a few things

ok, if you havne't noticed, there is something in my sidebar! woohoo! i finally did it! i've joined maryellen's Year of Simple Things ring. go read. it explains it all. and yes, i am maryellen's secret pal. i gave myself away, by joining the ring. lol! at least i did better this time than when i was leanne's secret pal. blogger has a habit of leaving you signed in, and i left a comment on her blog without doing it anonymously. she figured it out pretty quickly, and it was only a few weeks after the exchange had started. i'm such a dork, lol.

now, since i've been revealed, i can finally do the 6 weird things meme that she tagged me for.

THE RULES:Each player of this game starts with the 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog.So onto the six weird things about me...

hmm..hmm..can I narrow it down to just six?

1. I have a sniffer from hell. I can tell you what you're cooking, how long it's been cooking, and what spices/herbs you used. I can even tell you what alcohol, if any, you've used, such as white vs red wine, or which type of beer.

2. I hate to dust. Seriously, terribly, horribly hate to dust, to the point that you have to scrape it off some of the lesser used objects. thank god i married a man who doesn't mind it at all.

3. I don't wear shoes. or socks. not unless there's lots of snow on the ground. for some reason, my feet don't get cold like the rest of me does. in fact, my nose gets colder than my feet do. however, my ankles do get cold, which is why i'm seriously contemplating creating an ankle warmer pattern for others like me.

4. I collect things. Everything. I have a large collection of empty boxes, because you never know when you need a box for shipping, or wrapping or such (ask miss vi what kind of box her afghan came in, lol). I also have a huge number of kitchen implements, some of my own, and some inherited from my grandma. I also came home with at least half of her household when we cleaned her house out. i'm gradually letting some of the lesser important things go. I also have a large assortment of teas, even though i haven't made any in almost a year (thank goodness for airtight sealing, lol). and we wont' discuss books or yarn. ahem. i'm a packrat (i was raised by a packrat (a depression era baby), so i come by it honestly)

5. I have very very very long hair. it's down past my tush. and it's so thick i have to use the industrial pony tail holders to hold it, the regular ones break. when i put it in ponytails or braids. i usually keep it up in clips, like an instant bun. i even knit myself hats to go over the clips! I don't usually do braids because my hair is also very fine & slippery, and doesn't stay in. if i braid it, i usually end up rebraiding it several times a day. and that's WITH hairspray, gel, mousse, what have you. (i have indian hair, i'm told. there is native american blood in my family, but we don't know what tribe or anything)

6. I have a very young looking face. even with the grey hair i have earned at my temples, most people cannot believe that 1) i'm 40, and that 2) i have children old enough to drink. lisa is 22, and steph will be 21 in january. they buy that i'm the boys' mother, nowadays, but they still don't buy that the girls are my daughters, and not my sisters, lol. this is the first year that i haven't been carded for alcohol or cigarettes during the holiday season, as i usually wear a santa hat. granted, i didn't go anywhere new, so they all know me, but still. i'll have to try new places next year and see what happens.

i could go on, but i'll stop there.

Who to tag? Who hasn't done this yet? if you do it, speak up, and i'll come read it.

and i went to personal threads again this afternoon. i have no shame. i also seem to have no inhibitions where that place is concerned, either. i bought 2 more skeins of malabrigo, a lovely skein of kathleen/bette davis, a ball of trekking (more fuel for the sock marathon!), and 3 balls of galway wool. the galway was amazingly cheap. it's normally $6 a ball for over 200 yds, but on sale it's $4.80. i may have to stock up (i can hear my credit card whimpering now). i'll get pics asap, but my camera is at mark's, and the wool is hiding here, lol.

you might be a redneck if a security camera has filmed you urinating.
. . . making your bed involves moving at least 3 animals (how about 2?)
. . . your station wagon used to be a hearse.
. . .you and your wife stay married for the sake of the dogs.
. . . you always make the minimuym payment and the maximum withdrawal.
. . . all your kids' toys came free with hamburgers (god, i have way too many of those things! and i can't get sean to start eating adult meals, since burger king started the big kids' meal. oy!)
. . . your sheriff goes by a nick name.
. . . you use your bathroom plunger every day (with a child like liam in the house, it's no small wonder! he's just now been in the bathroom for 20 minutes!)
. . . your wedding reception featured Ronald McDonald.
. . . you think "astrology" is what your grandma died of.
. . . you've ever written a check for less than a dollar (in this day of debit cards, that's not such an odd thing, maybe they need to change it to "used your debit card" instead)
. . . you think your state bird is the Pontiac Firebird.
. . . your knife is sharper than you are.
. . . you smelled manure during your wedding.
. . . you always order a water cup, but fill it up with soda.
. . . you have the macaroni and cheese cooking instructions memorized.
. . . you think "hors d'oeuvre" are those girls at the intersection downtown.
. . . you've ever used a Shop-Vac to vacuum your pool.
. . . your family tree has a tire swing.
. . . you have eight chiars on your porch and none of them is safe to sit on.
. . . the graffiti on your fence is in your handwriting.
. . . you use Wite-Out to do a French manicure (that's a teenager thing!)
. . . bill collectors carpool to your home.
. . . the collar on your dog costs more than what you're wearing.
. . . you've ever driven 10 miles with a relative on your roof rack.
. . . the original color of your car is anybody's guess (i had a car that was pink, it was so faded, so no one was quite what shade of red it was supposed to be)
i'll do patterns anotehr time, my arthritis is kicking up, and i need to knit to soothe it.

TTFN!