Milk bottles

 

The gate to Camp Jack west of Cheyenne, East of Laramie, Wyoming

When I was growing up in the 1950's, we would have our milk delivered to the house.  The milk man would deliver the milk early in the morning.  He would place it in a box by the back door.  The milk was delivered in a glass bottle with a paper cap on the top.  The color of the cap would indicate what was in the bottle.  We would drink the milk, wash the bottle and return it to the box.  The milk man would visit us once a week.

The dairy came up with a unique way to let the milk man know what kind of milk we wanted to order.  It was a device that you would put into the top of an empty bottle.  It had rotating colored tabs.  The color of the tab would represent the different kinds of milk or dairy products.  If we needed two quarts of milk, would put up two white tabs marked "1 Qt. Milk:.  If we needed a 1/2 pint of cream, we would put up the yellow tab marked "1/2 pint cream".

Every now and then, I would I would put up the brown one marked "1 Qt. Chocolate Milk".  I don't think Mom ever figured out which of us three boys did it.

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Morning walk

Greetings,  Milo and I had a good walk.  It's been cold and dry.  Milo "bounced"down the driveway and chased imaginary bunny rabbits.  We raised the flag.  Bob passed Milo TWO treats from the school bus window as all the kids watched. 

As we walked to the fork, I told Milo a story about the first year Janice and I were married.  Jan's birthday was approaching and I wanted to do something special for her.  Money was more than a little tight.  I pondered for a while and then came up with an idea.  I went to the drug store and purchased a bunch of candles and some bubble bath.  I made a stop at the liquor store and purchased a bottle of Matrini & Ross, Asti, and two flute glasses.  Now,  I have never professed to be much of a cook, but I can fix a few things.  I fixed her dinner.  It was ready when she arrived home from work.  It was a very good evening.

Morning walk

 

In reference to yesterday's post, The Sunshine School house today.  Both out houses are still there.

Milo,  and I had a great walk this morning.  Our older dog, Malcom, joined us.  There is still snow and ice on the ground.  It warmed up to 40 degrees so some of the snow melted, and then froze last night.  Our driveway was a little slick in spots.  We ran into Don at the bottom of the driveway.  He walks 5 miles every day and waves to everyone that passes.  Dr. Paul and his dog, Silka met us as we were about to raise the American flag.  The school bus stopped.  Bob had a treat for Milo and Malcom.  By that time Steve and Julie's dogs were up on the road.  Five dogs, all looking for a treat!

Dr. Paul is excited.  He just signed a lease and is opening his own clinic.  I am going to join him this evening for cigars and champagne.  Dr. Paul specializes in Holistic medicine.

The dogs and I made our way to the fork, stopped for a treat and then made our way back.  Don greeted us as he made his return trip.  We had a nice chat about the bears.  Ruby lives in the house at the fork.  Before her husband, Bob, passed away, he would feed the bears.  He only did it during the drought years, but the bears learn fast when it comes to an easy meal.  We all know that almost every evening, during the summer and fall, the bears will cross the road at Ruby's house.  A lot of the neighbors walk along that road!  Don was telling me about a time last fall when Ruby called him over to her door.  There, in her back yard, was a bear, rolling around in the grass.  Just like her dogs, who BTW ,were right there in the grass next to it.

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Monday Photo shoot (on Tuesday)

 

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Share some of your favorite black and white photos. Older pictures are good, but what you also might think about is seeing how some of your favorite color pictures look in black and white -- most computer photo editors will let you make a photo black and white (or sepia-toned -- that's monochromatic, too). This is an opportunity to look at some of your best photos in a new way. Then mosey on over to John's Journal and leave your link so he will know that you did this!!  

The famous Sunshine School house.  This is where Milo and I stop every weekday morning and raise the American Flag.  Built in 1900, the community of Sunshine still uses the building for many community events.  It is now surrounded by Ponderosa Pine trees.

 

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Do you have a "Smiles" file

 

Columbines from my garden last summer

I have been fortunate enough to sit in on several Eagle Scout boards of review.  That is a group of adults that review the accomplishments of a Boy Scout to make sure he has earned his Eagle Scout Rank.  It is the last step before he is given the award.  Part of the process is to read the letters of recommendation sent to the board.  At the end of the interview, I have started suggesting that the young man start a "smiles file", or to simply put the letters in a file folder.

Each of of has "one of those days" when we would like to start all over and hope the new day is a lot better than old one.  Sometimes, I feel that way in the middle of the day!  Well, I pull out my smiles file and start reading.  I have added about 45 - 50 letters to my "smiles file".  These are letters of accommodation, awards  I have received, prizes and trips I have won, nice letters from friends; all positive, up lifting stuff.   I don't have to read them all, just enough to turn my attitude around.  Somehow, after reading them, the day is a little brighter.

I have heard that my recommendation to start a "smiles file" is catching on at all the boards of review.

Thanks to you too, Dad.

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Milo in the snow

Milo and I took our morning walk at noon today.  It's snowing.  We really need the moisture.  I don't like going to the Wash-O-Mat to do the laundry.  We have two washers and two dryers, just no water.   Milo was so funny.  He was chasing the snow flakes!

 

Here's the front yard.

 

To answer Deb's question before it is asked, 2" at 1PM

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Fire fighting

I have been asked several times to talk about my fire-fighting experience.  I have been very hesitant because so much of it involves the personal lives of the people involved. 

 

 

John McColgan's Bitterroot fire picture

My first experience was in 1968.  I was hired by the National Forest Service to ferry fire fighters in and out of a forest fire in southeastern Wyoming.  It was a very hot and dry summer.  The fire was south of Elk Mountain.  I was the back-up driver of an Army "duce and a half" (2 1/2 ton) truck.  There was a lot of activity  moving the brave men in and out of the burn area.  The images of the blackened forest of dead trees and, sadly, dead animals still haunts me.

When I was given the opportunity to join the Sunshine Fire Protection District , I did.  It is our local volunteer fire company.  A group of my friends and neighbors.  There are only two calls I will share.  The first is typical of many of the calls we receive.  Sunshine is a mountain community, 2000 feet above and 6 miles west of Boulder, Colorado.  The road up to Sunshine is very steep and winds through a canyon.  We are often called to respond to roll-over accidents. 

 I was driving up the canyon one night around 9PM and everything was normal.  When I returned around 11PM there was debris all over the road.  I took a quick survey and did not see any damaged vehicles.  Upon a closer look, I saw a truck, overturned in the trees below the road.  The area was secure so I drove up the hill to a location where my cell phone would work.  I called 911 and returned to the site of the roll-over.  I  walked down the hill and looked into the truck, expecting to see a body.  At this point, I was hoping I could remember all of my first-aid training.  There was nobody around.  Dougy was the next on the scene, followed by two sheriff's cars and then three fire trucks.  We looked all over for the body.  Dougy thought there was a possibility that the driver may have been thrown out of the truck so we started checking the trees.  About that time, one of the sheriff's officers noticed that the keys were missing.  The truck was registered to a resident in our fire district.  We sent one of our trucks to his house.  He was home, passed out drunk!

The other one I wish to mention is still difficult for me to deal with.  We received a call for a "possible code BLACK" (dead on arrival).  It is hard when it is one of your neighbors ,a very good friend and a fellow member of the fire department.  Later that day, Milo and I lowered the flag to half-staff.

Our fire department, fortunately, does not respond to many fires in our district (we don't have many fires).  From time to time we get a call on "smoke in the area".  It usually turns out to be someone's fireplace or, on damp cloudy days, fog.  We do have a well trained team that will respond, out of district, to forest fires in Colorado and Wyoming.

I have mentioned Wyoming  twice.  It's a big state with a small population.  I would be surprised if there were more than 495,000 people in the whole state.  It's where I was born and raised.  And that is another story.

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The analemma

 

 

Picture from August 2003 Astronomy magazine   

      As Milo and I walk every morning, we are noticing the change of the sun's position in the morning sky.  The pattern the sun follows is called the analemma.  If you were to stand at the same spot, in this case, the Tholos in Delphi, Greece and take a picture of the sun every morning, this is the pattern you would see.  The analemma is seen as a figure-8 loop, as a result of the tilt of the earth on it's axis and it's elliptical orbit around the sun.  Today's walk was cold and blustery.  It was snowing and Milo stayed close by.

     Audie finished her 6th session of Chemo therapy.  The Doctors finally have it adjusted so she is not so sick.  I know she is feeling better because she is complaining about being able to smell the food cooking but can't taste a thing.

 

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Tagged by Meg

OK, I'v been tagged by Meg of Friendship, Loyalty and Love .  Although I had to think about it all day,  I have come up with 5 Guilty Pleasures.

1.  Ice Cream.  My doctor would have a fit over this one.

2.  Chocolate.  I hear it lowers blood pressure.

3.  Checking emails while working.

4.  Blogging after I've been called for dinner.

5.  Skiing.  I've been know blow off work, weddings and any other activity to do the thing I love best.

1947 Ford

     Thursday night Milo and I went over to replace the outhouse door on the school house.  I replaced four screws and threw a little lime into the holes and was finished.  I noticed that the horrible smell was not originating at the school house.

     Brian and Linda live in a single story house,  just west and behind the school house.  Late Wednesday afternoon Brian decided to take down the outdoor Christmas lights.  He put up the extension ladder and proceeded to climb up toward the eve.  Something was amiss, for he had climbed up five steps but was only three steps above the ground.  The ladder was sinking into the ground.  The ground under the ladder had turned into a subterranean bog.  Brian had discovered the source of the rather pungent smell.  His septic tank was leaking.

     Brian made arrangements with Chris, our mayor, to dig up the old septic tank so he could replace it.  Chris drove his backhoe over and started digging.  I'm sure you can imagine how pleasant that job was.....  Chris dug for a few minutes and then hit something metal.  He continued to dig, cautiously, around the septic tank until he uncovered the entire tank.  To everyone's surprise, the septic tank was a 1947 Ford sedan (at least the best we could determine) with the windows rolled up.

     Standing next to me, my father-in-law leaned over and said "That's nothing, we're using a 1967 Hornet.  We have a few more years to go on ours."   The last I saw of the 1947 Ford / septic tank, it was on the back of a flatbed trailer, heading down the road, contents occasionally falling to the ground. 

Four AM Freight Train

 

 

The biggest check I have ever written.  David and 4501

We didn't need an alarm clock to wake us at 4:30 this morning.  It started out sounding like the wind was blowing gently and increased to a loud roar and then finally to the sound of a freight train heading down the mountains. 

Milo and I left around 7 for our morning walk.  The sun was just about to rise.  I was amazed to see the damage the wind gust had caused.  There was a tree down at Steve and Julies.  I don't usually look at the outhouse behind the school house but something caught my attention.  The area was rather odoriferous.  The wind had blown the door right off the outhouse!  Whooeee....I have to fix that thing and FAST!  Even the dogs were staying away.

The Plainview fire took off over night (do you think the wind had anything to do with that?).  It went from 4 acres to 2,700 acres.  It is located about 20 miles south of Boulder.  This is way too early in the year for us to worry about fires.  If we get "toned" out it will be to take up a defensive position.  We would be assigned a house to protect (cover with water and foam to keep it from burning down).  There aren't many houses near the burn area so I don't expect to be called.

As storms move across the country from west to east, they drop moisture on the mountains (the skiing is great).  The winds move down the east face of the rockies and dry out.  It is common for us to get high winds and no snow as the storms pass.  After living here for a while we expect the wind and learn to live with it.  As a fire fighter, it can be our worst enemy.

 

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The rest of the story - Debbie

            I met Debbie at my neighbors, Michael and Susie’s house in Westminster, Maryland.  They were having a Sunday afternoon barbecue.  I mentioned to Susie that I thought Debbie was cute.  Susie introduced us.  Although she was too busy helping Susie to engage in conversation, she did give me her phone number.  I called later that night and we made plans to see the play.

            Two weeks had passed since Debbie and I went to see the play “Ain’t Misbehavin” at the Morris Mechanic Theater.  We had talked on the phone almost every night.  We had laughed about how nervous we were; how we both longed for a night of passion, but knew it just wasn't right.

 

            We had moved past the “Hi, My name is David” stage.  No more “tell me about your family”, and “where do you work?”  We were now talking about where we had traveled, what movies we liked and what good books we had read.  The thing that impressed me is that the conversations were always positive; no criticizing, condemning or complaining.

 

            Debbie lived forty miles away from me.  She mentioned that she had made plans to spend the next Saturday night at Michael and Susie’s.  We agreed itwould be fun to spend all day Sunday together.  We both enjoyed U.S history.   She had visited the Gettysburg National Park on a day trip in high school and had always wanted to go back.  I had driven through when I moved from Wyoming to Maryland.  Gettysburg  had always intrigued me.  As I drove through, the song “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” by Joan Baez was playing on the radio. 

 

          Gettysburg  was only about an hours’ drive to the north.  I laughed as I thought “Not quite the romantic day I had in mind”, so I mentioned, “Why don’t I pick up some wine and cheese and we’ll make a picnic of it?”  Debbie thought it was a good idea.

 

            Sunday was a warm fall day.  The leaves were in their full colors.  Michael and Susie’s dog, Clevey (named because he came from Cleveland) started barking as I drove up to their house.  I rang the door bell and Debbie answered.  There she stood, shoulder length brown hair and beautiful blue eyes.  She looked lovely, wearing dark gray slacks and a lavender sweater.  Michael and Susie came up behindher.  They bid us farewell and we were off.   

 

      The drive up US140 to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was very pleasant.  The highway was a two lane road through the maple, oak and dogwood-covered rolling hills.  The farmers were harvesting their corn.  As we drove, I reached over and held her hand.  Unlike our first date, she gently squeezed mine.

 

            We drove into the town of Gettysburg and turned left onto the Taneytown road.  We proceeded past the strip of fast food restaurants and drove into the national park.  We parked in front of the visitor’s center. I turned the engine off and felling rather bold, I leaned over and gave Debbie a small kiss on the cheek.  She smiled, squeezed my hand again and opened her door.

 

            The visitor’s center is on Cemetery Ridge, in the heart of the battlefield.  Scattered over the area are civil war cannons and stone memorials.  Inside the visitor’s center is a large cyclorama, a painting of the third day of the battle, Pickett’s charge.  It depicts the moment that the Southern General Armistead was hit by the bullet that mortally wounded him.  We toured the visitor’s center, holding hands and reading every exhibit.

 

            We returned to the car and started to drive around the battlefield.  It was getting close to lunch time so we stopped at Little Round Top and had our picnic lunch.  I had picked up some red wine, baby Gouda cheese, meat and bread.  So, there we sat, in the middle of a civil war battlefield, eating meat, bread and cheese, drinking wine from a glass, laughing and telling stories to each other.  We returned to the car.  Before I started the car, I leaned over and our lips met for the first time.

 

            Debbie and I dated two more times.  In November she took a well paying job in New York.  We continued to call and write for until March, 1980.

 

 

My Heros Have Always Been Cowboys

    

 

  Growing up in Cheyenne, Wyoming I did not have a Major League baseball team to follow.  I did not have a home town NFL football team.  Sure, I could listen to the Yankees on the radio or watch the Saturday Baseball Game of the Week on television.  In the fall, we could drive over the hill to Laramie for some college football.  But, there was nothing like going to the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo.  Held during the last full week in July, we could see the live action, up front and personal.  There were my hero's, bronc riding, calf roping, bull dogging steers, and riding bulls!  My hero's never walked away from us "little guys"  when we asked for autographs.  They always smiled and took time to wave, even when they were thrown into the dirt by a 600 lb bull.

Casey Tibbs would always wear something purple, be it a shirt or scarf.  You could see him from anywhere in the arena.

My hero's (All members of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame) are:

Casey Tibbs

Jim Shoulders

Guy Weeks

Larry Mahan

Rodeo Clowns (Some of the bravest men on earth.  They put their life on the line every time the chute opened and a Brahma bull was released):

Wilber Plauger

(I witnessed Wilber a Wick save a young cowboys life when his hand would not come free from the bull.  When it did, the bull turned on the limp cowboy.  With the bull charging, Wilber and Wick stepped in between the bulland the cowboy.  Wilber hit the bull on the head, right between the horns.  The bull turned away from the cowboy.  Quail was right there, helping the cowboy to safety.)

Wick Peth

Quail Dobbs 

(Quail and his dog spent a lot of time in a barrel in the middle of the arena)

 

A Cowboys Guide To Life

By Texas Bix Bender

 

Never kick a fresh cow chip on a hotday

 

There’s two theories to arguin’ with a woman.  Neither one works.

 

Don’t worry about bitin’ off more than you can chew.  Your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger’n you think.

 

If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around

 

Never ask a man the size of his spread.

 

After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring.  He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him.  The moral: When you’re full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

         

If you find yourself ina hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin’.

 

Never smack a man who’s chewin’ tobacco

 

It don’t take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.

 

Never ask a barber if he thinks you need a haircut.

 

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

 

Never drop your gun to hug a grizzly.

 

If you’re ridin’ ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it’s still there.

 

When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don’t be surprised if they learn their lesson.

When you’re throwin’ your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.

 

Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier ‘n putting it back.

 

Always take a good look at what you’re about to eat.  It’s not so important to know what it is, but it’s critical to know what it was.

 

Never miss a good chance to shut up.

 

<SPANSTYLE="FONT-SIZE: FONT-FAMILY: Roman?? New ?Times 11pt;>The best sermons are lived, not preached.

Your fences need to be horse high, pig tight, and bull strong.

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A date with Debbie, 1979

           

       It was a cool autumn evening, the sun was just setting and the few clouds in the western sky looked as if they were ablaze.  The air was crisp and relativity calm.  The leaves on the trees were just beginning to turn colors.

            I drove into the parking lot of the high-rise apartments and parked in the “NO PARKING” zone next to the fire plug.   The landscaping around the building  was completed in a very formal manner.  The shrubs were well trimmed.  The marigold and mums were in full bloom.  As I got out of my car and walked to the door, I saw a young lady at the front door, struggling with two bags of groceries, a six pack of coke and her keys.  I held the door open for her and as she went through. The elevator door, which was directly in front of the door, opened. 

            I rode the elevator to the fifth floor.  I knocked and Debbie opened the door.  She looked beautiful!  She was wearing black slacks, a white blouse and a gray fur jacket.  We said hello and left immediately.  I opened her car doorand as I walked around the car, she unlocked my door.

            As we drove downtown, we made the usual small talk, exchanging pleasantries.  I had never driven into the city by that direction so she game me instructions until I was familiar with the area.  We parked the car in an underground parking garage and walked up the stairs to the Morris A. Mechanic Theater.

            “Ain’t Misbehavin” by Fats Waller was being preformed.  We both enjoyed the musical play.  When it was over I asked her if she’d like to go for a drink and a bite to eat.  She replied “yes”.  Again, because I wasn’t familiar with the area, she suggested a restaurant named “The Crease”.  We walked around the corner, along the building, halfway down the block and into the door.  It was very crowded and the hostess said it would be at least twenty minutes.  I asked her if we could sit at the bar and she replied “yes – may I have your name?”  I told her “Wheeler, party of two.”

            Debbie and I walked over to the bar.  There weren’t any stools open at the bar so we sat on two stools next to the partition separating the bar and dining room.  Debbie ordered a glass of red wine, I ordered white.  The conversation became more relaxed.  We talked for a short time and then were seatedfor dinner.  There was another glass of wine for both of us.  She ordered soup and baked potato peels. They were out of potato peels so she ordered a salad.  I ordered crab cakes.  We finished eating and left.  It was chilly so we walked briskly.  We followed some people who were dressed for a Saturday Night down the stairs into the parking garage.

            As we drove home, we talked some more.  I put my had on hers.  She did not respond.  I removed it a short time later.  There was a parking space close to the door so we did not have to walk far.  I rode up in the elevator with her.  We walked down the hall to her apartment.  She opened the door and asked me in for some wine.

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Our morning walk

 

Star Gazer Lillies just before the deer ate them.

Milo and I started out before sunrise.  The sky was glowing a bright red and there was only a whisper of a breeze.  He loves to romp and chase imaginary bunny rabbits.  The walk was relatively quiet.  We noticed the new house (still under construction) finally has a front door.  Word has it that the door was imported from South-east Asia.  It sure looks like it.  Bob passed by in the school bus.  The Kids waved.  Bob raised both hands meaning he did not have a treat for Milo.  Milo gets all excited when he hears the bus coming.  He sits next to me with his tail wagging.  He knows there will be a nice treat flying out of the drivers window.  I  slipped one out of my pocket....Milo was not disappointed.

My friend Inger sent me a link about moon shadows.  It is very interesting.  Moon shadows are totally black, void of light.

Sunday morning, January 1st, we were invited to Artie and Gene's for brunch.  This is a tradition for them.  It was quite the set up.  I didn't realize that Gene has written two books.  They look pretty good if you are into history.  No Disgrace To My Country - The life of Gene Tidball and Soldier - Artist of the Reconnaissance;  John C. Tidball and the 35th Parallel Railroad Survey both written by Eugene Tidball.

Hug your kids.

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Morning walk.....

Dr. Paul has headed up to Vail for a long weekend of Skiing.  He has asked me to take care of his dog while he is gone.  I told him I would.  All it cost him is a cigar and a glass of brandy.  That is something we do anyway.  His dog, Silka, barks at night so I have to lock her inside around 10PM and let her out around 6AM.  Keep that in mind......

The party was a great success.  We didn't have the whole neighborhood here but it seemed like it.  I rang my brass bar bell at 9 and most people move up to Steve and Dee's house for dinner.  It was amazing, it took us about ten minutes to clean the house.  That is except for all the glasses. I washed them the next morning.  We had dinner and the at 11PM, moved up to Steve and Lisa's.  Midnight came and at about 12:15 everybody went home.  Only one person was to drunk to drive and his wife drove him home.  What a great neighborhood!  What a wonderful extended family.  What fun getting up at 6AM to let Silka out.

Audie went to bed just before the crowd started to arrive.  We had taken her to the emergency room the night before (yes I was thinking about Jackie , and her comments about working in the ER).  Audie was totally dehydrated.  They gave her fluids and checked her meds.  Instead of giving her something for the nausea, her DR. had given her a sleeping pill.  Little wonder she slept all the time and when she was awake she was, well you know, in the bathroom.  They changed her meds and today she looks wonderful.  Thank you for your prayers.

This morning Milo and I rose and started our walk before sunrise. (remember Silka has to be let out around 6)  the wind was calm (a rarity in the winter) and the temperature was just above freezing.  What a beautiful morning.  As the sun rose, Bruce, our fire marshal came speeding down the road toward the old firehouse. (We are housing two engines in the new firehouse and two in the old)  Within two minutes Bruce was heading out of the firehouse, lights flashing.  By the time he reached the fork in the road, he had gone "hot"...lights and siren.  I did not have my pager with me so I have no idea where he was going.  I would have loved to go with him, but since my heart "event" a couple of years ago, I just watch.  We'll talk more about my fire fighting in a later post.  Milo and I kept walking.  On our return toward the school house, we ran into all the dogs.  Milo, my other dog, Malcom,  Plato, Bear, Maui, and Nuka were all running around me.  Darn, I have to quit carrying dog biscuits with me.  But, as Chris, the mayor, says, it's a heck of a lot better than carrying a gun!

The sun was rising and we raised the American flag at the school house.  I still can't get Milo to help although he does sit at "attention".

Tagged by Sharon

I've been tagged by Sharon!

Here are the rules.... Write five weird habits of yourself and then you need to choose the next five people to be tagged and link to their web journals. Don’t forget to leave a comment in their blog or journal that says “You are tagged” (assuming they take comments) and tell them to read yours. 

Five weird habits...I don't have any that I think are weird but my friends(?) do.....

1. I do my own laundry.  (Something left over from my bachlor days.  The Laundramat is a great place to meet people)

2.  I won't let anybody else iron my shirts.  (I was 15 when my brother Philip was born.  My mom was cleaning up after 3 teen-aged boys and a newborn baby.  I told her I didn't like the way she ironed my shirts.  Guess what?  I've been ironing them ever since.)

3. I have an obsession over clean floors and windows. (I move furniture when I vacuum.  I believe you should see what is on the other side of the glass, not on it.)

4.  I shovel snow at night.  (I enjoy it most if the wind is not blowing and the tempature is below zero.)

5. I try to eat dinner by candle light, even if I am by myself.

Sometimes I like to break the rules.  Everyone else I know in j-land has been tagged.  So....if you feel inclined, go ahead and leave me your five weird habits in my comments.