Let us go then, you and I...

It all started one day in late January, when angie posted an invitation to blog for a month!

It has been so much fun...although I must admit I did not manage to post on a couple days. But even when I didn't find time to post, I checked out the other fabulous blogs. I really feel I've gotten to know a few of my fellow ST-ers and look forward to the next month-long challenge (er, as long as it's not too soon!)

Here are the bloggers who took up the challenge (I surely hope I haven't missed anyone):

A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With ... Too Much Luggage
Blonde Momentos
Churches in Venice
Home is where my bed is
In and Out of the Garden
Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!
Kaleidoscope
Old Shoes - New Trip
Palmabella's Passions
Postcards from the Trail
shave ice & gelato
There and Back Again...
Vagabond Artist
What I Really Think

I love girasoli's post in celebration of our accomplishment...what she said!

Fellow ST Feblogger khb recently posted this meme, inspired by a post by another ST Feblogger softdrink.

Although I had to google James Lipton to refresh my memory, I thought his questions were kind of fun, so here goes:

This post was inspired by sandrac, who was in turn inspired by CBC Radio's Saturday morning show GO!

Here are four songs that make me switch off the dial with a shudder:
(As opposed to songs which I admit are awful, but listen to anyway)

4. The Last Kiss, most recently covered by Pearl Jam.

3. Tie A Yellow Ribbon, by Tony Orlando & Dawn

2. Sealed With a Kiss, by Bobby Vinton.

1. Muskrat Love, by Captain and Tennille

I can only say Ewwwwwwww

(And of course Barry Manilow's entire discography could be a list of its own.)

Thanks to softdrink for the inspiration!

I must tell you that my choice of favourite anything fluctuates like a needle in a compass, depending on which direction my mood is headed! If I were to do the same list in a week, the answers would likely be quite different.

Colour: red
Smell: an old woodshed when the lawnmower has just been put away after cutting the grass.
Food: seafood chowder
Snack: apples
Alcoholic Drink: DiSaronno
Non-Alcoholic Drink: water
City: Rome
Country: Canada
Book: Fugitive Pieces
Poem: Jaberwocky
Quote: "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." (Douglas Adams)
Television Programme: Jeopardy
Song: Heroes (David Bowie), especially the live version from the album Stage
Album: U2's Rattle and Hum
Boy’s Name: drawin' a blank...
Girl’s Name: ditto...
Weather: I like warm, preferably sunny days (although any kind of weather is ok when I'm travelling because hey, I'm someplace amazing, who cares about the weather!)
Hobby: reading
Chore: cooking

I love Sandra's topic of the day so much that I am going to steal it!

So, let's cosy up to the shelves, grab a few books and see what's inside:

Revision:
The first image was a generic one I found on the internet: it was so gorgeous I stuck it in my post and never occurred to me that anyone would think it was mine. Here is one of my bookcases (as you can see, it's nothing so grand as the above):

Here's a topic idea that I borrowed from Amy.

"Silly Stuff--the "Names" MeMe
One of those silly MeMe's--this one is on names. the answers are pretty giggle-worthy."

Well Amy's answers certainly were giggle-worthy, hopefully mine turn out that way as well...here goes:

1. Your rock star name (first pet, current car):
Midnight Vibe

2. Your gangsta name (fave ice cream flavour, favourite type of shoe)
Butter Pecan Sandal (yo, B-PecS in the house...Ginger says she disowns me)

3. Your Native American name (favourite colour, favourite animal):
Red Tiger

4. Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born):
Margaret Wolfville

5. Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name):
Hogan (but you can call me Hulk...)

I was extremely touched to receive this "You make my day" award from my blogging friend girasoli. I have been going through a very difficult time lately and this award was a real boost to my spirit. Thanks!!

I want to send this award back to girasoli, and forward to AnnieNC and chiocciola, all of whom have made my day many times over the past two-three months with comments of encouragement and concern. (Not to mention providing much needed distraction with their interesting blog posts!)

I saw this "What punctuation mark are you?" quiz over on 2 Baci in a Pinon Tree and thought it would be a cool thing to do.

Not sure I agree with the results. I see glimpses of myself, but am much less fascinating than the person described herein.

You Are a Comma

You are open minded and extremely optimistic. You enjoy almost all facets of life. You can find the good in almost anything. You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests. You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time. Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to. (But with so many competing interests, you friends do feel like you hardly have time for them.) You excel in: Inspiring people You get along best with: The Question Mark

Leslie had a little box on the side of her blog called "What kind of flower am I?". I thought it was neat, so clicked over to This Garden is Illegal to take the quiz myself...apparently I'm a snapdragon, same as Leslie!

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

I can certainly be full of mischief and highly value friendship, but...I'm not much of a prankster. I do like being around laughter, but not necessarily the one causing it. But a cool quiz nonetheless.

Here are the CD's habitually getting airplay in my kitchen and car:

Jesse Cook's Nomad and Frontiers
Tracy Chapman's Telling Stories
Women Who Rock 1 (3 cd compilation)
Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits
Jewel's This Way and Spirit
Elton John's Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboys
David Bowie - Best of Bowie
Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks
U2 - Rattle and Hum
Regenesis - In the Beginning (a very talented local church youth group)
Faith Hill - Breath
Juno Soundtrack
Dwight Yoakam - Last Chance For A Thousand Years and A Long Way Home
Natalie Imbruglia - Left of the Middle
Neil Young - Harvest Moon
Maroon Five - Songs About Jane

I have others that I listen to from time to time, and I listen to mostly classical at work, but the above CDs are ones that often make their way back off the shelf when I try to put them away.

So...what's in your player?

I found this meme on Trisha's blog and loved it.

Here's how it works:
1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline (or mark in a different color) the books you LOVE
4) Reprint this list in your blog so we can try and track down these people who’ve read 6 and force books upon them ;-)
The premise of this exercise is that the National Endowment for the Arts apparently believes that the average American has only read 6 books from the list below.

Trisha also said: "For the record, I think this list is…incomplete. And since I’ve read more than six, does that mean I’m exceptional?? ;)"

Why yes, Trisha, I am quite positive that having read more than six does make you exceptional...and I'm not just saying that because I, too, have read more than six...lol

Here's Trisha's list...with my boldings, italics and underlinings (you'll have to read her blog to see which six+ books she has read!)

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible (I've read parts of it...)
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Phillip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller.
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare (I've read many, but not all)
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Travellers Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War & Peace - Leo Tolstoy (it's on the shelf anxiously waiting its turn...)
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (I adore the entire "trilogy in five parts")
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime & Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck (his "East of Eden" is an all time fave of mine)
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen (curiously it seems I have not actually read any of Austen's novels...how on earth did that happen?!)
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis (psst, this is part of the Chronicles of Narnia #33...)
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne (classic!!)
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving (I find Irving a hit and miss...Owen was definitely a hit)
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood ("Blind Assassin" is my fave MA novel...)
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath (I had this in my hand at the used bookstore yesterday, but put it back down as other books convinced me to buy them instead...)
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Colour Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro (another one on my shelf...)
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flauber
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (I'm not 100% sure I've read them all, but think so.)
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo.

There are a few titles on the list with which I am not familiar, so the list of "intend to reads" might grow as I check those books out. Awesome list, Trisha!!!

I saw this meme on Jill's blog...she got it from her buddy chartroose.

I must confess that I'm not actually sure what the word "meme" means, but this appears to be a "finish that sentence" exercise...so I am going to finish these sentences, because I am in need of something silly and light-hearted.

My uncle once: drank all my grandmother's homemade wine and hung the empty bottles on the tree in her backyard (to be fair, there was more than one uncle involved in these shenanigans...)

Never in my life: have I done a road trip across Canada...yet.

When I was five: I was fearless.

High school was: a time of many firsts...enough said.

I will never forget: my first sight of Michelangelo's David...

Once I met: Marty Stuart...he was very short...and very gracious...and very sexy ;) (I'm not much of a country music fan though, so I didn't really know who he was at the time...but have since discovered that I like a few of his songs.)

There’s this girl I know: who calls me mommy (actually there are two girls I know who call me mommy, and another who calls me mommy2, and yet another who thinks I'm a really cool aunt.)

Once at a bar: I climbed a rock-climbing wall...while fending off my friend Heather, who was trying to stuff ice cubes down my pants to make me fall and lose (we were doing a bar olympics thing...apparently she was not too proud to cheat!)

By noon, I’m usually: asking "is it time to go home yet?"

Last night: I finished reading I Capture the Castle (good book...thanks Jill!)

If I only had: a bowl of mango gelato (or a million dollars, that would be ok too...)

Next time I go to church: I will sing and worship with joy, be inspired by the sermon, feel strengthened, hug people...the usual stuff.

What worries me most: that people will run away screaming when they realize just how insecure, childish and dorky I really am! (My true friends are the ones still holding my hand after they figure all that out...)

You’ll know I’m lying when: I tell you I feel my age...because I really still feel five, although no longer fearless.

What I miss most about the 80’s is: my cuffed ankle boots of soft green leather...oh I loved those boots!

If I were a character in Shakespeare, I’d be: Miranda from The Tempest because I love her sense of wonder.

A better name for me would be: Francesca, because surely I was Italian in a former life!

I have a hard time understanding: where the time goes when I am having fun.

If I ever go back to school: I would study art history and religion, preferably in Italy...

You know I like you if: I hug you.

Take my advice, never: mix large quantities of beer and whiskey...ugh.

My ideal breakfast is: made by someone else.

If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: don't blink or you'll miss it.

Why won’t people: be more generous? (I include myself...)

The world could do without: the abuse of power, and all it leads to...

I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: be around nasty drunks.

My favorite blondes are: my daughter and my daughter's best friend, and my daughter's best friend's mother, who is also one of my best friends. (at least they are all blonde at the moment...)

If I do anything well, it’s: oh gosh, you know there are just so many things I do well, I'm afraid I simply can't narrow it down to only one... ;)

And, by the way: Hey, that's no way to say goodbye was one of my very favourite songs when I was a little girl, and still is. Have a listen:

My friend Kelly sent me this...so Kel, right back at ya!

The Quiz:

Place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not. And answer the 30 questions at the end.

This is for your entire life!

(X) Gone on a blind date (the guy's name was Elvis, I kid you not! I had completely forgotten about it until just now)

(X) Skipped school (yup, in fact often with Kelly. Taking the bus into Halifax for the afternoon was much more appealing than chemistry class...)

(X) Watched someone die

(X) Been to Canada (wouldn't want to live anywhere else)

( ) Been to Mexico

(X) Been to Florida (which is actually quite beautiful away from the resort areas)

(X) Been on a plane (and never tire of the window seat)

(X) Been lost (the last time this happened, I'm pretty sure it was me who said "turn down here"...and then we got lost. No matter, we ended up where we had intended to go...sort of...well, it's the journey that counts, not the destination, right?!)

( ) Been on the opposite side of the country (not yet...I have hopes of a road trip someday)

(X) Gone to Washington, DC (just one overnight on the way to Florida as a kid)

(X) Swam in the ocean (the Atlantic, the North Sea and the Adriatic)

(X) Cried yourself to sleep (I am so NOT a pretty sight the next morning...)

( ) Played cops and robbers

(X) Played cowboys and Indians (I was always an Indian by choice, they were way cooler than cowboys in my mind)

( ) Recently colored with crayons (no, but I must go remedy this!)

(X) Sang Karaoke (last time was with Heather at a bar outside Saint John...for those who read the "ice cubes down the pants to foil me on the rock climbing wall during the bar olympics" story, Heather is the same friend...we used to have fun together, she and I)

( ) Paid for a meal with coins only? (probably but I don't recall for sure)

(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't - but don't regret it (no regrets...all that I've done has led me to where I am today)

( ) Made prank phone calls

(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose (ah, but it's the cheesies that really hurt, right Kel?!)

(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue

(X) Danced in the rain

(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus

Things I have done...

I lifted this from fizzybeverage aka softdrink aka Jill...because sometimes I'm just too lazy to think up my own blog entries! Besides, I too love these lists...they're fun to share because you get to find out all kinds of bizarre little tidbits about your friends!

The things I have done are in BOLD

(the list is too long for the front page, so you'll have to click on to continue in the extended entry!)

Just noticed that I've received 999 comments on my blog as of right this minute (22:23 December 17 2008.) Which means...the very next comment left on my blog will be my one thousandth!

Woohooo!!

Ok, so that's probably not very exciting to anyone else, but...hey, I think it's pretty cool. Especially considering that most of the comments were left by the same people. I am grateful to everyone who reads my ramblings but offer special thanks to the following wonderful blog friends:

Annie
girasoli
Chiocciola
Kathy (Trekcapri)
Maria
Leslie
Sandra

Who all leave comments on a very regular basis, which lets me know that I am not just writing words into a void! Because it's such a lift to know people are reading my entries, and that they find my thoughts interesting enough to comment on.

And the above friends have gone beyond merely commenting on the blog. Some privately emailed me words of comfort and caring during my triple whammy of crises earlier in the year, others have emailed to ask if I'm ok when I've been absent from blog-land for a while, and Maria even generously invited me to come stay with her in Venice for a few days this past October. I really appreciate their support and feedback!

Thanks to Chiocciola for this idea...

However, while she is an Uber Cool Non Nerd, I fear I am a Slightly Dorky High Nerd...and have to say this is not really a surprise to me! Well, actually it surprises me in that I would have expected highly dorky, slightly nerdy, but I won't quibble over degrees! What a fun quiz, some of the goofy questions cracked me up.

Just looking through my photos and came across a couple screen shots I'd taken from sitemeter one day last year when I was amazed and excited to see how far flung my readers are:

I thought it was pretty cool to see so many countries. And I think I recognize a couple of the locations as those of regular readers, so that's fun too! I actually changed from Sitemeter to StatCounter when Sitemeter went all wonky at one point last year, but might change back because I do like the list of countries! Statcounter has a map, but not a summary like this, or not that I have seen. Some are likely one time hits, I get a lot of those from people google searching "let us go then" because Prufrock is such a well known poem, but that Israeli city shows up fairly regularly on my stats, as do many of the others. There are visitors from other interesting places too (like Russia and Norway), but the top 20 locations is all that showed on that front page at the time.

Also thought it was cool that someone came to my blog through google translate and read it in Italian. (Like I've said before, it really and truly doesn't take much to amuse me!)

girasoli - look, you actually show up on this map!! (At least I assume that marker on Hawaii is you!)

I got the following email yesterday...

Subject: Friendship

"This came across my desk today and I thought of you. Wanted to send it along."

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality?

Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship.
You will see no cutesy little smiley faces on this card.
Just the stone cold truth of great friendships.

1. When you are sad - I will jump on the person who made you sad like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew!

2. When you are blue - I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile - I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in.

4. When you're scared - we will high tail it out of here.

5. When you are worried - I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining, ya big baby!

6. When you are confused - I will use little words.

7. When you are sick - Stay away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall - I'll pick you up, dust you off, and try not to laugh until I make sure you are ok!

This is my oath... I pledge it to the end.
'Why?' you may ask - because you are my FRIEND!

Friendship is like peeing your pants,
Everyone can see it,
But only you can feel the true warmth.

Made me laugh! It is very silly, but also very true (I mean just look at #7 - replace "Stay away from me" with "Get the hell out of my office" and voilà, a sign of true friendship!)

This email also made me think "uh oh, Valerie never forwards emails like this, what is she softening me up for?!" I awaited a phone call along the lines of "sorry, but...something's come up and I can't make it tomorrow". But it seems the universe is smiling on us this time, as no call came, woohoo!!! Miraculously enough, we both have the day completely off, not a commitment in sight, so are planning to meet a couple other women for lunch, then heading off on our own to do something else...such as a mini roadtrip to the locally famous Margolians in Truro. She's meeting me here at my house in a couple hours, the sun is shining brightly (although it's gotten way cold again) and I am looking forward to a most wonderful day of friendship and fun and delicious fish & chips! (We are eating at the Legion, which apparently has "legendary fish & chips"...I'll let you know if they live up to their reputation.)

I was going to to the "What Metal Are You?" quiz that I just saw on Kim's blog, but I got sidetracked by a few others, including "What Country Are You". Not so sure the description fits (am decidely UN-chic, for one thing), but who am I to argue - Yay, Italy!!! (I showed the result to M and she groaned "why am I not surprised...")

You Are Italy

You are incredibly chic. Your confidence and sense of style always shine through. You are obsessed with presenting yourself well. You understand how much first impressions matter. Your family is very important to you. You provide them with any emotional or financial support that they need. But more than anything, you just enjoy spending time with your family... especially when food is shared!

I'm jumping into the fray of this letter meme that's making the rounds. I think it hit our ST circle through Jill, then girasoli joined and has been assigning letters to many in our community. See the comments in her post for a full list of STers with letters...and to get a letter assigned yourself, I just checked and there are still a few good ones left! (And by good, I mean not "X"!)

The letter girasoli assigned me is "C". I asked Jill for a letter too, and she just sent me an "O", so that entry will be coming soon to a computer screen near you! :)

Here are ten things that came to mind when I thought of words beginning with the letter C...

Church
...the United Church of Canada is awesome, I highly recommend it :) My individual church is awesome too - I love it! I love my minister (whose birthday I celebrated in yesterday's entry)...her grace and strength, her deep faith and amazing compassion are incredibly inspiring (everytime I hear the blessing "may you see the face of Christ in everyone you meet", I think of her.) I love Sunday worship, feeling rejuvenated and uplifted each week, and being energized and inspired to pursue a life of peace, love and justice. I love being part of an amazing community of people who hold each other in love and prayer, who give of themselves through outreach programs, funeral and prayer shawl ministries, and so many other ways.
I could on and on, but you get the idea!

Children
...I am blessed to have two amazing children. My daughters fill my heart to infinity and beyond! They are both so delightful and wonderful and intelligent and creative and caring and silly. They are so full of possibility and potential. I am so proud of them. At the beginning of this school year, my younger daughter's teacher asked parents to write a few things about their child to give the teacher an introduction to the child...I wrote two full pages and could easily have written more, but M said "enough, mum!!" I am reluctantly allowing them to grow up, although still in shock that Sara turned 19 last week, and M turned 13!! Where oh where did all those years go??! :) And yet, every age they turn becomes my favourite.
...I am also blessed with an inner child, who seems to be about age five, and who most often keeps me filled with wonder, joy and childish delight, but who is also not above sulking in the corner over the most ridiculous little things!

Chatting on facebook
...can be addictive. I always thought of online chatting as total fluff, but have recently discovered that it can also be a place of amazing sharing. Valerie and I had the most wonderful conversation on facebook the other night...we joked that it was because, for once, we didn't have our daughters sitting in our laps! As wonderful as it is that our daughters want to spend time with us, sometimes we would like some friend time for ourselves, and get into more indepth conversation than is possible with two thirteen year olds hanging on every word!)

Okay, I cheated and got letters from both girasoli AND Jill...hey, a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do in a pinch. This daily blogging is hard! But I am taking a different approach with this one...Barb did her "B" list using photos, so I am going to copy her idea (just to change things up from my "C" list"!!)

Ocean
(One of the awesome wonders of creation that sooths my soul.)

Orange
(Sunsets and sunrises fill my soul with joy and amazement.)

Ognissanti
(Whose adjoining cloister houses my favourite cenacolo in Florence, Ghirlandaio's.)

A couple days ago, I posted my list of "O" words and mentioned that I found it unexpectedly hard to think of interesting words that begin with O.

Jane left this comment:

"Anne--what about orecchiette or Obama or oink or ornery (like in Dave won't go to church) or ozone or.... Just some thoughts for your next 10.. Of course, a picture for some might be difficult. I challenge you."

Well, I can hardly refuse a challenge, can I? So...here I go again!! More "O" words, although as I begin this entry, I have no idea how many O words will come to me so let's just wait and see, shall we? :)

On
(On the rocks...the girls and I years ago at one of Nova Scotia's best kept secrets, Upper Burnside...drive to the middle of nowhere and turn right to get there!)

Old1
(Actually beyond old, Stonehenge is ancient! Feels awe-some standing alone in the centre of these stones. ♥)

Old2
(Old friends...me and my friend Heather, we used to be close but only keep in touch sporadically now...I love this photo though!)

A friend on facebook posted this note:

"Google your name with the word 'needs' after it and see what pops up!"

Her results were quite funny, so I thought I would give it a try myself. Here are the top ten things that Anne needs, according to Google:

Anne needs to win sexiest veg! (Um...I don't even want to know...)
Anne needs to retire* (Aha, the Oracle has spoken!)
Anne needs no man (But it sure is fun to have one around!)
Anne needs your support (Indeed I did, and thanks to all those who signed my petition.)
Anne needs a jobby job (To be honest, I'd rather have a hobby job...)
Anne needs no enhancement (Because I am very, very special...)
Anne needs to remember to blink (So an unsightly layer of dust doesn't accumulate?)
Anne needs HELP!! (Because I'm really not that talented...)
Anne needs to humble herself (Yeah, I am just so full of myself...)
Anne needs water (Duh...)

I am stealing this from Kim because (to quote her) heck, I needed an entry!

1. Do you like blue cheese? Only in a salad with a really good dressing
2. Have you ever smoked? Yes, years ago when young and stupid
3. Do you own a gun? No
4. What flavour Kool Aid was your favorite? Purple
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not really
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Is there anything else to eat...anything??
7. Favourite Christmas movie? Does the Sound of Music count as a Christmas movie?
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water first, then coffee
9. Can you do push-ups? A few...ok, a couple...maybe
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? A small silver cross that Dave gave me
11. Favourite hobby? Hmm...writing, knitting, reading
12. Do you have A.D.D.? Have never been tested...
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? I don't hate anything about myself
14. Middle name? Margaret
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? Glenn Close was really freaky in Fatal Attraction. Poor little Polly looks drunk as she wobbles around in her post-op daze (she just got spayed). I am spending way too much time blogging and not enough knitting lately.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Coffee, "crappy tea", wine (and water, of course)
17. Current worry? I worry about my children (like most parents do, I would assume!)
18. Currently hate right now? The hideous cherub border in my living room (a holdover from the previous owner...who had really bad taste in my opinion)
19. Favorite place to be? In the company of family & friends ♥
20. How did you bring in the New Year? In the company of family & friends ♥
21. Where would you like to go? Newfoundland (in July to be exact!) And I always want to go to Italy.
22. Name three people who will complete this? I won't bother e-mailing it on b/c no one will but I'm hopeful some of my blogger friends will, desperate for February entries [that's actually Kim's response and hey look, it worked!!]
23.Do you own slippers? Yes but need new ones
24. What shirt are you wearing right now? Flannel long sleeved pyjama top
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No idea, have never tried
26. Can you whistle? Yes
27. Favorite colour? I can never pick one favourite...
28. Red or white wine? Both...oh, was I supposed to only have one glass? hic...
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Janis Joplin, Indigo Girls, I practice my choir pieces (if I can remember the words)
30. Favourite Girl's name? My daughter's names, seeing that I chose them!
31. Favourite Boy's name? David, because it's my beloved's name :)
32. What's in your pocket right now? My pyjamas have no pockets.
33. Last thing that made you laugh? My best friend's thoughts on holy water...
34. Worst injury you ever had? Mega bruise to my back from falling down the stairs
35. Do you love where you live? Yes, although I wouldn't object to a second home in Italy ;)
36. How many TVs do you have in your house? Two that get watched, plus one in my bedroom that is used as a clothes rack because I don't watch TV in bed.
37. Who is your loudest friend? Dunno
38. Do you have any pets? Two cats and a fish
39. Does someone have a crush on you? I'd say my husband, but right now we are having a spat about whether or not our daughter can sit on the arms of the furniture in the TV room...send us your prayers for a peaceful reconciliation! haha
40. Your favourite book(s): Depends on my mood, Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet and Anne Michael's Fugitive Pieces, Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ Love in the Time of Cholera...many, many more
41. Favourite Sports Team? Are you kidding? I can barely name a sports team, let alone a favourite!

And now that I have finished, am thinking I already did this list a while ago but...shhhhh, I won't tell if you don't! ;)

HOORAY, I survived the February Blog Challenge!!!! Now I need to go catch up on all my favourite blogs :)

Four men were bragging about how smart their cats were.
The first man was an Engineer,
the second man was an Accountant,
the third man was a Chemist, and
the fourth man was a Government Employee.

To show off, the Engineer called his cat, 'T-square, do your stuff.'
T-square pranced over to the desk, took out some paper and pen and promptly drew a circle, a square, and a triangle.

Everyone agreed that was pretty smart.

But the Accountant said his cat could do better. He called his cat and said,
'Spreadsheet, do your stuff"
Spreadsheet went out to the kitchen and returned with a dozen cookies. He divided them into 4 equal piles of 3 cookies..

Everyone agreed that was good.

But the Chemist said his cat could do better. He called his cat and said, 'Measure, do your stuff.'
Measure got up, walked to the fridge, took out a quart of milk, got a 10 ounce glass from the cupboard and poured
exactly 8 ounces without spilling a drop into the glass.

Everyone agreed that was also pretty good.

Then the three men turned to the Government Employee and said, 'What can your cat do?'

The Government Employee called his cat and said, 'CoffeeBreak, do your stuff.'
CoffeeBreak jumped to his feet......
ate the cookies........
drank the milk.......
sh*t on the paper.......
screwed the other three cats.......
claimed he injured his back while doing so.......
filed a grievance report for unsafe working conditions.......
put in for Workers Compensation..............
and went home for the rest of the day on sick leave............

AND THAT, MY FRIEND, IS WHY EVERYONE WANTS TO BE A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE...

My two cats, Winston and Polly:

Happy 78th Birthday to William Shatner!

A friend of a friend posted this on facebook and I just have to share it for any fellow William Shatner fans. Too funny! I...love William...Shatner...(quick inhale) Loved him in Star Trek, love him in Boston Legal, get a huge kick out of his CD Common People. It's William Shatner's world and we all just live in it (don't know where that quote is from, but it cracks me up) And it really is amusing to talk like Shatner, so I can totally get onboard with "International Talk Like William Shatner Day!!"

Your Inner Child Is Surprised

You see many things through the eyes of a child. Meaning, you're rarely cynical or jaded. You cherish all of the details in life. Easily fascinated, you enjoy experiencing new things.

Pretty close to the mark, I'd say! :)

I might have to check with Motor Vehicles and see if that particular vanity plate is in use in my province! Just out of curiousity, mind you...I myself never get PMS. (I'm sure Dave will back me up on that, won't you dear? lol)

Swine flu (sorry, "H1N1 influenza") is very much in the news of Nova Scotia lately. There's a fair bit of paranoia about it, too. Not in my own office, but others have told me about their experiences. One woman who returned from a vacation in Mexico was told not to come into the office the rest of the week because her co-workers didn't want her there (she had absolutely no signs of illness.) Another guy was also sent home for the rest of the week after returning from vacation with a cold...the twist is that he'd been vacationing in the Dominican Republic, not Mexico!! It's understandable to take precautions, but I think a few folks need to educate themselves about this virus. Easy to see how mass hysteria can build during a pandemic.

Oh and I would have posted a language warning first, but didn't want to spoil the cartoon's ending... :`)

A big thank you to Candi for nominating me for the Kreativ Blogger Award! I am honoured (and tickled pink) that she finds my blog award-worthy! :)

I believe that, in turn, I am to list 7 things I like, and then nominate 7 other bloggers. So here goes.

My list of 7 things I like:

* My family
...although they are way beyond the category of mere like, so on second thought, I won't include them on this list ;)

* Getting awards
...not so much getting them as being nominated...who doesn't like knowing a blog friend finds your ramblings worthy of an award! Besides this nomination from Candi, I received this from my friend girasoli last year:

* The sky
...the infinite blue depths of daytime, the endless black of night...the glory of the sun, the glow of the moon, the glimmer of the stars...the wisps and lightbursts and cotton puffs of cloud...the flash and crackle of lightening, the rumbling roll of thunder...

* (((Hugs)))
...physical or mental hugs, the warmth of being wrapped in love is the most wonderful feeling in the world ♥

* Water
...swimming in the soft depths of a lake, the exhilaration of ocean waves, my sparkling clean backyard pool, the current of a running river...the feeling of replenishment and refreshment that comes from gulping down a big glass of thirst-quenching, life-sustaining water...the symbolism of spiritual rebirth.

* Cooking
...wine glass in hand, Jesse Cook CD playing, an open cookbook (which I follow only very loosely), inspiration strikes and my family never knows what combination of ingredients will end up on their plates!

* Children in church
...well not just in church, but that is the image that is in my mind right now...the little kids who wander around our sanctuary, playing, asking Valerie things like "whatcha doing?" in the middle of a confirmation ceremony, joining in song, lifting our hearts with their smiles and laughter and wide open hearts...

* Words
...I was going to put books, but in truth, I am very fond of words themselves, whether in books or not. Or be real, or make sense - Jabberwocky is one of my favourite poems ever and I adore Dr. Suess.

* Spring
...the sounds and smells of spring are so wonderful, the rebirth after the cold of winter, the promise of hot summer days to come. I love the music of spring peepers, the thrill of picking and eating rhubarb in early May (it's ready now - woohoo!), the smell of freshly mown grass mixed with the smell of the lawnmower...

* Wait, I almost forgot William Shatner
...because, well, how could I have a list of things I like without including William Shatner?

* Oh and do I need to include acting silly on my list, or has everyone pretty much figured that out by now? ;)

And my list of 7 nominees in no particular order, other than alphabetical:

Annie
Barb
Candi
Chiocciola
Eden
girasoli
Jane
Jerry
Jill
Kathy
Leslie
Maria
Sandra

(ok, so apparently I can't count...)

"What is God Calling You to Be?"
Hey, I'm a Prophet, how cool is that?? Guess y'all better listen to my words of wisdom now or else... :)

What Colour is Your Aura?
Part of this fits me, part is way off (I am so not a planner!), but I love the colour...

My result:

Well...I've been called a hippy flower child by more than one person over the course of my life!

Someone sent me this cute joke this morning...I might keep it for future reference! LOL

FIVE BEST THINGS TO SAY IF YOU GET CAUGHT SLEEPING AT YOUR DESK:

NUMBER 5: They told me at the Blood Bank this might happen.

NUMBER 4: 'This is just a 15 minute power nap they raved about in the time-management course you sent me to.

NUMBER 3: 'Whew! Guess I left the top off the White-out. You probably got here just in time!

NUMBER 2: Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboards when you put your ear down real close?

NUMBER 1 best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk:

(Raising your head slowly) '... in Jesus' name, Amen'

A friend shared this link with me...you might need to actually be Canadian in order for this to be amusing, but it sure tickles my funny bone - enjoy!!

Well what do you know, I was born in the Week of the Child...why am I not surprised?!? :) It's not for nothing that Dave calls me a big five year old (and he now has M saying that too!)

For a generic result though, this is kind of freakishly close to the mark. I can be ridiculously naive. A friend could tell me any manner of tall tale and I'd buy right into it, no matter how outlandish (and then of course I feel like an idiot for not cluing in!) I simply don't "get" that kind of humour, I'm afraid. I do need solitude to recharge, although rarely get any time alone. The only part of this result that is not at all like me is the bit about having spells of depression - I've had times of feeling melancholic or sad, but have never experienced anything I'd call depression. Spells of pouting is more like it for me! And I am definitely drawn to people with a good sense of humour (and who have a strong connection with their own inner child), and a life of their own. As for being lively and dynamic...heck, I'll go along with that ('cause it's my blog and who's going to argue with me?!)

On an unrelated note...we leave for Nfld in just three days, can't wait to be there and see that beautiful province!! And can't wait to see Valerie again...I miss my dear friend. M is equally excited to see K again. They had a good chat on the phone the other night though. Is it Friday yet?????????? :)

A friend at work just sent me this email...which pretty much says it all!

PARENT - Job Description

POSITION:
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Long term, team players needed, for challenging, permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:

Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Forward this on to all the PARENTS you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis, letting them know they are appreciated for the fabulous job they do ... or forward with love to anyone thinking of applying for the job.

* FOOTNOTE: THERE IS NO RETIREMENT... EVER! *

Saw this on Jill's blog, got a kick out of her responses, so am doing it too. Just because.

The ABCs of me:

Available or single?

Sorry to break your heart but neither - I'm already taken ;)

Best Friend?

Well if you have to ask...welcome to my blog, stranger!
(Feel free to poke around, you won't have to look back very far to find the answer.)

Cake or Pie?

Pie, methinks...in fact, I might put in an order for birthday pie this year (although the past cakish creations of my sister have been divine, for sure!!)

Drink of choice?

Crappy tea!! (Ok I confess, my first choice is really boring old water, but crappy tea's good too.)

Essential item for every day use?

My glasses...or maybe my toothbrush, 'cause who wants to go around with morning breath all day?

Favorite color?

Yellow.

Google?

...is a search engine? Not sure what else to say about it...

Hometown?

...has changed several times over the years. Currently it is where I now live.

Indulgences?

Oh where to start...wine, ice cream, chocolate, spending too much time on my blog ;)

January or February?

February, because both my daughters, Sara and M, were born in February, and so was my best friend.

Kids and their names?

Two daughters. Yes, they both have names...real ones too, not just "whatchamacaller" and "youthere"

Life is incomplete without…?

Love...and chocolate

Marriage date?

August 8

Number of siblings?

One older sister with whom I grew up, plus three much younger brothers and one younger sister from my father's second marriage.

Oranges or apples?

...are not the same. Oh was I supposed to choose which I prefer? Apples, I guess, but both are tasty.

Phobias and fears?

Maggots...shudder.

Quote for the day?

"Little children, headache; big children, heartache"
~ Italian Proverb (so the internet tells me, which means it must be true.)

Reason to smile?

Because my heart is full of joy ♥

Season?

They're all wonderful for different reasons, although my relationship with winter is a bit strained bytimes.

Tag 3 people?

Nah, I'll pass...if anyone else wants to make up their own responses, go for it!

Unknown fact about me?

Unknown to you, and fairly new to me: I have ADD/ADHD, according to Sara's psychiatrist. (This explains many things!)

Vegetable you hate?

I honestly cannot think of one (yes, I even like brussel sprouts and turnip)

Worst habit?

Whatever do you mean? I have no bad habits, clearly you must have me confused with someone else...

Xrays you’ve had?

Hmm, do mammograms count? If so, half a dozen or thereabouts...if not, just one that I recall.

Your fave food?

Is ice cream considered a *food*??

Zodiac sign?

Aries

Saw this on a friend's facebook...thought it sounded kind of fun, so am stealing it from him!

Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen movies you've seen that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.

1. Dirty Dancing
2. Princess Bride
3. Mamma Mia
4. Sound of Music
5. Under the Tuscan Sun
6. Highlander
7. An Officer and a Gentleman
8. The Way We Were
9. Fried Green Tomatoes
10. Philadelphia
11. Rocky Horror Picture Show
12. La Bella e Vita (Life is Beautiful)
13. Guys and Dolls
14. Jesus Christ Superstar
15. Brokeback Mountain

Oh just thought of one more movie that will forever stick with me, but not in a good way! I'll leave you with this hint: I hear banjos...

What are YOUR 15 memorable movies?

Where the Wild Things Are...is in the original book.

Plot summary from wikipedia:
The text consists of only ten sentences. It tells the story of Max, who one evening plays around his home, "making mischief" in a wolf costume. As punishment, his mother sends him to bed without supper. In his room, a mysterious, wild forest and sea grows out of his imagination, and Max sails to the land of the Wild Things. The Wild Things are fearsome-looking monsters, but Max conquers them "by staring into their yellow eyes without blinking once", and he is made "the King of all Wild Things", dancing with the monsters in a "wild rumpus". However, he soon finds himself lonely and homesick, and he returns home to his bedroom, where he finds his supper waiting for him, still hot.

This was one of my favourite books when I was a little girl. I could totally relate to the whole inner wild thing concept. Feeling overwhelmed with emotion, not knowing why or what to do with it, but needing some way to release the pent up energy of it. I delighted in the imagery of the wild rumpus and the roaring beasts who gnashed their terrible teeth, and sighed their terrible sighs. And it made perfect sense that young Max's interlude with the wild things was just a temporary one after which, with no explanation needed, life returns to normal.