Friend Makin' Monday

Quick and dirty today---it's Friend Makin' Monday....don't be shy. Copy and paste your responses below!

1.  What was your favorite subject in school?  English literature.

2. Did you attend elementary school and high school in the same town? Yes. So did my Mom and her mother, too. And my daughters did, too....there the chain broke. They've both moved away.

3.  Are you still friends with anyone that you met during school?  No, although through the miracles of Facebook, I can "see" them occasionally. But for the most part, we've all parted ways.

4. What activities were you involved in as a student? I was editor of the yearbook and I participated in sports (softball, volleyball, basketball). 

5. Did you bring your lunch, or did you get it at school?  I brought a sack lunch. And my Dad was a hunter....imagine my humility when I unfolded the waxed paper surrounding an elk or venison sandwich.

6. Did you enjoy shopping for clothing and school supplies?  Well, this is one to think about---I did the old school way of doing it today. Through a Sears or Wards catalog---much like shopping online is done today!

7. Name a song or a band that reminds you of high school.  Anything by Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Bad Moon Rising, Suzie Q, Run Through the Jungle. 

8. Did you like school?  Yes! Most days. 

9. How long have you been out of school?  High School? 41 yr. College? Nine yr.

10.  What did you like most about school?  What did you dislike most about school? I liked goofing off with my girlfriends and PE class. I hated test-taking, especially the ones where you had to fill in the tiny circles page after page. The Iowa Skills tests.

Pie Sunday

I've been baking pies on Sunday lately. I used to hate baking pies, with all the hassle of getting that pastry just right. But I have the technique down now. Plus I got myself a new rolling mat printed with concentric circles representing the various sizes of pie plates. That really does help me -- if I roll just past (maybe one inch) the circle, say, 10 in. for a 9-inch plate, it gives me enough "play" for the edges.

I learned, too, that if you have extra pastry hanging over the plate, simply fold it under...it helps the crimp and makes a pretty even-looking edge.

Do you have pie-baking tips? I know some use pie-baking machines (as seen on tv!). Do you? I have to admit, I'm a gadget fool and have been tempted by those.

Now for Friend Making Monday----as seen on All the Weigh

Have You Ever?

 1. Jumped out of an airplane?  No...but I may put it on my bucket list.

2. Lived alone?  Yep.  At the time, I loved it, but eventually, found someone who makes it seem like a sad alternative.

3. Met a celebrity? Only in his mind.

4. Said something to someone that you immediately regret saying? Yes. But I'm smarter now.

5. Had a manicure/pedicure? I've had a mani---but not a pedi. For years I didn't even know they existed!

6.  Gotten a hickey? Yep. From the man who would become my husband.

7. Owned a pet that was not a dog or a cat?  Had a parakeet and two goats at one time. Well, the goats were really brush-eating, non-paid employees.

8. Been outside of your home country?  Yes, upon high school graduation I traveled to Europe and visited 13 countries. I've also been to Mexico and Canada.

9. Kissed your best friend? Yes, see #6.

10. Eaten food that fell on the floor?  Sure...just yesterday I think.

11. Met someone online? Yes, but not what you think. I met a woman from clear across the country who I'd been talking to on a women's health board for years. She's a scream and we had a blast meeting up.

12. Been on TV? No, I don't believe I have.

13. Had braces?  No...when I was a kid only rich kids could get braces, or the kids of dentists. So, I have bottom teeth which resemble a crooked picket fence.

14. Gone skinny dipping?  Yes, but in a pond on my own property.

15. Been to the opera? Yes, it was required for a class. I think I would rather stick a knitting needle in my ear. I love the symphony, but not the opera.

16. Been caught making out by a policeman?  Are you kidding?? My dad was the town cop! That answer would be, "No."

17. Sung in public? Only in a crowd, like at a ballgame or in church.

18. Handed out candy on Halloween? Oh, sure. My parents lived on the main drag of our small town. We got hundreds of kids for Halloween. My mom was sure grouchy that night.  I don't mind doing it, but it seems the past 6-8 years there are fewer and fewer kids t-or-t'ing.

19. Been snowed in? No, I don't let a lot of snow stop me.

20. Fallen in front of other people? Ha! I just did this the other day. Funny how the first thing you do is look around to see if anyone saw you. Before even checking yourself out for blood or injuries.

21. Cheated on a test? NO! Wow, that is not cool. 

22. Regretted saying “I love you” to someone? No, but I think maybe I've regretted not saying it one last time to someone.

23. Finished a meal in a restaurant and realized that you didn’t have your wallet? Oh, yeah, I pull that on my husband all the time on dates I ask him out on.

24. Shot a gun? Yes, many times. My dad was a law enforcement officer and a hunter, and we all learned how to shoot and respect firearms.

25. Heard a song that was written for (or about) you? Yes, one especially for me and my husband. 

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions! Don’t forget to come back here and link up in the comments!  Happy Monday, friends!

Monday again---

They just keep coming. Every week, don't they? Ugh.

I really could have used another day like yesterday. So lovely. Terry and I went for a long drive to the rural northern part of our county. It's been years since we've been up there, especially him. It was his first time back since he lived there during high school in the 70's. Few things have changed. Some better roads, more large mini-mansions here and there. But many of the old landmarks remain. It was comforting and relaxing. We picnicked at a park we used to visit as kids. There were families splashing about in the river and inner-tubing down from upriver. The temps were perfect--not chilly, not hot. A slight breeze. And NO mosquitoes!

Today is FMM time again. You know the drill. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: NW Drizzle so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

My Community

1. Where were you born? Did you grow up there? I was born right here in the city I live in now. I could say I haven't grown up yet, but rather than that cheekiness, I'll say I grew up in a small town--not unlike Mayberry--16 miles north from here, in the 50's & 60's, a simpler time.

2. Tell us about your favorite spot in your city.  Officers Row...it is a street lined with large, old oaks and maples which grow in front of, and shade, a dozen or so houses from early Vancouver. These buildings housed officers from Fort Vancouver during the 1880's.

3. Do you volunteer for any organizations? If so, will you tell us about it? I have many times in the past, but none currently. The most recent volunteer gig was as a gardener at a botanical garden. I was responsible for  my own plot and had total say in what was there, as long as it was native.

4. Tell us about your favorite local restaurant. Tough one. I don't eat out that much, but most any restaurant which is locally owned and has a healthy menu is a favorite.

5. Has your city ever experienced tragedy?  If so, how did it recover? There have been losses of children in the news which are always tragic. Victims of abuse, mental illness or depravity. As we are in the Portland media market, we here in my community all grieve the missing boy known as Kyron Horman, who has been missing for 3 years.  It seems there will be no recovery until we at least can know what happened to him. 

6. Share at least one unique thing about your neighborhood. I love to say, "It's Vancouver (not B.C.), Washington (not D.C.)

7. If you could do one small thing to change your community, what would you do? Actually, I'm pretty happy with how it is....there are always political kerfuffles going on, but I don't like to get into that. There are plenty of coffee shops, so....

8. The Powerball is currently up to 400 million dollars. Would you move to a different place if you won? I would NOT move, except maybe to a better house. And then I would buy a couple smaller homes or cabins for vacations---one mountain, one beach, one desert. 

Your turn.

Weekly Highlight

This is what my life has come 'round to:

My weekly trip to the Vancouver Farmers' Market is the highlight of my entire week.

Smell that kettle corn, that fresh giant basil, the gyros, and of course the coffee.

Marvel at the richly-colored patchworks of fresh vegetables on display.

Drool over handmade jewelry.

I enjoy talking to the vendors and seeing what's new. There might be something I haven't tried before, and sometimes the farmers vendors will make a recipe suggestion to encourage me to buy something different. Cherries were so beautiful this spring, and I bought Lapin cherries simply to eat out of hand. But one of the vendors had a recipe for cherry chutney, so I tried that. Wow! Was it awesome on pork tenderloin. Actually, it was pretty good simply on a cracker!

Are you a Farmers' Market fan? PBS Food writer Lauren Jones offers tips for shopping at farmers' markets on their blog. At the same site you can find out what kind of farmers' market shopper you are. (Humbly I report I am considered an "expert.")

Farmers' markets are good for the community. It's a happy place. If you haven't tried one yet, do.

Not sure what did this--

but it ticks me off!! Anyone have any ideas?