Trouble Is My Middle Name

Yep, that's right, I've always been told 'Trouble' is my middle name.  At least, by most of my friends.  My given middle name is Ann - which means 'grace'.  My mother calls me 'Gracie'.  I've always been able to walk a straight floor & fall flat on my face.  "Yep, there goes 'Gracie'!  As for trouble?

My friends think I have a somewhat delinquent personality.  Like when I took a shortcut along the sidewalk at college.  Oh, did I fail to mention I was driving my car at the time?  Or the other time we (my BFF, Kathy & I) made a snowman & brought him inside our dorm for a couple of  upper classmen  friends.  They didn't quite see the humor in having a 3' snowman outside their door, so they told us to get rid of him.  So we sat him on the toilet.  It took about a week or more of flushing to get rid of him.

Snowman

 I will be having a birthday in a few days.  My cousin, who is 1 month and 6 days younger than I am teases me all the time about being OLDER.  Her middle name is also Ann,  but HER middle name DOES mean 'Trouble'.  Today I got a few birthday presents from her 'cause she thinks she's all funny 'n stuff.

Nifty at 50

As you can see I will be the Big 5-0!!  It doesn't seem like it.  I don't feel like it.  I certainly don't ACT like it.  But it's true.  I've heard that people have a hard time turning 40... or 50.... or 60 or whatever... Mine?  It was when I turned 30.  I was about 27 or 28 and I can remember a friend of mine had just turned 36 and I thought 'Wow, that seems so old!'  For some reason 30 hit me quite hard.  Now... HA, who cares?  I certainly don't.  

I have the best life.  The best family.  I am so happy with where I'm at with my life right now.  I want for nothing, my husband spoils me like crazy.  I love my job.  I have amazing kids.  I'm expecting great things for the next 50 years.  Everything is going to be going so well, I have to create a little bit of trouble now & then to keep things interesting.

From now on this will be my mantra:   

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'WOW What a Ride!'"
   

How's your ride going, Trouble?

Bye!  Love you!  Have a good day, Dear! 

PS:  I had such fun with the last 'Blog Hop' that I'm linking up again!