Favourite photo meme

I have been really lax at responding to memes and updating the blog to incorporate awards. Thank you so much to everyone who reads this, and particularly to those who are so generous as to recognise my wonderings with awards.

Over Christmas, Troy awarded me Cherished Member of the Most Excellent Order of Troy Stalwarts 2009 (effectively third place) for contributions to his blog over the year. I want to feel delighted about this, although I fear it represents too many hours wasted on the internet... Not that Troy's blog is particularly wasteful time, you understand, merely it reflects my repeated waffling ability (much like this paragraph).

And Cheshire Wife tagged me to list five things about which I am obsessed. Five?! I struggle to think of one! I am not, by nature, an obsessive person. My husband laughs at me when I straighten the duvet or get upset by the label being up by my head rather than down by my feet. But that is as far as it goes.

Unless you count my children, of course, about whom I could talk all day. They are, of course, a bit fab. Which leads me in to the most recent tag I had from The Dotterel: the Favourite Photo Meme, or one that makes me happy. I avoid putting photos of my children on the internet, for their own privacy and security, so finding a favourite photo that doesn't involve one or other of them doing cartwheels, or dressing up as a knight, or standing next to a snowman, or sitting on an elephant ... well, it is nigh on impossible.

Given I have also (from laziness) restricted myself to digital photos (thus excluding my favourite photo of my mother) and those presently on my computer (thus excluding all my Zambian pictures, if you ignore the elephant on the sidebar) I am not left with much. I considered photos of the house, but I'd hate you to think that the decor classed as 'favourite'. Then I came upon this.

Okay, so this breaks my own rules, as it is my daughter, but I didn't think it would identify her. Being the expert medic that my husband is, he took a series of these to demonstrate Geographical Tongue. Can you see some swirls and whirls of pattern? Well, every so often these change. In all honesty, I think they have largely faded away now, because I haven't noticed anything for ages, but for the first five years of her life it was fun to get her to stick her tongue out and see what pattern we had that day.

Every time I flick through my digital photo catalogue a dozen or more like this crop up and make me laugh. How much more perfect an image of childhood can you have other than sticking out their tongue? And all in the aid of medical science!

Now I ought to pass this meme on, and Cheshire Wife's, but I know many have done them already. If you haven't: please take it from me and pass on more effectively to five worthy winners.

Catching up on memes

The lovely clareybabbling set me this meme, courtesy of Tara at Sticky Fingers (the "Blame Tara Meme"), way back in July. I hope neither of them will be offended that it has taken me so long to get round to it, but here goes.

1 Who is the hottest movie star?

George Clooney? Brad Pitt? Sadly, see so few films nowadays that I'm tempted to say Mannie from Ice Age...

2 Apart from your house and car, what's the most expensive item you have ever bought?

The wedding ring for my husband. Or maybe the sofabed. Or perhaps this Apple Mac.

3 What's your most treasured memory?

My wedding. It was a fantastic service, a fantastic party and my grandmother made me the most wonderful dress.

4 What was the best gift you ever received as a child?

The romantic in me says 'the love of my parents'; the mercenary in me says 'a car'; the child in me says 'the doll's house'.

5 What's the biggest mistake you've made?

Yikes! You think I'm going to tell you? Leaving the playdough in the fridge, then finding our maid in Zambia had made us a pie for tea from it...

6 Four words to describe yourself ...

Lazy, selfish, ordered, creative

7 What was your highlight or lowlight of 2008?

2008? We're nearing the end of 2009! Completing the first draft of Singing in a foreign land must be the highlight: it remains such an exciting achievement.

8 Favourite film?

Ice Age 3?!

9 Tell me one thing I don't know about you.

Aged 8, I sent a letter to Ordnance Survey to get them to correct their map to recognise the historical battle that took place in our village. They wrote back saying they would correct further editions. (And I believe they did!)

10 If you were a comic book/strip or cartoon character, who would you be?

Wallace, from Wallace & Grommit: slightly dimwitted (I blame two pregnancies), creative and fanatical about Wensleydale Cheese.

Again, I beg forgiveness, but most people have already done this meme so I am not naming specific people to pass it on to. Having said that, if you would like to take up the challenge, please do so and let me know!

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I snaffled this from Working Mother on the Verge. I look just like this, of course...

Second best

The Dotterel has set me this challenge, to name my 'seconds' (obviously, my favourite seconds is cheesecake, or pavlova, or chocolate cake, or all three...) But no - he set 10 questions that I can't answer, only ameliorated by saying I need do only one. For completeness, here are the ten questions, together with my comments and memories:

your second girlfriend? (never had one... the odd boyfriend though...!)

your second day at school? (can't remember, although I vaguely remember my first day at my second(ary) school)

who your second best-friend was? Louise. Best Friend 1 I knew from age 2.5; Louise arrived in the village when I was 10 and we became three close friends for many years. Ironically, having lost contact since leaving home, we are now in the same city and have met up - kids and all!

the second LP that you bought? (no idea!)

the second house you lived in? Technically, the house I grew up in, from 2.5 until after I graduated

the second car you drove? Presumably my Dad's: I learnt to drive in Mum's...

your second-favourite band? Hard to pick a favourite, let alone 2nd best!

the second-best book you ever read? The Cross & The Switchblade, David Wilkerson - the story of his work with drug addicts in New York and, bizarrely, a man I met many years later in Zambia

your second-favourite film? (no idea)

your second-favourite blog? Daren't answer this in case I upset someone, although tempted to say Bringing up Charlie as revenge!

I have a queue of memes lined up to answer (I promise, I will get round to them eventually!) and I hate having to pick people but for now I pass this on to Collette, SIFTW, Cheshire Wife and Super Mum. Hope you have fun, and can remember more seconds than me.

Now, where is the remains of that apple crumble...

Meme - Part 3

At last: the final part of the meme, first challenged by Maternal Tales. Here are the last six questions and answers.

13. What was the best thing you ate or drank recently?

Choc chip cookies (I refer you to the answer to Question 9 last Saturday…)

 

14. When did you last get tipsy?

Gosh – I live such a staid and boring life, I can’t remember. But I do recall sitting with the family infront of the TV with a glass or two of wine not so long ago and suddenly feeling rather giggly…

 

15. What is your favourite film?

Witness is probably the one I’ve seen most often; but I always feel inspired by films like First Wives Club – women have a lot more power than they really use! Recently I’ve enjoyed watching Harry Potter films sequentially after reading the stories to my son.

 

16. Share a piece of wisdom.

It is the little things that count most.

 

17. What's your favourite song?

Walking on Sunshine (Katrina & the Waves). Reminds me of my school days; fills me with joy and the desire to whoop! loudly; and it was put onto our wedding video despite the fact it rained all day!

 

18. If you could change anything in your life so far, what would it be?

I try not to regret anything, or I would wallow in self-pity for ever and a day. There is little I would change that I have had any control of: I wish my mother was still alive, so she could have met my husband and my children. All together I have had such a wonderful and privileged life that I would rather count my blessings than my regrets.

I hope this has given you a taster into the muddled world I inhabit. I am supposed to suggest another eight people to pass this on to but, as I hate all chain mail, I'm reluctant to name names. So, if you'd like to take on the challenge - please do! Otherwise, I'll be back blogging about the new house and the move and our usual family tales as soon as I can.

Meme - Part 2

More questions and answers ...

7. What are you reading now?

The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver (she of ‘We need to talk about Kevin’ fame) Not as good as the Kevin book, but maybe I’m too tired to give it enough attention. Also, as borrowed from the library it will have to go back before I move house and I might not have finished it ...

 

8. Use 4 words to describe yourself.

I’m not good at this sort of question. I asked my son: he said, 'annoying'. In contrast, I think I am soft on him. My daughter said, 'lovely'. So: annoying, soft, lovely and skeptical.

 

9. What is your guilty pleasure?

Biscuits. With every cup of tea. Regularly, throughout the day (particularly when writing).

 

10. Who or what makes you laugh until you're weak?

My children. My husband even more so. Can't share any of the jokes just now - partly as I can't remember them, but largely because they are always funnier at the time ... "you had to be there..."

 

11. First Spring thing?

Daffodils, and trees in bud. They are the wonderful sign of hope for the new year.

 

12. Where are you planning on travelling to next?

The visit to Zambia has had to be shelved (damn Husband’s new job…) until next Easter. This summer we’ll have a couple of weeks somewhere in the UK countryside. [I'm assuming this question excludes moving house!]

 

Keeping you tantalised ... for the first six, see below; for the final six check in again next Thursday...

Meme - Part 1

A couple of weeks ago Maternal Tales challenged me with a meme that is doing the rounds. I thought I would split the eighteen questions in three and spread them out over the next couple of weeks, so there will be something to read on the blog whilst I am busy packing (and unpacking). Spare a thought for me, if you can...

Meanwhile: here are numbers 1-6

1. What are your current obsessions?

Moving house. It seems to be all I have been thinking about for the last 6 months, further exacerbated by only having moved 5 months before that, and then having moved from Zambia 11 months before that … I could take it up as a profession, if I weren’t so exhausted by it all.

2. Which item of clothes do you wear most often?

Jeans and T-shirt. (Or should I say bra and pants?)

 

3. What's for dinner tonight?

Given I am writing this for the period during which we move, probably pizza. Or at least a microwave meal. I’d love to say a wide selection of vegetables and fruit, with a glass of pure water… but my suspicion is that I’ve gone for the easy option, and for the bottle of wine…

 

4. What's the last thing you bought?

A house? The washing machine? A book (about how to do up my house)? [Have you spotted how my answer to Question 1 fits in now?]

 

5. What are you currently listening to?

I don’t often get a chance to listen to much (other than my children…) but I love listening to ‘He Reigns’ by The Newsboys. It reminds me of Zambia and what a wonderful, multi-cultural world we live in.

 

6. What are your favourite holiday spots?

Our holidays tend to be in new places every time: my husband doesn’t have much patience for going back to a place we’ve been. So I have to keep extending where I would like to go. India would be a great experience; I’d love to take my children to France or Mauritius, so they could practice the language they are learning; I’d be quite happy with a farmhouse in the middle of beautiful, sunny British countryside. Historically, the best was Talin & Riga (Estonia & Latvia), or the Trans-Siberian Railway, or the many group holidays in the UK with friends.

 

I hope this whets your appetite for more! Part 2 on Saturday, the rest next week!