Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Something else stolen from facebook...

At least two of my facebook friends have posted this. I'm posting mine in my blog instead, cause it's another attempt at upping my post count without having to be original or witty. I cut and pasted this from Sarah, and 3 of her first 6 answers are the same as mine, so that lets me be even lazier!

1.) Where did you begin year 2007?
Lara and Mark's house.

2) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
Same as it's been since 1995.

3) Were you in school anytime this year?
No. Well, we did go visit some schools to promote SRP, but that was fun.

4) How did you earn your money?
Youth Services Librarian.

5) Did you have to go to the hospital?
Nope. Except to visit people who'd just had babies.

6) Did you have any encounters with the police?
Nope. Well, they did drop into the library rather a lot this year, and some of the staff seem to have a thing for men in uniform. Poor police officers.

7) Where did you go on vacation?
Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Manchester, Loughborough, York, Cockermouth, Corsock, and back to Dunfermline. It was fun.

8) What did you purchase that was over $1000?
Three plane tickets, but they were only $500 each, so maybe they don't count. Although I did buy them all at once, and still have the credit card balance to prove it.

9) Did you know anybody who got married?
Some work acquaintances, but I think that's it. We're into the all our friends are getting a separation or a divorce age bracket. Rapidly approaching the all our friends are getting remarried age bracket.

10) Did you know anybody who passed away?
My Great Aunt.

12) Did you move anywhere?
Nope.

14) What concerts/shows did you go to?
Thomas the Tank Engine Live on stage. I think that's it.

15) Are you registered to vote?
Absolutely. If I don't vote, then I can't complain about the government, and I want to be able to complain!

16) Who did you want to win Big Brother?
Can honestly say I've never watched it.

17) Where do you live now?
Same place as last year, Halifax.

18) Describe your birthday.
Can't remember. I think I was at home. Did we do anything? I don't think we did.

19) What's one thing you thought you'd never do but did in 2007?
Magic loop knitting. And I didn't like it much, so maybe I was right about thinking I'd never do it.

20) What has been your favorite moment?
Of 2007? The surprise on The Boy's face when we went into the train station in Loughborough and he saw Thomas in real life. Classic.

21) What's something you learned ?
Well, since you can't teach an old dog new tricks, I probably didn't learn much! Although I made a mean ham and lentil soup on Sunday, which is something new for me.

22.) Any new additions to your family?
No.

23.) What was your best month?
October--UK, family and friends, and Thomas the Tank Engine. It was a blast.

24.) What music will you remember 2007 by?
Probably not by any music. Haven't been able to put a date to a song since my university days.

25) Who has been your best drinking buddy?
Not much of a drinker.

26) Made new friends?
Yes, those KOL ladies who just joined this year.

27) Best NEW friend?
Not sure, really.

28) Favorite Night out?
Tuesdays at KOL. Probably one of the ones with things on people's heads, and anatomical terms being shouted loudly. Or maybe the one where we went to see the Harlot and had beer with her. Although, come to think of it, I'm not sure I actually had a beer. Oh wait, I did, and the shock of paying $8 for a glass of draught (It wasn't even bottled!! It was draught!!) nearly killed me.

29) Someone you liked?
Yes.

30) have you kissed the one from question 29?
Yes, but then I should hope I have since he's been the one from question 29 since the mid 90s!

31) kiss any one of the same sex?
No.

33) something you look forward to before 2008?
Before 2008? Week off from work. Playdate with Nat and Liam. Getting to spend a Thursday morning with Mrs. Yes, Cate of the no Sheep, and Charlene and Miss R.

34) where will you start 2008?
Well, since we have NO invitations yet, probably at home with House Man and The Boy.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Traditional Christmas Cookies

CanKNITian had this up on her facebook. Very good recipe, tried and true, tested by many over the years. Enjoy, and let me know how yours turn out.

Traditional Christmas Cookies (Very Good)
Ingredients:

1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp of lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Smirnoff Vodka

Sample the Smirnoff to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Smirnoff again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.

Turn on the electric mixer... Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.

Add one teaspoon of sugar... Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the Smirnoff is still OK, try another cup .. just in case.

Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit, Pick the frigging fruit off floor...Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the Smirnoff to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who giveshz a sheet. Check the Smirnoff. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the Smirnoff and make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher.

CHERRY MISTMAS

Monday, December 10, 2007

A meme...

Swiped from Fiona. Because I really need to waste time like this, a meme is a lazy way to come up with a blog post, and I know you all really, really, really want to know these random things about me!

Do you have any pets?
Angus and Kitty. Angus is a cat. Believe it or not, so is Kitty.

What color shirt are you wearing?
White t-shirt with denim "Public Libraries" shirt over it. It's cold, I'm thinking about adding another layer or two.

Name three things that are physically close to you
Kitty (yes, she's a cat), my Wallace and Gromit address book, a stack of 4 empty Quality Street tins (I was going to freecycle them, but haven't got around to it yet)

What is the last book you read?
Wait, let me check my LibraryThing. Looks like the last book I added was Tanglewreck by Jeanette Winterson which, come to think of it, is the one I put down before I came to the PC to check my e-mail then got sucked into this meme thing.

Are you or were you a good student?
I was. I sat in the front row until I took Physics in third year university, and suddenly I got to be one of the crowd in the back of the classroom who always seemed to be having fun. Would I be a good student if I went back to school now? Probably not.

What's your favorite sport?
To watch? Or to take part in? Walking is nice.

Do you enjoy sleeping late?
To be honest, no, it gives me a headache. I'd like to sleep til 7:30 without being woken up by The Boy though.

What's the weather like right now?
Dark, cold, there's snow on the ground, but not too much.

Who tells the best jokes?
Not The Boy. His only joke goes like this:
Knock knock?
Who's there?
Banana.
Banana who?
Banana Shell, that's who!
followed by hysterical (or perhaps it's maniacal?) laughter.

What was the last thing you dreamed about?
I can't remember. I'm usually woken up suddenly by The Boy, so tend to forget what I'm dreaming about.

Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?
Yes. And yes again. Twice. But at least I hit or was hit by other moving objects, not things like next door's house, or the tree down the driveway. Or the ticket booth at Atlantic Motorsport Park. Those were all House Man's. That poor ticket booth never stood a chance.

Do you believe in karma?
Not sure.

Do you believe in luck?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Do you like your eggs scrambled or sunny side up?
Over hard, actually.

Do you collect anything? If so, what?
Not really. Not as a collector. I do have lots of books, but I wouldn't call them a collection. I have lots of yarn too, but again, not really a collection.

Are you proud of yourself?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Are you reliable?
Most of the time, yes.

Have you ever given money to a bum?
Occasionally. Have also handed over tins of cat food to a bum with a dog, and in Haiti have handed over clothes and toys to children begging.

What's your favorite food?
Fresh baked bread.

Have you ever had a secret admirer?
Yes, once, I don't even want to go there, it was completely out of the blue and still weirds me out to think about it.

Do you like the smell of gasoline?
I used to when I was little, til I put my nose right up against the gasoline hose when someone (mum or dad probably) was filling the car and took a big sniff. Now, well, no, I have to say, I really, really do not like the smell of gasoline. Or petrol as I would have called it at the time.

Do you like to draw?
No. And you wouldn't like me to draw either!

What's your favorite invention?
Knitting needles?

Is your room messy?
No, but the rest of my house is.

What do you like better: oranges or apples?
Apples

Do you give in easily?
Usually, yes, unless it involves getting my own way on something that I really want.

Are you a good guesser?
I'm good at predicting plot twists in movies and books. Terminator? Totally saw that coming.

Can you read other people's expressions?
People that I know I can. Strangers, well, it's more hit or miss.

Are you a bully?
I don't think so, but someone did once call me a bully.

Do you have a job?
Yes, and most days I really enjoy it.

What time did you wake up this morning?
3:33 am, then 6:21 am, then 7:00 am. The first two were The Boy, the third one was the alarm clock.

What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
Frosted Flakes.

When was the last time you showered?
Probably 7:11 am (alarm clock plus 9 minutes on the snooze button, and two minutes to get upstairs and turn the water on!).

What do you plan on doing tomorrow?
Vacation day, take The Boy to the doctor. Unless I'm sick, in which case, send The Boy to the doctor with House Man and stay home and feel sorry for myself.

What's your favorite day of the week and why?
Tuesday. KOL!

Do you have any nicknames?
Well, you can call me Al. Although nobody ever does any more.

Have you ever been scuba diving?
Once, in the pool at the Sportsplex for a free lesson.

What's your least favorite color?
Not sure. Puke green probably.

Is there someone you have been constantly thinking about? If yes, who?
No comment. Right now, since I'm not feeling well, I'm mostly thinking about myself and whining.

Would you ever go skydiving?
No. Never. I'd turn down a million dollars if you offered it to me if it involved me having to skydive.

What toothpaste do you use?
Sensodyne. The green box.

Do you enjoy challenges?
Depends what kind.

What's the worst injury you have had?
Never broken anything yet, knock on wood, nor had stitches for anything that wasn't intentional. Had some nasty bruises, but that's about it so far.

What's the last movie you saw?
Ratatouille. You know, my spell checker underlines Ratatouille, and when I right click, the suggested spelling is Bouillabaisse.

What do you want to know about the future?
Nothing that I care to share with the internets.

What does your last text message say?
Yeah. We just touched down. Can I call u while you're at work?
In the spirit of full disclosure, it's the 6th of 6 text messages I have ever received. And it took me a while to compose the stunningly witty reply "Yes. Please do". Which I then thought I'd sent, but found out two hours later, was actually sitting in my outbox waiting for me to send it.

Who was the last person you spoke over the phone to?
Mum.

What's your favorite school subject?
History and biology.

What's your least favorite school subject?
Art.

Would you rather have money or love?
Duh. Love of course.

What is your dream vacation?
Madagascar and lemurs. Or maybe Costa Rica. The Boy and I have been watching Are We There Yet? World Adventure and Sam and Molly seemed to be having a really awesome time in Costa Rica. It's currently The Boy's dream vacation as well.

What is your favorite animal?
Cats. Lemurs. Those little foxes with the big ears--fennecs? Yes, fennecs. Aren't they adorable?

Do you miss anyone right now?
Yes. Don't we all?

What's the last sporting event you watched?
DTMs on Speed.

Do you need to do laundry?
You know, I think we're caught up right now.

Do you listen to the radio?
All the time in the car.

Where were you when 9/11 happened?
In a training session at the library. I found out what was going on when we went to Tim's for break, and the Commissionaire in the ferry terminal had a tv on, and everyone was standing round watching it.

What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
I mostly try to avoid vending machines on principle. Not sure what principle, but still.

Have you ever caught a butterfly?
I don't remember. Certainly not recently.

What color are your bed sheets?
White.

What's your ringtone?
The one that came preset on the phone.

Who was the last person to make you laugh?
I just read a blog by someone who has designed knitting patterns for the whole team of Top Gear presenters. As in you can knit your own mini Richard Hammond. She made me laugh, so I added her to my bloglines.

Do you have any obsessions right now?
Not really.

Do you like things that glow in the dark? Yes. Especially when you didn't know they glowed in the dark, and they surprise you. I also love sparkles of any kind, but not sequins.

What's your favorite fruity scent?
Strawberry or watermelon.

Do you watch cartoons?
All the time. With The Boy. We love Little Bear and George Shrinks right now.

Have you ever sat on a roof?
Yup, a few. We used to jump from our back veranda to the roof of next door's garage. A two story drop onto concrete below. In a country not known for ambulances or emergency medical care of any kind. Kids.

Have you ever been to a different country?
Yup, a few.

Name three things in the world you dislike
Snobbery, racism, inequality

Name three people in the world you dislike
No.

Has a rumor even been spread about you?
I don't know, but probably.

Do you like sushi?
Only vegetarian things like kappa maki.

Do you believe in magic?
I believe!

Do you hold grudges?
I try, but I'm not very good at it.

Wow. You're still here. In that case, you're tagged!

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Dear Santa...

The Boy is four and a half now. Each Christmas he becomes more and more aware of what's going on, and the anticipation becomes harder and harder for him. This is the first year he's asked to send a letter to Santa. The Boy, however, can not write. The Boy isn't actually that interested in writing, and I figure he'll come to it in his own good time, so I haven't been pushing it. This is the first time he's ever been concerned about his inability to write. So, because he's a bright kid, he came up with this idea:


Yes, this year's letter to Santa is a photo collage. I told him I'd post it to Santa, but I think I might just e-mail this scan instead, and cc it to some of Santa's little helpers. I believe that most of these were cut out from the Scholar's Choice catalogue, which is quite convenient, because Santa has been known to shop at Scholar's Choice, possibly because they do free gift wrapping as well.

Collage seems to be the new thing at our house. There are now four collages on my kitchen table to be sent to Santa. This one, I have been told, has the BEST stuff, because it was first.