world lymphedema day

 There are not a lot of people with primary (inherited) lymphedema--but I'm one of them!

saturday 9

 

Birthday

1) In this song, Katy Perry sings that she wants to give her lover something good to celebrate every day. What is making you happy this fine Saturday? I just had a manicure--celebrating St. Paddy's Day

2) The video is all about baking a birthday cake. When did you most recently enjoy something home baked? Were you the baker? I had a personal-sized loaf of freshly baked French bread by the kids in the culinary arts program at school yesterday.  Delish!

3) Tell us a memory from one of your birthdays. I like to celebrate early and often--so I generally extend the celebration to anytime around the month of my birthday.  My 40th was special because my friends at school had a different themed lunch party every day of the week.

4) This week's song shares nothing but the title with a Beatles song. (Here's a video of Paul McCartney performing it live.) Can you think of another title that's been used by more than one song? Just The Way You Are is both Billy Joel and Bruno Mars

5) Similarly, this week's featured artist was born Kathryn Hudson and called Katy Hudson until she changed her name to Katy Perry to avoid confusion with the actress Kate Hudson. Have you ever met anyone else with your same name? no

6) Katy and actor Orlando Bloom became parents to a baby girl in 2020. Bloom is best known for his work in the Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Are you a fan of either of those film series? I haven't seen either

7) In 2014, the year this song was popular, Prince William toured the United States and attended his first NBA game (Nets vs. Cavaliers). What's the most recent sporting event that you watched? I watched a boy's basketball game where my school's team clobbered the opponents!

8) Also in 2014, Joan Rivers died. While best-known for making us laugh, she was a very successful entrepreneur, selling jewelry on QVC. Have you ever ordered anything from TV? I order from QVC occasionally--it's where I get my WEN

 

9) Random question -- Have you ever been told you talk too much? I've been told that I don't talk enough

the friday 56

 The Friday 56

Rules: 

*Grab a book, any book. 

*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's ok.) 

*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) 

*Post it. 

I'm reading The Friend Zone

"Six sisters, huh?  Younger? Older?" she asked.

"All older, my parents stopped when they finally got their boy.  Dad said he cried from happiness."

"Wow, no wonder you ply menstruating women with ice cream.  I bet when their periods synced they sat around glaring at you and making prison shivs."

I snorted.  "Big Mac or cheeseburger?"

friday 5

 

Just vegging

1. What’s your favorite root vegetable, and what’s your favorite way to eat it? I like raw carrots
2. What’s your favorite leafy green, and what’s your favorite way to eat it? spinach is my favorite leafy green--I love it raw 
3. What’s your favorite legume, and what’s your favorite way to eat it? chickpeas--I love them as hummus
4. What’s your favorite vegetable to put on a pizza? that's a tough one--I love veggie pizza
5. What’s your favorite fruit to eat in a green salad? apples or tomatoes if you're going to get picky about fruit

three on thursday

 Thing one:  Lymphedema is the build-up of fluid in soft body tissues when the lymph system is damaged or blocked. 

Thing two:  I have primary lymphedema. Primary lymphedema is a rare, inherited condition caused by problems with the development of lymph vessels in your body.

Thing three:  Saturday is World Lymphedema Day.

Click here to play along

 

unraveled wednesday

     

Join Kat @ AsKatKnits for some fun!

I barely started listening to The Friend Zone  and knitting away on the Stella shawl (Rav link) 

finished reading

I think this would be a great book group book.  Elsa, the main character is compelling and complex.  And the exploration of the American Dream really made me think.  How is the American Dream evolving in today's world?  The themes and elements of this book stood out for me in the context of the isolation from Covid-19 (and fear of the spread of it), and the focus on immigration and migration, and of feminism, and environmentalism--wow!  I will admit there were sections that dragged on a bit.  But overall this is a book that will stick with me.

From the publisher:

Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.

In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

ten things tuesday

In honor of having a storm day from school due to strong winds with gusts of 55mph, here's a winter-themed this or that.  I am so thankful I didn't have to commute today.

currently

 I am...

Reading:   The Four Winds

Listening to:  cars driving up and down the slushy street

Loving:  I have a couple of professional development opportunities coming up this week and next, they look fascinating!

Thinking:  I get that we are Covid-weary, but we still need to be vigilant.  I'm frustrated that some of my colleagues are easing up on their sanitary and mask practices.

Feeling:  relaxed--I've mellowed out after the white-knuckle drive home from school

Celebrating:   I put a lot of time and effort into lesson planning before vacation and it's paying off--for a few minutes, I feel like I'm caught up 

Grateful for:  the administration let teachers leave early this afternoon due to the storm

Weather: it is 33° and snow/sleeting

Enjoying: I got a SodaStream and I'm getting the hang of it

A quote I want to share:  I made a reference to a tv show jumping the shark... here's where the idiom originated:

sunday stealing

 

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Senior Life

1. What is the farthest you have ever traveled? I'm not sure it it's California or the Netherlands/Denmark
2. Who did you date while in high school? I dated Kevin Good, I wonder whatever happened to him
3. What is one of the worst trips you've ever taken? What went wrong? I can't think of anything
4. How do you like to spend a lazy day? lying in bed until late morning
5. How old were you when you found out that JFK had been assassinated? How did it affect you? I wasn't born yet
6. Who has been one of the most important people in your life? my dad
7. What is one trait you would most like to improve in yourself? I wish I was motivated to get rid of the clutter, but I'm slightly overwhelmed by the daunting task
8. Did you date someone in college? I had a few relationships
9. What was your dream car? either a dark green Jaguar coupe or a brown VW Beetle
10. Did you have a family member you wish you'd gotten to know better? I would love to have known my mum
11. Tell me about your greatest gardening success.  I have never had one, I have the Thumb of Death
12. What was your Dad like when you were a child? busy, absent
13. What is the best job you've ever had? teaching high school social studies
14. What are your favorite songs? I have a page of 100 songs that are significant to me, I made the list about a decade or so ago
15. If you could choose any talents to have, what would they be? I would like to be able to memorize text easily (like speeches, dialogue in plays, poems)

blog every day 28

28.  What are you holding onto that it's time to let go of?  The clutter.  I have stuff.  And I don't even need or want it, yet I cling to it.  I need to let it go.  I don't know what's holding me back.

Click here for the daily prompts

unconscious mutterings

 

Unconscious Mutterings

Week 886 - February 21, 2021

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. First time :: newbie
2. Ornate :: decorative
3. Chocolate :: yes, please!
4. Stoop :: scooch
5. Mopey :: sad
6. Agitated :: anxious
7. Sensation :: perception
8. Bumble :: fumble
9. Fulfillment :: contentment
10. Sheet :: my ineptitude with folding fitted sheets

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.