What I Want To Be When I Grow Up...

I know if I refused to participate in these Meme's that 1. people would stop tagging me, and 2. people would stop reading me. So what are you gonna do? I was tagged by Witchypoo over at Psychicgeek, who really makes me laugh, so I have to do this.

The tag is for a Meme, in which I have to list eight things I want to do before I die. Once upon a time, there was a lot of things I wanted to do, and places I wanted to go, so it would have been really easy to this several years ago. But now? It has taken me days to think about this. I have most of what I want, and have been to or have plans in the works for going to most of the places I want to go. So, yeah, this one has been hard for me.

1. I want to lose 50 pounds. And somehow, I often think that I will die much too early if I don't lose 50 pounds. I really need to do this one because I want to be around to still be FabGrandma for my gran chilluns.

2. I want to learn how to speak Spanish fluently. I want to do this because I will need to know how to do it if I get to:

3. Spend the winter in La Paz, Mexico, down at the end of the Baja. I want to loll on the beach, eat fish tacos til I pop, and take a ferry ride over to that island where the Blue Footed Boobies live.

4. I want to add Blue Footed Boobies to my lifetime list. For those of you who are not birdwatchers, a lifetime list is "just" a list of the different birds you have seen whilst birdwatching.

5. I want to publish a cookbook. Yeah, Me. I have one in the works, but have not gotten very far with it. A few years ago, all the members of my family--sister, sisters-in-love, nieces, some nephews, mother, etc., all wrote down our recipes and made up a family cookbook. All the new brides in our family get a copy of it, and let me tell you, it has probably saved a couple of marriages on that side of the family. But this new cookbook I have in mind is solely my creation, and will remain secret until I get further down the road with it.

6. I want to own a really good digital camera. Not a cheap one. I want one with multiple lenses, that will take excellent pictures of Blue Footed Boobies and Gluten Free Cherry Pie. One that will cost a month's pay, but that will let me take pictures worthy of selling and suitable for framing.

7. A short term goal I have is to have to buy new pants before this season is over in mid-October. I ain't telling what size I wear, just suffice it to say it is way too big. And even one size smaller would be one small step for womankind, and make this old lady very happy. Oh, and this is probably almost the same as #1, but because it is so important, I have put it in here twice, and because if I accomplish this one, it will help me to accomplish #8:

8. I want to be able to hike the Grand Canyon on the Kaibab Trail, from the North Rim to the South Rim. I want to stay overnight at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. I want to drench myself in the Colorado River, and see for myself the waterfalls at Havasu Falls, Ribbon Falls, and Roaring Springs. Even seeing one of them would make it for me.

So, there you have it. I am not tagging anyone to do this, but if you decide on your own to list your eight things you want to do before you die, please come back here and leave a comment so I will know you have done it and I can come over and read what you want to do, OK?

Me Me Me

Talina at Harvest of Daily Life tagged me for a meme that is going around. She is moving from Flagstaff, AZ to Illinois and needs some moral support, so I have to do just for her.

I am: staying up way too late, again.
I think: Rebecca and Ken will be very happy together in Denver

I know: that all my children love me and think I am the best mother ever
I have: the best job I have ever had

I wish: I could eat wheat again and not be sick if I did.
I hate: that people can't just be happy for you when something you think is good happens to you. Why oh why do some people have to just suck the joy out of every little thing?

I miss: having a garden, but not enough to stop living in a travel trailer
I fear: spiders!!!!! all of them, no matter how big or how little

I hear: Stephen Colbert on the TV
I smell: leftover chili on the stove

I crave: strawberries with whipped cream
I search: for new writing jobs all the time

I wonder: if I will like it in Phoenix this winter
I regret: I only regret that I did not sell my house and start living in a travel trailer sooner

I love: My Jim, I can not imagine my life without him
I ache: in my legs after walking to work this week

I am not: in Kansas anymore, hahahaha
I believe: that we meet people for a reason, and know them as long as we need to, to accomplish whatever it is that was supposed to happen by our meeting them

I dance: terribly
I sing: like a bullfrog

I cry: at movies with sappy endings
I fight: the urge to eat cookies when Jim has them in the house

I win: at Mah Jong, I love that game
I lose: my keys at least once a week

I never: have been to Oregon, but would like to go someday
I always: try to be kind to people and to smile everyday

I confuse: numbers. I am terrible at math
I listen: to my daughters when they need to talk

I can usually be found: playing games or reading blogs on the internet
I am scared: of almost nothing except spiders. I have a terrible fear of spiders.

I need: some new underwear and to lose some more weight
I am happy about: Waking up every morning at the Grand Canyon!
I imagine: that I will be famous someday, at least in small circles.


Oh, and I tag Linda, my sister; Beach Bummz; Brandon at Life on My Terms; and The Flip Flop Mom if she can drag herself away from making those yummy looking pickles. Y'all have fun and then go tell Talina how much fun she will have on her move. She's moving in an RV, ya know, so it will have to be fun. No grumps allowed in RV parks, right?