Sixty-Two

 

 

Sixty-two things I have done in my life in no order because my storytelling mind doesn't work that way:

1 lived on a farm

2 went crabbing

3 Danced two twenty-four hours dance marathons

4 -5 Worked in an ice cream parlor and got fired for being "a dirty Portugee" said the boss to me.

6 became a mother of two

7 -8 married a French Man and moved to France, first Paris and then Provence.

9 grew up in a large loving family

10 lived in a monastery

11 became a vegetarian when I was 18

12 sang out of tune

13 cheated a lot in cards

14 dealt with ovarian cancer

15 hiked the Grand Canyon

16 caught butterflies

17 fasted for nine days

18 had a butch haircut

19 as a child and teenager too, in the still of the night, when everyone was asleep I would open my Christmas gifts before Christmas and then rewrapped them.

20 bloomed late

21 had mice cleopatra and mark anthony, they had babies

22 accidentally got drunk as a kid from spiked punch

23 walked part of the Great Wall in China with a severely sprained ankle

24 became a grandmother 

25 made cinnamon buns for fifty or more people without a recipe.

26 missed a plane to Greece while eating Pizza with my cousin

27 posted a blog every day for fifteen years

28 rode a motorcycle with my husband for three weeks with just two sets of clothes.

29-30 had a C-section and then a natural birth

31 did the Chinese splits

32 witness four births not counting my own

33 dance without a routine with a marching band on a football field 

34 stayed up sixty-some hours

35 made dinner for dinner guests dropped it and called for Pizza

36 taught catechism when I was fourteen

37 shattered my wrist while wallpapering

38 was a matchmaker three times

39 read Les Miserables throughout Paris 

40 learned French

41 laughed until it hurt

42 fell asleep at the wheel and didn't crash

43 crashed on a motorcycle 

44 entered a pie-eating contest what a mess

45 loved

46 became a French Citizen 

47 entered a long hair contest

48 skinny-dipped

49 Snuck into a movie with my dad and Chelsea 

50 lived in a haunted house

51 took ballroom dancing, don't remember much

52 sat in a full lotus yoga posture for hours on end

53 has always been my favorite number oh that is not something I have done, so I can say I have been sidetracked.

54 held the ancestry family book while in the azores that dated from the 1500s with the names and birthdates of our family

55 while driving on the freeway hit a herd of boars

56 sunbathed on a roof while at the monastery

57 was in a choir in school though I cannot sing

58 planted a garden, had tomatoes until December

59 jumped off the high dive with three massive inner tubes

60 climbed to the top of saint peter's and celebrated mass in saint peter's basement

61 met Mother Teresa

62 looked deeply into the eyes of those I have loved.

 

Tell me about yourself…

 



Comments

19 responses to “Sixty-Two”

  1. Happy Birthday sweet one.
    Much love and many blessings
    Love Jeanne

  2. Cindy Williamson

    Happy Birthday Corey – I’m celebrating 60 for 60 this year as I hit that milestone and am working on experiencing 60 special events – always lived in Columbus and am a life-long Ohio State football fan!

  3. Happy Birthday Corey.I’ll tell you 60 things about myself when we meet 😉

  4. Happy birthday to you, dear heart. What a delightful “62” you have shared. Love to you.💕🎂💕

  5. Happy Birthday, Corey!
    And safe travels.

  6. Ed Schnurbusch

    Happy birthday, my sweet friend. Reading you list only brings more questions. A few of them left me with my mouth open and a huge smile. I see 62 new blogs if you will expand on each subject.

  7. Sang out of tune, bloomed late and brocante. We have those in common.
    ” accidentally got drunk as a kid from spiked punch” Sorry I couldn;t eb there to witness this! XOXO

  8. Jackie Lantry

    Happy Birthday dear friend. Great post! I suspect every adventure is a full blog post of it’s own:) As for me? Adopted 4 kids from China after age 40. Cared for 3 elderly relatives until the end of their lives, snuck into Cuba during the embargo (when Americans were banned,) escaped from the Sun Myong Moon cult,

  9. I love this post and with all of my hear I sing out of tune to you on this day YOUR DAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR COREY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! I road down a major highway topless in a baby blue monte carlo landeau with my best friend-my tangerine bra hung from the rearview mirror (it made sense then) – cut school got caught there were only 42 girls in my class had to spend all day Saturday in a classroom by myself-the funny thing is no one else cut like they were suppose to I took the bus down to a neighborhood we used to go to and spent the day in the library- flew to mexico with my boyfriend and told my mom I was in New Jersey I gave away all the souvenirs I purchased on the plane they felt tainted-I cannot sing but I love to nor can I dance but I love to life is funny HAPPY BIRTHDAY COREY!

  10. Donna Boucher

    Happy Birthday dear Corey!
    It’s a wonderful life.

  11. Happy birthday, fellow American. I love your writing, your wit, your creativity and your philosophies. I think you’re right: can’t comment or read comments on Safari but Firefox works fine. About me: four c-sections, thank God they invented them! VBAC’s did not work tho I tried for DAYS!!I now have four 30 somethings (and two grandboys) and I am happy. Grandparenthood knows no bounds when it comes to love. I come from a big Catholic family and didn’t go that route with religion for my kids. But faith is faith. My name is Karen; my twin sister’s name is Sharon and she lives in Paris on a boat. I went to art school in London and worked in fine art for a decade before children. Have since run an interior design business for nearly 30 years…about to retire to Martha’s Vineyard (and Boston) with my best friend/husband of 40 years. We have a guest house that you are welcome to if you need time to rest and breathe in the ocean. I trust you have my e mail address as I have subscribed to your blog for many enjoyable years. Sending prayers and love.

  12. Bom aniversário, Corey!

  13. Happy Birthday Corey! I live in CA, love France, have followed your blog since your kids were still living at home, went to Willows for your dad’s memorial and was stunned by the outpouring of love from the community, didn’t talk to you then because it didn’t seem like the time. I’m a retired art director and now a fine art painter. And my 66th birthday is in a couple of weeks. You’re just a spring chicken!

  14. That is quite a list. Wow! Mother Teresa, how wonderful! Happy Birthday to you. Have an extra special year.

  15. Ann of Avondale

    Happy Birthday Corey!
    I too met Mother Teresa, awesome experience
    worked on a Presidential Campaign
    married my soulmate
    went to Disneyland in Oct
    went to a Celine Dion concert in Ceasar’s Palace in May
    long ago met Sandra Day O’Conner when she first became a Supreme Court Justice, went to a George Harrison concert
    hiked the Grand Canyon
    learned to sew
    buy/sell antiques
    went to an Elvis Presley concert
    spent every Spring Break in Guaymas or Matzalan – so fun
    got a degree, got a master’s
    worked in several global companies
    took ballroom dancing lessons
    play golf
    collect too many things to list
    Hope you are well Corey. Take Care.

  16. Was locked inside the Los Angeles County Jail during a riot once…..but, would really love to have the opportunity to select one of your 62 items and ask you to elaborate.

  17. Only see this now – happy belated birthday, although I fear it wasn’t that much of a happy day with the (family, mum?) sorrows you noted before…. Anyway, maybe in a few weeks/months you’ll want to read all the good wishes and take them in.
    Wishing you continuing joie de vivre, much strength, even more love and What in French sounds so much better than any other language: LACHER PRISE (let it go)
    Sending love, always, Kiki

  18. Debra Paper

    Dear Corey, happy belated birthday! I thought of you, and wanted to be sure to post this message, but the day got away from me . . . I am sure you understand.
    I hope your day was very special and safe travels home.
    Thinking of you.

  19. Trying to share in…
    Mother of two adorable rascals.
    Carried the Virgin Mary on my shoulders when taking part to a «pardon» in Brittany by chance.
    Got a phone call from my son (then a teenager) after his being bullied and mugged on a local train.
    Spent one year in Northern England as a teacher in French.
    Went to the cinema twice to watch «Star Wars» and fell asleep both times.
    Took a «midnight swim» (= «skinny dipped» ?) with my boyfriend (now my husband) in Spain and therafter spent 3 hours walking about the beach searching hopelessly for our clothes in the dark.
    Had to leave our house for 10 days because of a very serious flood – with sick husband and blind old dog.
    Got drunk on my first time as a grape-picker on a farm and spoke fluent Spanish all night in the girls’ dormitory, but I could not utter one single word the next day.
    Adopted a dog that was flown from the Isle of Réunion.
    Throughout my teaching career, had to report 2 suspected cases of sexual abuse to the Public Prosecutor.
    Danced on the stage with singer Yannick Noah at one of his concerts. Under my daughter’s eyes who could not possibly believe it.
    Was blocked for 2 hours in an elevator at hospital. Together with a pregnant and claustrophobic young lady plus a pessimistic (very) old lady commenting out loud every single second of the situation. The emergency call button was out of order.
    Was asked to be a translator at a local small rugby club that received an English team. Very little to do. Officials and players did not say much but did the show after the match.
    A pupil’s father turned up one morning at school. A lorry driver. Asked me to teach his 8 year old boy to obey his mum while he himself was away on roads.
    Escorted my daughter when she went round abandoned and gloomy buildings to make photographs.
    Her driver. Her assistant. Her lookout. And her partner in illegal actions.
    Brought several pupils unable to read towards effective reading through dance.
    Had to turn into an adult overnight, when my mother died. She was 37. I was 18.
    Was called out in the garden by my two kids as a young deer had ended up in our garden, panic-struck.
    Ended up in a pub in Stornaway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Met a lovely Scotsman – in a kilt. Was determined to check on that tradition about what was to be found under a man’s kilt. Talked and laughed and drank the night away… Had a smashing time but forgot all about my goal.

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