"Answer Me This"; Getting to Know Me Through Kendra's Random Questions about Swimwear, Dishes and Other Things

1. When's the last time you got a new bathing suit?

This is the question which got me to go ahead and participate in "answer me this". I am in a very similar state in life to Kendra, with six kids, including an 8 month baby. I have several odd 'tankini' pieces, as well as board shorts and a sarong. I just got 'new' board shorts at Goodwill in the last couple months. Does that count?

 I started buying tankini separates several years ago because they became ubiquitous, and I thought it would be useful for nursing. It actually isn't, for me. The band underneath the bra part of the top is so snug, it just makes more sense to nurse via the neckline, and use a sarong or whatever to achieve the privacy I want. I actually hate tankinis, because with all the body-image discomforts of a bathing suit, who needs to add muffin top?! I love some of the classy, more modest suits that are reminiscent of old Hollywood:                       

(this is from http://bluemoondame.com/2010/06/14/dame-swimsuit-issue/)

And Simcha (read these posts!) found a wonderful one from Walmart.

I agree with Kendra that, while how I look at the beach is not the most important thing in the world, and I want to look and feel modest, I don't want an old lady bathing suit! I have a few pretty tankini tops that I wear, depending on pregnancy, postpartum weight, etc.

 I wear 'board shorts' with swimsuits because they look good on my 'boyish' build, and make me feel confident. Here's what fits at the moment.

 Last summer I was so pregnant that the last time we went to the beach I had to wear a bikini (14 years old, bought and never worn for my honeymoon!) and kept myself wrapped in a huge scarf, because there was just nothing else I could wear! I was rather self conscious. I might try to find a photo, though... There is something so amazing about a pregnant belly like that. (Edited: There sure is. But I think the pics will remain private. 40cm more exposed skin than I am comfortable with!)

2. Who made the last incoming call on your cell phone?

This one! This question cracks me up, as if Kendra knows that I am not a phone person, I am always forgetting, to my husband's frustration, to take mine with me, and use email or text, (now that I have realized the beauty of texting) instead of talking on the phone whenever possible! (Introvert, obviously). So, last phone call to my phone was my mom. (And that's kind of rare, because she doesn't love talking on the phone either! 90% of the time it's my husband.)

3. If you receive communion, do you receive it in the hands or on the tongue?

I was raised in the 70's-80's in a parish that had whole wheat, soft, crumbly unleavened bread, not round flat hosts. I never heard of receiving on the tongue til I was in college, I think. Theologically, I agree that both are fine. (My husband always quotes Cyril of Alexandria or someone who preached centuries ago that people should receive reverently by making their hands a throne). I actually worry that encouraging people to receive on the tongue could sometimes foster an attitude that pushes people away from the Lord, because of fears about our unworthiness. Funny thing is, right now I carry a big baby in my arms to communion, and receive a special super-low gluten host on the tongue because that's what my pastor prefers (when he sees me with my arms full?). I have to remind myself to stick out my tongue far enough.

By the way,  I am so, so grateful to him for providing me a GF host. It was a real trial during that year of the Flu when the parishes in our diosese stopped providing the cup for communion, and there was no host I could have either. The first time our pastor had a GF host for me I was so stunned and grateful:

"The Body of Christ. Gluten free."

"Gasp! Really? Praise God!"

Not the way the dialogue usually goes, but so sincere :)

4. Do you have a tattoo?

No. I would possibly entertain the idea of some cool Celtic Christian type symbol, but my husband is not keen on them.

Which is fine. I was just googling Cectic cross tattoos, and after looking at all of them, to maybe put an image here, my interest is significantly decreased! Maybe because so many of them are images of fresh, pink, sore, inky skin... 

5. How many dinner plates are in your house?

I just got rid of a bunch of cheap, heavy generic plates because they were just so heavy for my table-setting and dishwasher-unloading children (delegation is the key!). I replaced them with a set of pretty china from Goodwill which we use every day. 12 plates including the salad size plates that we use to serve the little kids:

 I also have about 8 inexpensive Willow design plates:

And 13 dinner plates of our china from our wedding registry. 

I adore blue dishes. In 2000 there was precious little to choose from, compared to now. I didn't even register for everyday dishes because there was nothing I liked in the stores! Now, on the other hand...

I adore blue and white plates! These are all odd, thrifted ones. We rarely use them for eating, so I won't count them. I also have a ridiculous attraction to buying cute little pitchers and cream and sugar sets

So, 12+8+13, that makes 33. Oh my gosh, I hope I never have to serve a sit-down dinner to 33 people! I can do baptism and first communion celebrations for fifty, but we use paper plates.

6. Do you have an accent?

No. I live in Northern Indiana and as far as I can tell, I talk like the people on the news. My Dad is from Southern California and my Mom is from Ohio, and I have never noticed them having accents. What would they be? But I do love putting on an English or French accent now and then. And one of my daughters and I pretend to be Jacques Pepin and Julia Child sometimes when we cook together, with our 'impeccably clean' hands.