Sunday, August 30, 2009

This and That

I'm posting early again. Busy Monday morning, but I can't leave you without some Monday Mullings!




I was presented with the MeME award by Barbara over at A Bird In My Hand. Barbara is a writer, mother, sister, new blogger and just plan fun. Go visit her and say HI! And, Barbara, thank you again. I hadn’t decided what I was going to write about today. You made my decision for me!

I’m supposed to mention seven things you may or may not know about me and then pass the award along to seven other blogs of my choice. I worked on this list all weekend and only came up with six things!

1. I’m an only child. My parents were not young when I came along and I’m sure I was a surprise. Poor things. Looking back, I don’t think they ever quite knew what to do with me! That meant that I learned a lot about what was acceptable and not, by watching other kids and their families. My birthday gifts and holiday gifts were what my cousin received. She was 5 years older and so the gifts were not age appropriate. One of my grandmothers would take me shopping and was very good about buying me a stuffed lovie. Something I COULD play with!

2. I had singing and dancing lessons from a very early age. It got me out from under foot! When I was five, I was on television in Dallas. That was when televisions were small and black and white. (Remember those?) I don’t remember much about it except that the dress I was wearing was very scratchy and I think it was green with tiny white polka dots. I had on my patent leather shoes and white socks with lace around the cuffs. Dressed to the nines for my singing debut on television! Let’s see: “How Much is That Doggy in the Window?” and “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Gal)”. I also took gym classes. I enjoyed them, I think! I gave up singing at university, something I am now sorry I did. Singing is good for you. Increases lung capacity!

3. I love Kool-Aid. My mother saved S&H Green Stamps, saved the coupons off of General Mills and other things. She ordered a Kool-Aid pitcher. It was plastic and had the Kool-Aid man on it. I loved it. The mascot of Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid Man is a large anthropomorphic frosty pitcher filled with Kool-Aid (usually cherry, though other flavors have been used). He was introduced in Kool-Aid advertising shortly after General Foods acquired the brand (according to Wikipedia). Now, when I get a grape urge, I buy one packet and make a pitcher full of Kool Aid. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, its FUN!

4. I graduated from the University of New Mexico and worked to pay my way. It took me five years, but I did it! Later I went back and did some graduate work.

5. Mr. Dragon and I, while we lived in New Mexico, were part of a balloon crew. I had my first hot air balloon ride in Taos, New Mexico. It was spectacular. It was so calm, peaceful (except for the burner blast). I was hooked. The landings could be a little rough -- depending on the winds. The balloon pilot was someone I worked with. We became part of her crew and to this day count her as one of our very best friends. None of us fly balloons anymore.

6. I was THE llama lady at Moody Gardens when they had a petting zoo. School kids from Galveston would come and we’d introduce them to pigs, sheep, snakes, guinea pigs (they made me itch), turtles, chinchillas, some other small animals and the llama. I had been off for awhile (I was a professional volunteer and got too busy with other things). I received a phone call saying would I please come in and see what was wrong with the llama. Seems he had started to spit. I went in and right away had a good idea what was wrong. They had moved him into a smaller stall and he was mad. I would have been mad too if my living quarters had been changed from the suite to the efficiency. Once we changed that around and I started walking and talking to him everyday, he was fine. Moody Gardens quickly outgrew the petting zoo and it was closed. The llama went to a farm with other llamas.

Passing on the award is always the most difficult part. Everyone deserves to be special. So, if you are one of my followers, and you need a lift today or you just feel like playing along - grab yourself the MeME award and tell us a little about yourself!

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I’m making a list of Snap’s Rules. I started writing them down because I forgot them almost as soon as I thought “that should be a rule”. So, every now and then, I’ll throw some out. Here are the first two:

Rule #1: When having guests over for dinner, any fancy new golfing equipment should be removed from the dining room table.

Rule #2: I love bubbles. You know, the kind that come in the jar with the little wand and you dip and blow and there go the bubbles. Or, you can dip into the jar and swing around and around holding the wand out from your body making bubbles. I also enjoy blowing bubbles (chewing gum type) and I think Double Bubble makes the best kind. Bubbles make you laugh. They make you joyful. They loosen you up. They remind you of what it was like to be a kid and that’s not bad. (Bath bubbles are pretty good, too.) Add bubbles to your life.

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Better Homes and Gardens is getting ready for their free 100 Days of Holidays e-newsletter (YIKES). Starting September 24, you’ll get “daily inspiration with scrumptious recipes, festive decorating ideas, easy entertaining tips and more”. You can sign up here: BHG.com/100days

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One last thing. You have to go visit Ashley Anna Brown and her Fern animals. All I can say is HOW CUTE ARE THEY?!!!

A little something to remind you of childhood!


I am thankful for another day on beautiful Mother Earth.

Joy to You!


12 comments:

DeniseinVA said...

Congratulations on your award. You've got a wonderful blog here and I enjoyed my visit.

Saucy said...

Purple Kool-Aid!! Yummy until after a while they started making children's Tylenol using the same flavouring and then I couldn't face it again.

Maria-Thérèse ~ www.afiori.com said...

This is all incredibly fascinating! Balloon flying? TV star? Llama lady? I'm like this: :-O !!!!

I'm a bit concerned by this: "The llama went to a farm with other llamas." Please tell me it's the truth and not some lame lama excuse like when people say their dog was not really put down; it was sent to a farm to live with other dogs?

I also have to ask: how early do you get up in the mornings? How can it possibly be morning where you are when I'm having my breakfast - albeit at 11 a.m. - in Sweden? Surely, morning to you means 2 a.m.

Sarah Sullivan said...

Oooh Snap...I love these!!! What a fun MEME!! I looove green koolaid...must have been the period! What a wonderful picture of you!!! Huge yes to bubbles...love them..have you tried the scented ones - whoo hoo!
Wow hot air ballons?? How cool is that you amazing woman!!
Hugs, Sarah

Sherry said...

I can't decide what I like "best" about this post because I love it all!

The kool-aid pitcher!!! The vintage package of kool-aid (Kool aid kool aid tastes great...).

Singing on tv!!!! Five foot two, eyes of blue -- I remember singing that and learning to play it on the piano!!

Your rules for life, especially the one about the golf clubs on the table!! crack me up!!!

And bubbles..there is something childishly freeing about blowing bubbles...and yes, double bubble WAS the best for that (probably still is!).

Thanks for the lightness in my heart today!! (and the word I have to type to post this is "azing"...how funny is that?!?!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh I loved reading about you, Snap. I had no idea you were from New Mexico and went to college there. I used to play the piano and sing --but like you, I don't do either of them anymore. I would have loved to have heard you sing "How much is that Doggie in the Window?" back when you were little. Did you have the Wolf Wolf down-pat?????

Kool-aid brought back memories --and even to this day, although I don't drink kool-aid anymore, I do love Crystal Light (which is similar but with no calories much).

I heard that Galeston had a water-spout and tornado yesterday. They just can't catch a break down there, can they?

Love your rules. I love BUBBLES also.

Hugs,
Betsy

Pretty Things said...

Ah, Kool-Aid! Zack wants Kool-Aid So. Bad. But the only way I can get veggies into him is to have him drink them with fruit juice so I'm loathe to have him drink much of anything else!

Kim Mailhot said...

Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid, tastes great ! Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid, can't wait !

And bubbles...my friend Andrea gave out little containers of bubbles at her wedding to blew at her and her new hubby as they exited the church. I keep them in the basket with the remote controls and every once in a while, my David gets a wave of them bubbling by his chair as we watch boring tv !
Thankful that you are in the world today too, Snap !

Barb said...

Snap - I really got a kick out of learning these things about you! And - the bubble passion could be your seventh thing! Now whenever I see a person in a green dress dancing, especially if they have a grape Kool-Aid ring around their mouth - I'll think of you!

SandyCarlson said...

You brought back memories and made me smile. Mom never bought Kool-Aid, but I loved those commercials. They were fun and cleverly done.

juliaD said...

Loved reading your post all about your childhood, the dancing on TV and the Kool Aid...
Keep writing, your posts are so muxh fun to read!
...xxx...

Linda Vincent said...

Great post Llama Lady!
I've seen references to Kool-aid before but have no idea what it is. I don't think it ever reached England (but I might be wrong!)
Linda x