Share Your World

Does your first or middle name have any significance (or were you named after another family member)?

I was not given a middle name.  If I had been given my name exactly as my daddy wanted it, I would have had one.  My mama figured that I didn’t need a middle name because I would have one once I got married.  My maiden name would become my middle name.

Annie Black Gunter, 1884-1960

My daddy wanted me to be named Suzie Annie.  Annie was the name of his paternal grandma, who had a huge part in raising him after the breakup of his parents’ marriage.  He and his siblings always called her “Big Mama”.  He loved his Big Mama very much and wanted to honor her by naming me after her.  Aunt Suzie was Big Mama’s sister.

While I don’t know about any other child or great-grandchild in my daddy’s family being named after Aunt Suzie, there are several of us that have “Ann” in our name.  My daddy’s sister’s middle name is Ann and her oldest daughter also has the middle name Ann.

And then there’s me – Suzanne.  My mama adjusted the name that my daddy wanted more to her liking.  For years, I was glad for my “smushed” name, but now, as I’m getting older, I have an appreciation for my daddy’s version of “Suzie Annie” and I think I would have been happy to have that name.

Surprisingly, none of my daughters have “Ann” in their names.  They were named after other family members and family friends.   I guess it just never crossed my mind while I was preparing their names.  Now, I could slap myself for not sliding “Ann” in there somewhere.  As it is, they have a first name and two middle names and their surname.  By the time they have a married name, they’ll have five names to squeeze onto forms.  You’re welcome, girls.  😊

Music or silence while working?

I have trouble focusing when things like radios or televisions or throngs of people are making noise.  While I don’t need absolute silence, I do need quite or I just cannot think or read or write.

If you had a special place for your three most special possessions (not including photos, electronics, people or animals), what would they be?

I do have a special place for prized possession.  Right now, these things are in a gift box from one of the last presents that our Marine gave to me.  Since our special things collection has grown, it has outgrown that gift box.  I chose a wooden chest at Hobby Lobby that I will be decoupaging at some point and the special things collection will move into its new home, along with that gift box from Davey.

My special things would be my engagement rings, the Claddagh ring that our Marine gave me, necklaces and other jewelry given to me by David and our children,  the rings from my granny and our friend Mrs. Elizabeth C. Smith, pins that belonged to David’s daddy, and our high school rings, as well as Aunt Mae’s bell.  My Bible is very special to me, too, and would also be there.

The Never List: What are things you know you never will do?

I am kind of scared to answer this one.  They say “never say never” and, sometimes, if you do say it, you end up being forced to do one of those “nevers”.  Scary thought there!

So, I will name things that it would take an absolute act of the Father for me to be in the position of them happening.

1. I will never climb Mount Everest.
2. I will never go exploring inside the belly of a whale.
3. I will never be a National Geographic photographer.

Optional Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up? 

I am grateful for being able to go out and take pictures at Lake Lovely.  There were a zillion fiery lantana plants out there and butterflies absolutely everywhere.  Unfortunately, none of them landed on my side of the fence so that I could take their picture.  A bee obliged me, though, and didn’t even sting me, another thing I am very grateful for!

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I am looking forward to Friday because getting to Friday will mean that I survived Thursday.  Thursday is when I go for the consultation in Houston regarding my cataracts and the surgery.  I am hoping that the nightmares will stop very soon afterwards, but have the feeling they will get a lot worse until the surgery is behind me.

As I told someone earlier, we’ll *see* how that goes…. at least I hope I will!

Have a blessed day, y’all!

Please be sure to visit David over at Random Thoughts and Observations.