"Copy and Paste into your own blog, change the answers to suit you
and help your SparkFriends get to know you"

A SP friend Harleygal just shared this on her page and it was really nice getting to know her a little better. So, I thought I'd share it with any of my friends who would like to know me better, too.
Here goes!


Where is my cell phone?
I have no idea! I should probably go find it.

Spouse?
Patrick is my husband. He is perfect for me. We have been married 11 years. I cannot imagine a more supportive spouse or friend.

Your hair?
Mid length, wavy and grey...I dye it brown otherwise I would look like someones grandmother!

Your mother?
I do have one.

Your father?
I have one of those too.

Your favorite thing?
Being with my kids...actually raising my kids and watching in amazement as they grow and learn. As a family we also love to travel.

Your dream last night?
I cannot remember...something weird I am sure.

Favorite drink?
If it contained no calories it would be root beer...we don't have root beer here anyway so I don't have to pine away for it thankfully...although I do miss it. (I live in Norway) I like red wine (lots of kinds)...especially when on vacation.

What room are you in?
In the living room next to the fireplace. In Norway people tend to live in smaller houses. Ours is mainly one big room where we all "live" and bedrooms and baths down a hall, except Quin's room which is right off the living room. We also have a small wee little kitchen and a deck.

Your hobbies?
Travel, hiking, foraging, reading both books for grown ups as well as fairy-tales and folk lore of all kinds, cooking and baking. I also love learning about evolution...I got myself the book "The Amazing Human Journey" for Christmas. I also like to write.

Your fear?
I really have an unreasonable fear that I am going to die young. I also have a fear of falling.

Where do you want to be in 6 years?
Happy in my career...a little more financially secure...still traveling and enjoying my little family.

Where were you last night?
Home with my kids and Patrick. I played checkers with Quintessa.

Something that you aren't?
Too sensible
****edit...to be clear(er) what I mean is not toooooo sensible...meaning I can still be frivolous or spontaneous at times....

Muffins?
Since I am a pastry chef I will happily make them for other people but I don't hardly ever eat them.

Wish list item?
My old wardrobe back...the one sitting in storage in the states...I plan on blogging about my situation soon. :-) Or the money to fix my current wardrobe!

Last thing you did?
Slept and then got up to feed the kids.

What are you wearing?
a big fuzzy robe, fuzzy socks and my pjs

Your pets?
I once had the best dog ever named Jake but he died of cancer when Quin was two. We also had a love of a dog named Nellie who stayed behind with a really great family in the US I like to think she is still living a wonderful life.
(here is a secret...we are waiting for an OK from the ones who own the house that we will live in in Aalesund...but we hare hoping to get a dog for the kids once we move. :-)

Friends?
I have lost most of the friends I had in the US...don't feel bad...it is just reality and it is OK. I have a few people that I really like here. I have noticed that I tend to make friends who have lived in other places outside of Norway a little easier that people who have not. One woman I have gotten closer with here is Norwegian but had moved a lot as a child and a younger adult. I will be sad to move away since we have a lot in common. Spark friends and the friends I have made thorough Spark have really helped me get through the transitions I have made while moving fairly often and not ever really being able to fit into this foreign culture.

Your life?
My life is good. My life is fairly unusual both in where we live and have lived as well as having a career as a chef...it doesn't always mesh with the lifestyles of others. Sometimes I feel sorry for myself for not having a more normal life or wonder what it would have been like staying in the states but really when I think of it...I wouldn't change a thing.

Here is where my friend HarleyGal added something quite personal to help her friends to get to know her better and I think I will too:
I come from a "rawther unusual" background. One that is not very nice actually. I have two brothers. One is exceptionally smart with regards to science...like world class. He is brilliant but with brilliance comes other problems. The other brother is one of those people you read about ...one of the ones they say has a "personality disorder". He was a horrible person to grow up with. I never knew what was going to happen...when the police were going to call or what terrible thing he was going to try to do to me if he did not get his way. Sometimes he would try to go to the White House...he got all the way there once but was stopped at the door. (we also have people in politics in our family...he would have delusions of grandeur) He was also paranoid and bipolar and a host of many other things. Ever been questioned by the secret service? I have. He also tried to kill me once...tried to push me over a balcony. He is now "tamer" and physically old beyond his years from all the drinking, smoking and the drugs. My parents were not good at dealing with this or at protecting me. I was often made to seem like the problem because I always expected someone to DO something about all of this rather than hiding it. Anyway, I have worked hard at overcoming this...at being normal and having a normal life for my wonderful little family. I am here now and I am safe from the insanity. My kids, hopefully will never know that kind of crazy. I know I am stronger for it but I would never wish anyone to have to go through what I did. There is lots to this part of my life and I have alluded to it before but today I just thought I would let some of it out.

Your mood?
A little nervous about what I wrote but happy to watch my kids play "pretend".

Missing someone?
My dog Jake

Drinking?
coffee

Your car?
I have none but will have to get two when we move!

Something you're not wearing?
a hat

Your favorite store?
Not a store...a website...The Book Depository ...out of the UK

Your favorite color?
Purple

When is the last time you cried?
last week...one of the shows I was watching had something about adoption

Favorite place to eat?
Italy

Favorite place I'd like to be right now?
I would love to show my kids Northern Minnesota...a place we used to go to called the Gunflint Lodge...we would rent a cabin.
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