Saturday, April 15, 2006

Easter 1971 & 6 Weird Things About Me

Mary at Owlhaven tagged me to do a meme concerning 6 weird things about me, so I'm kind of killing 2 birds with one stone, here. The picture to the left there is from Easter, 1971, if I have it figured right. Disregard the date of Aug. 1974 on the top. We were sometimes a bit lax about getting the film developed. Just a bit. (!) I submit that this photo should count for at least one weird thing about me, if not several! I won't cheat, though, I'll do all 6 in a moment.
I've had this pic on here before, when I first started the blog, but it was back in early February, I think, in the archives, so many of you haven't seen it before. I pulled it out for a rerun because of the Easter theme, and th
e weird meme, too.

If there are any photo bugs out there, I believe this pic, and I know many others I have, were taken with my Mom's old Brownie Hawkeye camera. It may have only taken black and white film, though. I can't remember. I remember the c
amera, though. It was dark brown Bakelite, and it was very heavy for its size. It was square, about a 5 1/2 inch cube, and the viewfinder was on top. You had to look down on the top of it to focus on the shot. That was another thing lost in the fire mentioned a few posts back. Ducky had this and several pics in her collection when the house burned, and I am so thankful for that. Ducky and zztop can correct me if I'm wrong about the date and the camera.

Now for the 6 weird things, if I can actually come up with 6 weird things. You wouldn't think it would be too hard to do, as odd as I am, would you?

6 WEIRD THINGS ABOUT DIANE

1. I have a very accurate internal clock, awake or asleep. I can usually tell within 10 minutes or so what time it
is, and how much time has passed if I am trying to time something. For example, a cake in the oven. I can set
my internal alarm to wake up at a particular time, too, and I am pretty accurate at that, too.

2. I don't want any of my food touching on the plate. I hate for something juicy to run under something else on
the plate. I use a lot of dishes and disposable plates and bowls in pursuit of keeping my food separ
ated. One
(sometimes) exception is mashed potatoes and gravy together, and chicken and dressing with giblet gravy
it. You can preach all you want about it all going to the same place, folks. Talk to the hand.............

3. I do an uncannily realistic dog bark. I even fool the dogs, sometimes. Don't ask, it was a skill developed in
childhood, and it still stands me in good stead (whatever that means, but it sounds good here) today,
especially w
hen I want to scare off a yapping dog, or start the whole neighborhood barking for no good
reason. I know that's a skill others long to attain, but fail miserably. So there.....Nyah.....(sticks out tongue.)

4. I have a very highly developed sense of direction. I almost always can tell you which way I am facing, even in
buildings where I can't see out windows to orient on the sun. My sister Ducky will tell you I probably got her
skills in that area as well as my allotment. She can get lost in her backyard, and she will be the first one to tell
you that.

5. I am good with most animals, but especially with birds. We just seem to "know" each other almost
immediately. Even birds who bite and show aggression to others are usually very gentle with me. I'm ver
y
good and patient about taming wild things, too, especially cats. Works pretty good with troubled people
occasionally, too.

6. With a few exceptions of people who are deliberately closed to me, I am very good at reading people on
first meeting them. It has sometimes been a while before they showed the side of them I sensed on first
acquaintance, but I am right about people more often than I'm wrong. When I am wrong, though, I have
no problem admitting it. The hard part is struggling not to judge people because of this. Working on it,
though.

7. Here's an extra, no charge. I am probably a little obsessive compulsive about this, but I have to have all my
bills in my wallet turned the same way, faces up, with the larger denominations in the back, ones in front.
Not that I usually have much money in my wallet to obsess over. I also know within a penny or two exactly how much cash I have in my wallet at any given time, and usually I know to the penny.

Somehow, it sounds better to call these things "personality quirks", rather than weird things. Anyway, Ma
ry, I did it. It was kind of fun, though. Can't wait to see some others, but I think this has made its way to most everyone now, so I won't tag anyone. I know a lot of people don't like memes. If you read this and want to participate, tell me about it in my comments and link to yours if you wish.

Moving on now. Tomorrow being Easter, my sister Ducky's son, Danny and his wife Mikki have invited us all to their house for dinner tomorrow after church. That's the noon meal here, folks, which has been discussed here before. I am making some kidney bean salad, and I think I will make some chicken and dressing, too. They are baking a turkey and a ham, and the rest of us are bringing side dishes and desserts, drinks, etc. Since I am going to church in the morning, and it's a 30 minute drive to their house, I have to make something I can keep hot and/or cold until serving time. I can put cold things in the fridge at church, and I suppose I can keep the dressing warm in the oven there, too. I wish I had one of those insulated carriers with a casserole dish, or the crockpot set like that. I will do something, though. I am looking forward to getting together, and to the meal, too. If everyone comes that Danny invited, he said there should be about 25-30 people there. Since Mom and Dad died, we just kind of drift around, with most of us doing our own things on Sundays and holidays. If anybo
dy gathers at all, it's usually here at my little 4 room apartment. I don't mind at all, though, I am honored that everyone feels comfortable here.

Well, gotta go tend to supper. I'm boiling a chicken for the dressing, and we are having some of the chicken for supper. I have to go find something else to go with it. I am starving, and the growling beast in my tummy is getting restless.

Happy Easter ! !

15 comments:

Andre said...

Hey Lady Di,

This was definitely one of the more positively toned posts I've read in a while. I'll admit that, at first, the six...nay...seven surreal things about you had me sorta easing my way across the room trying to get away from you. But, after my paranoia died down a bit, I took some humor away from it. All I can say is: the first step is admitting...

Secondly: As usual, I love the pics. They were really heart-warming. I'm glad that you're able to hang on to precious items like this.

Finally: Happy Resurrection Day to you!

Later, alligator...

boomama said...

No, no, no, no, no. The bills must all be facing the same direction, faces up, certainly, but they must be ordered with the larger denominations in FRONT and the ones in back. Ordering them from lesser to greater is just plain crazy talk. :-)

Sister and I both have that direction thing. And if I drive somewhere once, I never need directions again. Weird.

Anonymous said...

Diane, I wish I could say I have that wallet/bill problem, but I usually only have to decide whether my $1 George is facing the front of the old receipts, or the back of the empty billfold. :-)

As far as "quirks" go, I can turn my feet almost completely backwards. (180 degree angle?) And no, I'm not double jointed. I can send you a picture if you'd like. :-)

Nashe^ said...

whahaahahahhaha.... nice.

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Andre,
Always good to see your smiling face in my comments, and to read your kind words. :)

Glad you like the pics, and I have more coming as time permits.

Diane@Diane's Place said...

boomama,
Just be strange if you want to, I know I'M the one who's got it right, here. :)
I'm pretty good at remembering my way back after only one visit, too. ;)

Diane@Diane's Place said...

faith,
When you're right, you're right!! You go, girl. :)

And Happy Easter to you, too. :)

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Mike,
I know what you mean about usually only having "Georges" to worry about in your wallet. ;)

You should do the "Weird Things" meme. And yes, I wouldnt mind seeing the "feet" thing for myself. I don't doubt you, I just collect weirdnesses. LOL

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Copnie and Rob,
We had a grand time, and I would let you have a bite of the dressing, but I brought back an empty crockpot.....Sorry, LOL. ;)

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Nashe,
Thanks, friend........You should do the "Weird Things", too. LOL ;)

Greeneyes said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Greeneyes said...

Diane,
I love the pic,fitting for the Day, your mama must have been very busy with you all,dont you look cute in your Easter dress and holding your little basket! so sweet , ahhhhh to be that young again.!is that a chicken in background on the right?

(to be read with a sprinkle of fun )
It is funny I dont find your list of 6/7 weird things that weird , what does that say about me (dont answer that please ), I find you interesting, especially timing the oven in your head !, and that animals sense your kindness , and who wants their money all messed up in their wallet anyway ! , and eeeewwwwww food touching yuck! You would be handy to have in the woods , you can bark so I wont loose you , you wont get lost,and you would know when it was time to go home , cool :)(kidding) and we share another , we can read others pretty well and I think your Great! LOL
Hope you had a wonderful Easter, and keep working on the next 6 list LOL :)
Greeneyes

11:19 PM

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Green Eyes,
I always look forward to reading your comments. You have such a sense of fun and laughter about you. ;)
Glad you enjoyed my list.

And, Yes, that IS a chicken in the background. It's a hen, actually, and her name was Henny Penny. She was a good egg layer and a good Mama Hen. I remember her well and fondly. She was very tame because we raised her from a pup, LOL. ;) She was one of a big flock of chickens we had at the time. I love chickens, and if I lived in a place where I could have them, I'd raise them for the eggs and meat.
Thank you, we had a great time today, and great weather for our get together, too. :)

Alex said...

We are identical on a few points (internal clock, judging people and the order of bills in the wallet)

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Alex,
Scary, ain't it? :)