Business Networking

Do you run an online business, or are you thinking of setting one up? In that case, DirectMatches may be a site worth checking out.

What they offer is networking. Networking is crucial for any business, and a home-based business is no exception.
You can use their site to expand your business, place classified ads and connect with others in your field.
It's a great opportunity for a home-based business to get "out there" and be seen.
You can set up your own online network that you control and manage, with a forum, group mail and your own Network home page and url.

The whole system is based on person-to-person marketing, paired with an original concept of social and business networks. This makes for a new kind of "matchmaking" service, supported by highly developed technology.

You can use the service for purely personal networking too, of course - that's entirely up to you.

Direct Matches offers a free membership that provides you with a business profile, free advertising, free classifieds and free networking. You can post your own marketing video, and if you're setting up a special event, there's a separate category for posting about that, too.

If I ever find something I think is worth selling, or even if I get serious enough with all those crafts that I'm into, DirectMatches will be a site to explore further for me too.

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Stage Mums

I've just been watching a program on stage mothers. Well, watching is exaggerated - the TV was on while I was doing other things.

It gets to me every time - what on earth possesses them??? Little girls dressed up as princesses, some in a very Lolita-like way, parading to be judged on looks???
Maybe once, for the fun of it (once may be fun for the kids too), but month after month, year after year, mile after travelled mile?
And always the grooming, the "look at the judges and smile", "remember your routine", never ever behave like the child you are...
What happens to such kids? Will they ever be able to function in normal society? They're taken out of school for lond periods of time, they're made to think that they're better and better looking than everyone, they're taught to behave like spoilt starlets from an early age. Some of them are drugged too, it seems, to mellow them.

They're not allowed to be kids...

The mothers must be a breed apart too. I mean, they can't be in it for the friendships - I've never seen such a bitchy crowd!
So what makes them display their daughters (it's mostly girls) like pieces of meat? Fame and fortune? I guess so. Fame and fortune by proxy even, using their children to their own ends.

"My daughter loves it!" Yeah. Your daughter knows nothing else, and she also knows how important it is to you, so she'll play along. The last thing any child wants to be, is a disappointment to their parents. Playing along is her only option.

To me, it's a sophisticated, gilded form of child abuse. Nothing else.

I won't go on - I was just all fired up by that documentary, and this seemed as good a place as any to let out some steam.
.

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Rural Activities On A Saturday

Hubby is off on a day trip today, with a couple of buddies. They're attending the Norwegian Horse Plowing Championship.
Eh... I wasn't invited, and I really don't mind...
He's very much into work horses, though. At the moment, we only have one very young fjord mare that can be used for farm work when she's trained, but he's determined to learn more about it.
It's very much a dying art here, and if it weren't for the Amish, it would probably be dead in the US too.

A good work horse is a wonderful animal, and I really hope he manages to form the mare into what he wants.

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Blogging Takes You Places

One of the things I really, really enjoy about blogging and the Internet, is that I stumble upon places and information that I never would have seen otherwise.
One such place is the Outer Banks, North Carolina.
The Outer Banks is a string of sandy barrier islands more than 130 miles long that are absolutely stunning in photographs - probably more so in real life. The islands are filled with wildlife, and are a nature lovers delight. There are quiet beaches for sport or peace, and history that dates back to America's beginnings.
With towns with names like Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head, the area begs to be explored!
I can imagine the pirates and the buccaneers of late hiding away in those remote creeks...

Definitely one to bookmark!


This post was sponsored. I'm saving for a private jet.

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Saturday Photo Hunt # 23 - Original

This is an original... It's a hatbox, that belonged to my great grandmother, Ambjør Torstensdatter Loftsgaarden, born January 18, 1869. That was her maiden name, so this was probably made as a gift for her confirmation, around 1884.
The straps belonged to her local costume. It's likely that she made these, probably with the help of her husband for the leather straps and the buckles. The pattern has a name associated with her married name, Liseth - it's called the Liseth straps, and would originally have been worn by women from the Liseth family.

The local costume, from the upper parts of the Numedal Valley, has been reconstructed, and is now part of our original National Costume heritage. It looks like this on a young, unmarried girl, in this case Ambjør Liseth's great great granddaughter. For a married woman, there's a bonnet to go with it, and there's also a short jacket in the same style as the vest.
The straps are underneath, holding up the skirt.







Find out more about the Photo Hunt!

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Rhum & Coca Cola

I have one memory of Trinidad, although I've never been there...
My friend and I were babysitting my siblings, and pinched rhum from my father's bar, that we mixed with Coke. We then turned the radio on, and there it came: "Drinking rhum and Cocaaa Cola"

Since then, I've learned enough about the area to know that it must be very close to my perception of Paradise.

A Paradise holiday, for me, would have to offer outstanding weather, food, hotels and beaches...

First, the weather. When you're a native of a country with a middle temperature just above zero (not quite, but it feels that way), the thought of tropical temperatures from moderate to hot, with very slight variations throughout the year really make you daydream!

The next thing I think about, is food. The fragrant, spicy, fruity dishes of the Caribbean have always worked for me - but you can have anything you want within the tourist areas, so my more conservative hubby would enjoy himself too.

Lastly - hotels and beaches...
Any budget, any preference - there's accomodation for everyone, from five-star luxury establishments to guesthouses or independent apartments. As for the beaches - that's not all there is to see. Bird sanctuaries, caves, rain forest areas, turtles laying eggs on the beaches...
For serious beaches and water sports, the sister island Tobago is the place to go, but Trinidad has some very good ones too.
If you're not all that into nature, historic sites and museums are abounding, you can visit a rhum distillery or a sugar factory, or you can gamble the night away if you so wish.

If you're considering a trip to Trinidad, Trinidad Guide is a great place to start!


This has been a paid post.

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Tagged: My Desktop

I've been tagged by my brand new aquaintance, Max, with this fun meme. So here goes my desktop:






This is a picture I "doctored" on a site I found at one time - can't remember what it was, I think I used it for a WW. Brats # 5 and 6... Flickr something or other...

Here are the meme rules:
Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop.It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun. Here’s how you can do a screen capture:

1.Go to your desktop and press the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key).
2.Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and doing a Paste (CTRL + V). If you wish, you can “edit” the image before saving it.
3.Post the picture on your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop if you want. You can explain why you prefer such a look or why it is full of icons. Things like that.
4.Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktops as well.
5.Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants.

People who have already pimped their desktop: Francine of La Place de Cherie Chez Francine Bloggishi Unchained Melody LadyJava’s Lounge Mariuca Revellian Dot ComDesktop Emila’s Illustrated Blog Spiff, The Spaceman Rolando Brown Baron The Kat House MAX Mother's Home! add yours here after doing this tag

I tag the following:
1.Bee
2.Mo
3.Kai
4.Alison
5.Alice

Mostly because I'm curious...

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Holiday Dreams?

For useful information, travel ideas, flights, hotels and car hire, visit Dialaflight, a leading independent UK travel company.
They offer tailor made holidays worldwide, one of their many specialities being city breaks.

Their Holiday Offers also include tropical holidays, weekend breaks and spa holidays.

Search online for the info you need, get ideas for your trip, and call to speak to one of their UK travel consultants, who will make sure you get what you want.

Are you after a specialized holiday? Golf, Safari, Ski? This is the place to start.

They can help you book cheap flights, beach holidays, short breaks and more all over the world - and by speaking to you on the phone, they believe they can offer you a better service.

They may be right.


This has been a paid post.

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Right! Said Fred... Presenting: The GAB Tag

Question:
If all your backlinks become obsolete with Technorati after 6 months, what has to happen to counteract this?
Answer:
All your old backlinks have to be refreshed.

Since I'm not going to go around to everyone and ask them to refresh the links to my blog, I thought I'd try this instead:

Below are "fresh" links to everyone in my sidebar. I've included everyone, big & small, because whether you run a huge operation that brings in 1000s per month, or a silly little blog from outback Norway, Technorati treats everyone the same way.

So here's the tag/challenge:
Make a fresh post, put in links for everybody you know, and then some, and either put it in a Read more... (peekaboo) post or hide it in your archives & link to it on your front page.

I'm not going to do anything other than post this and the links, and hope that everyone gets the picture and does the same on their blogs.
Technorati will probably do some good here, and people will become aware of it through them and other ping services.

In six months time, we can do it again, can't we??

The GAB Tag? Get Authority Back...

Down River Drivel
Mike's Place
Bee's New Blog
"And miles to go before we sleep..."
Tor Aa Mirror
In My Mother's Name
A Links Blog
A Little Piece of Me
Another Day In Paradise
Autofocused
Beautiful British Columbia
Chicken's Life
Comedy Plus
Critique My Blog
Dis' Book Blog
Eleanorblog
Empress Bee (of the high sea)
fairyelora
I should be cleaning
I Was Born 2 Cree8
It's a Blog eat Blog World - Manic Monday
Just Me...
MAX
Meloncutter
My # 2 Blog
Nuttin' But Pimp
scribbit
Skittles' Place
Small and Big
The Buzz Queen
The Mis-Adventures Of Captain Poopy
The Seaside Stitcher
The Sneeze
Thermal
Tiggrbobs Temporal Typings
Tinkerbell
Tricia's Musings (Do Follow Blogroll)
Untwisted Vortex
Us Danes And Our Family
DoshDosh
Garry Conn .com - Successful Blogging
John Chow Dot Com
Making Money Free Online with Courtney
One Man's Goal
Write To Right
ZacJohnson.com
Contest Blogger
An Island Review

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Ethical Credit Cards

The Co- Operative Bank has an ethical approach to banking. Since 1992, they've had a strict ethical policy regarding who they'll do business with, because they believe that business inevitably has a social and ecological impact. Their code of ethics embrace both social and environmental issues, and is constantly evolving.

Today, the bank is still the only high street bank in the UK where customers have a say in how their money is used and which encourages customers input into the development of its Ethical Policy.

They even offer a credit card that will pay 1,25p to a charity of your choice for every 100£ that you spend.

In fact, they have a whole range of credit cards, offering such advantages as 0% on purchases and transfers fixed for 6 months, up to 59 days interest free credit if balance is paid in full by the due date, free Travel insurance on their Travel Card (as well as a 5% discount on holidays booked with Travelcare), and a host of benefits linked to their Platinum, Advantage and Clear Credit Cards.
Whatever your need is, you'll find a credit card to suit it.

The best part though, is that you, the customer, get to decide whether your bank should invest your money in atomic waste, child labor or the petroleum industry.

Chances are that you'd rather they didn't.

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My Thursday...

...was a busy one.
Delivered brats #s 5 & 6 to the in-laws at 10am, to get to the meeting with the teacher at 10.30. When I got there, she had called in # 4 brat as well, which wasn't my intention, but fair enough.

The meeting didn't go too badly. I think we managed to restore communication between teacher and pupil to an acceptable level. (How diplomatic was that... I had a mind to tell her to shove her education up where she's tallest when picking strawberries, but refrained). It turned out that most of the controversy had sprung from misunderstandings (why was I needed to clarify that?), and that a little manipulative "friend" of # 4 brat had been weaving her little intrigues, making matters worse.
They parted on friendlyish terms, and I took # 4 brat home with me - she had the mother of all headaches, as she sometimes does.

Back home, I tried to establish whether my uncle, who'd been admitted to hospital the day before for a minor operation, would be let out that day, or be kept in for another night. No luck there, call back later. I tried, still no luck, but he'd probably be kept in.

So - off to pick up # 1 brat from the bus, and take her to the mall. She'd bought herself a parrot (!), you see, and needed to be taken by car to pick it up, and buy a cage, feed, toys, sand, waterdispensers... the lot.
Just as we arrived there, my uncle called. He was being let out, could I come and pick him up?

Of course I could, I'd promised to, only I'd just driven 20 kms to the mall, in the opposite direction of the hospital, and had to take the bird & owner home first, to drive another 20 kms to get to where he was. By now, it was 4pm, and by the time the cage & stuff was bought, everything & owner delivered back home, and I got to the hospital, it was about 5.45pm. No problem, he was in good spirits, and happy to get home...

At home, no one had had any dinner, hubby had a late meeting at work, so I asked uncle if he was up to having pizza at our place before going home (he lives is just about where the mall is, 40 kms from the hospital...) Lucky for me, he was. Which resulted in that everyone was fed at around 7pm, as opposed to 9 or 10...
It was nice, everybody enjoyed the pizzas, and I had my uncle home by 9.30. Back home again at 10pm, to find hubby there, and the little ones in bed. Thank goodness for that...

Well, that was my Thursday. I'm not used to running around like that, talking to actual people in the Real World several times in one day - I was knackered!

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Plug In Music

The older kids here each have an MP3 player.
In case you're wondering whether people have one of those plugged in or not, look at their walk (if they're dancing, they're listening to music), their mimicry (if they look like they're singing, they probably are) and their eyes. If the eyes are glassy, combined with swaying movements of the upper body, it's likely that an all time favourite is blasting away on their eardrums.
One thing about them that I wasn't aware of, and that suddenly made them a little more interesting (to me, that is), is the fact that they can be used as memory sticks. One of the brats casually plugged hers into my computer the other day, and proceeded to print out her homework, that she'd saved onto it. News to me!
I learn something every day.

When did it happen? When did music become noise? At one time, I swore that it wasn't going to happen to me, but it did. Perhaps that's when I became a (boring) adult.I don't know how old I was when the transition happened...

Maybe when the time elapsed between every time someone called "MUMMY!" became (a lot)shorter than the time it takes to play an average melody?
Probably.


This post has a somewhat contextual, sponsored link in it.

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No TT Today (I Think)

I probably won't have time - maybe not even the inclination. I'm off to a meeting with one of # 4 Brat's teachers today. I'm not happy with her (the teacher), and I don't think the teacher is all that happy with # 4 Brat. She doesn't fit the mould, you see; never has. That, to many Norwegian teachers, is a major problem. To top it off, she's 13 (anyone who's ever been a teen or had teens in the house know that I need not say more). It seems to be a total surprise to the teacher, who teaches 13-year-olds for a living, that they sometimes test their boundaries.
There's very bad chemistry between them - the teacher told # 4 Brat in no uncertain terms that she doesn't like her the other day. That's fine, no one likes everybody, but she should have been professional enough to keep it to herself, don't you think? I did think to go and tell the woman to return her education and claim another one (not involving kids), but that probably wouldn't do much good, under the circumstances.
I'm not quite sure what to do - I'll let her talk, and see where that's going first. The mould isn't going to fit, whatever they do. The girl is too much a champion of the underdog, too much without compromise, too much a powderkeg of hormones. Come to think of it, I don't know any teen that'll fit in, so maybe they should just discard the trusty mould and try looking at the young individuals in their care?
Just a thought.

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A Not So Straightforward Life

I have two people in my family who use drugs on a regular basis. They're both in quite deep, and quite obviously in need of drug rehabilitation.
That's not as easy as it sounds. For there to be any point at all in going into rehab, they have to be strongly motivated in themselves, and to achieve that, in many cases, they have to hit rock bottom first.
When it comes to drugs, rock bottom is a risky place to be, and if you're talking designer drugs and "social" drugs, it may yake quite a while to get there - it's no problem, you see - they can kick the habit whenever, they just don't feel like it just now.
These two people, whom we all used to love dearly, but who have forfeited all the trust and most of the belief we once had in them, are getting dangerously close. I hope for their sake that they find the motivation they need. Treatment is available to them, they've got the option to accept it.
The choice is theirs, and as time goes by, it's becoming more and more the choice between life and death.

This was a sponsored post, and a very personal one.

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# 500 Post - Where Did They All Come From?

How was I to know that I would have THAT MUCH to say when I started on this adventure?
It's been fun so far, I've gotten to "know" all you fine folks, and I've learned a lot. (Not enough to be able to find out how to get anything up on my dotcom, but as soon as I work up the strength, I'll get around to asking for help on that one too...)
I didn't know what an url was, let alone html, PR or 'bots. Google used to be a nice troll wearing round specs in my browser...
Well, at least I've learned how to work Blogger...

I think I may be becoming as fluent in English as I am in Norwegian now as well - practise is a wonderful thing.

There's another bonus too - I've just about hit 4 figures on my stickerticker up there.

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Wordless Wednesday # 26 A Hotel Made Of Art And Ice

(2007 Edition)






Icehotel, Lapland

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Business Web Solutions

For all your business web solutions, Epazz works with you from start to finish. Whichever your business, for intranet or internet communications, Epazz collaboration software has a solution for you. Managed hosting, website content management, group scheduling, business email, you name it, they'll sort out all your enterprise's online services.
Have a look at the demos, and contact them for a 30 Day free trial of their software.

This was a sponsored post

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Heads or Tails - Pet Peeves

Brought to you by Skittles



Seen this? I don't know if it can be called a Pet Peeve of mine. By rights, it should have been removed ages ago.
I like it up there! I update it, too. It's a bit depressing sometimes, but that's Ok...
I mean - with all the zeros on the right, no wonder the little blue number on the left never moves!
I once thought to change the denomination to Kroner/NOK (1$=6NOK) to make the goal more realistic, but... no.

Let me explain: at the rate of about 300$ per month, there'll be 2000$ there by the end of the year. That means 4000$ per year. From New Year, unless something happens to drastically change the odds, it'll take me 249 andahalf years to achieve my goal.

I'm not optimistic as for the odds of my living long enough to see it through.




PS: At 1000$ per month, it'll only take 90 years, give or take! Yay!

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Layered Meme

Nicole @ Single Mom In The City tagged me with this - thank you!







Name: Stine
Birth Date: November 26th, 1963
Current Status: Happily married
Eye Color: Grey
Hair Color: Haven't seen the original color for years - blondeish.









My Heritage: Norwegian farmers, a half - Swedish stonecutter, more Norwegian farmers. One violinist, doubling as a Norwegian farmer.
My Fear: Anything happening to the kids. Heights.
My weaknesses: Food.
My Perfect Pizza: Bacon, onions, and a dollop of crème fraîche.








My thoughts first waking up: "What?? Now???"
My bedtime: Ideally? Never. In fact, I go to bed around midnight/1AM
My most missed memory: My grandmothers.









Pepsi or Coke: Pepsi.
Single or group dates: Can't remember... More comfortable with single, I think.
Adidas or Nike: What's that?
Tea or Nestea: Tea.
Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate.
Cappuccino or Coffee: Cappuccino








Smoke: Much less than I used to.
Curse: Yes.
Take a shower: Yes. Why not. Might as well keep clean.
Have a crush: Does hubby count?
Think you’ve been in love: Yes. Definitely.
Go to school: The School of life.
Want to get married: Not again! Happy where I am, thank you.
Believe in yourself: Yes and no.
Think you’re a health freak: No.










Drank alcohol: Oh, yes
Gone to the mall: Yes
Been on stage: Yes.
Eaten sushi: Yes, yes, yes!
Dyed your hair: Redhead. Often.









Played a stripping game: Actually - no. What a lapse!
Changed who you were to fit in: No. If uncomfortable, I clam up and bear it, though. Maybe that counts as changeing...










A minute ago: Pouring coffee.
Hour ago: Breakfast with Brats # 5 and 6
Month ago: Getting used to everyone being back in school
Year ago: Spending every day in hospital wit preemie # 6 Brat










I love: Our children
I feel: all right
I hate: laundry
I hide: and seek
I miss: having a mother
I need: my family and having time to myself...









No one and everyone!
Whoever wants to do it please tag yourself & grab it - I'll add you here!

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Tousled, Limp, Curly?

Here I was thinking that hair straighteners straighten hair. I should have caught on - # 2 Brat has got one, and I never understood why - her hair is long, blonde and beautifully straight...
Anyway.
UK customers can now benefit from new prices on ghd hair straighteners, running up to the start of the holiday season. You can save up to 45£ on the retail price!

What hair straighteners do? Well, you can create ringlets, curls, flicks and waves... Your hair gets that lovely shiny look, and if you want to tame those curls, they do that too - leaving your hair sleek, shiny and poker straight.

No more bad hair days? There is a pair from ghd to suit every hair type. There are several to choose from, for guys, too!
For those great prices - now's the time!


This was a paid post.

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Me - A Star!!

Sandee @ Comedy Plus awarded me this eons ago. Sorry, Sandee, and thank you so much! I'm touched & honored & unforgivably slow...

Now, I get to pass it on, which is great, but difficult, 'cos all my blogpals are stars, and they've probably got this already...

Here goes:
Another Day In Paradise
Beautiful British Columbia
Chicken's Life
Eleanorblog
I Was Born 2 Cree8
Just Me...
scribbit
The Mis-Adventures Of Captain Poopy
Tiggrbobs Temporal Typings
Tinkerbell

So, boys and girls, this one's for you, and if you've got one already, you deserve this one too...

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ED - The Worst Thing That Can Happen?

Being a woman, I don't see it that way. Erectile Dysfunction, to me, isn't the worst that can happen to my man. Even though my life with hubby is wonderful in every way, I'd much rather have him around and not be able to have conventional sex, than not have him around at all.
I understand, though, that for a man, ED is a major problem.
Various treatments are available - but if you are in that situation, talking to your doctor about it may seem impossible.
Do it anyway!
Don't start taking drugs before checking that they are safe for you - believe me, it's not worth it!

Man Of People is a project dedicated to spreading information about modern treatment methods for ED. The emphasis is on recommendations and tips on reputable online pharmacies.
Pay particular attention to their Black List.
They offer comparisons of the pharmacies on their White List, and the difference between Brand Name Drugs and Generic Drugs is explained in a comprehensible way.
To compare viagra prices, this is all you need.

You'll also find good info on alternative treatments, and also about lifestyle changes and how to talk to your partner about the problem.

Getting the drugs you need online at a good price is great, but talk to your doctor first, it's important! Then, make sure you shop from a trustworthy pharmacy.


This was a paid post.

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Backlinks - Viral Nonsense Story

Thanks to all of you who played along! Here are links back to all the ones I've spotted via Technorati.
BTW, I don't like Technorati anymore. Authority was on it's way upwards, when all of a sudden, it started dropping like a rock. I guess all the links that came in around March are now too old to be counted...
If it weren't for y'all, I'd be back on zero over there!
So let's all just keep up the link lovin' - we'll beat them yet!


Rambling Shan, Empress Bee, Skittle's, Time With Shelby, My Dogs Keep Me Sane, "And Miles To Go Before We Sleep...", Usogirl, Jamee Forever, Whee! All The Way Home, Artificial Intelligence, The Alien Next Door, Diary Of A Heretic, What I Know For Sure, A Little Piece Of Me, Mimi Writes..., Down River Drivel, Big Leather Couch, Daily Couch Test, Dixie's - Heart And Soul, Muffin 53, A Quiet Symphony, Missylicious, Boricua In Texas, Mayberry Mom, Twisted Sister... totally pissed off!, Comedy Plus, Are We There Yet?, Coffee To Go, Fairytales And Margaritas, Gazing Into The Abyss, A Nice Place In The Sun, Random Magus, The Dust Will Wait, Diary Of A Heretic, Remedial Rumination, A Snowball's Chance In..., Jo Beaufoix, Amel's Realm, Kingdom Of God, The Holy Ghost Speaks Plainly, Speedcat Hollydale Page, R Playground, The Process Of A Miracle, Mumblings, Papaya Mom, Channel Of Healing, Life Blog Magazine, Momma Mia, Mea Culpa, Choc Mint Girl, Max, Grow Rich Along With Me

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DIY - Add A Room To Your House

I've always liked British houses, especially ones with conservatories. Brits love their conservatories, and who can blame them!
I've always thought you had to cash out big time for one of those, but there is, actually, such a thing as DIY Conservatories!
They look good, too. There are Lean-to, Edwardian, Victorian and more - designed to fit the style of your house and your individual taste. There are four polycarbonate colour options available, and various sizes and shapes.
Best of all - you build it yourself, which makes an attractive conservatory quite affordable.
"Build your own conservatory, it's easier than you think" is what they say, and looking at the step-by step guide online, I have no doubt that I could do it, with a little help from a tall, strong person and a level.
Everything is factory-prepared, and it probably is a lot easier than you think.
The prices start at 995£, and when you think you're adding a whole new room to your house, that's not bad at all.

Order their free brochure pack online, which includes special offer models and a made-to-measure quotation request form. Convince yourself that you can do it (one look at this website says you can!), and get to work!
Spring will never be the same again...


This was a paid post

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Sweetie Pies

Our two little dears.This is part of their "morning routine" - # 5 Brat climbs into Miracle Boys' bed to play & cuddle a bit before breakfast.
Aren't they lovely?

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Do I Need A Bike Rack?

The answer to that question is a resounding YES! At the moment, there are 6 bikes around here, and they're all over the place.
Which bike rack to choose, then, that would be best for our purposes?
I think it would have to be the pole bike rack, especially for winter storage. I'd want a couple of floor ones too, to (try) to keep the bikes out of the way on a daily basis.
I do like that store. If ever I get that utility wing built, I'll kit it up from there...
Woops! Daydreaming again...


This has been a paid post.

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In Case You've Ever Wondered...

... "How To Understand And Use A Norwegian" - this is the book you've been looking for!

The Norwegian comes in a number of different models, sizes and sexes.
In this guide, for practical reasons, these will all be designated as “The Norwegian”.
How to understand and use a Norwegian in order to achieve the best possibile results - as well as durability – a guide to the correct treatment, balance, preservation, maintenance, adjustment and utilization of (as well as warnings against) the Norwegian.
The essential guide for those who have aquired, or know someone who has aquired, or simply know someone who has taken an interest in a Norwegian.

A complete user's manual, and a trouble-shooter's guide too!



"How to understand and use a Norwegian" by Odd Børretzen.

Recommended by "Mother's Home!" (And yes, it's an actual book).

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Halloween Sports...

Halloween is coming up.
In this country, the Halloween thing just started a few years ago, and hasn't quite reached the scale of celebration that you have in the US yet, but the kids here love Halloween too. Older people aren't so fond of the eggs they get in their letterboxes if they don't get the "trick or treat" thing right, (not being used to it, many of them don't!) but - it's only once a year, right???

Have you ever considered dressing up your kids as something other than Freddie or Frankenstein? Maybe you should.
If they're into sports, have a look at http://www.fanshopinc.com for some new ideas.
NFL Team Uniform sets work wonderfully as Halloween Costumes, and kids love them! You can kit them up from top to bottom, and if football isn't their thing, there's Baseball and Hockey Team gear as well.
Unlike most skeleton costumes, these sets can be used at other times as well - like at football matches, for example...

Personally, I think Halloween gets a bit over the top sometimes - so I'm all for alternatives to the scary monster theme.
One could combine the two as well, of course.
A skeleton in a Chicago Bears uniform is quite a novel idea. Or perhaps a tiger with a Cincinnati Bengals helmet...

The only limit is your imagination, and that's one of the great things about Halloween, isn't it??


This has been a sponsored post.

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Manic Monday # 25 - Kit

As always, Mo seeks to inspire us all with his MM theme words... This is what popped up in my tortuous mind for kit...

Not much is imbedded in the Norwegian's soul as firmly as the hike.
One takes one's family out into nature, not necessarily very far, the aim being a nice day out.
(Some are more advanced - they'll walk for 8 miles, sit down for a short break, and walk back - or worse - even further. Keep away from those, kids!)
Anyway. For a good Sunday hike, you need to be kitted out properly.



First, get out your trusty backpack. OK, you can use your modern, goretex, anatomically correct hightech one, but this is what a backpack looks like.




Sitting is important, so you need something to sit on. One of these will do the trick - you can make it by felting wool, and decorate it if you so wish.

You can also bring your reindeer skin along and use that. (Or buy a polystyrene pad at a sports shop).


Next - coffee. You'll also need matches and a newspaper for lighting a fire, a small axe for cutting firewood, one dry log to start with, or if you're feeling adventurous, rely on nature to provide dry wood for your fire. But most importantly: this little baby. you'll have the coffee ready in no time. (If you can get the fire going).

For seasoned hikers - wooden coffee cups. You can carve them yourself (do that before going - you won't have time while the kettle is boiling). You can also use plastic.

No trip into the wild in Norway is complete without Kvikklunsj and oranges. (You may be arrested by the Hike-Police if you go without).


Kvikklunsj (pronounced quick-lunch, guess what it means!!) is our version of KitKat, but much nicer. There are no strange flavours, it's not been corrupted by white chocolate, fruit or anything else - Kvikklunsj is Kvikklunsj.


Almost as essential are the sausages, that you grill (burn) on the fire after the first pot of coffee is done.

Of course, if you're going anywhere near a stream or lake, bring some string and a safety pin in your kit, you might get one of these. In that case, I recommend kitting up with a frying pan or some tin foil...

A pair of good boots, an anorak and mosquito-repellant, and off you go!!! If snow, use skis.

P.S: Don't forget your First Aid Kit, and if you're planning to let the axe slip, bring a doctor.

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To Grandma And Grandpa

How about ordering a canvas made from your best photo of the children for the old dears for Christmas?
It's easy, it's fun, there are many options for the finish, and it's a great christmas gift idea.
You can have it look like a painting, you can get it in photo quality or in black and white. You can even get your old photos restaured to their former glory.
It doesn't have to be the kids, either... A pet, a beautiful flower, a sunset - get it transferred onto canvas and enjoy!
(You can have it framed, too!)


This post was sponsored.

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Saturday Photo Hunt # 22 - Paper

Now what to do about paper?



A weird photo of # 2 Brat with paper napkins, perhaps?




Or maybe this picture, that I could say was taken on our paper wedding anniversary (1 year) in 2001, but I'm not going to, because it wasn't.







I could also post a picture of my computer and the stacks of paper around it, and rant about the "paperless society" that was to emerge with the computer age, and then throw in a little something about the rain forest.
I'm not going to. You can look at your own computers and stacks of paper...








Find out more about the Photo Hunt!

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Bummer!

I just made and posted my Photo Hunt post... Went back to post a "mine's up" comment and realized I'd made a post for next week's theme... So I drafted it, and now I'm at loss for ideas.
Totally.
Bear with me, I'll come up with something, I just need to get my head around it!
I've got a great post for next week, though. All done.

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The Curse Of A Sagittarius

I don't know if it's really a curse, but I do enjoy to be on the move, to travel and visit new places.

Visiting Australia is a dream that has been with me for many years - the history is fascinating, as well as the exotic climates and landscapes.

I'd probably go for a combination trip - A couple of cities, or perhaps three, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, combined with trips into the "outback" and, of course, Tasmania.



Hotels in Sydney come in every variety, for every budget, and no trip to Oz would be complete without a visit here. The Opera, Sydney Harbour, the laid-back lifestyle - and much more to be discovered.



If this is what you might find in Brisbane, count me in... Hotels in Brisbane are just as easily attainable as in Sydney, and since all bookings can be made online, it's really easy to find a place to suit my taste and budget.



Melbourne apparently has a lot to offer, besides being the city closest to Tasmania, which is really high up on my list of must-sees.
For eclectic bars, great restaurants, weird boutiques and atmosphere, there's apparently no place like Melbourne.
So I'd probably have to explore Hotels in Melbourne too, to find a place to stay and enjoy the city for a few days.

This was a sponsored post.

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Equinox And The Light of Day

September 21st - and the day and night are of equal length... From now on, the days will be shorter than the nights. Shorter and shorter, until Winter Solstice, around December 21st.
That's when, in our parts, the sun rises at around 10 in the morning, and it starts getting dark again around 3 - 3.30 PM.
Equinox again on March 21st, and the peak of daylight is reached on Summer Solstice, around June 21st, when we hardly have any night at all, just dusk.
Autumn Equinox, today, marks the start of a long, murky season. We burn electricity and candles like crazy in these parts,and we'll soon have to get the fireplace going too.
I'm hoping for sunshine during all daylight hours... And a light snowfall on Christmas Eve.

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I Made A Huge Mistake Yesterday

In a fit of maternal kindness, I downloaded a Disney game for # 5 Brat.
It wasn't that expensive, that's not the problem.
Neither was there a bug in the download.

It's just that now, she wants to borrow this computer all the time.
She's sitting right here now, waiting for me to finsh this post, so she can get her sticky little fingers onto the mouse...
"You done now, Mum?" She says, her beautiful baby blues wide with anticipation. "May I play now, puleeeaase???" "Why do you play on your computer for so looooong?"
I will give in shortly, I know I will. Concentrating on profound blog posts isn't easy when every two minutes, you hear: "Is it my turn now?"

I'll see you all when Ariel har downed all the bubbles from the pufferfish. 673 times.

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L.A. Law

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorneys California DUI Lawyers Criminal & DUI Law Specialists
Hopefully, you or any of your loved ones will never be in need of legal advice within criminal law, but sometimes, sadly, people do.

If you live in L.A. or adjoining counties, Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP may be able to help.
With over 50 years of courtroom experience, they specialize in all criminal and DUI matters. The firm has been designated "Top 5% U.S. Law Firm", and the legal staff is comprised of former Senior L.A. Prosecutors who have tried hundreds of cases "for the other side".
At Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP, your case will be handled by a partner, not by a brand-new Criminal Lawyer.
They have a private investigator on-site, as well as three paralegals on staff who are able to address client concerns while attorneys are in court.



This has been a paid post.

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Open The Floodgates To Blogrush!

I signed up with Blogrush two days ago, and already, this blog has been shown almost 800 times on other blogs.
That's great, but some traffic would be nice too!

What makes people click?
In this case, obviously, a catchy headline, since that's what will show up on the widget. All in 7 words or 40 characters - you don't want your headline to be cut off, either.

If the headline makes them come to your site, you want to keep them there, at least long enough to read your post, and you also want them to come back...
In other words, a good headline is a start, but content is paramount too!

Blogrush is a great tool to gain exposure, but to make the most of it, the ball is - as always - in our courts!

Blogrush is a great resource, it's free, and it's got wonderful potential. What comes out of it is entirely up to the blogging community.

Anyone know of a good crash course in headline writing?

PS. It's "Mother's Home!" - if you see a lame headline with that signature - that's me!

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A Thursday Photo

I get up early in the morning to drive our two eldest to the bus, and when the sunrise looks like this, I just have to get my camera out. This was taken this morning, at 6.30AM.

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25 Years Old Today!

Happy Birthday to: Emoticon or Smiley, :-), sent by Professor Scott E. Fahlman in an "electronic bulletin" for the first time on September 19th 1982, at 11.44 AM. Not many of us were online at the time...

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Florida And Sunshine

Am I correct in thinking that Florida is called "The Sunshine State"? I must say that in a climate like this one, after the summer we've had, moving somewhere with sunshine in the name is more than tempting.
Come up with something called Orange County as well, and you've got me.

Suddenly I'm looking at Orlando real estate!

Oranges grow there - how could anyone not like it? The houses look gorgeous too - so unlike our wooden abodes over here.

I probably won't be moving - no amount of arthritis could pry my darling husband away from this cold, weird country that we like to call home.

There's no harm in dreaming though, is there?




This dream was sponsored.

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Me - A ppp Whore?

Maybe.
I have nothing against prostitutes. I relate more to the working boys and girls than to their customers - how any type of enjoyment is possible in that setting is beyond me.

I don't feel like I'm selling myself, though. I'm selling a "commodity" that I and many others can provide, that some people or businesses are willing to pay for. In fact, they actively go out and ask for that commodity - write-ups and links on blogs.

Yes, that same definition can be used for whatever commodity provided by a prostitute. Then again, it can also be transferred to any exchange of work and money all over the marketplace.

Stock-brokers, secretaries, doctors, nurses, farm-hands, bus-drivers, journalists, paid bloggers - we all exchange skill, knowledge and work for money.
There are written and unwritten rules of ethics within every profession (including prostitution, I'm sure), and one just has to assume that most people work by those rules.

Many don't. But in blogging, as in real life, they will eventually be sussed out by their audiences and/or customers.

Paid posting is something I enjoy doing. If I hate a site or a product, I won't write about it for money. I might slag it for free, though. I don't try to pass for an expert on anything, but I'm entitled to an opinion, and when one is required, I'm honest about it.
Mostly, though, I try to be neutral and unbiased, and to provide objective info on the sites I write about. If I really like a sofa, bar stool, blog or Halloween costume though, I will say it, and happily accept payment for doing so.

I don't underestimate my audience. I know they'll ignore posts that don't interest them - naturally. That goes for both paid and other posts...

As long as I'm enjoying myself, and advertisers are willing to pay for my services, I'll keep doing it.



(This post was inspired by this one right here:
Why You Should NEVER Offer Paid Reviews! It's a well-written post, not offensive in any way - I just happen to disagree with it!)

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When In Rome...

... do like the Romans!
Or at least, when it comes to Rome accomodation, listen to the locals!
For quality hotels located in the heart of the Eternal City, close to everything a tourist wants to see, look no further.
Mauro and Paula live in Rome, and they've chosen the hotels they promote on their site based on one important criteria - quality. Location is a also big issue - you won't find the big hotel names here - they're usually located far from the city center. They've visited all "their" hotels, so they know what they're talking about, and you'll find that the hotels are equipped with all the comforts you need.

You'll find Rome Apartments here too, if you're planning a longer stay, or just need more space and privacy for recieving business associates or for your family.
When it comes to booking, you can do it all yourself - the site is easily searched and navigated, all the accomodation types are there at your fingertips, and you can book online with a click of your mouse.
You can also let Mauro or Paula do the job for you.
Wondering what to see in Rome? The site has got a great Rome guide that walks you through all the major sights, so you can plan all your "must do"'s in advance. It's also great for choosing the location of your Rome hotel - all the accomodations are listed with the attractions that are closest to them.

They can help with chauffeured car transfers from the airports, and private tours of Rome too, and if you need help with your booking, there's a live chat helpline.


This has been a sponsored post.

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Wordless Wednesday # 25 - Sashimi

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Car Stuff

My sister is married to a great guy, and I love him to bits. He's got one quirk, though - he loves cars. What I mean is: he loves cars. He's got two fully functional vintage Merc's in his garage, plus his pet project, that's still got all its parts in plastic bags and boxes all over the place.
Show him any car, though, and he's in raptures!
I'm going to be nice to my sister, and not tell him about this site, that boasts Chrysler 300 accessories, and accessories for all sorts of cars. Even I can tell that it's pretty stuff (now, doesn't that sound girly!!), so he'd probably get a set of each, in case a suitable car comes along...


This was a sponsored post, at great peril to my relationship with sis.

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Wheee! Another 1000!

Some time during the night, visitor # 7000 signed in. Except he/she didn't.
Anyone else getting loads and loads of (very short and recurring) visits from Denmark after doing the Coke Zero opp for Bloggerwave? That's my all time most popular post, folks - 48 out of the last 100 page views were for that one. And I'm not going to link to it. Still, I'm not complaining, it's good for the stats.

Anyway, I'm at a loss to determine a # 7000 visitor, so I called out the omnipotent referee again (me).

Out of all the (two) people who commented on this blog last night my time, I've chosen.... both!


Bee and Sandee, you may now get onto my sidebar, and sit there awaiting the outcome of this thriller of a raffle...

The prize? You'll just have to wait and see. All I can say is that it won't be virtual, so y'all had better rent a mailbox if you don't want to give me a street adress. I'm not a raving lunetic who'd come to uproot your daffodils in the night, but hey - that's what they all say!

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Want More Traffic? Join Blogrush!

I first heard of Blogrush today, and signed up immediately.

It's not traffic exchange, the system is entirely different, so there's no risk of being banned from Adsense.

When you install the Blogrush widget, it will count the number of impressions it gets. Your site will then earn one credit per impression, and will be shown on a widget on another site once for every credit earned. This means that for every time your blog gets a hit, it will be shown on another site.
100 hits per day = 100 times shown on other blogs, and so on. Upwards, onwards, all around...

Blogrush is 100% free.

You also gain credits for your referrals and their traffic - every time a blog referred by you gets an impression, you earn a credit. People are referred by you if they sign up by clicking the widget on your site, or by signing up via your Blogrush affiliate link.

For that reason, posting about Blogrush after installing the widget is highly recommended!


Participating blogs will have increased traffic, because:

*RSS technology is used to show recent posts on other blogs.
*Some big time bloggers are using it already, which is likely to help the system take off.
*It’s totally free.
*Blogs are not giving away traffic. Clicking a link on your widget will open a new window.

It makes sense to me. Now you try!

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Man Against Nature

Watch out for a new series - "Ultimate Survival" on Discovery Channel... Bear Grylls is a seasoned adventurer, stranded in some of the most extreme and hostile locations in the world.
Extreme heat, hostile mountains, remote islands - Bear Grylls' mission is to survive, using his skills and whatever nature provides.
Nature does provide - it's not always very... appetizing, though! Have a look:



Knowing Discovery, it should be good... And do you know what? We get Discovery, here in our remote part of Norway, so I'll be watching out for that one!

Find out more here, it looks like fun. For the viewer, that is. Not necessarily for Bear!

This is a paid post

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I'm Not PC.

Or so it would seem.
Someone has entered a Google query of the mother's place is at home, and there I am, in 10th place, out of 11.000.000 related results in English.

Google is really funny - the result is constructed with two words from my "about me" section, and two words from another blog's name that I've linked to. Very contextual and relevant...

I don't care much about PC'ness, and there are more relevant queries as well - how'bout # 9 for stine blog???

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Travel Planning

Wherever you're going, chances are that someone has been there before you. It's also quite possible that some of them have recounted their experiences on RealTravel.com.

This is your genuine travel blog, with destinations all over the world reviewed and rated by people like you and me who've actually been there - and recently!

Places to go, things to see, where to eat, where to go at night - you'll find it all here. Also, a list of nearby destinations, should you want to wander off...
There are useful links for your destination, blogs, hotels, maps, photos - as well as handy tools for comparing rates and making reservations.

You can create your own travel blog too, or come back when you return and write about your trip, rate restaurants, sights and attractions.

The photos are stunning, the layout is attractive, and everything you need is at your fingertips.
All in all, a very useful tool when planning almost any trip! Good for daydreaming, too.



This has been a sponsored post.

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Scroll Down For Manic Monday!

It's Monday, folks, and I'm making up for a weekend of hardly any blogging at all. Manic Monday is down there, along with a few other things...

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Ha, Ha, Technorati!

Authority: 339
Favorite it
Rank: 11,954

No sooner had I posted about the joys of viral linking, and the up of my T-authority, than it jumped down to 332 from 349... Even with fresh backlinks coming in!

Something must have happened 6 months ago, and all those links must have become obsolete at the same time.

It's moving again, but remind me to keep my joyful boasting to myself another time. Maybe I'm jinxed!

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Hobby Cook Heaven

Every day, the Home Hordes get a home cooked meal, sometimes it's home grown too. Yesterday, we had pork roast from our own pigs, potatoes, onions and carrots from the garden. I had bought some broccoli to go with it, but I do enjoy making these 100% home made meals.
I could use some new pots & pans, though - I have a very eclectic collection, that more or less fulfill my needs, but I would really love to have a complete, matching set (I'd probably need two), and to throw away all the old gear.
Anyone wondering what to get me for my birthday or Christmas? Pop on over and look at all this lovely berndes cookware. Just start at the top and work your way down the site...
Thanks a bundle!


This post was sponsored, I'll get pizzas tonight!

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Tagged - 8 Things About Me meme

Baldwin's Girl has tagged me with this, and when doing so, she said the sweetest thing: Coming here always makes her feel better... Thank you, and I'm glad!

Now - 8 things about me.

1. I love raw fish. The closest we get around here is sushi, but if we go to the nearest town, and I can get sashimi, I'm in heaven... I can scoff down half a side of raw salmon with soya and wasabi...
2. My first marriage was a practical arrangement, in theory. It turned romantic, and then it turned sour. We divorced, then we became friends, and then he died. I have 2 beautiful girls to show for it.
3. I found true love at 35.
4. I spent most of my childhood in France.
5. I've done 2 years of medical school. (Not wanting to be a doctor seemed a good reason to quit. I've never regretted it).
6. I once worked at a mountain resort hotel for 18 months. During that time, I went skiing once (1 time). After ski is my thing.
7. I once ran a kindergarden from my home, while upholding a part time (weekend/evening/night) job at a local hotel. I managed to keep my house, without having to wake the kids up at dawn every day.
8. As a small child, I was pulled out from between the wheels of a car that had reversed without seeing me. No harm done, we were on a beach, and I was lying down... So you can all thank Lady Luck for the pleasure of my acquaintance, folks...

I get to tag 8 people now, and this time, I will...

Just Let Go
maremagnum
Confessions of a Fat Chick
Créatif
Time Out
Carver's Sight or is that Site
A Place I call Home
I Was Born2cree8

These are 8 blogs that have included me in their Friendship lists - a couple of them I've visited before, but most are new to me.

So, folks, I don't know if you do tags, you don't have to if you don't want to.
I'll visit you anyway...

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The Big Move

It's almost that time of year again - time to move all the summer clothes into the attic, to (try to) make room for everyone's winter wardrobe. I swear I could open an outlet for wholesale clothing any day. There's a lot! With the horses and outdoor work, everyone needs an extra set for that, plus a set for activities in the snow, rain clothes and school wear. On top of that, scores of woolly hats, scarves, mittens... And footwear, of course. Not to mention a drawer full of thick, woollen socks.
I can't start too early, though - being right on time saves me discussions with the 4 teens about keeping that flimsy summer jacket or those sandals around just a little longer... There's no room in my hallway for summer and winter at the same time!
I've got to let them freeze a little first...
Bad, bad Mum.

This post was sponsored, in a very discreet and tasteful manner. And I need a new winter jacket.

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Manic Monday # 24 - Crisp

Some shots taken on this crisp September morning!

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Do Follow List

DaveDragon
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Buy better - Have a Better Life
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Down Memory Lanes
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Finding Life\’s Enchantments
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JOIN - Do Follow Bloggers **
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Texas RV Travel blog
Thermal
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Web Files, The
WebStyle
Whatever I Feel Like
Wild & Crazy Ride
Winding Threads
Wired Kayaker, The
Women Mumbles
Work At Home Mom Revolution
Yoga Blog
My Opinions Are Important

This DoFollow Blog list is courtesy of Courtney Tuttle and was created originally by Coleen as the D-List.

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Saturday Photo Hunt # 21 - Plastic

Miracle Boy - a year ago.
A strong little life upheld by TLC, skill, will and... plastic.

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Rest Insured...

Are you insured? I hope you are.
Maybe you feel you're paying too much, maybe you think insurance is becoming more and more expensive, and there's nothing you can do...
Well, that's not necessarily true.

A little time and effort can save you money, or give you better coverage for the money you're paying already.

At SecureInsuranceQuotes.com, you'll find all the insurance information you need, and get free Insurance Rates quotes.
They display no bias for any particular insurance company, and can offer neutral quotes according to your needs.
Whichever insurance type you're looking for, be it Health Insurance, Auto Insurance, Home or Life Insurance, you'll get a free quote, and experts will find the plan that's right for you, at the right price.

Connect with your Insurance Agency online - browse local and national providers, insurance resources and statistics, and let them help you get covered.


This has been a paid post.

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Sdeeze!

Boy, I'm sick. Dot terribly sick - I've just got zis terrible cold. Sdeezing, my dose is rudding, and gederally feeling udder ze weazer. Eyes are rudding, too... Ad my head is full of cottod. Go od, feel sorry for me...
Off to have a cogdac dow - of all ze zings zat do dot help, I do prefer cogdac!
Zis has dot beed a spodsored post.

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Viral Linking Works!

Authority: 349
Favorite it
Rank: 11,541

Since joining 2 viral linking programs, and starting my own little experiment a little over 2 weeks ago, my Technorati authority is up by about 60. (Technorati only registers new links, so the overall backlink count from this is way higher). Rank has gone down from around 14000 to what you see above.

I've enjoyed it - the participation, and also linking back to the people who've linked to me.

Now, this looks like a golden opportunity to post a viral link list AGAIN - but I'm not going to...

This is just an update, to show that even for a little blog like this one, the results can be very tangible.

Visitor count has gone up as well, by the way!

So join in, why don't you! Make an effort, search for "All things Viral", "Viral dream meme" or" Warm the Globe" on this blog, and see what turns up...

Those of you that I've missed - please let me know! I'm only too happy to link back to you!

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Salsa!

I used to dance... It's true. I was enrolled in dance school when I was quite young, to exercise my ankles, that were weakened by operations for club feet. I kept it up till I was about 18, and enjoyed it immensely. I never learned the Salsa, though. I don't know why - in those days it was all about ballroom dancing, and we learned all the other Latin dances - cha cha cha, rhumba, bossa nova, but salsa wasn't on the (dance) card.
In recent years, salsa dancing has become very much an "in" thing here, as it has in every part of the world, it seems. You can even learn it online! At Salsa Boot Camp, members have access to thousands of online salsa videos, and they can get their own DVDs in the mail. When you're done with the Salsa, you can always move on to learning the Merengue, Cha Cha, Bachata...

It's great exercise, it's fun, and you can now learn it at home - hubby might join in, too, you never know. Two left feet is not a problem!


This has been a paid post.

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Thursday Thirteen # 19

Thirteen (new) Blogs that have included me in their GLOBAL FRIENDSHIP WARMING lists

Although I've come across one or two of these before, they are essentially "new" to me, and I'm looking forward to visiting them all properly.





1. Reba's Run
2. Spicy Bug
3. Turning The Pages Of Life
4. Dare To Get Organized
5. The Middling Monettes
6. A Purple Shade Of Black
7. Any Apples
8. An OzLady' Ramblings
9. Dottie's Place
10. Cariboo Ponderer
11. Rather Than Working
12. Random Automness
13. Rambling Shan


As for my old buddies who've included me - thank you, you're not forgotten!



Links to other Thursday Thirteens!


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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Wordless Wednesday # 24

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Another Google Query - # 4...

This one is slightly less branding - mother of 6 blog returns me as # 4...
I guess there aren't that many of us, and if there are, they don't find time to blog!

Pay a visit to # 1, she's got 6 too, the youngest is in need of special care, and her domain name has "homeschooling" in it - it's a wonder she can even find her computer! Joyful Mother Of 6 Children - go say hi to Leslie!

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Deals, Deals, Online Deals...

All right, so I'm into coupons - It's just that I'm jealous, OK?

At Coupon Chief, great deals can be had for everything under the sun.

Got kids? LEGO, Webclothes, Kmart - all have great offers online for children.

Looking for a new computer or accessories for the one you've got? Dell, HP, Target - you choose!

Tools, Clothing, Shoes? Home Depot, Lands' End, Timberland - they're all here, and more.

Shall I go on? Perhaps not. Suffice it to say that whatever you need, chances are you'll make a better deal online... That way, when you do go "shopping", you can enjoy a quiet latte in a café instead, and watch everyone else stand in line!


This has been a sponsored post.

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Heads or Tails # 5 - 9/11 2001

Tails - 9/11.
Where was I? I was at home, minding my own business, when my ex-husband and the father of my 2 eldest phoned and said: "Turn the TV on. It's the end of the World"

I did. And it was.

At first, I though it was a (really bad) joke. The Twin Towers were a well known feature over here as well, and to see thick smoke and flames coming out of one of them was surreal.
And then, in real-time, before my eyes, the second one was hit. I think I didn't realize it was true until then.

The pictures on the screen were surreal all day. The fires, the smoke and the debris, and then, like giant card houses, the crumbling into nothing.

And all the time, the thoughts of the people who were trapped in there, the heroic deeds that were going on, the human beings fighting for their lives and others', the gut-wrenching pictures of people jumping to escape the heat.

Afterwards came all the details of the terrorists, and their agenda, but on the day the world as we knew it ended, 9/11 2001, it was all about the people who were there.

For more about this meme, visit Skittles

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Time For A Quiz...

... or a poll, maybe?
At Quibblo, you can create your own quiz to share, or take one of the many fun quizzes online, and post the results on your blog.
- Need to know something? Make a poll or survey, and get answers from your readers...
- How about a personality test? You'll find loads here, with personality badges to post on your site, or you can make your own.

It's user - generated, it's fun, and it's free!'

This has been a paid post

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I'm # 1 On Google!

And the keywords are: how do kids sniff super glue
That's me in a nutshell.
Need to learn, kids? Just ask Mum over there...


Update: With this post, I'm # 2, as well.

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For Manic Monday - Please Scroll Down!

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Medical Tourism - Here To Stay?

Medical Tourism - traveling abroad for cheaper, alternative and in some cases better qualified medical care is fast becoming an everyday occurrence.
Cosmetic surgery in particular is a growing industry, due to the high prices in Western Europe and the States, and the fact that patients often have to pay for it themselves.
In the wake of this growth, both in supply and demand, the number of agencies "brokering" these medical trips is growing too. They sometimes charge the same amount as the clinics themselves for their services.
Cosmetic surgery in Prague, for example, can reach twice the price if arranged through an agency. The upside is that you have everything taken care of for you - the downside is, apart from the price, that you have less say in the choice of surgeon/clinic.

I'm not going to debate cosmetic surgery here. First, it's a deeply personal thing - you may be desperate for a nose job, and I may think your nose looks just fine. Second, cosmetic surgery is here to stay, and whether it's done in Hollywood or in Prague, it is done.
What matters is that if you choose to have it done, it's done properly. I honestly don't think the risk of failure is any greater in the Czech Republic than in the US, the UK or in Norway, for example. Czech surgeons are very highly qualified, with a tremendous amount of training under their belt before they're accepted as plastic surgeons. They also depend on their customers being happy - word of mouth is a powerful thing. Most of their patients being from abroad, they have to deliver quality services to stay in business.

If you are considering it, you'll find loads of info in English here. Ask questions, check, talk to others who have been there if possible - just as you should if you were doing it at home!

This has been a paid post.

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A Monday Photo

Had to post this picture of the last rose of summer. Same rose as in TT, btw, but with raindrops this time.
With this chilly weather, it'll keep "forever"...

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Globe Warmth - Spread The Word!

Click here to Warm the Globe with Friendship one Blog at a Time

Jeni from "Down River Drivel"
has tagged me with this, and I'm more than happy to join the global warming movement.

This is what Jeni wrote:

"Here's a new concept, started by fellow blogger, Vic Grace, from British Columbia.As we are all aware, blogging does give us the opportunity to reach out and yes, "touch someone" by our words, pictures, links in our blogs and by our comments to fellow bloggers as well.Think about this - in a world today that is too often filled with news of wars all over the world, fears about terrorism, following newspaper and tv news reports about crime, gangs, and you name it of all the bad things we hear about everyday, wouldn't it be a wonderful thing if we, each of us blogging in our own little space, could actually spread the word through friendship and help, through that little bit of effort, to bring people together, united in a common goal of international friendship?If you like this concept - and who wouldn't, really - then add this badge to your sidebar, along with the link Vic has provided there. Then copy the text below and put this into a post on your blog. Follow that by tagging other bloggers to start sending this message around the world- hopefully, in less than 80 days too!
A good way for a blog to get established is to have backlinks.All you have to do is copy this post with the list of links below and add your link at the end.As others do the same we get the word out about a lot of great blogs. Eventually we may circumnavigate the globe.
That’s it, then just sit back, and watch the links grow, over time.That's it folks! That's all you have to do to take part in the friendliest effort yet in the blogosphere!Here now are the bloggers I am tagging to help get this movement on its way.
"Cariboo Ponderer" - Me, my life, my garden - Author blog - A little piece of me - The BiPolar Diaries - Turning the Pages of Life - "A Blue State of Mind" - "A Day in the Life of Sasha Stinerova" - "Whitterer on Autism" - "Pastorette Ponderings" - "Skittles Place" - "It's About Time" - "Creatif" - "Meloncutter's Musings" - "Bleeding Espresso" - "10 Years Running Blind" - "Rather than Working" - "Are We There Yet?" - "Overthehill Boomer Chick" - "Whee! All The Way Home" - "Mother's Home" - "A Place I Call Home" - "Time With Shelby" - Any Apples - BoggyWoggy's Cache - Erika Jean - My Dogs Keep Me Sane - Rambling Shan - Random Autumness - The Turtle Parade - Dottie's Place - "Down River Drivel" - OzLady's Ramblings - Tinkerbell - Chicken's Life - Reba's Run - Spicy Bug - Dare To Get Organized - The Middling Monettes - A Purple Shade Of Black - Maremagnum - Confessions Of A Fat Chick - Carver's Sight or is that Site - Comedy Plus

Now, Everyone, go forth and spread the word!"

That's what I'm doing - now you grab the list, add yourself and spread the warmth like ebola...
<

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New Gadget!

Behold my new mop!
It sometimes smells rather badly, but is sooo efficient!
No need for a microfiber suit - it collects dust by friction alone, and it gets into every corner, nook and cranny.
The perfect roboduster!

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Manic Monday # 23 - Clue

Last year, on the far north island of the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway, a fossilized skeleton of a Pliosaurus was discovered. This is the first time an entire skeleton is found - partial finds have been made in England and Russia.
To give you a clue of the size: imagine a predatory aquatic lizard that could get up to 20 meters long (about 60 feet), with teeth the size of cucumbers, that could fit a grown man on it's tongue, and swallow him whole... It lived 160 million years ago, and I hope they don't have a clue about how to clone it!


An artist's view of what the thing could have looked like...
Another clue to the past of this planet of ours.

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Coupons For Christmas?

Imagine - a load of neatly stacked envelopes under the tree - full of coupon codes...
Just kidding...
I'm fascinated by online coupon codes - this country is severely underdeveloped in that sense!

For free online coupons, coupon codes, discounts and bargain deals for all major online stores and shopping sites, visit WebbyPlanet.com!

Any major or minor purchase, be it for your home, clothing, electronics or toys, it's more than likely that you'll find a discount coupon that will fit your needs. You should be able to make some whooping deals for your Christmas shopping.
Free shipping, 10, 20, 30, 40% off - it all depends on the coupon offer - take your pick and have yourself a bargain!

You don't have to browse through the whole site either, if you know what you're after, you can search by category. And boy, are there many to choose from! Also, if you know which online store you're after, you can easily search by name.

If you are the type for envelopes under the Christmas tree, you can also buy Gift Certificates, or even plane tickets and trips to Hawaii...

Grab a coffee, get your list out, and start doing your Christmas shopping from home at http://www.webbyplanet.com now - you'll save money and escape the mad rush!


This has been a sponsored post.

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Help!

OK - It seems everyone was right - I started up a new blog without thinking, and without investigating the rules properly. Might keep it though, to learn Wordpress (not nearly as user-friendly as Blogger), but what I really need is a domain.
And a hosting service.

If you haven't noticed, there are hundreds. Which one to choose, when you've never heard of any of them??? US, UK, local - I HAVE NO IDEA! Any advice? Please? With my luck, I'll end up with a service that goes bust in 3 months time...

I've worked out that the domain name I want is taken with the .com suffix, but I can have .net. What's the difference? Should I try another prefix just to get the .com, or is .net OK to use?

That should end question time for now. Help, please!

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Shopping

I'm off shopping with my sister this afternoon - I seem to have outgrown all my clothes (My wardrobe must be... damp!), and I can't really go to Paris in the stuff I'm wearing at the moment. (Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but French stores only have clothes in pygmy sizes).
We'll also pop in to some discount furniture stores - we're both interior design buffs, although she's much better at keeping her house tidy than I am. Half the number of kids, you see, and a somewhat different disposition... We like browsing for cute stuff and nice ideas, though!
We also enjoy each other's company, and whatever we decide to do, we always manage to find time for a nice lunch or café visit.
Family is great - but when you get family and friendship combined - that's a rare thing, and I'm thankful that we've got it.

This post was sponsored - shopping, you see!

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Saturday Photo Hunt # 20 - Music

The recurring musical theme in this household at the moment is a tin can rendition of "Old MacDonald had a farm", that comes courtesy of this instrument of parent torture.
A gift for Miracle Boy on his 1st birthday. He loves it, and so does # 5 Brat.
Extras: animal sounds and loud motor noise when moving forward.
Duracell go to****!
PhotoHunt

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All Things Viral

Here's the old viral link list as it once was published on this blog, plus links to the blogs that have included me in their lists since then.
I'm republishing it so y'all can find it, and also because the fresher the link, the happier Technorati is...

Backlinks are coming in every day thanks to this, and that's also a reason to republish - if you keep people on your list, they're likely to keep you on theirs.
As my old grandma used to say - nothing comes into a closed fist.

To recapitulate how it works: Copy the below list, paste it(For Blogspot: in Compose) in a post (include yourself if you're not on it, and some deserving friends if you so wish). Tell your readers about Viral Linking, and encourage them to grab the list and go viral too.

You could also ask the people you're linking to to reciprocate - It's the polite thing to do, folks!


One Man’s Goal - Ryan Shamus - Terence Chang - Rich Minx - Slyvisions - E-Revenue Select - Misdo Club - Digital Lost Boys - CyberSurge - Technically Easy - How I Will Be Rich - Boston Brat - Your Website Profit - The Dragon Project - I Am Facing Millions - E-World Vu - Allscm.com - Hiding-N-Public - Webd360 - Techie Zone - The Insane Writer - Olympic Blogger - Norwegian Photo Blog - The King Kong Blog - Bamboo Nation - Mobile Phone Geek - Boogie Mum - Miri Guy - Everything Finance Blog - Net Monetization - Groovy Vegetarian - Etienne Teo - Omicra - Komirad - Pro Blog Design - I Do Things - Fashion Style Trend - Marketing Land - Marketing Deviant - Blogging Tips - Rammel Firdaus - Don Biz Blogger - Groovy Entrepreneur - Mr. Baconpants - The Daily Fuzz - Forex Trading Blog - Zr5 - Cariboo Ponderer - Utah SEO - Queen City Hoops - Blogging Bits - Demp.se/y - Scraps of Mind - High Fivez - Poewar - Blogging Expertise - Oil Offshore Marine - Smart Not Cheap - I Hate Your Job - Vegan Momma - Sewing Mom - Lillie Ammann - Life Snippets - My New Hustle - Mouseki - Chill Technology - Mother's Home! - Blogging Mix - A Blog About Nothing - Jaycees Desires - Chessnoid - DCR Blogs - Muffin 53 - Chicken's Life - Skittles' Place - The Buzz Queen - A Little Piece Of Me - Comedy Plus - Adsense Tips - Escape Job Hell - Missylicious - Secretalife - Internet Marketing Mind - Misdo Link Love - Make Money Online - Home With Heather - Marketing Experiment - Untwisted Vortex -
All Things About - ..And Miles To Go Before We Sleep.. - How To Get Traffic On Blogs - Tech For Novices - Grow Rich Along With Me - Carver's Sight or is that Site - Time Out - ZIFF - Blogolope - Life In Vegas - Patrick On Music - Places Remembered And Imagined - The Last Page On The Net - alilsumptinsumptin

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Phriday Photo

Brats on terrace, enjoying the last days of summer, and wishing everyone a great weekend.

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A Blissful Meal

After posting my TT yesterday, and wondering whether the corn/maize would mature enough for us to eat it this year, I decided to wonder no more, and went do do a thorough check...
I managed to find a mature cob for each of us.
The kids were extatic - we haven't had corn in the garden for a couple of years, and eating cobs out of a tin should be forbidden... I don't even freeze it anymore, we've decided to grow just enough for our immediate consumption, and that's it.
Once you've tasted it straight from the plant, there's no way back!
It's so sweet and tender, there's really no need for butter or any other spices, it's just gorgeous! Just a little salt in the boiling water, and that's it.
Even # 6 Brat (Miracle Boy) had a blissful moment, gnawing away at his (chilled) corn cob.
No pictures, I'm afraid, the anticipation was too great, and they disappeared before I had time to find the camera. I had to find a replacement photo...

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How's Your Eyesight?

Ehm.. How's mine? I have no idea. I checked my eyes 15 years ago, and got some glasses that I've hardly ever used - maybe it's time to have the old baby blues checked again?
I don't think I'll have glasses again though - it would have to be contact lenses.
For one, they're stuck until you remove them, unlike glasses, that seem to live a life of their own, and wander off to unlikely places... Like the top of your head, or in the pocket of the jacket you've used once in 6 months!

Anyway - at Lens Catalogue I can get whatever brand or type of contact lenses at the tip of a mouse, and save up to 70% of the retail price! If I order a years' supply, I can save a lot by buying online. Some people (Brits) even get free P&P for orders over 60£...
If I ever get round to having my eyes checked, I can just pick a brand and a type of lens, enter my prescription and order, easy as pie. Acuvue Contact Lenses, for example, offer a wide range of types - I can even have emerald green eyes! Or aquamarine, doesn't that sound compelling?

It does, actually. Lenses it is, then. Must call and book an optometrist appointment tomorrow. Remind me, won't you?

This has been a paid post.

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Thursday Thirteen # 18

Thirteen Pictures from AN AUTUMN GARDEN



1.Frozen gherkin plants.













2.Frozen Phlox.


















3.Beans are going...













4. A remnant mini carnation


















5. Corn - I hope it matures!













6. Peony leaves - a pretty colour!


















7. Drying onions













8.Physalis


















9.A succulent plant - late bloomer.













10.Squash


















11.Tomatoes - mostly fried green tomatoes this year













12.Forgotten summer toys...


















13.The last rose of Summer



Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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A Glimpse Of Spain

My sister and a gang of her friends go to Barcelona once a year. A real "girl's week out", no husbands, no kids... And they love it!
Hotels in Barcelona can be booked online, which may well be cheaper than booking direct. Hotels in Madrid too, should they decide to change venues one year, or to combine the two.


The nightlife, apparently, is all you would expect from a great city, and then some. There's no end to the cultural sites either - classic and modern architecture, art, history, they're spoilt for choice.


These girls are all food buffs, and they rave about the restaurants and local cooking. I'm sure they'd enjoy Madrid as well!



By now, they should have a working knowledge of the language - they could perhaps practice next time by booking Hoteles en Barcelona in Spanish...


This has been a sponsored post.

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6000, And Then Some!

The 6000 visitor mark came and went yesterday morning, and the numbers kept piling up all day, to reach a record of 116 page views.
Did I hear a giggle?
For me, going over 100 in one day is huge, and it's also a first...
On with the celebrations!

For visitor # 6000, I really can't tell, it was a lurker! As the almighty umpire, I therefore give a raffle ticket to the referrer of the visitor/lurker in question, Down River Drivel. Actually, 2 visitors came from there at the same time, so the decision was an easy one! She was game enough to take part in my first attempt at a viral meme, and so directed visitors this way.

Then there's the lovely Claire, who was the first to comment on my wannabe new blog, and who also took the trouble to fave it, even though I haven't even put up a button yet.

Many thanks to both of you, and congratulations! More chances to come, people, don't despair...

(Raffle info in the sidebar - prize yet to be disclosed...)

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My Bar

Well, if I were to have a bar, it would have to be outside, and built so we could use it in winter. A counter made of brick and slate, and bar stools that could be used as they are in summer, and be covered in sheepskin in winter. It gets very cold here, and in the dead of winter, with loads of snow and a roaring log fire - that's when I'd use my winter bar...
At Quality Barstools, they've got just what I want! Along with hundreds of other stylish varieties, designed for indoor use, I spotted a Bar Stool made for the great outdoors! Well, several, actually, but I've found my favourite!
The stools are all from top US manufacturers, and are offered at discount prices.
You can customize your bar stool too, by choosing fabric and metal finish. They'll even send you free fabric and metal samples, if you ask them.
Orders over $500 are shipped for free in Continental USA.
Now, what about my choice? Click here to see it, and picture a party of merry Norwegians, each perched on a stool above the snow, having an ice cold drink by a roaring outside fire in the bright winter sunshine... My kind of party!

This has been a sponsored post.

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Viral Dream Meme - Nonsense Story - Backlinks

A little reciprocation, and a thanks to all of you who've participated so far. Below is a list of links to all of you, at least the ones I've been able to track down through Technorati. Thanks, everyone, keep it up, I hope you've all seen some links coming in as well!

Rambling Shan, Empress Bee, Skittle's, Time With Shelby, My Dogs Keep Me Sane, "And Miles To Go Before We Sleep...", Usogirl, Jamee Forever, Whee! All The Way Home, Artificial Intelligence, The Alien Next Door, Diary Of A Heretic, What I Know For Sure, A Little Piece Of Me, Mimi Writes..., Down River Drivel, Big Leather Couch, Daily Couch Test, Dixie's - Heart And Soul, Muffin 53, A Quiet Symphony, Missylicious, Boricua In Texas, Mayberry Mom, Twisted Sister... totally pissed off!, Comedy Plus, Are We There Yet?, Coffee To Go, Fairytales And Margaritas, Gazing Into The Abyss,
A Nice Place In The Sun, Random Magus, The Dust Will Wait, Diary Of A Heretic, Remedial Rumination, A Snowball's Chance In..., Jo Beaufoix, Amel's Realm, Kingdom Of God, The Holy Ghost Speaks Plainly, Speedcat Hollydale Page, R Playground, The Process Of A Miracle

These are the ones I've spotted. If you know of anyone else, or you've done the meme and are not mentioned, please let me know, and I'll be more than happy to post a link here.
I'll go and post this list over on my Wannabe New Blog now, so y'all get an extra link for the price of one!

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Back To School

Does your young student (K-12 school or college) need that "little extra" to face his or her exams with confidence? Maybe they could do with some extra Tutoring or Homework Help?
TutorVista.com is the world's leading company in Online Tutoring.
Their staff have graduate degrees and undergo months of training to meet the tutoring needs of TutorVista's customers.

The incredible unlimited monthly tutoring package (at only $99,99 a month) covers all subjects, and students can use the service as much as they want or need, 24/7.

An expert Tutor is available to them for every subject - Math, Algebra, English, Science... And more! Their Exam Prep service is very comprehensible too.
Check out their Back To School Advantage Offer now! There's nothing like a head start...

This has been a sponsored post.

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Shiver, Shiver...

Guess what I've done...

I've started a Wordpress blog.

Mother's Wannabe New Home

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Wordless Wednesday # 23 - Today, 06.36AM

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Buying In Cyprus

Dreaming is allowed, no? If I should ever buy a second property abroad, I wouldn't go for France, even though I love it to bits. I've never been to Cyprus, but I've visited other islands in the area.
I'd probably investigate the possibility of a North Cyprus Property very thoroughly. Knowing the blue sea, the beauty of the landscape, the climate and the friendly people, Cyprus would be an ideal place to take the kids to on a regular basis now, and perfect for resting the old bones at a later date...
The area of Kyrenia, with it's markets, it's great food, and the fact that English is widely spoken sounds like a place where I could easily grow accustomed to spending my time.
Why don't you check it out - we might meet up!

This was a paid post

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I Can Feel A Raffle Ticket Coming On...

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Heads or Tails # 4 - School

I'm enrolled in the school of life... Let's see if we can get something done here... First, turn on the charm!




... Make sure no one's around... And off we go!


But... No one taught me how to reverse! I'll sue that school!

Help!

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A Day At The Races

It was fun! We were invited by an elderly couple we know to join them in the VIP clubhouse, where we had a lovely buffet lunch before the races, coffee and cakes throughout, and a very good view of the track. Comfy chairs too, which was a good thing - we arrived at 11am, and left there just before 6pm...
There were 11 races, some paying out quite handsome prizes for the winners and runners-up.
Yes, I did bet. Yes, I did win. Or... perhaps not... Paying 200 NOK and getting 20 NOK back is probably more like... losing 180 NOK.(Norwegian Kroner, 1$=6NOK)
No matter, we put a bet in for fun, and in that sense, we got our money's worth. And more.
The In-laws spent the day at our place with the kids, so we were able to relax thoroughly.
I liked it, and will go again... VIP or not - we may have to cohort with the masses next time!

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Need A Job?

Once upon a time, I was looking for ways to go and work in a foreign country, preferably in the UK.
In those days, working abroad was almost impossible, unless you were a diplomat or in the military, and also, I was married and then got pregnant, so life took a slightly different turn.
I now have a daughter who'll be ready to spread her wings in a year or so, and working abroad is a distinct possibility.
Now, Scotland and Edinburgh have come up as an alternative. Finding jobs in Edinburgh isn't impossible, even for a young girl like her. There are au pair jobs, for example, that she could do for a year or so, while she decides what to do with herself.
I've been there, it's beautiful and lively, and I know she'd love it!
Gumtree have all sorts of offers for Edinburgh jobs, in every trade and level of experience, so if you're looking for work, or want a life change, pay them a visit.


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Manic Monday # 22 - Labor

Today's planned labors:




Wash and cut beans, for freezing.




Cleanse and cut wild mushrooms, for drying.




Sterilize jars, for...

...these gherkins, that I'll pickle!

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See What You Want

Binoculars are binoculars, right? Well, wrong! I never knew there were so many types! There are astronomical binoculars (celestron binoculars), marine binoculars, hunting binoculars, opera glasses, digital and night vision binoculars, to name a few.
Whatever activity you're into, you're likely to find a pair to match it. Birdwatching? There are specialized binoculars for that. I'm intrigued by the waterproof ones. Imagine snorkling away in a blue sea, and getting all that beauty magnified before your eyes... Or what about a pair that's built for warching the stars?
At Optics Planet, you find them all, from various brands. All you have to do is decide what you're going to use them for - if you can choose.
I should have had a pair yesterday at the races - I don't think they've got binoculars for hindsight, though!

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Off To The Races!

I'm being taken to see horse racing today, for the first time in my life.
Norwegian Derby, or something.
I'll be betting, too.
And having lunch in the VIP tent.
Read all about it later, and have a grand Sunday!

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Saturday Photo Hunt # 18 - Dirty

Well, this isn't dirty... It's been washed and disinfected. I just jumped at the chance to give you an idea for what you can do if your toilet seat falls off.
Outside art can get quite dirty, though, but it doesn't really matter. Just a bit of fun, and I thought the wall lacked a little something!

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A Monthly Update - August

This has been a good month for me - a very good month. And I had fun!
295 $!!! Most of it from paid posts, well practically all of it.
Adsense brought in a whooping 62 cents, which makes me wonder why I've got it up - must be the thrill of watching the zeros piling up...
PyU2Blog has been a fun experience, I hope we'll be good to each other in the future also.
PPP is always great, but they put out the "goodie opps" just when we're having dinner over here, so I sort of miss out on those. Still, they're very good.
Blogsvertise have picked up, too - they pay me quite well now, and if that trend continues, I'm happy.
Ranking - Technorati is on the move, thanks to Viral Linking, I believe. Alexa has been quite kind to me too this month, but my "low" period in July is bound to show there soon. On the up side, I'm getting more visitors now, so my graph has some bumps on it...
Google - well, I don't know if their 'bot has gotten round to me yet - there's always hope. I'm happy with PR3, but I would be happier with a 4!
Anything else?
No, I'm just thrilled with my 295$, and toying with some very attainable goals, both for September and the New Year...

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