twenty things you've never wondered about me

Last week, while I was busy photoshopping a quiche to Robert Palmer's head, Miss Chardy and Kirsten and Co snuck up behind me, sat me under a hot light and interrogated me about hotels, The Castle and figs.

Chards: Best hotel you have ever stayed in? Tell us about it please.

The loveliest hotel I've ever stayed at was the Shangri-la Rasa Ria in Kota Kinabalu. How we wound up there is a bit of a funny story.  I had a few sherbets at the Steve Irwin Gala Dinner and bought the trip at the charity auction. Bearhands wasn't there, so I just arrived home on the farm the next day and told him what I'd done. My brother David was living in Indonesia and Bearhands and I had been talking about taking the Big Sister over to visit him.

The trip eventually turned into a baby-moon where we didn't actually see David, but we did see Borneo's famous orang-utans and a viper in the hotel grounds that, in hindsight, I got a bit too close to for a heavily pregnant woman in a foreign country. The resort is beautiful, the staff friendly and the tucker second to none. I could eat their roti every breakfast for the rest of my days and not complain.

Kirsten: Are you a Summer or a Winter person?

Summer.

Chards: Where did you get married?

Bearhands and I married at Our Lady of the Way in Landsborough. Fr Stan officiated over our nuptials and, later, the girls baptisms. Later at our wedding reception at Tranquil Park at Maleny, Bearhands would famously tell the "Cooker or a Looker" joke and the seed for this blog name would be planted.

Kirsten: What is your favourite movie?

Dirty Dancing. When the Big Sister was a newborn I even had a jumpsuit that said 'Nobody puts Baby in the corner'.
When I missed the finish of the movie in February the universe even set about filling the Dirty-Dancing-sized void in my life.

Chards: Read any good books lately?

I've just finished binge reading Liane Moriarty's novels. Funny, personal, insightful - I couldn't put any of them down.

Kirsten: What was the last thing that you bought?

A part for the car.

Chards: What about Podcasts….. are you into Podcasts?  Do you have any new suggestions for us?

I'm rarely alone, so listening to podcasts doesn't fit with my life at the moment. One day!

Kirsten: Have you ever eaten a fig?

Our neighbours are fig farmers (among other crops) so we're lucky enough to have our fair share of figs in the season. Did you know there's a really saucy Robert Frost poem about figs (that I'm pretty sure isn't really about figs?). I've also blogged a delicious fig and yoghurt cake if you're looking for recipes.

Chards: Do the words “How’s the Serenity” and “Get your hand off it Darryl” resonate with you?

Does the frequent use of the phrases "Whaddya call this love?" and "Why would you go out?" in house answer this?

Kirsten: Have you ever met anyone famous?

I was once Steve Irwin's weekend assistant.
I touched Keith Urban's back at a concert a few years back.
Plus there's that film clip we're in.

Chards: Favourite song from the 80’s or 90’s? 

I want that Man by Deborah Harry.

After all, what girl doesn't want a black limousine, a pair of pink high heels and to move like "what's his name"?

Kirsten: What is your middle name?

Jane.

Chards: Favourite meal?

Tough one. Probably mud crab, but as a kid I asked for beef stroganoff for every birthday dinner.

Kirsten: Are you going to see Oprah in December?

I am! I was lucky enough to score two of the cheap seat in the pre-sale. We'll probably have to sit in the elevator shaft, but at least we'll be there.

Chards: Where did you grow up?

Dad was in the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) for my younger years and we were posted around a bit - Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra. We eventually settled in Brisbane and he joined QANTAS so that we could stay put.

Kirsten: Who does the ironing at your place?

Whoever is more ready for the wedding. (Seriously we don't iron here very often!)

Chards: Are you a perfect parent or a total psycho?

Total freaking psycho.

Kirsten: Sweet or Savoury?

That's like asking me to choose my favourite child. I'm not denying I have a favourite, mind you, I'm just saying it changes on a daily basis.

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And just like that, they were gone. Kirsten and Chards were in and out of my office so quickly it was like they'd never been here at all. I'm still wondering which one was supposed to be the good cop.
Now friends, it's your turn in the hot seat, tell me:

city or country?

snakes or spiders?

chocolate or cheese?