Tuesday 4 and Sunday Stealing- About Me

1.What was your favorite suppertime meal when you were a kid or a teen? 

My mom's tacos. She made great beef stroganoff too! How about fav breakfast I liked when my dad made pancakes and bacon on Saturday mornings. and lunch while you're at it? Bacon and tomato sandwiches.

2. How about now? What is your favorite dinnertime meal? Still my homemade tacos that was my mom's recipe. And for breakfast and lunchtime? I like eggs, turnover or scrambled. I like to have

veggies too, and whatever I can do to add more protein.

3. How has your taste in food changed over the years. I like more veggies. I eat healthier now, more protein. I used to cook a variety of food when I was first married. But the kids preferred Mexican food, so we eat that the most. I love soups and our family likes to go our for Chinese.

4.  What's for supper at your house tonight? Chicken Tostadas

Copied from Drew's Country Magic

From the Sunday Stealing Archives (2009)

1. What is your occupation right now? Retired, 

2. What color are your socks right now? Black

3. What are you listening to right now? TV

4. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? hubby

5. How old are you today? 69

6. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Baseball

7. What is your favorite drink? Warm water with honey. It's winter.

8. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes, every 6-8 weeks

9. What is your favorite food? My tacos. Tostadas with meat.

10. What is the last movie you watched? at the movies? Wicked. At home 

on Netflix -The Six Triple Eight. Great movie!

11. Favorite day of the year? Christmas

12. How do you vent anger? Raise my voice a bit, then go to my room and pray or listen to music.

13. What was your favorite toy as a child? My bike and Jeanette doll.

14. What are your living arrangements? Married with hubby, 50 years

15. What was the last thing that you cried about? Something I was watching on tv.

16. Who is the friend you have had the longest? Lissette, since 7th grade.

17. What did you do last night? listen to the Bible Recap Girl the book of Exodus-Moses

18. What are you most afraid of? Dying, not where I am going, just the process

19. In how many areas of your country have you lived? Just So Calif

20. What is your favorite flower? Plumerias and roses, both grow in my yard.

Sunday Stealing, 7 Layer Dip

LAYER 1: Tell us your...

* Eye color: Brown

* Hair color: Dark Brown/grey

* Height: 5 feet

* Righty or lefty: Righty

LAYER 2: What's...

* Your heritage: Legacy says 38% Spanish/8% Italian/6% Portuguese/4% Euro/ 2% Jewish..

 42% Hispanic-Americas/

* The shoes you wore today: Black tennis

* Your weakness: Collecting too many crafts.

* Your fears: Dying, not where I am going, but the process.

* Your perfect pizza: This crust, light sauce, extra cheese, pineapples and ham.

* Goals you’d like to achieve: Stay healthy

* Your first waking thoughts: I wonder how I slept and thank you God for another day.

* Your best physical feature: My hair, it is still full and has body with the curl.

* Your most missed memory: I miss my parents and grandparents

LAYER 3: Do you...

* Smoke: No

* Cuss: No

* Sing: Yes

* Do you think you’ve been in love: Yes

* Did you go to college: Yes, University of California at Irvine, Santiago College and Goldenwest College.

* Liked high school: Yes

* Believe in yourself: Somewhat

* Think you’re attractive: Okay

* Think you’re a health freak: To some extent.

* Like thunderstorms: Yes

* Play an instrument: Piano

LAYER 4: In the past month have you…

* Drunk alcohol: No

* Smoked: No

* Done a drug: Prescription 

* Made out: Kissed, yes

* Gone on a date: Went to the Sweetheart Dinner at church last night

* Gone to the mall: No 

* Eaten an entire box of Oreos: Never

* Eaten sushi: Yes

* Been on stage: Yes

* Been dumped: No

* Gone skating: No

* Gone skinny dipping: No

LAYER 5: Have you ever…

* Played a game that required removal of clothing: Yes(with hubby)

* Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: No

* Been caught “doing something”: ?

* Been called a tease: Yes

* Gotten beaten up: No

LAYER 6:

* Age you did get/hope to be married:2 days before turning 19. 

* How do you want to die: Peacefully, asleep or unconscious.

* What did you want to be when you grew up: astronomer, doctor, nurse, psychologist, Mom

* What country would you most like to visit: Spain and Israel

LAYER 7: Now tell...

* Name a person you could trust with your life:

* Name a favorite CD that you own: Amy Grant The Collection

* Number of piercings: 4 on each ear.

* Number of tattoos: 1 plumeria flower on my ankle that I got in Hawaii.

Makes me think of my time Hawaii with my family, specifically my dad, he died 8 months later.

* Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: Local paper, School award/Engagement/Wedding

* Name a past experience that you regret: Not going into the medical field. 

Tuesday 4

Southern California has been cold! 50's is cold for us and my daughter says it is the same for her in New York. It will be raining all day Tuesday and we really need the rain! It's a good start to the snow season too and we hope to get there this winter. Meanwhile, we are enjoying the season. The younger grands love to look for the Shepherd when they come over. The older two are on vacation in New York with their parents. I am so happy for them!

The Shepherd left candy and Christmas goodies.

I spent a couple of days in New York with my parents before going on a cruise and it was fun. I always hoped to go back someday. Meanwhile, I am happy my daughter and grands are having fun!

I really enjoyed decorating today. I put up some Christmas houses in the kitchen and hope to take pictures. I am thanking God for what I have and not on what I wish I had. My online friend Linda lost her son a couple of days ago. My heart aches for her. We can't take anything for granted. Please keep her in prayer. 

This week let's talk about your name!    

1. What name would you take if you had to change your name?  I like my name and have never thought about it. My mom called me Susan and my dad called me Susie. My sisters call me Susie and my brother calls me Susan. My hubby calls me Susie. My grands call mema.

2.  Do you think you fit your name and it's meaning? SUSANNA f English, Italian, Biblical Pronounced: soo-ZAN-a From Sousanna, the Greek form of the Hebrew name Shoshannah which was derived from the Hebrew word shushan meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"). In the New Testament this is the name of a woman who ministered to Christ.

"Thus, lilies represent rebirth and hope, just as the resurrection does in the Christian faith. Lilies are also mentioned or alluded to several times in the Bible. Some think that it was white lilies that sprouted in the Garden of Eden as Eve's remorseful tears fell to the ground."

In Spanish, my name is Susanna.    

3. What is the meaning of your name.. how about your last name? Here is another description I found.

Susan is a feminine given name, from Persian "Susan", from Egyptian sšn and Coptic shoshen meaning "lotus flower", from Hebrew Shoshana meaning "lily", from Greek Sousanna, from Latin Susanna, from Old French Susanne.

My maiden name is Sandoval. It primarily originates from Sandoval de la Reina, Spain, earlier called Sannoval, which is a blend word of Latin saltus (meaning 'grove' or 'wood') and Latin novalis (meaning 'newly cleared land').

Sandoval Settlers in United States in the 16th Century Gonzalo de Sandoval, who sailed to America in 1516 Gonzalo de Sandoval, who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in 1519 and later was appointed Governor of Veracruz Francisco de Sandoval, who sailed to America in 1526 Juan de Sandoval, who sailed to America in 1527

I learned about this Sandoval when I read the book Aztec by Gary Jennings.

4. Were you named after anyone or given your name for a specific reason? 

I was born the day after my grandfather whose name happened to be Susano.

My mom liked the actress Susan Hayward so I think I was named after her.

1. Do you put ketchup on hot dogs? Yes and mustard and relish too!

2. How many TVs in your house? 4

3. Do you put salt on watermelon? No

4. Can you swim? Yes

5. Are your parents still alive? No

6. First car? Chevelle Malibu SS

7. Surgeries? 3,  A tonsillectomy when I was a child and 2 C-sections. 

8. What do you drink in the morning? 1 cup of decaf coffee with flavored creamer.

9. Can you do 100 push ups? No

10. Can you change a tire? No

11. Tattoos? 1 have a plumeria flower on my ankle that I got in Hawaii 2012

12. Do you wear sunglasses? Yes and they fit over my glasses.

13. Do you have a phobia?  Snakes

14. Do you have a nickname? My hubby, sisters, and cousins call me Susie. My mom called me Susan and so does my brother. Most of my friends call me Susan. 

 15. Are you a picky eater? No, I like many types of food. I will try new foods except really spicy food.

Sunday Stealing

1. What is the farthest you have ever traveled? From Los Angeles to Oahu, Hawaii 2564 miles. San Diego to New York, 2433 miles. From there we got on a ship and traveled up the New England coast to Halifax Nova Scotia-900 miles.  1971 From Los Angeles to Mexico by car. 1900 miles.  I was 15 years old for 6 weeks. I went with a friend I met in Jr. High. The whole family was going for a wedding. It was a great learning experience for me. I am thankful to my parents who allowed me to go. It was another 235 miles to Acapulco. They took me so I could see the famous cliff divers. Then there was the drive back! But I will never forget that trip. The people were friendly even though they teased me about my Spanish. But they did encourage me. I learned many new things about the culture of my grandparents.  We eat  pinto beans here with red Spanish rice. They ate black beans and white rice. I was use to crispy fried tacos with hamburger meat ad potatoes. Over there a taco was a soft warm corn tortilla filled with the meat of your choice so I chose shredded port.

2. Who did you date while in high school? Kevin Dodd, in 11th grade and my now husband in 12th. My husband got to meet Kevin because he was also a friend of my cousin Joanie. We meet Kevin and his wife at my cousin's wedding and Kevin played the guitar and sang. I was his first girl friend. We had a lot of fun together and he helped me with chemistry. We were both active in school and with our friends and then we kinds of just stopped dating. We stayed friends, but I always wondered what happened. A few years later Kevin was at his mother's going through his school stuff and found the letters I left in his locker when we were dating. His wife Debbie suggested he mail them to me instead of throwing them away. He included a personal note. He stopped dating me because he was a new Christian and and going to church and dating was a temptation for him. At least he left me for Jesus and not another girl!

 This was at the Silver Ball in the Winter. We also had gone to the Harvest Ball(Sadie Hawkins )

This is my then boyfriend Jr and we were to the Prom. going Green was popular back in 1973.

3. What is one of the worst trips you've ever taken? What went wrong?  Can't think of anything.

4. How do you like to spend a lazy day? I am retired so I get a lot of lazy days! I like to Bible journal. When it is sunny and warm I like to go out and read my Bible or go in the spa.

5. How old were you when you found out that JFK had been assassinated?  8 years old. How did it affect you? I remember sadness. Our teacher was crying. School let out early. We were glued to the television. My mom was crying and my dad was so sad.

6. Who has been one of the most important people in your life? My parents.

7. What is one trait you would most like to improve in yourself? Better time management. But if it is a physical thing, it would be exercising to build up my muscles.

8. Did you date someone in college? I was engaged during my first year at the University and then we got married after that first year.

9. What was your dream car? Jaguar a long time ago. Here is my first car. Chevelle Malibu SS.

10. Did you have a family member you wish you'd gotten to know better? Yes my mom.

11. Tell me about your greatest gardening success. When I let my husband take over!

12. What was your Dad like when you were a child? I had a very close relationship with my dad. He called me his curly hair Mija. Mija is short for hija which is daughter in Spanish. But it is an endearing word also. He also called me his princess but my grandma would call me her Reina, the queen. I was  tomboy and very active and he played ball with me and taught me how to ride a bike and encouraged me when I asked for a skateboard. He helped me with my school projects and encouraged me a lot. He was patient and a a funny sense of humor. We could talk about anything. He was a kind man and had many friends. He did well in his jobs. He worked for HUD in the 1970's at would fly to DC for meeting and take my mom. He would stop by and visit me when I was married with young kids. He got along with my husband. He took care of my mom when she had Alzheimers. We had a lot of long conversations when I would go over there  to help him with mom  and after my mom passed. I have tears in my eyes as I write this because I missed him so much. I was with him when he passed away 8 years ago this month. He taught me so many things. I will seem him and mom in heaven someday.

13. What is the best job you've ever had? My first job when I was 14. I worked at a toy store called Toy City. My mom was the manager of  the 9 stores in Orange Country. I got to work one summer and one Christmas. I got to learn so many things. We had to know math and use the old cash registers. If the store was not busy, I could wrap presents with the red and white stripe paper. I enjoyed the book and science section. I worked on stock. Checking the invoice to for each box and then putting the price stickers on. I especially liked being able to walk across the street at lunch to eat at Woolworths. At the end of the summer I bought a sting ray bike. The following summer I worked as a Candy Striper.

14 .What are your favorite songs? That is a loaded question!  I mostly listen to Christian music. But hubby and I will play an oldie station and listen to song that were popular when  we were dating like Peaches and Herbs Let's Fall in Love. We both like Motown and music from the 70's. If I had to choose a few I would say I Can Only Imagine and Shout to the Lord. I still have my 45's I bought when we were dating. I also love musicals and have seen Phantom of the Opera in NY and LV. I like the music from Fiddler on the Roof and Sound of Music.. 

15. If you could choose any talents to have, what would they be? I wish I could have been better at playing the music. I wish I would have gone into nursing because I like the medical field. But I embrace who I am, being creative and using that to teach others. I have taught Bible journaling and I have been a lay counselor at church. My main focus is teaching my grands about Jesus.

My Website is called Susan's Garden of Friendship(1999-2020) The link is to the right. Lots of inspirational pages too. That is where I get most of the pictures for here. 

Sunday Stealing is below....

 

Saturday we celebrated my son's 40th birthday. Most restaurants are closed because of Covid so we all picked up food and had a tail gate party by Dos Lagos Lake. It was warm, 85 degrees, with a nice breeze. After we ate, hubby and I took the grands to feed the ducks. It was nice few hours to be together. My daughter gave me the shirt I was wearing. It says Only the best moms get promoted to Mema. Mema is what the grands call me.

 

Sunday Stealing: A to Z

 

A - Annoyance: Misplacing things. 

 
B - Bestest Friend[s]: Joanie, Coreen

C - Car: Kia Sorrento extended SUV

D - Day or night: I am a night owl.

E - Easiest person to talk to?:Coreen

F - Favorite Month: October

G - Gummy Bears or Worms: bears

H - Hair Color: brown with red highlights(colored)

I - Ice Cream: real cream vanilla, with crushed almonds and banana slices.

J - Jewelry: My wedding rings and a ring my parents gave me. Earrings(4 piercings in each ear)

K - Kindergarten: 35  five year old my kids I had in Sunday school class on Christmas morning in the 90's

L - Longest Car Ride: from California to Mexico City 1823 miles! 236 miles from Mexico City to Acapulco. 1970. My friend's sister was getting married. They invited me to go with the family. I took a big novel to read in the car. We traveled through the night to get through the desert and then we went along the coast. I was gone from my family for 6 weeks. It was a trip I will never forget!

M - Most missed person:  My Dad.

N - Number of Siblings: 3

O - One regret: Not getting to know my mom better before she got Alzheimers.

P - Part of your appearance you like least?: My flat rear.

Q - Quote: "One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”(Luke 10:25-28 NLT)

R - Reality TV Show: Survivor

S - Shoe: Comfy tennis.

T - Time you woke up: 8:30am

U - Unpredictable?: My husband would say yes!

V - Vegetable you hate: Okra

W - Worst Habits: not putting things where they belong.

X - X-Rays: Yes, several, teeth, neck, shoulder, and back. I have osteoporosis.

Y - Year you were born: In the 50's!

Z - Zoom: Yes, just had a Zoom with my siblings.

 

 

 School days help to shape our future personality. 

Add caption

Share a story of your school days that you think may have helped shape who you are today. When I was in grade school, I was pretty hyper and talkative. I got in trouble several times for not paying attention or for talking. I was more excited about recess and being competitive with the boys. I loved playing tetherball. I had to go to summer school after third grade and I remember the teacher reading Charlotte's Web. She made the story come alive. I started visiting the school library. This is a picture I drew of my self when I was around 7.
I remember praying in school. I remember duck and cover drills. I remember when president Kennedy was shot and we were sent home early.

Did you have a favorite teacher and what made them special to you? My 4th grade teacher Miss Helm really encouraged me a lot. She encouraged me to read and I think that is when I read the Little House series. I was also interested in dinosaurs and planets. She encouraged me to keep reading. I liked doing artistic crafts and got good grades in science and reading.  She encouraged me to do my best.  She said I should always ask for help if I did not understand. She stressed how important it was to pay attention. I became an avid reader after that year - 1964-5

1964

Did you enjoy the rituals of school.. new clothing, pencils, notebooks, etc.? Yes my mom made it special for us. She would take us out to JC Penney or Sears and we got new clothes and shoes. Then we would go get lunch. It was fun getting a new lunchbox with a thermos I remember I liked the smell of anew box of crayons. I liked when blue cloth 3 ring binder and Pee Chee folders that we would color.

Did you walk to school or ride the bus? Do you have a story to share on that? We would walk to school.  It was only a few blocks away and all the kids walked. It was safe back in the 60's. There were some bushes by the school fence that the bees like to feed at. We learned to find the drones and catch them because they did not sting. I would do that with some of the boys because most of the girls were scared. If I happen to walk by that bush in present time, the smell will make me stop and think of that childhood memory.

Walking to the first day of school in 1965/6

1968- I am ready to go to a choir concert. I loved Girls Glee that I took in 7grade. I could not take it in 8th grade because I had to take physical science so I could take biology in 9th grade. Why? because I was college bound. The teachers I had in 6th grade really encouraged me to go to college and so did my parents. In 1965 my parents drove me to see a new University that was being built and they wanted me to go there. In 8th grade I went on a field trip to UCI. I remember looking at the big computer main frames and thinking there was no way I would have anything to do with computers! I didn't even like typing. All girls had to take a semester of cooking and a semester of sewing in Jr. High. I learned a lot in those classes. By the time my kids went to school in the 90's it was no longer required.

My dad really helped me a lot with school projects.

 

 

 

I had really good teachers in High School and a good counselor and I was the first person in my family go to a 4 year University. Mr. Haffner was my Honors World History teacher and he taught me a lot. He required that we do a term paper and have to go up and talk to the class about our topic. I had to talk about the three Greek Philosophers, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.  I also had Mr. Haffner for Psychology and Sociology. Mr Morrison was another favorite teacher. I had him for Physiology and we had to dissect a fetal pig. I bombed chemistry but I liked the teacher and he told me to never give up. My Home Economics teacher was really good too. I took Tailoring, Marriage, Family, and Child Developemnt with her.  I also took a craft class and learned to macrame and knit. It was nice having a class that did not have a lot of reading. I won the Betty Crocker Award for our city and got a cash award and certificate. I was also encouraged to join clubs because it would look good for my college application. I was in student government, Girls League,Honor Society, Usherette and GAA. Mr Haffner also wrote my letter of recommendation for my college application. I graduated from High School in 1973 and from University of Irvine, Ca in 1977.  

. It was fun going done memory Lane!