The 'IT' girl

What happens when you take a week off the internet? For me, lots of housecleaning. And a strange feeling of longing every time I got on my computer. Also, people start playing tag.

I've been tagged twice by two of my favorite blogs- Larissa at Papa is a Preacher, who is lucky that she lives far away from me, because I'd be so tempted to kidnap her and call her my own. And Sleepy Joe at The Life and Writings of Sleepy Joe, who is a great writer and who gives me a thrill just thinking that someone from England would read my blog.

I'm supposed to tell you eleven things about myself (for both tags that would be 22! whew!). Now, I know you're thinking, 'Gosh, I wish Jewels would tell us more about herself. She's such a closed book. A mystery. A mystery wrapped in an enigma.'  I'm not sure I could come up with that many, even remotely interesting, things about me. So, instead, I'll just answer their questions.  That'll probably tell  you more than you wanted to know.

Larissa's Questions-

1-What is your go-to dish. The one that springs to mind when someone asks you to bring something to a potluck? Your food.
I love to make 'Cowboy Caviar' which is sort of a corn and black bean salsa. It's addicting and oh-so-easy.

2-Have you ever broken a pencil in two?
Huh. I think I did as a kid, but not for a very long time. It seems so wasteful. (That's the mom in me talking.)

3-Sweet or salty (food)? 
I used to be a chocoholic. LOVED anything with cocoa in it. But, it must be the old age, I can't really stomach it anymore. I rarely eat sweet stuff. I'm all about the salty.

4-What is your favorite blog post?
I thought about this a lot, then decided to go with the one that immediately popped into my head. It was one of my very first ones and it still rings true for me. http://frazzledandfrumpy.blogspot.com/2009/06/why-so-serious.html

5-What was one gift that someone gave you that you will always remember?
My grandmother loved jewelery and had many nice pieces. About a year before she died, she gave me a diamond and sapphire ring (sapphire is my birthstone) for my birthday. My grandfather had bought it for her and I'd seen her wear it a lot as I was growing up. It's sort of fancy and I only wear it on dates and to church, but I love it because it always reminds me of her.

6-What annoys you?
Political ads. Stop telling me why you don't like the other guy. I get it.

7-What makes you happy?
My family. Both my own (Handy Man and kids) and the one I grew up with. I never get tired of spending time with them.

8-Truth or Dare?
I'm way to old for dares. And, I don't have much to hide, so, Truth it is.

9-Did you collect anything as a kid? 
Not really. I always wanted to, but we were too poor for me to really collect anything. Unless you count the corny poems I wrote. Now, there's a collection worthy of the Smithsonian.

10-Bath or Shower?
Neither. I just put on lots of perfume.
JK- shower. I don't want to sit in a bath unless I'm already clean, which sort of eliminates the purpose.

11-Would you ever use gel pens (sparkly ones)?
I have and would again. I'm just sort of sparkly like that.


Are you sick of me yet? If so, that's ok. Go check out Pintrest for a few minutes. While you do that, I'll answer Sleepy Joe's questions.

1-Who is your literary hero?
Bella from Twilight. (Oh my gosh, I'm kidding. I couldn't resist.)
I think it'd be Mrs. Weasly from Harry Potter.

2- Why?
She's a mom of a bunch of kids and she 'adopts' another (sounds familiar, right?). Her mothering instincts are apparent in all of the books, she's always cooking for them and worrying over them. Plus, she's a bit frazzled and frumpy herself.

3-What is your favorite children's story?
When I was little, we had a record that had nursery rhymes and stories on it. We listened to it all. the. time. I loved the story of Heidi, and I would cry every time at the end when her friend Klara learns to walk.

4-Are you a closet reader? Are there any books that you won't admit to reading?
No, I'm more embarrassed about the books I haven't read- pretty much any of the classics. I'm not what you would call 'well read'. Pretty lame for an aspiring writer.

5-Do you have any regrets in life?
I wish I'd kept dancing and that I'd flossed more. Seriously. You only get one set of teeth.

6-Name one ambition (not including having your writing published).
To learn to throw pottery.

7-Heels or flats on a night out?
Flats. I only wear heels on an occasional Sunday, when I'll be sitting most of the time. I love the way they look, not crazy about how they feel.

8-What is your comfort food?
I asked the Handy Man this and he said, "It isn't chocolate any more." I don't know. Is diet Coke considered a food?

9-Normal clothes or comfy pj's? 
What isn't normal about comfy pj's?  I own jeans, but only wear them when I leave the house. Otherwise, if it isn't stretchy, it stays in the closet.

10-What is your favorite film?
I love that she calls it a 'film', sounds much more sophisticated than movie.  I watch lots of movies films, just one favorite?  Castaway, Spanglish, The Notebook, are all ones that I could watch over and over.

11-Coke or Pepsi?
ONLY diet Coke.

Now, I get to be IT and tag some others.

Marianne at We Band of Mothers

Submommy

Martha at Seaside Simplicity

Kristi at Random Daily Thoughts

Sarah at The Best Stuff

Now for my questions-

1- Do you have a middle name? What is it?
2-What was your favorite candy as a child?
3-Do you have a phobia?
4-Do you wear jewelry?
5-Where was your all-time favorite vacation spot?
6-Your pizza, you don't have to share, what's on it?
7-If you were stranded on a desert island and had one book to read, what would it be?
8-Dream car?  Dream 'reasonable' car?
9-If you could be a character in a movie or book, who would you be?
10-Do you paint your nails? (Fingers or toes)
11-Is there anything that would make you stop blogging?

Now, your turn, my taggees. Tell us 11 things about yourself then answer my questions. THEN, tag eleven (or however many) blogs and ask your own questions. Fun in the sun!