More knowing me, knowing you

Here are the questions I missed from October…two years ago…man, I took a LONG break, didn’t I?  I’ll try not to do that again. (But I’m not making any promises.)

1.  Crunchy peanut butter or smooth?

Well, it depends on how I’m eating it! I like both crunchy and creamy, but it has to be Jif.  If I’m eating a sandwich, it must be creamy, and I like it with strawberry or grape jelly – COLD. I will make it and then put it in the freezer for twenty minutes or so to make it very chilly.  I also like creamy with my apple slices. If I’m having toast, however, I can go either way, but I prefer chunky. I like the way the peanut butter sort of melts from the heat of the toast, and then the crunchy peanut bits are left. Yum.

2. Do you do any volunteer work? (No judgment, just curious. I’m always on the lookout for new ways to get involved…like I have time for more stuff.)

Well, not really.  Every once in awhile I get an opportunity, but I don’t really do it very often. Jess and I walked dogs a few times for the Humane Society, but then they made it difficult to volunteer so we didn’t go back anymore.  I do all kinds of stuff at school, though, that I don’t get paid for. Does that count? Jess and I just chaperoned the Sadie’s dance a few weeks ago. We gave up a Saturday night to go stand around the high school cafeteria.  And there are always different fundraisers and projects kids are working on that we support.  I did a post about Adopt-a-family awhile back.  I guess the short answer is: I volunteer through the school, but not really on my own.

3. What is your favorite cold weather drink?

I don’t like hot beverages – I only like lukewarm beverages.  But I’ve been obsessed all winter with the caramel apple spice from Starbucks.  I also like hot chocolate (Land o’Lakes packets from Costco are AMAZING!) and vanilla chai. But recently my favorite has been the caramel apple spice. Jess even bought caramel syrup so he could make me caramel apple cider at home. It’s not quite the same as Starbucks, but it’s far cheaper!

4. What is your favorite holiday?

Oh, man, I can’t choose.  I used to love Christmas the most, but to be 100% frank, for the last few years it hasn’t been all that great.  We live far from our families, and we have to do a LOT of traveling from house to house all around the state in really crappy weather. It’s been stressful.  Really stressful.  Thanksgiving is the same way.  I think I like the Fourth of July – it’s really low key around here, but we usually get together with friends either at our house or someone else’s, and grill.  Then Jess and I have gone down the road to Clover Island and sat in the back of his pickup to watch the fireworks.  Or maybe New Year’s Eve. That’s really low key – it’s just the two of us and our cats. We make a bunch of finger food / appetizers and watch movies or play games, then watch the ball drop on television.  I love any reason to get together with friends or family, but for the last few years the holidays have been way more stressful than fun.

5. Okay, quick, you gotta hop a plane right now, to anywhere with anyone – where do you go and with who?

My first response is: I go to England with Jess.  Or Croatia, again with Jess.  I’ve joked about going to the summer 2012 Olympics, but I really, really want to go to England.  Though I think I would do it the way my dad and step-mom did and take a cruise to England.  I just finished reading Romeo and Juliet with my freshmen and my seniors start Hamlet when we get back to school on Monday.  I have Shakespeare on the brain, which is why I think England came to mind.  One of these days, though, I am going to make it to Croatia.  It is the “land of my people” you know, and apparently a hot vacation destination.  I just have this desire to see where my grandparents came from while soaking up the sun on some white sandy beaches in the Adriatic!  I have my passport, and so does Jess…we just need to win the lottery, then we’re going to both places!