This, That, & T'other Thing...

This

First - I have been super remiss. I'm not going back & checking, but I'm pretty sure that I haven't updated you guys on my health goals in at least three weeks. So. Still plugging along. Renewed vigor this week. Down three pounds since the beginning. Since my goal was to maintain my weight over the holidays I'd say Score! Now it's time to get a little more serious. The one component that I'm not being very successful with is exercise. I may have to have someone (Dr. M perhaps?) give me a thump each evening to get me up & at 'em. I'll work on that this week & report back to you next Friday.

That

I WON something! Jayne at Journey Through Grace had a giveaway of her favorite music & I was one of the winners! I'm so excited. And this reminds me that Amy at *All Things Ro is ready to pass on the book from the I Won, You Win giveaway tomorrow. Go to her site to enter.

T'other

Like a lot of you, we're getting a nice little snowstorm. I thought I'd share some pictures. I actually stopped in the middle of the road on my way home to take a couple of them! Fortunately there weren't any other cars going my way at the time...

This is a small sheep farm I get to drive by every day. Lots of times there is at least one sheep on top of the hay - makes me smile every time.

Lest you wonder if the middle of Ohio is flat

Oh my heavens that little penguin is drenched in snow!

Here's a closeup...

Penguin luminaries - heh.

Finches in snow...

The End

Random Dozen Meme, and I Won, You Win Winner!

1. If you could master one sport, what would it be? Does ping pong count? I use to love to play when I was younger (& had access to a table), but I wasn’t super fabulous at it, just better than people expected so I would sometimes win. But I would LOVE to be a world-class ping pong player. Wow, I really am super geek.

2. When you make a major purchase, do you go with your gut instinct, or do you do research to make an informed decision? I make Dr. M do the research & then he’s the one who gets to decide since he did all the work. I know, a major cop out! I think if I had to do it myself I would narrow down my choices with research & then go with my gut instinct to make the final selection.

3. There is an old kids' game that says you can find out what your movie star name would be by using your middle name as your first name and the name of the street you grew up on as your last. What is your movie star name? Well, this isn’t much fun – my maiden name is Wallace & the street I grew up on was Wallace Dairy Road! So I’d be Marie Wallace Dairy. Heh. Sounds like a character actor to me.

4. Would you rather give up your favorite music or your favorite food? This is hard! I rarely listen to music since I listen to books on tape – but I don’t know that I’d want to give any of it up. But food! For my health I should say I’d give up the food. This is my not happy to give up food face.

5. There are two types of banana preferences. One is pristine yellow, almost to the point of being green; the other is spotty and more ripe. Which is your preference? Banana bread! No? Ok, then it needs to be ripe enough that you can actually peel the thing, but I don’t like brown spots.

6. Your favorite tree is? Christmas tree!

7. On a scale of 1-10, how tech savvy are you? I’m an 8 I think – except that I’m not moving with the times. I don’t know how to text, twitter or DVR.

8. Has H1N1 touched your family? Not that I know of – yet!

9. Are you an analytical person, or do you just accept things the way they are without questioning or scrutinizing? Analytical – this was especially evident when I was a child & had all these questions about the Bible…

10. Is your personality more like that of a dog, cat, or Koala? Hmmm, another toughie. I’m going to go with cat – leave me alone & let me do my thing. I’m gonna do it behind your back anyway…

11. Do you keep in touch with friends you made years ago? Yes - three friends from college (well, one of them is my cousin Kim so I’ve known her from birth). We try to get together around Christmas every year to have a meal & exchange gifts. I missed the year I was in Zambia, but I don’t remember missing any others. So that’s, what 25 years now? Hi Sherri & Jenny & Kim (and assorted hangers on otherwise known as your families)! Have you bought your ornaments yet? I have perused, but not purchased...

12. You are checking out at a grocery store. In the express lane, there are more people than the regular lanes, but of course, their load is less than those in the regular lanes. Which lane do you choose (assuming you qualify for the express lane) and why? I go with the self checkout lane. Oh, that wasn’t an option? Boy you’re strict. The express lane for me – I just think it will go faster than the grocery carts filled to the brim.

OK, now it's time to announce the winner of the I Won, You Win carnival. I put all six of the names in a lovely pottery basket & made Dr. M do the honors. The winner is Amy!! Congratulations!

P.S. I'm very conflicted about the floss - I have some teeth that are very close together, but I think the wax flakes off & gets lodged in there. I've started using Reach Gentle Gum Care Mint Woven Floss. I think it works best.

I Won, You Win Carnival

Last month I put my name in the hat to participate in this carnival, begun by Robin at Be Still and Know, and then passed along by Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee. And I won! I know, I was amazed too. The prize was the opportunity to read a book (Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes by Robin Jones Gunn), make notes about the parts I liked best, & then pass it along to another "Sisterchick." Here is Robin's original concept:

As I finished the book up the other day I began to think about the two women the story centers around.

The story begins with two pen pals in elementary school and they continue with there friendship for many, many years through letters and emails, but they have never actually met, not until things change for the main character. Her life takes an unexpected turn and she finds herself face to face with her long time pen pal.

I began to think of the similarities between the two women in the book and all of you, my fellow bloggers.


As members of this unique internet community we enter into each other lives as we read each others posts, as we comment, share encouraging words or just a well needed giggle now and then.

But what I enjoyed as I read this book was the depiction of the friendship these two women shared. They had been intimately involved in each other lives but had never been in the same room with each other, never shared a cup of coffee over the kitchen table, never wept in each other arms. Yet they still shared in the deep bonds of friendship.


The relationship the two women in this book have is a real friendship, as real as friendships get.


I found the similarities between the book and the blogosphere to almost mirror each other.

The idea for “I Won…You Win” is two fold.

Once a winner is chosen I will send the book out into the blogosphere.


My hope is that whoever wins it will keep the “I Won…You Win” giveaway going.


The second requirement is once you have finished the book place your blog address on the inside cover, as well as the date you finished the book and then continue the “I Won…You Win” Giveaway on your blog.

Link back to me in your giveaway. Let’s see where this takes us.


I also want to encourage everyone who reads the book to mark your favorite chapter in the book with a note in the margin telling future readers why you enjoyed the chapter. Use your imagination, tuck a special note in the pages or a pretty bookmark, but put “yourself” somewhere in the pages of the book.


I am so excited to send this out into the blogosphere.

Let the giveaway begin!

I’ve finished the book (a quick and enjoyable read) & I’m ready to pass it along. If you’d like to participate, just leave a comment, with the answer to the following question.

Dental Floss: Waxed, or not?

I’ll announce the winner on the Wednesday meme. Good luck!