Sunday Five - Retirement

 I recently had an hour lone Zoom video call with a friend who is thinking about retirement in a decade or so.  She is planning ahead, as she puts it, continuing her practice of overthinking things.  Much better to overthink that not plan at all.  Thinking about that call, inspires this weeks Sunday five. 

1. Are you retired? 
2. What is the best thing about retirement? 
3. What is your greatest concern about retirement? 
4. If money, or health insurance where no object, when would you retire? 
5. What is the hallmark of a successful retirement? 

My Answers (because I won't ask you anything I won't to myself.) 

1. Are you retired? No, my spouse is. 
2. What is the best thing about retirement? Flexibility in schedule. 
3. What is your greatest concern about retirement? Not having good health to enjoy it. 
4. If money, or health insurance where no object, when would you retire? For me this would have been about age 60.  
5. What is the hallmark of a successful retirement? Personal Happiness. 

Please share your answers in the comments.  

Sunday Five - Where to When We Can?

Traveling is like riding a bike, you never really forget how, though you do need a little practice to sharpen your skills.  Someday travel will become safe again, adventure will become normal and acceptable.  When that happens, where to? Hence this weeks Sunday five 

Name five places you want to travel to and and why.

1. Great Britain, we have dear friends (and bloggers) in Wales and London, and I still need to go find the house my grandmother was born in, I have not been to Scotland, I could spend a month. 
2. France, it has been too long, there are a few bloggers to meet. I could spend the rest of my life exploring small French villages and wandering in the museums. Oh and the food! 
3. Philadelphia, there are a couple of bloggers to see, a couple of great museums to revisit, and Hamster has some old college friends to see. 
4. Arizona, there is something about the landscape that makes my heart go pitter-pat.  There are a couple of dear bloggers to see. I want to go back to the Grand Canyon and spend time exploring the high desert and mountains.  
5. New York City, we have a dear old friend who has moved there (west side of Central Park, near the middle of the park.) The new platforms at Penn Station are opening this week. Shopping, food, museums there is just so much.  I need to go to Brooklyn, I have a couple of addresses connected to my grandmother's time there, and the bar her Uncle Bob ran (just over the bridge, on the left.)  

Well, that will cover my first year, onward from there.  

Please share your top five in the comments.  

 

The Sunday Five - Nesting Time

 The eagles continue to fix up this nest, likely there will be hatchlings in coming weeks or months.  Fixing up the nest, inspiration for this weeks Sunday Five. 

1. How long have you lived at your current nest? 
2. Have you ever done a major remodel? 
3. Have you ever built a new nest? 
4. If you could have any view in the world, what would you look out on? 
5. Is your current nest, too large, too small, or just right? 

My answers: 

1. How long have you lived at your current nest? 11 years the end of this month. 
2. Have you ever done a major remodel? Both bathrooms in the past 18 months. 
3. Have you ever built a new nest? Three times in three years. 
4. If you could have any view in the world, what would you look out on? Hard to pick one, Golden Gate Bridge 
5. Is your current nest, too large, too small, or just right? It would be nice to have just a little more space. 

Please share your answers in the comments. 

The Sunday Five - What Do You Want - What Do You Not Want

The Sunday Five - What Do You Want - What Do You Not Want me to write about.  Believe it or not, I have been blog planning for 2021.  It is that time of the year.  So let me ask:

1. Should I continue the Sunday Five? 
2. Should I continue My Music Monday?
3. Should I continue The Way We Were Wednesdays? 
4. Should I do more food and baking posts? 
5. How would you feel about a random travel photo and short memory (I have about 50,000 photos to select from at random)? 

This one is for your answers, so I will refrain from leading by example, please share your answers in the comments.  

The Sunday Five - How Modern Are We?

 One of the first things I do every morning, is put my watch back on. If I don't it runs down and stops.  This got me to thinking, hence this weeks Sunday five. 

1. Do you wear a watch, and if so, digital, electric, or mechanical? 
2. Do you carry a smartphone, and if so do you turn it off at night? 
3. Have you lived in a home, that didn't have electric lights when it was built? 
4. Have you owned a television that didn't have a remote control? 
5. Tell us about your first email account? 

My answers: 

1. Do you wear a watch, and if so, digital, electric, or mechanical? I wear a mechanical watch, a Seiko copy of a famous Swiss self "perpetual" movement in a slick modern case.  I love the miniature machine. 
2. Do you carry a smartphone, and if so do you turn it off at night? Yes, and I turn mine off every night, in fact I don't turn it on every day.  
3. Have you lived in a home, that didn't have electric lights when it was built? I have not, my parents did, in fact my mother didn't have electricity at home until she was a teenager.  
4. Have you owned a television that didn't have a remote control? Yes, I can remember the first TV I bought with a remote control in 1982. 
5. Tell us about your first email account? When I started Law School the University assigned me an email account, followed shortly by a personal account (fall of 1996.) 

Please share your answers in the comments.

The Sunday Five - Days When We Are Stumped

 

I am stumped, I can't think of a theme for this week's Sunday Five.  I am searching for inspiration, hoping for insight from the muses. Hmm, there is the theme, what do you do when you need inspiration. 

1. Do you write down ideas when you think of them? 
2. What music, TV, books, on online source, inspires you? 
3. Is there a book that inspires you to write? 
4. Do you write it, and then have second thoughts and not post?
5. When do you do your best writing? 

My Answers: 

1. Do you write down ideas when you think of them? Not often enough, 
2. What music, TV, books, on online source, inspires you? Music sometimes does it for me. 
3. Is there a book that inspires you to write? I have a couple of books of ideas, that I sometimes turn to such as, "Do One Thing Every Day That Makes You Happy". 
4. Do you write it, and then have second thoughts and not post? Once in a while, once this year, I posted something, thought better of it and took it down. 
5. When do you do your best writing? Usually Saturday or Sunday morning.  

Please share your answers in the comments. 

Sunday Five: Flowers

 I have spent four months taking pictures of wild flowers in the swamp, I have been taking photos of flowers since I was a teenager. Flowers fascinate me.  After my mother died, I started keeping fresh flowers in the house.  

1. Do you grow flowers in your garden, yard or terrace? 
2. When was the last time you had cut flowers in your house? 
3. Did your mother, have plastic flowers around the house? 
4. What is your favorite flower? 
5. Do you stop to smell the flowers? 

My answers: 

1. Do you grow flowers in your garden, yard or terrace? Nope, plants die in my custody.  
2. When was the last time you had cut flowers in your house? Today. 
3. Did your mother, have plastic flowers around the house? Oh awful things, yes. 
4. What is your favorite flower? I like roses that smell like roses. 
5. Do you stop to smell the flowers? After checking for bees, yes. 

Please share your answers in the comments. 

Sunday Five - Sunrise - Sunset

 My somewhat wonky digestion woke me early one morning recently, I decided as long as I was up I would grab the camera and head down to the river to watch the sunrise.  I haven't intentionally gone out to watch the sunrise in decades.  It was very cloudy and not the best for photos, but I did see geese and ducks that have usually fed and moved on before I get there.  Most mornings the sun rises while I am reading blogs in my bedroom.  So this weeks Sunday Five - sunrise-sunset.  

1. When was the last time you paused to watch the sunrise? 
2. Are you a fan of mornings, or would you prefer that the day started at noon? 
3. Are you more likely to be out and about at Noon or Midnight? 
4. Do you have a nice view from home for sunsets? 
5. If you could watch the sunset anyplace in the world tonight, where would it be? 

My answers: 

1. When was the last time you paused to watch the sunrise?  A week or so ago, for the first time in a long time. 
2. Are you a fan of mornings, or would you prefer that the day started at noon? I am more of morning person, no offense to noon, but my day is half over by then. 
3. Are you more likely to be out and about at Noon or Midnight? Noon, it is rare for me to be awake at midnight.  
4. Do you have a nice view from home for sunsets? Not really, if we were on the other end of the building and about 10 floors up, it would be better.  
5. If you could watch the sunset anyplace in the world tonight, where would it be? I remember the most spectacular sunsets in Arizona, maybe over the Grand Canyon.  

Please share your answers in the comments.  

Sunday Five - Things That Make Me Smile

The Concord makes me smile. When EPCOT opened, British Airways and Air France landed a pair of them at Orlando International Airways, I remember pulling off the side of University Boulevard and stopping to watch them on final approach.  Seeing one makes me smile. 

1: What food makes you smile?

2: What drink, makes you smile? 

3: Describe a memory from childhood that makes you smile.

4: What moment in history makes you smile? 

5: What wish for the future makes you smile? 

My answers: 

1: What food makes you smile? Cheese 

2: What drink, makes you smile? Chocolate milkshake.  

3: Describe a memory from childhood that makes you smile. Seeing the Grand Canyon as a 6 year old. 

4: What moment in history makes you smile? Armstrong stepping onto the moon.

5: What wish for the future makes you smile? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, leaving DC in disgrace. 9

Please share your answers in the comments. 

 

Sunday Five : Five Things About Me

1. One thing I have always wanted to own?
2. One place I would love to visit? 
3. My favorite time of the day?
4. My favorite food? 
5. I always enjoy? 

My answers:

1. One thing I have always wanted to own? A boat 
2. One place I would love to visit? Portugal 
3. My favorite time of the day? I am a morning person 
4. My favorite food? Cheese 
5. I always enjoy? A cool dry morning. 

Please share your answers in the comments.

 

Sunday Five - If You Could

 Let's escape reality, and spend a few minutes in unreality, If You Could? Be creative, there are no limits, you don't need a reason. 

1. If you could travel through time for four hours, where and when would you go? 
2. If you could attend the finish of any sporting event, what would you want to attend? 
3. If you could have lunch tomorrow with any person living or dead, who would it be? 
4. If you could leave the earth, safely, and return in an hour, where in the Universe would you want to visit? 
5. If you could have one celebrity or politician as a next door neighbor, who would it be? 

My Answers:

 

1. If you could travel through time for four hours, where and when would you go? The liberation of Paris near the end of World War II. 
2. If you could attend the finish of any sporting event, what would you want to attend? Seats on the finish line of the Indianapolis 500 the year Mario Andretti won. 
3. If you could have lunch tomorrow with any person living or dead, who would it be? My Great-Grandmother Wood, 
4. If you could leave the earth, safely, and return in an hour, where in the Universe would you want to visit? The moon, I'd love to see earth from the Moon. 
5. If you could have one celebrity or politician as a next door neighbor, who would it be? Queen Elizabeth. 

Please share your answers in the comments. 

Sunday Five - Kids Yesterday and Today

1. What do you have today, that you wish you had a kid?
2. Did you drink alcohol, before you were "of age?"  
3. Did you have a secret hiding place as a kid?
4. Did you have a room of your own as a child? 
5. Where did you escape to as a kid? 

My answers: 

1. What do you have today, that you wish you had a kid? Spell check, it would have made my life so much easier. 
2. Did you drink alcohol, before you were "of age?"  No, I was a good kid in many ways (meaning I got away with things because, 'he'd never do that!') 
3. Did you have a secret hiding place as a kid? Not really, my mother always seemed to know where I was.  
4. Did you have a room of your own as a child? Not until my brothers left home, until I was 13 there were three of us sharing a bedroom. 
5. Where did you escape to as a kid? The old barn on the farm, no one went there, it was old, quiet, and only a little spooky.  

Please share your answers in the comments.  

Sunday Five - Do You Remember

 Kind of a test of how old are you, do you remember when, this weeks Sunday five. 

1. Do you remember the first time you paid more than $1 per gallon for gas (hmm, how does that convert for those outside of the USA?  1-eruo or 1-GPB per litre?) 
2. 8-Track tape players? 
3. When Richard Nixon resigned as US president? 
4. Tell us about your first visit to a public library? 
5. The first time you saw a Heron? 

My Answers:

1. Do you remember the first time you paid more than $1 per gallon for gas (petrol) (hmm, how does that convert for those outside of the USA?  1-eruo or 1-GPB per litre?) It would have been 1978, a Gulf oil station in Titusville, FL at the corner of US-1 and Knox McRae (there is a bank there now.) The pumps couldn't handle a price over a dollar, so they set them to the price per half-gallon. 
2. 8-Track tape players? I had one in the early 1970's and wanted a recorder - but they went out of date before you knew it. 
3. When Richard Nixon resigned as US president? We were visiting a flying friend of my fathers, I think I cried, while others cheered. 
4. Tell us about your first visit to a public library? It would have been in North Branch, Michigan, probably with my grandmother, the library was above the 5 and Dime store, next to the Pioneer Bank, up a flight of wood stairs, lots of dark wood bookcases, I was probably 5 or 6. 
5. The first time you saw a Heron? There was one that visited the wetlands on the farm when I was a child, my mother was thrilled when it landed in the corner of the yard. (Neat photo of one in flight?) 

Please share your answers in the comments. 

Sunday Five - Influences

We all have influences on our lives, some positive, some not, some funny, some sad, hence this weeks Sunday five. 

1. Describe a person who has been a positive role model in your life? 
2. Describe a person who was a naughty influence on your life? 
3. Describe a person who was always fun? 
4. Who was the Debbie Downer in your life? 
5. Who are you influencing and how? 

My answers: 

1. Describe a person who has been a positive role model in your life? My paternal grandmother, she was strong, understanding, and a positive thinker. 
2. Describe a person who was a naughty influence on your life?  A high school friend, Robby, he was fun - until he got older and turned bitter.
3. Describe a person who was always fun?  Uncle Richard, he was a master storyteller and always had an adventure or misadventure to talk about. 
4. Who was the Debbie Downer in your life? My maternal grandmother, yes she had a difficult life, but they had also had some awesome adventures. 
5. Who are you influencing and how? My dear readers, I hope I entertain you, help you find the sunny side of life.  

Please share your answers in the comments. 

The Sunday Five - In the Beginning

I recently stumbled across this while searching for a misplaced car key (I found the car key.) This was my first memory card based MP3 player.  It has a whopping 512MG memory card in it. My how fast things have changed, I can remember buying my first cassette tape player, and later my first CD player.  So technology - in the beginning will be the theme for this weeks Sunday Five. 

1: What is a PDA and did you ever own one? 

2: Did you purchased any music CDs in the last year?

3: Do you own a working cassette tape player? 

4: Do you remember "video disk players" and did you ever own one? 

5: Was your first one, Beta or VHS? 

My answers: 

1: What is a PDA and did you ever own one? Without giving away the answer I will just say it is not a public display of affection, and yes I did own one. 

2: Did you purchased any music CDs in the last year? A handful, ordered a couple of Amazon, and bought a few from artists performing in public. 

3: Do you own a working cassette tape player? No, wish I did.  

4: Do you remember "video disk players" and did you ever own one? These were the huge things that played music off of a disk the size of a 33 RPM LP, saw a few of them, never owned one (the disks were expensive.) 

5: Was your first one, Beta or VHS? Beta - the video quality was actually better. 

Please share your answers in the comments. 

Sunday Five - The adventures of 2020

I plan a national conference, last fall I settled on a theme of Vision 2020, as a play on words from 20/20 vision for this fall.  I had no idea how far off that vision would be.  So this week, let's talk about the adventure that has been 2020.

1: Have you waited in a socially distanced line to enter a store? 

2: How many face-masks do you have? 

3: Has anyone hassled you about wearing a face mask? 

4: Have you stayed healthy? 

5: What are you most looking forward to when this is over? 

My answers: 

1: Have you waited in a socially distanced line to enter a store?  Only once, at IKEA, I didn't wait to get into Trader Joes, Jay went a couple of days later in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, when there was no wait. 

2: How many face-masks do you have? Five cloth ones, and I bought a box of disposable paper ones.  Most of mine are boring basic black. 

3: Has anyone haseled you about wearing a face mask? I have not, Jay was questioned by a yahoo. 

4: Have you stayed healthy? Yes, fortunately. 

5: What are you most looking forward to when this is over?  Booking airline tickets for the next great adventure.  

Please share your answers in the comments.  

Sunday Five - frozen summer delights

In the works above, is espresso coffee ice-cream.  Milk, cream, egg yolks, sugar, a double espresso, and the strongest coffee allowed in Virginia.   I cooked the cream, eggs and sugar into a light custard, added the coffee, espresso and milk, cooled then froze.  It was the first time I had used the ice-cream maker attachment on the Kitchen Aid mixer.  Hence this weeks Sunday five, frozen summer delights. 

1:  Have you ever hand cranked an ice cream maker? 

2:  Do you prefer the modern frozen jacket ice cream makers or the traditional ice and salt method? 

3: Have you used a machine with an electric freezer jacket? 

4: When was the last time (if ever) that you made ice cream at home? 

5: Should ice-cream have eggs in it? 

My answers:

1:  Have you ever hand cranked an ice cream maker?  Once, at summer camp in my early teens.  

2:  Do you prefer the modern frozen jacket ice cream makers or the traditional ice and salt method?  The frozen jacket is so much easier, and cleaner.  

3: Have you used a machine with an electric freezer jacket?  Not yet.  Not sure I would use one enough to justify the space. 

4: When was the last time (if ever) that you made ice cream at home? 4th of July weekend.  

5: Should ice-cream have eggs in it? I am ambivalent on this, Jay is a great fan of "frozen custard." I am not sure I can taste the difference.  

Please share your answers in the comments.  

 

Sunday Five - Summer Days

I will admit I have a love-hate relationship with summer.  I love it being warm, hate if being hot and humid.  Hence this weeks Sunday five.

1: What it the ideal temperature for a summer day (in F or C)? 

2: Do you wear sunscreen in the summer? 

3: Are you planning to go to the beach this summer? 

4: Fresh water or salt water? 

5: Have you ever been snorkeling? 

My answers: 

1: What it the ideal temperature for a summer day (in F or C)?  About 80 F, and low humidity 

2: Do you wear sunscreen in the summer? Seldom 

3: Are you planning to go to the beach this summer? No, the closest we might come is Cleveland on the north coast of Ohio. 

4: Fresh water or salt water? I prefer salt water, but really either. 

5: Have you ever been snorkeling?  Yes, a friend showed me how when I was in my late teens.  

Please share your answers in the comments. 

Sunday Five - Life's big little questions

1. So what do you really think of adulthood? 
2. If you didn't know how old you are, how old do you think you would be? 
3. What sage advice would you give to your 12 year old self? 
4. What do you wish you had more of in your life? 
5. What would you like to try for the first time this summer? 

My answers:

1. So what do you really think of adulthood?  It is vastly overrated. 
2. If you didn't know how old you are, how old do you think you would be? About 30- but I am happier now than I was then. 
3. What sage advice would you give to your 12 year old self? Never worry about what others think of you, those who love you will love you for who you are, those who don't love who you are, never did. 
4. What do you wish you had more of in your life? Intelligent people 
5. What would you like to try for the first time this summer? A hot air balloon ride - still need to do that. 

Please share your answers in the comments. 

Sunday Five - Simple Questions

1: Name one thing you like about yourself? 

2: Name one thing you like about where you live? 

3: What was your all time favorite trip? 

4: Who was the most famous person you ever met? 

5: What is the farthest you have ever been from home? 

My answers: 

1: Name one thing you like about yourself?  My curiosity 

2: Name one thing you like about where you live? Closeness to history - George Washington had dinner with friends on this hilltop a week before he died. 

3: What was your all time favorite trip? A tough choice, my first visit to Normandy.  

4: Who was the most famous person you ever met? Ronald Reagan in 1976. 

5: What is the farthest you have ever been from home? Greece,  about 5,500 miles from where I was living at the time.  

Please share your answers in the comments.