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Elaine Garrison (Barnett)
O.K.,I know I have stalled long enough and Tricia is wondering when I'm going to reveal all about my "sordid past" since she tagged me last week. So, here goes...
1. I am having so much fun reading all of your stories and relating to many of them. I can't believe I am spending as much time as I am with the reunion website. Hubby must think I am on-line shopping at ebay or Amazon.com since I am on the computer way more than usual.
2. I left the day after our high school graduation and went to the University of the Americas in Mexico City and lived with a Spanish speaking family for the summer. Sadly, three years of high school Spanish classes with Mr. Torres and a summer totally immersed in the language, I can only remember "si" and how to count to 10.
3. I graduated in 1973 from Stephen F. Austin with a B.S. in Education. My student teaching experience was not a positive one, so I didn't teach right away. Instead, I did office work for an oil company in Dallas and then worked in marketing for The Drawing Board Greeting Card Co. in Dallas. Work in the classroom came later after our sons were in elementary school (at Stephen F. Austin in Jones Creek!)
4. I met my soul mate, Phil Barnett, during our senior year at SFA. We married on December 28, 1974 and have been happily married since. Phil was born in McKinney, TX, but he and his family moved to Dallas when he began 4th grade. He considers himself a "Yankee Texan" (born north of I-10).
5. My Dad died in 1971 at the young age of 56 from heart disease. I didn't have a Dad to walk me down the aisle and "give me away" when Phil and I married, but I did have my 3 older brothers. Phil says they all had the look of "make her happy or you will live to regret it" on their faces as they escorted me to the altar. I guess Phil took that look seriously as he has been a wonderful spouse for 34 years. (Takes all contracts seriously.)
6. We have two grown sons: Kevin (born in Denver,CO) and is almost 31 (on Feb. 27th). He works and lives in New York City in the East Village. He is a web developer for New York Magazine's website. He is extremely smart, sensitive, creative and available if any of you have a prospect for him. Collin (born in Dow Hospital in Freeport,TX)is 29, single and is our special needs son. He lives at home with me and Phil and works at a major grocery store chain that is not too far from our home. Collin is very endearing and engaging to all he meets so he brings smiles to the customers he serves and employees he works with.
7. Phil's career has required us to relocate to several locations (listed on my profile) around the country. We have treated each move as an adventure and have been blessed with many special memories and lasting friendships that we hold near and dear to our hearts.
8. I am a foodie and love to cook and bake. Phil also enjoys cooking and is the "bread man" as he makes wonderful homemade bread and rolls. His first job after graduate school was being an FDA Auditor - a position that obviously doesn't exist anymore with all of the food safety issues we have to deal with now.
9. I would prefer to be invited to eat at someone's home rather than go to a restaurant. Most food establishments are too noisy to carry on a nice conversation.
10. I also love drinking good wine and am so glad it is heart healthy. I never have liked beer, but admit the brew I tasted in Germany was quite good.
11. I got in on a taping of Emeril Live in New York City in September 2006. The episode, which aired in January 2007, was "Chicken Delight". Emeril made seven different chicken dishes, but never once did he say his famous "Bam-Bam-Bam". He is certainly not one of my favorites on Food Network, but it was a fun experience.
12. Phil and I enjoy staying at Bed & Breakfasts vs. hotels when we travel. Sometimes I feel like we operate one since we often host Phil's out-of-town work associates. We also have visiting family and friends whom we have fun catering to.
13. I do exercise and walk to try to stay in shape. I don't recall how much I weighed in high school (avoided scales like the plague and it obviously showed!), but I now weigh significantly less. Finally had a "light-bulb" moment after our sons were born and have been committed since.
14. I like to go to local real estate open-houses on Sunday afternoons. It is not because I want to buy another house, but I am curious to see how other people decorate and to keep up with market value, which of course is now in the tank. Phil says I should be a realtor, but no one is making any money these days, especially in Florida.
15. Obviously if I like going to open houses, I also enjoy watching HGTV. I especially enjoyed the "House Hunters" episode of our former Chicago suburb, Highland Park, IL. All of the homes featured were within close proximity of the one we had owned. I had even been inside one (as a curiosity seeker) when it had previously been on the market.
16. One of the hardest things I have had to do and witness is hold our beloved 12 and 1/2 year old beagle Sadie, while she was put to sleep. Phil says he wants to come back in his next life as Sadie since she was so pampered and advantaged during her lifetime.
17. Believe it or not, I have not had to succumb to hair color yet. Yes, I have experimented a few times just to see what highlights or a different shade would look like, but honestly only have a few gray ones on the old crown. I think I have my Mom to thank for that.
18. Speaking of my Mom, she passed away in March 2003 at the age of 89. Sadly, our family witnessed "two deaths" with her as she had Alzheimer's. I hope and pray she didn't pass that gene on to me or my brothers.
19. Has anyone had a Greenberg Smoked Turkey from Tyler, TX? If not, you must order one during the holiday season! They are fabulous and a tradition for us at Thanksgiving. Just go to their website, www.gobblegobble.com (no-kidding) for information. Oprah even included them in one of her famous "Favorite Things and Give-Away" Shows a few years ago, but I knew about these turkeys before Oprah. They were also featured in a Texas Monthly (Nov. 2006) article on "best of the best" mail order foods. I thought I would throw that in just in case you didn't take my own endorsement seriously. Remember, I mentioned in item #8 I am a foodie and we even frequently use our own grill and smoker for fish, chicken, tenderloins, etc.
20. I indicated in my "classmate profile" that we have lived in several places and we are currently in Tampa, FL, but not for retirement; contrary to what you must have been thinking. Phil's company (PricewaterhouseCoopers) relocated us here in June 2006 from Chicago, where we had lived for almost 8 years and were hoping to stay. Florida is not where we intend to stay when Phil does retire (if he ever decides to). Texas Hill Country is high on our list, but who knows where we will end up...retirement accounts and investments are in shreds and look pretty sad these days.
21. I stay busy with volunteer work, church committees, Beth Moore Bible Studies, chauffeuring Collin, P.E.O.(Philanthropic Educational Organization), culinary experiments and trying to keep this aging body in shape.
20. I am inspired by the energy of the 70-90 year olds who stay active and love life and partying here in Tampa. Florida must have a "Fountain of Youth".
21. No, I haven't had any plastic surgery (o.k., I admit I did on an ugly leg scar at the age of 11), even though it is a growth industry in Florida. Anything can be surgically enhanced here.
22. I don't think anyone has mentioned that most of us got our driver's licenses at age 14 - what were the Texas lawmakers thinking!!!! I had a hard enough time with age 16, when our oldest son started driving.
23. Tricia, I don't know why you are complaining about no one wanting to drive to Jones Creek way back when - what about me; living on the San Bernard near Brazoria! That was an additional 4 more miles to drive.
24. I hope I have convinced any of you to look me up if you ever find yourself in Florida - Phil and I love to entertain and will prepare a tasty feast for you.
25. I would love to be a "fly on the wall" at these planning meetings the reunion committee is having. But beware; ears are burning all across the U.S.A. from stories, photos, etc. being submitted to you by us trusting souls. In all seriousness, many thanks for all the work, time and effort each of you are contributing to bring our class back together after 40 years. Gosh, where did the time go? Life is much too short!
I tag Shelley Gray McCoy (fellow former "San Bernard River Rat" neighbor).
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