Questions from Aubrey

Several days ago I was tagged by my friend, Aubrey. She sent eleven questions for me to answer and asked me to send eleven different questions to eleven friends who blog. But I have a problem with that part: I don't know eleven people who blog . . . and those I do know would kill me if I sent them eleven questions to answer.

That being said, I thought her questions were fun, so I decided to try to answer them.

1-What is your favorite thing to bake or cook?

Maybe Maple Nut Twists, but I also like to make enchiladas, green chile stew, and Grandmother's Oatmeal Bread.
2-What was the last book you read and loved?

Pope Joan, I think, though I have read some really good books in my book club. Currently reading Cleopatra, and I like it too.
3-What are the words you live by?

Treat others as you would have them treat you; have an attitude of gratitude.
4-What do you order at Starbucks (or other coffee shop)?

Grande non-fat Chai Tea Latte with cinnamon on top
5-What is your favorite sport and team?

You need to ask? K-State Football, with Green Bay following pretty closely. Also the Lobos, but I have been away from New Mexico long enough that I don't follow them as closely anymore.
6-What was your first concert?

Don't laugh. Peter, Paul and Mary. I was enthralled.
7-What is your favorite place you have ever been?

I have been some pretty cool places. Yellowstone in the winter was pretty awesome; Alaska was amazing; London, Germany, Italy, Greece, Austria are all amazing. Denmark was beyond awesome. How do I choose? Of course, my favorite place is the cabin, but I don't think that's the point of this question. So I will have to say Florence, Italy.
8-Do you love or hate your middle name?

Neither. It's all right.
9-Why did you start blogging?

I started to try to sell my Wildflowers booklets . . . but I quickly found that I didn't have enough material to keep it going . . . so I expanded.
10-What is your favorite movie to watch over and over?

The Sound of Music. Over and over.
11-What is your most expensive piece of clothing? (shoes count!)

Hum. Since I have retired, I don't have expensive clothing. But I did buy a pair of French Dressing Jeans . . . the ones recommended by Oprah. I like them a lot.

So that's my eleven.

I Think I Have B.O.

It's either that or I am having what my elders call Senior Moments. No, not body odor. Brain Overload.

I have been noticing lately that I forget things that in the past I think I would have remembered. The gift that Diana opened at Christmas that I hadn't remembered purchasing for her. After I thought about it, of course, I recalled doing it . . . but right then, not. And people that I knew well in a former life suddenly become nameless! I know I know them but can't remember their name . . . or their children's names . . . or where I know them from. And then there is the word I can't come up with, or the file I can't remember . . .

"They" say it is normal to forget details as we age. I am trying to convince myself that all this is just that - senior moments, oldtimer's disease. I have joked for many years that I just wish I could add a memory card or a flash drive to my brain . . . it would be so helpful. But that won't happen, so I have tried to analyze what is happening. And it occurred to me that I might just be a little overcommitted - two leadership positions at church, one with the sorority, two new publications just out, two leadership positions in Rotary plus all the things I do for fun such as book club, bridge, pottery, and KSU activities. Perhaps too many things to remember has caused a lack of focus and is part of the reason for the "spaciness." At least that's what I hope it is!

Learning Spanish

Two members of my family are in the throes of learning Spanish. Diana is continuing to study and refine her Spanish, though she speaks so quickly I can't understand her. So I am not sure learning Spanish is exactly what she is doing . . . but close.

My brother, on the other hand, decided to take a Monday night class at the community center with University of New Mexico. Although he has been exposed to Spanish all of his life, he decided to take a conversation class, just to get to a point that he can speak it.

For his first class he was 45 minutes late, due to a meeting that went way over. Of course the only seat available was in the front row, dead center. He hadn't read the confirmation to know that he was to bring a book, a paper and pencil. After all, it was a conversation class. Needless to say, he did not make the greatest impression and the class did not get off to a great start. In order to get out of the room at the end of the class, each person had to answer a question. If they got it right, they were allowed to leave. Bart said if the teacher hadn't given him the answer, he would still be sitting there.

Last night, they were working on personal characteristics, and the way he describes it, he was frequently the object of description. Although some people were probably nice, he only recalls those who said he had gray hair (he doesn't - it's red), he is bald (he isn't), and he is short (5' 11" or so . . . not short in my book.) But the worst was when the teacher said he was "poco gordo," . . . a bit fat. Mind you, he has lost over 30 pounds and looks really good. Some teacher.

Good thing he has a sense of humor. I can imagine some in the class would not have appreciated the comments. It could have gotten ugly.

Let it be known that we look forward to hearing from Bart on Tuesdays. I hope next Monday they are nicer to him!

Watching Friends Soar

In my job at the school, I was always cheering for other people's children to do well. It was a natural thing to do, and how gratifying it was when they achieved more than we could have dreamt for them.

So last night when I watched Chris Mann "knock it out of the park," as one close to him said, it was not so unlike being back at school, except on a much bigger stage. He was fabulous last night, and it was so much fun to actually know someone on The Voice!

Although I have known Chris since he was born, I never realized how good a singer he was until he appeared in a Music Theater for Young People performance of Grease. As Danny Zucko, he showed all of us what a good voice he had . . . and this was just the beginning. At his senior recital, we were blown away by this young man who could play the piano and sing; and during his years at Vanderbilt, we continued to watch his voice mature. We attended special performances in Wichita, downloaded his songs from iTunes, watched him at the River Festival concert he held, and caught individual performances when we could. And we kept hoping just the perfect thing would come along.

It did. In the form of the tv show The Voice. Last night (Sunday), was his blind audition, and he did a wonderful job. I had chills and tears watching him perform . . . and watching his parents watching him perform. It was the greatest.

Many say that it takes a village to raise a child. I cannot agree more. It takes good parents to raise them and the village to encourage them. And sometimes, when things go right, they grow up to be outstanding surgeons or doctors or mothers or lawyers or teachers . . . or singers on The Voice. Keep up the good work, Chris. You make us all proud.

Reading with PattySue

It has been so much fun visiting classrooms with PattySue. The first thing we learned was that we need to keep her out of sight as much as possible, because the youngsters are so enthralled with her, they have trouble focusing on the story.

Another thing we have learned is that many of the children are familiar with humane societies, and at least here in Wichita, most of the children had been to the Kansas Humane Society. Several of the classes had taken field trips to the society, and a number of children had pets that had been adopted from the humane society. It affirms to me what a great job our humane society and the teachers are doing to get the message out.

On Friday we visited with some junior kindergarteners. Kathy asked the little ones if they had pets. "I used to but my dog kept pooping on the floor so we had to take her back." "Mine throws up on the carpet." We changed subjects.

I have also seen other adults have the same reaction to PattySue that Kathy and I had. Her personality just sucks people in . . . big dog people, fluffy dog people, long hair dog people. Everyone we have met has come away from meeting PattySue acknowledging what an engaging dog she is.

Every time we read, we learn a little more about the next generation. One thing we know for sure: the teachers are doing an excellent job teaching their young ones how to be loving and compassionate to all of God's creatures. We hope PattySue is helping to reinforce the message.

Reconnecting

A School Like No Other has been out nearly two months now. Slowly, people are hearing about it, and I am beginning to receive orders.

One of the unexpected, but most rewarding, effects of the book has been the way I have been able to reconnect with so many students, parents, and teachers. We have had a chance to talk about some of the stories in the book . . . and some of the stories I didn't include or didn't know. We have laughed, we have cried . . . but mostly we have relived fun times.

Many didn't know about our first five years on Bluffview. That building is now the Atishwin Treatment Center, and many had no idea the school was there before Atishwin. They do now.

I have thought of many episodes that I left out that I wish I had thought of in time. One of the most significant would have been in the sports section, probably girls' basketball. For a number of years, we were soundly beaten nearly every game. It was easy to tell which teams were trying very hard to be sportsmanlike and which ones just loved to rub it in. At the end of one particular drubbing, I recall having a conversation with Jennifer Curfman. She commented that she hoped when our team started winning, "we will remember how it feels (to be drubbed) and be good sports." I wish I had put that in the book.

I guess I couldn't put everything in the book - it would have 1000 pages long. So I guess I will just continue to talk with people and relive the special times.

I Have It Figured Out

Well, not really. But a little.

We have a nice treadmill in the basement that I periodically use. One of my resolutions that I have kept fairly well is walking on the tread mill. But I always get so bored. There aren't enough television shows to keep me interested, and even those have so many commercials that it is tough to keep with it. Football is over; I am not that into basketball. Oh what to do?

I found the answer . . . at least temporarily. Fluff fun novels. Ones that are engaging but don't take too much thought. I just read Saint's Gate by Carla Neggers. It's about a former nun who turned FBI agent. It was a fun read . . . and one day I had walked for 50 minutes before I checked the time.

Now I am reading the sequel to Mrs. Mike. I just started it last night, but I can't wait to get back to it.

It seems I don't read nearly enough as I should . . . I am lucky to get my book club book read in time. But now, I think I have a new strategy. We'll see . . . it may only work for brainless books, but for right now, this is one resolution I have kept!