
Braille (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
You know those articles you see in some magazines that have a celeb listing X number of things you probably don’t know about them? Well, I am certainly no celebrity but I thought it might be fun to do this so you could learn a bit more about fedoralady. Some of these some of you will know, but others should be completely fresh to all. And Richard Armitage manages to appear in here somewhere.
1. I live on the same rural dirt and gravel road where I grew up. Several years ago the road got a name as part of E-911.
The road bears my father’s name, a fact in which he took a great deal of pride.
2. I am a lefty who uses her right hand to operate her computer mouse and most remote controls.
3. I taught arts and crafts and creative and performing arts to blind and visually impaired students at the Alabama School for the Blind for three years. The comment I often got when people learned what I did? “Oh, so you know sign language!” Uh, no. I did learn Braille. BTW, sighted people learn Braille by sight rather than touch.

A rendition of the musical notation for the chorus of "Jingle Bells". (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
4. I can sing “Jingle Bells” in three languages—English, Spanish and French.
5. I am a Libra and so is my husband.
6. I was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck. If Dr. Philip hadn’t done his job quickly, I would have likely suffered brain damage. Occasionally I wonder if I didn’t.
7. I have no natural sense of direction.
8. I have flown a plane. I took a flight lesson while working at the newspaper and the student actually has control of the plane for a portion of the lesson. Exciting and a bit harrowing.

A McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III at Air refuling by an Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
9. On that same note, I have also flown in a KC-135 tanker and seen an in-flight refueling up close and personal.
10. In spite of numbers 8 and 9, I have something of a fear of heights. I also dislike deep water and I hate snakes. My father was bitten by a rattler when I was a child.
11. I have interviewed the former Archbishop of Canterbury.
12. I have known my husband since first grade but we didn’t start dating until our senior year, when we attended the prom together.
13. I spent Sept. 11, 2001 with my family at a Montgomery hospital while my mother underwent pre-op for surgery to repair her shattered ankle.
14. I have a couple of extra vertebrae in my spine, making me two inches taller than I would otherwise be.
15. I am the youngest of three daughters and my parents’ only biological child together. My sisters were conceived by artificial insemination. My father had been injured by a bayonet in the groin in WW II and was thought to be sterile. Let’s say it was a big surprise when I came along. My feet are identical to his with very distinctive toes.
16. I absolutely love tomatoes. I could make myself sick eating them. Give me a knife, a salt shaker and some vine-ripened maters and I am one happy lady.
17. I was trivia champion two years in a row on Carnival cruises out of Mobile.
18. I have sung on the same stage as country legend Hank Williams, Sr., who was from Butler County.

Boyhood home of Hank Williams in Georgiana, Alabama (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
19. My favorite animated film is “Up.” Yes, it is also one of Richard’s favorites. My favorite Hitchcock film is “North by Northwest”—also one of Richard’s favs. Obviously, we both have good taste.
20. I used to spend an hour each morning and evening on the school bus even though I lived only 12 miles from town due to the circuitous route.
I did most of my homework during the ride. How my teachers read some of it, I’ll never know.
21. I was voted “Most Talented” in my senior class and served as salutatorian (ranked number 2) in my class. My husband, who was “Most Intellectual” was third. People said we were made for each other. I think they were right. 😉
22. The one makeup item I would consider a necessity me is lipstick. It can also be used as blush in a pinch, and it gives this pale face a welcome pop of color. After that? Eyeliner.
23. The animal I consider myself to be most like is the cat, except for the whole graceful and agile thing.
24. I like to sleep with one hand tucked beneath my pillow.
25. The greatest distance I have walked in one day was 14 miles to raise funds for a charity. That was about 35 years, a couple of car accidents and knee surgery ago.