Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Sunday, January 11, 2009

ACQUIRING THE MOSTEST

I was raised to grow up and be a homemaker, following in my mother's expert footsteps. The encouragement for me to attend college came from my parent's desire for me to have a trade to fall back on in the event of my spouse's death. We never dreamed that my life choices would be spurred by immaturity and hurl me into a teenage marriage with a mismatched partner. (Other than the fact that together we did equal two perfect children:)

It was necessary for me to work outside the home from day one of our marriage. It was then imperative for me to begin a career on day one of our divorce. My son was four and my daughter three at the time.

Parenting, banking and continued education were my careers for the next 26 years. There was no room for homemaking since I was on the run 90% of the time. I am one of those persons who easily says "Thank God for McDonalds!"

Now I am living the life I was destined for with a supportive husand. My domestic skills have improved every year of my life with Ron. Entertaining lots of company has been a huge challenge to meet since we have moved near the lake. I enjoy expecting guests and preparing for their visits. I'm even getting more organized for unexpected guests. Nothing makes me more proud than to have things go well and to receive genuine thanks for our hospitality.

I was telling my sister this week how much I was enjoying the role of hostess with (almost) the mostest. She simply said, "You're doing what you've always wanted to do." And she is so right!


My "I Love Your Blog" link for yesterday was this. Now be sure to read our returning Arkansas preacher on today's link.

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SUNDAY EXTRA
Are you smarter than a 5th grader???
Good luck!This is a 5th grade math problem. a very small list of people who have gotten the correct number. This is not a trick question. This is a real math problem so don't say that a bus has no legs.

There are 7 girls in a bus.
Each girl has 7 backpacks.
In each backpack, there are 7 big cats.
For every big cat there are 7 little cats.
Bus driver is not in the bus at this time.
Question: How many legs are there in the bus?
I will announce the answer tomorrow.

19 comments:

  1. Maybe your ultimate career should have been running a B&B or a restaurant. Isn't it nice to find and develop other skills when you have the time to enjoy them?

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  2. It's so great that in this moment of time you are doing exactly what you want to do!
    I love to cook too, and remember my Grandmother saying that putting a meal on the table with every dish hot and cooked just right was her 'art'. I've never been as good at it as she was..but there's still time..right?

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  3. I think that I have an answer to the bus question. Should I post it in the comments or wait until tomorrow?
    : )
    xoxo

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  4. this is a great story, annie. i appreciate you sharing it with us. i was 23 when i got married and had a baby, attached to the wrong partner, divorced less than 4 years later. what a parallel in our lives!

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  5. Grammie, post your answer if you would like. I will still wait until tomorrow to confirm the right answer.

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  6. Tabor, I'm no where near being capable of running a B&B. When I entertained in banking I had an expense account and had thing catered. That's a good way to go!

    SOLB, my grandmothers said the same things. It was their art and I am starting to develop their knack.

    Yes Maria, we have many parallels. It is fun to make discovery.

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  7. OK...my guess is 10,990 legs.
    I will have to wait until tomorrow to see if I am smarter than a fifth grader!

    Also, I loved reading your post today. You sound like your life is very fulfilling...and, that you are right where you would like to be.

    How nice... : )
    xoxo

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  8. I spent most of my life being a mom and loved it but have paid a price for it. I liked the hostess part, too. If I had to do it all over, I'm really not certain what I'd do but you can bet that I'd try to be a lot smarter about it. You are blessed.

    Would I marry again? I don't know. I've considered it twice in the past 10 years but am mostly of the mind that it's not a possibility and I'm okay with that.

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  9. So glad you are happy now and love entertaining. It's a richness to have people around.

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  10. I had my first child at age 21, then 2 more by age 27. This horendous marriage ended in divorce. He was mentally and physically abusive. It was a rough road with my kids, until I found my best friend and soul mate Pete. I wish he didn't have to leave me so soon. I never had time to be a hostess, and it looks like I won't ever have that opportunity. I don't like being alone, it's such an odd feeling! I leave to go to work and come home, and it's so boring! Pete and I were gone every weekend hanging out together. I think I have the answer to the math problem, but it can't be as easy as it was, so I will check my work. I am terrible at math and story problems were my worse nightmare.

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  11. Doing what you love results in happiness and success!

    *My word verification is "rester". I don't think you are one....LOL

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  12. 238 legs in the bus....I think!!

    I need some of those skills. I never know what to cook for company, except the tried and true recipes but I hate to serve them the same thing every time they visit! Then I have trouble getting everything ready at the same time.

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  13. I had my daughter when I was 19. After my first husband died, I was a single mother for 17 years. I worked at all types of jobs just to put food on the table. When I began to work as a taxi owner operator, the hours were 14 a day. The housework suffered.

    I'm glad you are now able to do what you love to do most.

    Blessings,
    Mary

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  14. I guess many of us had rocky beginnings on our first marriage. I was lucky, my only baby from mine was stillborn. (At the time I was heartbroken, but now view it as fortunate.)

    I did marry my best friend next time around. I worked for awhile, but he wanted me to be a stay-at-home mom and that was fine with me. Now I wish I had pursued a career of my own.

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  15. Ann,

    I can't tell you how grateful I am that your path took you where it did. Because you had to get a job, you raised a wonderful girl who is my best friend that although doesn't have to work was raised with an independent mind and is a strong woman. The time I spent with you made me the same way and I cherish that. If you hadn't been with the bank I wouldn't have been able to work for a bank because I wouldn't have had such a strong reference tell the person giving me a 10key test to give me another chance, thus not giving me the job which completely changed the direction my life was going.
    See how much one person can affect another's life? I love you!

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  16. Oh and I had to try and solve that infuriating math problem and since I know I'm not smarter than a 5th grader I figured what the hell,my answer is 1,582 legs.

    7 girls= 14 legs
    7 packs,ea has 7 big cats= 28 legs per pk = 196 (28x7)
    ea big cat has 7 little cats = 7x7 =49 little cats per pk. 49 x4 =196 legs per pk.
    196x7pks= 1,372
    1,372+196+14= 1,582

    I'm probably wrong but who cares.

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  17. I think it's great that you are happy!

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  18. The math question answer is 10,990. Grammie of Awaiting Buddah got the problem right.

    Michele, you lovely comment about me touched my heart and I must say I did get tears in my eyes. Thank you sweetie! You're a good girl.

    Rachel, go to Menus4Moms.com and get new ideas every week for meals. You don't have to prepare the meals they suggest, but they will certainly stimulate some great ideas.

    Darlene, it was too late to be a stay at home mom when I marreid Ron but he does like me to be at home with him and we both love grandparenting. I guess I'm glad I had both worlds, career and home.

    Boy Mary, you and I both know that rocky road of single parenting don't we? I did have a good time with my kids and my dad used to say that our house needed some adult supervision. LOL My housework still suffers unless we are expecting company.

    Judy your verification word was funny. No I don't thing either of us are "resters". LOL

    Kay, I certainly didn't believe the right man was out there but he was and he found me at the right time. You and I both know the wrong one is not worth the sacrifice.

    Marla, I'm so sorry you found the perfect man and lost him. I cannot bear the thought of losing Ron.

    Jean Mac, it is richness to have people around -- especially bloggers like you:)

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  19. Thanks for linking to my blog post about TJ's death.
    Hope is all we have in horrible times like those. Without my faith in God, I would feel very lost, especially when I've lost close loves ones.

    I'm glad you've settled into your role as Martha Stewart, Annie style. I love the role of home maker.
    I was serving dinner this evening here at my brother's house and he said, "You really love doing this, don't you?" Yes, indeed. I enjoy making and serving meals and enjoying dinner conversation. It's fun to entertain guests too, also.
    I'm glad you have Ron and the life you've made together.

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