Friday Five Done Differently

photo from inmagine dot com

Usually I write a Friday Five post (when I remember to do it, I should say). Today I decided to copy Meg's questions from Life Is Good... I'll answer these from the perspective of my family of origin, not the family my hubby and I created. I don't think our kids read my blog. If they did, I would love to see how they would answer these questions regarding our little family! This is my memories of my family as I was growing up (youngest of 4 kids):

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of your family? Chatter and silliness with good food as we all sat around the dinner table.

What lessons did your parents feel strongly about passing on to you? Be a good, caring, church-going Christian.

What person in your family would you like to travel back in time to meet? My grandma when she was young and lived in Ireland... then when she first came to the U.S. and met my grandpa. I'm so curious about what she was like as a young woman.

Describe a typical family dinner. There were six of us. I still remember where we all sat. My brother sat kitty-corner from me. He used to tease me a lot and make faces at me. During family dinners we talked a lot about manners... what to do with a napkin, how to pass things around (keeping them going in the same direction), how to ask for a dish, where to put the silverware when setting the table and where to put them while eating, when someone asks for the salt, pass both the salt and pepper (keep them together), and we had to ask permission to be excused from the table. We had a lot of laughs around the table, too.

What objects do you remember from your parents' living room? My family had lived in Panama, so we had several items from there in the living room.. a little brass gong with a wooden gong handle (boy, did we kids love banging on that thing!), a brass stirrup that was found in the jungles in Panama, a wooden chest with beautiful carvings all over, and a couple of Molas made by Indian women from the San Blas Islands.

[the next questions are being answered about my current self as a grown woman]

Would you rather be caught naked by a friend or a stranger? This is a horrible question. I am very modest. I still remember my angst at junior high changing and shower time. I hated that so much! If I had to choose, I guess I'd say a stranger -- and one I would never see again as long as I live.

How do you like to show love to people who are special to you? Going places together, especially out to eat, giving out-of-the-blue gifts and sending random notes and letters in the mail.

What friend do you miss the most? Julie moved to Georgia 9 years ago, and I'm still mad at her for moving! hahaha!

What friend is most like you? I don't know! Would anyone want to admit they are like me? I guess I'd have to say Julie, because we scored the same on the Myers-Briggs.. but we have our differences, too. (I mean different characteristics, not differences as in arguments.)

If you gave a party for all your friends, would they already know each other? No, but I don't like large parties. I'd probably throw small ones that would be categories of people who do know each other.. like church friends at one, my former work buddies at another, etc.

That was fun. Today's Friday Five will be the things I am thankful for today:
1) beautiful, spring day - sunny with white, puffy clouds (oops, they are getting thicker and grayer as I write)
2) my children - such nice young adults!
3) President Obama
4) chocolate
5) gorgeous fabric

Happy May Day!