tagged and stuff....

1. What is your funniest childhood story?
Must have been the time when I was about 8 or 9 and I was out playing on a low roof of a stairway to a basement house. I was using as a slide even thought the shingles were rough. Well they sand-papered my behind and I ended up with abrasions to my bum and back of my legs and sitting was horrid for the next day or so. That isn't the worst though--the cute guy in my class, Ronnie E, and my cute neighbor boy, Brian J, saw me walking back home rather stiff legged with my jogging pants shredded in the back and my orange clock underwear hanging out. Embarrassing enough, but I was wearing the last pair of clean undies in my drawer and I absolutely loathed my blue, pink and orange underwear with a clock print on them. I never wanted to go to school again, lol!


2. What would your dream dress look like if you could design it?
This is the base of my dress that I will wear for our American wedding/blessing ceremony/vow renewal. I am going to have a shawl or something over my arms.

My friend, T., borrowed it for her wedding 2 years ago and she looked lovely in it.

3. What weird habit does your other half have? Bruxism--he grinds his teeth in his sleep.

4. How many cookbooks are in your kitchen? 3, one Marks & Spencers British foods and 2 Gordon Ramsey cook books


5. Granny panties or loyal Victoria Secret girl? sexy drawers in my drawers no longer exist--heck I only have 4 pair of underpants (I am always doing laundry)


6. My favorite memory from 2008 so far is? Duh, birth of Alex


7. I secretly... check the toilet paper. every. time. Gross I know, but I have done it ever since I was 10 and my 12 year old friend told me what a period was, as she was having hers and I was horrified. I had thought a period was the punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. So I started obsessively checking. A 22 year old habit is hard to break.


8. I could really go for... Pumpkin pie with cool whip


9. We are going to have a big snowstorm and you will find me... In the states-finding a safe place to mess around driving in the snow. I used to spin cookies with my 1964 Ford in the snow--I loved it!

Here in the UK-bwahahaha! A mere dusting of snow and everyone panics and car pileups are common. Think of Florida getting snow then replace the bright warm sunny weather with dark dreary grey misty rainy weather.

10. I knew s/he was the one...
I have 2 life-partners:

My Beloved Husband--Almost right away when he talked about loving to hug and cuddle and I announced on the other side of my monitor "Awww He's a cuddler, aww, I could love him." 10 days later I wrote "I love you!" and that I love you changed our lives. No regrets, *Sigh* He makes me happy and all warm and fuzzy. We are mushballs!

My best friend--Ha honestly, ready for this K? I knew that we'd be friends back in high school because she was a "smoker", I knew her family had very little money like mine, and she was cool enough to be dating the guy that I had a crush on. Birds of a feather flock together, right? Added bonus that she was artistic and we shared having the hots for our Art teacher. We weren't super close friends in high school, it was after, like June 2nd, that I knew that we'd be forever friends and then the night she and her 1st hubby left for Cali and stopped to see me and my roomie before they left. I gave them all my money and my blessings as they started their new life together. When she came back from Cali and her hubby was stationed overseas was when even though we were far apart, we were and are inseparable.

Now to tag 3 more people. I choose...

I hate choosing so if you read this and feel like you want to do it, leave a comment and a link back to your blog. Thanks!

I love this picture of the moon. I took it from the top deck of a double decker on 11-11-08 on the 11 bus.


And who doesn't love a happy baby playing on his own and being sweet? Awwww!

Five things I miss about America

At Noble Savage, she wrote a post that sings to this American expat's heart. It also smacks of a top 5 list a la High Fidelity

Here is her list that she did expand on, but you will need to go to her blog to read expansions:
1.My family and friends
2. Wide open spaces
3. Autumn
4. Good, affordable food
5. That wondrous, zany American outlook on life

Mine actually follows closely:

1. I miss Miss MISS my family and friends. Although I call my mom just about every weekday, and my Hillbilly Duhn several times a week, hugging phones is NOTHING like hugging the real live human being on the other end of the line. I crave the day we all are reunited.

2. Driving. I love driving long distances and driving at night. I have been driving since I was 12 mminus the year between moving from the acreage and drivers Ed and the 2 years I have been in the UK making it 17 years in total I have been driving and loving it. I am such a car buff and as much as I am trying to be eco-friendly, I just can not stop loving cars, driving and driving long straight wide roads. Motor oil runs in these veins.

3. American food. I like an indian take away now and again, fish and chips and the tradional English sunday roast, but gosh darn it I want me a valasic dill pickle without any sugar, a corn dog, a miller genuine draft, a root beer float that doesn't cost $3 a can to make, as well as flavored coffees that you don't have to go to a specialty tea shop to buy, and tex mex foods. I would love an apple and a pumpkin pie, and a bone-in wood smoked ham. (I am hungry now, lol)

4. Halloween. Halloween is my fah-vorite holiday evah! I look forwards to Halloween like a little kid looks forwards to his birthday. Where I am at Halloween is barely celebrated and is more of a time where people hide away from trouble youth "yobs and hoodies", lock their doors, turn off their lights and pretend to not be home. Well crap, no wonder the youth are pissy, the candy that they sell to give out sucks. "Here have a packet of pink and white marshmallows!" bleeeh. So as another Halloween passed by like a much anticipated birthday that no one could be bothered to remember--I yearn for a fun filled Halloween with all the kids next year back in the USA.

5. Hearing my own Accent. Something about being able to not translate things in my head from British to American and back again is so nice. A trunk is a trunk, not a boot. Chips are chips, not fries, and toe-may-toe not toe-maah-oh for tomato.

I am going to be cheeky and put a sixth because it is actually a tie between number 5 and this one.
6. Affordable clothing that fits Plus size. I needn't say more than that.

Happy Hawking Castle Walking Fabulous Pre-Birthday Dearest M!

For M's birthday present we went to Warwick Castle so that he could attend a falconeering class, as he has always been a HUGE fan of Owls, Hawks and Eagles and, well, ALL birds of prey. He had a "fabulous time!" Turns out he was the only student that day so his teacher was able to focus all her attention on to both the birds and to M. Due to M's wish to remain anon at this time, I'll post the pictures without him in them, but there are some great pictures of him with Woody a Harris Hawk, Louis the Eagle Owl, and Mouse the Golden Eagle.

http://www.warwick-castle.co.uk/

Alex loves the BIG kitties--edited-Now with promised pictures!

I love this picture as it looks like Alex is trying to eat the antler.






Today we went to a drive through it type safari park, and there were several enclosures with Lions, Lionesses both yellow and white, Tigers both yellow and white, and Cheetahs and Alex love Love LOVED them. He slapped the car window and hollered "kitty, kitty!" We'll have to upload our pictures to the pc so you can see how happy the little dude was. (btw, yes he was out of his carseat to snap the pictures, and travel around the parks but we didn't go any faster than three [3] mph)


As you can now see he loved it :D

In Addition to Yesterday's Post-Pictures from 1968!!!

Mom emailed some pictures to me and to the church that Mom and Dad were married in (the church is celebrating 120 years) and even though I have seen them a bajillion times through out the years, this time around some of them brought a tear to my eye.

Here is Mom with her Daddy. I love my Mom's beautiful smooth thick red hair, and doesn't Grandpa look rather dapper?

Although I don't know the two men on the ends, my aunt Toni (who introduced Mom to Dad) and Stan Bott, Dad's best friend and fellow race car enthusiast. We grew up with the Bott family, and for the longest time I thought that they were my cousins.
Mom's lovely dress was borrowed from Stan's wife, Mary. The pearly crown and veil were Mom's, and underneath the roses was a small white Bible. Many years later, after numerous times of my playing dress up with it and being in storage, the only part of the veil left was the pearly crown which I wore in my hair for my own wedding.
The ceremony took place on a friday evening and was a candle lit service...how cozy and utterly romantic!!!
Grandpa and Grandma, Mom and Dad, and Grandma and Grandpa

Beautiful and classy, yeah, my parents clean up well.
I love that my parents had chosen fall colors and fall flowers and that the decoration was just the flowers and candles. (I suspect it was more for budgetary reasons, but it goes to show that one can have a lovely classy wedding and reception meal on a shoestring) The reception was in the church basement.



Check out my Grandma and her "'do"--FABULOUS!!! She's beautiful.
...And Grandpa, very smart!
And then the "girls" attacked Dad's purple DeSoto with vaseline and other goop. They put vaseline on the windshield and in the door handles--not good. Dad had to drive in rain and sleet with one functioning windshieldwiper and vaseline smeared on the windshield...EEK! Good thing they made it to where they were going--otherwise I wouldn't be here to type this.
Perhaps it is testament to my Dad's driving skillz.

Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary to Two Very Special People

Today is the ruby anniversary of my parents. And through numerous moves, good times and bad, richer or poorer (mostly paycheck to paycheck), through emotional turmoil and great jubilation, raising children, parent teacher conferences, hospitalizations, and finding Jesus (I think He was hiding in the bedroom closet) They have stuck together. They have always made the many houses we've lived in feel like home, and we all know that there is no place like home.




Mom and Dad, Have a fantastic day

85 years ago today, Grandma was born!

Happy Birthday Grandma! On the 85th anniversary of your birth, I wish you a fantastic day, and a happy blessed 86th year of life! It was great to talk to you today, and hearing your loving wonderful voice brought a bit of home here to my little spot in England. I love you and miss you.



Grandma is an amazing woman, loving, strong, protective, tidy, and honest. She has lived through the worst part of the Great Depression, moving with her family often-sometimes in the middle of the night. She married Grandpa and slept in the bathtub during their honeymoon as she thought that she'd get pregnant sleeping next to Grandpa. She and Grandpa worked hard as dairy and grain farmers to support their four children (and Grandpa's rather lazy elder brother and his wife and girls) She has worked hard, guarded carefully what and whom she holds dear, and is highly respected by her family, friends, church community, and community of her town. She doesn't beat around the bush and if she doesn't like something she'll let one know in no uncertain terms.

So I hope that I speak on behalf of George, Liz, Ruth, her husband and his 2 kids, Becky, Mike, Joey, Noah, Samuel, Paul, Toni, Denny, Sam, Lisa, Joseph, Teri, Riley, Larry, Emily, Scott, Diana, Hayden, Mark, Zachary, Lillian, Alexander, Andrew, Julie, Dan, Seneca, Jen, Tobin, and Quentin when I say Thank You Grandma and here's to many many more wonderful years!

(~~) OCTOBER IS (~~)

MY Favorite Month!!!
In honor of my favorite month, here is a list of happenings on the days

http://www.brownielocks.com/.

1
Balloons Around The World
Child Health Day
Fire Pup Day
International Day of Older Persons
World Vegetarian Day
2
Guardian Angels Day
Phileas Fogg's Wager Day
National Custodial Workers Day
World Farm Animals Day
3
Lee's National Denim Day
National Diversity Day
World Smile Day
4
Ten-Four Day
World Card Making Day
5
Country Inn & Bed and Breakfast Day
Intergeneration Day
World Communion Day
World Teachers Day

6
Jackie Mayer Rehab Day
Mad Hatter Day
National German-American Day
Physician Assistant (PA) Day
World Habitat Day
7

...Nothin' on this day--make up your own day!
8
Alvin C. York Day
Cosmopolite's Day
International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
International Top Spinning Day
National Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work & School Day
Native Americans' Day
Yom Kipper
9
Leif Erickson Day
National Depression Screening Day
World Post Day
World Sight Day
10
Emergency Nurses Day
National Cake Decorating Day
Naval Academy Day
World Mental Health Day
11
General Pulaski Memorial Day
International Newspaper Carrier Day
National Coming Out Day
Reptile Awareness Day
Universal Music Day
12
Clergy (Pastor) Appreciation Day
International Moment of Frustration Scream Day
13
Columbus Day
Ironman Competition
National Kick Butt Day
Navy Birthday
14
Be Bald and Be Free Day
15
National Grouch Day
Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce
White Cane Safety Day
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day
16
Department Store Day
Dictionary Day
Get to Know Your Customers Day
Get Smart About Credit Day
International Credit Union Day
World Food Day
National Boss's Day
Boss's Day
17
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Mammography Day
Mulligan Day
18
Sweetest Day
World Menopause Day
World Toy Camera Day
19
Evaluate Your Life Day
Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day
20
Birth of the Bab
World Osteoporosis Day
21
...Nothin on this day either..Make up your own day!
22
Day of International Concern About Young People and Gun Violence
International Day of Radiant Peace
International Stuttering Awareness Day
23
National Mole Day
24
Lung Health Day
United Nations Day
World Development Information Day
Bandanna Day
25
Make A Difference Day
26
World Priest Day
Mother-in-Law Day
27
Cranky Co-workers Day
Navy Day
28
Diwali
National Chocolates Day
St. Jude's Day
29
Internet Day
30
Create A Great Funeral Day
Haunted Refrigerator Night
National Candy Corn Day

National Sing Happy Birthday to Kim Day
31
Books for Treats Day
Frankenstein Friday
National Caramel Apple Day
National Knock-Knock Jokes Day
National Magic Day
National UNICEF Day
Halloween
Samhain

Happy Halloween!

He Speaks!

Along with his four shiny new teeth (that makes 6 total) Alex officially said his first word on Wednesday evening---Kitty, and yesterday he said Daddy. He's been babbling da da da and ti ti ti but now he's attached meaning to his noises. He still hasn't signed anything, but he understands his favorites when we sign them to him. We also makes sure we sign Kitty when he sees or says kitty and same for Daddy. No signs of ma ma ma yet, but that's ok, my elder two said Mama first.

Here is Betty--the kitty

Ouch! The Ground Bit my Leg!

Last evening I fell as I missed the last step on some concrete stairs. I was carrying A at the time, but he wasn't hurt at all, in fact I am glad that he was in a Mei Tai carrier strapped to my front rather than in my arms other wise I think I would have dropped him and I'd be telling you about going to a hospital rather than just showing you some pictures of my nasty bruises.


And these pics were taken less than 24 hours after the fall! I am taking asprin and drinking lots of green tea so that I don't end up with a deep vein thrombosis.

Happy 8th Birthday Miss Lil!