HAVE YOU EVER?
June 25, 2014
Been pulled over?
Three times, that I remember. Twice it was for speeding, both times I managed to talk
my way out of a ticket. I don’t speed any more. Last time I was pulled over it was
for going too slow. Clearly I have problems with speed regulation!
Dyed your hair?
Back in the 1970s I tried putting a red rinse on my hair (I always wanted to be
Maureen O’Hara). It just made my hair have a fake purplish tint to it and I
didn’t do it again.
Pulled an all-nighter?
In college I remember staying up all night and taking a lot of No Doze. Didn't help
at all and I felt awful in the morning. I’ve been up all night a few times since
then, but not for study or work or anything noble. The last time I was up all night was
the night Paul died.
Baked a cake?
You might say that, since I spent 8 years as a cake decorator! Yes, I have made many,
many, many cakes in my day.
Fallen down in public?
Unfortunately, yes. The last time was in Rochester, New York, after a church service
I attended with Steve. I slipped on a patch of ice and landed with a thud. People
expressed concern and Steve, the sweet, gentle, helpful man waved them off and said
"that’s OK–she has plenty of padding."
Been caught making out?
Not really. My father once was furious because my then-boyfriend had lipstick on his
face when he brought me home. That’s as close as I’ve come to being
"caught." (Of course my father's ire was rather disingenuous, but I didn't
find out until many years later that he and my mother had been intimate long before they
married)
Taken a pregnancy test?
Yes, I used to do it all the time. I had to stop, however, because every time I took
a pregnancy test, I had a baby a few months later. I finally figured out what was causing
it.
Broken a bone?
I’ve broken a couple of toes (once by dropping frozen beans and once dropping a
frozen roast. I stopped using the freezer and haven't broken anything since) and
fractured my shoulder at the time of my bike accident when my shoulder was dislocated.
Had braces?
That’s one dental joy I missed. I was blessed with straight teeth. In fact, when
I went to a new dentist for the first time, at age 12, he insisted on taking me to an
orthodontist in the building to show him how straight my teeth were.
Gone skinny dipping?
Once, in my father’s swimming pool. He made such a huge deal about Walt and me
going skinny dipping and then afterwards was so lecherous about it that I refused to ever
do it again.
Been to Disneyland?
More times than I want to think about. We took each kid when they were 4-5 years old,
and we took most of the foreign students when they were here. That's a lot of visits for
someone who doesn't really like rides. The last time I went to Disneyland was when I was
giving Peggy a tour of California. My life will be complete if I never have to go again.
Eaten a Krispy Kreme donut?
Yes. It was HIGHLY overrated. Much too sweet. I prefer the local donut shop, or
Winchell’s or Dunkin’ Donuts. I think the only way I would like Krispy Kreme is
if I had the donuts warm.
Screamed during a scary movie?
No. I’m extremely inhibited. I did, however, give an involuntary and audible
intake of breath at one point during The Sixth Sense, and another time during Topkapi.
Been to a professional sporting event?
Sure. Giants games, 49er games, horse racing in Dublin. Not a lot, but my share.
Slept till noon?
Heavens no! I feel bad when I sleep until 8.
Been arrested?
Never.
Opened Christmas presents early?
Yeah. I confess. I have.
Played Scrabble?
Bwahahaha. My friend Joan and I have been playing on-line Scrabble and Word with
Friends daily for more than five years now. Also used to play a lot when I was younger.
I also play Word with Friends with a lot of other people too.
Rolled down a hill?
Yeah. As a kid. I still remember the sensation of rolling down a long grassy hill,
with blue skies and fluffy white clouds overhead. Kinda like those wheels of cheese they
roll down the hill in England every year.
Toilet papered someone's house?
No. And after watching how difficult it was to get TP out of a tree, I’m very
glad that I never did it.
Laughed so hard you cried?
Many times!
Been hit on by someone too old?
My history teacher, my first year of college. It was one of the reasons I quit
school. I didn't know enough to talk with my counselor and figured that since I had failed
his class because I never attended, I couldn't possibly get out of the hole, so just quit.
Gotten seasick?
Oh yeah! We had a memorable ride in a boat out to watch whales and I got gloriously
sick. So did almost everyone else on the boat, including the captain! My friend
Diane, to her dying day, never let me forget how miserable she was on that trip.
Gee, I miss her....
Eaten food that fell on the floor?
I go by the 5 second rule.
Given a hickey?
Not that I remember.
Shared a sucker with your dog?
Not a sucker, but I have shared ice cream with puppies. Not dogs, but puppies. They
lost the privilege after they lost "puppy breath." I do, however, let
Polly either lick my ice cream bowl or eat the end of my ice cream cone (shhh...don't let
Lizzie and Sheila know)
Been in an accident?
The worst was my bike accident in 2003.
Had chickenpox?
Yes, as a child.
Shopped at Home Depot?
I thought that was a requirement for living in suburbia.
Spied on your neighbors?
No.
Plucked your eyebrows?
When I was still living in Berkeley and working at the University. It didn’t
last long. Now I couldn't pluck them if I wanted to because my vision isn't good
enough to see what I'm doing!
Ridden in a limo?
Only once –- to and from the cemetary for my sister’s funeral. My kids,
however, have rented stretch limos for various special events.
Had a pet fish?
Oh so long ago!
Lied about your age?
My friend Jeri and I shared a fake temporary driver’s license when we were 20
and the owner of the license turned 21. But I don’t think I’ve lied about it
since then. I am happy with my age.
Bought something at a yard sale?
Of course, but not lately. I think the last thing I bought at a yard sale was
this crazy cow spike that went into a garden for decoration. I bought it for my
friend Mike (now long deceased) because he used to be known as the "hateful old
cow." Only problem was that I bought it in Maryland and Mike lived in Texas and
we had to go home to California first...and the spike just barely fit in the suitcase.
Been drunk?
I had my days during college and young married years. Now I almost never drink at
all.
Had a cavity?
I keep telling my dentist that I probably put two of her children through college.
When I was very young and going to my first dentist, he didn’t believe in taking
x-rays and I was very proud of the fact that I only had 4 cavities, until I went to a more
modern dentist, at age 12, who did x-rays and found twenty cavities. Then I
started seeing Cindy after 20 years of dental neglect. So yeah...I've had cavities.
None now, though!
Been ice skating?
I took skating lessons from Olympic skater Harris Legg. It was one of our Girl Scouts
activities. I was terrible at it, but I did have fun skating on weekends at Sutro Baths in
San Francisco.
Handed out candy to trick-or-treaters?
Oh so many years! No more, though. It's just too hard to answer the door
with 3 dogs in the house that you can't lock up.
Been in the hospital?
Six times. Five times to give birth, once for tonsils (that was the first time; I was
4-1/2)
Had food come out your nose?
Yeah. I don’t remember what it was or how it happened, but it was probably from
laughing too hard.
Had a massage?
After my accident in 2003, Marta had me come in to the massage school to let the
students practice on me, but it turned out her instructor did my massage. It was wonderful.
I had one other massage a few months later from Marta. I suspect I'd be too
intimidated to get a massage from anyone else.
Locked your keys in the car?
The last time it happened, I didn’t lock the keys in the car. I left them
in the car and Lizzie, who was jumping all over the car, managed to lock the door.
That’s the last time I give the dog my car keys!
Ridden a horse?
Yes, but not since I was a kid.
Been lost?
Let’s put it this way –- I always allow for "getting lost" time
whenever I drive anywhere.
Held a $100 bill?
My grandmother once let me hold a $100 bill in a bank and told me I might never see
one again. But when I was working, I handled big bills all the time.
Been to Europe?
Yes – the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Finland, Estonia and all
those countries along the Rhine and Danube.
Slept Naked?
A couple of times.
Hogged the covers on purpose?
Of course not. I am a good person and I like to share (and I have a bridge I’ll
be happy to sell you!) It's all moot at this point, though, since I sleep on the couch and
if there is any "covers hogging" going on, it's Polly who is hogging them.
Played golf?
Only miniature golf.
Watched the Weather Channel?
Yeah. Heck –- I’ll watch anything.
Had a manicure?
Twice. The day before my wedding and the day before my sister-in-law’s wedding,
some 40+ years later.
Made mashed potatoes?
All the time. I would never make instant potatoes.
Been to the circus?
Yes. I think we’ve taken the kids to the circus a couple of times and my parents
took me a couple of times. However, after all the information about the treatment of
animals in circuses, I don’t think I could ever enjoy one again–unless it was
Cirque de Soleil (which I saw in Houston several years ago).
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