if I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever

The best stories my parents tell about the good ole days... are about food, and reveal a lot about who they are. My dad used to entertain us with tales of "hotdog soup," for which my grandmother would tie a string around a hotdog and trail it through a pot of water with some vegetables and potatoes. Maybe salt and pepper "for spice." Grandpa would get the hotdog, and the kids would fight over the string. Dad was one of five boys, and they had three sisters. They never had enough of anything (except siblings). His stories made us laugh, and also snuck in some humility and gratitude alongside.

    My mom's stories had a different purpose. She told of, on the rare times when she and her siblings (a brother and four sisters) had treats like dessert or candy, selling her candy or the frosting from her cake to the highest bidder. Sometimes they would pay actual money, and other times they would barter completion of her chores or future favors. While this  made the point that my siblings and I were not sufficiently grateful for our blessings, it also taught ingenuity and self-sacrifice.

The best things in life are... books, bacon, and big kitties.

Things that drive me batty include... tailgaters, pointless regulations, and websites that don't quite work

A place I'd like to live, and why, is... Lawrence, Kansas. It is a vibrant, fun, interesting, slightly goofy, temperate, book-crazy, accessible place. I feel at home there.

The best thing I've ever found is... the will to live independently.

The best thing that happened recently is... taking a lovely, silly, relaxing trip.

I admire people who... accept gifts and compliments with grace—and those who give without needing that grace in return.

What makes me special is... patience, passion, and perseverance.

I am looking forward to... a 5k at the end of the month.

Things that scare me... can be handled.

Complaints I have include... a sore foot, no money, and annoying city "planning"

I could never live without... something to read.

Things that make me laugh are... kinda rare. I smile quite a bit, and give an [often evil] grin now and then, and sometimes sort of huff out a chuckle. But to really laugh takes a lot.  If you've brought it out in me, consider it a compliment.

 

[from here; the title quotation is by Alfred, Lord Tennyson]