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Saturday, August 3, 2019

Sunday Stealing - Fewer Than 5,000 Questions

Fewer than 5000 questions

Hi! I'm your host Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. (Past hosts include: Our first - Judd Corizan, Mr. L, Kwizgiver and
Bud)  Cheers to all of us thieves!
A few questions from "The 5000 questions survey"

Here are this week’s questions from Sunday Stealing.

Let’s dive right in, shall we?

1. Have you read anything by C.S. Lewis?

No. 

2. What is your favourite movie with Jack Nicholson?

The Shining
The Bucket List (Kopi Luwak Coffee. Lol!)

3. What rhymes with 'orange'?

“Sporange,” an uncommon botanical term for a part of a fern.

4. Have you ever swallowed an object by accident?

I don’t think so.

5. Is your eyesight 20/20?

No way. I need my eyeglasses to find my eyeglasses.

I have worn eyeglasses since kindergarten. My first pair were horn rimmed eyeglasses. 

6. Have you ever had insomnia?

Yes – 
Every
single 
day 
since the car accident 3 years ago.

7. Does it bother you when people touch you?

I used to cringe when people hugged me. By people, I mean relatives outside my immediate family. 

I have reformed after likely ruining an older lady’s day at church. It was the “Peace be with you”, “and also with you” part. I’m used to shaking hands. She came at me arms stretched out. I didn’t know her and I was caught off guard. I’m pretty sure I gave her the stink eye. She probably waits all week for the hugs at church and I ruined her day. Since then I have come to expect the hugs at my church (which is too far away from where I now live. I really miss it.)

8. Is it better to get too much or too little sleep?

I think too much sleep is better. Unless the reason a person sleeps too much is depression. Sometimes a good oversleep can really help when you’ve gone days without getting enough sleep.

9. What gets your adrenaline pumping?

Stress. And hearing yelling.

10. Do you ever talk about yourself in the third person?

I talk about myself in the third person, probably only when I refer to my blog, 
Lola’s Diner.

11. What's your favourite radio station? What kind of music do they play?

My Sirius XM Radio subscription ends this week. I will be so sad to see it go. I have really been enjoying alternating between jamming with my son, and embarrassing the crap out of him. My favorites are the 70’s, 80’, 90’s, Pop2k, The Blend, and a couple other similar stations. I will have to go back to The Drive 97.1 WDRV. 

12. Do you believe there is anyplace still undiscovered in all the world?

If there is, let’s keep it a secret and leave it undisturbed.

13. Ever caught a fish?

Yes. I caught a couple of blue gills in northern Wisconsin. Surprised I caught more than a cold. My sister dumped the boat knocking me under the pier. Soaking wet head to toe and out on the lake when it started to cool off.


14. Were you ever in the first row of a concert?

Yes – quite a few times. Mannheim Steamroller. Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat (with Donny Osmond). Robin Williams at a theater in Milwaukee. Several shows at Ravinia. I’ve had close to 1st row too. Harry Connick, Jr. AC/DC at Alpine Valley, numerous Melissa Ferrick concerts.

15. Do you have any autographs? 
I went to a book signing at Michael’s when Rosie O’Donnell’s Craft book came out. I also have several Cd’s signed by Melissa Ferrick. I don’t know if I still have my autograph book from when I was a tween. I once 
saw Bart Starr and Terry Anne Meeuwsen at Southridge Mall and got their autographs.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2019

Descr

Anne Meeuws


saw Bart Starr and Terry Anne Meeuwsen at Southridge Mall

Randomness - Super Mini Vacation

Going back home for the fair felt like it had been 20 years since I’d gone back. It’s actually 10 years. I had a heck of a time getting around because EVERYTHING changed. Nearly every street had lane closures. I had no points of reference and a lot of the main streets did not have street signs. Every block, every corner looked different. I had trouble finding the hotel, one I’ve stayed at many times. Everything around it was new and different and traffic barrels everywhere.

The muffler shop that I worked at, my first job, is now an Enterprise Car Rental location. AC/Delco where my Dad worked for 30 years is now a Meijer that my sister works at. I didn’t even recognize the entrance to the subdivision where I grew up. The trees were huge and full. The house I grew up in, the outside changed again with the new owners, a lesbian couple. Beautiful landscaping in the front and backyard, and a deck with a canopy and lots of plants and flowers. 

I’m pretty sure my transition to being my Mom is near complete. I no longer fear running into people I know. I chatted up the hotel front desk staff at check in and check out. I chatted up the CVS pharmacist who came to my rescue with a needle for my insulin pen. I’ve never been away from home since needing insulin and I completely forgot about bringing a needle. At the fair I walked up to a woman sitting on the bench around the tree that I took photos of the kids every time I took them to the fair and asked her if she could move so I could snap a few photos and I told her how I’d been taking a photo at that spot since my kids were toddlers.

Friday the house I grew up in was having a garage sale. I chatted up new owners, told them my Dad had the house built and that I grew up there. I got all the dirt on the neighborhood. Turns out my former drunken neighbor who was always trying to pick fist fights with my Dad is a hater. I know! Shocking! They’ve been having run ins with him on the regular. He making false accusations to the police about loud parties and the ladies calling the police because he still has that habit of working on cars until past midnight, revving the engines. They also had hate crime incidents. He threatened to kill the women in front of their 2 young children. They had to install a privacy fence because whenever he saw them outside he would yell nasty things at them. He was always a real piece of work. I guess things are just getting worse. She also told me about the feral cat poisonings. I already knew about that from the neighbor across the street who bought her parent’s house, who I am Facebook friends with. We talked for over half an hour. I didn’t get an indoor tour, but they did have company sitting under the canopy on the deck. And...they were holding a garage sale.

Thinking back to my 20’s I would never have chit chatted with service people (not that there is anything wrong with that, just because I was so incredibly shy and introverted, and I certainly would never have started a conversation with a stranger, let alone someone who was living in the house I grew up in, or me asking someone to move to snap some photos. This me, now...talking to these people is totally my Mom.

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2019

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Sunday Stealing

For the Queen's Curiosity

Hi! I'm your host Bev Sykes of the blog "Funny the World". . Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. (Past hosts include: Our first - Judd Corizan, Mr. L, Kwizgiver and
Bud)  Cheers to all of us thieves!


Questions from Durward Discussion.  

Thanks to Kwizgiver for the suggestion.

1.  What is the nearest book to you?  Your Kindle does not count.
That would be an Instant Pot Cookbook. Cookbooks are the only books I buy since I have a Kindle. I use Pinterest for recipes usually, but had to have that book.

2.  When was the last time you took a "me" vacation?
I don’t think I even know what that is. The closest thing to it would be when my spouse and I went camping in Galena. It was already reserved and paid for 2 nights. Both my kids were in the same hospital with the same illness. It was supposed to be a family camping trip. We stayed 1 night, watched a beautiful sunrise, complete with a rainbow over the lake and hot air ballons drifting by. Did I mention when we got to the site it was pouring rain? We had to hustle to get the tent up. It stormed and rained all night. We packed everything all up the next morning and drove to the hospital in time for visiting hours. 

3.  How many telephone numbers do you have? 
I only need one.

4.  If you could fix one thing in the public school system, what is the one thing you would do immediately?
Take the state lottery money and actually USE it on the school system as it was meant to be. 

5.  Are you a big tipper? 
Very, very rarely. There has to be a good reason

6.  Do you watch reality shows? 
No. I don’t like them.

7.  Who is your favorite sports team player? 
Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber.

 

8.  If you could travel in a spaceship to any planet, which planet would you like to visit and why?
Uranus. Because it’s funny to say. How many other gave that answer? I don’t think I would visit. According to a short Google read the closest habitable planet is 12 light years away, Proxima Centauri b, which revolves around Proxima Centauri in the Alpha Centauri System.  Science lesson concluded.

9.  When was the last time you sat in a church?
It was either a wedding or a funeral. My church is in Chicago and I have not found anywhere else I feel comfortable. I’m pretty sure God can hear me wherever I pray, and I’m good with that. I do miss the fellowship and the events.

10.  Are there any aspects of blogging that annoy you?
I think it’s near impossible to grow a readership. And have them comment. Since EntreCard there hasn’t been anything I’ve seen that comes close to connecting bloggers.

11.  When someone follows you on their blog or subscribes to your Facebook page, do you automatically follow and subscribe back?
I don’t even know how to see who my subscribers are. 

Lola’s Diner cc. 2008-2019

    

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Stream of Consciousness Saturday

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “clean/dirty.” Use one, use both, use ’em any way you like. Enjoy!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here to this week’s prompt page and check to make sure it’s here in the comments so others can find it and see your awesome Stream of Consciousness post. Anyone can join in!

____________________________________________

Clean

Wednesday was my birthday. Tuesday night my spouse decided to hand wash my new (to me) car. 

C L E A N

Not the way I do it, but I haven’t been able to clean it since I got it 2 months ago.

Thank you for your thoughtful birthday surprise!

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2019






Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Birthday

The ride to lunch at the The Launching Pad  was about 25 minutes. Not bad. It was actually a pleasant ride. My spouse and I took turns torturing the kids belting out 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s songs.


Dang! My hair flattened out. It’s definitely a Faux Hawk and I love it! Wolf did an amazing job. It was like we had a psychic connection because very few words were exchanged and it’s perfect. Lol!


You’d think they coordinated their outfits. Lol! The food was ok. I think it’s more of a tourist thing for young families. The people there were so friendly. It was like going back in time. There was a very spry senior who greeted everyone, made sure we had what we needed, then he bussed the tables after we had finished. Tully, the owner, even came by to check on us, on everyone. He and his partner, Holly, remodeled the place and opened a couple of months ago. It’s on Route 66 across the street from the smallest Buick dealership I’ve ever seen.


Look at me rockin those skinny jeans and that oversized shirt. Next time I need to tuck it in, or what’s the new thing now? The French Tuck click to see how it’s done on the Queer Eye show on Netflix. Love that show!


Afterwards we drove home, ran an errand, and went for ice cream at Raffy’s. They’ve been in town since 2015. I’ve been there 3 times. First as a lookey lew. Then last time and this time for their Black Cherry Ice Cream. It’s no Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia, no chocolate chunks, but it’s chock full of black cherries, and more flavorful.

Then 2 more errands and home. Bubbles and kite flying will have to wait until Friday, when my daughter will be here again.

So that was my birthday. It was a good one!

Back to binge watching Veronica Mars. I love Kristen Bell. Not in a creepy way. She seems to play a lot of characters that are cheerful and quirky. 

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2019

Happy Birthday to me


Nice face. The more I look at the photo now, the more I see how much I resemble my Dad. Maybe it’s the hair. Lol! 

So it’s just me and the immediate family. 

Hoping for good weather. I think we’ll save the childish festivities until we return home from our little road trip. Not really even a road trip...it’s only a 30 minute drive. 

I ramble too much. I have too many unrealistic expectations. And that’s really sad because I really don’t have many expectations. Now I’m just hoping to get through the day without an awful tension headache. How silly of me. I’ll have a monster one. There is not a snowball’s chance in hell that everyone will be on their best behavior. 

Wish me luck! And wish me a margarita or JD on the rocks. I’m sure it will be the later after we get home. I’m gonna need it.

Lola’s Diner cc. 2008-2019


Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Mixed Bag

Daughter’s extended home visit through this morning was good Wednesday-Saturday. Sunday things got tense. Monday morning...not good at all. It seems silly, but I have to get her Tuesday night so she can spend my birthday with us Wednesday. Then possibly back to her house Thursday, then back here Friday. It’s a lot of back and forth. If everyone could get along it could just be another extended home visit. If it goes south, she can’t stay the entire time. Besides, she should be going to day program and doing her chores at her house.

So the festivities start Wednesday with lunch. A short road trip on Route 66 to The Launching Pad in Wilmington, IL, home of the Gemini Giant. We’ve never been there, looks like fun. 

Friday my daughter will be at our village’s Proud American Days. Every year on the Friday of the event they close down for disabled/special needs people that are in area day programs. I think even the carnival rides are free. We can pick her up from there like we did last year, so not so much driving. Friday we will also have lunch or dinner at a sushi place we all enjoy. That’s as far as I know about the birthday festivities, other than going for my birthday freebies...Starbucks, Culver’s...I’ve got a list of at least a dozen birthday freebies. I won’t use them all, I never do. 

I also got the bubble wands for the family...and...I got a butterfly kite at Jewel! It was half price. I didn’t need another trip to Walmart. Yay!!!

I’ve recently participated in a couple of Blog Memes, which I enjoyed very much in the past. “Sunday Stealing” is my favorite. I’ve been looking for others to fill out the week, but an awful lot of them are dead links or people haven’t blogged in years. I’m probably bringing back “Turn Back Time Thursdays”.

Insomnia is kickin’ my butt. Sunday I didn’t fall asleep until past 5am. I did avoid day napping, so hopefully I can get back on track.

Still can’t find a buyer for the Odyssey, as is, needing the transmission rebuilt. Don’t have the $800+towing to have the work done by our mechanic. With the transmission repaired I’d be able to sell it for double my original asking price. That would definitely get me out of a sticky situation. 

Lola’s Diner cc.  2008-2019


 
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