Both home made and Kraft Dinner.  We have Kraft Dinner every May 18, the anniversary of our son David's death, because he loved it so much.  (We served it at his memorial service)

Are you allergic to nuts or diary products?
No.

Do you think age matters in relationships?
If it's legal and they are both of the age of consent, no.

Has anyone ever called the cops on you?
Walt was working outside on a project one night.  We have a 10 p.m. noise ordinance, where you can't make loud noise after 10 p.m. (unless you are the university or high school football team, apparently).  He had one more piece of wood to cut at 10 p.m., cut it, and was putting away his tools when the cops showed up.  Our very unpleasant neighbor had called the police on him.  At the time we had a student from Congo living with us, who was terrified, because in Congo, when the police come, it's to kill you.

Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night?
We came home from a party last night and I seemed to fall asleep almost instantly.

What’s the connection between the last person you texted?
My daughter is about the only one I text regularly.  She sent me a photo, I sent back a comment.

Are you in a good mood?
As good as anybody can be at 3;30 a.m.

Excited for anything?
Our granddaughter's upcoming 4th birthday.  How did she get so old so soon?

Do you have a hard time controlling your emotions?
I don't know that I control them, but don't emote much.  However, I cry at supermarket openings and Hallmark card commercials.

Do you like your height?
I used to be 5'7-1/2" and years have shrunk me down to 5'6"  I hate that I can't reach things I used to be able to reach with ease.

How long have you lived in your current home?
43 years

Could you go a week without brushing your teeth?
I once went twenty years without brushing my teeth.

Have you ever given any amount of money to the homeless?
Of course.

Own anything from Bath & Body Works?
No.

Have you ever had your nails so long that they curved down at the ends?
Ewwww.  No.  I keep my nails cut short.

Have you ever swallowed a bunch of salt water by accident?
Not that I remember.

Does it take you over an hour to go to sleep sometimes?
Yes.  I hate those nights.

When you get home from school/work do you change into your pjs right away?
Since I am retired, no.  But I never did even when I was working.

Have you ever stayed up all night and the whole next day without any sleep?
The last time I remember doing that was the night our son Paul died.

Has anyone ever told you that you have pretty feet?
Good lord, no.

What is the temperature currently in the town you live in?
It has been >100 all week, but fortunately we have cooled down into the 90s.

Do you ever actually drink milk alone?
I don't really drink milk any more, unless it's on cereal.

Sunday Stealing

1. Do you like making lists?
No.  I'm a terrible list maker.

2. Do/did you play sports with your siblings?
No.  I only had one younger sister and there was 4-1/2 years between us, we lived in the city and I don't remember us ever doing anything athletic together.

3. Would you rather go to a University or a community college?
I went to a University (UC Berkeley) and should have started at a community college.  I might have learned about how to go to an institution of higher learning. But then I would have missed all the special friendships I made during that time...and there would have been no Pinata group, so all things happen for a reason, I guess.

4. What’s your favorite kind of bread?
Hard to say.  Depends on my mood.  I grew up on balloon white bread, which I still love, but I also love cheese bread and nut breads.  Not crazy about whole grains, as a general rule (entirely too healthy), though in my bread baking days, my favorite bread was a cracked wheat bread that had a cumin flavor.

5. What toppings do you like on your pizza?
Sausage and mushroom.

6. What color or design does your shower curtain have?
Some kind of amorphous blue swirls.

7. What kind of car does/did your mom drive?
She loved her Lexus, but when she moved into Independent Living she gave it to Jeri, so it now lives in Boston.

8. What’s on your cell phone’s home screen?
Ned with Brianna, Lacie and Ned's dog Bouncer.

9. Do you like to watch the National Geographic channel?
Love it, especially specials on elephants.

10. Are you the type of person to correct a survey maker’s grammar and/or spelling?
Sigh.  Yes.  It's too drilled into my psyche by all those Irish nuns.

11. What color is your microwave?
That silver color that is so popular now.

12. Do you have a fan in your bedroom?
I have a small fan on the table next to my recliner and a stand alone fan on the other side of the room.

13. Mountain Dew or Sprite?
Neither.  I don't think I have tasted either so wouldn't know the difference.  I prefer water, or if I'm going for a soft drink, diet Coke (rarely).

14. Does it rain a lot where you live?
I live in California.  We haven't seen rain in years.

15. Do you shop at Walmart regularly?
Never.

 

16. Does it bother you when animals lick themselves?
Only when they lick their butts and then want to give me a kiss.

17. Have you ever been to a Trader Joe’s?
Yes, regularly.  I love Trader Joe's.  We recently got one here in town and it may be the most popular store here, especially for the university students.

18. What’s the longest time you’ve ever been stuck in traffic?
When you live where I live, traffic is a way of life.  I can't even think of "the longest," but probably somewhere on the Los Angeles freeways.  I recently was in this line of traffic trying to get home from Sausalito.  But this is pretty normal.  I listen to audio books.

19. Do you wear black a lot?
I don't think I own a pair of slacks that aren't black.

20. Are there stairs in your house?
Yes.  One flight up to the second floor.  Stairs are harder and harder for me, the older my knees and hips get.

21. Have you ever held $500 in cash?
I'm sure I have, starting as a grammar school kid, when I counted the collection after Sunday Mass.  (It was a large, fairly affluent Catholic church.)

22. Do you like onions on your burger?
Yes!  Especially carmelized onions.  When I was a kid spending summers with my cousin Peach, we used to have raw onion and mustard sandwiches on balloon bread.  Yum...

23. Could you ever give yourself a shot?
Sure.  I have a high pain threshold and no fear of needles.

24. Do you wear shoes in the house?
No.  Fuzzy socks.

25. Have you ever worked as a cashier?
I sort of do that now, working in the book store.

Sunday Stealing

Well, I'll Be... Meme  (it sounds more like the Barbara Walters meme!)

Stolen from: Vulgar Darling

If I were a month, I’d be:
March, when the city is ablaze with blossoms, the wildflowers cover the hills, and the weather is still cool enough to be pleasant.

If I were a day of the week, I’d be:
Friday, they day after I work at Logos when I have several days ahead of me with nothing to do.  Unless I have a show to review, of course.  Let me rethink this.....

If I were a planet, I’d be:
Pluto--and I'd fight to get my "planet-hood" restored.

If I were a god or goddess, I’d be:
Amphictyonis, the goddess of wine and friendship between nations.

If I were a sea animal, I’d be:
A jellyfish.  Beautiful, graceful, and brainless, yet deadly.  Sounds good to me!

If I were a piece of furniture, I’d be:
My desk, of course.  I'm already one with it half the time anyway.

If I were a gemstone, I’d be:
An opal.  I had a beautiful one once...how nice to be something that is so chameleon-like.

If I were a flower, I’d be a:
Purple rose, only because those seem to be the only flowers that have a real scent any more.

If I were a kind of weather, I’d be:
Grey, foggy, with a light rain in the afternoon.  Bliss.

If I were a color, I’d be:
Red!

If I were an emotion, I’d be:
Contentment

If I were a fruit, I’d be a:
strawberry.

If I were a sound, I’d be:
small children giggling

If I were an element, I’d be:
Photoshop Elements

If I were a place, I’d be:
San Francisco

If I were a taste, I’d be:
Something sweet, but salty

If I were a scent, I’d be:
Puppy breath

If I were an object, I’d be a:
computer

If I were a body part, I’d be:
Fingers

If I were a song, I’d be:
Something heraldic, in the manner of a last act finale.

If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be:
Birkinstocks

Sunday Stealing

Name a product you buy mostly because it has a cool package.
I can't think of anything specific.

What flavor cake do you like for your birthday?
I'm not big on cake, but if I have to have one, white cake with raspberry filling,

Have you ever been in love with someone much older or younger than you?
My very first crush was when I was in grammar school and my heart went pitty pat for the pastor our church, who was probably in his 50s, bald, and not very good looking.

Have you ever had a job you loved?
My very first "real" job is still my favorite--secretary to 3 Physics professors at UC Berkeley.  I'm still friendly with one of my bosses.  I left that job in 1966

.

Have you ever been in a building that was on fire?
No.

Are you in an argument with anyone right now?
No.

Would you change your hair color to something outrageous if you would get paid to?
Depends on how much.  Makes no difference to me, and if someone wants to pay me big bucks, sure.  It will grow out again.

Have you ever written a poem for someone?
I used to write limericks for co-workers on their birthdays.

What is a place where you’ve vacationed and would like to go back to?
Well, we didn't exactly vacation in Florence, but my one day there left such bad memories that I've always wanted to go back on my own and learn to love it.  I will have that chance later this year.

Do you eat samples at the grocery store?
Sure.  Time your trip to Costco right and you can have lunch by visiting all the sample tables.

What do you absolutely have to have to make your birthday feel special?
Calls from the kids.

What’s the last tourist area you visited?
I had lunch in Sausalito in a restaurant with a gorgeous view of San Francisco earlier this month.

Where do you go out to eat for a special occasion?
There is a Thai place here in town that is probably where we go most often.

When was the last time you went to a post office?
About 3 weeks ago, sending a package to Compassion.

Is there an item you are saving up to buy right now?
No.

Are you psychic in any way?
Not in the slightest!

Do you prefer a laptop or desktop? Which are you on now?
I prefer a desktop (I'm on one now).  I have a laptop (and an iPad) but don't really have a "lap" so its not convenient to use for many things.

Have you ever received a gift and truly did not know what it was?
Sure...in the days when kids made gifts in school for their parents. Mysterious macaroni masterpieces.

What’s your homepage?
http://www.funnytheworld.com or http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/go/basykes/

Is there a thing you enjoy doing, but quit because you are not good at it?
Biking, the only exercise I truly enjoyed, but can't do since my bike accident in 2003 wrecked my knee.

Sunday Stealing

Are your nails painted a dark or light color?
Not painted

Have you ever order pizza online?
I don't think so.

What color was the last candle you lit?
White.

Is there something written on your shirt right now?
There usually is, but not today.  (The shirt I wore yesterday said "Blog Hog")

Is there a bookshelf in your room?
There is no room in this house that does not have a book shelf or book case(s), except two of the 3 bathrooms.

Do you own a treadmill?
Yes.  (I'm glad you didn't ask when the last time it was used...)

Have you ever signed up for a gym membership?
Yes.

Is there a garbage can in your room? What color is it?
Here in my office there is a wooden waste basket and a paper bag for paper recycling.

Have you ever read in the bathtub?
I can't remember when I last took a bath, but I don't remember ever reading in the bathtub.  I'm so much of a klutz, I'd ruin too many books dropping them in the water!

Have you ever had to wear a hairnet?
No.

Do you know how many pages the last book you read had?
Well, I read a very short book on Alzheimers that had been recommended to me yesterday, just 37 pages, but usually my books run around 350 pages (the previous one was 448).

What day of the week does the laundry usually get done?
It gets done every couple of days.  No specific schedule, except I do my mother's laundry on Mondays.

Do you use the Facebook chat often?
Never.

Do you have any baby pictures of yourself on your computer?
Yes...I save them for Throw Back Thursdays on Facebook.

Do you eat onion rings?
Oh my word yes!!!  I love them!

What flavor of tea did you last have?
I'm not a big tea drinker.  If I order tea it's Earl Grey, 'cause that's the only kind I know I like.

Do you own a bathrobe?
Yes.  Somewhere.  Can't remember when I last wore it--it's been probably decades.

Did you/will you have coffee or some other form of caffeine today?
Yes, coffee this morning.  Peet's French Roast.  Black.

Do you have a mailbox or do you collect your mail from the post office?
We have a mailbox attached to the house, next to the front door.

What was the last animal you saw, and was it a pet?
Our two dogs.  I think they are pets!

What was the last documentary you watched focusing on?
Probably a documentary on elephants.

Is there anything you need to remember to do before the day ends?
Yes.  Go to the theater, see a show, come home, review it.

Is your car messy, or do you like to keep it clean?
It would be messier if my husband didn't keep it clean.

Are you the type to wake up before the sun has even risen?
Yes.  3 a.m., whether I want to or not (but then can usually go back to sleep for awhile)

Do you get uncomfortable when people stare at you?
Yes.

Have you ever been admitted to the hospital for a long period of time?
Longest was 3 days for the first childbirth.  I think the others were drive-by childbirths, where they kick you out on the second day.  Jeri was born in the "olden days."

Saturday 9

16 August 2015

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

 

Saturday 9: Stay with Me (2014)

... because Kwizgiver recommended it

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Sam Smith explains that this song is about just not wanting to wake up alone. How about you? Are you comfortable being by yourself?
I haven't been by myself for more than a few days in more tan 50 years.

2) Last year a lawsuit filed by Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, who maintained that "Stay with Me" was really just "I Won't Back Down." Petty and Lynne won. Have you ever served on a jury?
Just one, though I have been dismissed from a couple.  I just received a jury summons yesterday and was THRILLED to learn that people over 70 do not have to serve.  FREE!

3) Smith performed this on The David Letterman Show. Did you watch Dave's final episode last May?
I did.  I was not a regular Letterman watcher, but I knew that would be an "event" and I didn't want to miss it. (I also watched Carson's final show and the last Daily Show)

4) Smith says his style was influenced by ladies with "massive voices," including Adele, Amy Winehouse, Chaka Kahn, and Whitney Houston. Of those four, which do you listen to most often?
None of them.  I don't even know if I've heard Adele, Winehouse or Chaka Kahn.  My "massive voice" lady is Judy Garland.

5) Speaking of style, Mr. Smith is a smart dressed man who looks comfortable and dapper as he walks the red carpet in a tux. Do you enjoy getting dressed up for special occasions?
No.  I look like shit in just about everything, so "dressing up" is not something I look forward to.

6) "Occasions" is a word that makes Crazy Sam stumble because she can never remember how to spell it correctly. Are you a good speller?
Very good.  Not always perfect (especially the older I get), but better than most.

7) Sam Smith was born on May 19, which makes him a Taurus. When did you last check your horoscope?
I never check my horoscope unless I come across horoscopes somewhere.  Don't believe in that sort of thing, though it is sometimes good for laughs, especially in retrospect.

8) Tauruses are supposed to be reliable, organized and ambitious. Do any of those three adjectives describe you?
Reliable, maybe.  Definitely not organized and ambitious.  But I'm an Aquarius and I suspect that's pretty far from Taurus.

9) Random question: Look at the floor. Do you see carpet, rug, hard wood or tile?
Actually, I see a dog.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Rocky Mountain High (1975)

... because Bev recommended John Denver

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Denver sings that he was "born in the summer of his 27th year," because that's when he discovered the place where he felt most at home. What do you remember about your 27th year? (If it hasn't happened yet, what do you want to happen when you're 27?)

I was 27 in 1970, so pregnant with our fourth child.  My life was kids, LaLeche League, and nursery school.  (Child #4, Tom, was born in July of that year, his brother 2 years later)

2) In 2007, the Colorado General Assembly named this one of the state's two official songs. (The other is "Where the Columbines Grow.") Do you know your state song?

I may have had to look this up on Wikipedia for the particulars, but we sang this song in grammar school in the 1940s:  "I Love You, California" (1913) is the official state song of California. The lyrics were written by Francis Bernard Silverwood (1863-1924), a Los Angeles clothier, and the words were subsequently put to music by Abraham Franklin Frankenstein (1873-1934), then conductor of the Orpheum Theatre Orchestra. The production was published by Hatch & Loveland, Music Printers, Los Angeles, California,^[1] and copyrighted by F.B. Silverwood in 1913. It was the official song of expositions held in San Francisco and San Diego in 1915.

3) John Denver was a dedicated environmentalist who wrote an anthem about Earth Day. Are you careful about your energy consumption? Do you recycle?

I am probably more conscientious of recycling than energy consumption, but do try to consume as little energy as I can.

4) 1975 is also the year that Denver released a collection of holiday songs called Rocky Mountain Christmas. On this August day, what's the first carol that comes to mind?

My first Christmas song that always comes to mind is "Silver Bells," though I have that John Denver recording and "Daddy Please Don't Get Drunk for Christmas" is memorable too!

5) Denver dabbled in photography in his spare time and friends say he was quite good. Tell us about your hobbies.

Nothing exciting.  Reading, TV watching, cooking, and amateur photography.  Also journal writing.

6) In 1975, when this song was popular, mood rings were all the rage. It was said that the ring reflected the wearer's mood. Black = anxious/stressed, orange = worried, green = normal, blue = happy, pink = as good as it gets. As you respond to this week's Saturday 9, what color would your mood ring be?

Based on your definitions, probably pink today. 

7) Pet Rocks were 1975's other odd cultural phenomenon. Do you have any real-life, breathing pets?

We now have two dogs.  Our third dog had to be put to sleep because of lymphoma two weeks ago.  We all still miss her.

8) 1975 saw the premiere of Wheel of Fortune. Are you good at word puzzles?

Pretty good.  I like word puzzles better than any other kind.  We are faithful Jeopardy watchers.  I got tired of Wheel but when I do watch it I'm pretty good.  Love Word with Friends.

9) Random question: Did you sleep well last night?

GREAT day to ask me this question.  So often I have difficulty sleeping, but last night I fell asleep around 1 and slept through until 7, except for a brief run to the bathroom at 3, which seems to be programmed into my body's biological clock.

Sunday Stealing

Do you shout out the answers at the TV while watching quiz shows?
The only quiz show we watch is Jeopardy, but we both do.

Do you get over-involved with TV or movie plots at times?
Not sure what "over-involved" means.  I don't feel like I'm in the show, certainly, but I was definitely involved in the recent Outlander mini-series.

What's the highest hill or mountain you've ever climbed?
Does in a car count?  If so, probably Pike's Peak (14,000 ft.).  If it has to be on foot, Mt. Lassen, when I was pregnant with Jeri in 1965 or 66 (there was a trail to the top, 10,000 ft)

Do you have a piggy bank?
Nope.  I have an old 35 mm film container filled with quarters if I need any for parking meters, though.

What's the fastest you've ever traveled in a car?
Maybe 90 mph.  Briefly.

Could you ever hand milk a cow?
I never had the chance, but having expressed breast milk, I at least know how it's done in theory.

Which was your favorite science? Biology, Physics or Chemistry?
I didn't like any of them.  Physics was the worst, which is weird because I ended up working for the Physics Department for four years after I left school.  I guess as a class, biology was a "favorite."

Have you ever had a surprise party? (that was an actual surprise)
A couple.  There was a birthday party--don't remember which one, before we moved to Davis in 1973.  Our 25th anniversary party was a surprise, and my 50th birthday party was a surprise.

Have you ever worn clothing with the labels/tags still attached?
I'm sure I have.

Have you ever slipped on a banana skin?
Not that I remember.

Are you scared of the dark?
No.

Do you have a lawyer?
We have an attorney who drew up our family trust, but I don't have a clue where she is now, so no.

If you had a paid year off, what would you want to do?
What I'm doing now -- enjoying my retirement.

How long did you last phone call last?
About 5 minutes.  A woman called me yesterday with information about my application to work as a volunteer.

Have you ever helped someone across the road?
I can't remember.

Have you ever been wolf whistled in public?
Not for 60 years.