Some commenters have kindly enquired how our boy is getting on in New Zealand. He’s having a fine time, thanks. He and his young lady arrived the weekend before Easter, so very soon got a long weekend (no one in New Zealand is ill from Good Friday till Easter Tuesday, evidently; or if they are, they don’t want to be treated by students). So the pair of them went off to see glaciers. Then they worked for two weeks and were told to take a week’s holiday. What a splendid country! So they went down to the south and saw lots more beautiful scenery, such as this: Queenstown Hill with Lake Wakatipu in the background. It looks a lot like the Scottish Highlands except that in Scotland the grass would be a lot greener (rain) and you probably wouldn’t be wearing shorts up a mountain because it would be too windy and cold.Now they’re back in Nelson for a few more weeks before having a final week off, during which they’re going to North Island.
It came to me a few weeks ago that my second blogiversary had come and gone on March 3. This, combined with the slightly depressing fact that my stats have gone considerably down this week (I was clearly rather uninteresting last week) made me decide that when not many people were watching I would take up the self-portrait challenge that’s been going around. I didn’t actually take a new picture – this was done a few months ago for a blog friend who wanted to know what I looked like, but, you know, I don’t look all that different yet. It’s taken in the bathroom mirror, which has a kindly light from the side window. I actually look 140. I do like seeing bloggy people's faces so decided to step out from the shadows. My students aren’t reading this, I’m sure. And nor are all that many other people, judging by my latest stats. So here I am saying a quick hello to a select band of you.If you’re reading this and haven’t done the self-portrait thing yet, I dare you.
It's a very good likeness, Isabelle as you well know! And I doubt you could do "dopey" if you tried. Glad to hear your offspring is doing well down under. Wait, that doesn't sound quite right......
ReplyDeleteI think you look perfectly lovely, except for the flowers growing out of the top of your head! How do you take a picture in a mirror without a big flash in the glass?
ReplyDeleteSo that's what y ou look and I also think you look lovely.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear your son is enjoying NZ. I do agree a lot of places here are similar to Scotland.
You look a little like Phyllida Law, and are much too hard on yourself.
ReplyDeleteI tried to respond to your gory cat story, but blogger ate it. My boy-kitty has ceremoniously brought me a toy every morning this week. I am very glad he does not have access to real live trophies, it's much better finding a feather-topped furry carrot by my slippers.
So nice to see you. Well done on taking the dare. I thought your smile was lovely, and not at all dopey.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad your boy is happy and having fun, Isabelle. My friends know he is there,and will introduce themselves if they meet, which they assure me is entirely possible!
ReplyDeleteI don't think you could do dopey if you tried, by the way! Great photos. You know what I look like, and if I took a photo right now I would frighten everyone off. For good.
Yep - I like the 'dopey' smile - kind of looks like you might know something we don't! But seriously it's lovely to have a face to put to the name -and a pretty one at that Z xx
ReplyDeleteN.Z.and your offspring look lovely. No midges there either?
ReplyDeleteNice to know what you look like rather lovely not dopey at all.
oh, just seeing you there made me almost start to cry!
ReplyDeleteYou are just lovely.
What a big sook I am...but it's so nice to see you again!
I was just thinking about you, and the boy in NZ this morning. So glad he is enjoying himself.
Nice to see you! And you sing too?
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of son and mountains.
Also, Isabelle, I did warn you WAY back about the catlets ...
A bit like teenagers ....
Well, Hellooo Isabelle! Aren't you just adorable??? What a pretty smile you have -- not dopey in the least. How brave you are -- I'm too chicken myself! At least you're having better luck getting good pictures from your son than I am -- I even set up a blog for my lil' heathen to post to -- he's posted us a few pics, but not many! And you said the first thing I thought when I looked at your son's picture -- that it looks an awfully lot like Scotland!
ReplyDeleteYou look just the way I envisioned you -- very sweet and friendly. I like the blue bottle too!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young, we had a kitty who caught a bird and brought it to the front door, expecting praise heaped on him. My mother admonished him sternly. From that day on he ate his birds 50 feet or so from the house, but still brought mice to the door. Those felines are pretty darn smart!
Brave soul to take your own photo! I've appeared on several of my posts, but never a nice clear 'head shot' like that!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been around long enough to have known that your son is on the other side of the world. What an adventure! My 21 year old heads to Vancouver for eight months for the co-op portion of her degree. She'll only be hours away, but it is the first time she'll live away from home - she's taken off for Europe etc but has always come home to her bedroom. I get a bit weepy and then remember that it's past time for her to stretch her wings!
Hello Isabelle! Aren't you lovely, you look just right!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like your son and girlfriend ar standing in front of a painted backdrop, are you sure they're really in NZ?
Take my advice and ditch the stat-counter, the only thing that matters are the regulars anyway. My traffic in those seems a bit quiet too, and at a few others too. Must be the spring, people getting out and about a bit more.
Now there's one challenge I won't rise to. You look lovely in your photo, I did try to take some photos of me the other day but it was so cold and my nose was just glowing red like a clown's. New Zealand looks breathtakingly beautiful doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteKimx
I'm too chicken for that dare! But I admire you for being brave enough. We are all so self critical and feel we don't measure up to expectations.You, however, do! You look lovely and friendly and sweet, but, one question---didn't the dare say you had to take the picture first thing in the morning or just out of the shower? All of which probably contributed to my reticence!
ReplyDeleteYour boy and his girl look so happy on their great adventure....
The photos are fine - and I think the the flowers are a witty finishing touch.
ReplyDeleteGlad the news from New Zealand is good. None of my lads ventured far but I have a snowboarder whose exploits make my blood run cold....
There you are! It's a pleasure seeing your face, which is quite lovely. Unfortunately, you didn't manage to pull off the dopey thing. Better luck next time, eh?
ReplyDeleteIt's fun comparing your face with your children's and seeing who inherited which features from you. I'm thinking that Daughter #2 got a good solid dose of the facial DNA.
How lovely to see you Isabelle! You look just as I imagined you would...rather cheeky :) And you do have a lovely face.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great photo of the kids. Glad to hear they're getting around to see some of NZ. Fancy getting all those holidays. Can't beat that! A splendid country indeed!
Oh yay! Good for you.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to put a face to the blog. And you don't look at all dopey. You look perfectly lovely.
You look perfectly elegant! (I think it has been a little quiet in the blogworld...)
ReplyDeleteOh gosh - don't worry about those stats going up and down - some of us might have been on holidays, y'know - and unable to get near a computer!
ReplyDeleteHow good to finally see a photo of you! You look nothing like I imagined. After your lectures to us all about English grammar, I thought you would be much more stern and school-marm looking. I'm glad you're not though. I feel a bit less intimidated (I'm kidding - trooooly!).