What The Heck Is A Road Atlas Anyway?

I had a funny thought for a blog post a while back, and then I forgot about it–until last week!

Last week I was visiting my optometrist to get some new eyeglasses.  (You know, the eyes are the first thing to go…)  While there, I spoke with the technician, Vanessa, about getting a pair of prescription sunglasses made, too.  During the course of our conversation, Vanessa explained to me that bifocals would be much cheaper than having progressive lenses made into sunglasses.  She said, “I can just  put little bifocals in the bottom of your distance lenses, in case your husband wants you to look at a map.”  I laughed to myself, then I remembered my forgotten post idea…

Thanks to the invention of GPS, future generations will soon be asking this question, “What the heck is a road atlas?”  Probably in a few more years, the atlas will become as rare as a telephone with a cord!  My parents (if they were still alive) would be asking, “What is a GPS?”  My daddy would probably think it should be GSP, something he knew quite well, since GSP was the abbreviation for his place of employment–Georgia State Prison.  No, he wasn’t an inmate, but worked as a guard there for twenty years…Get your mind out of the gutter!

Anyway, Ed and I have yet to invest in a GPS .  We don’t travel to unfamiliar territory much anymore, and besides, we still have some pretty fond memories of our first Rand McNally road atlas–and we still know how to use it!  (I’m afraid map reading may be a dying skill, these days…)

Ed and I received our first atlas as a Christmas gift, early in our marriage, and we put it to good use for many years!  During summers, we explored many of Georgia’s state parks and tourist attractions.  I became a pretty good navigator for Ed, if I must say so myself!  We used that atlas to find our way to the Great Smokey Mountains, as well as to the shores of Panama City Beach!  We eventually bought a new atlas, but never used the new one as much as we did the original one.  Times were changing–and so were we.

Yes, unfortunately times are changing–and I’m afraid it’s getting harder for some of us aging folks to keep up!  I shudder at the thought of Ed and me in the car, trying to figure out how to program that GPS!  Besides, Ed and I usually prefer to travel within familiar territory, these days.  Our eyesight, driving reflexes, and  sense of direction aren’t what they used to be–and now we have to watch out for those texting fools, too!

Which brings me to yet another thought…What would my parents think about texting?  My mama didn’t hear so good, so she’d probably think I was talking about sex instead of text!  I can only imagine what that conversation would be like!  With that thought in mind, I’ll say…

Have a great day, everyone!

Monday, Is That You Again Already?

Can it really be Monday, again?  Monday means it’s time for me to participate in my favorite Monday meme over at Heather’s place.  I always look forward to her four great questions each week.  Here we go…

1. What is your favorite Olympic sport?

My favorite summer Olympic sport is ladies gymnastics, my favorite winter Olympic sport is figure skating.

2. What is the healthiest meal you’ve eaten this week?

Cubed pork steak, steamed cabbage, peas, rice, and cornbread (can you tell we live in the south?)

3. What is the unhealthiest meal you’ve eaten this week?

A DQ hamburger and some french fries–and it was delicious!

4. What jewelry do you wear every day?

I don’t wear any jewelry when I’m at home.  When I go out, I usually wear my watch and wedding rings.

Now, here’s my question for you…

5.  Tired of reruns?  What fall television show are you looking forward to watching?

I’m looking forward to watching “Dancing With The Stars– The All Stars” and the new season of “Revenge”

Weekend Wrap Up

It was such a nice weekend, I really hated to see this one end…

Ed and I did a few things around the house, and spent a wonderful Saturday evening together.  Ed even surprised me by making omelets for  breakfast, too!

On a spur of the moment, we decided to go coastal again on Sunday!  We’re so blessed to live within 90 minutes of two different beaches!  Ed and I had another Subway picnic, and spent most of Sunday afternoon under the shade of those beautiful old oak trees on St. Simon’s Island–just enjoying those wonderful ocean breezes.  Such a welcome relief from the 98 degree highs at our house!

Throughout the day, we watched as people flew off  of the island in their private jets, leaving from the nearby airport.  Impressive!  We watched all sorts of people leisurely strolling on the walkway… People were also having picnics, playing Frisbee, sailing, and fishing off of the pier.  We watched several dolphins cruising by, while some seagulls flew overhead–all while we listened to some  great “oldies” music...  

We always meet such friendly people down at St. Simon’s Island, too!  One nice lady even offered to take our picture together! 

Going For Round Two…

Call us “workaholics”–or just plain crazy, but Ed and I have officially begun “Round Two” of our gardening experience!  Actually,  it began last week, when I planted a few seeds indoors…Ask me why I did this, when the temps outside are hovering close to 100 degrees!  Perhaps because it’s too hot to be outside!

On Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, of this week, Ed and I planted some fall corn, butter beans, green beans, and peas in the field.  It’s powder-dry out there, and it was still 98 degrees at 4 o’clock.  We waited until six o’clock to plant–it was still HOT!

We  love peas and butter beans in our neck of the woods, so we decided to plant a fall crop of them.  Next week we plan to follow-up by planting some potatoes, wait a couple of weeks, then plant our cabbage, squash, and tomato plants, then some carrots, radishes, lettuce, and a few other things.  The weather probably will continue to be hot, but I’m hoping for some rain between now and then.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out!  At least we’ll have no money invested in this garden, because we used seeds that we saved or had left from our first garden.  Thanks to “my girls”, the chickens, I have plenty of fresh compost, as well…No eggs yet–so it’s nice to know they are good for something 🙂

Our fall garden will be “mini-sized” compared to our spring one–only four rows, instead of the twelve we had back in the spring!  Remember, though, our rows are still 125 feet long!!!  We’ll be changing that before next spring, because I can’t stand having three different vegetables on one row.  It drives me crazy!

Our main goal with a fall garden is to grow something fresh to eat, because I’ve had my fill of “canning” for 2012!  Of course, knowing me…if there happens to be an abundance, I’ll drag the old canner back out of storage.

The best part about gardening is seeing the twinkle in Ed’s eyes whenever he gets to spend time with his other girl, Alyce.  “Alyce” is Ed’s tractor, in case you’ didn’t know!

Yesterday afternoon, Ed came inside, for supper, looking like a little boy who had been happily playing outside in the dirt…Well, actually, he looked like a very contented man, who had been outside playing in his garden!  Lots of dirt, and a huge smile on his face!

I can hardly wait to see what adventures await us this time around!  Visiting deer…thrips…grasshoppers…squash bugs?  Let the good times roll!

A Few Recent Discoveries…

Yesterday, I had to go and pick up my new eye glasses.  After spending about 30 minutes letting the technician, Vanessa, make sure my new glasses were properly fitted, I discovered what a “perfectionist” Vanessa is!    I asked Vanessa how many years she had been doing her job, to which she replied “forty-one years”.  That’s a lot of eye glasses to fit, and a lot of children to teach the correct way to use contact lenses!   It refreshing to find people who still take pride in their jobs, and want to make sure everything is “perfect”.  It’s getting to be a rare find, these days!

Following my visit to the optometrist, I went by the personal care home and had a nice visit with my mother-in-law.  She confided in me that the other ladies in the home always look forward to my hubby, Ed’s, bi-weekly visits to the home.  I chuckled at the image in my mind of those little old ladies “swooning” after my hubby.  I guess I should keep a closer eye on him 🙂

After the visit with my MIL, I decided to swing by and have lunch with Ed.  I didn’t have any idea what the menu at the hospital would be,  but it must have been my lucky day…  Fried chicken, roast beef /gravy, macaroni/cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, peach cobbler, carrot cake–and that was only part of what was available to choose from!   The food was delicious, and my lunch companion was my favorite person.  At lunch, I teased him about the little old ladies at the home…

I still wasn’t ready to go home after lunch, so I ambled through a couple of little stores afterward.  While browsing, I discovered that the garments I’ve always known as “aprons”, now have a new name!  I saw a rack filled with aprons (something you don’t see much anymore), and they were labeled as “cooking dresses”.  These were the kind of aprons that go around the neck and tie around the waist.  I guess it’s not cool to wear an apron anymore, but it’s acceptable to wear a “cooking dress”?!

While browsing, I also discovered that there is still no Tylenol or Excedrin on store shelves–even after six months!  Has anyone else realized this?  Both items were recalled shortly after Christmas, and I haven’t been able to find them since!  Generic forms of both are available, but not the name-brand.  What’s up with that?  I swear by ” Tension Headache Excedrin” for my headache relief–and I can no longer find any!  Fortunately, I haven’t had many headaches lately.

My last stop was  “The Goodwill Store”.  I love to stop in there to see what I can find.  Yesterday I hit the jackpot of paperback books!  I love John Grisham novels, and apparently someone had recently unloaded their collection.  I’ll be reading legal thrillers for a while–and I only spent three dollars and forty cents for eight books!  I know a lot of people have Kindles now, but I still love the feel of a book in my hands…

That’s about it for my recent discoveries.  Have you made any interesting discoveries of your own lately?

The Weekly Hodgepodge…July 25

It’s that time again!  Are you feeling all “Hodgepodgy”?    Come on!  Kick your shoes off, sit a spell and join me for Joyce’s 86th edition of “Wednesday Hodgepodge”.

1. The Summer Olympics officially begin this Friday night…will you be watching? If you could see just one event in person which one would you pick?

I’d choose to watch the ladies gymnastics.  It’s been my favorite Olympic sport to watch, since way back in 1972!

2.Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?

Lately these warm, lazy days of summer have me feeling unproductive.  It’s too hot to be outside much, and I get tired of housework quickly.

3. July 25th is ‘officially’ Threading the Needle Day…can you sew? On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being not at all and 10 being Betsy Ross-like, how would you rate your skill with a needle and thread?

I learned how to sew while still in high school, and at one point, I  made most of my clothes for several years.  I also sewed some for others in the family.  I also used to make and sell dolls of all kinds.  These days I’d give my sewing skills a 5 because I’m very out-of-practice!  I made a simple doll dress a couple of years ago, and oh what a chore that turned out to be!

4. ‘Threading the Needle’ can also mean to walk a fine line between two things or issues (think awkward social situation). When was the last time you had to ‘thread the needle’, figuratively speaking?

It was during a visit with my brother and his wife back in 2008.  They supported one presidential candidate, while Ed and I supported the other.  We had to tread lightly and try to avoid the subject of politics as much as possible.

5. Kidney, pinto, black, or navy…your favorite bean?

None of the choices are very high on my food list, but I eat baked beans fairly often, so I’ll choose navy beans– because I think that’s what baked beans are made from.

6. Have you ever hosted a garage sale? Was it more success or bust?

I haven’t had a garage sale in several years, but I used to have at least one  per year while the children were growing up.  We were usually quite successful in getting rid of some excess clothes and clutter, and in making some money, too.  I could, and maybe I should, write a post about our garage sale experiences throughout the years.  There was always some sort of drama!

7. What makes you roll your eyes?

Here are just a few things guaranteed to make my eyes roll:

*Almost any time I hear a politician open his/her mouth, these days…

*Watching the previews of some of today’s television shows and movies

*Seeing the ridiculous amount (and content) of commercials on television

*Having a person in front of me, at the check out, (a) either not have enough money to pay for their items, or (b) need a price check on an item

*Having loud and unruly children running around in a store while I’m trying to shop

Random:

We live in a small town.  I have a good friend, from high school, who recently lost her husband to cancer.  I have another good friend whose husband is currently battling terminal cancer.  The husband of a third (and very special) friend recently suffered a stroke.  Miraculously, her husband suffered no serious, long-lasting, effects from the stroke, and is okay, but he was paralyzed and unable to speak for many hours.  With all of these recent events in mind, I’ve never been more acutely aware that none of us is promised a tomorrow, therefore, every today, with Ed, grows  more special to me by the minute!

My “Elmer’s” Back In Action…

I don’t know if anyone recalls, but about this time last year I posted a story concerning my husband, Ed ,whom I lovingly refer to sometimes as “Elmer Fudd”.  The story centered around Ed, some squirrels, and our pear trees.  In case you’ve forgotten, or you never read Man Vs. Squirrel, you can read it HERE.

Well, history has a way of repeating itself, and we’ve been having the same adventures with squirrels and the pear trees this year, too!  The only problem is–this year there are fewer pears and the squirrels are much fatter and more greedy. Ed’s been keeping a vigil over the trees, with his trusty old BB gun, but those squirrels haven’t paid the crazy man in the lawn chair a bit of attention!

I guess everybody has a limit as to what they will put up with, and a week or so ago, Ed finally reached his limit with those greedy squirrels!  One day, I heard a commotion in the back of the house, then looked up to see Ed going outside armed with more than a BB gun!  I thought to myself…now there goes a man on a mission!

In a few minutes I heard Ed fire a shot, but then I heard nothing else.  It turned out that Ed fired at the squirrel and missed.  Ed rarely misses, so I suspect that he missed on purpose.  Ed said something about “giving the squirrel a warning” and “maybe he won’t come back.”  WRONG!  Greedy Mr. Squirrel was back the very next day.  This time I heard a shot fired, followed by a “thud”.  Ed didn’t miss this time.  Ed mentioned something to me about cooking Mr. Squirrel, but I hastily declined.  Maybe one day–if this economy continues on its current course–but not today!  Not to worry, our hungry cats didn’t have a problem at all with having fresh squirrel for supper!

I’d like to say that the story ends here, but unfortunately, Greedy Mr. Squirrel has some fat and greedy friends!  Two days later I saw Ed heading through the door with his gun again.  Once again, he didn’t miss, but by now Ed’s feeling a little bad for the squirrels…Several more days pass, and yet a third squirrel shows up.  Ed shoots again–and misses this time.  Was it Ed’s conscience or his declining eyesight…I guess we’ll never know.

I just hope Mr. Squirrel takes his warning seriously, and doesn’t come back for more pears, because my “Elmer’s” back in action–and this time he’s a man on a mission!

Just Me On Monday…

I’ve been MIA after taking a few days off for some rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation,  but I’m back now to begin the week  anew.  Wow, the last four days sure went by in a hurry, but of course the good days always do, don’t they?

Ed and I  had reservations for a weekend beach get-away, this past weekend, but after several days of dealing with being sick and trying to gain some  perspective on life, I just couldn’t find the energy or enthusiasm to pack and make arrangements for a trip.  After much thought, we decided it was much less of a headache to just stay at home and relax.  However…

We took another day trip back to St. Simon’s Island on Friday, and we both agreed it was one of our best ones yet.  This was our third “day trip” this summer, and we’ve got the routine down pat now.  We began our day early, by throwing two umbrellas, two chairs, a cooler, and a beach bag into the car.  We spent the day just enjoying our surroundings and each other’s company.  It was  definitely a day to remember.

The rest of our long weekend was spent just doing things that needed to be done.  Some shopping, a little cleaning, and a lot of relaxing…We’d planned to take a second day trip to the beach over the course of our long weekend, but found ourselves just too tired, and decided to post-pone!

Now  that the weekend is history, what better way to begin a new week, than with a little Monday meme?  This fun meme is hosted by Heather from Acting Balanced.

1. What are your favorite pizza toppings?

Pepperoni is my favorite, but I love all pizza toppings except peppers.

 

2. What is the strangest name you’ve ever heard for a child?

I worked in education for fifteen years, and believe me, I’ve heard some strange names!   One of our most memorable students was named “Sharkeena”.  She was memorable not only because of her name, but also because her mother once sent me an ugly and”threatening” note because I refused to give “her child” a sticker for returning her report card. Sharkeena’s report card was a mess (all chewed up) when she finally brought it back so I chose to withhold the sticker.  I’m normally  a quiet and passive person, but this particular note hit me the wrong way!  It just so happened, after school that day, I ran into Sharkeena in the dollar store.  I asked Sharkeena to take me to her mother, who was waiting in her car.  Then I went out and confronted the mother about that nasty note!  Sharkeena’s mother is known for being “crazy”, and weighs well-over 250 pounds, but I was a woman on a mission!  Thankfully, nothing bad happened, and I felt better after confronting her.

 

3. What is the best vacation you’ve ever gone on?

My favorite trip was when Ed and I accompanied our youngest son, Brad, and his teacher, to Nashville, Tennessee, for a National FBLA competition.  While there, we stayed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, went to see the Grand Ole’ Opry, went to Memphis to see “Graceland”, went to the “Country Music Hall of Fame, visited the Ryman Auditorium, and took a tour of several country music star’s homes–including Alan Jackson’s.

 

4. What is your favorite quick summer meal?

Hamburgers or hot dogs cooked by Ed on the grill.

Here’s my question for you:

 

When, where, and how did your husband propose to you?

Ed proposed to me in his car, while sitting in front of my parents’ house, on the evening of August 15, 1970.  We’d picked out, and purchased the ring earlier in the day, so he quietly pulled the box out of his pocket, and said “I guess you’ll marry me?”  I remember it as if it were yesterday.  By the way, those are our wedding rings on my blog button…

The 85th Edition Of Wednesday Hodgepodge…

Eighty-five?  Wow, that’s a lot of questions and answers!  I still look forward to Wednesdays, thanks to Joyce and her “Hodgepodge”, and  I hope you do, too.   If you haven’t joined us yet,  today would be a great time to!  Now, on to the questions…

1. The Summer Olympics begin next week and London is playing host. If you had the chance to go in person which (non-Olympic) London site would you most like to visit?

I don’t know much about London, but I think I’d like to visit Westminster Abby,  the sight of the Royal Wedding.  It looks massive, very impressive, and so beautiful…

2. What is something in your life right now that feels like an Olympic event?

Life in general feels like an Olympic event these days!  I’ve been fighting a flare up of Lichen Sclerosis, along with a urinary tract infection, and a yeast infection for over two weeks.  It hurts to sit, it’s painful to wear fitted clothing–and it’s hot outside!  Need I say more?

3. What’s your favorite supper to prepare and serve when it’s too hot to cook?

Anything that Ed  prepares on the grill!  Hamburgers/hot dogs are always a quick favorite of ours.

4. July 18th is National Get Out of the Doghouse Day…when was the last time you were ‘in the doghouse’?

About 3 weeks ago, when I unwittingly made a comment, which my daughter perceived the wrong way.

5. What television advertisement do you find particularly irritating or inappropriate? You may not answer with ‘all of them’. I know some of you were thinking about it.

Lawyer advertisements!  We have a couple of local law firms in our area who have the most disgusting commercials…One of them has a “rap jingle”, while the other has the slogan, “One call does it all!”   Here’s the “rap jingle”, which I find particularly disgusting:

6. Share one piece of interesting news from the year you were born.

Let’s see, it was 1954…Nothing came to mind, so I resorted to “Google”.  The major news events of 1954 seemed to center around “McCarthyism”.  More interesting to me were these prices from 1954:  the average price of a house – $10, 250.00,  a gallon of gasoline – 22 cents,  average cost of a new car – $1,700.00, average monthly rent – $85.00, and the price of a movie ticket – 70 cents.  Wow!

7. What’s the best part of your average day?

The best part of any day is having Ed come home from work each afternoon.  He always greets me with a smile and a kiss.

Random:

The “doghouse question” above brings an old memory back to mind… One year, for Christmas, my sister-in-law gave my parents a little wooden plaque known as “The Doghouse”.  On the plaque was a flat red doghouse, with a hook located inside of the doghouse door.  Also on the plaque, beside the doghouse were several little dogs, all holding little white frames that you could write names on.  The poem on the top of the plaque went like this:

All the family writes their names

On the dogs’ white picture frames

If your temper, you must show

In the doghouse you must go!

Our family had a lot of fun with that plaque, and it seemed like somebody was always in the doghouse!

I couldn’t find a photo of an exact replica, but this plaque is similar:

Let’s Talk Tubs For A While…

Every since 1994, my greatest source of comfort and joy at the end of the day has been “a tub”–as in bathtub.  Why 1994?  Because  1994 is the year I first became ill with Rheumatoid Arthritis.  If you know anything at all about arthritis, you know that heat is the greatest source of comfort and relief.  Nothing provides more comfort and relief than a great big tub of steaming hot water.

Back in 1994, we had one bathtub in our home, and it was only a standard-sized one.  There were also five people sharing that shower/tub combination.  Once I became ill, it didn’t take long to figure out that Ed needed to work a little of his “magic” and create a second bathroom.  As usual, I drew up the plans, and Ed went to work.

We decided to wall-off a small section of our bedroom and put in a private bath at one end of it.  The space wasn’t very big, and my over-sized bathtub, built for two, filled up most of the area, but oh, how I loved my bathroom!  We added a toilet, and a pedestal sink at the end of the tub area.  We didn’t totally close the bathroom off from the bedroom, but used “saloon doors” to create a private area.  This gave  privacy, without giving the feeling of being confined in a small space.  We  special-ordered my massive, whirlpool bathtub, and paid nearly one thousand dollars for just the tub!   It was money well-spent!  I sought comfort many days in that bathtub filled with steaming hot water.  I’d light some candles, rest my weary head on the  pillows attached to either end of the massive tub, and let the hot water just take my pain and cares away…

I have to get off-subject here, for a moment, and tell you a couple of things about that bathtub.  First of all, I was “sweating bullets” when Ed was installing this very expensive bathtub.  I can’t tell you how hard my heart was pounding while Ed was drilling the fixture holes into the side of my bathtub!  One slip of the hand could have been a disaster, but Ed’s good!  The other thing was, after finally getting the tub totally installed, we realized there was a “small dip” in the bottom of the tub, which prevented it from completely draining–a manufacturing defect.  A small puddle was always left in the bottom of the tub.  We contacted the manufacturer, and were told that they would replace it–if we uninstalled it, and brought it back.  We weighed our options, and decided that it just wasn’t worth the effort!  I figured I could just dry out the bottom of the tub with a towel, which I did–for twelve years.

Flash forward about a dozen years, when Ed and I were building our second home.  I had to leave my lovely bathtub, built for two, behind.  I was a bit sad about leaving my bathroom, as it had become my favorite room in the house.  I’d found so much comfort there throughout the years…

Although, we were working with limited space, and a limited budget in our new house, there was no question that I still needed a larger-than-normal bathtub.  In my search, I was able to find a tub that, once again, filled my needs.  It was smaller than my old one, but was very deep, so I could still get lost in its steamy waters…and of course, it had whirlpool jets, too.  Once again, I sweated bullets while Ed drilled those holes, this time in the corner of the tub.  Once again, Ed didn’t disappoint.

Nothing brings me more pleasure at the end of the day than soaking in my bathtub, filled with hot, steamy water, and perhaps a few bubbles.  I light a candle, turn on some music, and I’m in heaven for a while.  No matter how good–or how bad– the day has been, a nice hot bath always makes things even better.  Thank goodness for bathtubs–and for husbands who know how to install them!

All Things Monday…

It’s Monday again, and I’m sitting here watching the sun grow brighter in the sky. Ed just left for work, and the house is unusually quiet. As he does quite often these days, Ed asks me once again, “How much longer until we’re out of debt?” I quietly answer, “Next summer”, and I know that he’s dreaming of a Monday when he can quietly sit and watch the sun rise, too…

I can barely see the images of the chickens as they roam around their coop looking for breakfast…those girls like to get an early start to their day! Now I know where the old saying “They get up with the chickens” (referring to early risers) comes from.  I am thankful that I live in the country, and not in the city.  I’m also thankful that I don’t have a rooster –for those mornings when I feel like sleeping in…

It’s shaping up to be a busy week.  There’s lots to do, especially since I didn’t feel well all of last week.  I’ve been plagued by a variety of ailments lately, the last of which sent me in search of a doctor on Thursday.  It’s a good thing I finally gave in and went, since I had blood in my urine.  (I’m sorry, that’s probably a little TMI for a Monday…)

The laundry is piled a mile high, the chicken coop needs cleaning, the July Fourth decorations are still waiting to be packed away, and I need to pack for an upcoming trip.  I’m feeling over-whelmed…

Before I get up from here and begin my busy day, I’m going to participate in Heather’s (From over at Acting Balanced) “Monday Quiz About Me”…For inquiring minds, who may want to know.  Here are her questions, along with my answers:

1. If you could be on a reality tv show which one would you want to be a part of?

Truthfully, none of them, but that doesn’t make an interesting answer, does it?  I think it might very interesting to be a contestant on “Big Brother”, though. There’s always a diverse group of people in the game, and the “Big Brother House” looks like it would be a fun place to spend a few weeks.  I love the HOH competitions, along with the crazy twists and turns of the game.

2. You have the power to create one law, what would it be?

To reduce and prohibit excessive government control and regulations.  (It’s gotten totally ridiculous!)

3. How’s your weather today?

It’s shaping up to be another hot, sunny day.  Highs in the mid-nineties.  We’ve been having a few scattered showers for the past several days, but they only last a few minutes, then they’re gone.

4. Other than the country you currently live in, where would you want to live?

Any place tropical–just put me on an island somewhere.

Now here’s my question:

5.  How long have you been blogging?

(For me, it’s been 3 years, 3 months.)