2) What's your favorite dish at your favorite restaurant?
A. My favorite dish is sweet and sour chicken at Szechuan, a restaurant about 35 minutes away.
3) Did you set goals for 2026? If yes, how are you proceeding toward them?
A. I did not set goals for 2026, so I'm not doing very well at reaching them. I have set other goals this year, though, and I am slowly whittling away at them.
4) What's something you have learned the hard way?
A. That the people you love the most will be the people who hurt you the most.
5) If you could skip one item on today's to-do list, what would it be?
A. The same one that's always on the list but which I skip or leave for last: doing the bookkeeping.
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A. The last gift I received was a special pen and journal from a friend.
2. Who did you last hang out with?
A. I last hung out with my husband, but I'm kind of hanging out with him most of the time. I hung out with a friend not long ago when we went to lunch, though.
3. Do you often lose the remote?
A. I am not in charge of the remote. The remote exists to please the man, and the man is in charge of the remote. Said remote in the man's hands has a tendency to run through the channels, up and down and up and down, until such time as wife finally snaps and says, "Would you please leave the TV on the same channel? You are making me crazy."
4. When did you last check Facebook?
A. Sometime today.
5. Are there scented candles in the room you're in?
A. There are no scented candles anywhere in my house. I am allergic to scented items.
6. Next time you leave the house, where will you be going?
A. I will either be going to the library, to physical therapy, or to the grocery store.
7. Do you know anyone named Steven or Stephen or Steve or Stevie?
A. I have cousins, one on my side and one on my husband's side, who are named as such.
8. Which do you prefer: macaroni salad or potato salad?
A. I prefer potato salad. My husband likes macaroni salad. But mine must not have onions. My stomach cannot handle onions.
9. Do you have an ice maker in your refrigerator door?
A. My ice maker is in the top of the refrigerator where ice makers belong.
10. When you woke up this morning, did you get up straightaway or lounge a bit?
A. When I wake up, I usually fix myself a nice cup of hot water and spend time at the computer reading the news. These days that is not such a pleasant pastime and one that I probably should wait to do until I've had my blood pressure medicine for the day. Good grief.
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A. I wish I had more time, period. I don't really have a reason.
3. What would you like to do less?
A. Housework.
4. What do you spend too much money on?
A. At the moment, I am spending too much money on food, but that's because of price increases, not because I am purchasing more.
5. What childhood wish never came true?
A. I thought about being an archeologist at one time.
6. What did you do to celebrate your last birthday?
A. I went to lunch with a friend.
7. What drives you nuts?
A. The way people drive.
8. What keeps you sane?
A. Reading and writing.
9. What historic date is etched in your memory?
A. 9/11 will always be etched in my memories. What a terrible day.
10. What one thing would make your life immeasurably better?
A. Losing weight, but I have hormone issues and hang on to it no matter how little I eat.
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Once again this week we aren't stealing, we're contributing! These are questions suggested by our "usual suspects." If you can, please take a moment and visit your fellow thieves.
1. If you were trapped in a TV universe for a month, what TV show would you choose? (Kwizgiver)
A. I would like to be trapped in The West Wing for a month. At least then I would have some idea of what life would be like under a real leader, as well as get a feel for how things actually work in the hallowed halls of the federal government. Maybe I could be a protege of the great C. J. Craig (Allison Janney).
2. What song instantly revs you up and gets you going? (Annie)
A. Happy by Pharrell Williams and Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars. They make me Shake My Groove Thing.
3. Are you decorating your home for fall? (Lori)
A. Not much. I will change the flag outside in the flower bed by the door to something more suitable for fall.
4. How do you treat a cold? (Syl)
A. Very gingerly and with great caution. Mostly a cold takes lots of tissues, some antihistamine, hot water, chicken soup, and a good book.
5. What insignificant thing would you be genuinely annoyed if you lost it or it was taken from you? (Lisa)
A. My printed-out calendar. I know I have a calendar on my phone, and I have a calendar on my computer, and a calendar on the wall, but it's the printout of the calendar on the computer that I check every day (it syncs with my phone) to see where I am supposed to be or what I'm supposed to be doing. Obviously, it's not necessary but I like the paper and having it right next to me where I can see it.
6. What place do you remember vividly, even though you haven't been there in years? (Country Dew)
A. I remember Myrtle Beach very vividly, as I have been there a lot. However, my memories are the Myrtle Beach of old, with an arcade and board walk and multiple putt-putt golf courses, not the Myrtle Beach of today that has only remnants of that and is instead more of a shopping destination with golf courses for the people who play golf.
7. Do you have a favorite Dolly Parton song or story? (Roger)
A. I have a memory of my mother cleaning up the kitchen and singing Coat of Many Colors that stands out for me. I was just coming from my bedroom, and she seemed calm and happy, just wiping at the counters and singing along with Dolly. I stood and watched her until she felt my presence, and then she stopped and turned around. I was sorry I interrupted her.
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1. Your MOST overused word or phrase: "Interesting." It covers practically everything.
2. Your BIGGEST expense: My husband. 😘
3. Your WORST fear: Zombie Apocalypse 🧟
4. Your BEST memory of Summer 26: Giving myself a present. 🎁
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A. True. I've been married for 42 years, soon to be 43.
2. I'm raising a teenager.
A. False. I never had children.
3. I recently vacationed in California.
A. False. The last time I was in California, I was 13 years old.
4. I have traveled to Asia.
A. False. I have been to Spain and France, but not to Asia.
5. I have a dog.
A. False. I have had dogs, I grew up with dogs, but I do not have a dog at the present time. We hadn't been married quite a year when I got Ginger, a mixed terrier and Eskimo Spitz, as a tiny little puppy at the flea market. She lived to be 17 years old, which is quite old for a dog. We kept her outside in a warm cozy doghouse that we filled up with old rugs and fresh straw, and when the temperature dipped, I brought her into the garage for the night. She fought me like crazy every time I did that. I think she actually preferred the colder temperatures.
6. I received money from a class action settlement.
A. True. I have received money from a medical class action settlement, the Facebook class action settlement, and a few others. It's never a lot of money.
7. I've been in the waiting room when a family member had surgery.
A. True. I was in the waiting room when my husband had his ankle surgery, his hip replacement, and when he was hurt on a piece of farm machinery.
8. I have attended a convention.
A. True. I have attended several writer's conventions.
9. I subscribe to my local newspaper (either print or online).
A. True. I wrote for the local newspaper and still subscribe to it.
10. I recently had work done to the exterior of my home.
A. False. We haven't had to do anything to the exterior of the house since last August. Maybe that's recent? If so, then my answer would be true.
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1) What’s something you want to do before summer slips away?
A. I need to get outside in the darkness and look at the stars, taking my camera in hopes of catching some stray shooting star.
2) What book are you currently reading?
A. I am reading The Vaster Wilde, by Lauren Groff. It's about a young woman who fled the Jamestown settlement circa 1610 or so, as everyone else lay starving and dying. She is traveling the wilderness north in hopes of finding the French in Canada.
3) What have you been listening to?
A. Alexa plays a lot of Fleetwood Mac lately.
4) What shows or movies have you been watching?
A. We have been watching Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Deadliest Catch, Password, and In the Eye of the Storm.
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A. I will remember that I had physical therapy for my shoulder. I will probably also remember that this is when Dolly Parton died.
2. When will you start your holiday shopping?
A. I usually have started by now. I am running a little late this year.
3. Where did you meet the person you fell the hardest for?
A. I met him when we were kids on the school bus, although he doesn't remember that. We met again when we were older underneath the football goal post at high school football game.
4. Where did you meet your best friend?
A. I met her at a library event. She was dressed as a cow. I was reporting on the activity.
5. Share a fact about the last person who texted you.
A. The last person to text me is a wonderful, caring woman who has known me since high school. She gave me a compliment no one else has ever given me.
6. EXTRA! EXTRA! Since June's DIY meme was such fun, let's do it again. Please close out this post with a question for your fellow Sunday thieves. Hopefully we'll have enough responses for a September DIY.
A. What’s a skill you wish you could download into your brain instantly?
Or
What’s a place you remember vividly even though you haven’t been there in years?
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A. 632 – Muhammad, the central figure of Islam. (born 570/571)
1795 – Louis XVII of France (born 1785)
1) One holiday or observance
A. World Oceans Day
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This week's meme was stolen from Country Dew (that's me!). A decade ago, she shared these "get to know you" questions she found on Facebook. Let's use them to go to know you better.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ...?
1. Flavor? - Sweet.
2. Movie? - The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
3. Piece of jewelry? - My wedding band.
4. Place to be? - Home.
5. Boy's name? - James
6. Girl's name? - Susan
7. Candy? - Chocolate
8. Sports team? - The Indiana Fever (WNBA)
9. Color? - Blue
10. Month? - September
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1) Describe your typical weekend and tell us how this weekend has been different.
A. My typical weekend involves changing the bed linens and washing them, doing laundry, maybe a dinner out, watching TV, and regular chores. I can't think of anything different that's happened.
2) What food hits your bliss spot?
A. Chocolate. But good chocolate. Lindt has good chocolate these days.
3) Where did you stay on your last vacation (hotel, Airbnb/Vrbo, friends/family)?
A. I haven't been on a vacation in 7 years. I stayed in a condo.
4) If you had a personality eraser, what part of yours would you erase?
A. I might not be so blunt about things. I can be pretty straightforward when it comes to saying what I think.
5) Think of your friends. Tell us about the first one who popped into your head.
A. I'll tell you about an old friend I saw this past week. I hadn't seen her in I bet 20 years. She's a retired journalist and editor. She has a lovely smile and a twinkle in her eye. She's got a dog, and she has brilliant white hair (not gray). She is almost 80 and still works. She's lost her husband and a son, and she told me she's had two knee replacements and a shoulder replacement, so she's almost bionic! It was nice to see her again.
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6. Seen the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. (I haven't seen this in person but I've watched in online. Does that count?)
7. Been to Disneyland or Disney World. (We went to the one in Florida in 1993 to celebrate my college graduation. It was SO hot.)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Been to the Louvre
11. Had food poisoning
12. Eaten vegetables you grew yourself
13. Slept overnight on a train. (This happened on a trip from Spain to France. We had to take the passenger trains that stopped constantly because we needed to get out of Spain because there was something political going on. I was in high school and there with a group of students.)
14. Built a snow fort
15. Held a lamb
16. Gone skinny dipping
17. Been on a cruise (day cruises and dinner cruises count)
18. Seen Niagara Falls
19. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
20. Sung karaoke
21. Sat for a portrait
22. Walked on a beach by moonlight
23. Been transported in an ambulance
24. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
25. Kissed in the rain
26. Played in the mud
27. Gone to a drive-in theater
28. Changed your vehicle's oil yourself
29. Taken a martial arts class
30. Visited the Vatican
31. Volunteered at a soup kitchen or food pantry
32. Sold Girl Scout cookies
33. Bought a used car
34. Sat on a jury
35. Ridden an elephant
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Premise: A philanthropist awards you $80,000 with the stipulation that you must spend half on yourself and half for the benefit of others.
1. Of the $40,000 you must spend on yourself:
a. First you throw yourself a lavish birthday party. Tell us about it.
A. My lavish birthday party would include a complete takeover of The Hotel Roanoke, and I'd invite all the Saturday 9ers and Sunday Stealers to come, because you know, why not, and I'd pay their expenses to get to me. I'd also invite all of my friends. We'd have a flowing chocolate bar and lots of cake.
b. Then you take off on a cruise. Where are you headed?
A. My cruise would be to Alaska.
2. Of the $40,000 you must spend for the benefit of others:
a. Who would be on your gift list? What would buy them?
A. I would give a little something to all of the Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing players, I'd get my husband something nice, I'd buy something pretty for my friends. Maybe some local art.
b. Which charities would you support?
A. My alma mater, the local fire department, and the local food pantry. I've about given up on national charities, I swear they spend more money than I donate trying to get me to give them more money.
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Answer these questions with anything from a single word to a paragraph or two. It's up to you.
A is for Age.
A. I am of an age when I am now old. Some might even call me elderly, although I prefer "older person," myself. I'm old enough to know better, and old enough not to care so much.
B is for your Booze of choice.
A. My beverage of choice would be an A&W root beer.
C is for Career.
A. I worked as a freelance news writer for about 40 years. Some of that time I was on staff, but most of it I worked freelance, writing as many as 30 articles a month. It was not great pay but I did, heard, and saw many things I'd not otherwise have.
D is for your Dog's name.
A. My last dog's name was Ginger. We had her for 17 years. We got her in 1984 and she died in 2001.
E is for Everyday Essentials.
A. I need lotion, powder, toothpaste, and mouthwash every day.
F is for your Favorite Food.
A. My favorite food is chocolate. I am a confirmed chocoholic.
G is for your favorite Game.
A. My favorite game is a video game called Skyrim, which I haven't played in years, but it is still my favorite video game of all time.
H is for your Hometown.
A. My hometown is the community in which I still live.
I is for an Instrument you play.
A. I play guitar.
J is for your favorite Jam or Jelly flavor.
A. My favorite jelly is Welch's Grape Jelly.
K is for Kids.
A. I do not have any kids.
L is for the Last show or movie your watched.
A. The last show I watched was an episode of JAG.
M is for your Most prized possession.
A. My most prized possession is my wedding band.
N is for the Name of your first crush.
A. My first crush's name was Jamie.
O is for what you Observe from your window.
A. From my window, I see oak trees in the pasture, a mock orange tree, grass that's a little greener than it has been because we had a small shot of rain, threatening skies, and a fence,
P is for Phobias.
A. I am not afraid of much, really. I will ask my husband to kill spiders and snakes if he's here, but if he's not, I'll do it myself. I'm not afraid of heights although at my age, they're not the smartest thing for me to indulge in.
Q is for your favorite Quote.
A. Not all those who wander are lost - J.R.R. Tolkien
R is for Regret.
A. Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention.
S is for Sweets.
A. We'll just go with chocolate again here.
T is for the Time you wake up.
A. I am generally up by 6:30 though sometimes I sleep until 7 or so.
U is for Underwear.
A. I wear it.
V is for your favorite Vegetable.
A. Does anyone really have a favorite vegetable? I like peas, green beans, and broccoli.
W is for your Worst habit.
A. My worst habit is engaging mouth before brain sometimes.
X is for X-rays.
A. I just had some for my shoulder about a month ago.
Y is for your Yummiest recipe.
A. That would be for fudge.
Z is for your Zodiac sign.
A. I am a Gemini through and through.
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1. ROCK STAR NAME (current pet and first car)? Example: If you have a dog named Max and your first car was a Chevy Malibu, your rock star name would be Max Malibu.
A. Cow Camry. That doesn't sound very rock star-ish, however.
2. RACECAR DRIVER NAME (the first names of your grandfathers)?
A. Eugene Lewis
3. SOAP OPERA NAME (your middle name, town you were born in)?
A. Virginia Jeanne. (That's not the town, but some things people don't need to know. It's also backwards.)
4. WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM NAME (your parents' middle names)?
A. Marie O'Dell (Also not accurate, but names in the family.)
5. ROMANCE AUTHOR NAME (favorite flower, favorite season/holiday)?
A. Iris Autumn.
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1) If you could attend a 4th of July fireworks display anywhere in the United States, where would you choose?
A. I think I'd go to New York. I've watched the Macy's fireworks on TV and they look spectacular.
2) What book are you currently reading?
A. Band of Sisters, by Lauren Willig. It's about a group of women from Smith College who go to France during World War I to help out burned out villages.
3) What have you been listening to?
A. I have been listening to music by Melissa Etheridge.
4) What shows or movies have you been watching?
A. We recently finished up all the seasons of Downton Abbey. I confess I was sorry to see that end. We started on JAG for now. We also watch Jimmy Kimmel's Password, and Deadliest Catch. We were watching Brilliant Minds but that's finished up its season and wasn't renewed. Hopefully new shows will soon be here.
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I LOVE TO: listen to music, write stuff, and read.
I SOMETIMES: see bears, raccoons, deer, wild turkeys, and other animals.
I FEAR: losing my mind and not realizing it.
I MISS: the things and relationships I never had.
I CRAVE: chocolate.
I CHERISH: friendships.
I AM IMPATIENT WHEN: doctors keep you waiting.
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