Friday, March 28, 2008

TWO AND A HALF MEMES

WISH I LOOKED LIKE THIS NOW!
ONE IS NO LESS A BLESSING.

It's been a while since I posted, but I'm still here. I've been busy working on my first ever round robin art project - an altered book that I need to mail out by April 1. I've posted some scans on my art blog and hope to post some more this evening or tomorrow.

But I haven't forgotten that I was challenged to do some memes a while ago (okay, QUITE a while ago). Both Mary from "Across the Pond" and KJ from "eye-dyllic" challenged me to post a photo and write a six-word biography to go with it. I couldn't find one of the photos I wanted to use, so I went with two others (two taggers equals two photos).

The first "autobiography" is self explanatory to any woman over the age of 40! Oh, for the days when I was slim, had no dark shadows under my eyes, and no turkey neck!

The second one might be a bit more enigmatic. "One is no less a blessing" is a retort to a question I've been asked for over 20 years: "You only have the ONE child?", or "Why didn't you have more children?"

My first answer might be to say, "None of your beeswax!" But I'm not as rude as Daniel Day-Lewis, who told a reporter "None of your ------ business" after a harmless question during the post-Academy Awards Q&As.

So, I usually answered, "I was pregnant five times and was able to carry only one child full term. It wasn't my choice." If I had to have "JUST" one, I couldn't have picked a better kid. It was true when she was a child, and it's true today as she nears the end of grad school. Dan and I have been truly blessed by our ONE child.

(P. S. I am also irked when the hostess asks "Just one?" when I'm dining alone. I usually retort, "One is enough", or "One is plenty!")

This meme was very fun. I thought it would be difficult but I could have done many "Mini Bios". I am not going to challenge anyone but would love to see what you come up with.

I was also asked by Noni (Mary Anne) of "Peacock Blue" to list six non-important things/habits/quirks about myself. I've already done the five random/weird things about me several times before so I hope I can think of six new ones.

1. I love Russell Stover raspberry whip eggs with dark chocolate. They are only sold at Easter and they take them off the shelves right after Easter. I know - I've checked at a number of stores this week.) I am jonesing for one right now.

2. I was working for Pan Am when I got married (no, not as a stewardess) and my husband and I flew to Greece for our honeymoon at a deep, deep discount.

3. I hated my green/hazel eyes when I was young. I thought blue eyes were the prettiest. I told my friends I had had blue eyes until I got the measles and this made them change color. (I think this fib came from the fact that when I had the measles I was kept in a dark room because it was believed measles could "settle in the eyes".)

4. When I had the measles, I was given two dolls. One had a red dress with white polka dots and one had a white dress with red polka dots. I called them my "measle dolls" because of the occasion and because of the "spots" on their dresses.

5. The smell of citronella mosquito candles makes me sick to my stomach. So does most incense. I could never be a real hippie because of that! I recently found some "Pure and Natural" incense from Target that doesn't make me sick so I often burn it when I am on the computer (but not when Dan is home).

The smell of eucalyptus and potpourri makes my daughter sick. I used to take her shopping with me to home decor/gift shops. One step inside the door and she could detect it: "Ewww, potpourri." Now that she seldom makes it back to North Dakota, I can have potpourri out most of the year.

6. Since my husband used to love to order escargot in restaurants (back when we had money), I bought an escargot kit and invited another couple over for a gourmet dinner with escargot as the appetizer course. Everyone got food poisoning but me. You think I'm crazy enough to eat snails?

18 comments:

Casey said...

I love the raspberry dark chocolate eggs, too! And I know what you mean about them disappearing after Easter. It sucks! Or maybe it's a good thing that they aren't around!

Anonymous said...

I'm always being asked why I don't have children, like you, I didn't have a choice :-) Thanks for visiting my blog.

couragetocreatewriteandlove said...

alot of this post sound with my life with some slight differences.
I was always wishing to have more children but...
I have one blessing and it is a plentiful and abundantly beautiful.
I thank God everyday I have the great blessing of my ONLY ONE daughter and knowing of what it is to be a mother. I also understand my mother more.
I also know that when (if she chooses to be a mother) I will probably will spend time and make up for the time I haven't spend with her.
ok now I am crying...
lovely post!
p.s your pictures are great and I can't wait to check your art blog now to see your new pages!

Kate Robertson said...

I used to hate answering that question. Then I decided to focus on the blessing of being able to able to have a child, some don't even get that. Mine was a fertility issue and I feel so lucky to have had my daughter, as a result I think we are closer than my friends who have several children.

Kate

gma said...

What a stunning family...all good looking. You are as beautiful today as you ever were...inside and out!I have stopped by several times and saw your Easter post...and forgot to check your other blogs. Going there now!
Have a beautiful weekend.

LW said...

Oh, the children thing is so hard when asked about. I too had just one for a long time… there is 15 years between my first and second child , 17 years between giving birth …
I always say my first was a delightful surprise, my second a blessing and my third a miracle…

That is a wonderful family picture….

Louise

Patricia said...

Hey, glad to see you back; I've been "lurking" for you! Your escargot para was funny ~ I would've gotten food poisoning as I love escargot.

It is funny how an object relates to a certain time in our lives; I'm thinking of your measle dolls and of how the polka dots would remind a child of the spots from measles.

I have 2 kids, a boy and a girl and I get the comment "of course you stopped when you had your boy and girl". I think it doesn't matter how many kids you do or don't have; someone out there will have an idiotic comment to make about your particular situation. A thoughtful reply to people in your case could be, "you can't build upon perfection!".

I haven't tried these chocolate eggs you are talking about. In fact I think I will avoid them otherwise they sound so tasty I will get hooked on yet one more thing not great for my body. Like you, I REALLY appreciate pictures of me from yesteryear....I never appreciated them at the time but add on the years, pounds and wrinkles and boy, oh boy, would I like the younger me back!!

LW said...

Julie,
Check out my blog, I passed on a blogger award to you.

Louise

Shop girl said...

I love chocolate with and in most anything...I used to go to See's Candy store and buy the big Easter eggs filled with yummmie fillings.
Now I think of them as to much fat!
Julie, my Jenny has one very special little guy...Summit. She is very happy with one. We adopted our first son Trevor, we couldn't have children...then I gave birth to Cory and then Jenny. Everything happens for a reason. Your family is wonderful, you have love, that's what it's all about.
Your post is delightful, I found myself thinking about so many things in my own life...I loved your story about the escargot...it made me smile...

Mary said...

Lovely photos Julie - thanks so much for sharing them and all the tidbits of your life. You are still a gorgeous woman and like all of us, cannot stop time, so we make the best of what we have and try to be comfortable in our skin, wrinkled or not!! The inner beauty always shows through in your writing and now your art - great things are being created, you are good!

Have to run, readying for a trip next week. More later - meanwhile do take care dear, just glad you are OK - I missed you.

GreenishLady said...

Great mini-bios, and a lot of interesting bits of information about you too. I've been there too with the questions about having "only one" child. I recall so clearly when I noticed that people had shifted from asking if he was my "first" to my "only one". I like your saying for that photo. One is no less a blessing indeed!

Lila Rostenberg said...

What wonderful photos! I'd much rather have the raspberry dark chocolate candy egg than the escargot, myself!
Off to peak at the scanned images in your art blog!

Joyce said...

Hi Julie,
I love to hear people's "live stories" and yours was great.
I love those SAME candy chocolate eggs too! Great minds think alike. HA!
Don't fret how you appear now.....beauty is inward that is forsure. WE all wish at certain moments we could "turn back the hands of time" I think aging with "Grace" is a great thing...besides us American's are way too concerned about aging and our looks I feel.
I think you look just fine...:~)
Joyce

marthaberry said...

I have been enjoying your blog. I have it in my list of interesting reads. I found it from Autumn Zephyr's.

I just wanted to tell you that, and to say that I crave the Maple eggs. I don't know where you live, but Russell Stover outlets have tons of the eggs after Easter. And they are discounted too!

Thanks for all the good reading.

Anonymous said...

Russell Stover eggs are the best. I like the raspberry and strawberry but the coconut are my favorite. I am always amazed at the things people ask about having children. What is that? I had my youngest when I was 40. I was asked what I would do if he was born with downs.

Carole Burant said...

Hello dear Julie:-)

I'm finally back to regular blogging...isn't it funny how having company for a week and then being away for a few days can mess up your regular routine?? hehe I've really missed you all.

Thank you so much for your best wishes on my finding out that I will be a grandma...I can't tell you enough how absolutely thrilled I am:-)

I so enjoyed reading your answers to the memes...that's too funny about serving escargots and everyone getting food poisoning (well not funny for them but you know what I mean! lol) and like you, I don't eat SNAILS! hehe Isn't it funny how people think it's so terrible to either have no children or only one child...sometimes it's not our choice as you said!! xox

Laurie said...

Some people don't have the common sense to mind their own business...
My hubby has hazel eyes, I think hazel is the prettiest eye color one can have.
Some incense I don't care for, and some is down right sickening. Growing up in a Catholic church, the priests always went a bit crazy with the incense and if it was a crowded mass and warm, oh brother, people would be dropping like flies.
I like the coconut dark chocolate eggs the best!!

Anonymous said...

It's great to read about you. I love the pictures. It's always so nice to see how a person looked like years ago.
Have a great day !!