25 RANDOM THINGS - FACEBOOK TAG

25 random things about me -- not that I am narcissitic. But I was tagged.

1. My two girls Brianne and Tami, are the most important people in my life. Next to that is my brother and his family. I have been blessed with wonderful friends who’s friendships are a ‘treasure’ in my life. My mother in law (former) is one of my dear friends. She is such a support system in my life. Even though I have been divorced from her son, she is always there for me and checking up on me to see how I am doing. I love her.

2. I Love Seminary.. love the students I teach and taught..love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and consider it an honor to teach those remarkable students.I love the youth. Love the youth.

3. A couple of times I skipped school to shoot pool at the Arcade Pool hall on 5th street. Then I forged my own notes when I went back to school. (I can't believe I just wrote this).

4. I work part-time at the Enmax Centre for the Commissionaire Corps. (Security). I have for about 14 -15 years. It is a nice supplement to my income, but I like the job mostly because it is pretty much my social life, especially since being an empty nester. I get paid to attend all of the events there -- some good ones, some bad. (Did I ever tell you about the prayer we had prior to the Motley Crue Concert? It was very necessary).

5. I do not like contention, which didn’t give me the ‘mother of the year’ award because I was such a wooss when the Bri and Tami didn’t get along. I didn’t like to take sides, although there were evidences of who was right and who was wrong in most cases. I would literally hide from their fights and arguments, something I am not proud of. As much as I love my girls, I did not do them any favours in the discipline department when they were growing up. (One of my biggest failures as a mom).

6. Lately I have thought about a career change .. to be a nanny for some celebrity. I don’t have a clue on even how I would go about applying for a job like that, but I think it would be an interesting experience to take care of a child or children of an actor or musician. I think I would definitely have to learn patience and understanding, however, I think I could do some good.

7. I love crunch chocolate. I freeze my chocolate bars. I love Dilly Bars with the crunch chocolate. I think it is almost an addiction the way it crunches in your mouth and then melts. I really have to limit those little extravagances; hence I will never lose weight.

8. I love crushed ice. I stay away from slurpies though and only had part syrup on Mr. Misty floats and Esquire’s Shakes.. they crush ice in their shakes.

9. I am adopted. My father was Irish and my mother was Ukranian. My name was Deborah Anne O’Reilly. I always thought my parents were killed in an accident, but found out that they gave me up for adoption when I was about 6 months old. (I think that pretty much crushed me -- because they didn’t want me). However, in later years, I am hoping that maybe there were extenuating circumstances surrounding ‘giving me up’. Best blessing from that whole thing were my mom and dad who adopted me. Keith and Evelyn Myers... THE BEST BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE. (They put up with a lot raising me).

10. My parents passed away within a day of each other. The most difficult time in my life, but because of that experience, my faith is much stronger. Very personal and sacred experiences there.

11. I love music and musicals. I have had the opportunity to attend a few and have enjoyed each and every one of them. (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmand.. (met the Don), Showboat, Mama Mia, Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Chicago (in London).. This summer, I will be attending Lion King in Calgary. I also enjoy the local summer and fall productions in our area. There is much talent to be enjoyed.

12. I have 4 cats – all girls.. our family is strictly female .. and we all usually get along quite well. They have their expectations of me and I comply. (Sad but true).

13. One of the most difficult things I witnessed was my brother’s last radiation treatment when he had cancer of the throat. It tore my heart out as he laid their on the table, so vulnerable. To kill the cancer, he had to endure that pain and discomfort. I love my brother.

14. Sometimes I feel I am the official ‘ old Standby’..person, especially, lately in Church…not that I mind much.. it is nice to be needed.

15. I have donated 91 pints of blood in my lifetime. I am hoping to hit 100 in the next year or so.

16. I have had some weird dreams lately. Some of them are in the Salt Lake Temple, (that is not the Temple), with one or both of my deceased parents, however, I know that there is not an Olympic size swimming pool in there with some young men dressed in white, in the pool trying to sell us Youth Juice. (You would have had to have been there).

17. I read 14 books in one year. 5 volumes of Harry Potter and 9 volumes of Work and Glory. Great reading.

18. I used to be able to sing .. up until about a year or so ago, I sort have lost my voice. I need to work the vocal chords again. Right now I sound like the ugly duckling.

19. I would love to have a one on one conversation with several people..namely: Prince William; Steve Young (I have some of his football cards).

20. I would like to be on ‘Survivor’. I figure I am already one. I think it would be an interesting experience, as long as I didn’t have to eat bugs or drink an animal’s blood. As long as there was rice, I would probably a happy camper.

21. I love Australian accents. (Hugh Jackman)

22. I want to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. (Hopefully, before I am 70).

23. I am taking a tap dance class. I was going to do hip hop, however they cancelled the class because the enrolment was down. Maybe next year.

24. I don’t consider myself superstitious, however, if I turn in one direction I have to turn opposite within a short time in order that I don’t get wound up. Yes, it is true..

25. I have been blessed with a great sense of humour.

SNAP, CRACKLE, POP!!! then PINNNNGG!!! (and we are not talking about Rice Krispies)

BEFORE



Did I ever tell you about my garage door experience? Well, do you have a moment? My dad built this house and the garage years ago. I think that the garage is at least 45 years old, and so was the garage door opener and garage door. Winter takes it's toll on garage doors, especially if they are really old. All was going well until a couple of years ago, in the winter, when I went to close the door after backing out of the garage, it would go down, touch.. then go up.. several times before I ended up having to get out of the car and physically close the darn thing. Last year, the garage door opener started smoking one evening.....so, I needed to replace that. I was pleased with my purchase and the service that the door company provided. At that time, I knew that I would eventually have to replace the door and thought that I would do it this year, so I got a quote from that same company.


So, as luck would have it, we got bombarded with snow these past couple of months. Bad enough could not even drive down the alley to park the car in the garage. When it got warmer and the snow melted, I could eventually drive down the alley. Three weeks ago, it thought I would park the car in the garage and when I used the door opener, the door appeared to move, but was stuck. After several attempts, I realized that the door was frozen to the cement. YES!! A picture to behold. The top of the door was pulled about as far as it would go, and the metal began to split. So, I released the door opener and put the door down. A couple of days later I thought I should chip the ice off the bottom of the door, and sure enough, it released, and all seemed well. Again, it would open and close.


With the weather being warmer, I decided not to park in the garage. Last Tuesday, I was coming home from the swimming pool, and knowing it was going to extra cold that night, I would park in the garage. As I was driving down the alley, I used the door opener, and sure enough, it opened.. like a normal garage door. I pulled up in the garage and hit the remote to close the door, and then ..... "PIIINNNNG!!! SNAP -- CRACKLE AND -- POP!!!!" I got out of the car and wondered, "What the heck?" Looking up, I saw that the door was off the track on one side. "This isn't good," I said to myself. So, I backed the car out of the garage and parked in the front, and proceeded to head back to the garage to see what I could do.


I hit the door opener on the wall and it wasn't good.. didn't sound pretty. The door was warping. So, I hit it again so it would stay up. And there I stood, with my hair dripping wet from the pool and wondering how to secure my garage for the night. As it turned out, I had a tarp that I pinned on the inside of the door (clothes pins) and anchored the bottom with a shovel and prayed that nobody would notice and steal my stuff and that the wind did not blow that night.



Next day, I called a garage door company and the guy came over within a half hour and we got it back on the track and lowered it. I needed a new door. After a couple of days, I had my new door. State of the art. I am so pleased.


AFTER