Getting To Know You

One of the fun things that happens in the world of blog is to be tagged by a blogger friend to share things about yourself. It's a great way to get to know a person better. Sometimes we learn deep, serious things. Sometimes fun, silly things. I've been tagged by Hope at Second Time Around to share seven weird or random things about myself. First I have to post the rules. Then I tell you about me - what you may (or may not) want to know.

The rules are:

1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

Here we go:

1. I can read upside-down. I don't know why or how I learned to do this. Maybe it was a time when I was across the table from someone and tried to help them with homework. Maybe I was trying to snoop and read what someone else was writing. Anyway, I can do it. Unless the handwriting is so bad I couldn't read it right-side-up!

2. I tie bows left-handed, even though I'm right-handed. My father was left-handed and he taught me to tie my shoes. As a result my bows are never quite straight. My sweetheart always tried to tie the sashes on our dear daughters dresses so they wouldn't be at an angle.

3. I LOVE pickles. Dill pickles are a weakness of mine. One year when I was young my family spent a few days around New Year's Day at the home of good friends. Their daughter and I were best buddies. Just after midnight on New Year's Eve we lay in bed in her bedroom upstairs. Our parents were asleep downstairs. Her brothers and sisters were either in their rooms or at the homes of friends for the night. We decided it was much too quiet for a New Year's Eve. We needed to celebrate. What could we do? We quietly tiptoed downstairs to find something yummy to eat. Her mother was one of the best cooks. We found our way through the kitchen to the big pantry/fruit room where 'millions' of jars of home-canned foods were stored. As we turned on the light we immediately spotted rows and rows of pickles. Dill pickles. I told her how much I love dill pickles and soon we decided to celebrate by eating her mother's wonderful homemade dill pickles. I had in mind a pickle or two. She suggested that we each could have our own quart of them. I questioned the wisdom. Would we get in trouble? Would her mother mind if we ate two quarts of her beautiful pickles? No, not at all. So, we took them back upstairs and enjoyed every single bite. For a few minutes. Then, all of a sudden I said I didn't feel good and I thought my tummy was sick. She admitted the same. Within minutes we both raced down the stairs to the bathroom that was between the two bedrooms where our unsuspecting parents lay quietly sleeping. Two VERY sick little girls. In agony. Praying to live. Vowing to never again eat a whole quart of dill pickles. Our mothers were immediately by our side. We had to admit our deed and suffer the consequences. We are still very good friends and we and our two dear mothers meet for lunch nearly every month. We often laugh and reminisce about that New Year's Eve celebration. We both still love dill pickles. One.at.a.time.

4. I whistle off-key. I am a musician. Piano. Keyboard. Vocal. I have a good ear for music and can immediately hear when music is off-key. Once in awhile I whistle a tune as I work around the house. One day when my children were young I whistled a familiar song that was on the radio only to be told that it sounded terrible. They said I was off-key. No, I couldn't be! I could hear it myself. And I was right on key. I'm a musician. I know whether something is on or off-key. My sweetheart spoke up and told me it was really bad. Not on-key at all. I disputed their opinion so we taped me whistling with another song playing. Terrible. Not to be believed! How could this be? Apparently when I whistle the sound that travels to my ear is distorted in some way. It sounds on-key to me but it's not! It's really bad! I think I'm tone-deaf to my own whistling. Occasionally I suggest to my family that I would be more than willing to whistle a special song at church or at a function we will all attend. That always brings loud protests and much laughter.

5. I was never allowed to use the word hate when I was growing up. But I HATE asparagus! I can't stand the smell of it cooking and the taste of it is enough to make me ill. When I was about five-years-old we travelled to the home of friends far away. Periodically I would ask my father to stop so I could get something to drink. He obliged until, finally, he said we would not stop again until we arrived at the home of our friends. Don't ask to stop. We aren't far away. A bit later I sat in the backseat of our car and said to no one in particular - but hoping my father would hear and have pity on me - "I'm so thirsty I would even be willing to drink asparagus juice!" Through the years I've often been teased about asparagus juice. I've never seen it on the market. Thankfully. If you have, please don't send any to me.

6. I am an only child. I did have a brother who didn't live when he was born. As a result I grew up an only child. When I was very young I had a constant companion. My rag doll, Susie. Maybe someday you will meet her. She would love to pose for a picture and meet you. Susie was usually slumped over my arm. Wherever I went, Susie went. Wherever Susie went, I went. Susie was often blamed for things that I did when I thought I would be in trouble for my actions. Something was broken. Susie did it! Something was spilled. Susie did it! Something wasn't put away as it should be. Susie did it! She was a character, that Susie, but she still loves me. She lives in my garage but soon she hopes to move into my sewing room where she has spotted a new shelf that's waiting for her to take up residence. She thinks that's what's going to happen. I'm not sure. But I sure don't want to disappoint her. We.will.see.about.that!

7. I drink Diet Pepsi first thing in the morning. Before you email me or comment about the dangers and affects of this behavior, I already know about them. Several years ago I was the office manager at a manufacturing plant near my home. Each morning at 7:00 we began our work day. Most of the men in the plant loved to tease me about drinking Diet Pepsi first thing in the morning. They often commented that it didn't make sense to them. My response - "What do you have in your hand?" "A cup of coffee." "Well, you like your caffeine hot - I like mine cold." Enough said. I did the trick every time.

Well, there you have it. Aren' you glad you know all of this about me? I have to tag seven people to share about themselves. I have chosen to tag friends whose blogs I visit often. Some new friends. Some friends for awhile. Some live nearby. Some live far away. I hope you will visit their blogs and get acquainted with them. They are:

1. Kentucky Bound

2. Susan at PawleyFarm Seasons
3. Rosie at Rosie's Whimsy

4. Yolanda at Perfectly Imperfect
5. Katherine at Yellow Rose Arbor
6. Rose at Classic Charm

7. Mimi at Listen To Your Grammie