Day Ten - 10 Things

1. I do not like running.

2. I recently "discovered" true crime novels, and I have enjoyed reading this genre occasionally. So far, I have read stuff by Gregg Olsen and Ann Rule.

3. I collect aprons. By mistake. I never meant to collect them, but I had one or two and then someone gave me one. My husband was given access to some unwanted ones and asked me if I wanted them. They were almost vintage and so charming, I couldn't refuse. Since then, I look out for aprons here and there, that I might like to purchase or make.

4. I always make trifle for dessert on Christmas day. It consists of vanilla cake (usually homemade), sherry, jello, fruit, custard, cream, cherries and nuts.

5. The last time I saw my grandma before she died, I knew it would be the last time I saw her. She lived with my parents and my husband and I had been visiting them for the day. When we left, my husband and the older two children walked ahead of me to the car. I was holding my then six month old baby daughter. I went over to my gran to kiss her goodbye. We hugged and kissed and as I turned away from her I knew with absolute certainty that I wouldn't see her again. So I turned back, with the intention of hugging her again, but then I quickly stopped myself - not wanting to make her sense my sadness or anxiety. As I turned, however, I looked into her eyes, and I could tell that she knew what I knew. My parents and my gran then left to go on a short vacation. Two days later my mom called me to tell me that my gran had passed away. I was heart broken and I still miss her so much. This happened twelve years ago.

6. I can fall asleep if someone plays with my hair.

7. I do not drink any kind of tea. At all. Ever.

8. I love having my back massaged.

9. I do not enjoy eating breakfast until I have been up and about for at least one or two hours.

10. My favourite bread is focaccia.

I am done! I am so happy! Yes!

Day Nine - 10 Things

1. I was taught to knit very simple items in Home Economics classes during school. After I got married my friend taught me to knit baby clothes. However, I hated it. So I don't knit.

2. I knew instinctively the sex of all my children during my pregnancies, without it being revealed by ultra-sound. I was so sure each time, that I bought appropriate clothing - blue for boys and pink for a girl.

3. My grandma, who lived with us for most of my growing up years, taught me how to cook without using recipes. I do use recipes occasionally, but I mostly just cook "by feel".

4. My favourite potato chips when I was growing up was Simba Tomatoe Sauce (ketchup).

5. I used to have three holes in each of my ears when I was a teenager. The second and third were never comfortable, so I let them close up.

6. My favourite arcade game used to be (and still is on the very odd occasion that I play) Pucman.

7. Even though I don't drink milk, I love milkshake. My favourite flavour is Lime.

8. I had food cravings during all my pregnancies. Most were quite normal, very occasionally they were a little extreme. I craved mango pickles, peanut butter and curry during my first pregnancy. I adored fried tomatoes, tomatoe soup and fudge during my second. I ate tons of watermelon and lemonade during my third. With my last pregnancy I mostly craved chocolate and spicy foods.

9. My feet get sore really easily and quickly. I don't get to soak them too often, but my daughter occasionally soaks them, and gives me a foot massage.

10. I like almost all fruit and would find it impossible to choose a favourite. Some that I couldn't live without though, are: mangoes, grapes, pineapples, all melons and pears.

Day Eight - 10 Things

1. I baked my first cake, by myself, when I was eight.

2. I still have a tartan kilt that my paternal grandparents brought back for me from a visit to Scotland, when I was six. I kept it in case I had a daughter, which I did, and she wore it. We are keeping it in case she has a daughter.

3. I do not have a great sense of direction. I can easily get lost driving to unfamiliar places without a detailed map and directions or someone to help me.

4. When all my children are much older and no longer depend on me to drive them around all day and night, I plan to ride a motor cycle!

5. When I gave birth to my oldest son, I was really confused during the transition stage. I sat up, got off the bed and told everyone I would be back to "do this another day, when I feel better".

6. I found out there was no Easter bunny when I was about six or seven. I woke up to see my dad putting my eggs in my room. He denied it the next day. Dad!

7. I do not have a gallbladder anymore, due to surgery. I had tons of gallstones from my last three pregnancies.

8. My favourite chocolate is Cadbury's Fruit and Nut.

9. I used to play ground hockey for a few years when I was at school. I loved it.

10. I was also on the swimming team.

Day Seven - 10 Things

1. I enjoy sewing. I wish I could do it more frequently.

2. I love eating my dad's homemade curry. He makes the best lamb, beef, or chicken curry ever!
3. I am not a morning person.

4. I do my best reading, writing, crafting, planning, etc. at night after the house has quietend down.

5. When I was about seven or eight years old, I convinced my younger brother to eat a handful of sugar out of the palm of my hand. I am embarrassed (and very remorseful) to say that I had hidden a small red devil chillie in it. He cried for so long from the burn in his mouth. Please forgive me Sam!

6. I had my tonsils out when I was 14. At the hospital we had to fill in a questionnaire for the aneasethic. One of the questions was regarding smoking. I had to confess to my mom that I smoked on the sly. I'm sad to say I continued smoking a few more years, then I quit.

7. My favourite pizza is one we used to eat in South Africa. I think we used to call it South Beach. It is all the usual - tomato sauce, cheese and then also: garlic, bacon, pineapple and banana. Yes, banana!

8. My favourite pizza since coming to America is Pepperoni.

9. Another of my top ten movies that I love is the "Lord of the Ring" trilogy.

10. I love '80's music.

Day Six - 10 Things

1. My favourite dinner service pattern is Blue Willow.

2. I love toile design fabric and papers.

3. I love elaborate writing paper and greeting cards.

4. I have been told I make a pretty mean Shepherds (Cottage) Pie.

5. My first pet was a little puppy called "Tipsy".

6. One of my favourite sandwiches is a grilled (toasted) cheese and tomatoe.

7. I love white pepper more than any other pepper. I use black, red and green pepper corns, but my preference for certain things and dishes is white. (Especially mashed potatoes and homemade chicken noodle soup).

8. The board game I like the best, at this time, is Cranium.

9. I like going to county fairs in the summer.

10. I love spending a day at the beach with the whole family.

Day Five - 10 Things

Yes! I'm halfway!

1. My favourite subject in school was (and in college here and there, still is) English or Language Arts.

2. My second favourite is History.

3. My third favourite is Art.

4. I hardly ever get to take afternoon naps but when I do my favourite place is on my bed with a throw that Jethro gave me for Mother's Day.

5. I grew up in South Africa, in a really hot climate during the '70's and '80's. I once was so badly sunburnt from spending the day at the beach in the hot sun, that I couldn't wear clothing on my upper body for over a week. I had blisters that developed into one huge patch of festering skin that took up about one fifth of my back. In SA during the mid '70's when this happened, there wasn't that much awareness of the dangers of sun exposure. The doc told my mom to rub some Johnson's baby lotion on and ask the school if I could wear a skimpy top that didn't touch my burn patch (they said no! - I had to wear the uniform).

6. I went to see the Rolling Stones Bigger Bang Show with my husband and some friends in October this year. It was awesome!

7. I like raw cauliflower the most out of all vegetables I eat raw.

8. I love 100% orange juice.

9. I have sleep apnea and so I use a CPAP device. (When my nose is not stuffed up from newly acquired allergies, that is.)

10. My husband asked me to marry him by giving me a wrapped gift on his birthday!

Day Four - 10 Things

1. I prefer real Christmas trees to fake ones. Especially when we go to the farm to cut our own.

2. I have blue eyes, but sometimes they look green.

3. I love watching ER on Thursday nights. It's one of the few shows I watch on TV.

4. I hate grocery shopping. I only go because I have to.

5. I prefer email to telephone.

6. My favourite Thanksgiving pie is Pumpkin.

7. I wear make-up almost every day. Not too much, though. Mostly it is basic, - foundation, light eyeliner, mascara, and light lipstick.

8. One of my all-time-top-ten favourite movies is the Matrix trilogy.

9. I hardly ever drink coffee. If I do, it is usually so doctored it no longer tastes like coffee. Usually it is something like a "Decaf, caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, etc,etc," from Starbucks or the likes.

10. I am teaching myself French cooking here and there. Nothing major yet. Just a few simple ways and dishes.