For those of you dear bloggy peeps who read yesterday's 'it's all about me' post...you are clearly patient, persevering and quite possibly just a little bit demented. But I salute you...and as I used to be in the Army...I know how to salute properly. It's a rare and precious skill.

via belgian pearls

via lona de anna

Your reward...of course...is the weekly top ten! Less rabbiting on from me...more gazing at for you. Some of you may think this next one is ugly...I find it fascinating and reminiscent of my travels in India...(sorry, I said less rabbiting!)

via daily imprint

With only the occasional annoying editorial comment...

via desire to inspire

Or an explanatory note like...this next pic was taken by Grace's daughter Kate's friend Gabriela Hansen...only 18 and soon off to study photography...pretty impressive huh...get some of her work now while you can afford it!

I think you may have also enjoyed the monthly leftovers collages...so I'll keep that up as well. If nothing else, these posts are helping me define what it is I really like...

via lou, boo's and shoes

You'd reckon I would have worked that out by now wouldn't you!

via the diversion project

jackie kennedy's dressing room circa 1962 via the decorista

...but not entirely...

via white trash beautiful

Shush Kerry...shush!

via kim myles

There you go...

Sometimes it's a bit difficult when lovely people tag you or give you an award; trying to think up what you'll say...(so sometimes I say very little...not today though). Stop that groaning!! That's why I like the tags I've received recently. They come with questions. Oh bliss. The only problem is...two tags...two different lots of questions. 18 questions...I don't think any of you would indulge me while I answer that many (even I'd be sound asleep by the end of that), so I'm combining the tags and choosing half that number, ok? That'll be 9...

Even so, I'm afraid that you are going to be sooooo over me by the end of this post. In fact, you might want to skip to the end right now where I mention a few blogs, because, quite honestly, I'm not all that exciting. And I really wouldn't be offended.
If you're still with me, the first five come from 'Cross the Pond...a New Yorker living in London...how good is that! Okey dokey, here we go...
1. Why blog?
Because I am certifiably mad? This blogging has taken over my life, I am going insane with the pressure...oh, ok...because I really like it and because I have met nice people...reason enough I think. Actually the first born made me do it...you can read why in my very first post here. (it was fun going back and reading that!) But on a serious note, I think that blogging will be instrumental in changing parts of my life...and actually it already has. For the details, you'll have to wait and see..but it's going to be good!

2. Do you have to write or want to write?
Both actually. I have to write quite a lot for work. In fact, it's almost all I do. As a HR consultant I get to write things telling organisations what to do, where they're going wrong, how they can improve...oh it's wonderful except when they tell me I don't know what I'm talking about!

But I want to write as well. I'm no longer sure what form that will take...but I think the desire will always be there. 

3. If you could have coffee with just one person, living or dead, who would it be and why?
These questions that you have asked other people come back to bite you on the bum don't they! I have often used this question when I'm facilitating workshops and have no idea how I'd answer if put on the spot. But gee, now I have been! It probably changes on any given day. 

The slightly shallow answer is Hugh Jackman. Why? Don't be ridiculous...obvious! The slightly less shallow answer is Elizabeth Gilbert. I find her quite inspirational and I would love to have a conversation with her. I love the sound of her voice too...go here for a sample courtesy of Mariska. And yes I could have said Nelson Mandela or the Dalai Lama, but I didn't. And I probably would have said our new PM Julia, but didn't want to appear a complete dag. Don't judge me!

4. Toilet paper roll: over or under?

Oh most definitely over. I have been known to go to the loo in other people's homes or in public conveniences and change it if it isn't right! (sorry, that was me). And while I'm on the subject...I get really annoyed when I go to the loo at work and find the last person used the last of the roll and I have to change it! It's bad enough having to do it at home...who are these people who don't know how to change a toilet roll...shame on them! And unlike the rest of my house...only ever white paper...no dolphins, flowers or whatevers thank you very much!

5. Beach or Mountains/lake?
Hmm, difficult. I am a Cancerian...we love water and I love to be by it. To be honest I prefer looking at it rather than being in it. However, I think that beaches would be a lot better if they had grass rather than sand. I don't like sand. Gets in your cossies...sticks to the sun lotion...ruins the pages of your book. I guess a chair would make it better...

Now...for the next four...you still with me?? If so, you are incredibly nice, patient and kind...and deserving of a medal!  Here's a pretty one.

These 4 came from Jenny at The Five Year Project (good name!) chronicling the renovation of her 100 year old Queenslander (I love Queenslanders...the people are quite nice too!) 
1. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Oh geez, I am struggling with this one. I like where I live but I don't want to live here forever. I have lived in the UK and I harbour a dream to live overseas again for a while. My preference right here, right now? A hill village in Italy...I do believe, that so far at least, it's my favourite country of all apart from Australia.

2. If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be?
Actually I'm very happy being me. Mind you, it's taken quite a few decades to get there. I don't have a single person I'd want to be...more of a concept...I'd want to be someone who had unlimited resources and who used those resources quietly and anonymously to help the truly disadvantaged. Because you know what, sometimes I don't think we realise how incredibly lucky we are.

Ok, if you insist on a person...Helen Mirren...she's awesome!
3. Concert or Broadway show?
Not that I've ever been to the real Broadway, but I've seen quite a few shows. My favourite? Toss up between Starlight Express and Miss Saigon...both in London when I was living in England in 1990...Les Miserables was good too. And Camelot...I would have loved to have seen that on stage not just at the movies. I clearly need to get out more. 

4. Theme song for life?

That's actually easy. The song I chose for the finale of my 50th birthday dance party (it was a good party that one!). Ironically a song by a 20 something...Steer by Missy Higgins..you can watch it here...

The lyrics I love from that song...

"But the search ends here
where the night is totally clear
and your heart is fierce
so now you finally know
that you control where you go
you can steer" 

Nice one Missy!

So there you have it bloggy peeps. And now that I've completely stuffed up both of those tags by not playing by the rules...I'm not going to pass them on. I'm just going to point you in the direction of some new blogs I've found recently that you might not be familiar with and that you might like to visit...if you have the strength after reading all of that!! Well done you! Because it was probably only one of you!! :)
So, off you go, if you haven't already been, to...

Life in a Pink Fibro

Hummingbird's Song

Vintage by LouLou

Miss Sew and So

The Lighthouse

...and say hi from me please!
Thank goodness it's only pictures tomorrow-this week's top ten. You must be exhausted getting through that...I know I am! Sheeesh!
all images from we heart it or google images

It's not that I want you to think these pics are sub-par, less than optimum, not up to scratch...or anything remotely like that. 

No, these are just the ones that I spent a ridiculous amount of time umming and aahing over. Do they go in to the weekly top ten, or do they not? 

Which is just a tad ironic seeing I decided to do the top ten so I didn't have to think so hard in the middle of the work week! 

You know...pick a pretty picture or ten and that's that...Thursday's post done and dusted...ha...sometimes I question my 'wisdom'! 

And then of course, having gone to the trouble of collecting them (not that it involves any hardship on my part of course!) I couldn't let them wallow unloved in the top ten pic folder on my dear old hard drive now could I...'twouldn't be right.

So here you go possums...just before June runs out...the ones that didn't quite make the cut...hope you like them. 

They're quite pretty aren't they?

Some have even got white in them...now there's something you don't see a lot of around here!

A labour of love this is dear bloggy peeps...just for you...

Phew...thank goodness...only nine collages...because ten would have been just too silly!
And the blogs from whence they came...here's a list, because after all..that's part of the fun as well!


images (and I'm really sorry they are not individually attributed to pics...because quite frankly life is too short) come from these wonderful blogs...in alphabetical order (can you guess how long this took me!!)
a punch of colour; belle maison; bohemian shoebox; brabourne farm; bright.bazaar; casa bella; design ties; desire to inspire; french essence; glimpse of style; la maison boheme;lime in the coconut; little blue deer; livelikeyou; lona de anna; lou, bou's and shoes; small place style; style me pretty; the brass petal; the decorista; the diversion project; thimbles and crumbles; urban farmgirl; young house love.....like I said...a labour of love!!

Thanks to everyone who suggested that I should just relax this weekend. I took your advice. And did a very great deal of not a lot! Except... I spent a bit of time with the crochet hook perfecting my granny square technique and trying to decide which pattern I liked most....

I went with this one for my first attempt at a crocheted throw, which I do believe the first born has already claimed. She might be waiting a while at the rate I go!

I'm using a variety of colours...and I'm sure you won't be surprised to see they're not pastels! Quite pleased with them though...even though I don't have a clue yet how to put them together...but that surely is why Google was invented!

And I did finish this book...and, as in the days before blogging began, it took me no time at all. This may be because I stayed in bed until 2 o'clock yesterday to read it. And it made me blubber (just like poor old ex Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who I do feel very sorry for). Except unlike him...my blubbering was for no good reason other than a spectacularly happy and cheesy-schmalzy ending!

Forget the Booker and all things literature on a quest for relaxation...there's nothing like a good old girly book for a wintery Canberra day now is there?

...and deciding that I needed (ok don't need, but would very much like) a small collection of silver (ok then, silver plate) I found these while doing a bit of op shopping...and they didn't cost very much at all..about $20 for the lot. And I quite like cleaning silver, not that I did a lot of that on my take-it-easy weekend as you can see. Think they'll scrub up pretty well though and they are lovely shapes.

I'm thinking this lot will make a nice display on my antique chest of drawers in the bedroom. Chuck a few necklaces in one and some flowers in another....might work quite well in a casual, thrown together kind of way.

And I did a good bit of old-fashioned staring into space as well...thinking about life, this blog, work...and I've come to a few decisions. All good. So I guess you could say my project this weekend was me. And sometimes that's absolutely the best thing to be working on. The chandelier cleaning can wait for another time! Here's to a good week bloggy peeps.

Not much writing for me today on this here blog...but this image from here got me thinking...could this be a blogger's mantra... a tool for those with early onset alzheimers...or just something for really busy peeps?? For sure my brain has been so full lately that if I didn't write things down I would have absolutely no clue what I'd been thinking about! 
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. I'm going to try and get some rest...it's been a huge work week. Two massive projects delivered...two very happy clients. Fabulous team work. Gratifying, but exhausting. But nowhere near as big as Julia Gillard's week. Australia's new Prime Minister...I won't push my political leanings here, but I think she is one mightily impressive woman.
Hugs to all of you; thanks so much for your continuing support and wonderfully uplifting and often highly amusing comments. You have no idea how you've helped to get me through this particularly difficult week!!

Firstly can I just say so sorry that I'm not a very regular visitor to your blogs at the moment. I'm trying but work is...how shall I put it...manic! It was a slow start to collecting beautiful pics for the weekly top ten as well...but I think it's all come together in the end. So here we go...I think I have a thing for pink at the moment...

via brabourne farm

via glimpse of style

via la maison boheme

via house of turquoise

This next one makes me think of our old cat Licorice...who was much, much nicer than the vampire slayer! I miss Licorice.

by anci at the lighthouse

via edyta and co

by a country farmhouse

I so, so, so want to paint this next one...and I do believe it's on a tapa cloth very similar to mine...

by rummage

by sweet as a candy

via department of the interior

Surprise, surprise...I do actually collect more than ten pictures in a week. Choosing which ten to choose has become somewhat of a dilemma and I feel for the ones I don't put in. No, I'm not mad as a cut snake...just a bit frazzled...see reference regarding work above! So as next Thursday is the start of a new month, sometime next week I'll try to do a collage of all the ones that just missed out. It would be a great shame to waste them don't you think? Plus I don't want to hurt their feelings. See reference regarding cut snake above...I may have to reconsider!!