Meme (whatever)

Found thanks to AusJenny
I seriously considered not doing this because I already have a few on my blog, but then I realised that I haven't posted anything for a while and had been trying to find something to post (my holiday photos still aren't accessable), so I gave in and here are my answers:

1. What is your occupation? Accountant (main focus is tax)
2. What color are your socks right now? Black (I'm at work)
3. What are you listening to right now? My printer humming
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Breakfast - porriage
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Probably if I had to
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Blue
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Someone related to work (can't actually say for privacy reasons)
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes even though I don't know her that well (seeing her answers helped a little)
9. Favorite drink? Weak, white tea with one teaspoon of sugar
10. What is your favorite sport to watch? Field hockey (when my brother is playing)
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? No, I like my hair colour (even the few white hairs I've found there)
12. Pets? I had a fish and a chook as a child
13. Favorite food? Chocolate
14. Last movie you watched? Raise Your Voice
15. Favorite Day of the year? My Birthday (especially when it's on a weekend)
16. What do you do to vent anger? Slam doors, talk about it
17. What was your favorite toy as a child? Dolls, building cubbyhouses out of furniture
18. What is your favorite season? Spring
19. Hugs or kisses? Hugs
20. Cherry or blueberry? Blueberry
21. Do you want your friends to email you back? If they want, but I'm blogging this
22. What are you reading? Black Sea Affair by Don Brown
23. What is on the floor of your closet? A cupboard
24. Favorite smells? Vanilla, Cinnamon
25. Who inspires you? My parents and grandparents
26. What are you afraid of? Dogs
27. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese
28. Favorite car? Mazda (should have bought one, next time I buy a car maybe)
29. Favorite cat breed? Tabby
30. Number of keys on your key ring? 10
31. How many years at your current job? 2 years and almost 1 month
32. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
33. How many states have you lived in? 2 - Victoria and Western Australia
34. Do you think you're funny? Sometimes
35. New Year's resolution? Never make them
36. Favorite vacation? Family trip up the east coast of Australia when I was 10
37. Dream Vacation? UK (including Wales)

Children At Play

As newlyweds, my wife and I hosted a family get-together at
our apartment, which had a large grassy field and superb
children's playground next door. My wife organized games
outdoors for our eight nieces and nephews, and the laughter
and activity drew other children, until about thirty kids
were playing and clamoring for my wife's attention. After
three hours, she called it quits.

The next morning while we were getting ready for work, two
boys knocked on our patio door and asked if our children
could come out and play. I told them we had no children; our
nieces and nephews had just been visiting. Looking
momentarily dejected, they brightened considerably as they
asked, "Well, then, can your wife come out and play?"

Found at Good Clean Funnies

A reflection on books

Today I am quite prolific with my posting (ooops - I should be doing something else). But don't worry, this won't happen often.

As I was browsing some of my favorite blogs I came across this little gem at Heart Chocolate and thought I'd do it too.

1. Do you remember how you developed a love of reading?
I've loved books since before I could read. As a toddler I would pick up the picture books and "read" them to my dolls or whoever was around. My Mum actually taught me to read before I started school and I was most frustrated when my teacher gave me books without words in them for my first school readers. I've been reading ever since.
2. What are some books you loved as a child?
I would read and re-read books by Enid Blyton, especially the Mallory Towers and St. Clare's books. We had a lot of the Little Golden Books and I would read them too - even reading them to my younger siblings. There were some school readers that I liked too. I can't remember the titles but they were about a family of purple monsters - Mum hated them! The Anne of Green Gables series were also favorites.
3. What is your favorite genre?
I really like romance novels. They are even better if there's a bit of mystery too.
4. Do you have a favorite novel?
I read too much to have just one favorite, but if I had to take just one novel with me of all of the ones I own I would probably choose Lori Wick's Texas Rose trilogy (I got the 3 novels in one volume)
5. Where do you usually read?
Wherever I can - in bed, on trains ...
6. When do you usually read?
I read just about every morning before work (while eating breakfast) and in the evenings when I have time. I often end up in bed very late because I just have to finish a book or at least get past a certain spot.
7. Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?
I generally have several non-fiction books in progress at the same time and read them depending on what I'm in the mood for. I like to have just one fiction book on the go at a time.
8. Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
Yes. I read non-fiction books a chapter or two at a time and can sometimes take months to finish them. Fiction I read very quickly, generally several books a week. I generally only read non-fiction books at home.
9. Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library?
I buy most of the books I read. Some I borrow from friends, and occaisionally from the library (my local library doesn't have a good selection of Christian fiction).
1o. If you have children, what are some of the favorite books you have shared with them?
No children, but when I do books will be a big thing I share with them. The Anne of Green Gables Series will be read for sure, and I've been buying the updated Mrs Rosey Posey books for when I have children (or at least neices & nephews).
11. What are you reading now?
Sisterchicks go Brit by Robin Jones Gunn, Virginia Brides by Cathy Marie Hake etc, Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament by Christopher Wright plus a few other non-fiction ones.
12. Do you keep a To Be Read list?
Yes. Some of it is on Shelfari and some just a mental list.
13. What’s next?
Probably Healing Promises by Amy Wallace
14. What books would you like to reread?
I generally reread all the books I own at some stage. Some of them once a year, especially Lori Wick books and the Sisterchicks series by Robin Jones Gunn
15. Who are your favorite authors?
In no particular order - Lori Wick, Robin Jones Gunn, Dee Henderson, Don Brown, Cathy Marie Hake, Janette Oke, Grace Livingston Hill

"I'd love to hear your answers to these questions and maybe add a few more books to my To Be Read pile. So, please leave me a comment or post a blog link if you'd like to join me in being a book person and sharing your love of the written word!"

Swing Me!

Haven't we all done this to our parents when we were children?!

And how many of us have felt like this either with our own child or someone else's child?!

Such memories!!

Why we love children

Why we love children ....

OPINIONS On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, 'The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.'

KETCHUP A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle.'

POLICE # 1 While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, 'Are you a cop? Yes,' I answered and continued writing the report. My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?' 'Yes, that's right,' I told her. 'Well, then,' she said as she extended her foot toward me, 'would you please tie my shoe?'

POLICE # 2 It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. 'Is that a dog you got back there?' he asked. 'It sure is,' I replied. Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally he said, 'What'd he do?'

ELDERLY While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, 'The tooth fairy will never believe this!'

DRESS-UP A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, 'Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit.' 'And why not, darling?' 'You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.'

DEATH While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased. The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: 'Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.'

SCHOOL A little girl had just finished her first week of school. 'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother. 'I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!'

BIBLE A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. 'Mama, look what I found,' the boy called out. 'What have you got there, dear?'
With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, 'I think it's Adam's underwear!'

NOW IF THIS DIDN'T BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY, GO BACK TO BED AND FORGET IT.

Friday vs Monday

A little bit of art

I've been watching Antiques Roadshow again while I was on annual leave from work, and once again discovered an atrist that I liked. Then I was looking on the website and found another - Wilson Hepple.

This painting is called Forget-me-not.

Oh, that naughty kitten playing with the forget-me-nots.

By the way Forget-me-nots are my favorite flower.

2008 - Getting to Know Your Friends

Ok, so I've done a few of these, and even put one on here (I think), but here we go. I'd put some photos up from my recent holiday, but I haven't loaded them on yet, so you'll have to wait on that. In the mean time here's some trivia about me. (Yes, there are some question numbers missing, but that is how it was sent to me.)

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7.10
2. Diamonds or pearls? Pearls
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
4. What is your favourite TV show? Can't decide right now - love JAG, but have to wait for the DVDs, or Remmington Steel - wish that was on DVD
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Porriage - plain or with apple & cinnamon, and sometimes with flaked almonds
6. What is your middle name? Rebekah
7. What foods do you dislike? Seafood
8. What is your favorite CD at moment? Depends on my mood - Steve Messer's Strange Country or Michelle Tumes or The Gregorians
9. What kind of car do you drive? Nissan Pulsar
10. Favourite sandwich? cheese & potato crisps
11. What characteristic do you despise? dishonesty
12. Favourite item of clothing? Ug boots
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? UK - including Wales
14. Favourite brand of clothing? No brands really, depends on what's comfortable and affordable
15. Where would you retire? Somewhere in the country (not sure really that's a long time away)
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? my 18th - 4 parties, 3 cakes!
17. Favourite sport to watch? field hockey (when my brother is playing)
18. Furthest place you are sending this? USA
19. Person you expect to send it back first? no idea
21. When is your birthday? early next year
22. Are you a morning person or a night person? morning - but not too early (that is not before 7 am)
23. What is your shoe size? depends on the shoes and which foot you are talking about
24. Pets? none
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? I just got home from a holiday!
26. What did you want to be when you were little? Nurse, Mum, Artist
27. How are you today? Tired but happy
29. What is your favourite flower? forget-me-not (then violet)
30.. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? October 23rd (after 5.15pm)
33. What are you listening to right now? 89.9 Light FM
34. What was the last thing you ate? lunch
35. Do you wish on stars? sometimes
36. If you were a crayon, what colour would you be? blue I think, or maybe purple
37. How is the weather right now? cold, but not freezing, cloudy
38. Last person you spoke to on the phone? someone from Tourism Victoria (I think her name was Shannon)
39. Favourite soft drink? Creaming Soda or Raspberry
40. Favourite restaurant? It used to be Sizzler, but they went out of business in Vic
41. Hair colour? a very nice, rich brown
42. What was your favourite toy as a child? The lounge room furniture and blankets - great for making indoor cubby houses
43. Summer or winter? Winter (summer gets too hot)
44. Hugs or kisses? hugs
45. Chocolate or Vanilla? That depends - Vanilla for milkshakes, both for icecream
46. Coffee or tea? Tea (coffee makes me feel sick)
47. Do you want your friends to email you back? If they have time
48. When was the last time you cried? I got a bit teary today
49. What is under your bed? A lot of stuff - board games, material, photos ...
50. What did you do last night? Stayed at my brother & sister-in-law's place, watched TV, did some cross stitch
51. What are you afraid of? dogs
52. Salty or sweet? can't decide - depends on what I want to eat at the time
53. How many keys on your key ring? which one - I have two with 2 keys, and one with about 6
54. How many years at your current job? 2 (next week)
55. Favourite day of the week? Friday
56. How many towns have you lived in? 4 in 2 different states
57. Do you make friends easily? not really
58. How many people will you send this too? a few
59. How many will respond? at least one less than I send it too, because they sent it to me
60. Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? it's fun and interesting, so yes