Tag??? I always loose at tag.

Here I am, tagged, and no one in reach to tag back. Everyone's out there, either already tagged, or jeering, "Ha! You'll never tag ME!" So I guess I'll pay the penalty:

10 years ago: I was married, had been married for 20 years, and expected to stay that way for the rest of my life, even though I was well aware that my marriage could be a lot better. I was worrying about my daughter - a 13 year old girl, need I say more? - and got into online stuff as much to maintain communication with her as for any other reason. I was teaching, putting 10 to 13 hours per day into my job. I was always sleep deprived.

5 years ago: I completed my divorce. I was miserable, feeling like a complete failure in my personal life. My daughter was getting married to this guy from New Zealand that she had met online. I went through that empty nest thing. I was still teaching, putting 12 to 15 hours per day into my job. I was always sleep deprived. But I had control of my own finances at last, so that facet of my life was coming under control. I refinanced, put a new roof on my house, and put up siding. And I bought myself a new car - the first brand new car I've ever owned, a Toyota Echo, that suits me perfectly. I was 100 pounds overweight.

1 year ago: I'd been diagnosed with MDS, and consequently I had retired from teaching. To my surprise, I was enjoying retirement. My daughter had just introduced me to ATCs, the hobby that now obsesses me. I had lost 110 pounds, but gained 20 back... so that I was about 10 pounds over my ideal weight. I was never sleep deprived. I went on a cruise to Alaska with my sister.

Now: MDS continues to be controlled by meds, and is advancing unexpectedly slowly, thank the Lord. I'm still enjoying retirement. My car is paid for. My weight has held steady for the last year. I'm a proud grandma! Life is mighty good.

5 songs I know all the words to:
Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Bear (child's song)
Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (and most of the other songs in Oklahoma, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, and several other old Broadway musicals).
My Paddles Clean and Bright (camp song. I know bunches of camp songs.)
99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall (I never much liked beer, but I know the words and can sing the song, albeit off key.)
What a Friend I Have in Jesus (and a bunch of other hymns)
Poppy, Golden Poppy (I sing this one to Margo, mainly to get her goat.)

Ooops. That was 6.

5 snacks I love and wish I could eat:
Rice Krispies Treat (Can't ever eat them because I'm allergic to rice.)
Potato Chips and dip (fattening fattening fattening but yummy; I eat it ocassionally, but try not to give in more than once every 2 or 3 months)
Cheese cake (fattening fattening fattening but yummy; I eat it ocassionally, but try not to give in more than once every 2 or 3 months)
Pie - lemon merangue, pumpkin, grape, apple, berry - I love them all. Luckily I'm too lazy to cook them and too responsible to buy them, or I'd be 200 pounds overweight in no time at all! I eat them only on festive ocassions like Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Only 4 - but I had 6 songs, so it evens out.

5 Places I'd run away to:
Italy / Greece / Mediterranean. I'd love to see it - and its art - once before I die.
England / Ireland / Scotland. I've read so many authors from there that I'm curious.

Was that 6 or 2?

5 things I'd never wear:
bikini
high heels - I used to, but always hated them, and I never want to put them on again.
a parachute - unless the plane is crashing, I thoroughly intend to stay aboard.

That's enough. Though I don't expect to wear a girdle or a wedding gown ever again, I can see a faint possibility.

5 favorite TV shows:
Desperate Housewives
Nova
Gray's Anatomy
Those "Anyone Can Paint" how-to shows, though some I like more than others.
Lawyer shows, like The Practice.

5 greatest joys:
Family and friends
Art / painting
Reading
Piddles (my cat) and Jet (my dog)
Seeing wild animals, like the lizards, birds, and cottontail rabbits that live in my yard.

5 favorite toys:
Computer
Paint set
Jigsaw puzzles
Camera
TV

Tag 5 people:
Nope. I already talked about not doing that at the top of this post.