Being Alaskan-born, I love the outdoors - hiking, biking, camping, fishing, hunting (I used to be a pretty good bow hunter), x-c skiing, boating (love being on the open ocean), or just watching the sunset or the ***** willows bloom. As a result, I like to garden and do landscaping. I am a very creative person who does just about every craft you can think of including but not limited to; redecorating, re-upholstering, sewing, making crocheted lace, woodworking and generally making the best of what I have. I know quality when I see it (instinctively, it seems) and know when a deal is a good deal. I am quite instinctive in much of what I do, actually. I am perceptive, forgiving, compassionate and know what it means to compromise. I love a man who is not afraid to be a man. Who is confident in himself and honest with himself - emotionally stable (we all have our hang-ups), considerate, generous in every way and knows how to treat a lady and why it's important. I will not abide jealousy or dishonesty of any kind. Pride is one thing, but unreasonable suspicion is quite another. If you are the jealous type, dont waste our time. :) And, which goes beyond saying, I am very plain-spoken. I do not like drama, mind games, pissy snits and dont believe in PMS. I suppose that's why I dont have many girlie friends - I dont gossip, shop-til-I-drop or whisper secrets. I have a 12 yo daughter at home. I also have three other daughters and three sons (all but one grown and married). Now if that doesnt freak you into running, I'll keep talking ... :) I also have two grandsons and five beautiful granddaughters (that's not counting the other 6 'step' grandchildren:). I drink socially and smoke some (I say it this way because I know for a fact I dont smoke much) ... and would not be against help in quitting. I have a few extra pounds (all of which could be worked off in no time with the right person, I'm sure!), scars on my tummy ( that I wear with pride), grey hair *sigh*, and wear contacts/gles. ---By no means the 'perfect' woman! --- Knowing of course that perfect in anyone's eyes is only personal perception, the description of which normally boils down to 'everything I want/I'm not'. I've never been a conformist, but I do know the value of tradition, family activities, personal 'alone time', and what it means to be committed. On a lighter note: Ok, guilty - Sometimes, when I'm told to use my own discretion, I borrow someone else's - but I always put it back! All great things are simple, and can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope. Old words. The best words, and almost forgotten today. I STARTED out with nothing....I still have most of it. When did my wild oats turn to prunes and All Bran? I finally got my head together, now my body is falling apart. Funny, I don't remember being absent minded. All reports are in. Life is now officially unfair. If all is not lost, where is it? It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser. If at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished. The first rule of holes: If you are in one, stop digging. I tried to get a life once, but they were out of stock. I went to school to become a wit, only got halfway through.. It was all so different before everything changed. Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. A day without sunshine is like a day in Seattle. I wish the buck stopped here. I could use a few... Kids in the back seat cause accidents; accidents in the back seat cause kids. It's not the pace of life that concerns me, it's the sudden stop at the end. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere. Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include a free trip around the sun. The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in the bathroom. If God wanted me to touch my toes, he would have put them on my knees. Never knock on Death's door: ring the doorbell and run (he hates that). Lead me not into temptation (I can find the way myself). When you're finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else decide to play chess? If you're living on the edge, make sure you're wearing your seat belt. There are two kinds of pedestrians ... the quick and the dead. An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys. A closed mouth gathers no feet. Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. It's not hard to meet expenses ... they're everywhere. Jury: Twelve people who determine which client has the better attorney. Even if you do learn all the "right answers", they will just change the questions anyway. Pick one ... let me know which it is :D