100 things

1. I find other things to do when faced with tasks I don’t want to do
2. Some people call this procrastination
3. When I tell people I was born and lived in California for 20 years, they assume I lived on a beach or near Disneyland
4. I did not see the ocean until I was 6 years old
5. My first (and only) trip to Disneyland was in 4th grade
6. I grew up in Northern California (where there’s water)
7. I always thought Northern California was anything north of San Francisco
8. We were always going “south” to visit our family in the San Joaquin Valley
9. Imagine my surprise when I learned Southern California was below Bakersfield!
10. After living in California for 20 years, I “grew-up” in Arizona
11. I have been away from Arizona for 7 years … yet I still miss it
12. Since 2001 I have lived in a state with no parallel roads
13. It also has trees – very TALL trees
14. You must know where you’re going to take a short-cut here because …(see 13) and guessing doesn’t work too good
15. I have ended up in other towns when taking a shortcut
16. I believe I get this uncanny knack of finding “shortcuts” from my mother
17. Once she led us on a mountain shortcut that ADDED 4 hours to our trip
18. Of course we didn’t know that when we started out …
19. One part of the shortcut was impassible, so we took an another “shortcut”
20. It ADDED an ADDITIONAL hour to the trip
21. A car almost ran us over a cliff on this new part
22. My mother wanted my dad to turn around and follow the car
23. She said she wanted to give the driver, “A piece of her mind”
24. My grandmother said she didn’t think my Mom could afford to do that
25. ...........…. It was VERY quiet in the car for a long time!
26. We were driving from our campsite in one canyon to my Aunt and Uncle’s cabin in the next canyon over .... 30 miles as the crow flies
27. We left at 9:00 am for a day of “good fishing”
28. By the time we got to the cabin it was time for Happy Hour at the Gold Cup Bar
29. Happy Hour is AFTER 5:00 pm when the sun has gone down on the river and you can’t catch anymore fish…
30. It wasn’t very happy
31. It lasted more than an hour
32. We took the “long” way home
33. And got there in 2 hours!
34. Now that gas has become so expensive I don’t think I can afford to take “shortcuts” in this new state
35. YES, both my Mom and I know how to read maps!
36. I love Mexican food …
37. Real Mexican food from Sonora and Baja Mexico
38. Real Mexican food DOES NOT have “plastic” cheese on it (or in it)
39. I love to cook
40. A dinner does not come out of a box, bag, or the frozen food section …
41. It is made from “scratch”
42. I find it very hard to enjoy home cooking that includes Velveeta cheese
43. I grew up learning a balanced meal included fruits & vegetables
44. My Mom said, “Potatoes, Corn, and Hominy” were starches, not vegetables
45. Vegetables are green and leafy
46. Out here they list all three as vegetables on the menu
47. And MACARONI AND CHEESE!
48. I have never heard of the "Macaroni and Cheese" tree, bush, or plant … or seen a field of it
49. I think “they” are WRONG
50. Did you know you can cook vegetables so they aren’t mushy?
51. It is also possible to eat vegetables without them being in a casserole!
52. Fried onions are not necessary to make vegetables palatable
53. Nor is Velveeta
54. ????? Really
55. I know this is news in the South, but it is true … I assure you!
56. No kidding
57. I love wine
58. but not pink wine
59. I am suspicious of any wine that is mass produced
60. I apologize to Sutter Home, Yellow Tail, and Woodbridge
61. but I’m not change my mind
62. I also love single malt scotch …
63. yes … I’m a food and alcohol snob
64. I love my church out here
65. I am a social person
66. I enjoy listening to music
67. I hate to miss out on “anything”
68. I go to “Contemporary Service”, Sunday school, and “Big People’s Church”
69. Everyone looks at me funny when I call it “Big People’s Church”
70. I don’t care … it’s what it is … everyone is very “dignified” and “mature”
71. One Sunday a month I am stuck in the “Prayer Room” during “Big People’s Church”
72. I am supposed to be praying for the church
73. Instead I pray that God will make it end
74. Not church … me having to sit in the prayer room
75. It feels like punishment … not a time to get closer to God
76. I love pork …this is a GOOD thing in the south
77. I don’t know how to fry food … this is a BAD thing in the south
78. I like to camp, read, and fly-fish (obviously not at the same time)
79. I HATE mosquitoes
80. In Arizona I could fish and camp to my hearts content
81. In California I had to remember the “Off” or “Cutters”
82. I saw my first firefly from my front porch ... if there are fireflies then there are MOSQUITOES!
83. Now I only see fireflies from INSIDE my house
84. Out here you must find a place to camp or fish INDOORS
85. Did you know cowboy boots will MOLD in a closet?
86. I didn’t either … until I moved here
87. I have a two brothers in California - Both of them are named Rick
88. One is my big brother. The other is my “little” brother and we are not related.
89. My big brother is 8 years older than me and 6 feet 6 inches tall.
90. My Mom is almost 6 feet tall and my Dad is 6 foot 4 inches. They were all skinny at one point ...
91. I am 5 foot 7 inches tall and not skinny … I wonder if I’m really related to them
92. My relationship with my big brother wasn’t always good
93. We might as well have grown up in two different families. Sometime after I turned 30, he turned human
94. He has a wife and two girls (my nieces)
95. He lives closer to my Mom and Dad than I do
96. No comment
97. My Mom can out fly-fish most men … including my Dad … and he is VERY good
98. My Dad makes the best Sourdough waffles and pancakes
99. My Mom can tow a 32-foot camping trailer behind an extended bed truck
100. Maybe that’s why I can do so many things on my own … my Mom was a great role model