1. I took ballet lessons for the very first time as an adult, at about the age of 27 - I think. My pastor's wife, at that time, invited me to join her in this fun adventure. And that is precisely why we did it, for fun and a little bit of exercise.
2. When I was almost 30, I joined one of those diet/exercise places (not Curves, but rather Venus de Milo) and impressed the owners so much that they published my before and after pictures in the local newspaper, along with my measurements and weight loss figures.
3. I took voice lessons in high school and sang in a competition where I had to sing two songs in two different foreign languages. I think they were in french and german. I didn't get any awards, but it was fun and a good experience.
4. My husband and I met for the very first time on February 14, 1970 (yes, Valentine's day!) and married on September 26, 1970 (7 months later). This year we will celebrate our 39th anniversary, for both events! :)
5. I had the surprise of my life, while working as a secretary at a green house manufacturing company, when I got a call from Angela Lansbury (actress, for those of you who are too young to know). We spoke for awhile, and she confirmed (accent and all) that she was THE Angela Lansbury, and she wanted to order a green house for her hobby of growing orchids.
6. Somewhere between the years of 1978 - 1982, my husband and I saw Frank Bonner (he played Herb Tarlek on WKRP in Cincinnati) walking through the Dallas, TX airport. He looked just like he did on the show, except for his cowboy boots and hat.
7. About 25 years ago (I think) I drove a school bus for one whole school year and was labeled by my students with the title of Sargeant Brown. I didn't put up with any bullies on my bus, and I was very strict about everyone following the rules (such as staying seated & keeping arms and legs inside the bus - not hanging out the windows). It's not easy being an authority figure when you're shorter than some of the students. It was way more fun driving that bus when it was empty.
8. My hair was mostly gray by the time I was 45, but I've been told repeatedly that my hair is a lovely shade of gray. Now it's almost white!
9. I was about 42 when my first grandchild was born. I actually enjoyed being a young grandmother. Now that first grandchild is 13 and quite a bit taller than me.
10. Just the other day, as I was walking out of a grocery store to my car, an older gentleman got my attention by calling out, "Miss . . . oh, miss . . . ," and then went on to say, "That's a really nice head of hair you have." After I thanked him, he then stated, "And I'm not some parking lot weirdo, either!"
11. Like most folks, I love chocolate, but I actually prefer my chocolate spread over cherries, raisins, nuts or coconut. I also love chocolate covered caramel.
12. As for caramel, I love it all by itself - and a multitude of other ways. Caramel lattes are my favorite coffee drink. But caramel goes with so many things, such as popcorn, ice cream, apples, and the list goes on. I'll try caramel on anything, at least once.
13. I was a jacks champion in my late elementary school years, and I wasn't bad when it came to double jump ropes either. You wouldn't know it to look at me now, and I've gotten very clumsy too.
14. I had my first steady boyfriend when I was in the second grade, and my parents even let me have after school dates with him, as long as they were present.
15. When our two children were in jr. high & high school, we took family snow skiing trips of the downhill variety. The rest of my family turned out to be very good skiiers. It wasn't all that uncommon for folks to fall getting off the lift when they were just learning. But, I was the only one who ever fell off the lift while trying to get on, even after I was considered experienced.
16. When I was in the second grade I had to have my tonsils out, along with my older sister and my younger brother. Yes, that's right! All three of us at the same time! Can't imagine how difficult that must have been for my Mama. Three little kids, approx. ages six, eight and ten, having tonsilectomies all at the same time. What a handful that must have been for her!
17. When I was in the fourth grade I had to have my appendix removed. Here's the humorous part of the story: I hated math, and my Mama knew it. Just before math class for several days in a row, I'd complain of a stomach ache so the school nurse would call my Mama to come get me. She was sure I was faking it just to get out of math class. Finally, one day when she came and got me she told me she was taking me directly to the doctor to find out once and for all if there was really anything wrong with me. When the doc. told her that if she had waited much longer to bring me in my appendix might have ruptured, she was horrified and told me how sorry she was that she hadn't believed me. I, on the other hand, was shocked to find out I had to have surgery, because I was beginning to believe myself that it was having to go to math class that was giving me the stomach aches.
18. Even though I think of myself as being from Arkansas (because that's what I remember most from my early childhood), I was actually born in Chicago. My sibling before me was born in AR, and my sibling after me was born there too, but my parents moved to Chicago before I was born and went back to Arkansas shortly afterward. And I've never been back there to see my birthplace. Weird, huh?
19. Once upon a time, in the small church we attended, I was the church organist and pianist. How could that possibly work, you ask? Well, I played the organ during prayer times and offering, and before and after the service began. But for the congregational singing and special music, I moved over to the piano to play. It was a challenge, to say the least, and it went on this way for a very long time.
20. A very musical and talented uncle of mine, taught me to sing harmony at a very young age. I think I was about seven years old. My sister (two years older) sang soprano, and we were quite the singing duo for many years. Now whenever I go back to Arkansas for a visit, we almost always sing a duet in my Mama's church and/or a trio with my brother included in the mix.
21. Regarding #20, my elementary school principal (who also attends my Mama's church), is often one of the first to request that we be allowed to sing.
22. I think I was in the fourth grade, when I stepped up to my teacher (Mr. Spencer) and addressed him as Mama. I was mortified, but he found it quite humorous. In fact, he remembered it fondly to my Mama many times over the years following (even after I became an adult and moved away), whenever he happened to see her around town.
23. My first date with the man I ended up marrying, was a ride up into the hills on his motorcycle. He didn't actually ask me for that date himself. His sister did! She called me up and asked me if I'd go for a ride with Jim on his motorcycle. When I asked her why he wasn't calling me himself, she said he didn't want to hear me say 'no.' Well, I went with him on that motorcycle date, and the rest is history. Oh, and by the way, he maintains that that was my first date with a real man, and yet, he had his sister do the calling :)
24. Most folks that don't know any better, are under the impression that I am older than my husband. And I suppose that's understandable, since he has very little gray hair and mine is almost all white. However, there's actually a 5-1/2 year difference in our ages, and he is definitely the elder!
25. I didn't think I would ever make it to this number. Finally, the last one! I have no idea what there could possibly be left to tell, except for something I have no intention of telling :) So, let me just end this by quoting my favorite version of the 23rd Psalm, my paraphrase, that is:
The Lord is my Shepherd, and that is all I want!
And these are some of the special moments she shared with her great grandchildren while she was here.
It didn't realize how difficult it would be to play catch up after not blogging for three whole months, so I'm not even going to try to remember everything that I would have recounted here for all of you. I do remember being ill for about eight weeks before my Mama arrived, and I was so thankful that no one got sick while she was here visiting. I also have to think about the fact that June is almost over, and I'll be working on another blog in just a few days. Good grief! Is the year half over already?
And now she's five years old! Seems like only yesterday she was just a baby - our sweet little Emma Grace (or as her Papa likes to say, Emma de Gracie). She's still very sweet, but we sure wish she wouldn't grow up so fast.
Then Jim & I celebrated Valentine's day in one of our favorite restaurants, Olive Garden. We actually met on Valentine's day, for the very first time. So, now we've known each other for 39 years, and we've been married almost as long (a 7 month courtship, believe it or not).
