Twenty-Five Things

I've been tagged on Facebook half a dozen times to post a note called Twenty-Five Things About Me. I've been thinking about it for awhile now and have finally decided to do it on this blog instead of (or maybe as well as) on Facebook. I don't know if I can think of 25 things, but I'll give it a shot. The idea is for each person to write their 25 things and then tag 25 people to do theirs. Here goes:

1. I love the sound of the cry of a very young baby.

2. Although my sister and I are just under a year apart in age, we didn't become friends until we were married and had children. I love her a lot.

3. We own a house in Lethbridge and one in Arizona, yet we're living in the basement of our daughter's house in Edmonton. Go figure.

4. I used to think I was shy but I'm not - I'm just reserved.

5. I've discovered that I can make friends who I treasure, outside of my family.

6. I've also discovered that I don't need a lot of friends in order to be happy - just a couple of really good ones.

7. The music of the 60's is still my favorite.

8. I used to worry about dying young of a heart attack. Now I worry about living too long and getting Alzheimer's.

9. If I'm still alive and rational when I'm 80, I'm going to take up sky-diving with my big sister.

10. I've always considered having and raising 7 beautiful, successful, law-abiding, decent, talented kids to be my greatest accomplishment and my contribution to the world.

11. I was made to have babies - with 7 full-term pregnancies I didn't have one day of morning sickness and loved the feeling of carrying a baby under my heart.

12. I've lived in 6 of the 10 Canadian provinces, one foreign country (Germany), and now I guess I can say I live part-time in Arizona as well.

13. I love going on road trips with Lloyd.

14. I've never been able to understand how people who live their whole lives in one small area think their area is the best in the world, when they haven't seen or experienced anything else. Expand your horizons people. There's a lot of beautiful world out there to be explored and enjoyed.

15. Although scrapbooking has been my hobby of choice for six years now, I sometimes miss cross-stitching, which I haven't touched since I picked up scissors and glue.

16. I've always been proud to be left-handed like my Dad. I was disappointed that none of my kids were southpaws in spite of both of their grandfathers being blessed that way. I guess the gene skipped a generation. Now I have left-handed grandchildren. We're special ;-)

17. Lloyd and I are perfect for each other...still very much in love after 38 (almost) years of marriage.

18. I buy lottery tickets when the jackpot reaches at least $10 million...it's my retirement plan.

19. For years I didn't like my first name, Millicent. Then my sister's sassy girls started teasing me by calling me Aunt Millie. I've liked it ever since - especially the way it looks printed out. I was named after Dad's mother who I loved. Still, I'm glad to have a simple name like Pat to fall back on.

20. I think I have pretty feet, my best feature, but they're topped by gross kankles so the effect is spoiled. Thanks Grammie Logan. I'm envious of nicely shaped ankles when I see them.

21. Still on the subject of feet, I find it impossible to wear flip-flops (remember when they used to be called thongs?) or anything that goes between my toes. Ridiculously uncomfortable.

22. I believe in the existence of life beyond earth. I think it's supremely arrogant of mankind to think that we're the only intelligent species in all the universe.

23. I'm opinionated and stubborn - can you tell?

24. I got my ears pierced when I was 18. I sat in the kitchen of my cousin's friend's house and held an icecube to my earlobe until it was numb. Then the girl held a bar of soap behind my earlobe while she shoved a needle through my ear and out the back into the soap. Then she quickly put a sleeper into the wound. The sound of cells popping was so gross that I almost didn't get the second ear done. Never had any infection from it though.

25. I'm a middle child - that explains a lot about me.