TAG, you're it!

I've been tagged by Lazylol from the UK. I don't know anyone international so this is exciting. I have to say, I've visited many British blogs but.... honestly... half the time I don't know what they're talking about! They speak a whole different language than we do... I apologize, in advance, for insulting anyone, but I suspect we have words that are as equally confusing. Okay, so I don't exactly know the rules but I think I'm supposed to share eight things about myself. I have to say that I have a very boring life, just ask my son. He's always telling me so, so it must be true! Growing up wasn't much better. But here goes. Eight things.....

1. I didn't really think I was afraid of bugs until yesterday.... A lady came to the nursery, holding a mason jar with a half eaten leaf, this 3" long black, slimy thing the thickness of a pen, and all kinds of unmentionables in the jar.... She wanted to know what kind of caterpillar it was. Besides BUTT UGLY???? I asked????? She kept trying to hand the jar over to me of which I finally took and holding it at arm's length, she goes, "you really don't like looking at it do you?" Ya think? I was ready to pass out. Honest to goodness, I was ready to throw up; my legs were weak; and I was light headed. I didn't know until that moment that bugs bothered me....

2. Which leads me into my second fearful item. I am, without a doubt, terrified of snakes. There's no question about it. I don't want to see a picture in a magazine or a snake on tv; I don't want to hear the grass move or see it slithering away. I hate snakes. It goes back to my childhood. I used to be tomboyish and remember even letting a little garden snake slither over my white tennies. One day I recall telling my mom about a snake I saw behind the garage and she said, "do not go back there!" So what did I do???? I went behind the garage.... The snake moved. I ran. And it wasn't until later that I noticed I had a big hole, the size of a quarter, in the side of my leg. It wasn't bleeding. It was just this big hole. Evidently when I ran, I ran into a pointy branch that cut a hunk out of my leg. I didn't cry. My mom thought it would turn out okay if we just let it be.... To this day I have an upside down heart scar on my leg that no one... no one..... is allowed to touch. It doesn't hurt. It just gives me the willies.

3. Since I'm on a roll of scary things, how about I'm afraid of being alone. I'm 55 and afraid of being alone. Mostly at night. Again, this goes back to my childhood. We lived along the railroad tracks. Well, originally it was the trolley car (does that date me or what?!). But we had "hobos" that walked up and down the tracks. We also had "peeping toms." One night when I was about 8, I went into my bedroom and heard the bedroom window opening (or possibly closing), and I ran so fast back into the living room and hid behind my mom who was sitting on the couch. Our dad was in the veteran's hospital at the time and it was just my mom and us four kids. My oldest sister, Georgia, put on my dad's overcoat and hat and with a bat in one hand and a fake, deep voice, scoped the rest of the house out to make sure no one had come inside. Today, I am still afraid of the dark. Of being in the house, at night, alone. Of shadows. Of strange noises. BUT, I no longer take a knife to bed with me when my husband is away. Yes, I am a scaredy cat...

4. I love crawfish! We used to catch them as a child and my mom would cook them in a large canner. She added pickling spices is all, I believe, and they were finger licking good. Gross as it might seem, I'll even suck the guts out, eat the fat in the stomach, and eat the meat behind the eyeball. Sad but true!

5. I love playing games: Scrabble, Mexican dominoes, dice, cards, Yatzee. I don't know cribbage or chess and really don't have any desire to learn them.

6. I was married for 21 years but it just didn't work out. We have two children, Tracy and Bucky. We've been divorced for 15 years. I've been remarried to my perfect soul mate and best friend for 12 years now. But, Soapy (my ex) and I are still friends. He's been our realtor, he gives us King crab and venison, I give him zucchini bread and cookies. We even spend holidays and other important events together like the kids' birthdays. It hasn't always been this way but it's a good place to be. My kids didn't ask for a broken home but I think they would agree that we're all in better places, happier places, and that's worth something. Is it strange spending Thanksgiving with your ex? Yea, a little, but it works for us.

7. This is probably no secret but I love chocolate. I love candy. I love sweets. I I had to give it up tomorrow, I don't know if I could.... Give me Junior Mints, peanut butter cups, or chocolate covered cherries and I'm one happy camper.

8. I believe in Santa.

So there you have it. The good, the bad, and the ugly! Now I'm supposed to tag other people. It gets hard at this point because I'm sure everyone has already been tagged more than once but here's a couple I'm hoping hasn't been tagged recently.

Tracy at Simply Blissful
Connie at Notes from a Cottage Garden
Deb at Homespun Living