Monday, June 30, 2014

Answer Me This

Today's been a pretty quite day. We settled ourselves in; I love unpacking a suitcase. Mom and I did some grocery shopping. Then we had a quiet afternoon outside while the kids splashed in the little kiddie pool and jumped on the trampoline. My two local brothers came over for dinner, and all the littlest kids swam in the pool together. Then the biggest kids went to a movie with Nama Nama and Papa. I've been telling Reid how lucky he is, being right in between the two age groups. He gets to do all the little kid things and the big kid things. He's loving it so far!

Since I have no pictures to share, and I like all of Kendra's Sunday evening Answer Me This questions, I'm going to answer them!

1. How often do you take public transportation?

In Oshkosh, never. Growing up, never. In DC, all the time. I do wish other, smaller US cities would become more public transportation friendly. Public transportation serves such an important part of the population. I've never seen public transportation quite like Singapore. That was transportation of the future. Seriously, driver-less light railways, and that was ten years ago!

2. How many cousins do you have?

The two youngest boys were not born yet, but this is my mom's side. 

My mom's side, 6 ... all boys. So out of 10 grand kids, I'm the only girl. My dad's side, 15. My dad's siblings were all done having children by the time he and my mom started, so we were always the little kids. In fact, my dad is closer in age to my cousins (his nieces and nephews) than I am.

All the Bassett cousins at my Paternal Grandma's funeral.

I grew up feeling a close bond to my Petersen Second cousins -- at least all the local ones close to my age. My paternal grandmother is one of ten siblings and almost all ten of them stayed in our little community. Every July 24th weekend we'd get together for a big reunion and it was always so fun to feel like I had dozens of cousins at school -- even if they were 2nd's.

3. Have you ever fired a gun?

Yes. A lot. As kids we could shoot guns right in our front yard, and not just bb-guns (though that is what we started out on). We let shotguns fire just off our front porch. Mostly, we slapped a target squirrel onto a couple bails of hay out on the side yard and fired the .22. I was a horrible aim, horrible -- until I took hunter's safety and realized I need to shoot left handed because of my vision. Once I figured that out I could out shoot each of my brother's.

I haven't shot much in my adult years. Ben does own a gun, but we keep it locked and hidden in the basement. If I could just walk out into my yard and shoot it, I would. But I can't ... so it's been a few years since I fired a gun.

4. Do you ride Roller Coasters?

Over other amusement park rides? Yes! All other rides make me sick. The twirly-swirly ones drive my bonkers. The high drop ones make me wet my pants. Roller coasters are just the right thrill for me.

5. What's your favorite flower?

Gerber daises and lilies.



I told them they could do whatever they liked, so long as it had pink and purple and gerber daises and lilies. They were thrilled (and shocked) by my lax demands. I guess most brides are super specific.

6. Are you allergic to anything?

Yes, and I wish I knew what it was! I didn't have seasonal allergies until I was 11 and my family took a trip up to Seattle, WA. I thought I was allergic to the sun. I sneezed every time I looked up at it (and for being such a rainy city, we had three days of full sunshine during our 1994 visit). Every summer and even some springs and falls since then I've experience seasonal allergies. The effects vary every year, but no matter where I've lived I've had them.

Also, bees. My neighbor saw me freak out over a bee last month. The kids and I were out for a walk and I think he thought he'd have to come rescue me from some invisible dark force. "Are you okay Liz?" he hollered from under his truck's hood. I must have looked crazy, just walking the street with nothing surrounding me, freaking out! That darn bee would not get out of my hair. When it'd finally leave, I'd walk ten feet and it'd return. I was dying! Reid started crying, Nell couldn't figure out what was wrong. We finally turned around and ran home as I yelled "I'm fine, I'm just allergic to bees and this one won't leave me alone!" Ben would disagree, but I usually handle myself pretty well. I just freeze until they fly away, but this darn bee would not leave me alone! I think he wanted to start a hive in my ponytail. I should carry an epi-pen on me, it's that bad. But I hate needles as much as bees ... so hopefully I just never get stung again -- or I'm really close to a hospital when I do. It has been over ten years since the last sting. I'm on a streak!

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