Reading Meme

Is November National Meme month? No? You'd think! Rebecca Miller tagged me on this one: Seven random book related facts. Okeydokey, I can do that!

1. My sister taught me to read from Dick and Jane. I remember us lying on our tummies on the bed in the attic bedroom. Thankfully other books had more interesting plot lines.

2. We lived in a remote rural area and got our library books by mail from the University of Manitoba.

3. The first year I attended a school with a library in it was seventh grade. Before that, books were just in a cupboard at the back of the classroom. (No wonder I learned to reread...)

4. Books were a common gift for birthdays and Christmas. Heidi, The Five Little Peppers, The Borrowers.

5. It's my husband's fault I *really* got into SFF, though. He started me on Anne McCaffery and I've never looked back!

6. Our kids learned to read *defensively*. That was what Mommy and Daddy were doing, so it must be fun!

7. I think it is the coolest thing these days to go into bookstores and realize I actually KNOW some of the authors on the shelf. They're people I've exchanged emails with or met through book tours or forums, a few even in person.

Seven folks whose responses to this meme I would like to see are:
1. Hanna
2. Karen
3. Bonne
4. Fiorinda
5. Mirtika
6. EJ
7. Maripat

One Word Meme

I snatched this off my daughter's site and because I'm in the mood to procrastinate today, thought I'd play along!

Where is your mobile phone? purse
Where is your significant other? recliner
Your hair colour? brown
Your mother? aged
Your father? gone
Your favourite thing? writing
Your dream last night? nonexistant
Your dream goal? published
The room you're in? cozy
Your hobby? walking
Your fear? obscurity
Where do you want to be in 6 years? here
Where were you last night? home
What you're not? patient
One of your wish-list items? travel
Where you grew up? Manitoba
The last thing you did? shower
What are you wearing? clothes
Your TV? off
Your pets? snoozing
Your computer? MacBook :)
Your mood? procrastinating
Missing someone? kids
Your car? broken
Something you're not wearing? shoes
Favourite shop? bookstore
Your summer? gardening
Love someone? YES!
Your favorite colour? sage
When is the last time you laughed? today
When is the last time you cried? dunno

If you want to play along, post a note in comments! It only takes a couple of minutes.

1-2-3 Book Meme

Found this over at Tina's blog and decided to play so you'd know I'm still alive! :P

Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (No cheating!)
Got it - Betrayed by J. M. Windle

Find page 123 (ooh, that's a few pages ahead of where I am not...)

Find the first 5 sentences.
That’s done

Post the next 3 sentences.
Despite a card catalog whose contents were as dusty and dog-eared as the bundles, Vicki could not see how any effective research could be done. Fortunately, several of the larger and more enduring periodicals had been transferred to microfiche. In minutes the clerk had pulled up a front-page spread dated twenty years earlier.

(Hmm, I think I know what she's looking up. I'm on page 110, after all, and have a few clues in place!)

Tag 5 people. Heh. I've seen this one around a bit, so feel free to play along if you want, or pop a pointer into comments to where you already did.

Another meme!

Becky tagged me with this meme over the weekend while I was camping and I just discovered it today. Anyone want to play along?

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
No, but my four older sisters saved me from being called Frances or Lynda Mae!
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
I'm not sure. It's been a month or more I think.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING
ROFL--next joke please.
Oh, you want more? Let's put it this way. If I don't type up handwritten notes within 24 hours, I often have no idea what I wrote. It's that bad.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Hmm...smoked turkey breast?
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
I do: two of them. Two have turned into four, but I hear it will be a few years before four turn into more.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
If the other me enjoyed a quirky sense of humor, definitely.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Er...who, me?
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yep.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
You'd have to push me over. You'd have to push me up there first. And then bonk me over the head. So, um NO.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Fiber One is my new favorite--actually it's the only one I buy, and I eat it a couple times a week with fresh fruit and vanilla yogurt. Usually I have the fruit and yogurt with rolled oats though.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Only the ones with laces.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
I know some teenage boys I can beat wrestling.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Rarely eat it. Chocolate I guess. Isn't chocolate the favorite everything?
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Cleanliness and neatness.
15. RED OR PINK?
Cherry Red.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
This wouldn't rate as LEAST fave, but only one of: sometimes I'm lazier than I wish.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My kids.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO LINK THIS BACK TO YOU?
Everyone in the whole wide blogging world!
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS (Or Kilt) AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Khaki green shorts, bare feet. Hey, it's hot and late evening and I'm unwinding, okay?
20. WHAT WAS The LAST THING YOU ATE?
Oh man. Now you're guilting me. Two pieces of raisin bread toast that I didn't really need.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Silence. If one ignores the computer motor and the fridge motor and the fan motor and...
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Why not be the whole box? Why stop at one color?
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Fresh baked bread, fresh mowed grass, sheets dried on the clothesline.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My hubby.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO LINKED THIS TO YOU?
Most certainly!
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
I don't really watch sports--except hockey when Canada is in the Olympics.
27. HAIR COLOR?
Light brown headed for gray oblivion
28. EYE COLOR?
I think the proper word is *hazel* (without the nut)
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Nope, but I've worn glasses since I was three.
30. FAVORITE FOOD(S)?
Chocolate and garlic. Not together. Usually.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
I have no idea. It's been eons.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Fuschia!!
34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
I'd like to be difficult and vote for spring.
35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs and snuggles!
36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Chocolate anything...how about Raspberry Chocolate Chip Coffeecake?
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Huh?
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND
Double huh?
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Bryan Davis' The Candlestone
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Huh. You're right. It's boring. I should buy a new one.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?
Nothing.
42. FAVORITE SOUND?
Water and laughter. And did I mention I'm a fan of silence?
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
I prefer my stones non-rolling, actually. Covered with moss is fine. And I'm not fond of beetles in any form.
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Bolivia
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Entertaining my blog's readers
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Gimli, Manitoba
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
I'm not gonna tag anybody, but if you do this, please link back in comments here!

One Word Meme

I found this one word meme over at Jean's blog and because it is cold out and raining a bit too much to finish planting out my bedding plants--and I'm bored--I thought I'd play along. Join in if you'd like, and leave a comment so we can come see. (Tina already played, I see!)

1. Where is your cell phone?
charging

2. Relationship?
committed

3. Your hair?
combed!

4. Work?
busy

5. Your sister?
Which?

6. Your favorite thing?
books

7. Your dream last night?
undreamt

8. Your favorite drink?
mocha

9. Your dream car?
Rav-Four

10. The room you’re in?
living

11. Your shoes?
slippers

12. Your fears?
forgotten

13. What do you want to be in 10 years?
fit

14. Who did you hang out with this weekend?
hubby

15. What you’re not good at?
tact

16. Muffin?
banana

17. One of your wish list items?
publication

18. Where you grew up?
Manitoba

19. The last thing you did?
garden

20. What are you wearing?
jeans

21. What aren’t you wearing?
jewelry

22. Your pet
meow

23. Your computer?
humming

24. Your life?
stressed

25. Your mood?
waiting

26. Missing?
hubby

27. What are you thinking about right now?
questions :P

28. Your car?
away

29. Your kitchen?
disaster

30. Your summer?
coming

31. Your favorite color?
green

32. When is the last time you laughed?
yesterday

33. Last time you cried?
yesterday

34. School?
kids

35. Love
woo-hoo!

8 Random Facts about me

Being as I have nothing specific to blog about--meaning I'm not accomplishing anything writing-wise and my mom's health is stable/sliding slightly--I thought I'd jump on the current meme wagon even though I haven't officially been tagged. I first saw this meme at Rebecca Miller's blog and have also seen reports by: Mirtika Schultz, Karen Hancock, Sharon Hinck, and probably others I just can't remember at the moment. Anyway, without further ado, here are the rules:

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

My odd facts?

1. My mother didn't teach me how to cook, so it's a good thing my sister taught me how to read.

2. I've been to at least six developed hot springs: Ainsworth, Nakusp, Harrison, Canyon, Fairmont, Radium and three undeveloped ones.

3. Besides hot springs, my area of BC is common for ferries. There are five free ferries that I've been on quite often, one of which is the longest free ferry ride in Canada (about 35 minutes).

4. I attended boarding school for grades 9-12.

5. As the youngest of five girls, I grew up mostly an only child due to age differences.

6. (This is harder than it looks! Most of you know quite a bit about my current life, so I need to delve deeper...) Okay, here goes: I met my husband when we were both in tenth grade.

7. Two of my closest friends are my daughter and my daughter-in-law.

8. In the 27 years that I've been married, we've moved 14 times. We've been in our current one for 7. And before that we'd managed 4.5 years in the same place three times. What does that tell you about the rest of those years? :P

Whew. That's 8. Now I'm curious about YOU and your random, obscure facts! I'd like to tag: Hanna, Jen, Karen, Tina, EJ, Jean, Maripat, and Debbie. (And I'm off the hook blogging for a few days again :P)

About me

1. What is your occupation? - flooring sales

2. What color are your socks right now? - white. Like every other day September - May.

3. What are you listening to right now? - silence...or maybe the furnace fan kicking in! The click of the keyboard...

4. What was the last thing that you ate? - My favorite breakfast. (It's big!) Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add a dash of salt and a diced apple. Then put in 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, stir, and turn down the element. Ten minutes or so later, place in a (big) bowl with a chopped banana. Top with cinnamon and Splenda and a large-ish dollop of vanilla yogurt. Mmm.

5. Can you drive a stick shift? - Yep, and I love it. We usually own at least one standard vehicle; currently it is a 1996 VW Passat.

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? - sage green. Because I'm wise. Or something.

7. The last person you spoke to on the phone? - Lynn (my sister-in-law), about the order for our kitchen cabinetry.

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? - My daughter? Pretty much!

9. What is your favorite drink? - One mocha a day. And a lot of water.

10. What is your favorite sport to watch? - hockey. I'm Canadian, after all.

11. Ever dyed hair? - Hanna dyed highlights into my hair last spring. It would be fun to do it again.

12. Pets? - George the cat. Looks Himalayan and is almost 13 years old. Too bad he isn't more attached to his hair.

13. What was the last movie you watched? - I don't watch many. I think it was Cars.

14. What do you do to vent anger? - Eat? Trying to break that! Exercise works, if I can make myself do it.

15. Favorite toy as a child? - paper dolls and books

16. What is your favorite season? - Spring, pleasant weather, growing things (but no mosquitoes yet!)...my birthday.

17. Hugs or kisses? - snuggle snuggle snuggle

18. Cherries or blueberries? - fresh eating? Cherries every time. Freezing for winter? Huckleberries.

19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? - like Hanna said: maybe I should email them back...

20. What is your favorite tv show? - Home to Stay with Peter Fallico

21. If you were to go overseas for a vacation where do you want to go? - Europe. I think we North Americans have absolutely no concept of history. I'd love to see places where the roots go into millennia. (My town is barely 100 years old!) I'd also love to see Australia.

22. Where do you live? - on a farm near a small town in British Columbia, Canada

23. When was the last time you cried? - I'm not sure. Several months, anyway. I think.

24. What is on the floor of your closet? - the leaves to extend my dining room table...and my laundry basket.

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this
to? - Anyone who wants to, please hop in. Mention it in comments and we'll truck on over and have a look.

26. What did you do last night? - Wrote an email to my sisters, checked out my daughter's interpretation of Taifa from Marks of Repentance (see previous post), talked with hubby about the upcoming renovation, did the dishes, and went to bed early.

27. Favorite smells? - The forest, the ocean, and freshly cut grass

28. What inspires you? - Nature. My family. My faith in God.

29. What are you afraid of? - Hm. Rejection probably.

30. Favorite dog breed? - Dogs? Hello, dogs don't purr.

31. Number of keys on your key ring? - 12. 5 for our two vehicles and the bike lock; work, home, in-laws, mailbox, 3 for church.

32. Favorite day of the week? - Can't say I have a favorite, but it always seems to be either Monday or Friday. The weeks go by so fast! I like work and I like weekends so it doesn't much matter.

33. How many states/provinces have you lived in? - BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Missouri

34. Favorite holiday? - Christmas!

35. Ever driven a motorcycle or heavy machinery? - No and no.

36. Ever left the country? - Yes, we live close to the USA. I've also been to Bolivia.

37. Favorite kind of music? - I don't listen to much music. When I do, it's usually rockin' worship music. I mostly use it to clean house by!

Christmas Favorites

I found this over at Jean's place, and being as I'm killing time with a salesguy in and out of the store, I thought I'd play. If you want to play too, mention it in comments so we can come and read about your Christmas favorites as well!

Your Name: Valerie

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate most of the time!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped...unless he did his shopping before Christmas Eve, in which case he simply can't wait. Or unless the store doesn't offer wrapping. Or...
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Multi-colored on the tree, white on the bushes outside.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Any time after the beginning of December.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Cookies. Gonna be a problem this year.
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child: Going to my grandmother's house on Boxing Day (Dec 26 to all you non-Canadian types). My mom had 8 sibs (with a total of 33 cousins in my generation) and we all gathered for turkey dinner, games and all the mandarin oranges we wanted. And we made a Christmas program for the grandparents. Every year.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? We weren't ever a Santa family.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? As a child, always, all of them. My family has Germanic roots, so tradition. When we started our own family, we did Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas Day with his, so it balanced out the gifts.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights! Very nearly every single ornament on our tree is hand-made. I collect angels, so there are many choirs of angels.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love to look at it, HATE to drive in it.
12. Can you ice skate? Yep. I'm Canadian, after all...
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Books. And I had a cool Spirograph.
14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family. I'm really excited that the kids and their spouses will be home this year. Hyper, even. And remembering the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Besides baking cookies?
17. What tops your tree? An angel, of course. See #10!
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving. Especially hand-made gifts.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? One Small Child.
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? I can take them or leave them. They're great crushed...I make chocolate cookies, dipped in melted chocolate, dipped in crushed peppermint. Drat, I hate diets.

Wanna play? Please do!

The Itch of Sevens

Thanks, Tina. I think.

Lest you all get the idea that I am into memes...I'm NOT. I reserve the right at any time to look at one I get pegged for, and say *No way, I am SO not going there.* Still this one looked thought provoking, so I'm playing along...and passing along! ;)

Seven things to do before I die
1. Get organized
2. Stop shopping primarily at Value Village
3. Catch up on scrapbooking
4. Get out of debt
5. Travel
6. Build a house
7. Have a book (or ten) of mine published.

Seven things I cannot do
1. Read (or see) without my glasses
2. Keep up with vacuuming cat hair
3. Love driving in winter
4. Get used to hubby working out of town
5. Sing on key dependably
6. Catch up on reading
7. Imagine God's love for me

Seven things that attract me to my significant other
1. His gentle spirit
2. His beautiful singing voice
3. His musical ability & guitar playing
4. His strength
5. His love for God
6. His sense of humor
7. His encouragement and belief in me

Seven things I say most often
1. Well, that's how it is In My Little World
2. Enquiring minds want to know
3. I am SO not going there
4. Sounds like a plan, Stan
5. I love you
6. Please turn the tv down
7. Drive safe

Seven books or series that I love
1. Kathy Tyers' Firebird trilogy
2. Karen Hancock's The Light of Eidon(and following)
3. Laura Resnick's In Legend Born (and following)
4. Ann Marston's Kingmaker's Sword (and double trilogy)
5. Tad Williams' The Dragonbone Chair (and following)
6. Orson Scott Card's Ender's Shadow (not so much the rest of them)
7. Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels

Seven movies I would watch over and over again
(for the record, there aren't ANY movies like that, but these come close-ish)
1. The Incredibles
2. Bride & Prejudice
3. Chicken Run
4. The Sound of Music
5. Fiddler on the Roof
6. Princess Bride
7. Shrek

Seven people I'd like to join in the fun
1. Mar
2. Maripat
3. EJ
4. Lisa
5. Jean
6. Debbie
7. Erin