*getting to know you tag*...a little sharing...

i was sent a *getting to know you tag* from one of my favourite blogging gals...
the gorgeous simone...from *the bottom of the ironing basket*

i really enjoy taking the time to answer questions posed in these *tagging* posts, as it encourages me to reflect on parts of my life, & me, in a way i don't think i'd otherwise do....

so here goes....


1} what is your favourite time of day?
i'd have to say  *very early morning*...
in australia we would be woken up by the wonderful kookaburra's that sat in the huge old gumtrees in our dead-end street...
we had no alarm set on our clock..
we had kookaburra's & sunlight...
here in the english countryside birds are sweet & quiet...& at the moment that's how i like my early mornings to be...
a cup of tea & quiet...just for a bit...& then i embrace the pounding of kiddos on the floorboards above & the production that is breakfast with smaller people....

2} where & when did you meet the love of your life?
oh he does love to be called that! ;)
i made friends with a wonderfully confident, intelligent & lovely girl when at university...
she is now my sister-in-law!
she & i quickly became great friends at uni...& i met all her family many times before coming across her *older* brother...
he of course had finished university & was doing the cool-inner-city-living-thing with his friends in sydney...
he was older, quirky & went to cool movies...
so here i am...20 years later...he's older & quirkier & we go to kids movies, but i love him more than ever...


3} what 3 words would your friends outside the blogging world use to describe you?
loyal
loving
creative

4} what country would you like to visit & why?
there are sooo many countries i am still desperate to visit...to photograph...to show our children...
but marrakech has been on our short list for a very long time...
so for my husbands birthday in december we are flying to marrakech to wander the lanes of the souqs...& to sit & watch life go by in the open air food stalls that make up the Djemaa el-Fna...
the colours of marrakech & the drama of the atlas mountains - to say we are excited is a massive understatement!


5} what is your favourite dish to cook?
with all the beautiful fresh ingredients on offer in the countryside...
along with all the skills i have acquired since moving here...
my favourite & my best meal to cook is still *sunday morning pancakes with the kiddos*...
it's about the batter....
& the giggles..
.& the flipping...
& the limes...
& the syrup...
but mostly it's about the giggles...

6} salt or suger?
quite simply both!
there in NOTHING like maldon salt on wedges of organic tomatoes...
&
there is NOTHING like chocolate tim tams on the couch with a dvd...
{for the non-aussies reading this...think THE PERFECT chocolate covered biscuit!}

7} what are your must-have make-up or beauty items?
Boot's no.7 Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum- {heaven in a bottle}
Cath Kidston Rose hand cream & cuticle cream
Burt's Bees Lip balm
ck ONE by Calvin Klein
L'Eau D'Issey by Issey Miyake

& i never leave the house without *baby-wipes*...the world's greatest pocket cloth!


8} what are your favourite flowers?
australia & england have totally opposing climates & i have favourite flowers from both...
flowers that will forever more, take my heart back to one or the other,...visually...emotionally & by their beautiful smell... 
frangipannis & hibiscus take me to my beach life...summer in australia...christmas time on the coast...
&
full blown roses & peonies will forever more take me back to days in our english garden...& vintage enamel jugs of both from our local fruit market...on our big old kitchen table...

9} what are your worst vices...honestly?
oh this one has required a fresh cup of tea!
i think i sometimes read people wrongly...
when they are not *as enthusiastic* as i about something, i feel it's *my fault*....
i've not sold it to them well enough...i've not explained something properly....
when in reality, i think i'm probably more enthusiastic about day to day stuff than others...
& i need to not expect people to react like i do...
&
whilst on a roll...
i think i probably have high expectations of my day...i could do with *just being* a little lot more!

10} at what time of your life were you happiest & why?
i think as a woman...i can't ignore that the births of our three children were indeed the  three happiest moments of my life, moments i can recall like they were yesterday...
they were totally life changing moments & are came about through such love & commitment by richard & i...
i don't necessarily stop & consider my happiness on a day to day basis, as i am, by nature, a positive happy person...
we live in positive happy way...
but i think i've reached a *time* where i can appretiate the life i have, the daily happiness i have when asked about it....
there was a time where i perhaps showed more empathy than necessary towards people who were having a *bad time*, or * a bad day*,...now i feel my happiness is something to be shared...
i think being intrinsically happy means you could pin-point the not-so-happy-moments...& i can absolutely do that.

so if you've made it through my thoughts...& you've not reached for another glass of wine or wandered off to tidy the bathroom play with the kids...thank you...
it's a bit like reading the slipcover of a new book...you either love it & *get* it...
or you pick up a book on the next shelf....
so thank you for sticking with me & this slip cover from my little book...


now...i would like to pass this *getting to know you tag* onto some lovely girls who i would like to know more about....
girls who i know i'd like to sit & have a tea with...
girls i'd like to listen to sharing their thoughts...

Laura from *a place for tea*
Maureen from *daydream living*
&
Sarah from *one perfect day*

if you feel like another pot of tea...take one over to these lovely ladies....& say *hi* from me....