Malham Cove

Yesterday we got up early, picked up Connor and headed out for a walk in the bottom of the Yorkshire Dales with our friends Robert, Dawn and their son Cameron.  It was chucking it down with rain when we first arrived and since we weren't really dressed for roughing it, (me especially, I only had two warm up jackets on over a few layers, no rain gear at all... silly girl) we waited to see if the weather would change.  The dogs were raring to go regardless of the weather.  Luckily the weather turned within 20 minutes and despite high winds we decided to go for it. 

We had our picnic when we reached the mountain top (accessed by about 200 stairs cut into the side of the cliff). Dawn did us proud with her home made Texas Corn Bread and Fidgit Pie.  Andy didn't get his camera out until we were about half way through the walk but the pictures he did get were amazing;  I would do this breath-taking hike again in a heart-beat.

The boys, heading into the Gordale Scar:

Me & Dawn

Cameron, Connor, Me and Dawn

Gordale Scar (much more impressive in reality):

Connor under the lower falls; it was a major task to get that far believe it or not!

Taking a coffee break:

Me and Dawn:

And because I love this one so much,

Me and Dawn again (this was up by Gordale Scar):

Can't wait for the next hike!

Fortuitous

Yesterday was again a fairly busy day at work; rather than being out front I was in one of the offices out back when my colleague walked in with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in a vase, full of fuchsia Gerbera’s (my absolute favourite) roses, carnations and greenery. She asked if there was a reason I might be getting a bunch of flowers. I thought about it and figured that they might be from my husband (most of you know what a brilliant giver of flowers my husband is). However I opened the card and read the words ‘Because you’re worth it’ signed from my boss (who happens to be a great friend as well). I almost made a fool of myself and cried (sadly, I’ve been turned into a bit of cry baby lately. Ok, ok... I lie, I’ve always been a bit of a cry baby when the situation calls for it.) Needless to say it’s been a tough few weeks and this made my week so much brighter


As I was looking at the flowers I looked down at my wrist to see the beautiful silver (and not in-expensive) bracelet from Links of London that was given to me last Friday by my very dear friend; she said it was because I’ve been such a supportive and true friend over the last few years that she wanted to treat me (she’s recently come into some money). I was floored by this complete and utter act of generosity and kindness on her behalf. Two gifts in less than a week… I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve it but boy do I seem to have people fooled. I has however re-affirmed that I can’t be as bad as one young man is trying to make me out to be. Not that I need validation, not at all. I know that boy has had it good in my house (as does he, and w hen he stops being so pissed off and consumed with self pity, he might just remember… it’s not like we beat him every Tuesday and fed him raw liver and kidneys – we only did that for one year people ;)

I have been so lucky over the years to have met and been loved so many amazing people. Like my mother, I never had problems making friends, and most of them have stayed in my life over the years. I worried when I had to leave them all behind when I moved over here, but my worries were unfounded. I have retained my friendships from back home, and I have met even more friends since I’ve lived here… true friends, those that I can count on to be there when I need them, especially when I need a laugh or a big drink (real friends don’t let you drink alone.) Because I have no family of my own over here (Andy’s are great of course) some of my closest friends have filled that role. They too, know that I would be there for them in a heartbeat if they called. Give and take, that’s what relationships are meant to be. You know your friends are like family when you can turn up at their door at 1 am, dog in tow, manic and half-crazed and they don’t slam the door in fear of the nutter outside.

When I think about all the relationships I have formed over the last twenty years, and more recently the last seven, I can’t help but feel lucky. Some people only form one or two close friendships in their lifetime. I have surpassed this by the dozen. Seriously; and that’s not counting all the brilliant people I’ve met through cyberspace, who are out there supporting each other every day; often making us laugh with their amusing prose.

As previously mentioned, I can thank my mom for this because she has passed on so much to me, (not just my damn overbite). I’ve often been told how like my mom I am, how like the Antle girls (whom are now all well over 50 and also all blessed cursed with the same jaw) I am… not just in looks but in many other ways. And I wouldn’t have it any other way, even with the imperfect teeth and freckles.

Angry All The Time...

I’ve been away for awhile and have pretty much abandoned the 30 Day Challenge. I’m sorry for this as I was enjoying it, but life just has a habit of getting in the way of my fun. And life hasn’t been fun these last few weeks at Casa Del McAllenby, despite the fact that we are now the owners of a hot tub (the timing couldn’t have been better- what a great stress buster!)

Let me give you a summary of what’s been going on in my world:

An angry teenager and an fed up 44 year old man lashing out at each other; said angry teenager taking too many liberties and pushing it too far; maybe it’s his pride, more likely his anger but things have reached a point where going back and building bridges is going to take more work than any of us is willing to contemplate right now. At this stage I think the 2012 Olympic prep will be sorted before we all are.

All of the above has shown me that although ‘I’ve done my very best, and have always tried to be fair, it means jack shit at the end of the day. I’ve also realized that my mum and mum-in-law have been right all along… although children bring you much joy, the heartache they bring is tenfold; No breakup with a friend or man has ever caused me this much strife. You could kick my teeth out and it wouldn’t hurt as much. I’ve known a lot of teenagers in my time, hell I’ve been one, but I have never seen this kind before. And I’m done trying to reason, it’s exhausting. Both his dad and are just plain tired.  So the doors have been closed (by mutual agreement) and only time will tell what happens next. 

All of that craziness aside, work has been manic and Molly hasn’t been well; she came down with some skin ailment that had her scratching so much she had a bald patch. Luckily medication has seemingly rectified the situation.

I’ve managed to keep up with all of my favourite blogs though, even if I don’t always comment; it’s a welcome distraction to read about other families that aren’t full to the brim with dysfunction; and for those of you who have your various struggles, its often soothing to know we aren’t alone.

In terms of the gym, I have been doing ok although I’ve been avoiding the treadmill … however after the stunt aforementioned teen pulled yesterday, a run last night was just the therapy I needed. There’s nothing like a good dose of frustration to get me running on the treadmill after months of avoiding it.

I'm taking back my life today and I'm going to have some fun if it kills me.  I don't know if many of you know this, but in less than a month my only brother is coming to stay for awhile and that is what I'm going to focus on.  No more gloomy posts, I promise.

I Followed Her Around

I hope Mom's and mother-figures all over America and Canada had a great Mother's Day on Sunday full of love, laughter and joy; I know for each of you it was different in your own way.

As most of you who follow me probably realize, Mother's Day in the UK was in April this year. 

After a lot of thought, I've finally decided to tell you how my Mother's Day went down.  It was 8:30 in the morning and Molly started growling, which is unusual so I got up to see who might be outside and saw two police officers about to knock on our door.

Immediately I knew it was going to be about Alex (even a step-mother can sense these things, especially when it hasn't been an easy year) and was immediately relieved to see his car parked on the drive;  he was at least home safe.  What was to follow was not going to leave me breathing so easily and would have me reaching for the wine by lunchtime - yes you read that correctly but in my defence I was at lunch with a friend.)  Alex hasn't done anything to get in trouble with the law, please don't think we are raising a delinquent.  Alex has been making some poor choices lately and one of them primarily involves a silly girl.  She is the one who sent the police to our house, and has made countless accusations against him to all their friends, and finally to the police. Because of her (and yes, his bad judgement with the ladies) I had a less than desirable Mother's Day.  I know I'm not Alex's natural mother, but hey... give me a break here.  I don't think anyone would want to wake up to the police at 8:30 am on Mothering Sunday. Breakfast in bed served with Buck's Fizz would have been much more preferable; hell, having my hair pulled out of my head strand by strand would have pained me less.  The first six month's of my life in this country was spent dealing with the police constantly knocking at my door due to Andy's ex making (proven) false allegations about him.  A period in our life that we would like to forget, not be reminded of. 

Andy's ex wasn't a mixed up teenage girl which probably makes it worse (depending on your perspective), and has certainly never apologised;  apologies aside, it is still not excusable behaviour to make up lies about a young man and try to ruin his reputation and everything he is working to achieve.  Alex has taken this girl back into his life, despite a number of other issues that should have him running a mile (however I won't talk about that due to his privacy) and he cannot understand why I'm so disappointed by it all and won't accept the girl in my life, never mind my home (which I had been doing, up until the week prior to Mother's Day, despite my concerns about her behaviour.) I thought our boy was so much smarter but as they say, love is blind.  I prefer moronic. 

I've told him to give me time, that if it works out between them and they make it through the next few months without any drama then I might start to see that she is changing and perhaps we can start from there.  But that is all I'm willing, or able to give and I don't think that is unfair.  He however is not in agreement. 

I normally try to stay away from posting about family issues, however as I keep saying to Alex, this isn't just about him anymore.  That changed the day his girlfriend sent the police to our home.  This page is mine to talk about the issues that I'm going through that I might want to get off my chest.  It's my form of therapy because as much as I'm tempted to, I can't always turn to wine; I would be constantly sloshed these days and what kind of example would that set?    I won't be pressured and manipulated into accepting someone who I am not ready to - and I won't hear talk about how I'm not being a mother to him because I won't immediately forgive and accept the girl he has chosen..  No way; one day when he has a child of his own, I'm sure he will see it differently.  Or perhaps he won't - he might be a very different kind of parent.  But I doubt it. Most of us thought our parents were full of crap when we were 18 years old.

However I always listened to one thing my mom said:  Do not waste your time wanting someone who doesn't want you, or doesn't respect you, because I am better than that.  My mom was right.  I did deserve better and I didn't settle for less. That at least, was one piece of mom's advice that managed to sink in.  I really hope that someday Alex feels the same way.

I read another blog regularly, written by a woman whose opinions I really respect and admire.  She has such a way with words and can combine wit and humour effortlessly when discussing something seriously.  JennyMac really nailed it when she talked about the relationship between parent and child on her Mother's Day post over at Let's Have a Cocktail; (Is it ironic how a number of us bloggers give reference to alcoholic beverages in our blog titles?) I will be curious to see how her writing changes as her pre-schooler grows into a teen...

Day 27: A picture of where you're from.

Beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia

Day Twenty-Six: A Picture From One Of The Greatest Days Of Your Life

This photo was taken by one of my (many) dear friends just prior to 4 pm on a beautiful day.

I always thought I would elope but when I moved across the ocean I knew that the only way I wanted to marry Andy was surrounded by those pictured with me (and the 72 other family and friends not in the photo).  I love how Stacy's arm is in sync with mine, even though you can't really see her).  There were at least four more of my friends in the room at that particular time.  I loved that moment in my life and this unexpected photo Roisin took. 

I loved that day, even if it is stereotypical. 

Day 25: One of Your Most Prized Possessions

Sometimes I wonder if Andy and I were always meant to be together.  When he talks about life in his early 20's, a time when he was running a pub in Lincoln with hopes and dreams of working his way up to one day  actually owning his own pub, whilst discovering he had a baby on the way with his then partner, I often smile and think that we really were worlds apart.  While he was already living quite an experienced and adult life in England, I was still only a teenager living in Nova Scotia, trying to figure out what courses to take for my last year in school, babysitting for my family and the multitude of neighbourhood kids.  Oh, and of course I can't forget partying whenever I could (which probably contributed to my choosing the the incorrect courses - I should have taken general math but that is a whole other story for another day... or perhaps not, let's just say math and I were not friends and leave it at that.) 

So... let me get back on track:  I never would have thought our two worlds would collide and nearly 10 years on, that I would be here in England, married to this man who had such a different life than me.

Andy and I met in January of 2002 and became friends first before realizing we had a real attraction for each other. The story of how we got together isn't an easy one.  I don't think either one of us was looking for the great love of our lives.  I know I sure wasn't - I had just finished a long-term relationship and the thought of entering another was not top of my list of priorities.  Andy's timing certainly wasn't the greatest either but I guess fate had other ideas.  By that August we were both heavily immersed with each other and neither one of us was looking forward to the day in September when his contract was due to finish.  Andy took me out one day in late summer and bought me a beautiful sapphire ring.  It wasn't hugely expensive but he wanted to leave me with something that proved how much he cared about me and the time we had spent together.  I accepted the ring (rightly or wrongly) and told him that if he made the decision to never come back I would understand - long distance is hard, especially when there are children involved.  A few weeks later he rang me to tell me he wasn't ready to let it end and that he would be coming to see me as soon as possible.  I cried with a multitude of joy and fear for what the future would bring.

A few months later I was working out at the gym downtown and upon getting home (1/2 hour away) I discovered I had left my ring on a machine at the gym.  I was mortified at this and rang the gym immediately with absolutely no luck; it hadn't been turned in.  After talking to my friend who'd been working out with me, we decided to take a drive back in and look for it ourselves, just in case (without much hope.) Andy happened to call just before I left the house and I was in such a state he'd thought someone had died.  He laughed when I was able to relay what had happened and commented that it was just a ring, he could always get me another. That wasn't the point.  I wanted my ring... it meant too much to just dismiss.

My friend and I got into the city and practically ran through the shopping centre to the gym where the smiling girl behind the reception desk put me out of my misery straight away by producing the ring.  Someone had turned it in earlier, however she hadn't looked in the right place when I had called.  She'd found it when we were on the way in.  I could have kissed her through my tears of disbelief.

I still wear my sapphire on the ring finger of my left hand.  Although we were married two years later, I hardly ever wear my wedding ring as both of them together give me a rash.  I could wear it on my other hand but it's always been on my left hand and so I chose to keep it there.  My wedding ring is important to me, but the sapphire means so much more.  My husband understands this completely and is ok with the fact that I chose to wear it over the wedding ring (which I do wear on vacations and special occasions).  I love him for this... for the fact that he gets me and the reasons why I make some of the choices I do (well most of the time ;) 

I have another possession that means the world to me, but one story is enough :)

Day 24: Something Embarrassing in Your Room

Well.  First of all let me apologize for being so absolutely rubbish at this challenge.  It was supposed to be done in 30 days, give or take 2 or 3 yet here I am well over month since day one and I still haven't finished. Do you care?  Perhaps not. Perhaps you find this boring and wish I would get back to the regularly scheduled program that is my life. But then again, I don't think all six of my readers find my life any more captivating than the truths that are being revealed on this challenge.  But who knows?  I don't.  The only certainties I have in my life is that I'm going to enjoy a glass of wine tonight and that my dog adores me.  Somebody has to ;)

So.... back to something emarrassing in my room:

I have a bedside table in my room that looks pretty crappy due to the fact I put a glass of water on it every night without a coaster.  Because of this bad behaviour the paint has chipped off the inexpensive wood and it thoroughly needs a paint job;  Or throwing in the bin.  I try to cover it up with books whenever I know a visitor will be in my room... but since the only visitors to my room are usually friends or sisters who come up to try on clothes or practice hair-styles I try not to let it bother me too much.  Besides they too are usually so full of wine that they wouldn't notice anyway.  The only othe person who ventures into my room is my sister-in-law when she wants to give me the baby, or have a shower in our ensuite, and frankly she is so tired I don't think she'd notice if there was a hairy gorilla stood in the corner.

Now my husband thinks I was going to blog about the suitcase full of 'toys' under my bed, but sorry I'm a 38 year old married woman who likes her playthings.  I think the only one who'd need to be embarrassed about finding them is the one who is snooping where they shouldn't be.

Day 23: Favourite Video

I don't really watch a lot of videos but I do love the video for Love The Way You Lie by Eminen and Rhianna.  

Day 22: A picture of me on this day

Sorry I've been remiss in this challenge.  I had intended to use a picture of myself from the brilliant 13 mile hike in the Peak District we did on Sunday.  However I was too tired when we got back home to post.  I can only sum up my lack of motivation over the last days as just that:  lack of motivation.  Nothing else.

So here you have it, a photo of me on this day.  I'm at work and took a minute to try and get a quick shot on my smart phone.  It's not of my face because sadly, my face isn't up to having a good picture taken today.

Day 21: Favourite Movie Quote

I don't particularly have any stand out quotes that I remember from certain movies.  Of course there are a few quotes that I immediately recognize upon hearing like 'I'll Be Back' and 'I See You'. 

However one quote that I do love comes from one of my favourite movies: 'I have a degree in ass wiggling mate'.  The film is The Full Monty. 

Thinking about this quote made me remember a funny story, one that I will share with you.  I apologise to those of you who've heard it before or might not find it as amusing as I do.

One of the pictures I’ve posted below is from my cousin Nancy’s wedding. I was 18 and I loved a good time, perhaps too much, but that is another story. I really enjoyed myself at Nancy’s wedding and can remember dancing the night away with my cousins and sisters. I remember going home that night with my cousins Wayne and Glen (who came down from St. John’s for the event) and how we stopped and got Chinese, eating it ravenously in Wayne’s truck, like we hadn’t just had a big dinner earlier that night.


I don’t often get to see my cousin’s who live in St. John’s and weddings have always been a great way to see the newfie contingent. They might not all come to the same weddings, but you can guarantee my Aunt Nita will be at every wedding and at least one or two of her children.

The first summer that I went home after being in the UK found me down at my cousin Sharon’s. She had called me to say that her sister Nancy and Nancy’s husband Wayne (not the one I drove home from the wedding with) decided to watch their wedding video as it was their anniversary and they all thought I should come over as they had something to show me that I might find amusing. They skipped over much of the wedding itself to the reception. We did of course stop and watch a few moments of my Nan talking to the cameraman and whoever was behind the scenes. It brought tears to my eyes to see my Nan alive and talking and we all had a few moments of reminiscing over our Nan.

They moved on to the video of the party. This is where I'm not sure if my reaction was more shocked, pleased or mortified;  the guy they hired to video their wedding reception spent more time videoing my wriggling arse as I danced, than anything else. And from the look of me I didn't seem bashful about this at all, seemingly trying to feign ignorance of the man behind me with a video camera when it was blatantly apparent I knew exactly what he was doing.  Thankfully Nancy and her husband have a sense of humour and could see the amusing side of it. Although I’m sure it’s not what they had in mind when they hired a videographer to film the most momentous day of their lives…

I was also amused to see my youngest sister cropping up all over the video, her 8 year old self trying to grab the camera’s attention wherever she could. It wasn’t a surprise that she was with my cousin Nancy (not the bride; obviously some members of our family have trouble choosing unique names) who has never been introverted, however I had always remembered Stacy being shy. This particular video sure put that myth to bed… (Seems it was a glimpse into the confident young woman she has grown into… not shy, just quiet, that is until you know her.)

Tawny posted a picture of herself with Nanny from that long ago wedding on her 30 Day Challenge; it seems like most of us have good memories from that particular wedding. But then again I have to honestly say I’ve enjoyed most of the family weddings I’ve been to. I love being surrounded by my big extended and sometimes completely nutty, family.

Day 20: A 10+ Year Old Photo of Me

When I was last home in February I decided it was time enough to go through some old photos and bring a few back to the UK with me. I wanted to find some pictures of me that proved I used to be much heavier, off and on, throughout my 20's. I was also hoping to find an old album of mine with photos of me and my siblings from much younger days but I have no idea what I've done with it.  It wasn't with all my other albums, which has me a little worried. I'm sure I will find it the next time I go home: fingers crossed at least...  There are a few pictures out of that album I wanted, in particular one of me and Stacy when I was 14 and she wasn't quite two. We are sledding in the back yard and I love it.

However I did manage to bring back a few of my favourites. 

So tonight I've poured myself a glass of wine, turned on some music and am taking a walk down memory lane.

I've chosen this picture first because I only spoke with Cat yesterday and am feeling nostalgic for her.

This picture was taken in Newark Airport after about 5 shots of tequila (each).  I was 23 and Catherine was 22 and boy were we about to embark on an adventure: 

My brother John, Tawny and Me (fat face :) I think I was 24 here...

Dawn, Me & Tawny (Maybe I was 22 here?)

 

My cousin Denise and I at another cousin's wedding.  I was only 18 and so proud of my hair.

The picture quality isn't very good as it's a picture of a picture but you get the idea I'm sure.

I don't have a picture that's 10+ old of me and Andy because we have just reached our 9th year together.  I know it won't seem like any time though and another ten years will have passed.  We have so many pictures already from our life together and I can't wait to take a thousand more... 

Number 19: Something that made me smile today

My mom has never really shown much interest in the computer, or more importantly the internet.


In recent years she learned how to use the internet to access the local newspapers or check the status of library books. Other than that, Mom said she wasn’t interested in much else.

When I was home in February I finally convinced her to let me set up an email account. I walked her through the steps and she sat down to compose her first email with me there beside her. She was painfully slow with typing but I encouraged her to not let it be a deterrent, in time she would get the hang of it.

And get the hang of it she has. I receive an email from my mom at least three times a week, if not more. I always try and take the time to write something back, after all I can type miles faster than my mom and she deserves a response after taking the time to compose such thoughtful emails. I know that it isn’t just me she is emailing either, she sends messages to all of her children, even the ones that live in the same house with her; each one composed individually.

Mom’s subject lines are usually one liner’s that simply say ‘love’ or ‘miss you’. Most people, myself included, rarely put something in the subject line, never mind something so kind-hearted or sweet.

Whenever I receive an email from my mom (like today, subject line: best aunty) I can’t help but smile. I know it makes my siblings smile too – how can it not?

Day 18: Favourite Board Game

I come from a family that grew up playing games.  Many a Saturday night found us playing the Game of Life, and because I have such fond memories of this evening when we all gathered to laugh and spin the wheel of life, I had to purchase my own edition when I moved to England. 

However my all time favourite board game is:

It's probably for sentimental reasons that this is my favourite game, as it makes me think of my sisters. When we play together we are unbeatable.  My husband shakes his head in amazement at just how good we are, especially when we are on the same team. My sister's husband says doesn't like playing it with us because we play it wrong, but we don't.  We are not cheaters at board games (unlike my husband's family who also love board games :) It is because we know each other so well we can make each other guess the answer much easier than people who don't know each other so well. 

Top 2 on my list of favourite board games:

The little characters are almost as fun as the game...

Andy's family love to play games too which makes get together's at ours even more enjoyable.

Day 17: A Childhood Photo

I don't have any childhood photos with me in England and had to 'borrow' from my sister as luckily the photos she posted on her challenge include me :)

This is a picture of me and my little sister in my aunty's bathtub. 

No trouble to tell which one of us was fed on Carnation Milk eh? 

I still have the shoulders and arms of a linebacker. 

Day 16: Future Tattoos

I currently have two tattoos.

The first is a tribal sun on the middle of my lower back. I was 29 years old before I had my body permanently inked. There is a meaning behind this tattoo that is shared between my husband and I. I’ve never regretted it for a moment.

I’ve always known that I was going to have a little lady bug on the top of my left foot, down near my baby toes, long before I even had the sun tattooed on my back. Because I couldn’t find a place that inked feet in Nova Scotia or Toronto I had to give up. However I found a really good artist here in Grimsby and three years ago went for it. It’s a dainty little tattoo, a vibrant red which I love. I enjoy looking at and admiring it when I’m barefoot or in flip flops. I only had a moment’s hesitation afterwards, when I wasn’t too sure about how it looked in certain heels but I soon got over it. I seldom get dressed for an ‘occasion’ and when I do, I make sure I choose a pair of shoes that cover it, or make it work.

I have always thought about one more (they are addictive, it’s true) that I would love to have on my inner right wrist. And then I would be finished. I have never wanted ink on any other parts of my body and I never get a tattoo before I have thought long and hard about it. I know if I were to go ahead with it then that would be it. Of course because I’m not 100% certain of what I want, I am leaving my wrist bare for now.

Day 15: Current Job (this was originally 'grades' however I'm not in school)

When I left Nova Scotia to move to England I not only had to leave behind loads of family and friends but also a workplace that I really enjoyed. Did I get paid a lot of money? Not overly. Was the job dynamic? Not really (there was too much minute taking involved for my liking). Did I work with a great bunch of people? You bet I did. As well, I had an awesome boss who taught me a lot, one who showed understanding and whom I could also share a laugh with; but most importantly she was someone who became my friend and still is.

I believed that I would never be able to score myself such a job again. I was wrong. I know... you are all probably gasping for your breath because I seldom admit that I’m wrong. It's something I rarely have to admit to because I usually never am. (Husband, you can stop shaking your head, the £100 you had to pay up last week is proof of this).

I’ve held a couple of positions since moving here, one in particular that I thought was gold, however it turned out to be a disappointing lump of coal. I can only sum it up as easy money and take away what I learned, which wasn’t much other than how to comfort distressed colleagues and dodge office politics.

In July of 2009 I started my first full time job since leaving Nova Scotia with the local psychology service for adults with a learning disability. After I initially got my head around working all day Monday-Friday it soon became obvious that the small team of seven that I am the administrator for is an amazing group of people and the service we provide locally is second to none. I’m honoured to be part of such a well-respected team who offer such a valuable service to the community. I have developed friendships that I think will last a lifetime and have managed to find another boss who is kind, understanding and thinks I’m a star. How I’ve managed to delude this very intelligent woman (and the rest of the team) is beyond me but I’m not looking my gift horse in the mouth. No way.

I honestly enjoy my work. Yes, it’s a lot of admin, but after 15 years, I am kind of a rock star in that department (most days anyway). I love the clients we work with, I’m up to the challenges I’m faced with, I respect and admire the team and best of all, really feel like I belong.

So much so, that I have a really hard time when I think of leaving my position even if it means going back to Canada some day. I’m tired of starting new jobs, and let’s face it, I'm not someone who is constantly striving to move up a level. Management and all its accompanying stress doesn’t appeal to me. I like being able to go home at quitting time and leave my work at work (most days anyway ;)

I have to admit that short of moving back to Canada (which isn’t on the books for awhile yet) I will hopefully have no reason to leave.

Day 14: Favourite Purchase Ever Made

I don't like to sum the best thing we have ever brought into our home as a 'purchase', however the fact is, she cost £450.  Without a doubt nothing compares to our Molly.

Look how absolutely adorable she was:

She has grown into the loveliest little lab, so good and gentle.  Quirky and odd at times;  Definitely a mama's  girl. 

But so worth every penny :) Nothing material will ever compare.

Day 13: Favourite Memory

I have more good memories stored up than bad ones. I know this isn’t always the case so trust me, I’m aware that I have been blessed in this life.

Of course I have a whole stash of memories from childhood to choose from, and loads more to choose from in more recent years, which is another blessing, because the first year I moved over here is chock full of unsettling memories that I keep in the ‘archived shelves’ of my brain. Thankfully they are outnumbered by the good times.

Seeing England for the first time is high on my list; as is the year Stacy was visiting us and we went to meet our pup Molly when she was only a few weeks old (I was in disbelief that she was really going to be mine);

Never mind the day we brought her home… I was so over the top in love and how can one forget that feeling?

Of course the day I married Andy surrounded by 76 of our nearest and dearest is pretty high on my list.

And the moment I watched my Mom and Aunt Nita walk through arrivals in the Spring of 2009 was a momentous event and I will never forget the surreal feeling that they were really here with me.

I think my most favourite of memories was made while we were on honeymoon in Kefalonia:

Andy and I had hired a boat for the day and as we motored along the coast, stopping at various beeches, I constantly had my eyes peeled for dolphins, with not much luck. Andy had long since given up and suggested I do the same. It was late afternoon and time to head back for the day. I was at the wheel and of course still looking around. I caught sight of movement out of the corner of my eye and immediately steered left. About 40 feet away was a group of dolphins! As we arrived at the location where I thought I’d seen them and stopped the engine I was in absolute disbelief to see about six dolphins swimming around us. I had been worried that they would just continue on to wherever it was they had been going but, no they stayed for about 15 minutes and frolicked around us, giving us our own private show.

  

This is the only half decent photo we managed to get (since we didn't have the good camera at that time)

It was absolutely amazing and I will not ever forget the feeling I had that day. I think it meant even more because we were out there all on our own with these beautiful mammals.

Number 12: Where Your Family is From

Like my sister, I know little about the place where my dad and his family hail from. I know it was a working farm somewhere in the wilds of Alberta. When my dad was a youth of 17 he joined the navy and sailed away and never moved back. I have no memories of my father’s hometown as I’ve never been there.

I was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland into a family of strong women. My mother is one of eight, six girls and two boys. Funnily enough the boys were situated on either side of the six girls. They attended a two room school not far from where they lived, in the fishing village of Fox Cove.

As my mother was single when I was born, she moved back to live with my Nan in Fox Cove around the time I was approximately three months old; she went back to work in the hospital, and I stayed with my Nanny.

Nanny and I forged such a close bond that when my mother decided to move to Halifax, Nova Scotia, my Nan couldn’t bear the thought of losing me and made the decision to re-locate herself. (I love it when my Aunt tells me this story). It was a move that couldn’t have been easy for her since Halifax was such a ‘big’ city and she was from such a small village.

(This is a picture of Fox Cove as you would have approached Nan's house, the beach is just down the hill and to the right.  We use to go to the church when visiting Nan)

So... we made the move to Nova Scotia and initially lived with one of my other aunt’s.

Nanny went back to stay in her house in Fox Cove during the summer months and sometimes we were lucky enough to take family vacations and spend a few weeks there with her. My sisters and I loved the big old house where my mom grew up; it had four bedrooms upstairs that had the most amazing cast-iron beds and old fashioned chamber pots. Nan’s kitchen was huge; my favourite features were the old wood stove and the ‘day’ bed over near the window. I loved laying on that bed while Nan pottered about the kitchen and I think the reason why I love the song Sonny’s Dream so much is because it used to play on the radio in Nanny’s kitchen which was on a shelf above that bed.

(This is a very old picture of my Nan's house... I'm told that the people on the road are likely my Nanny and Poppy.  This brought tears to my eyes, naturally)

It was only in later years that Nanny had a toilet installed under the stairway, however there was never a bathtub/shower in that house. Hard enough, I’m sure, on my Nan when she was raising her kids, yet that was the way things were back then. As my sister mentioned in her blog challenge, mom used to have to take me and my two sisters up the hill to a family friend to give us a bath; she never once complained about the inconvenience. I myself never go back to my mom’s home and complain about how she only has the one bathroom (we have three) and there are four of us, plus Mom, Dad, my siblings and whomever else happens to be there to stay, because compared to what my mom had to put up with, it’s small potatoes.

As I said earlier, I come from a long line of strong women that dates back to my great-grandmother. If you want to read about her story, you can read Tawny’s post here.

Sadly, the last time we visited Nanny’s home in Fox Cove was when I was 18. It was a good trip and I managed to spend time with friends and family that I used to play with on those long ago visits when we were much younger; the children of my mother’s friends. (I reckon my brother and littlest sister would barely remember this trip. It’s strange to think they have such different memories than me, Tawny and probably Sandra). The house has now been torn down (how saddening) and I haven’t been back to Fox Cove since. I plan to rectify this in future years; I want to revisit the beach we used to play on, and climb the hill to the cemetery where my grandparents and great Aunt Minnie and Uncle Stan are buried. I want Andy to see the wild beauty of the area where my ancestors lived and worked, where we still have family.

The beach across from Nanny's where we used to watch the the fishermen in the morning.

I’m proud of my Newfoundland roots and always smile when I’m told that I’m just like the Antles.

(I have a lot of pictures from when we were little, a few from Fox Cove maybe, but none here in the UK.  It is thanks to my friend Jason, who grew up in Fox Cove, that I was able to publish these photos.  I can't thank him enough (and his relative who had some of these photos.)

I had to publish this photo too, because it's absolutely stunning and I was never lucky enough to see Fox Cove in the winter:

Day 10: Favourite Outfit and Day 11: Recent Picture of Yourself (Yes I've combined two again, I'm way behind in this challenge)

This weekend past found Andy and I in London with our friends Robert and Dawn.  Dawn wanted to share her 50th with us and we were happy to oblige her. It was a fabulous weekend full of extravagance and champagne fueled delights. It wasn't like any other visit I've made to London (and many of these trips have been memorable for various reasons) and I honestly say I think it's spoiled me for any other weekends that might be spent in the Big Smoke.  It was absolutely amazing and because the four of us travel so well together, we intend to to it again next year.  Maybe not the same city, but the same sort of mini-break, for sure. 

  

A trip to the theatre followed by cocktails at The Savoy (one of the most stunning hotels I've ever been in) gave us the opportunity to wear my most favourite outfit at the moment.  I have only worn it twice, because it's not 'practical' but by God it makes me feel a million dollars;  like no other outfit I wear.  It's a blue dress kindly loaned to me by my baby sister and my hot pink, high heels that I absolutely adore.

And here is a very recent picture of me taken with Dawn

(on the Friday night before Les Mis)

I think we both look awesome if I say so myself... and no way does my gorgeous friend look 50 eh?

Of course I have a couple of favourite 'every day' outfits but I thought this was much more interesting. 

Here is another recent picture of us where I'm in one of my other favoured ensembles:

Nothing like a great glass of champagne in St Pancras Station next to the Eurostar, how dreadfully civilized.

 (I will do a photo blog soon of our London trip, as requested :)

 

Days 8 & 9 Combined (a picture of my room & favourite flower)

I love Gerbera’s. Especially a single one in a simple little vase, or a bunch of multi-coloured ones clumped together in a big vase on a tabletop. I think they give a burst of joy to any arrangement of flowers they are added to and I love how they come in such vibrant colours.

However at this time of year I like nothing better than a big bunch of tulips in my kitchen or, like at the moment a handful of daffodils on my dining room table. Nothing says spring is here like tulips and daffodils and at the moment, these gorgeous flowers are springing up all over the town. It’s truly my most favourite time of the year in England, spring.

Because I don’t feel like taking a picture of my ‘room’, (I'm assuming this would be my bedroom and as it's a little untidy at the moment) I’m going to blend challenge 8 (A Picture of Your Room) and 9 (Favourite Flower) and post a picture of our dining room, because not only are we pleased with the way we have chosen to decorate it, it features a bunch of fresh cut daffodils. 

I don't know about you all, but I'm ready for spring.

Day Seven: Favourite TV Show

Warning: this a compilation of sorts.

One of my favourite TV shows ever is linked with one my favourite memories of my Nan. I’ve mentioned before on this site that I used to spend many a Saturday night with my grandmother watching the Golden Girls. I baby-sat a lot for my aunt and because Nanny lived there it worked out well because not only did I get some extra money, it was an added bonus to spend time with my Nan whilst we nearly cried with laughter over the antics of the blue-rinse brigade. That show had a charm about it that many struggle to find these days. It makes me sad that Betty White is the only Golden Girl left, although I adore her strength of character and ability to still make me laugh at the age of 89. My grandmother would be proud of Betty.

I was a late comer to the Sex and the City Phenomenon but let me tell you, when I moved over here and realized it was on every night, I was quickly converted. I love everything about that program and never tire of re-runs.

I only own one full box set of a series, and this of course is Six Feet Under. SFU is probably one of the best shows in the history of television; the only disappointing factor for me was Season 3, it started to lose me throughout the first six episodes or so. Thank God I persevered. What definitely makes this the best series for me to date besides the writing and acting is the way they ended the show. I have never, ever seen a finale that has left me with such an emotive response. It was absolute brilliance and so in keeping with the format of the whole show.

My favourite current program is another show that I was a late comer to, yet isn’t surprising as it’s by the creator of Six Feet Under… True Blood. I kid you not. I’ve loved vampire lore since long before Buffy or Twilight ever came on the scene (both of which I am not a fan of… sorry. I’ve tried but Bella makes me want to drive a stake through my own heart). I soaked up all the Anne Rice books and respective films, and adored The Lost Boys; I used to sit in my room and listen to the Lost Boys record dreaming of Kiefer Sutherland. A friend suggested I check out True Blood after she heard I was a Supernatural fan. She assured me it was the best ‘supernatural’ show going, much better than Vampire Diaries (which I don’t watch) and even Supernatural, which I love to watch if for no other reason than the beauty of Sam and Dean Winchester (don’t ask me to chose between them because I won’t). My friend was right… I love it and I hope it goes the distance and doesn’t end after four or five seasons like so many favoured shows have done in recent years.

A few of my other favourite shows are/have been:

Dexter (this could tie for first place, seriously)
Grey’s Anatomy
Lost (although it ran away from its viewers at times)
Prison Break
3rd Watch (One of my biggest disappointments was missing the final season due to my move to Britain).
Men in Trees (I was so annoyed this was cancelled after two seasons)

High on my list of shows to embrace are: Mad Men (I have the first season) and Modern Family.

Day Six: Favourite Song (and no its not Super Freak)

I'm kind of looking forward to getting past the first 3rd of this challenge as so many of the questions are about 'favourites' and I have a hard enough time deciding what I'm going to wear in the morning and although I do have a lot of clothes, I don't have nearly as many clothes as I do choice in music, food, movies or books.

I'm not the only one with more than a few favourite songs.  I think we all have a certain song or two, when upon hearing it will be transported back to a moment in time that we had forgotten all about.  Last year when I was home with mom for her lumpectomy, I introduced Stacy to Florence and the Machine.  One of my all time favourite songs from last year is this amazing band's 'You've Got the Love'.  We listened to that song so much that it reached a point where if I began to belt out the opening line, Stacy would follow with the 2nd verse and before long, Mom was piping in with the verse 'you've go the love I need to see me through...'  The song was meaningful for so many reasons and I will always smile when I hear it.  Always. 

Mr. Jones by Counting Crows always takes me back approximately 17 years ago to a fun night at a friends house, one where my sister had unexpectedly joined us.  Tawny was never a very big party girl (not in my presence anyway) and I can still remember her sitting on the couch, drink in hand chatitng with whomever was next to her; when the opening bars of this song began to play, she started swaying to the music and singing along and from that moment seemed more at ease and began to start enjoying herself. I love that song if for no other reason than it makes me think of her.

You just need mention 'Faith' by George Michael and I feel like calling my friend Cat.  That's a story for just me and her though ;)

As with my sister's favourite choice in song for her challenge over at  Five Days in May, Blue Rodeo is and always has been one of my favourite groups.  I adore Jim Cuddy's voice and can listen to him for hours.  A few of my best loved songs are sung by this guy.  My most favourite though, hands down, is Bad Timing.  I adore this song. For many different reasons.  As soon as I hear the opening bars, the hair on my arms stand up. It's beautiful and special to me for a variety of reasons.

Two other songs that tie for second place are:  Concrete Blonde's 'Joey' and Live's 'Lightening Crashes'.

Day Five: Favourite Food

Ok... I'm going to make this one relatively short. I love food. You put almost anything in front of me and I'm going to eat it, with the exception of a few foods you couldn’t tempt me to eat, not for $1000… like foie gras for instance. No way, uh uh. I feel bad enough at times that I’m an eater of meat but I do have my limitations. Oh, and I won’t eat liver or any other organs. Yuck.

I prefer foods that are healthier for you and don’t leave you feeling stuffed and uncomfortable like salads and grilled vegetables, however sometimes I just love a plate of fish and chips.

Andy and I love to travel and one of the best parts of travelling is trying international foods. I love just about anything Mediterranean, especially Greek food. Slouvaki, Stifado, olives, hummus, feta you name it. I love it and nothing beats sitting in a taverna in Greece sipping on a cold Mythos and eating olives and Greek salad.

I haven’t yet been to Thailand but it ranks high on my list of places to see. And boy will I have myself a good time whilst there, trying out all the cuisine on offer. Oh boy. I’m drooling just thinking of it. Andy and I must seriously consider this amazing country as soon as possible.

Ok… I know as usual I’m supposed to only name one, which is just ridiculous. So, I have to say that my favourite foods are as follows:

Stir Fry (just about any) and Thai Green Curry with Chicken or Shrimp

Of course, you give me a dish of homemade guacamole, made from a recipe my sister Tawny originally shared, (it’s thick and chunky), a bowl of home-made pita chips and a glass of wine and I couldn’t be happier.

My little sister took me to an incredible restaurant when I was last in Nova Scotia, called the Wooden Monkey. We had this and it was absolutely To.Die.For

Spicy stirfry made with vegetables and tofu

Back on Baby Duty

In doing this 30 Day Challenge, I’m being neglectful of other events that have been happening; like the birth of my beautiful niece Daisy, who was born on 7th February and is absolutely beautiful; I have yet to post a photo of our little beauty (on this site anyway) which is tardy of me. I’ve been lucky enough to have spent time with her on three separate occasions, despite being a 1.5 hour drive away. Alison and Scott are coming up again on Sunday and Ali and the baby will spend three nights with us. This is the second time they have come for a few days, and although I have to work everyday this time around, I don’t mind because I pretty much get to be on baby duty after I get home and have fed everyone.
 

Daisy Amber

I love helping out and spending time with this little darling throughout the night, feeding her and seeing her off to sleep. And because it’s not a permanent situation I don’t worry so much about being tired. It’s worth it to spend time with the baby as well as give her tired mama a break.

When Alison announced she was pregnant one of the first things she said to me was that she wanted to ‘share’ this baby with me. I was touched and honoured and understood why she was saying this to me although I didn’t set my heart on it too much as a lot of women expect to be a certain way with their first born, however it doesn’t always turn out that way. So far, Ali has proven true to her word. She and Scott have said that after themselves, they want me to be the most predominant person in Daisy’s life and they know they can count on me to help out in anyway I can. (Both sets of Grandparents live over an hour away; Scott’s parents are in ill health, and Wendy and Dave, although delighted to share in all of Daisy’s experiences, aren’t up to chasing toddlers around.) I’ve already been booked for a weekend in April, and again in November and can’t wait for all the times in between. It’s lovely that Wendy is only up the road and I can take the baby for a walk to Grandma’s in the pram.

I’m blessed enough to have two small nieces and one little nephew, (and of course there is the almost grown up Jake), however because our gorgeous Clara lives nearly 5000 miles away and little Archie is looked after by his mama’s side of the family, I don’t get to have as close a bond with them as I would have liked.

Jake and his little brother Archie

Our beautiful Clara modelling her UK fashion :)

The love will be no more or no less but I’m so pleased and excited to finally have a little child in my life again that I get to help take care of on a regular basis. 

Day Four: Favourite Book

For any of you who know me well you know that I read.  A lot.  Both mom and dad are avid readers;  mom read to all of us children from the very beginning and because of this we are a family of readers. I've been reading novels since I was approximately eight years old.  I think I'd finished nearly every Nancy Drew book by the time I was ten and of course I loved the Beverly Cleary books based on Henry Higgins and Ramona.  Of course as I grew older I moved on to more racy authors like Judy Blume and VC Andrews. It's a rare day when I haven't read at least one chapter out of whatever book I might be reading.   I don't go anywhere without a book in my bag.  Ever.  As seems to be the pattern with this challenge, I don't have just one favourite book but because I have to pick one, I chose this one:

I first read this book because it was a course requirement in grade nine.  I thought it would be on par with every other boring book we used to have to endure at school however I was sorely mistaken.  I was engrossed from the first chapter and remember reading it even when I was over at my best friend's house, hanging out in her room while she was preoccupied with talking to some boy on the phone.  Yup.. I'm serious.  It affected me deeply way back when, and it still does, every time I read it.

Of course, I love just about anything by Ken Follett and a couple of my very favourite books are written by him:

 

Ken has an amazing way of imparting very important historical moments in a fictional story that captivates me throughout the whole book.  Better than any history lesson I've ever sat through.

Oh, and give me any Penny Vincenzi, especially 'The Best of Times'

Here are just a few other of my favourite books:  Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, The Bridges of Madison County, The Time Travellers Wife, Sunshine and The Book of Negroes.

I could go on forever, honestly. But I will spare you the tedium... and only because I'm considerite about these things. 

I don't think I will reach my 52 books in 52 weeks goal this year, but that doesn't mean I won't try. 

Day 3: Favourite Musician

Questions about music are almost on par with favourite movies when it comes to the level of difficulty for answering. I know most people have at least one or two individual artists or bands that they are absolutely nuts about, without doubt. God forbid you ever say a word against these musical geniuses, rock legends or whatever you want to call them, because they are iconic God’s in many a person’s mind. Like Duran Duran used to be for me many years ago. And fair enough. However I don’t have one group that I’m passionate about above all others. I love many different artists for various reasons.

I’m going to break away for a moment to share with you something that annoys the hell out of me when it comes to the music world. Groups such as The Wanted, The Backstreet Boys or Girls Aloud are constantly referred to as Boy/Girl Bands and I don’t get it. You never see these ‘bands’ playing an instrument. Sure they sing, they might sometimes even toss out an interesting dance move or two, but I thought a ‘band’ pertained to musicians who actually play instruments, not just sing and dance… bands such as the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi or Doughtry. I can only assume that they chose to use the word ‘band’ as Boy Band sounds more catchy than Boy Group.

I have always most admired musicians who can not only play an instrument and sing extremely well but whom also write their own music or lyrics. If you are on stage singing songs that other people wrote and dancing to choreography put together by someone else then you are just a singer/entertainer. Period. And I’m sorry, but some of these so called entertainers can’t even sing overly well… entertainers like Brittany Spears. How she could ever be compared to an actual singer like Christina A is beyond me (I only use this example as I know they have been compared in the past). Sorry if this upsets you and you decide not to come back, but so be it; if this is the case then you have terrible taste in music and it’s just as well that we part ways now ;)

Some of my all time favourite musicians are: Alanis Morrisette, Three Doors Down, Blue Rodeo, Fleetwood Mac, The Guess Who and Jimmy Rankin. More recently, Paolo Nutini and Mumford and Sons have caught my attention in a big way. I absolutely love their albums. Although he got his start from American Idol, I love Chris Doughtry. Jack Johnson, James Blunt, Ingrid Michaelson and yes, Tim McGraw and Brooks & Dunn (I am a country girl at heart after all) are always on my playlists. I’ve come to love a group introduced to me by my sisters, Vampire Weekend – they have a fantastic sound to run to at the gym. Hey Rosetta is quickly winning me over as well.

It should come as no surprise that Pink holds the position as runner up to my most favourite musician at the moment:

Adele.

I honestly don’t think I need to explain my reasons for this. Especially if you have listened to her new album (21), witnessed her performance on the Brit Awards or heard her in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge. And I’m proud of the fact that I’ve loved this musician from her first release a few years back, not just since she has sky-rocketed into fame after performing Someone Like You at the Brit Awards. She is one talented lady with a huskily amazing voice to match.

Oh, and I don’t think anyone could No one could ever say my taste in music wasn’t eclectic.

Day Two: Favourite Movie*

These questions are never easy for me.  I mean honestly, how are you supposed to pick just one?  I've been thinking of this answer off and on most of the night.  Would I go with my all time favourite movie from when I was much younger?

The problem is there were two movies I watched at least 10 times over, if not many more:

and

I love both of these for various reasons. 

Stand by Me because its a damn good film and not just because I had a major crush on both Kiefer Sutherland and River Phoenix when I was younger.  It's just a very good film.  The acting was superb especially when you consider the cast consisted of predominately teenagers.

and

The Princess Bride... well I love the quirky spin on this story about true love, princesses and torture.  I can tell you what most of the characters are going to say before they say their lines themselves. I love it that much. 

I have also read both books these movies are based on... again, more than once.  

If it came down to it though, I would have to say the winner for my all time favourite is Stand By Me. 

A few other movies that stand at the top of my list:

Sense & Sensibility

The Shawshank Redemption

Pulp Fiction

The Bridges of Madison County

Reservoir Dogs

Iris

Burn After Reading

The Truman Show

Gladiator

The Usual Suspects

Bruce Almighty

Notting Hill

Seven

Crash

The Lost Boys

Thelma & Louise

The Mexican

Pretty Woman  

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (I forgot to mention Johnny Depp as one of my fav actors in my first post)

and of course more recently:

The King's Speech and 127 Hours

I'll jump on board with this too

My sister over at Five Days in May has decided to do the 30 Day Challenge.   I think its a good idea as it will keep things light, and possibly open up the lines for discussion or even encourage a few of you to do this yourselves.  I wasn't going to proceed at first because some of the questions will be difficult to answer, as will finding the time.  However it wouldn't be called the 30 Day Challenge if it was going to be easy to come up with answers, find pictures, etc.  It would be called the 30 Day Ride in the Park.  So I will give it a go.  I can't promise to commit to 30 days in a row (unlike when I did my 30 Day Shred) as I have a few events coming up that will take me away for a few days at a time, however I will not quit until I've done the whole challenge.  If nothing it will up the number of posts I do this year because I've been sadly negligent so far.

So here goes nothing:

* Day One:  Favourite Actor

Most of you who know me well will probably expect me to say Brad Pitt. I even expect me to say Brad Pitt.  I've been watching this man from the beginning in such films as A River Runs Through It and Thelma and Louise.  (Both excellent movies) 

Brad has been in some amazing films throughout his career and I'm not ashamed to say I've watched most of them.  However, I won't go see a movie just because he is the head-liner.  So I have to pause and think of which actor is most likely to motivate me enough to see a film for the sheer fact that he is in it and the result is:

Oh who the hell am I trying to kid?  

It's still Brad Pitt.

Lame I know.  But I can't lie to you or myself.  There are so many wonderfully talented actors out there; ranking high on my list are Colin Firth (amazing), Bruce Willis (I don't feel any need to explain this one), Ed Norton, Kiefer Sutherland (one of my all time favourites), John Malkovich, and Morgan Freeman (for that voice if nothing else).

Brad isn't even a player in most of my favourite movies.  But there it is...  Brad Pitt.  His acting has been less than stellar in a few movies like Troy (but if he takes off his shirt I tend to lose sight of the acting ability, and yes, I am that shallow). When I think of some of the amazing roles he's excelled at, in films such as Burn After Reading, Fight Club, Ocean's 11, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and there you have my answer.  Plain and simple.  And as mentioned in my Troy blurb... he's pretty.  And we know how I am when it comes to the pretty fellas; especially ones who can act with or without their shirt.