sandk’s blog

Are you a re-gifter?  Have you ever re-gifted?
Submitted by Sandals.

No and no.  Dreadfully afraid I will get caught somehow as they're opening the gift with the original giver in the room or somehow associated with the new recipient, so haven't done it.

Finish this sentence: "What in the world was I thinking when I...?"
Submitted by jammin15.

moved back to the land of blustery snow.

went on that tilt-a-whirl after having a few cocktails.

invited a die-hard Republican to a BBQ with a bunch of left wing liberals.

 dressed up like a Hula dancer to hand out halloween candy.

decided we didn't need a realtor when we bought our house.

decided to tackle an acre of weeds one Sunday on my own.

bought that pink skirt.

Who's the hardest person to shop for on your holiday list?

My dad. I've given gift certificates for local restaurants, subscription to the local historical society, coffee table books describing Alaska (he finally went last summer), DVD's of old Carson bits, plenty of Eddie Bauer shirts, etc.  Am out of ideas - and of course even though he says he doesn't want anything, he enjoys opening gifts just like the rest of us when we get together.  Getting a joint gift like new dishes for example, for he and my stepmom just doesn't seem right.

 Has no hobbies and is still working at 70+. He's a general contractor and still works 2-3 days/week when he's not doing jobs at my house... One year I bought him a subscription to Martha Stewart Living magazine as part of his present because he is forever stating things like "Didn't you see that?  It was in the February issue of Martha Stewart's magazine".  It's a joke to all of us because he is the farthest thing from Martha that you can imagine.   At one point he had all grandkids under the age of 5 believing that he was actually allergic to the stove and if he got within 2 feet of it, he would break out in a rash.  He's more comfortable driving a bulldozer than holding a hot glue gun.  Enjoys pulling a nickel out of your ear, that kind of thing.

Do you keep a journal or diary?  How often do you write in it?
Submitted by Kim.
I only write in a journal when I'm camping or out hiking by myself - which doesn't happen too often these days...maybe a New Year's resolution in the making. 

Sometimes I feel like playing the piano is a form of journaling however, just expressing yourself with notes instead of words. (When I'm playing what's in my head and not what's on the page, of course.)  I do that more often than writing.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish?
Submitted by Brennan.

Absolutely the pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream.  I'd pass on the main course and head right into dessert - but of course, I'd do that on any meal...

I recently made some spiced nuts with ginger, honey, cayenne pepper and a few other spices which turned out really well.  May need to bring that along to the family gathering this year.

Then again, there's the eggnog with nutmeg which seems to appear this time of year, so it's hard to say which wins out.

So funny that once you're a parent that you have the ability to create lifelong memories in the minds of your children.

My 10 yr old had a writing assignment in school last week to create a poem describing a family tradition from the holidays.  He spelled out the word f-o-n-d-u-e and used each letter as the starting point for a sentence of the poem.  Every Christmas Eve we have chocolate fondue for dessert with my sister and her family - not the entire clan, just the two sisters and respective other halves + kiddies.  We started the chocolate fondue deal when they were babies because it was more of an "adult" dessert we could enjoy with coffee and whatever.  Now that the kids are involved we've got sprinkles and marshmallows and all manner of decorating items on the table to use post-dipping.  It's evolved into something else and really much more fun.  Any mention of a change in the menu brought strong cries of protest from the kids, so I expect to be melting chocolate for at least another decade on Christmas Eve....but now they can jump into the shower themselves and I don't have to carry them upstairs to the tub to wash the chocolate out of their hair.

When I moved back to the midwest I wanted some way to permanently connect with my neices and nephews, so I started hosting a Christmas craft party in December.  At first it was colored paper cut outs to hang on the tree, but again has evolved thorugh the years and last year we did glass ornaments with dripped paint on the interiors and some chose to add glitter.  We've done teacher gifts, candles, soap, you name it.  My oldest neice is now in college but still wants to participate with her younger cousins - so we've got an age range of 10-19.  Much bigger choice for crafts but I'm running out of ideas...

If you're reincarnated, what do you think you'll come back as?
Submitted by Diana.

Either a massive polar bear with lots of fur so I won't have to shiver in the winter months or a bird so I can migrate to warmer climates.

What time period would you have lived in, if you could have lived at any time?

I would choose to be in my 20's during the late 1950's or 1960's, but unfortunately I was learning how to walk, talk and feed myself - all those great life skills.  But it would have to be just a little "freeze frame" kind of time travel, because I don't want to be any older than I am now!

Second choice would be in the future not the past.

What was the last game you played?

 Tennis, about 4 days ago.

Love the game, wish I had more time and could play every day.  Unfortunately, I'm a grown-up now and have to go work and earn a living.  It's just a great sport, mentally and physically challenging.  Also don't have enough expendable income to join the local "club", so my tennis is confined to outdoor courts that are free and playable during the spring/summer.  Relatively modest investment needed for a racket, can of balls and a good pair of shoes, other than that, you're set.  Lifelong sport = partner needed, however, preferably someone better than me that hits hard, flat balls and has a nice baseline game.

Gosh, did you mean a computer game?  Don't know any - I"ll have to ask my little baseball player, he always seems to find something amusing online to play, especially when homework is loooming!

If you could write a book about anything, what would it be about?

I would write a book about teaching tolerance and empathy to kids: two goals I have as a parent.  Hard to do without sounding "preachy".  Maybe it would be a kids' book, skipping the adult audience!