Purling Oaks

Time Traveler Meme

The Rules: Depending on your age, go back 10, 15, 20, or even more years. Tell us how many years back you have traveled. Pretend you have met yourself during that era, and tell us where you are. You only have one “date” with this former self. Answer the questions.

 

I have gone back 20 years . We’ll say it’s today's date, October 8, 1990. Young Angie is 31 and living in an apartment in Aurora, IL (a Chicago, IL suburb). She's lived there for about six months, after living in Houston for eight years.

Would your younger self recognize you when you first meet? Not immediately, but she will definitely know I am family --- probably on our dad's side.  She's going to be appalled at my/our waist measurement.

Would she be surprised to discover what you are doing job-wise?  Yes and no.  We work for the same employer but I believe she would be surprised that I am still with this employer and now have an office in DC and commute from Wisconsin.  (It is possible she may seriously consider mental health counseling based on this information.)  

What piece of fashion advice would you give her?  She was a bit better put together than I am now but definitely trendy.  She loves Casual Corner and the Speigel's outlet store.  I would tell her to ditch the perm and invest in classic wardrobe pieces for work.  Stick with the basics and don't waste cash on cutsie stuff.

What do you think she is most going to want to know?  I believe she'll be very interesting in her future love life.  Within the next year she will meet her future husband at a Chi-Chi's Restaurant in Rockford, IL.  (Romantic, eh?)

What would probably be the best thing to tell her?  Exercise regularly, lay-off the anxiety eating, avoid one particular dentist, and remember to tell the family you love them.  Find a good yoga instructor.  Annual vet visits for the cat would be a good thing.  You can do what ever you set your mind and heart on.

What is something that you probably wouldn’t tell her?  The sad stuff; it will come soon enough.

What do you think will most surprise her about you?  That I can spin yarn.  That I'm pretty happy.

At this point in your life, would you like to run into “you” from the future?  Yes.  Oh, well, maybe.  So many possibilities......

I won't tag but feel free to play.  I found the meme at Carrie K.'s and she found it here.

A few things (meme)

I know.  Two posts in one weekend is setting a new precedent.  Don't get used to it.

1. Do you like bleu cheese?  In small amounts.  I find it to be almost too rich for me.
2. Have you ever smoked? I probably puffed one in the early 80's but, no, I really don't.
3. Do you own a gun?  Yes, yes, and yes.
4. Favorite type of food?  Oh gosh.  All of them?  :D  Tonight we are having salad, garlicky (mini) pork ribs, and welsh rabbit.  
5. Favorite type of music?  Lately I've been looking for upbeat, get me moving music.  Falco's Amadeus comes to mind.  I really have to be careful if I'm driving when this is on----I catch myself speeding. 
6. What do you think of hot dogs?  I love hot dogs.  :D  Especially the "skin-on" hot dogs.  With ketchup.  
7. Favorite Christmas movie?  White Christmas.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?  Two cups of coffee  - black.  I may have one really large cup when I'm in DC or have a third cup, if I'm home.  I really need to get a coffee maker for my DC office.
9. Can you do push ups?  Oh boy.  If I can, probably not well.  I'm hoping to change that...
10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry?  My engagement/wedding ring that DH had made for me.  (My answer is the same as Vicki's.)
11. Favorite hobby?  There are hobbies?  /kidding, sort of.  Life has been kind of busy lately and hobbies have been a casualty.  Reading, knitting, gardening, surfing the Internets.
12. Do you have A.D.D.?  No.
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts?  Not for daily wear.  But I do have prescription glasses for my sunglasses.  
14. Middle name?  Lynn.  (also the same as Vicki, which I don't think I knew before.)
15. Name three thoughts at this exact moment:  Is that apartment on 5th still available/wondering if the landlord will contact me, the salt in the welch rabbit is perfect, I better sleep fast tonight.
16. Name three drinks you regularly drink:  Coffee, water, red wine.
17. Current worry?  Will I be able to find an "affordable" apartment in DC in a nice place?
18. Current hate right now?  Nosy people wondering if my marriage is troubled because I'm taking a permanent job in DC; gossips; my body weight.
19. Favorite place to be?  With my husband.
20. How did you bring in the new year?  Having a nice meal with my DH at our kitchen table.
21. Someplace you’d like to go?  Scotland and Ireland.
22. Name three people who will complete this.
23. Do you own slippers?  Yes.  I wear them around the house and prefer a slipper that will provide support.  I really like the Crocs lined with fake fleece even though they are ugly.
24. What color shirt are you wearing? Olive green
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?  I prefer crisp cotton or flannel but satin can be nice. *ahem*
26. Can you whistle?  Yes but poorly.  My father was a wonderful whistler----think Rhapsody in Blue.
27. Where are you now?  at the dining room table - in Wisconsin.
28. Would you be a pirate?  No.  Bad karma with that, I think
29. What songs do you sing in the shower?  I don't.  Curse occasionally, yes.  :D
30. Favorite girl’s name?  I know this is goofy but I like the name November.  The girl would have black wavy hair and blue eyes.  o.O  Or, if I have to go mainstream, Elizabeth Ann.
31. Favorite boy’s name?  Ian Michael.   
32. What is in your pocket right now?  Lint.  My pocket are empty.
33. Last thing that made you laugh?  DH just did.  My boss makes me laugh, too.  (in a good way.)
34. What vehicle do you drive?  2004 Jeep Liberty.
35. Worst injury you’ve ever had?  Fortunately, nothing really bad.  Short-lived back strain from a car accident and I injured my foot the year we were engaged, but nothing lingers.
36. Do you love where you live?  Definitely.  Our home in Wisconsin is marvelous.
37. How many TVs do you have in your house?  Three.  
38. How many computers do you have in your house?  Three but two are for work and travel with us.
39. If you changed your job, what would it be?  Ha!  An analyst?  Oh, you mean after this job change?  Something that keeps me interacting with people.  I am finding I am more socially-oriented than I thought.  Help desk?
40. If you had three wishes what would they be?  Good health for my family and friends.  Elimination of evil (although this could be debated.  Some say evil is necessary to define good.....)  That I would always be kind.

Found at Vicki's.

Meme on Saturday

1. What time did you get up this morning?  6:20 AM, unfortunately.

2. How do you like your steak?  Grilled.  Seared on the outside but very red inside.  With salt.  Preferably Maldon's flaky salt.  A glass of red would be fine, too.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?  I really don't remember.  I vaguely remember seeing a Shrek movie in Palmdale, CA.  Wilson is *not* a movie kind of guy, so I've kind of gotten out of the habit of seeing them.

4. What is/are your favorite TV show(s)? Quantum Leap, Ghost Whisperer, NCIS, Medium, Iron Chef (the Japanese original)

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? With Wilson at our home.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Scrambled egg, soft/moist; a peach, and coffee.

7. What is your favorite cuisine? All of them, if they are well-prepared.

8. What foods do you dislike? Hard-boiled eggs (can you say "rubber"?), brussel sprouts, canned mushrooms (see hard-boiled eggs).

9. Favorite Place to Eat? My dining table.

10. Favorite dressing?  Ranch, at the moment

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Jeep

12. What are your favorite clothes? For what situation?  Lately, weekend wear consists of jeans and a comfortable shirt with professional Crocs on my feet.  I may need to go boot shopping whenever I get down to visit Stacey. 

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Ireland and Scotland

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? I prefer it half-full.

15. Where would you want to retire? My current residence.

16. Favorite time of day? Morning

17. Where were you born? Mercy Hospital.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?  American Football.  I love the sound of it on the television in the fall.  It's comforting.  No, I can't often tell you the correct score.

19. Who do you think will not tag you back?

20. Person you expect to tag you back first?

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this?

22. Bird watcher? Yes, but in a casual way. 

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Definitely a morning person.

24. Pets? Yes.  Fuzzle, Blue, White Dot, and Black Dot.

25. Any new and exciting news that you’d like to share? I would love to share some but there isn't any.

26. What did you want to be when you were little? Someone that could fly.  And I'm not talking about being a pilot.

27. What is your first childhood memory? Nana and Grandpa Ted baby-sitting me at home while Dr. E was being born.  They made me a Quaker Oats doll cut out from the cereal package and fastened the limbs on with those brass fasteners.  It was *very* cool and fascinating at the time, perhaps why I can recall the memory.

28. Are you a cat or dog person? A cat person but I can appreciate dogs.

29. Are you married? Yes

30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes.

31. Been in a car accident? Yes.  Saved from severe injury both times by a seat belt.

32. Any pet peeves?  Yes.  Car horns that beep when someone is locking or unlocking a car.....Announcing to everyone that they've locked it or they're arriving back at their car laden with packages and are ready to mug.  Gah.

33. Favorite pizza topping? Pepperoni, green olives, and tomato chunks

34. Favorite flower? Nasturtiums.

35. Favorite ice cream?  Caramel and sea salt, currently

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Bell

37. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? Zero.

38. From whom did you get your last email? Diane.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Why would I do a silly/stupid thing like that?  I do spend a lot at Amazon, however.

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Nothing comes to mind.

41. Like your job? This one, yes, very. 

42. Broccoli? Yes, now that I'm an adult

43. What was your favorite vacation? The one I still remember involved hovering in a helicopter above an active lava flow, snorkeling, and whale watching from a boat.  All big rushes.  (Must convince Wilson that there's more to do in Hawaii than hunt.  :D)  Hi, opal!

44. Last person you went out to dinner with?  Out to dinner?  With Nancee from my office to Sam and Harry's in DC.  Nice dinner, pre fixe - we both had the creme brulee. Yum.

45. What are you listening to right now? Hum of the frig, Wilson chain-sawing, birdsong.

46. What is your favorite color? Green

47. How many tattoos do you have? None.

48.How many are you tagging for this quiz? None.  Play if you wish

49. What time did you finish this quiz? 2:47 PM or a few minutes after

50. Coffee Drinker? Yes.

Meme

I'm certainly a knitter and I have a blog but you won't be seeing any of my knitting today.  The knitter is just trying to make it to the weekend.  So, thanks to a friend we have some blog content.  This meme wasn't as easy to fill out as I thought it would be.

Here it is:

1.  My uncle once had his hands on fire but he jumped into the Pine River and extinguished the flames.  

2. Never in my life have I wished to be a pilot despite being related to two and knowing several others. 

3. When I was five I invited my friends Mary Jo, Mike, and Judy to a butterfly party.  We drew our wings on construction paper with crayons and my mother pinned them on the back of our shirts.  We ran around outside pretending to be beautiful butterflies.

4. High school was an experience I never want to repeat.

5. I will never forget driving with my dad in the country in our old Ford station wagon and picking up the peas that dropped from the canning trucks.  I loved the found treasure.

6. Once I met Timothy Dalton in the laundry room of a San Francisco hotel.  He is handsome but not as tall as I thought he would be.  Great smile.

7. There’s this boy I know who is now a young man (and my oldest nephew) and spending his Junior year of college in Granada.

8. Once, at a bar, ...  I watched male strippers.  It wasn't that exciting.  I suppose I like to know the sweat that is being flung towards me.

9. By noon, I've usually completed a lot of my to-do list since I'm a morning person.

10. Last night I read my book until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any more.

11. If only I had forethought and time to stay connected to all my loved ones.

12. Next time I go to church will probably be for someone's life event.

13. What worries me most is that I'll be oblivious to an important event.

14. When I turn my head left I see the dining room windows.

15. When I turn my head right I see the living room.

16. You know I’m lying if I say I love Tom Cruise.

17. What I miss most about the Eighties is my waist.

18. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be, ahh, um, Puck?.

19. By this time next year I hope my waist will be smaller.

20. A better name for me would be ???  Estelle? (DH's suggestion)  I named myself Mercedes in Spanish class because it was so exotic when I was 16.  I was Simone in French class when I was a Freshman in HS.  See why I don't want to repeat high school?

21. I have a hard time understanding cruel behavior.

22. If I ever go back to school, I’ll enroll in fiber-related classes, like weaving.

23. You know I like you if I spend time with you.

24. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be my mother (and father).

25. Take my advice, never fall for a pretty face.  Well, not for very long, anyway.

26. My ideal breakfast is eggs-soft scrambled and pan-fried bluegill fillets.

27. A song I love but do not have is Reba McEntire's a capella performance of "Crazy."  I heard her sing this song at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and will never forget her performance.

28. If you visit my hometown, I suggest that you visit the EAA Museum, the Paine Art Center, and the Public Museum.  Then you have to have the frozen custard at Leon's.

29. Why won’t people be straight-forward?

30. If you spend a night at my house you will be fed well but may have to use the lint roller.

31. I’d stop my wedding for ?  Should have stopped the first one.  The second one?  Don't get between me and my man.

32. The world could do without reality shows.

33. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than walk a tightrope.

34. My favorite blondie used to be a red head.

35. Paper clips are more useful than staples because they always work.

36. If I do anything well it’s making a venison pot roast.

37. I can’t help but wish I had more time for my knitting.

38. I usually cry when I listen to sad songs on the car radio.

39. My advice to my nephews/niece is save early and often and marry late.

40. And by the way, I owe thanks to Nora for this meme and having something to blog about.

Maria who?

Thank goodness for fill in the blank.  I'm just plumb wore out between work and play.  Today feels like it has lasted a good 84 hours.  It is probably the result of sleeping in three different beds in less than a week.  Carry on.  I'll be home Thursday night.  Then off to play by Friday afternoon.  Midwest Fiber and Folk something or other Art Fair with my buddy, Charlynn.

Just for KnittyOtter:

Getting to Know you Contest Questionnaire:

1.) How long have you been knitting?

My mother and grandmother taught me to knit....I think it was about 1975, if I remember the house right.  I didn't do too much with it until about 2001 when I decided I would knit a sweater for my "new year start a new craft" project.

2.) How long have you been knitting socks?

I started my first sock in 2003 on the way to Yellowstone and I think I finished it in 2007.  :D

3.) What do you do with a problem like Maria?

I would probably just ignore her until she went away.

4.) What is your all time favorite sock yarn?

I haven't tried many yet.  Trekking XXL made my favorite pair of socks, so far.

5.) Toe Up or Cuff Down?

I'm still in process of the first toe up.  I think both ways are probably useful but the toe up seem less fiddly.

6.) What's your favorite color (this week or for all time)? Do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

I like mossy greens and muted colors,  soft orange, reds with blue casts (as compared to orange).  I don't like kelly green.

7.) Do you have a pet(s)?

Yes, four cats.  White Dot, Black Dot, Blue, and Fuzzle

8.) Babies: Oven Roasted or Barbecued?

Poached in Johnson's Baby Bath.  :D

9.) Besides socks what is your favorite type of thing to knit?

Sweaters and lace, I certainly have enough of both of them started.......

10.) What's your favorite scent?

Citrus, orange primarily.   My husband's t-shirts.  A warm furry feline.

11.) What music are you really loving right now? Like a song or a band?

Patti Austin's tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.

12.) How many pairs of socks have you hand knit?

Oh gee.  Four, I think.  Maybe five.  (Sad, I know.  If I were home I could count them up.  I'm just tired, now.)  Two pairs in progress on the sticks.

13.) What's your favorite treat? Salty or Sweet?

Both and either.  Chips and dip, kettle popcorn....stuff like that.   Generally, I'm a salt-a-holic.

14.) What was the most interesting thing you smelled yesterday. Not good or bad necessarily, just the thing that stuck out most so that you actually took notice of it.

Oatmeal raisin cookies baked by my nephew, Hunter.  Musty humidity in the garage of our cottage.

15.) Needles - DPN's: Wooden, metal or plastic?

Bamboo or wood.  Crystal Palace are nice.  Metal are too darn slick.

16.) What is your favorite sock pattern that you've knit? What do you recommend?

I like the resulting socks from the Jaywalker pattern but the pattern was a minor challenge when frogging.  I want to try Cookie's Cutter sock pattern next.

17.) The last Question: If you were stuck on a deserted island who would you want with you, what knitting would you want with you and would you ever want to leave?

I would definitely want my husband with me, lace knitting since I would have time to concentrate on the pattern.  Yes, I would want to leave after a while.  Semi-solitude is nice but my life's theme is change and travel.  Why buck the trend?

Friday's chives and a meme

I lifted this meme from Joan since I needed a bit of blogging material.  Thanks, Joan.

#1-What was I doing 10 years ago?  I was working in the same career/job/employment as I am now, living in Oshkosh, discovering the time-sink of the Internet - especially on dial-up, and puttering in my garden.  Single but committed to my (now) DH.  DH's father had just passed away.  My Dad, Aunt Nancy, and Grandma Nana were still living.  No feline friends shared my living quarters.  

#2-Five things on today's to do list:
1) Wait for "the guy" to arrive and fix the thermostat so the radiators don't run when the air conditioning runs.  O.o
2) Start a sponge for bread so DH will have some yummy bread when he comes home tomorrow.
3) Get a haircut.  Find out if my stylist's grandbaby has arrived yet.
4) Acquire about 6 bags of compost for the garden boxes. 
5) See if I can find some tulle (to keep the locks separate) for washing my Artemesia fleece.  Thanks for the link, Stacey.  Perhaps a trip to Madison will be required. 

#3- Snacks I enjoy:
Nutella on Townhouse crackers, herb and garlic goat cheese with crackers, chocolate covered nuts, radishes and kohlrabi (in the summer) sliced with salt, bing cherries. 

#4 - If I was a billionaire I'd....
Have a massage every day.
Set up a family education trust so that everyone could get an advanced education (technical college or regular university) at any age.
Fund a program to teach fiber arts and sewing to anyone but especially children. 
Spend more time with my family and friends.

#5 - Places I have lived:
In order -
Oshkosh, WI
near Larsen, WI
Minneapolis, MN
Madison, WI
Houston, TX
Aurora, IL
Oshkosh, WI
Madison, WI
near Poynette, WI (and I'm NOT budging from here.) 

#6 - Six people I'd like to know more about: All of you.  Play along if you wish.

Post? What's that?

It has been a busy week with work as usual but with a bonus day of meetings and getting prepped for a vacation.  I'm back home tonight trying to transfer stuff from my old mac to my new mac so the old one can go to a new home with my nephew.  Moving my music from the old iTunes to the new iTunes was bothersome so I just decided to use my old backup disks and that appears to be working. 

I must say I really don't have much worth while rattling around in my brain for a post tonight.  You'll be seeing a guest blogger for a post coming up this week.  There will probably be some posts on fibery (and other) adventures with Stacey coming up, as well, as long as I can find a high speed Internet connection.

I haven't made any measurable progress on Forest Canopy.  I am a bit disappointed about this but it is my own fault.  I'm experiencing a bit of an attention  and time deficit that I hope to remedy this coming week.

*****************************************

Deborah tagged me with this book meme:

1. Pick up the nearest book of 123 or more pages.   Aerie by Mercedes Lackey (fourth and last of a series)  I haven't started reading this book yet.  I'm not too excited about it at the moment but I want to finish the series.

2. Open the book to page 123 and find the 5th sentence. "And we will need to call upon favors from other tribes to make up for our losses."

3. Post the next 3 sentences. 'We will not starve... but we will not prosper either, for some time to come."  That was an extraordinary admission from a Mouth of the Bedu, who were so notoriously secretive that they generally had only one person in each tribe -- the Mouth--to speak to outsiders.  "Starvation is a cruel death," the Mouth said, meditatively.

4. Then tag 4 people.  I won't tag anyone but feel free to tag yourself.  Thanks Deborah!

Meme and other stuff

Here's a meme that is going around blogland.  I saw it most recently at Cookie's corner of TypePad.  Here's the essence:  Go to www.wikipedia.org and type in your birth month and day.  List three events, two births, and one holiday.  You can choose to tag someone or not.  Here goes:

Events:

1602 - The Bodleian Library at Oxford University is opened to the public.

1899 - The Bronx Zoo opens.

1971 - The fourth album of British Rock Group, Led Zeppelin is released including the song "Stairway to Heaven."

Births:

1836 - Milton Bradley

1949 - Bonnie Raitt

Holiday:  Saint Michael's Day

****************************************************

This is my last night of this trip to Lincoln, NE.  I plan to wake up (way too early) to catch the first flight to Minneapolis where I'll change planes and end up in Madison.  I'm flying Northwest Airlines so cross your fingers for me that none of my flights are cancelled.  As soon as I get home, DH and I are starting our vacation.  HURRAY!  Saturday, we will be helping to celebrate the engagement of DH's youngest brother, Paul, to Amanda. 

On Sunday, our vacation starts in earnest when we load the car to the gills and head north to Grand Marais, Michigan.  It is a wonderful place to visit and an easy place to let tension unwind from my spine and drift away.  DH and I honeymooned there and we have visited twice, I think, since then.  We will do some exploring and hiking.  DH will engage in a bit of woods-loafing (i.e., trout fishing) while I'll knit (certainly) and spin (probably) and perhaps work on a few other little crafty items.  The big plan, knitting-wise, is to finish Sonnet's sleeves.  Considering it is about a six-hour drive up there, I think that might be likely.  Of course, I'll be bringing the Nasturtium socks along and some spare projects, just in case.

We stay at a place with a little kitchen, so we will cook our own meals--another way to relax.  Most folks may think that is counter-relaxing but if they were away from home in hotels as much as we are, they may think differently.  I'm not sure what the Internet-connectivity level is at our lodging or in Grand Marais, so I may not be posting much if at all the first week of July.  We'll have to wait and see.  At least I'll be generating post material for the following week, right?

************************************************

I wanted to share this blog with you.  I love the photographs because they inspire me to stop and enjoy my breakfast rather than just consume it to ease my hunger.  I wish I would treat breakfast like that daily.

Seven Randoms

I was tagged by Jen. Here is how it works: Each player starts with seven random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write their own blog with their seven things as well as these rules. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. Remember to leave a comment for them letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog.

1) For seven years, until I was 16 or 17 years old, I attended Richard's School of the Dance. I took tap, ballet, and jazz dance lessons and, once I started (*ahem*) maturing, I also was a Can-Can girl. Every June, we performed at both an afternoon and evening show at the local theatre. It was quite a production, very nerve-wracking and exciting all at once. The can-can costume hasn't changed at all in over 30 years. *g*

2) I have about thirty first cousins. I'm the oldest grandchild on my mother's side by about two months and I'm in the middle of the pack on my father's side.

3) I love to read Nora Roberts and also J.D. Robb (one of N.R.'s pen names). I started with the J.D. Robb "Death By...." books and then started reading her other novels when she didn't write fast enough to keep up with me reading about Eve and Rourke. I read a lot of other authors (mostly science fiction and fantasy) as well but knitting is cutting into my reading time.

4) I don't watch much in the way of television anymore (well, the Food Network doesn't count, right?), but Adrian Paul and Scott Bakula were always favorites.

5) I've lived in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, and Illinois. Although I travel quite often for work, this travel does not take me outside of the U.S. with the exception of one after-hours trip into Matamoras, Mexico. I've been to Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands (pre-hurricanes).

6) I'm a member of the Brothertown Indians.

7) I totalled my mother's Dodge Dart the August before my senior year of high school. I was driving to my waitress job on a Sunday morning when a spider dropped down from the sun visor and startled me. I slammed on the brakes, the front right tire blew out and the car flipped (in slow motion) over into a ditch, narrowly missing a culvert. I ran my pantyhose (no other injury) and surprised a farmer who was finishing up milking his cows. Lucky girl.

Thanks, Jen, for providing some blog content! I'm not going to tag anyone but please consider yourself tagged if you wish to play along.

The Letter "L"

Cara passed me the letter L. Thanks, Cara. The way this meme works is that you get a letter from someone and then you have to list ten things or themes in your life that begin with that letter. Let me know in the comments if you would like a letter.

"L"

Laundry. One of my favorite chores. While it is a chore, I would much, much rather do laundry than most any other household chore you or I could think of. (However, if this were 1907, rather than 2007, I'm sure I would have a significantly different opinion.) Clothes go into the washer in a smelly, dirty, wrinkled state and come out of the dryer or off the line smelling sweet and ready to be used. If we didn't do laundry, I would have to shop for clothes and that is a chore.

Lists. Without lists, I am a very befuddled individual. With a list, I have a plan and I know what I have to do next without spending a lot of brain cells trying to remember. I miss my memory.

Liatris. (also know as Indian gayfeather) I plan to plant liatris in a yet to be dug garden this coming summer. The flowers last a long time and there are some varieties that grow taller than I measure.

Library. I have not yet visited the local library since we've moved. It is a small one but it gets a reasonable amount of publicity in the local weekly paper. Now I'm curious and will have to put a visit to the library on my to-do list.

Lost. On October 12, G.G. (aka Grumpy) left the house with her siblings in the morning and she hasn't returned home yet. We've posted flyers, searched the woods and roads, and called neighbors and area pet shelters. No one has seen her. We have found nice people though. There is another much larger Siamese cat about 4 or 5 miles from our house that I've seen due to the thoughtful calls of strangers responding to the flyers.

Lemon. A favorite flavor of mine in hard candies, sauces for chicken scallopini with lemons and capers as well as steak carppachio. My Grandpa Ted, a tall and silent Norwegian, liked lemon sandwich cookies.

L. My middle name starts with that letter and it is a very popular name (middle or first) of the mates of my husband's brothers and cousins. Interesting.

Learning. I hope to never stop learning. My most recent learning experience is teaching myself to hold the yarn in my left hand (Continental style) and I'm still working on learning it. Holding the yarn in the left hand looks faster and I need all the speed I can muster. The placement of the yarn in my fingers seems to be the current challenge so I achieve the correct tension.

Lights. We are still in the process of replacing lighting fixtures in the house. Here's a close up of the new one hanging in the foyer. Next up for replacement are the kitchen and dining area lights. We take the old fixtures to our town garbage drop-off and there is usually someone who would like them so they are recycled.

Love. I am glad, wonderously glad, to have love in my life.