Emjay

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More random things about me - for SandyU  who tagged me........

1.  I love Plain Non-Fat yogurt.  I have it for lunch every day.  My lunch has never been stolen out of the work fridge.

2. I do not watch any "reality" TV shows  - I seem to be the only person I know who doesn't.  However, I did watch the first season of Survivor all those years ago.

3.  I have peroneal tendonitis in my left foot.  I have had it for 2 years now.  I don't think it is ever going to get better - it is an "overuse" injury and I just can't see how you can not use your foot.

4.  I admit to having owned some Abba cassettes - but surely I did not purchase them myself! :-)

5.  For seven years I lived in a 12-storey apartment block with hundreds of others and only learnt the name of one neighbour.  Ophelia!  A fabulous name  - I wish I was called Ophelia. My father wanted to call me Fleur - I'm glad my mother resisted - though Fleur would be a good Vox name. 

6.  I think of worst case scenarios for every situation.  I am a "what if worrier".  What if robbers suddenly appeared to rob that armoured truck as I'm walking past,  what if my waiter just sneezed all over my plate and has some incurable disease spread by "droplets"; what if the plane really does have to make a water landing; what if the life jacket is not under the seat;  what if ..... you get the idea!

7.  I have morning "tea" at 10am every morning - weekday & weekends. Though this actually consists of coffee rather than tea; if I miss out for any reason I turn into a very nasty person.

8. I have probably eaten tons of chocolate in my lifetime.  I have still not perfected the art of making a box last longer than a day.  I intend to continue practising on this!

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My mother was born in 1933, and spent the majority of her life in, and around, the small country town where  I was also conceived, born and grew up.

She attended a one-room school, where the other students were mostly relatives; until she was about 13 when she was packed off to boarding school in Sydney.  Here she was taught to darn beautifully and other things that would benefit ladies of that time  - she wanted to learn science.

When she finished school she returned to the small country town and began working as a photographic artist in the local studio - which specialized in weddings and family portraits.

One day a handsome foreigner walked into the studio and swept her off her feet.  They married in 1956 and moved into my grandparent's house on the farm where myself and 3 siblings were to grow up. (My grandparents had built themselves a house and moved into the civilization of town).

My mother has 2 green thumbs and 8 green fingers.  She has made fabulous gardens and won many prizes in delicate flower arranging. She could also demolish a snake with a shovel! 

Mum was only 53 and starting to explore life without children at home, when my father had a massive stroke which changed the course of her "retirement".   She has cared, full-time, for my father every day since - a very difficult and mostly thankless task.

She is a breast cancer survivor twice (30+ years apart).  She has had both knees totally replaced in the past 4 years  - the first one a success, the other leaving her dependent on a walker to get around. She has a dodgy shoulder.

She has faced all of her battles without any complaint. She has infinite patience and she is definitely the kindest person I have ever met!   I think the only gene I inherited, from her, was the snake killing one - though I will totally deny that I am anything like my father!

Happy 75th birthday mum! 

 

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For 8 years I have done my banking by direct deposit, direct debit, and ATM. 

The other day I had to go inside the bank because lucky me, I had some cash to deposit.

Yes I know you can put cash into an ATM but I'm not comfortable doing that - even for the $200 I had. I know you put it in a special envelope with all your account details etc and that it is quite likely correctly deposited to your account.

But I imagine that envelope somehow getting ripped to shreds as it disappears through the slot or falling down between panels and never being found;  or worse ... little goblins inside the machine munching it up!  Hey, no-one said my fear had to be rational! 

So I went inside the bank where this person literally bounded across the lobby shouting "Good Morning" .

Why is there a greeter in the bank?

It's not as if you need help locating which aisle the tellers are in.   And, the financial consultant people are sitting right there, at desks, right out in the open. (I wonder how they feel at not being behind the bullet proof glass?) 

Greeter:   So ...  how can we help you today?

Me:  Oh, I'm just going to deposit some money thanks.

G:  OK - well the deposit slips are right here

Me:  Mmmmm. 

Greeter watches me like a hawk - surely he can't be worried that I am about to steal those forms and the pens are pretty securely tied down.  I'm beginning to feel nervous. 

Greeter suddenly asks:  Do you have a checking account with us?

Me:   No

G:  Well, would you like to open one today? 

Me:  Do I get interest on a check account?

G:  No,

Me:  Well, why would I want one.

G:   Because it's free to open!

Now that's why I like the impersonal approach of the ATM's!

 

Since this week's photo quest was posted we have only had one evening with a twilight. It has rained and rained and rained some more.  We have had 7.75 inches of rain since Thursday!!! Nearly 8" in 5 days!

This is our street of row houses with the last rays of the setting sun shining on them:  

The rear of our row houses with twilight images reflected in our window. Point & Shoot Canon set on automatic  - no flash;  hand-held.

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It's Mother's Day!  I got all my text messages from Australia yesterday because if they don't do it then, the kids forget on (their) Monday.  I also received some beautiful flowers.

My sister has most of our old family photographs so I don't have any of my young mother except a few I took myself.  My first camera was a little Kodak Instamatic.   Here is the family in 1965  - of course I am behind the lens so I am not in the photo: 

This is a photo which was taken by my grandfather and which my mother "coloured".  It was taken before my mother & father went on an overseas trip (to visit his mother) and all four kids were given one of mum & dad so we remembered what they looked like!  I have had mine on display in a duo-frame since I was given them in 1974.    Here is me as a mummy.   The Princess was being held by her father in the photo - but as he is an ex,  I have deleted the majority of him!  And here are three generations of mums,  Mum, Nan & Me; and the little Princess makes 4 generations of women in that family. My grandmother lived to be 99.  This photo was taken about 1992. I hope all mothers have a wonderful day.

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All the heavy rain and wind knocked my red rose over before I had exhausted the photo opportunities!   We staked it up this morning but the petals are pretty much ruined as are those on the white roses, except for one.  The pink roses still look ok and the yellow ones have not bloomed yet. BUT, I still have aphids!  Looks like the environmentally friendly organic seaweed soap did not work...

A few more shots of the azaleas in the National Arboretum: 

The National Arboretum is a wonderful space of 446 acres with 9.5 miles of roadway wandering through it.  It is right here in Washington DC - but you really need a car to get to it.  This last weekend we rented a car and visited on Saturday to see the azaleas which were in their flowering peak.

The Arboretum was established by an Act of Congress in 1927 and is today administered by the US Department of Agriculture and is run with a staff of 99 and about 150 volunteers.

As the only federally supported arboretum, and one of the larger arboretums in the country, the National Arboretum breeds plants for arboretums throughout the country. The Arboretum was opened to public viewings in May 1954 - primarily after high demand from the public to view the azaleas.

The Azalea Collection came about when the arboretum’s first Director, Benjamin Morrison, developed hybrids  from breeding large-flowered Indica azaleas with cold-hardy species. Between 1946 and 1948 10,000 unnamed hybrids were planted. Morrison then introduced 454 azalea cultivars.  Most of these are not available in the nursery industry. 

In the Ellipse Meadow of the Arboretum are twenty two 34' Corinthian columns - the National Capitol Columns - which were actually on the East Portico of the Capitol from 1828 - 1958. The columns are set on a foundation of stones from the steps that were on the east side of the Capitol and old identification marks from the quarry are still visible on some of the stones.

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Randoms One by One  - Number 4:  
I won a bench press competition when I was nearly 40 yo - Most Reps of 70lbs.  I did 35 reps and won a cool trophy.

Well, what can I say other than I'm a really strong girl.  One of my sisters is also strong...  maybe we share genes with Cratus.

My maximum lift was 130-140lbs  - I know that is a 10lb range but I can't remember now which it was.  I do know it was bloody heavy!  

There is a photo of me on the wall of the gym where my two sons are now members!   It must feel like I am keeping my eye on them!