Confessing My Big Fat Lie

I almost forgot about the Memetastic Award that the sweet gal Lisa (Writing in the Buff) down South awarded me with and who forced me to lie.

And the lie is:

* Even though I didn't learn how to swim until I was 13, when I was 18 I took first place in a water skiing contest.

Part of that lie is true - I was 13 when I first learned how to swim... err... well really it was how I learned to dog paddle. Now the big fat lie is that I took first place in a water skiing contest. I tried water skiing once and vowed I'd never do that again. I'm not much of a water person and I was sure I was going to die the day I attempted water skiing.

And thank all of you who I passed the award on to for being good sports and going with it. It's been fun to get to know you better - but I also have to remember to look and see what your lie is when you post it!

I think others have given more detail about their truths, so here goes with those:

I did holler at my dad to stop when I saw a boy in a ditch. Maybe my dad saw the kid playing as he rolled down the hill and landed in the ditch. I'm not sure why that memory is so clear in my mind and why I thought the boy was injured or dead, but...

I'm always amazed when I think of my tax return that showed I made $9,000 for the year. I wondered how I managed and even now my kids say to me that they didn't think they hurt for anything. But I didn't have a cell phone, we didn't have cable, or internet, or a lot of other things that people take for granted now... myself included.

An exhusband did burn most of my clothes and other sentimental things when he got angry with me for leaving the house because he was out of control drunk. I was scared and hate to think what would have happened had I stuck around :-)

And finally, yes I did save my little sister's life - although I was the one who caused her to nearly choke to death. She was about 5 and I was a year and a half older. She was crying because I wouldn't give her this ring of mine. I finally did and like a little mother I said to her, "Now don't you put this in your mouth." A bit later she was still whining (okay, choking but it appeared to me like whining) and I went over there and said, "What are you crying about? I gave you the ring!" She pointed to her mouth. I realized she was choking, so my neighbor Jeannie and I carried her to my mom. I don't know why one of us didn't run and get my mom instead of trying to carry her. She was turning blue by the time we got to my mom who then started whacking her on the back, shaking her upside down and then crammed her fingers down my sister's throat and the ring finally came up.

And for some shameless self-promoting, I've started two new blogs: Lynn, What's for Dinner? and Lynn, What's for Dessert? and it's all just for fun (and for me, discipline).

Happy Anniversary Ruthie & Bud

Dear Mom,

It’s Ruthie’s wedding anniversary. I don’t remember how long she and Bud have been married, but it’s the second marriage for both of them. Ruthie lost her first husband to cancer. Bud’s to divorce. They say divorce is like the same trauma as a death, but I would have to think death is more so. I never lost any husbands to death, although there were times I wanted to kill them. No disrespect intended, and of course, I never would. Just an expression.

Death has more of a closure. Whereas divorce—depending on the situation—can be more like an opened wound. That’s my opinion anyway and I’ve been through enough to have some experience.

Ruthie is married to my best friend’s brother. I wondered if they would hit it off and I mentioned it to Ms. Matchmaker who ran with that thought and there you are. Some matches do make it—the fire always burning.

I think it’s interesting how couples meet and I don’t think I know the story of how you and Dad met.

Here’s to Ruthie & Bud—may the fire of your love always warm your heart.