Another Busy Week and Random Dozen

I'm beginning to feel like I'm living my life on a treadmill, only this one isn't the one that sits stationary (and usually empty) in my basement "gym".  No, it's the the invisible treadmill that I run on throughout my days from one activity to another.  It seems that in those quiet moments I sit down now, my mind is still on that invisible treadmill going a mile a minute, leaving my mind blank from anything profound or remotely interesting to say.  Sigh.  Oh how I long for those boring days of yesteryear.  Not really, but some days I'd love a little slower pace.

What's been keeping me crazy busy?  Well... since my last post, Hubby and I hopped in the car Friday afternoon to head across the Canada/U.S. border to dine at our favorite, Olive Garden for our anniversary.  Yep.  It's true.  After only 16 years of marriage the fancy, romantic dinners and weekend getaways of newlywed anniversaries are gone.  I'm totally fine with it actually.  Just getting away with my Sweetie is always celebration enough for me.  Practical or what, huh?

After we ate we wandered around the Walden-Galleria mall in Cheektowaga, NY before heading to Target across the freeway overpass.  When we came out of the Target we viewed the most beautiful FULL rainbow we'd seen in years.  The skies over Buffalo were overcast with slight rain drops while at home, across Lake Ontario, the sun was setting below the layer of clouds in what appeared to be a pretty clear sky.  It was gorgeous.  I, along with a few other Target shoppers, grabbed the phone and snapped a few shots of the rainbow.  Funny how they say there is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?  At the end of this rainbow was the Olive Garden!!

My folks were at our place when we got home and we spent a wonderful weekend visiting, watching movies and enjoying their company before they had to move on to my sister's early in the week.  Before they left, on Monday, my Stepmom "G" helped me ice some cookies I was making to take to a baby shower for our church secretary on Tuesday night.  I wasn't completely sure how I felt about the cookies by the time I was finished, but in hindsight I think they turned out okay.  Not exactly like the brilliant cookies I'd seen online but for my first attempt I'd have to say, not too bad.  Wanna see for yourself?

The rest of my week has entailed preparing for another week of Abide, chiropractor and dentist appointments and now I'm finally sitting down for an evening of reality tv and blogging.  And since it's mid-week, that means it's time for Lid's Random Dozen Meme.  I haven't played in a few weeks but no time like the present to get in a little random fun.  Wanna play?  Head on over to 2nd Cup of Coffee to join in!

1. Do you prefer to read the book or see the movie?  It often depends.  I usually don't get a chance to read the book so I'll watch the movie (i.e. Charlie St. Cloud) but in the case of someone like say, Nicholas Sparks, I always read the book first and then the movie since I read his books when they are first released.  He's one of my favorite authors!

2. What is your favorite holiday and why?  Christmas of course.  I love the magic, the lights, the imagination of Santa, but most importantly it's my favorite because it's the "birthday" of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It is the season where the BEST Gift of all was given... the love and hope of God in human form.  The Good News of Redemption personified.

3. Which do you like better - the mountains or the beach?  Beach baby!!  Give me sand between my toes and the "heavenly" wave machine of the ocean and I am one happy camper!

4. If money were no consideration, what vehicle would you drive?  A little sporty 2 seat convertible.

5. What is your favorite cold-weather beverage?  Some vanilla tea - no milk, no sugar... just vanilla black tea.

6. How do you communicate most often with your friends: phone, email, text, face-to-face, or Facebook?  I'd have to say most often... facebook.  Both online friends and my offline church friends use facebook so it is my most used form of communication, although I do use the other modes too.

7. How do you receive your mail? Mailbox on the porch, at the end of the driveway, down the street, or post office box?  Um... on my iPhone - hee hee.  Seriously, our snail mail comes via the box attached to our house at the front door.

8. Of the four basic personality types - sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic, and choleric - which is your strongest? Which is your least evident? (See definitions below.)  My personality is equal parts sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic (in that order) with almost no choleric.   My Hubby is the same only his phlegmatic is first, sanguine second with lesser melancholy and little choleric.  No wonder we get along so well - we're both high phlegmatic :-D

9. What do you miss the most about being 20?  My flat stomach and size 5 body!

10. How long from the time you get up, does it take you to get ready to walk out the door in the morning? It totally depends on the day and things like, did I have my shower & do my hair the night before?  If so, 30 minutes (like we do Sundays for church).  Other days... it could be an hour... mostly because I meander and take my time.

11. Who handles the car maintenance and pays the bills in your family?  We both sort of do... Hubby makes the money and the main decisions while I do the "leg" work - I take the vehicles in during the day while I'm home and I pay the bills.

12. For those in the US, how many states have you visited? For those outside the US, how many provinces/other countries have you visited?  Because I LOVE to travel North America, I'll answer for both countries... I have visited in Canada... Ontario (of course because I live here), British Columbia, Quebec, PEI, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia (the last 2 as a child & can't remember a thing).  In the U.S. I've visited NY, MA, CT, PA, NJ, MD, D.C., VA, W. VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, TN, KY, OH, MI, IL, WI, TX, CA and driven through a tiny bit of IN.  My goal in life is to see all 50 states!

And there you have it.  My life, my week and my Random Dozen in a Nutshell.