Wednesday Hodgepodge

Speaking of April 15th .... what's the most "taxing" thing you've done recently?

These days I try not to do "taxing" things! LOL! So, let's see. Putting away laundry is kind of taxing. Okay, not really .. I just don't like to do it. I cleaned out my refrigerator! That was taxing! And I recently went through the kids' room to organize their toys. Blech!

When did you last take a taxi somewhere and where was that somewhere?

When Rick and I were in New Orleans, I went to hail a taxi to go to the World War II Museum. But the concierge got me a driver instead. Rick and I have taken taxi vans from the airports, but those don't seem like taxis to me. They are more shuttles. Honestly I think the last time I actually took a real taxi somewhere was in Chicago many, many years ago when my mom, aunt, and I went to see Oprah Winfrey live.

What's something you can do today that you couldn't do a year ago?

Run 3.1 miles. I couldn't even do that a month ago. But I have been working really, really hard and I can now do it!!

How often is chicken (or some form or fashion) on your menu at home? Which of the following would you most like to see on your table tonight ... a chicken salad sandwich, your mom's friend chicken, a Chick-fil-A meal, Cracker Barrel's chicken n' dumplings, a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings, or 'hold the chicken, I'm a vegetarian' ... ?

We probably have chicken once a week or so. We love a roast chicken dinner, many times settling for a rotisserie chicken from the deli at Walmart. I would so love to have a full helping of Cracker Barrel's chicken and dumplings, with extra biscuits with butter and honey. Oh, yum!!

What was your favorite television program when you were a kid? What characters do you remember most?

Once a t.v.aholic, always a t.v.aholic. And I am. I watched so much t.v. with my parents when I was young that it's hard to choose just one. When I was a toddler, it was Sesame Street. My mom said that I watched the same episode that was on about four times a day and I cried each time it was over. As I got a little older I loved The Electric Company and Z.O.O.M.  Mr. Rogers Neighborhood was a fave, too. As a family we always watched Little House on the Prairie on Monday nights. Older still, I liked watching Good Times, Eight is Enough, Who's the Boss. Oh, and I can't forget Brady Bunch! I mean, really! Yeah, I think Brady Bunch might have been my favorite. And it might still be.

What was the last piece of 'art' you made?

I can be pretty artistic when I need to be, but I don't really do much in the way of creating art. My most artistic things come in my kids' birthday cakes, I guess. They are so extremely amateur, but they always turn out just how they want them. I always have cupcakes on standby, just in case we end up with a disaster. But I am usually able to pull off their visions. Here are the last two. Remember, they are amateur!!

Thank goodness for pre-tinted yellow frosting, huh?

What frustrates you most about the internet?

When it's not available. Haven't we become ridiculously spoiled?

Insert your own random thought here.

This past week I had a spot on my nose looked at by a dermatologist. It ended up being a pre-cancerous spot. I just knew that something was up. I had a dry patch on my nose that I scratched off and coated in moisturizer. In a couple of days it was back. This went on for a couple of weeks. It looked like a scab but I didn't have a sore. The dermatologist froze it off (OUCH!!) in the office. It got me thinking how important it is to know our bodies so that we know when something is amiss. If you have a concern, have it checked out! I am NOT one to go to the doctor unless there is something serious going on, so I am especially glad that I followed my gut and went to have it examined.