Seven Times Seven

Wow. I've been tagged. Thanks to Chris, I now have to do my very first meme.

Seven Things To Do Before I Die:

• Have grandchildren and great-grandchildren
• Travel to distant lands -- Peru, Japan, China, Tibet...
• Get a Massage Therapist License
• Own my own business
• Get a pedicure
• Have my yard landscaped
• Win the lottery

Seven Things I Cannot Do:

• Build an engine
• Fly a plane
• Lie without feeling guilty
• Dance in front of my kids ("Mom, STOP!! You're embarrasing me!")
• Abide intolerance
• A cartwheel
• Wiggle my ears

Seven Things That Attract Me To Blogging:

• Reading other people's points of view
• Communication
• Suspense (oooo! what's next?)
• Trying my hand at writing - ahahahahahaha!
• Something to do on the internet
• I can play antagonist
• Nothing else to do

Seven Things I Say Most Often:

• God dammit!
• Clean your rooms!
• Bed time!
• I love you!
• You da Man!
• I give up.
• Just a minute!

Seven Books That I Love:

• Lord of the Rings Trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Crystal Cave, Mary Stewart
• Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
• Sermon on the Mount, Emmet Fox
• Anatomy of the Spirit, Caroline Myss, PhD.
• Everything by Stephen King
• Harry Potter Collection, J.K. Rowling

Seven Movies That I Watch Over and Over Again:

• "Harry Potter" -- all of 'em
• "Lord of the Rings" -- all of 'em
• "The Last Samurai"
• "Steel Magnolias"
• "Forrest Gump"
• "Amadeus"
• "The Incredibles"

This list could go on, because the kids and I like the computer animated movies....

Seven People I Want To Join In Too:

• Rita
• Allison
• Space Kitty
• the bone
• Kathy F
• Third House Party
• Susurra

Sorry, Chris, I had to borrow some of your blog buddies - the unfortunate thing is that they probably won't know they've been tagged, unless you tell them! :)

Ho Ho Ho

Merry Christmas from Little Africa! Okay, well, from Busch Gardens! I hope everyone up there in snowland is happy with the snow, because you can KEEP IT! We like not having to bundle up with extra clothing, and we like not having astronomical heating bills, and we like decorating palm trees! Currier and Ives pictures suit us just fine!

We may even prefer a day at the beach! But... While you Northerners may think it's great swimming weather, we, who have acclimated to this sub-tropical climate, think those who go swimming at this time of year are NUTS! We were actually thinking of buying a "winter home" farther south, and using this one as our summer residence!




















Carolyn Playing in our "snow".



















Fort DeSoto County park was nice. When Dad comes again (hee hee), we really need to show him Lido Beach in Sarasota. Each beach is so different from the other, that seeing just one doesn't give a person the whole picture.

'Tis the Season!

It's been more than two weeks since Dad left, and we all miss him. It was great having him here and I hope he comes again!

One morning I brought Dad to work with me when he was here. I don't know which was more important; showing Dad off to the people I work with, or showing my work off to Dad. I thought about something a week ago, though, which led me to have a very strange sensation -- love, I think it's called.

I was thinking about one point during Dad's work-visit (he and my boss and her "cohort" were having a nice little chat about Fairs and Festivals and Bobby Vinton) and that finally, after so many years, I had brought my "origin" together with my life at this moment in time. It was like a meeting of two lives. I thought about my childhood and my dad's involvement in it, and how sweet it felt to have my dad involved in my adult life. I then felt the love; the love a little girl feels toward her father. I felt it again, and it was good.

***

I'm tired. There are too many things going on, as usual, at this time of year. Today's the last day of school before Winter Break. No more parties at school, exams, projects, concerts, deadlines, etc. Now all I have to do is finish shopping. Luckily I've done most of it already, but I still have to use the money that Mom and Dad sent to buy the kids stuff. Then do Christmas, itself. I try not to get too stressed out, though. Things will go the way they go, no matter how hard I try planning. I decided a long time ago that I will not waste energy trying to make things "just so". It's an illusion that's elusive, and I don't need to expend any energy on the unattainable.

I'm also tired of opinions. People are the most opinionated people on this earth! People don't want to budge with their opinions, either. I was happy and content doing the deed and practicing humility, but then I had to be nosy and take a peek into the debating society. Now I'm angry and bitter and ultra-sensitive. I'm going back to minding my own business. I can't change other people's minds. I'm better at demonstration. I'd rather show people instead of telling them what's wrong with their thinking (news flash: the only thing that does is get their dander up and they listen less -- you know; get defensive???).

***

If it's okay with Dad, I'll post some of the pics he took when he was here, on this here blog in the next few days. When I get a chance. When I have access to my computer. When the girls are asleep.