Member under Spotlight 01-07 March...Winchester...!!!

[coolcat]

very nice answers!....

1. What time did you get up this morning?..

2. What do you prefer If I gift you…Diamonds or pearls?.( just choose one).

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

4. What is your favorite TV show?

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?..

6. What was the best time in your life?..

7. What food do you dislike? ..

8. What is your favorite CD at moment?

9. Have you ever drive a boat?

10. Can you Swimn?...

11. What personal characteristics do you despise?

 

[rapunzel47]

Originally Posted by Winchester

Do you prefer boiled sweets/candy or chocolate?

Oh dear heavens, give me chocolate!! Please!

OK, that gave me an idea for another set...

Chocolate:

1. Dark, Milk, or Light?

2. Plain, filled, or with nuts or other stuff?

3. Favourite brand?

4. Favourite chocolate recipe?

5. Do you have any traditions/rituals that revolve around chocolate?

 

[Winchester]

1. What time did you get up this morning?..

The cats allowed me to "sleep in" until 7:00 this morning. Then they start meowing for their breakfast!

2. What do you prefer If I gift you…Diamonds or pearls?.( just choose one).

Pearls. I will always take pearls over diamonds.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

The last Harry Potter movie.

4. What is your favorite TV show?

Supernatural. Followed by Castle.

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?..

One cup of Caribou Blend coffee with a sliced Granny Smith apple.

6. What was the best time in your life?..

I'd like to say it was our marriage, but I was 16 years old and scared poopless. And when I had our son, I was in a lot of pain.....not that either. I guess I'd have to say when Whisper gave birth to her kittens in the clothesbasket in our bedroom and having the opportunity to help her raise her babies.

7. What food do you dislike? ..

Anchovies. Ick

8. What is your favorite CD at moment?

It's a mix that I put together. It has some AC/DC songs from their Black Ice CD, Etta James - I Just Want to Make Love to You, Kin - Together, White Lies - To Lose My Love, some Eagles, and a bit of Aerosmith. Oh, and it has Fireball and Black Knight by Deep Purple. It's quite the mix, I guess.

9. Have you ever drive a boat?

Nope. A friend of ours has a boat and we've spent a day on it from time to time, but I've never driven one.

10. Can you Swimn?...

Like a fish. We have an inground pool in the back yard and I used to live in that during the summer. At one time, I worked a seven day-swing-shift and when I would come home after second shift at night, around 11:30 or so, I'd strip down and hit the pool for an hour or two. It was beautiful being in the pool at night and watching the stars.

11. What personal characteristics do you despise?

Lying. Vindictiveness.

Thank you for the questions!

 

[Winchester]

Chocolate? Give me chocolate or give me death!

1. Dark, Milk, or Light?

Any? Yes, that works. I guess if I really, really had to choose, it would be dark chocoalte.

2. Plain, filled, or with nuts or other stuff?

Plain chocolate is nirvana. Although there's a candy store in town where they make the best chocolate covered peanuts and chocolate covered pretzels...so delicious. I try to include a box of the pretzels in my gift boxes for my friends at Christmas.

And we cannot forget peanut M & Ms. My most favored in the world. I allow myself a big bag of peanut M & Ms on Good Friday....which is next Friday, BTW!

And DH usually tucks a big bag in my Christmas stocking. Other than those times, I won't eat them. I consider them a truly decadent splurge...and I will not share them. With anybody.

3. Favourite brand?

The store here in town has my favorite chocolate. For baking, I prefer Ghirardelli because I think it has a richer taste in cookies and brownies. I used to like Nestle chocolate chips, but the last couple of years, the chips just didn't taste right and I gave up on them.

4. Favourite chocolate recipe?

For a chocolate cookie, I'd have to go with Betty Crocker's Chocolate Crinkles (and my son would agree):

Chocolate Crinkles

½ c. vegetable oil
2 c. flour
4 sq. unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. granulated sugar
½ tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 c. confectionersâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until mixed. Add vanilla. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop teaspoons of dough in confectionersâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] sugar. Roll dough in sugar and shape into balls. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Do not over bake!

They freeze very well. And taste positively decadent straight from the freezer.
_______________________________________________________________

From my friend Barb who got it from King Arthur:

Dark Chocolate Buttercrunch

1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) butter*
1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 cups (8 ounces) diced pecans or slivered almonds, toasted (I use almonds)
1 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (chocolate chips are an easy solution here; youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll need about 2-2/3 cups)

*If you use unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt.

In a large, deep saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar, water and corn syrup, and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil gently, over medium heat, until the mixture reaches hard-crack stage (300 degrees F on an instant-read or candy thermometer), about 20 minutes. The syrup will seem to take a long time to come to the hard-crack stage, but be patient; all of a sudden it will darken, and at that point you need to take its temperature and see if itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s ready. (If you donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have a thermometer, test a dollop in ice water; it should immediately harden to a brittleness sufficient that youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll be able to snap it in two, without any bending or softness). Pay attention; too long on the heat, and the syrup will burn. And what a waste of good butter and sugar that would be!

While the sugar mixture is gently bubbling, spread half of the nuts, in a fairly closely packed, even single layer, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Top with half the chocolate. When the syrup is ready, pour it quickly and evenly over the nuts and chocolate. Immediately top with the remaining chocolate, then the remaining nuts. Wait several minutes, then gently, using the back of a spatula, press down on the chocolate-nut layer to spread the chocolate around evenly.

While the candy is still slightly warm, use a spatula to loosen it from the baking sheet. When cool, break it into uneven chunks.
Yield: about 24 big bite-sized pieces, if you want to be scientific about it.

5. Do you have any traditions/rituals that revolve around chocolate?

The only tradition about chocolate around here is hot chocolate. Sometimes we will use the hot chocolate mix from Penzey. For the most part, however, if we're going to have hot chocolate, then we're going to make it from scratch. Anything else just isn't worth it.

I just love chocolate!

 

[3catsn1dog]

I have to ask just a couple questions being about 15 min away from you!! )

1) Have you ever driven by the Susquehanna River in the summer and just been like "ewwww it reeks"?

2) Have you been to Half-Way Dam, Lake Tobias, there were more parks that I had inside my head but when I started typing the question I forgot their names LOL!!!

3) How do you like the weather right about now? I believe they are calling for 50 degree weather this week?

4) Do you use any good Pa Dutch recipes?

5) I got my cable shut off before I caught up on Supernatural (I LOVE THAT SHOW) would you be willing to divulge the state secrets of whether or not Dean let Micheal use his "Meat Suit" or if Sam let Lucifer use his?????? I dont know how Im going to hold up waiting for this season to come out on DVD

6) Which Ruby did you like better the original blonde Ruby or the brunette Ruby?

7) Completely random but do you have a favorite candle scent?

 

[coolcat]

Thanks you for answering my questions my friend,

...The main topic of today would be Cats and also other stuffs...

1.- How many cats have you ever had in your enterely life?

2.- could you tell us the name of the list above?

3.- Do you have any preference about of Breeds of cats?

4.- Do you dream with cats when you sleeps?

5.- Have you ever to give catnip at your kittys to play?

6.- Wich brand do you prefer to give at your kitty in Wet and Dry food to eat?

7.- Would you like to work like a volunteer on a Cat shelter?

another stuffs...

8.- Wich one is your favourite colour to wear?
9.- Do you have some earrings with shape of cat?
10.- do you have some blouse with stamps of cats?
11.- do you collect or you have handcraft of kittys?
12.- how many purses do you have?

.....I hope not boring you with my questions my friend...

..Cheers chick!...

 

[Winchester]

Hi neighbor!

I'm very familiar with the Sunbury area....heck, it's minutes away from us! Our vet is in Sunbury.

1) Have you ever driven by the Susquehanna River in the summer and just been like "ewwww it reeks"?

Oh yes! There have been times when it seems like the river smells terrible! We're not quite sure why that is. But it almost smells swampy and not in a good way.

2) Have you been to Half-Way Dam, Lake Tobias, there were more parks that I had inside my head but when I started typing the question I forgot their names LOL!!!

I pretty much lived at Half-Way Dam when I was younger. My parents were campers and there was a camping clique so we stayed there often. After Mom and Dad became empty nesters, they became the campers who would answer questions and help people out when necessary. Then they got to camp there for about six weeks at a time for free. We would go up for dinner and on weekends, we'd spend the day with them. They had a great time.

Dad liked to find hollow logs and we'd sit by the fire for hours, just watching the log burn. The hole in the log would get larger and larger til it finally split open. And don't forget eating mountain pies! Yum!

We used to picnic at Po Paddy when my son was younger. Spent a lot of time at Sand Bridge. Oh and Walker Dam, I think it's called.

3) How do you like the weather right about now? I believe they are calling for 50 degree weather this week?

Isn't it just lovely this weekend! Yesterday and today, the temps are in the middle 50s! Just gorgeous. DH and I are getting ready for a nice walk later on this afternoon.

4) Do you use any good Pa Dutch recipes?

Well, how about shoofly cake and shoofly pie? Oh, and I make delicious pot pie....you know, the kind where you roll the dough out and cut them into squares, then drop them into the simmering broth. I only make beef pot pie, but a lot of people around here seem to like ham pot pie and chicken pot pie.

Do you eat filled pig stomach? My mom makes it for us about once a year. I'll buy the stomach and the sausage and she'll put it all together and sew the stomach up and we'll roast it in the oven. Filled beef heart, too.

Don't forget the chow-chow....we had some yesterday when my family was together for a birthday dinner for my dad. Yum!

5) I got my cable shut off before I caught up on Supernatural (I LOVE THAT SHOW) would you be willing to divulge the state secrets of whether or not Dean let Micheal use his "Meat Suit" or if Sam let Lucifer use his?????? I dont know how Im going to hold up waiting for this season to come out on DVD

I can tell you that, thus far, Dean has not given into Michael, nor has Sam given into Lucifer. But you know, I think that the series is going to end with a fight between the brothers as Michael and Lucifer and I think one of them will die. Now, that's just me.....purely conjecture on my part. This is supposed to be the last season of Supernatural. Kripke has said he won't do it longer than this season.

I have all the Supernatural seasons on DVD....it's the first TV series I ever bought. The series will probably come out on DVD at the beginning of September; I've preordered on Amazon. Yay!

I got started on Supernatural when Jeffrey Dean Morgan appeared as Denny on Grey's Anatomy. I liked Morgan and when his character died on Grey's and I found out that Morgan played John Winchester (Or Papa John as I've always called him) on Supernatural, I started watching that. That was probably about midway through its first season or so. I quickly got caught up to speed on Supernatural. Then when it got switched to Thursdays at 9:00, I stopped watching Grey's (not so much into medical soaps really and that's pretty much all it is, don't hate me; it's just my opinion) and stayed with Supernatural.

And you've probably figured out that that's where my Winchester name comes from!

6) Which Ruby did you like better the original blonde Ruby or the brunette Ruby?

I liked Katie Cassidy's Ruby better than Genevieve Cortese's version. To be honest, I flat-out didn't care for Ruby that much at all. Nor did I like Bella much either.

7) Completely random but do you have a favorite candle scent?

Not really. I have a lot of candles around the house and I do burn them from time to time, but I don't have a favorite scent. I like French Vanilla and I have a gardenia candle that I like. My favorite incense was always a jasmine.

It was nice "talking" with you!

 

[Winchester]

Rigel, you're not boring me at all....I just hope that I'm not boring everybody with my answers!

1.- How many cats have you ever had in your enterely life?

Um, I think 15.

2.- could you tell us the name of the list above?

Fluff, Puff, Fluffy, Peanut Butter, Hydrox, Whisper, Pita, Banshee, BooBoo, Spike, Taffy, Gorby, Ms. Pepe, and Da Pumpkin Boy.

We bring our new little kitten home at the end of March. She doesn't have a name yet, but I'm sure she'll tell us what she wants to be called. Our cats have a tendency to name themselves. The little girl is a dark tiger with no white on her.

3.- Do you have any preference about of Breeds of cats?

No, not really. I'd really like to have a Maine Coon, but what will be will be. I had started looking for a Maine Coon about a month or so ago, but then this little girl kind of came into our lives, and she's sweetie.

4.- Do you dream with cats when you sleeps?

Not until Banshee died. I keep dreaming that I can hear her calling me, but I can never find her.

5.- Have you ever to give catnip at your kittys to play?

We have "catnip parties"! All of the kids love their catnip. I put little piles of catnip on the floor in the living room and while the cats are licking at the catnip on the floor and rolling in it, I'll sprinkle a bit of catnip on their fur. They'll lick it off each other. Once they're stoned, they want a good snack, so I'll feed them some treats. And off they go to bed. I'll carry them back to the bedroom and they'll curl up in various spots on the bed to sleep it off. And once they're asleep, I'll get the vacuum out and clean the living room floor.

We also get them little pillows filled with catnip for Christmas. Each cat gets his or her own pillow. They'll chew and bite them and toss them into the air. It's fun to watch them play.

I'll have to look for some pictures of the kids during some of their catnip parties.

When Hydrox the Old Coot was alive, my aunt gave us some homegrown catnip from her garden. I kept it in a plastic bag and stored it in the kitchen cabinet above the countertop. Well, one afternoon I came home from work and found Hydrox asleep in the middle of the kitchen floor, completely splayed out. I had no idea what the heck had happened. And then I saw these little specks of something all over the floor. It seems that Hydrox had jumped onto the kitchen counter, opened the cabinet door, jumped to the second shelf of the cabinet and got his catnip down. He chewed the bag open and that boy must have had one heck of a party! He loved his nip.

6.- Wich brand do you prefer to give at your kitty in Wet and Dry food to eat?

The kids eat Friskies Buffet for their wet food and they eat Purina for their dry. I've tried the "better quality" foods and they won't eat it. I finally figured out that the best quality pet food won't work if the cats won't eat it. This is what they like. Our vet is happy with their check-ups. And they're happy and healthy.

7.- Would you like to work like a volunteer on a Cat shelter?

I would, but DH wouldn't approve. I'd want to bring them all home with me.

another stuffs...
8.- Wich one is your favourite colour to wear?

I love the red colors, but since I'm a redhead, I tend to stay with blues and greens. Some blacks and greys.

9.- Do you have some earrings with shape of cat?

I do have cat-shaped earrings, but the holes in my ears closed and I've not had them re-opened.

10.- do you have some blouse with stamps of cats?

No. I have some sweatshirts and t-shirts with cats on them, but no blouses. I do have a lot of jewelry pins of cats that I pin onto my sweaters and blouses.

11.- do you collect or you have handcraft of kittys?

My office at work is decorated in cat things. At home, we have a lot of cat things throughout the house. We like to say that our house is decorated in Early Ameri-Cat.

12.- how many purses do you have?

I don't carry purses that often, I might have maybe 3-4. I have a briefcase for work that I carry subdivision and land development plans. And I have an old (probably about 20 years old or so) Jansport attache-type bag that I use for work, too.

Thanks for the questions! If I'm boring you all, I'm really sorry!!!

 

[Winchester]

Oh my goodness, forgive me! I forgot two of my own cats. We also have Amber Louise (aka Phantom Kitty) and Bootser! So I've had 16 cats and we will have our 17th baby at the end of March.

I'm so sorry!

Those of you in multi-cat households, did you ever forget which cat you were talking to? Sometimes I'll want to call Whisper and I'll call BooBoo instead. Or I'll try to tell Ms. Pepe what a pretty girl she is and I'll say Amber's name. I remind myself of my grandmother who used to call all her grandchildren by everybody else's name!

 

[3catsn1dog]

Originally Posted by Winchester

Hi neighbor!

I'm very familiar with the Sunbury area....heck, it's minutes away from us! Our vet is in Sunbury.

1) Have you ever driven by the Susquehanna River in the summer and just been like "ewwww it reeks"?

Oh yes! There have been times when it seems like the river smells terrible! We're not quite sure why that is. But it almost smells swampy and not in a good way.

2) Have you been to Half-Way Dam, Lake Tobias, there were more parks that I had inside my head but when I started typing the question I forgot their names LOL!!!

I pretty much lived at Half-Way Dam when I was younger. My parents were campers and there was a camping clique so we stayed there often. After Mom and Dad became empty nesters, they became the campers who would answer questions and help people out when necessary. Then they got to camp there for about six weeks at a time for free. We would go up for dinner and on weekends, we'd spend the day with them. They had a great time.

Dad liked to find hollow logs and we'd sit by the fire for hours, just watching the log burn. The hole in the log would get larger and larger til it finally split open. And don't forget eating mountain pies! Yum!

We used to picnic at Po Paddy when my son was younger. Spent a lot of time at Sand Bridge. Oh and Walker Dam, I think it's called.

3) How do you like the weather right about now? I believe they are calling for 50 degree weather this week?

Isn't it just lovely this weekend! Yesterday and today, the temps are in the middle 50s! Just gorgeous. DH and I are getting ready for a nice walk later on this afternoon.

4) Do you use any good Pa Dutch recipes?

Well, how about shoofly cake and shoofly pie? Oh, and I make delicious pot pie....you know, the kind where you roll the dough out and cut them into squares, then drop them into the simmering broth. I only make beef pot pie, but a lot of people around here seem to like ham pot pie and chicken pot pie.

Do you eat filled pig stomach? My mom makes it for us about once a year. I'll buy the stomach and the sausage and she'll put it all together and sew the stomach up and we'll roast it in the oven. Filled beef heart, too.

Don't forget the chow-chow....we had some yesterday when my family was together for a birthday dinner for my dad. Yum!

5) I got my cable shut off before I caught up on Supernatural (I LOVE THAT SHOW) would you be willing to divulge the state secrets of whether or not Dean let Micheal use his "Meat Suit" or if Sam let Lucifer use his?????? I dont know how Im going to hold up waiting for this season to come out on DVD

I can tell you that, thus far, Dean has not given into Michael, nor has Sam given into Lucifer. But you know, I think that the series is going to end with a fight between the brothers as Michael and Lucifer and I think one of them will die. Now, that's just me.....purely conjecture on my part. This is supposed to be the last season of Supernatural. Kripke has said he won't do it longer than this season.

I have all the Supernatural seasons on DVD....it's the first TV series I ever bought. The series will probably come out on DVD at the beginning of September; I've preordered on Amazon. Yay!

I got started on Supernatural when Jeffrey Dean Morgan appeared as Denny on Grey's Anatomy. I liked Morgan and when his character died on Grey's and I found out that Morgan played John Winchester (Or Papa John as I've always called him) on Supernatural, I started watching that. That was probably about midway through its first season or so. I quickly got caught up to speed on Supernatural. Then when it got switched to Thursdays at 9:00, I stopped watching Grey's (not so much into medical soaps really and that's pretty much all it is, don't hate me; it's just my opinion) and stayed with Supernatural.

And you've probably figured out that that's where my Winchester name comes from!

6) Which Ruby did you like better the original blonde Ruby or the brunette Ruby?

I liked Katie Cassidy's Ruby better than Genevieve Cortese's version. To be honest, I flat-out didn't care for Ruby that much at all. Nor did I like Bella much either.

7) Completely random but do you have a favorite candle scent?

Not really. I have a lot of candles around the house and I do burn them from time to time, but I don't have a favorite scent. I like French Vanilla and I have a gardenia candle that I like. My favorite incense was always a jasmine.

It was nice "talking" with you!

Hi there again!!! If you use Sunbury Animal Hospital that is literally 2 seconds away from my house!! Thats where I took my Fatman for his first emergency (hopefully his only).....and Eww the river Im not looking forward to the summer smells cuz when its bad I can smell it all the way to Cider Press Rd. Mountain Pies and Pot Pie...Yummy Yummy Yummy in my tummy!!!!!!!!! Im drooling thinking about it that might have to be one of my next "experiments" Im not a good chef but I can always guarentee that when I try something the first time it will be perfect now the second time..LOL not so much!!! I liked the blonde Ruby better too but didnt really go for any of the female charactors they threw into Supernatural especially Meg. Im still LIVID that this is very likely the last season I love Jensen Ackles!!!!!

Hmmm new questions now that Im done with my schpeel!!!

1) Whos your favorite Pa football team, hockey, and baseball teams? Pittsburgh or Phillie

2) Could you live on a farm with the smell of cow poopy during the spring/summer time?

3) Do you know how to tell when an apple (on an apple tree) is good? Curious because Ive got 2-3 apple trees in my yard and I dont know how to tell they are the little green ones that can make your belly icky if you eat too many LOL

4) Do you crochet or knit? If not have you ever thought about learning?

5) If you ever had another dog what breed would it be?

6) Do you have a favorite author for any leasure reading?

Hmm thats all I can think about right now. Im gonna get back to figuring out how to start out my crochet sock monkey. Ive got a really purdy forest green and cream twist cotton yarn Ive been dying to use for myself and I want a new stuffed monkey!! )

 

[Winchester]

Hello again!!

1) Whos your favorite Pa football team, hockey, and baseball teams? Pittsburgh or Phillie

Philadelphia.....just ask my DH! He's been an Eagles fan almost from the time he could walk.

2) Could you live on a farm with the smell of cow poopy during the spring/summer time?

Yes. We have some of those smells right here sometimes. I don't understand people who move into farming areas, knowing full well that farms have odors and sometimes, those odors aren't particularly good ones....and then complain about it. The farm was there before the subdivision was built. People move there. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Farms have smells.

I'm a staff member of several planning commissions in my area; it comes with my job. We've had people who come to the meetings during the summer and whine about the manure stink. (And yes, it can make your eyes water sometimes....it can get nasty.) But the farm has been there for 50 years. What are they supposed to do?

Now keep in mind, I'm not talking about factory farms with the large pig barns and poultry operations. Those places are not true farms and there's a huge difference in the entire operations.

3) Do you know how to tell when an apple (on an apple tree) is good? Curious because Ive got 2-3 apple trees in my yard and I dont know how to tell they are the little green ones that can make your belly icky if you eat too many LOL

Unfortunately no. I've heard, though, that if you give the apple a bit of a tug and it's loose and falls off fairly easily, then it might be ripe. Or wait and see when the apples start to fall off the tree?

I love Granny Smith apples, but can't find them in orchards around here. I really like Mutsu apples, too. I prefer the green apples to Red Delicious or Cortlands. Give me a good Granny anytime.

4) Do you crochet or knit? If not have you ever thought about learning?

My poor grandmother tried and tried to teach me how to crochet, but I never got the hang of it. I've worked with ceramics, I've done macame, and crewel work. I can't knit or crochet to save my life.

5) If you ever had another dog what breed would it be?

I'd probably get another Malemute. We have room for him to run. He would be an indoor dog with lots of walks and chances for good exercise. We've talked about another dog, but until one of us is no longer working, it's out of the question. (Besides, my cats would probably terrorize the poor thing!)

6) Do you have a favorite author for any leasure reading?

Janet Evanovich writes the Stephanie Plum series and I highly recommend her books. They're just hilarious. I love Grandma Mazur. Stephanie loves both Ranger and Joe. Me, I'm definitely more of a Ranger girl.

I also like the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. Blake is a vampire executioner who's having a relationship with the vampire who's the Master of the City. The series probably borders on soft pornography sometimes, but it's interesting reading. There are quite a few books in that series.

Hands down, though, I'm a big Stephen King fan.

Hmm thats all I can think about right now. Im gonna get back to figuring out how to start out my crochet sock monkey. Ive got a really purdy forest green and cream twist cotton yarn Ive been dying to use for myself and I want a new stuffed monkey!! )

Enjoy making your sock monkey! Stuff one with catnip for your furkids!

 

[coolcat]

how do you define TCS?

Now you have all attention from everybody,....

would you like to leave a message to everybody here?..

here´s the microphone...

)

 

[Winchester]

I've been lurking here for several years, probably since Banshee was first diagnosed with feline asthma. I was trying to find some answers to try to help her. I figured that I'd get a warm welcome here because you all seemed so nice to each other and it seems like a very caring community. I don't know why I didn't post way back then, but I didn't. And then one day, I figured that I should join....but I still didn't post right away.

I like you guys. I really do. I've learned a lot about cats and about taking care of my kids since I started lurking here. And since I started posting, you've all done your part to make me feel welcome. It's a really nice place to be. And I feel like I'm made some very cool friends here.

My message? Thank you. Thank you for being there, for being so friendly, and for supplying such a warm and friendly place to be. You're a really great group of people.

And Rigel? Thanks for being such a really Cool Cat!

 

[rapunzel47]

Hi again! You've been a fun Spotlight person and got the juices flowing -- for me, anyway -- I ran out of my usual sets of questions early, and had to do some thinking. Got time for another little set?

Childhood:

1. How many siblings do you have? Where are you in the birth order?

2. Did you get along with your siblings as a child? Do you now?

3. How close were/are you to your parents?

4. Do you have a special childhood memory you'd like to share?

 

[Winchester]

I'm glad you've enjoyed my answers. I have to tell you that you've given me some tough questions and I've had fun with everything.

1. How many siblings do you have? Where are you in the birth order?

I'm the oldest at 55. My sister will be 53 and my brother will be 51. When I'm even, we're all even. And unfortunately, when I'm odd, we're all odd!

2. Did you get along with your siblings as a child? Do you now?

For a long time my sister and I didn't get along very well at all. In fact, we hardly spoke for many years. My niece got married last May and while we were at the wedding, my sister and I started talking again. I'm so happy that we did because we missed out on a lot of fun times. We're trying to make up for those lost years and we're together quite a bit. We try to do a lot of fun things together. This summer I'm going to help her with some gardening and then she'll come over and help me with a flowerbed that I've been planning. She has a green thumb; I swear she can buy a dead plant and it will bloom for her. She's the gardener; I'm the cook. It works.

My sister and her daughter (my niece) and her future DIL (my niece-to-be) and my DIL, and our SIL enjoy getting together some times on a Saturday. We'll do some shopping, we'll visit a local winery, and then go out for a nice dinner. It's such a great time with us all together. While we're away, the guys will do something. Last month while we were out, the guys got together at our house and helped DH install drywall in the future family room in our basement. They had a great time, too, judging from some of the comments they've made since.

3. How close were/are you to your parents?

I think I'm closer to my dad than I am to my mom. My father just turned 81 and my mother just became 79. I try to stay in touch with them as much as I can, but sometimes Mom can be.....troublesome, I guess is a good way to put it. But I also realize that, at their age, they're not going to be around much longer and I do love them. We've been trying to get together for family dinners and such. It's difficult because my parents both have severe health issues, so they can't get around well at all. Everybody has to go there. But we manage.

Yesterday we all celebrated my father's birthday and my parents' wedding anniversary. We went to their place and I cooked dinner for everyone. My mom had asked for spaghetti, so I made the pasta sauce on Friday night. I made little lemon cupcakes. My sister brought some coleslaw and my SIL brought garlic bread. We had a very nice time, just being together. Mom fell asleep right after dinner and Dad took a nap, not long after she went to sleep, but it worked out. We expect these things.

4. Do you have a special childhood memory you'd like to share?

I don't know why this always sticks with me. Many, many years ago, when we were young children, I remember that the three of us were watching a movie with Abbott and Costello on television. My dad had been called out to the hospital to plow snow (he was in charge of maintenance there). Mom was making her wonderful chicken and waffles. Dad had called and he was on his way home from plowing. The snow was blowing and drifting and it was really nasty outside. It was one of those nor-easters and we knew there would be no school for a couple days. Anyway Dad got home and Mom said that dinner was ready. The house was warm, there was food on the table, and the five of us were together. And it just seems like a very comfortable memory somehow. For some reason during the winter, there are times when I think back to that night.

Thanks for the memory, Rapunzel!