Meme Monday - 40 Things

I first saw this fun little meme on Lee Ann's blog and I thought I'd give it a go!  Enjoy.

1. Do you like bleu cheese?
Not at all.  I don't like the flavor and just the thought of eating something moldy grossed me out.

2. Have you ever smoked?
Unfortunately I can't because I don't own a smokehouse.  Wouldn't it be cool to smoke and cure your own bacon though?

3. Do you own a gun?
No and I don't want to.

4. Favorite type of Food?
That's easy, Junk Food!!  Just kidding . . . . kind of.  Anyway, although I'm a very picky eater, I  think I like all types of food.  Just not everything those types have to offer!

5. Favorite type of music?
I'm a Classic Rock girl at heart.  The other day, I pulled out four CDs for a road-trip with Pete, and without looking he could name three of them.  Eric Clapton, The Beatles and Sting.  I guess I'm predictable.  (The fourth was The Eagles.)

6. What do you think of hot dogs?
I love them.  But if I really think about them, they gross me out.

7. Favorite Christmas movie?
I don't think I have one.  Maybe The Grinch?  The old cartoon one - although I don't suppose that counts as a movie.
***** ETA: OMG, duh, major brain blip!!!  How could I have forgotten my all-time favorite Christmas movie, A Christmas Story??????   Can't wait for TBS to run it for 24 hours straight!!*****

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
COFFEE - the stronger, the better!!

9. Can you do push ups?
Yes, but only the cheater bent-knee variety.

10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry?
I have several and I wear them every day.  First, my engagement and  wedding rings.  Second, the emerald pendant Pete bought me on our honeymoon.  And lastly, the *cough* - small,  I could use a larger pair, Sweetpea - *cough cough* diamond earrings he bought me for our second Christmas together.

11. Favorite hobby?
Okay, do I really need to answer this one?  Can't you all guess by now?  Stamp collecting.  Hahaha, kidding - it's knitting, of course!!

12. Do you have A. D. D.?
Well, I think . . . oooooo, look, something shiny!!  Errr, umm,  what were you asking?

13. Do you wear glasses/contacts?
Yes.  I got my first pair of glasses in the Fifth grade and I've been wearing contacts since High School.

14. Middle name?
Like the vast majority of the female population, my middle name is Ann.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment:
I wish I had more coffee.  I'm hungry.  Look how cute my little cat is.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink:
Coffee. Pete's Pomegranate Cosmos.  Water.

17. Current worry?
I'll never figure out what I want to do as a job.

18. Current hate right now?
Snow - and I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of it in New England this winter.

19. Favorite place to be?
Where ever my husband is!!

20. How did you bring in the new year?
At our friend's Bob and Barb's house.  Just like I have for almost all of the past 20+ years.  The parties aren't as wild as they were 20 years ago, but they are still just as fun!

21. Someplace you’d like to go?
I'm dying to go to Italy one day.  And Russia too.  I'm always ready for another cruise.  I'd also love to go back to San Diego and Key West.

22. Name three people who will complete this.
Who knows . . . . probably the three people most desperate for blog content.

23. Do you own slippers?
Yup, my favorites right now are the felted slippers I made for me and Pete last year.

24. What color shirt are you wearing?
White.

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?
I don't know but they seem like they'd be really cold.  I love my flannel sheets.

26. Can you whistle?
Not really.

27. Where are you now?
On the couch with my lap-top.

28. Would you be a pirate?
No, probably not.  They seem really dirty and smelly and I think their ships had rats.  Yuck.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower?
I don't think I sing any.  But I always sing along with the radio when I drive!

30. Favorite Girl’s Name?
Emma.

31. Favorite boy’s name?
Jared.

32. What is in your pocket right now?
Nothing, I checked.

33. Last thing that made you laugh?
The Daily Show and The Cobert Report.  John and Stephen are always good for a laugh-fest!!

34. What vehicle do you drive?
A 1994 Honda Civic.  It's long past time for a new car, and I'd like another Civic.

35. Worst injury you’ve ever had?
I've never done anything too bad, which is amazing considering how uncoordinated I am.  I've broken my little toe and sprained my wrist - not at the same time though.

36. Do you love where you live?
Yes and No.  I love my house.  I like my town.  I wish my neighborhood was a little bit better.  I hate a few of my neighbors and that our houses are sqeezed in so closely together.

37. How many TVs do you have in your house?
Two that are hooked up and working.  And one more that is just sitting in our spare room.

38. How many computers do you have in your house?
Pete has his desktop.  I have my new laptop.  We also still have my old, slow laptop but we don't use it.

39. If you changed your job, what would it be?
You are kidding, right?  Did you read my answer to #17??  I've been out of work and pondering that question for years.  I have no clue.

40. If you were granted three wishes, what would they be?
A cure for diabetes.  Enough money to never have to think about money again.  True happiness.

A quiet halloween at home . . .

So November is here.  And I've decided to give NoBloPoMo a shot.  I'm not sure I can post every day for an entire month but I'd like to give it a try.  I am sure that some posts may be about things other than knitting.  Today, for example, is about my quiet Halloween at home with Sweetpea!

On Friday I was thinking about how busy and stressed Pete has been at work.  And I decided to throw together a little Halloween "party" for the two of us.  As soon as he left for his haircut yesterday I sprang into action, printing out a menu card and shopping for our supplies.

The menu included "Bloody Road Kill Stew with Bat Wing Scoopers" and "Scary Slaw" - which was really Turkey Chili with Blue Corn Chips and Broccoli Slaw.  With the menu ready to go, the next step was to put out a few decorations . . .

and get the coffee table looking festive and ready for some treats!

You can't have Halloween without a Jack-O-Lantern, so pumpkin carving was up next.  I drew the face and Pete carved little Jack up while I roasted the seeds we had scooped out.

Once the sun went down it was time to light up the pumpkins - the one we made and the ceramic one that makes an appearance every year.

Next up? A little cupcake decorating, of course.  Our witches and spiders weren't as cute as the ones I saw on the dessert web-site I had found, but they were pretty good and they tasted great!  I would have rather given the spiders black legs, but after searching five stores without being able to find black licorice strings we decided red legs would have to do.

Decorations up, food prepared, pumpkin carved . . . . what's left?  Just to settle in on the couch for the spooky feast!  Oh, and maybe a little drink.  What's better on Halloween than a Ghost-ini?

You're never too old for a fun and festive Halloween!

Itty Bitty . . .

What is this little bit of knitting K.C. is watching over?  A skinny scarf?  A swatch, perhaps?

Nope, it is neither of these things.  This little bit of knitting is actually a baby blanket.  An itty bitty baby blanket. Kathy put out a call for "cookie sheet blankets".  No, not for tucking in cookies!  For tucking in little preemies in the NICU where Kathy works.  They must be machine washable and no larger than a 9 x 13 cookie sheet.  Other than that, you are free to knit it up any way you choose.  She is even making a little contest out of it, so hurry over to sign up.

I am so thrilled to be able to be a part of this.  I have to admit, knitting it up and seeing how small it is breaks my heart.  As hard as I try, I can't imagine a little tiny baby small enough to be covered by this wisp of knitting.  As I knit, I'm pouring love and strength into this blanket and I'm hoping the little one who receives it will feel comforted and strong.

The walk that never ends . . .

Every year, I walk. Every year, I nag you for donations.  Every year, I hope for a cure.  Every year, I walk yet again.

This year something has changed. Instead of walking with the American Diabetes Association, I'm walking with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I've been told a higher percentage of the money raised by the JDRF goes towards finding a CURE for diabetes.  That's what I need the most . . . .  a cure.  And that is something that has not changed . . . there still is no cure.

If you are able to help, please click over to my walk page to make a donation. Maybe one year soon, I won't need to walk anymore . . .

Meme Monday - Remember That Time?

I'm going way back to 2006 and rerunning a meme I've done before.  The catch with this meme is that this week YOU have to do the work!  Come on, play along, it will be fun!  I can't wait to see what my witty internet pals come up with!!

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL MEMORY OF YOU AND ME. It can be anything you want--good or bad--BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE. When you're finished, post this on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people DON'T ACTUALLY remember about you.