46 things about me

I see that some bloggers write "100 things about me" when they start blogging or publish their 100th post.
Since I have the attention span of a doughnut, I thought I'd write 46, in honor of my 46th birthday today.

1. I am the oldest of 4 children (girl, girl, boy, girl) and was born exactly 9 months after my parents wedding day. Not that I counted.

2. I am named for by paternal grandmother. Eleanor Bauer Spitznogle was always called Nora. She died in 1951, when my dad was 15 years old. I adore my first name and cannot imagine being called anything else.

3. I changed my middle name to Leona about 10 years ago. Leona Sarah Donohue Gremelspacher was my maternal grandmother and she died in 1984 when I was 23. I was her first grandchild and I adored her. When anyone speaks of her, the word "saint" is always included. I'm proud to be named after both of those great women.

4. My youngest sister Ann was born the summer I turned 6. My parents built a new house a mile down the road the next year. I stayed home with Annie by myself several times that summer. Can you imagine a 7 year-old baby-sitting a baby? No one thought anything about it at the time -- and I felt very grown up.

5. After Ann was born I told my mom that she should stop having children, I thought 4 in 6 years was a little overwhelming. Sheesh, not only did Mom have 4 young children but a 6 year-old was telling her what to do.

6. I went to kindergarten in Zionsville and could walk the two blocks all by myself. I attended grades 1-3 at a Catholic grade school in Lebanon. After that school closed I went to a public grade school. In the 1960s they experimented with 'open concept', working at your on rate in a school with no walls. Imagine going from the nuns to wandering at will? I sat in the corner and read. I still don't know my multiplication tables.

7. I have 6 godchildren. A six-pack. My pall bearers.
My mom doesn't like it when I say either thing.

8. A boy in Jr. High School asked me if I was a boy or a girl. I was small and physically undeveloped with a page boy hair cut.
I still cringe when I think about it.

9. My time in Jr. High and High School was uneventful -- I don't remember much about those years.
I was so nerdy that the marching band kids would have nothing to do with me.

10. I was a cheerleader in 6th grade. I was the only girl to try-out by herself.
The other kids felt bad for me and voted for me. I cannot do a cartwheel or the splits and I have no rhythm.
It was a long year for everyone.

11. I have a big ball of twine that my Great-Uncle Herman (Grandma Nora's BIL) collected over the years on a pedestal on my mantel.

12. My first job was in a nursing home when I turned 16. I worked in nursing homes and hospitals all through college.

13. I left Purdue after three semesters. I had horrible study habits and was still pretty socially immature. Nothing to do with hanging out with a punk-rock band, I'm sure.

14. I was 19 before I went on a date or kissed anyone.

15. I went back to college to live closer a boy. Greg farmed in the Lafayette area. I should have married him, but I wanted to see the world. Greg was my first serious boyfriend and I thought all relationships would be that terrific.

16. I am a compulsive reader.
I cannot pour cereal with out reading the box as I'm doing it.

17. I've been proposed to 3 times.
Once in a Cracker Jack box prize.

18. I've never said yes.

19. I wish I would have said yes to one person.

20. 19 is my favorite number.

21. I can tell you where every piece of furniture in my house came from.
Most of it is family furniture or I refinished it for 4-H.

22. I've had a Saint Valentine's Day party year since 1984.

23. I write about music but cannot sing a note. It makes me feel a bit like a fraud.

24. Pedal steel guitar makes me swoon.

25. I can only remember one joke.
Q: Why can't Helen Keller drive?
A: Because she's a woman

26. I collect PEZ dispensers.
I have over 400 on display in my hallway.

27. I'm quite prudish.
Raunchy jokes make me blush.

28. Yet, I can cuss like a sailor. A sailor who's worked in a downtown Philadelphia restaurant, no less.

29. I have season tickets to the Golden Gloves boxing matches.

30. I lived in the greater Philadelphia area for five years. I loved every minute of it. I was such an Indiana farm girl "I live on the Delaware River, I'm walking by the Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin walked on these steps" was the soundtrack in my head.

31. AVS taught me how to drink whiskey.

32. I have my first-ever-all-my-own-office-and-chair. In the restaurant business your office space is a desk shoved up against the kitchen wall.
I've been known to sit on said chair and twirl and giggle because I love my job so much.

33. Silver, not gold

34. I've read every Nancy Drew book at least twice.

35. I never wanted to have children.
I always thought I'd be the perfect step-mother.

36. Joey Ramone and I share a birthday (he was 10 years older).

37. My house (truck, desk) is either spotless or incredibly messy -- no in between.

38. I gave someone CPR last year and she lived.

39. I like going places by myself.

40. My friends are teaching me how to flirt.

41. I did not know that I could love anyone as much as I love my niece and nephew.
I would throw myself in front of a bus for them.

42. I drink way too much diet Pepsi.

43. I have the Spitznogle nose and the Gremelspacher chin.
It is a bit tragic.

44. I like Hershey bars better than Godiva chocolate.

45. I am obsessed with Harry Truman.

46. I'm as happy with my life as I've ever been.