It’s sunny. Cold. Snowy. I voted today in a state election. Our primary isn’t until April and I’m grateful. I’m still working on a blanket and socks. Last week we were on vacation and my kids found HGTV and now they are begging me for cable. I’ve accomplished absolutely nothing since the last time I dropped by, but I wanted to say hello. So…hello. Also…I’m stealing the twenty questions I found at The Spectacled Bean and giving them an answer.
Your most memorable fancy dress costume?
My favorite “fancy dress” dress ever was for my eight grade graduation and I wish I could have a grown up version. It had black tank top with a just above the knee skirt. The skirt was black with a print of huge bright tropical flowers and black crinoline underneath. The waist was cinched with a really wide belt in the same fabric as the skirt. It was very late eighties-early nineties dress and I wore it with black nylons, a pair of (small) black heels, and a necklace and earrings that matched the bright colors of the flowered print. My mom picked it out for me and when it was hanging in the closet, I didn’t think I’d like it, but I absolutely LOVED it once I put it on. I’ve had some other pretty great “fancy” dresses but none surpass that dress that I didn’t even pick out!!
Which social media platform do you use the most?
Instagram, probably. Unless you count my blog reader.
Favourite season?
Maybe winter? I love them all. That’s why I live where I do.
If you had to choose the beach or mountains, which would it be?
Beach. Every single time.
What can you play very well?
Scrabble. I’m not the best of the best (my mom can really whomp on me) but I’ve had my share of 300 point games.
What kind of cheese do you like?
Not a huge cheese fan. Though in high school I had dinner at a friend’s and his parents had brought back a cheese from a European vacation and they served it with apples for dessert. It was kind of brown and it was caramel-ly and nutty flavored and the best cheese I’ve ever tasted. I don’t remember what they called it and I’ve tried lots of different ones hoping to find it…but it remains a mystery.
Life goal?
To raise healthy, happy, hardworking kids.
How many cities have you lived in?
Four. Plenty more small towns and villages.
What language do you wish you could speak?
All of them.
What can’t you stand?
Oh, the answer to this is too long and that makes me sad.
If you have an hour to kill on your hands, what would you do?
Read or knit or organize something.
Your favorite routine?
I love my Sunday morning “reset” where I water my plants, and count out my medicine into my handy-dandy pill container, and write down my plans/intentions/to-do list for the week.
When do you become hyperactive?
When I’ve had too much coffee, when I’m on prednisone, when I don’t feel like I’m being heard.
Text message or phone call?
Depends, but I mostly prefer phone calls (I know, I’m a dying breed.)
Your most precious treasure?
I have a few things that I really cherish. The kitchen table my grandfather made. A card catalog from Hackley Public Library. A clock. A yellow post it with a note from Violet. A picture from Abram. I couldn’t pick a most precious.
Your latest foreign language mistake?
No idea. I speak French and Spanish only well enough to ask that we speak in English.
What’s the best therapy for you?
Actual therapy.
If you could be a fictional character, who would you be?
I don’t know that I want to be any of the characters I’ve read, but I have a real soft spot for Scarlett O’Hara. She’s a real monster – selfish and short sighted – but also doggedly loyal and hardworking.
Where would you like to travel?
So many places. My quick and dirty list: Alaska, Antarctica, Ireland, the Netherlands (I have *always* wanted to see the Anne Frank home), Iceland, on a sailboat trip on Lake Superior, Cuba
Where did you meet your spouse/partner?
We were introduced to each other by a woman I worked with at a bar.
And as every Tuesday, I’ll end with a question of my own: what are you making, reading, listening to, watching, or whatever -ing is striking your fancy right now?
Thanks for doing the questions here. It’s a fun to read other people’s answers. I like that you included organize as something you’d do with a spare hour. I never thought of that but it’s a great idea. I always liked/disliked Scarlett. She got things done so *yay* but she was a selfish person who I don’t think I’d enjoy knowing in real life. Too conniving.
I’ll skip answering your weekly questions today if you don’t mind. I’m up to my eyeballs with questions, answering of said. What a day on my blog.
Oh, Scarlett wouldn’t have any use for me in real life. She didn’t have any use for any woman, really. But people who single-mindedly go after a goal – whether it’s Ashley Wilkes or to never be hungry or save Tara – have always kind of impressed me.
I don’t blame you for skipping the questions. 😉
I enjoyed reading your answers, Kate. I am a dying breed too! I get so much better communication over speaking to another over the phone. Often with text, there are such few words that it leaves me wondering “What?”
I have met a new acquaintance that hangs out at her boyfriends apartment two floors above me and she has been sending me a text every morning since Friday that says “Good morning sweetie”. When I reply immediately even with a question she doesn’t reply reply back. It’s annoying and I don’t understand why she would be doing this! I have even tried calling her, but it goes to voicemail.
Do you or anyone else experience this or know why?
“Text message or phone call?
Depends, but I mostly prefer phone calls (I know, I’m a dying breed.)”
I don’t know why your text situation would be happening but I know it would frustrate me too!!
I’m glad to know that I’m not alone in my thoughts about it!
Hello to you, too, Kate. HGTV is fun, but it’s probably the best way to never accomplish anything, ever again 😉 . (I know this from personal experience!)
Wishing you a good week as you get back into your routine.
xo Marian
I absolutely believe it, Marian!! We’re getting back into the swing of things!
I love your answer to “what’s the best therapy?” So much yes to that.
And your fancy dress story reminds me of Grace’s 8th grade graduation dress. Hers was so sophisticated (in comparison to the other girls), but not inappropriate. She towered over almost everyone, and she wore heels. There was just something about her confidence that tickled me so. It’s not my own fancy dress memory, but it kind of is.
And I must know: Do you play Upwords? I like it better than Scrabble, but it’s almost a different game entirely.
I love that story, Rita. Violet reminded me yesterday that she’ll be in 8th grade next year. I’m not at ALL ready for it.
I haven’t ever played Upwords before! I’m going to look it up! Word games are BIG around here.
I can’t believe Violet got so big so fast. I can really see in your vacation photos that she’s more than a tween now. Hang on, mama! It goes fast. And even though you’re not ready, you’re ready.
I think you’ll love Upwards. It’s sort of 3-d Scrabble. Cane and I have fought fierce battles. Our own extra rule is that we give double points for dirty words. It’s made the difference between victory and defeat more than once. 😉
Have you tried Raclette cheese? It’s a typical swiss cheese, most people think it is the cheese in Heidi. It has a caramel, nutty flavor. Just a thought!
Thanks for the suggestion!! I haven’t tried that! I would LOVE if I finally solved the mystery!