Fun Monday-Breaking the Mold

Jill over at Lil Mouse is hosting Fun Monday.  

What happened the day you were born? Did you ever think about what your birthday shares with the rest of the years in your life? What happened then a tragedy, a funny stunt, or a sports phenomenon?

My birthday was August 4th, 1957.  I was born on a Sunday in Enid, Oklahoma at 8:10 pm.  I was born in St. Mary's Hospital.                                                                                                                                                                  Here are some happenings on that day.

Births:

Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon- Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was born on this day in 1900.

Louis Armstrong was born on this day in 1901.

Percy Bysshe Shelley was born in 1792 on this day.

And last but not least the President of the United States, Barack Obama, was born on this day in 1961.

Here are some events (tragic ones) that happened on August 4th.

In 1892, Lizzie Borden axed her step-mother and her father 40 whacks!

Anne Frank and her family were captured in their annex by the German gestapo.

The First World War began on this day in 1914.

The number one song hit on this day was "Teddy Bear" by Elvis Presley.

The cover of Time magazine looked like this:

The best picture was "The Bridge over the River Kwai" starring William Holden.  I always wondered why I loved this movie!

 
And how could I forget the best reminder of my birth year? The 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air?   We are both classic models.  

Fun Monday

Jil at The Adventures of Lil Mouse is the hostess this week.  "Today’s Fun Monday Topic: Strange Dreams. Do you have any dreams, particularly recurrent ones that you feel no one else has? Or, just tell us about an odd dream you had as a kid."

I have a recurring dream that probably other folks have had but it is indeed strange to me.  I will be looking for a bathroom and I am usually in a big old mansion and the bathrooms are very weird.  They are also very disgusting and dirty and overflowing.  But the weirdest bathrooms are not really toilets. They will be chairs and not have any plumbing.  I sit on these chairs and think "how can I go on a chair?" And they are never private.  Somebody always comes and interrupts me and I can never go!  It's hilarious since it's only a dream but it wouldn't be if it were real life.  I also carry this dream to many other buildings too.  There will be schools and hotels and shopping malls.  Public bathrooms with tons of toilets (all crappy)  and open to everyone with no doors.  I search and I search and no one helps me and I think I've finally found a private spot, but no!  The ones without plumbing are the worst!  Can you imagine?  I hope not.

Go visit LilMouse for more fun dreams!

Fun Monday-The Foot Challenge

Fun Monday

Gattina at Writer's Cramp is the hostess with the mostest this week:

Please show us what you wear on your feet inside your home ! Do you wear slippers, flip flops, shoes or nothing ? just take a picture and show us your feet !

I wear my comfy house shoes most of the time in the winter or my UGGs.  Most of the spring and summer I go barefoot.

Fun Monday-Landmarks

Fun Monday is being hosted by Pamela of The Dust Will Wait.  She requests that we show her some landmarks of our hometown.  I have shown this landmark before so I will direct you to this post.  For more Fun Monday participants visit Pamela.

Fun Monday-What Are You Reading?

AOJtheLurchers is the place to find all the Book Worms for Mon Funday. Clink the Link to find out who's reading what.

Here's the challenge: OK, I know that pretty much all of you out there are bookworms.

So for Fun Monday on 2nd February, firstly tell me what book you are reading now. What's it about? Are you enjoying it and why? If not, why not?

And secondly, if you were to be stranded on a desert island, what one book would you take with you.


I am reading a few books right now.
I am reading "Hannah Coulter" by Wendell Berry for a blog book club called Hannah Coulter Book Club for Copy Cats started by Lynn in Wi.  Hannah is a member of Port William, Kentucky.  She is twice widowed, alone, and in her seventies when she recalls her childhood, young love and loss, and raising children.  She has strong opinions (some of the author) about old ways and how they should remain.  It is interesting to get the insight of an older generation.  It gave me some understanding and good thoughts to remember.  


I am reading "About the Author" by John Colapinto for another blog book club called the PMS Book Club started by Holly of AFF.
I'll give you the back page:  "Just how did Cal Cunningham-a twenty-five-year-old bookstore stockboy who is new to Manhattan and who has never written anything---publish a bestselling novel that sells to the movies for a million dollars?"  "About the Author" is his first-person account of how he performed this remarkable feat."  It reminds me of the book "A Bear Went Over the Mountain."


I am reading "The Reader" by Bernhard Schlink.  I thought the movie looked interesting, so I decided to read the book first.  Then I will go see the movie.  Again, I will give you the back of the book description:  "When fifteen-year-old Michael Berg falls ill on his way home from school, he is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age.  In time she becomes his lover, enthralling him with her passion, but puzzling him with her odd silences.  Then she disappears.  Michael next sees Hanna when she is on trial for a hideous crime, refusing to defend herself.  As he watches, he begins to realize that Hanna may be guarding a secret she considers more shameful than murder."  Sounds pretty interesting, right?  


I am reading "Facing Your Giants" by Max Lucado for my Sunday School class.  I'm sure that everyone has heard of Max Lucado or even has had a yearly calendar with his quotes.  Here is the account from the book:  "David's life story is punctuated with nevertheless.  The runt of eight brothers, nevertheless, he was chosen to be the King of Israel.  Nicknamed "Twiggy" by his nine foot nine inch adversary, nevertheless, he slew Goliath with a strip of leather and a pebble.  As king, he committed the double crime of adultery and murder, nevertheless, he was called "a man after God's own heart."  Do you need a nevertheless to be written into your biography?  Fortunately, God has plenty to go around."
Also, if stranded on a desert island, I have to admit I would want the Bible with me.  Because I would be doing a lot of praying once there.  

For more Fun Monday participants, go here.

Fun Monday-The Inside View

Latecomer to Fun Monday this week.  Here's my view inside the front door.  Julie at Another Chance Ranch is this week's Hostess.  Please visit her for more fun. 

Fun Monday

Fun Monday participants:
Janis is the hostess this week.

"Here is the assignment!
Since Next Tuesday is Veterans Day, I thought it would be nice to salute our Veterans and show our appreciation. Photo requirement of something patriotic."

This is in honor of my dad.  Also, I do honor all men and women who have served or are serving in the military.  Freedom isn't free!  Thank God for you!

Here is my dad and his buddies shipping out.  
This is my dad in front of his barracks.  


This is my dad.  Please visit Janis for more Fun Monday.

Fun Monday-My Place

Gattina at Writer's Cramp is hostessing Fun Monday this week.  She wants to see a photo of our blogging camp.  My Fun Monday logo was borrowed from Gattina many Mondays ago.  I really thought it is a joyful picture.  

Here's the place:

The computer is located in my daughter's bedroom that

is now a music and computer room.  And a mess!

Fun Monday-The Wall

So sorry I'm late with this Fun Monday. We were without internet
most of yesterday. This week's host was Jan at The Prytz Family.  We are

supposed to show our walls and what's on them.  I am only going to

show you my bedroom wall for now.  I have artwork on most every

available wall.  I am currently changing some art on my living room

walls.  I'm not about change.  I could keep something like it is for

years, just ask my kids.  Anyway, here are bedroom photos for your

enjoyment(?)

This photo is the view from my bed every morning.  The

picture on the left is artist George Bates.  The middle is

Yuri Dvornik with a Paris scene.  The right is "The Girl

with the Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer.  I love 

Dutch paintings.

This is above my dresser.  I collect wooden shoes.  I love

Monet.  This is called "View of Tuileries Gardens."  

Behind the bed are more pictures.  Of course, the building

of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  Other various farm scenes

I picked up at Arts and Crafts fairs of local artists.

Below these are prints that I picked up on our trip to

Paris.  The one on the bottom right is a very old watercolor

by a Parisean artist in the mid-1900's.

Just another view:

Another Monet print:  Red boats at Argenteuil 1875

Final view of room below

Sorry for being late.  

Fun Monday-Good Memories

Fun Monday is being hosted by Molly of Return of the

White Robin.  She wants us to share a happy memory

of our childhood.

One of my favorite childhood memories was shopping with
my mother in a nearby town. It was a wonderful way to
spend a day. We'd shop and get ice cream at a drugstore
soda shop with the old fashioned counter. Here is a link
to the post with pictures.

Fun Monday

This week's Fun Monday is being hosted by Karisma.
She would like us to present something we hand-crafted.


I made this pottery in my high school class. See "1973".
A long time ago. I really enjoyed that class.

I made this quilt a few years ago. I love anything blue
and especially French toile or blue delft.

I have some cross-stitch pictures that I have done.

I have a few counted cross stitch projects that I posted here.

Fun Monday-My Hero

Fun Monday's hostess with the mostest is Kitten.  

She asks us to tell her about our hero.  At first,

I didn't think I would play this week but after

re-reading Anne Frank and watching her movie

again, it changed my mind.  I would say that Anne

was a very heroic person but the person I am going

to name as my hero is the person who helped to hide

her family for 25 months during the war.  Her name

is Miep Gies.  What a hero!  Here is an excerpt from

an interview with her:

What message should the young people of today pass on about Anne's story?
The message to take from Anne's story is to stop prejudice and discrimination right at its beginning. Prejudice starts when we speak about THE Jews, THE Arabs, THE Asians, THE Mexicans, THE Blacks, THE Whites. This leads to the feeling that all members of each such group think and act the same. That results in prejudice. Lumping entire groups of people together is RACISM, because it denies the fact that everyone is an individual. Even our own brothers and sisters or parents are not exactly like we are. So how do we dare to lump entire groups of people together? If any German had ever asked Anne to tell something about herself, I think she would be still with us today. However, nobody asked: she was just a Jew! Therefore, never base your opinion about anybody else on the color of that person's skin, or on the passport that a person carries, or on the family that person comes from, but only on what the person says and does and on NOTHING ELSE.

If you could, would you ever speak to the neo-Nazis that live in Germany today? What would you say to them?
I would urge them to realize that racist ideas caused the death of Anne Frank, an ordinary and innocent child, and also the death of millions of people

Miep Gies said this about being considered a "hero":
How does it feel to be a hero?
I don't want to be considered a hero. Imagine young people would grow up with the feeling that you have to be a hero to do your human duty. I am afraid nobody would ever help other people, because who is a hero? I was not. I was just an ordinary housewife and secretary.

You don't have to be a hero to do your human duty.  Oh, that we would value life like that!

Fun Monday- Magnum Opus

Magnum opus (sometimes Opus magnum, plural magna opera), from the Latin meaning great work,[1] refers to the best, most popular, or most renowned achievement of an author, artist, or composer, and most commonly one who has contributed a very large amount of material. It is another way of saying "masterpiece."

This Fun Monday is being hosted by Southern Doll. Here is her request:

What have you done in your life that was worth doing? I want to know the moments in your life that you hope will be the ones to pass through your mind when your time comes. I hope that doesn't sound too morbid. This doesn't necessarily have to be items you have checked off your Bucket List, it can be those small moments that made you smile, or the time you got that huge promotion you deserved, or the first time your baby smiled at you out of pure joy. I want to know all the moments, big and small, that make life sweet! If you don't already have a running list of these in your mind, you should! These moments help you remember how much your life is worth living, and we all deserve to enjoy it.

Much like Charlotte in "Charlotte's Web", my Magnum Opus would have to be giving birth to my three children.  I really can think of no greater, meaningful, fulfilling, or pleasurable experience.  

Here are a few more things that rate right up there with my children. My marriage is important to me. I cannot imagine being without my husband. I love him and together we are a team. We are opposites in many ways yet we compliment each other.

Owning our house free and clear and owning our business. My husband is the brain of this operation but I am the paperwork/computer person. We work together.

Something that makes me smile: My dad's last words to me were, "You know that I love you." And I will never ever forget that.

Now something I must mention because it was and is life changing for me. I can't say that I accomplished it but it was accomplished for me and I accepted it. Salvation. I gave my heart and life to Jesus Christ and that gives me meaning in this life and in the one to come. That is what I believe. It makes me happy and you might say, "God put a smile upon my face."

I am singing this song in church this Sunday. It's for our pastor's 20th year celebration at our church.
That's all I can think of right now. It always happens and later I think I should have mentioned that, but, oh well. :D

Fun Monday-Celebrity Crush

Fun Monday's hostess is Jo Beaufoix.
She wants to hear about our first celebrity crush.
Ah yes, the wonderful Davy Jones.  

How I loved him...

Fun Monday-High Hopes

Robin at Pensieve's is the hostess with the mostest this Fun Monday. She wants us to inspire others with quotable quotes or quotes to live by. This is a great assignment.
Here's my first quote from a movie with Frank Sinatra.
"He's got high hopes. High, apple pie in the sky hopes."  

Just remember that ant.  Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant.  



"We can do no great things...only small things with great love." Mother Teresa

Fun Monday-Music

This week's Fun Monday is hosted by Swampy. She wants us to make a list from A-Z of something. ABC's. I made mine of music. Now I realize that absolutely no one would have the time to listen to all of these songs. So look at my list and if you see just one that you like, then listen to it. I had fun making it. It was hard to narrow down some of the bands. I had multiples for some letters. Enjoy, please. And visit Swampy for more Fun Monday.

Augustana-Boston

Boston-More Than a Feeling

Coldplay-Clocks ( I could have picked every song they have ever sung!)

Derek and the Dominoes-Bell Bottom Blues

Eagles-Hole in the World (live in Australia)

Fleetwood Mac-Dreams (Man, weren't they great?)

If you only have time to listen to one song, this is the one!
Genesis-No Son of Mine

Henley, Don-The Heart of the Matter (best song ever written)

Imogen Heap-Let Go

Journey- Faithfully

Kansas-Dust in the Wind

Led Zeppelin-Going to California (used to be my favorite song)

Mayer, John-Waiting on the World to Change

Nickleback-If Everyone Cared

Oasis-Little By Little

Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here

Queen-Bohemian Rhapsody

Relient K-Be My Escape

Steely Dan-Reelin' in the Years

Taylor, James-Fire and Rain

U2-Beautiful Day

The Verve-Bitter Sweet Symphony

The Who-Behind Blue Eyes

Xanadu-Rush

Yes-and you and I

ZZ Top-Blue Jean Blues

Fun Monday-Weird Family Speak

Nikki from My Husband Calls Me Weird is this week's hostess with the mostest.  She would like to hear/see our weird family speak creations.  I have a few I could post about so I thought I would join the party this week.

We actually have lots of made-up words.  For right now, I will tell you two.  My youngest daughter when she was very little would walk around and say, "Will a basket do?"  It was the cutest thing I ever heard.  So whenever people are searching for things that is the line we give them.  It took me a while to figure out where this came from.  We used to watch Disney's Cinderella continually and I believe the mice ask this question.

  Another quotation from the same little daughter was "monsteryier hugs."  She used to give and recieve these kind of hugs from her daddy.  Ah, so precious!  We still give them.  

  I am truly a mastermind of made-up words but I don't want to overwhelm you.  

I left one very funny word my oldest daughter spoke when she was two years old.  We used to go eat at a Casa Bonita quite often.  She always ordered "cheese hyenas" that's what she called cheese enchiladas.  So we still refer to them as cheese hyenas now.  

Oh my gosh, I thought of something else that my oldest daughter used to say.  She was about 1-1/2 years old and became afraid for some reason to go into our bedroom.  We would tell her that nobody is going to get you.  So she kept saying "Nobody's  going to get me."  It took us awhile (not being too brilliant apparently) that she thought "nobody" was "somebody that was going to get her."  That took some explaining.  

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!  Go Green.

Fun Monday-What's Your Line?

This week's Fun Monday hostess with the mostest is Mariposa.

Her wish is our command.  Please explain the meaning of your

blog's name or the origin of it or how you came up with it.  Well,

she didn't exactly use those words....and also name your favorite/

most common food.  

God Put a Smile upon my Face.  He did.  It just seemed so natural

for me.  I have had people wonder why I smile at them.  I have tried

not smiling before but by golly it always pops out unexpectedly.  People

might think I'm flirting but I'm not and I smile equally at women and

men.  So I discovered this song by Coldplay.  It is the best ever.  

My favorite/most common meal:  Tequila Lime Chicken

I wouldn't say this was my most common meal but one of

my favorites.  Anything with chicken would be my favorite.

I am posting the recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa.

She is awesome.

You can click on the recipe to enlarge it or enbiggen it as Peter likes to say. :D

Fun Monday-Things That Make You Laugh

Fun Monday is being hosted by Sayre ('cause she smiles).

The rules are she wants to see some sign or just some

thing that makes you laugh or smile preferably on your

drive somewhere (possibly to work).  I don't drive to

work, I work at home so.....I didn't do well with my

assignment this week.  'Cause I do drive other places

but I failed to read my assignment this week!  Sorry...

Here is something that makes me laugh every

time I notice them.

They are 5 lb. weight balls

This creature and others we have make me laugh every

day.  Out loud.  

Please join others to bring a smile to your face today.