The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

a) What was I doing 10 years ago?
I'd just gotten Cade and started in Vet Med at MSU.

b) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today:
* Dishes, clean kitchen, sweep, vac, mop, dust, laundry (wash, hang, fold)
* Bath/blowdry/groom Hope, Si and Veri
* Continuing to haul trimmings to the fire to burn off
* Errands in town (photocopy documents, post office, electronics store, stockstore, fencing contractor etc)
* Critters - feed/let out chooks and ducks, run the dogs, work them a bit and run and and play with them with La.

c) Snacks I enjoy: Apples, strawberries, dried pawpaw spears and pineapple, sesame seed 'snaps'

d) Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Pretty much what I'm doing now but would able to get all the renovations done at once, agility equipment, classes etc. Help my friends out who are struggling, set up some sort of funding for research for dog health problems and funds for schools to have enrichment programs for kids to grow things, maintain chooks etc and learn to live with a low impact, plant lots of trees and help waterways healthy again.

I tag the first five people to read this who aren't already tagged

Pics galore and TAG, SIF YOU'RE IT!

L has been having a lot more solids in non-blenderized forms. This is his first piece of watermelon and wow... what a hit it was! Messy too! Cucumber was a hit as well, as was his first few bits of meat, mandarin, grape, pasta etc. He's turned into a regular little mooch, wanting bits of whatever I'm having!

A few more "my kid is cute!" shots... taken in our front garden and porch. As much as I am VERY eager to move, I'm going to miss our garden and a few things about our house as well.

From our trip to Woodend, at Hanging Rock... and no Laurent isn't actually sitting alone, I'm hiding under the rock holding him up, as if you couldn't guess! ;-)

Sheep. I love sheep. Most little girls want ponies. I wanted sheep. I got hugely geeked out and gawked out the window cooing over them. The sheep thought I was weird but eh...


Back view of Hanging Rock - the two little whiteish blips are a ewe and her lamb, which I thought was really sweet.
And that tiny little blip is L and I. I just liked the lighting and the way it gives you a sense of scale of each of the rocks.


We got a lot of comments on what a great idea the sling was for ascending the path... there was a ramp of sorts but it wasn't something I'd want to do with a bulky pram, up a steep incline - no way, no how! Gimme a nice portable sling any day!

And since Shae tagged me....

If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be?
On a few acres where I could have sheep, chooks, a big garden for veggies, a garden for flowers/L playing/our enjoyment and an agility yard. We visited Woodend a few days ago and somewhere like that would be veerrryyy much to my liking!!! (Too funny Shae!!! LOL)

What’s your favorite article of clothing?
A very cool skirt I got awhile back!

Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex?
Eyes... the window to the soul!

What’s the last CD that you bought?
Michael Buble

Where’s your favorite place to be?
In the sunshine with my family and the dogs in a big park/reserve/forest exploring!

Where’s your least favorite place to be?
Dentists. Ick!

What’s your favorite place to be massaged?
Back/shoulders!

Strong in mind or strong in body?
Copping out and saying you need to be a bit of both, as when one is weaker in one area you can pull through by being stronger in the other.

What time do you wake up in the morning?
I'd say way too friggin early, except that implies having slept in the first place... :-/

What is your favorite kitchen appliance?
Oven. Because it produces calorie laiden cookies, cakes etc etc etc. Which explains my growing tummy.

What makes you really angry?

Being lied to.

If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
Violin. I lovvvveee how it has such a wide range of types of music it's suited to, to express any emotion you can think of.

Favorite color?

Green. Or blue. Or blue-green. I'm so decisive.

Which do you prefer…sports car or SUV?
SUV because you can fit dogs, crates and kids and all the gear. Except most SUV drivers are egotistical sods who think they own the road and anything nearby it on account of they drive SUVs.

Do you believe in an afterlife?
Yes.

Favorite children’s book?
The Little Prince

What is your favorite season?
I love a crisp autumn day and the excuse to eat all that lovely autumny food!

What is your least favorite household chore?

The dishes.

If you could have one super power, what would it be?
To get my way, all the time, every time, on every matter! Bwhahahahah!!!!

If you have a tattoo, what is it?
No tattoo. I want one but I'm a big chicken, I haven't figured out where I want it and I never have lots of extra money. It's a symbol I've had for several years in a necklace, a celtic knot sun/moon.

Can you juggle?

No.

The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to?
No one really. I miss my dogs who have passed away though.

What’s your favorite day?
Wednesday. Just because.

What’s in the boot of your car?
A bunch of stuff I need to take to the Op shop for donation.

Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger?
Sushi! But the catering-to-cultureless-westerners sort... I don't DO seafood, especially raw!

I tag Sif. Yes, I'm being a brat and only doing one person cuz I don't know who else reads my blog cuz you all don't comment!!! ;-)

TAG, YOU'RE IT!!!

Okay, since I have been tagged at least twice, I suppose I actually have to do this... ;-) I'm a big reader or at least was when I had time to read, so the hard part will be picking just ONE of each!

1. One book that changed your life:
Karen Pryor's Don't Shoot The Dog. Yup, it's where it all this clicker/dog-friendly training stuff really took off for me. I'd been interested in dogs and training since I could toddle can remember but I hated the way the only books the library had and trainers around us said was how you trained. That wasn't the type of relationship I wanted with my animals! I used cherios and kibble to get them to do what I wanted. But when I read Karen's book, it was the start of my clicker journey and started the snowball that led me to other books and seminars and teachers who trained with a philosophy that felt like what I'd been looking for all along!

2. One book that you've read more than once:
Anam Cara by John O'Donohue I've revisited bits of this book for years and years and was reading it during Laurent's labor inbetween the contractions! LOL I also love The Little Prince.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island: My scrapbook. And all my photos and markers and tape etc, so I could journal all my thoughts and feelings on them and my family.

4. One book that made you laugh: *blinks* Um. Wow. I just realized all the books I read are pretty serious texts. *must remember to rent something light and fluffy sometime...*

5. One book that made you cry:
Murphy's Boy by Torey Hayden Such a sad thing to imagine happening to someone and I could relate in a lot of ways to both of their struggles.

Bones Would Rain From The Sky: Deepening Our Relationship With Dogs by Clothier, kind of a disjointed book but the way she described the understanding between dog and human was really beautiful in bits.

6. One book that you wish had been written: How To Remember All The Stuff You Forget Now That You're Lactating And Your Brain Is AWOL In 1 Easy Step. (No, that is NOT a typo, no way can I remember ten or twelve steps!)

7. One book you wish had never been written: For dogs: the stupid paper in the 40's on dominance. Good grief, think the amount of CRAP animals and people would be saved if everything from peeing to walking through doors wasn't ascribed to that piece of ####! It's staggering! For people: The umpteen Dr. Spock books, Dizzy Tizzy's books, Ezzo etc. etc. etc. For all of the same reasons.

8. One book you're currently reading:
Dusting up on my Tracking books and Herding books since we're doing both of these at the moment!

9. One book you've been meaning to read: Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali. After whining about how much I wanted it, hunting through every book store in the area and saving my pennies and feeling horribly guilty for buying something so indulgent I still haven't actually read it now that I've GOT it. ~_~'

I'm pulling a Sif on the tagging issue... I have NO idea who reads this that hasn't been tagged that blogs as well. So if you're reading this and qualify: TAG, YOU'RE IT!

And Jayne, re: Mists Of Avalon - ITA!

I also realized, I probably actually should read some book on kids at some point. I read some developmental stuff during pregnancy and nothing since. I keep hearing about TCC and Pinky McKay's books and What Mothers Do Especially When It Looks Like They're Doing Nothing or whatever that one was and I have the Sears books and a couple others which I should probably at least glance over but haven't yet. Um. Yay for trusting my instincts and preserving them unfettered by other people's perceptions of what's correct?