Patricia Harper Mathews, an art teacher, at Richmond Hill Elementary School, took on this week's list of questions:

1. What do you feel is your greatest achievement?
My marriage to my best friend and raising three beautiful sons. Teaching thousands of children art for the last 33 years rates amazingly highly, too!

2. What, to you, is perfect happiness?
Tasting salt water, smelling marsh mud and riding the boat to St. Catherines with my family; having my sons cook for me; painting with The 5 each and every Monday; and having a student tell me that they love to come to art class.

3. What one material possession would you save in the event of a fire (assuming your family was safe)?
Our flatscreen – just kidding! My paintings and photographs.

4. What's the best advice you've ever been given?
Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
To always trust in my initial instincts.

6. What is your greatest fear?
I don’t want to tempt fate by verbalizing it.

7. What is your greatest extravagance?
Decorating my house – my husband asks when I’ll be finished and I say “never.” I’m constantly coming up with something else I want to change, knock down or build.

8. If money weren't an object, how would you spend your time?
I would take my whole family to Italy, buy an old cottage to renovate, and paint for a couple of months a year.

9. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
My creativity.

10. What trait do you most admire in another person?
A positive outlook on life.

11. Who are your favorite musicians?
The Beatles, who else? Also, any musicians my sons recommend; they know my taste in music and keep me up to date. I’m currently liking Zac Brown Band, Jack Johnson, Adam Lee, Jason Mraz, and Lady Antebellum.

12. What are your favorite books?
Mysteries – “Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, forensic science books by Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reich, scary books by Dean Koontz, “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron and “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss.

13. What talent would you most like to have?
To be accomplished at playing the 1901 studio grand piano my husband inherited from his grandmother, to dance any ballroom dance necessary for the occasion, to throw a football without looking like a girl, to whistle between my fingers, to navigate the rivers without getting lost and to enjoy the adventure when I do get lost!