100 Things

Three of my daughters have inspired me. On their blogs they listed 100 things about themselves. They expressed how cathartic the experience was and invited all readers to do likewise. So here goes. . .
1. This week is my birthday.
2. I am getting old.
3. I feel young
4. The cognitive dissonance created by 2 and 3 is horrendous
5. It took awhile but because I really do love life I'm finally excited about my birthday.
6. If I don’t learn something new each day I’m terribly disappointed
7. I absolutely adore my daughters and my son
8. I wish I knew my grandchildren better
9. I love reading-I even catch myself stopping in the store to read a soup can. If print is near I have to read it.
10. Last count I had visited 21 foreign countries and 47 states (I've never been to Alaska, Hawaii, or Florida.)
11. I have twenty six grandchildren and three on the way. Grandchildren are the best!
12. I’m a morning person--usually
13. When I eat sugar I get physically ill
14. I love sugar
15. I’ve worn braces on my teeth twice–the second time when I was 33 years old.
16. Yellow makes me happy
17. I have always wanted a grandmother
18. My hair is longer now than it has been since I was in third grade
19. My freckles are getting larger
20. I’ve had surgery on my flat feet seven times
21. I exercise every day. Before I do it, I hate it. After I do it, I love it.
22. At age sixteen I set a goal to be a college professor. At age 51 I finally achieved the goal.
23. I love the feeling of water rushing over my back when I swim
24. I love to make my own bread from scratch including grinding the wheat
25. I’m a vegetarian
26. I’m trying to become a vegan
27. I love cheese
28. I love winter because it is so cozy
29. I love snow –it is beautiful
30. I write poetry that no one likes but me
31. I’ve written three novels that have never been published-one that has.
32. My daughters think they don’t know me, but then how could they be so much like me?
33. I go to church every week because I love it
34. When I was in high school I was the Drama and Speech Sterling Scholar
35. I used to act in plays
36. Last week while in Kirtland, I played the organ in Church for the first time since 1994
37. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been
38. I only like to watch sports if I know at least one of the players
39. My weight goes up and down like an elevator
40. The night time view of a valley from the mountain side is food for my soul
41. I have a passion for Broadway musicals
42. I love studying and teaching the gospel
43. I used to hate my nose until I found out it is a genetic inheritance from the Anderson side of my family
44. Anderson women are strong and resilient
45. Disappointment haunts me
46. I’m devastated because they quit making Postum
47. I don’t like Jello
48. My favorite thing to write are personal essays.
49. I have the best children in the world
50. My husband has kept me laughing for 40 years.
51. Blank paper invites me to think
52. I always wanted 12 children, but the Lord only sent me 10
53. I teach to make up for the other 2
54. My favorite sport to watch is volleyball
55. Classical music connects me to amazing places within my own soul
56. I like opera
57. Words delight me-my favorite is sesquipedalian
58. I love being in my house
59. Ideas are constantly swimming in my head like bees in a hive
60. Sometimes I don’t see people or things right in front of me because I’m so focused on the ideas in my head
61. My children know this (60) and resent it
62. I love snugly clothes
63. I’m learning to love gardening
64. Quiet is a kind of music that starts in my heart
65. Watching others have fun is one of my favorite past times
66. Hot milk-toast with a lump of real butter soothes most aches and pains for me
67. I don’t like summer
68. I wish with all my heart I could sing
69. My children and husband are very forgiving people (Thank goodness!)
70. I have a penchant for buying shoes (Imelda watch out!)
71. For me, friends are worth more than gold
72. I don’t like scrap booking
73. I’m usually ready to go places early, then think I have time to do just one more thing before I go which makes me late to wherever I’m going
74. I still have the long, golden braid that was cut off my head when I was nine.
75. I don’t worry much
76. We lived in Germany many years ago
77. I still miss the German church bells ringing on Sunday morning
78. My first child was brought into the world for a sum total of $325
79. We had to borrow the $325 dollars
80. I come from a long line of poor people
81. I learned early, it doesn’t take money to be happy
82. I love to travel to visit my daughters
83. I like wearing bright colors
84. I love change
85. People amaze me
86. I love the temple
87. I’m awkward but haven’t given up on some day being graceful
88. I sew
89. I crochet
90. I love to create
91. My favorite sound is a toddler giggling
92. I love sitting beside the fireplace and watching the fire.
93. I don’t have a fireplace
94. I have a powerful imagination.
95. I love the movie Yentel
96. I love the BBC comedy “Keeping Up Appearances” –Hyacinth never fails to give me a good laugh.
97. The Ipod my children and husband gave me for my last birthday changed my life.
98. Deep down I’ve always been a negative person. Years ago I learned to put on a positive front and it is finally sinking down in.
99. I love breakfast foods for dinner.
100. It makes my day when people leave comments on my blog