Things People Are Surprised to Learn About Me

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That I ran away from home at 16, I made it all the way to Florida. I came back home, it was tough but we made it through as a family. I paid for my sins and made restitution with my parents. I'm lucky that my two kids navigated teenage years better than I did.

Someone I Wish I Were Closer To

Orchid

I wish that I were closer to my little sister. I really love her a lot and I hope she knows it. I'm just stinky with the phone. I know, all it takes is facebook and a few minutes on the phone, but and it is cliched, life gets in the way. You go and go about your day and lo and behold it's 7p.m and you are tired. She is very special to me and I'm lucky to have her.

On Public Speaking

stagefright…

It terrifies me, I have been obligated to do it a few times and I've done it, a few times have had me in the ladies room afterwards. I would rather not do it.

A Reason to Protest

Camden Market

I wasn't participating in a protest technically. When I was in London attending summer school at the University of London through a program offered by N.Y.U, it was the year 1987. Apartheid was still in place in South Africa, I had been to a rally against Apartheid in Scotland. One day when I was back in London, I went to the Camden Market and bought a beautiful, colorful tee-shirt with the letters S.W.A.P.O in different colored block letters. I was walking later that year in New York and this business man cornered in the street and started yelling at me and called me a communist bitch. The acronym stood for South West African Peace Organization. I was beyond shocked at that man's vehemence and I was really shaken up. No one came to my defense, I kept wearing that tee-shirt, it didn't stop me.

A Discontinued Product that I Want Back

Old-Fashioned Ice Cream

I wish that I could find Light-n-Lively Heavenly Hash ice cream. It has been off the market for about 15 years and I still miss it. I haven't found an ice cream that I love as much as I loved that one brand and flavor. I've had others, but either the chocolate was too strong, or there was too much marsh mellow or the chocolate chips weren't there, instead they cheated and put chocolate covered nuts. There was only one, Light-n-Lively and I miss it so.

My Favorite Summer Drink

Lime tree

On a daily basis, I love diet ginger-ale. When I am out for lunch or dinner, the drink of choice is seltzer with lime. When I'm feeling naughty, a large chocolate milk shake.

The Hour I Enjoy Most

Breakfast in Bed

My breakfast time is my favorite hour of the day. The menu will be either oatmeal with flaxseed, or rye toast with butter and Bonne Maman wild blueberry preserves or Crispix cereal with skim milk. I then pour myself the first cup of coffee of many to follow, eat whatever I chose from the menu above, and read my e-mail and then the Huffington Post and I start to write my comments. I do all this in peace and quiet.

What I Wish I Had More Time For

Versailles Gardens

Gardening, all this rain is all well and good for us and my plants but I would like a bit more time to get at the weeds and to deadhead and prune the rose bushes and anything else that needs it.

My Best Friend from Childhood

Astoria Park (Wards Island Park) – Feb 2002

I am lucky enough to still be able to call her my best friend. She'll be my best friend forever. Nowadays with social media, it is almost impossible to not stay connected. Even if you don't speak teach other on the phone, you can still be aware of what is going on in each other's daily lives. When we were younger, we did so many things together and told each other everything. We got into a lot of scrapes together and always managed to stay out of trouble. I'll love her forever.

Hoping for Good News

Plan of lands on the Back Bay belonging to the Boston Water Power Co., the Commonwealth and other parthies [sic.], showing the system of streets, grades and sewers as laid out and recommended by the Back Bay Commissioners

That my husband gets hired by the Boston firm that he is interviewing with on Thursday. It's the last round and he's still in the running, so I'm crossing my fingers!!