A list

I just posted a note on Facebook because I'd been tagged by a number of people. It's a meme, and although I put it off for a couple of days, when I sat down to do it, I thought it was quite fun. I tried not to overthink it or try to make myself sound clever or interesting or whatever. Just posted what came to mind.

So, here is it. May as well get a post out of it here too, right?

25 random things about me:
1. I've worn glasses since I was 8 years old. My eyesight is terrible.

2. But I have excellent teeth. They have been described by more than one dentist as 'perfect'.

3. I change my hair colour every few months. I'm no longer fond of it's natural colour. Too boring.

4. I am completely in love with my daughter, Kate.

5. I am also completely in love with my husband, Graeme.

6. Graeme and I met in high school, have been together for 17 years and married for almost 10.

7. I love cookies.

8. I was bitten by a Canada Goose when I was a toddler. I'm still kind of scared of them.

9. I can wear children's shoes.

10. I think smile lines are a sign of a successful life.

11. I'm an excellent cook and baker.

12. I am incapable of following a recipe when I cook. But I can when I'm baking.

13. I'm agnostic. Maybe.

14. I love love love mountain biking.

15. Before having Kate, I competed in endurance mountain biking and adventure racing. I've just started getting back into it. I may never been as into it as I was, and I'm ok with that.

16. I knit.

17. I'm not as tall as I think I am.

18. My favourite book is "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" by Annie Dillard.

19. I'm Canadian, through and through.

20. I could eat the same thing for breakfast every single day - granola with yogurt and fruit.

21. Tea. While there is tea, there is hope.

22. I have a very poor memory of my childhood. My sister's is much better, and I wish I remembered more. I'm not sure why I don't.

23. I adore my sister.

24. I miss my mum. She died four years ago.

25. I'm very generous. I get it from my mum.

A List!

I'm stealing from Karen's post, since I'm feeling lazy.

One hundred things done or undone. Done are in bold.
(I admit the list is American and Euro-centric and clearly not a true life list. Not everyone can adopt or give birth, for instance. But, still fun.)

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch ~ knitting
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (Heimlich manoeuvre)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person (I do not understand why this is on the list.)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Ridden an elephant

Looking back at 2007

Karen posted this meme, and I agree that it sounds like fun. And it's easy, so it buys me time to sort through photos and get around to posting about our trip to Ottawa.

All I have to do is post the first sentence from the first post of each month of 2007. Here is goes:

January: "Why a new blog? Don't you already have one from PQ training?", you might be asking.

February: Yes, this week I'll post a picture.

March: I bought the first pregnancy related item(s) today.

April: I arrived yesterday evening in Ottawa.

May: On Friday, Graeme felt Baby Texan move!

June: I have a whole bunch of photos from our trip out west last weekend, and blogger has a limit on how many pictures you can put in a post, so I'm going to divide them up a bit.

July: Wow, time is passing quickly now.

August: I finally downloaded the Telluride photos from the camera.

September: Some pictures from the last few days:

October: We had our six week check up today.

November: Yesterday we flew to Toronto, with two flight legs to get here.

December: A couple of weeks ago, Heather came over for an afternoon of tea and laundry.

What this little glimpse back tells me is that I have terribly boring opening sentences. A resolution, perhaps?

Tagged

Karen tagged me for the 4 things meme. So, here we go:

Four jobs I've had.
1. Camp counsellor
2. Waitress
3. HVAC engineer
4. Bike Mechanic

Four Movies I can watch over and over again.
1. The Princess Bride
2. When Harry met Sally
3. Office Space
4. Off the Map

Four places I have lived (oh, where to start - we've moved A LOT).
1. Fonthill, Ontario
2. Seattle, WA
3. Los Alamos, NM
4. Brisbane, Australia

Four television shows I love to watch.
1. Lost
2. House M.D.
3. The Amazing Race
4. Survivor
(who knew that this meme would be so embarrassing)

Four places I have been on vacation.
1. France
2. Australia
3. Domincan Republic
4. Cayman Brac

Four of my favourite dishes
1. Chicken Tikka Masala
2. Pad Thai
3. Sushi, specifically yellowtail nigiri from Toyoda's in Seattle
4. Margherita pizza

Four Websites I visit daily.
1. Dooce
2. Virtually There
3. Google news
4. Mighty Goods

Four Places I'd rather be right now.
1. Hiking with my dog
2. Mountain biking
3. At the cottage
4. Any mountain town in Colorado

Four bloggers I am tagging.
Ok, I don't have many friends who blog, and I'm not going to re-tag my sister. So, just one tag: Heather

A delayed meme post

Karen tagged me for this meme last week, and I've been delinquent in not answering it. Is there is a statute of limitations on tags? In anticipation of 'what's cooking wednesday', I'll finally do the meme.

1. Can you cook? If yes do you like to cook?
Yes, although I find I often don't have the energy or inspiration. Although I do enjoy it. I especially enjoy preparing big meals for lots of friends.

2. When does your whole family come together to eat?
We eat dinner together most nights. On the couch.

3. What do you have for breakfast?
Cereal with fruit or granola with yogurt and fruit. And tea.

4. When, where and how do you eat through the week?
See 2 - we eat on the couch, usually between 7 and 8 pm after walking the dog.

5. How often do you eat out?
Once a week or once every two weeks.

6.How often do you order in or get take out?
Once a week.

7.Re: 5 &. 6 - if money were no object would like to do it more often?
Probably not. We might just go out for sushi more often.

8.Are there any standards that make a regular appearance at your table?
There are the fall back meals - periogies, sour cream pasta, cereal (I don't think that counts as cooking though). And our favourites - fajitas, grilled anything, spaghetti. Our meals are very seasonal, since I don't want to turn on the oven or stove in the hot months.

9.Have you ever tried a recipe from another blog?
Nope, not yet, although I probably will later this week.

10.Are there any quarrels because of food?
We 'quarrelled' about how to divide the leg of lamb the other night.

11.Are you a vegetarian or could you imagine living as a vegetarian?
I was a vegetarian for a few years in university, but now I'm an enthusiastic meat eater. I would certianly be happy eating meat only once or twice a week, but Graeme is a total carnivore and would likely mutiny if I were to try.

12.What would you like to try out that you haven't dared yet?
Nothing is coming to mind. I'm a pretty adventerous eater.

13.Would you rather cook or bake?
Bake, unless it's cooking for a big meal. I love making Thanksgiving dinner, for instance.

14.What was the most terrible mess you've ever made in the kitchen?
Nothing specific comes to mind, although when I do a big meal, every pot and surface tends to end up dirty and covered. I do my best to keep up with dishes as I cook, so it usually stays under control.

15.What do your kids like to eat best? What would your kids never eat?
Not yet applicable.

16.What do you dislike most?
Mushrooms. Ham. Yellow mustard. Caraway seeds.