Saturday, May 16, 2009

The One That Killed the Cat

I have to admit, it is was a relief having you all tell me what to write about for a change. The brain cloud is receding... so without further adieu:






1. McD Three: You could ask me anything, and you want a LIMERICK? About my CLOSET? Well, okay...

There was a collector of clutter
Whose family tended to mutter
I have to confess
That she stuck all the mess
In her closet, where it couldn’t confront her.

2. Lindsey: You didn’t ask a question, so I am forced to give you dating advice. Call the cute doctor, and tell him he needs to ask you out, or he is an idiot.

3. Jan: What a lovely question! We are gypsies, are we? I have been thinking about it all day, and in preparation, I have started learning how to play the guitar. You and I are are going to be street performers...and let’s face it: the piano is just not very portable, is it? It is a good thing you have such a lovely singing voice, because mine is slightly below average. But I know I can pick up the guitar quickly. I am thinking of very folksy stuff, and since you are politically inclined, I think it will do nicely. We are going to start in your neck of the woods, because I have been having a hankering to see the stunning Columbia River Gorge again... we will drive an old pickup truck, and work our way through the Northwest. If my guitar case doesn’t yield enough funds, we can moonlight in the occasional diner...I’ll short-order cook and you can waitress (you might want to brush up on the lingo)...eventually heading all the way east, until we wind up on the steps of the White House singing one of your songs for Barack and Michelle. I think you should make up a song about her $450 tennis shoes!

4. Raechal: You are most welcome for the chocolate cakes.
Here is your wish:





5. Lisa: So many questions...so many answers.

First, you use this on just the roots of your hair before you blow-dry:



Then, try this cool stuff on your styled hair... just a little silica dust...


Second, I don’t always say the right thing in my lessons. And I don’t stress out over it like you do. You can’t hit a homerun every week. I do listen carefully (to the girls and the spirit) and make course corrections.

Third: I read the lesson, ponder, pray, and don’t overthink. Depend on discussions to provide the bulk of the lesson.

My favorite books: think hopelessly romantic, but with a happy ending. Pride and Prejudice. Little Women. And a church book that I can’t help reading and re-reading: The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister, that has me thinking and re-thinking.

Thank you for asking...Casey and Ethan are fabulous. Casey is loving his mission and loving the people of Texas, and Ethan is growing up and thinking about others more than himself.

I don’t know why you don’t live next door. For that matter, Nan, get Jeff right on that. Having you next door would be ever so much more convenient.

6. Allie: What to do with the kiddies at your lunchtime free-for-all: Let them throw cream pies at Mrs. Shu! I will come and help them.

7. Rachel R: Next week we will record with my beautiful almost-new and formerly nicotine-stained microphone, and I will ply you with homemade bread and jam.

8. Catherine: Your bread sounds as though the yeast is collapsing. Try using a little more flour. Here is the consistency you are looking for in the dough: if you touch the dough and some of it sticks to your fingers, it is too moist. Add more flour. Add flour until you can handle it with very little sticking. It should be pulling away from the sides of the bowl a bit as it mixes. Then in your final rise, don’t let it rise too long. When one inch is visible over the tops of the pans, bake it! Let me know if that helps.

9. Carolyn: My favorite color, hmm? I took this one as a challenge. There are no ordinary questions, right? Just ordinary answers. I would hate to disappoint someone with artistic sensibilities. So, Carolyn, I have included a visual answer, as well as an audio one recorded just for you (this MP3 player is being very temperamental...if it doesn’t play at first, go up and click on the post title: The One That Killed the Cat. Then scroll back down and it should play. I don’t even know why!). I called this “Sea Glass.”




Okay, so guess what! I took this song I wrote for Carolyn, and it is ON MY CHRISTMAS CD! I renamed it “About the Baby,” but it is there... exactly like this:)




13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Artistic sensibilities? Nah. I raise kids and goats remember?

But I did get the best answer. I closed my eyes as I listened. The blues that flashed in my mind were colors I see everyday in the eyes of my children. Pure. Beautiful. And always dramatic.

(They take after me.)

alpinekleins said...

Oh! THAT was so much fun, I also loved the blues and the song, this could open up a whole new sensory world in the blogosphere:)

Have a wonderful day!

Kristin

Jan said...

How fun Victoria. Isn't this fun? I love the questions that people throw out there. So unexpected.

I love the gypsie route and I love the whole guitar and performers idea. I am on the song.

Thanks for the great answer ;)

Raechal said...

mmmmm, thanks Victoria!! that was a fun blog :)

Fawn said...

Love this post!

Victoria said...

Why Carolyn! Of course you are artistic. Not in the everyone-baby-me-I'm-an-artistic-type way. Just in an I-see-art-in-the-way-words-are-arranged way. I lived on a farm and raised animals when I was younger, and it certainly would have been less interesting had I been "artless." :) By the way, click on the link in my bloglist for Neil Gaiman's journal!!! Lots of writers have websites, but Neil Gaiman writes a personal blog, and you will find his beautiful wording much to your taste, I think...

RSM Text Factor Gurus said...

Silicone? well...who woulda thunk it? If I get hit with flames, I'll have glass on my scalp but that would be the least of my worries.

CB said...

Ok I was out of blogland for a few days so I missed the question thing. I missed it on Jan's blog too.

So if it is not too late here goes:

What is the craziest thing your family has ever done with all of those boys??
How many broken bones total over the years? (these q's may or may not be related - ha ha).

Victoria said...

Well, Cherie, I think we have done awfully well in the bone break department. Tyler had a nasty break playing on the monkey bars... when he was EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD and ON A DATE:) and Ethan broke his arm while riding his bike. No child abuse involved with either. Dillon broke his nose at school one day, when he collided with Ethan while they were both running around a corner to find each other and walk home together. The funny part about that was that Ethan was the one who thought he was most injured that time...Dillon's nose really bruised his head:) That is ALL the broken bones I can remember...we have had over 100 stitches, though, I am sure.

The craziest boy thing was probably a 50-mile hike that DK took the four oldest on. Or maybe an ill-fated trip back east where we took a brand-new rental car with only four miles on it, and put on 1500 miles, a big dent, vomit, urine, four new tires (the others were ice-picked)...that was a good trip. The boys might prefer to remember a particularly great trip to Hawaii where they rode down the Haleakala Volcano, as well as scuba diving later in the week.

Once we were flying to Hawaii with all the kids, and a man asked us if we were a church group. DK looked at him, and without any further explanation, said, YES. On that trip, we got to airport check-in late, and ended up seated all over the plane. I was sitting between two businessmen. About halfway through the flight, I pulled out all the candy bars I had brought for the boys, and walked through the plane, tossing them to them wherever I found them. When I returned to my seat, both the men just looked at me, until I asked, "WHAT?" One of them said, "Well, we were just thinking how interesting it was that you brought candy for all the kids on the plane. Do you ALWAYS do that???" Hahahahahaha!!!!

CB said...

Victoria - Those are great stories! 100 stitches ayyyy Wow!

I have been on a few trips with dents, urine and vomit - those are definately adventurous as well as memorable! ha ha

Your plane story is the best - That is AWESOME!! People just cannot fathom large families sometimes - What a crack up!!

Amy said...

Saved the chocolate cake recipe. I am drooooooling.

I really like your choice of fav color and the music that went with it. can you make me a CD of you playing soothing piano music? I'll pay of course. (I'm a massage therapist and it seems all of my clients like the calm piano music.

I love the airplane story!

Victoria said...

Hi Amy,

E-mail me at vixmail@cox.net and I will send you some mp3s so you can make a CD:)

Joy For Your Journey said...

I am visiting from Carolyn's blog and am so glad! I love the music. It is very beautiful. What a gift you have.

I also enjoyed reading your post.Although I was a bit lost since it is in answer to questions but it was still a fun read. You sound like an amazing woman.