The Question Game Courtesy of Slinky

Slinky posted a note to one of my blogs and I responded by looking at her blog. She has a blog where a friend of her asked her 5 questions and she had to answer them in her blog. If, after reading my blog of 5 questions that she asked of me and my answers, post with a note with the words Interview Me, and I will respond with 5 different questions.

So, Here We Go:

1. What was your favorite fairy tale story? What made it so special?

Baba Yaga and Vassilisa the Brave

It didn't become my favorite until I was an adult. It is a Russian Version of Cinderella. Vassilisa's mother has died, her father remarries... blah blah blah, the difference is that she has a small doll her mother gave her. She is sent to the witch's house to get a candle for light because the mother and sisters have used all their candles. The witch tells her she will give her the light but she must clean the house, she gives her a huge list, including a decadent meal to prepare and the witch leave. The small doll comes to life and helps her get the work done. The pictures, the story line, the side details, it is a wonderful story.

2. Have you traveled to any place really amazing (it can be close to home or far away). Tell what makes this place so special

I have been several places that have been amazing, but not necessarily in the ways I think others would consider amazing. I grew up near Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle. It is the next best thing to the Grand Canyon, which I hope to see in the next 3 years.
It is a special place because of the great layers of the earth that show in the sides of the canyons, the hoodoos (the most famous one is called the Lighthouse. When I was in my late 20's I had the opportunity to show the canyon to the love of my life. We hiked and hiked and found ourselves on a cliff above the walking path of others and no way to tell how to get down and it was getting dark. It was about a 15 foot drop. Both of us were a bit apprehensive of jumping down. We hadn't taken any water so we were tired and energy-spent. He took a big breath and jumped down. Then he made sure I didn't fall the rest of the way off the cliff after I jumped. We were so proud of ourselves and relieved that we stood there and laughed and hugged and it was a great moment.

.3. You get to have dinner with one famous living person (so not a dead person), who do you pick and why?

One? Just one? oh man now I have to decide to go world peace, political or Hollywood.Ok, I am going to go with the man I have a crush on. It would be (drum roll please) Nicholas Cage. I have heard he is an odd duck, and other than his huge marriage mistake, I think he is a pretty smart guy. I want to know what he is like in real life and he is very intelligent, so it would be an interesting conversation if nothing else.

Second choice: Jamie Foxx because of his comments on what it is like to play Ray Charles.

4. What smells, tastes and sounds make you the happiest?

The smells: The salty sea air (what a surprise huh? ), Peach cobbler baking, fresh rain, clean cotton sheets, lavender, real lavender, and a man straight out of the shower. .

The tastes: Chocolate, fresh vegetables, cherries, chocolate dipped strawberries, Tchai tea, bacon, and hot chocolate.

The sounds: Music, a baby cooing, a child laughing, a man groaning in pleasure (sorry, but it is true), my sons saying they love me, my students when they finally "get it" and the waves crashing on the beach.

5. If you could only visit one country before you died, where would you go and why?
When I was a teen it would have been Greece, but now it is Italy.

I hear Italian men love women, all women, not just young ones. I want to find out for myself. Plus, ever since I watched Under the Tuscan Sun I want to move there and buy a villa. The colors, the sea, the countryside.

Now remember if you want to get 5 questions from me to post on your blog just ask me to interview you. Otherwise I am curious as to your responses to my answers.
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