Sharing My World This Week

List things or events that changed your life?

 Well, I think that the one thing that changed my life more than anything else is coming to live in Australia as a child. If I had stayed in England my whole life would have been different. I’d have gone to different schools, got a different job and visited different places. Maybe I would never have seen Australia. Certainly I would never have met David.

The other thing that journey changed about me was that it gave me a love of ships and travel which has never left me.

Castel Felice, the ship that brought my family to Australia.

Complete this sentence: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s…

A Jindvik target drone, these were operated by the Royal Australian Navy mainly for crew training exercises. This one is at the Aviation Museum in Port Adelaide.

Jindivik pilotless aircraft – Aviation museum Port Adelaide.

What genre of music do you like?

I like rock and some pop music from the sixties, seventies and eighties but I also enjoy some jazz, some blues, soul and even some classical music at times. I like musicals but not opera.  The only type of country music I can listen to is bluegrass. I find most modern music which Naomi and I have started to call “Millennial Music” quite boring and repetitious.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.

I’ve just returned home from holidays and while I’ve seen some amazing things and appreciated being able to travel and see another part of the world I think what I appreciated most was seeing my home and pets again.

Super Trees, Gardens By the Bay , Singapore

Sharing My World This Week

What is your earliest memory?

The earliest memory I have that I know is my own not something I was told is of looking down from a bridge and seeing the railway line and trains below. It was in Clacton on Sea and the bridge was on the way to the local Recreation Ground.  My grandparents lived in Clacton and we used to visit them for a week or two every summer. When I was about six or seven I was puzzled that I could no longer see the trains when we went over the bridge as the guard rail was too high for me to see over. I asked mum why this was as  I knew I had seen the trains before. Mum told me that my grandfather used to lift me up to see them when they looked after me before Naomi was born. I was two years old. I suppose it says something about me that I remember the trains but not my grandfather lifting me.

Clacton Station in more recent times courtesy of Wikemedia.

Which way does the toilet paper roll go? Over or under?

These days I’m not too fussy but it should be over so that you can do the little pointy fold at the end.

What makes you feel grounded?

I think I have a strong sense of place. I always feel grounded at home with my own things and my pets around me. I feel part of the community I live in. I don’t think I could be a transient  even though I like to travel I need a home to go back to.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

Last Friday I went to Hobart to do some errands, new shoes and a few other small things I needed for our holiday as well as getting my hair cut. When I arrived I saw that there was a cruise ship in port. Passing a local coffee shop that always welcomes cruise passengers with a chalkboard sign I discovered that it was Explorer of the Seas . It’s just over two years now since we cruised on her so after I’d done my shopping I went down to the waterfront to say hello. I have a bit of a soft spot for this ship even though we’ll soon be sailing away on a much larger one.

Explorer of the Seas, Hobart 16 March 2918.

Sharing My World This Week

If a distant uncle dies and you were always his favorite and leaves you $50,000 (any currency) in his will, what would you do?

Well first of all I’d be surprised. Secondly, I’d think how I could best put it to good use. That amount of money, while it would not buy a new house, would certainly mean we could buy a better house or do any repairs that were needed to whatever we bought.

If I didn’t need it for that I guess I’d spend some, a holiday for Naomi and I, some new toys, save some for a rainy day and give some to deserving charities or individuals. I know a couple of people that I’d love to lend a hand to if I had the means.

What sound or sounds do you love?

Birds, I really enjoy listening to the birds when I sit in the garden, the kookaburras laughing in the gum trees near my house, the little birds, wagtails, finches and so on who hide out in the apple tree and chirp away, even the harsh cries of parrots, crows, gulls and the plover family tell me that nature is all around me and are certainly better than my neighbours taste in music.

CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

taken by User:Benjamint444 using Helicon Filter.

Steam whistles on trains or boats, thunder and the sound of waves crashing onto the beach are also favourite sounds if mine.

What’s your middle name?  Why?

My middle name is now Eileen and there is s story behind that. Mum’s name was Eileen Carol and she was always known as Carol. Grandad got the names the wrong way round when he went to register the birth. I was named Eileen Vanda but always known as Vanda. I quite like the name Eileen now but as a child I got annoyed by schoolmates asking if they could call me Eileen instead of Vanda. I like my name and didn’t want to change it. When I went to apply for my first passport I was dismayed to learn it would be issued in the name of Eileen as that came first. I was eighteen and in a fit of contrariness I went and had my name changed to Vanda Eileen by deed poll so I would never suffer this annoyance again. So I am Eileen after mum and Vanda because mum wanted an unusual name and during her pregnancy read a book where the main character was called Vanda.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

Our holiday trip is drawing near now and last week we went to Hobart to pick up our tickets and other paperwork. We certainly smiled a lot about that.

Travel diary and note book, my sister knows me well.

Sharing My World This Week

What are you reading right now?

Although I have a lot of books and still enjoy reading from a real book I just bought myself a Kindle so I could carry my reading material about more easily when I’m travelling. I’ve been using a tablet but found it unsatisfactory out-of-doors where the screen is hard to see and the tablet is rather heavy to carry around in my handbag all day. I really like the Kindle, it’s small but not too small and the white screen is so easy to read from.

I’ve just finished reading  “A Boy Made of Blocks” by Keith Stuart but currently I’m reading samples of books to decide which ones I’d enjoy reading on holidays next month. Next I am planning to read some science fiction, “The Chronicles of St Mary’s” series by Jodi Taylor, some murder mysteries and a book about dogs.

What was your first adult job?

I left school at fifteen and went to work at the local branch of a suburban department store called Moore’s where I worked on the cash register.

 What’s your favourite breakfast cereal?

I like muesli but I don’t have it very often, it never seemed worthwhile buying it just for me.  Now I generally prefer toast or an egg for breakfast. In winter I enjoy  a bowl porridge for breakfast with milk and perhaps some jam on it. I will eat most cereals but generally prefer Sultana Bran, Just Right, or Nutrigrain (It looks like little cricket bats) would be my favourites of the popular cereals.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

Last week was not an exceptional week for me. No big highs or lows. Polly and Cindy made me smile with their funny little ways. They often play together and it looks funny because Cindy is so much bigger than Polly is but they have fun. They are so fond of one another and I never get tired of watching them play or watching Polly giving Cindy a wash as she does most days.

Polly frequently gives s
Cindy a wash..

Sharing My World This Week

How do you like your eggs?

I don’t have them very often but I really enjoy fried eggs cooked on both sides preferably with bacon and maybe a sausage and fried tomato or baked beans. However, a boiled egg is also a nice breakfast and I also like them scrambled on toast, poached or occasionally as an omelette.

Have you ever met anyone famous?

I haven’t met a rock star, movie star or member of the Royal Family and although there have been opportunities I usually hang back from autograph/selfie sessions with sporting stars even the ones I like. I prefer to stay in the background and take my own photos when they are doing something else. The one exception to this would be when I went to a book signing event for Australian cricketer Michael Clarke with my friends Allyson and Matt. I declined the opportunity for a selfie but I did speak to him. I think I said “Thank you. “ when he signed the book and “Pleased to meet you.” He said “Pleased to meet you too.” and managed to look as if he meant it. I sent the book to my nephew in Adelaide after I read it.

Allyson and Matt with Michael Clarke.

What was the first thing you bought with your own money?

I can’t possibly remember that! It was probably some little doll or toy at the local shop with my pocket money.

As an adult I had a ten-year period where I did not work so I do remember that after I got my job in the railways in 1987 the first thing I bought for myself was a second-hand Pentax MG SLR. I loved that camera and used it for many years. We eventually added two other Pentax cameras to our collection as well as a number of lenses and that is the main reason that when I bought a DSLR I bought a Pentax.

By Titrisol – Own work, CC BY 3.0, Link

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

Yesterday I looked out of the window and spotted the bright red feathers of a robin sitting on the fence at the bottom of the garden. Of course he flew away before I could get my camera but I do like seeing robins more than any other garden visitor.

Here’s a photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

Sharing My World This Week

Are you a practical jokester?

No, not really. Certainly Naomi and I played a few harmless pranks as kids and teens but that’s all. I think that mum must have enjoyed them when she was young too as I recall her telling us stories about short sheeting beds and similar pranks.

Who cuts your hair?  You, a friend, or professional.

I generally go to a hairdressers in Hobart where you don’t need to make an appointment. I find this convenient as I never know when I will have the time to fit in a hairdressers visit. I started going there when I first moved to Tasmania and worked in Hobart and I am a creature of habit. I don’t have a particular favourite hairdresser though.

Did you have a stuffed animal when you were a kid, if so what kind?

I had a few, the one that lasted the longest was my teddy bear, James. Mostly I preferred my dolls though

Me with my teddy bear James.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

Last week I went up to Naomi’s place to stay overnight before we set off on a trip to look at some houses. I haven’t been there for over three years but Toby and Teddy remembered me and were very excited to see me. Toby slept on my bed both nights I was there. Even Tigerwoods came over to say hello to me. Panther did not but she is like Polly and wary of strangers and I’ve never managed to make friends with her.

Here is an old picture of Toby taken when I used to visit more often.

Toby

Sharing My World This Week

What would be your ideal fantasy way to spend Monday?

If I am at home I would get any necessary chores out of the way early and then the day would be spent on hobbies, some doll photography or something doll related, rearranging, changing clothes or maybe some doll sewing. Later in the day would be for knitting, photo editing and blogging. In-between times there would be ball throwing for Cindy when she wanted it.

A day out would be getting on the road early with the camera to visit an interesting town or location, take some pictures, browse some second-hand shops and have a nice lunch somewhere.

I guess this is not really a fantasy in that these are things I actually do but it would be nice to be able to do them whenever I wanted.

The bridge at Richmond, built 1825 is possibly the oldest known stone bridge in Australia.

What one person that you are out of contact with would you like to say thank you to?

I don’t know if I can really answer this as most of the people I am out of contact with and would like to thank are gone forever. But I think they know.

List your favorite toys or games as a kid?

I had a lot of favourite toys and games at different times in my childhood. Here are some of them.

• My Triang dolls house and tiny dolls house dolls
• My Triang Hornby train set
• James, my teddy bear
• Baby dolls
• Paper dolls especially the ones from my Bunty comics
• Fashion dolls, Sindy, Tammy, Tressy and others
• Board Games: Mousetrap, Green Ghost, Scrabble, Monopoly

A Triang Hornby model railway.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week?  Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination. 

I went for an eye test last week. I hadn’t been for nearly four years and I was relieved that while my sight had deteriorated a little due to age it was not a lot worse. I appreciate my eyesight as without it I would not be able to take photographs, enjoy the beauty around me or see the faces of my family, friends and pets.

In a couple of weeks I will also be able to appreciate the world through new glasses.

The Huon River at Franklin.