Tag Archives: just for fun

Feb15

The Updated Bucket List

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The Updated Bucket List

So a while ago I was looking back at journals from many years ago, and found a ‘Bucket List’ I’d written. Some stuff I’d written on my bucket list I no longer care about, but I thought I’d share the updated version – including some of the stuff I’ve ticked off. :)

1. to have a home that is welcoming (I hope had this from 2004-07 & wish to again)

2. to get a good education and a good degree at university (Class of 2006!)

3. to have lots of good friends (but more are welcome)

4. to visit South Africa, to work in South Africa (visited Durban in 2009)

5. to visit Ghana

6. to road trip across the USA & visit Wilmington, NC.

7. to visit Australia, to live in Australia (visited in 2007)

8. to hug a koala (Anzac Day 2007)

9. to learn to surf (2007 – though I’m sure I’ve already forgotten how to now!)

10. to get a tattoo

11. to get my navel pierced (done at New Year 2001, taken out the day of my abortion, and it’s not getting redone!)

12. to get a good job that helps other people & I enjoy doing (I’ve been lucky enough to have more than one!)

13. to dance en pointe (sponsored by animal wool & Boots Plaster strips)

14. to be able to do the splits

15. to find a 4-leaf clover

16. to see the artistic gymnastics competition live at an Olympic games

17. to visit Munich, Berlin & the Black Forest in Germany (visited Summer 2001)

18. to visit Paris, Verseilles & Lyon in France (visted Paris & Lyon in Summer 2001)

19. to visit Athens and other parts of Greece

20. to tour around Italy

21. to write a book

22. to visit New Zealand

23. to learn to ski & snowboard

24. to learn how to rock climb

25. to do something sporty for charity

26. to go to Barcelona, Madrid, Seville in Spain (visited Barcelona in April 2005)

27.to backpack around Europe (Summer 2001)

28. To camp out & drive a VW Camper van

29. To be on Top Gear (or better yet drive Top Gear test track!)

30. to learn how to play guitar or piano (or was learning until I damaged the tendons in my left wrist!)

31. to foster babies until they can be restored to their mothers.

32. to be on the set of Home & Away

33. to meet Ray Meagher (met November 2011)

34. To have a big party with bouncy castle, jelly and ice cream with all my friends young and older. Online friends included. :)

35. To give an inspirational talk at an event of some sort.

36. To cartwheel on as many beaches as possible.

37. To go on a spa day

38. To be in the Edinburgh Festival

39. To do a postgraduate qualification.

40. To make the world a better and more fun place to be in.

What’s on your bucket list? Is there anything you think I should add to mine?

Jan29

The Giant Stuffed Koala reloaded

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The Giant Stuffed Koala reloaded

So it was Australia Day this week, and I changed my profile pic on facebook to this picture (as I’ve done for the last 2 years on Australia Day).

My Mum’s response?

“please do not bring a koala that size home. No room.“

My retort?

“I’ll just have to get a house in Australia for it then. ;) “

My Mum has a fear of me moving ‘too far away’ (note to blog readers, when I chose to go to university 2.5 hours away you might have thought I was moving to the ends of the earth). So she backtracked..

“No need we can put him in the hut and let him eat the hedge instead.“

I’m wondering if the builders can put in some eucalyptus in our garden. To replace the hedge. And then at some point I’m going to have to get a giant stuffed koala from Sydney to Edinburgh.

Jan25

Oh what a sleekit horrible beastie

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Oh what a sleekit horrible beastie

Today is the birthday of Robert Burns (Rabbie Burns as we call him in Scotland). My friend posted this poem written in Scots – a parody of one of Rabbie’s most famous poems. It’s already had about 11 ‘likes’ on facebook by 9 a.m. from fellow Scots. Mainly because, well it’s true. Haggis, neeps and tatties do create a little bit of wind…! And us Scots seem rather fond of toilet humour. Oh dear. Anyway, Happy Burns Day!

Oh what a sleekit horrible beastie,
Lurks in yer bellie efter a feastie,
Just as ye sit doon among yer kin
There starts to stir an enormous wind.

The neeps and tatties and mushy peas
Start working like a gentle breeze
But soon the pudding wi’ the sauncie face
Will hae ye blawin’ a’ ower the place

Nae matter whit the hell ye dae
a’body’s gonnae hae tae pay
Even if ye try tae stifle
it’s like a bullet oot a rifle

Hawd yer bum ticht tae the chair
Tae try tae stop the leakin’ air
Shift yersel fae cheek tae cheek
Pray tae god it disnae reek

But a’ the efforts go asunder
Oot it comes like a clap o’ thunder
Ricochets arrond the room
Michty me! a sonic boom

God almighty it fairly reeks
A’ hope a’ huvnae shit ma breeks
Tae the bog a’ better scurry
Whit the hell, it’s no ma worry

A’body roon aboot me choakin’
One or two are nearly boakin’
I’ll feel better for a while
Cannae help but raise a smile

It wis him! I shout and glower
Alas too late, he’s just keeled ower
Ye dirty bugger! They shout and stare
I’m no tha’ welcome any mair

Where e’re ye go let yer wind gang free
Tha’ sounds jist the joab fir me
Whit a fuss at Rabbie’s party
Ower the sake o’ one wee farty.

Dec10

We’re having another party – and you are cordially invited!

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We’re having another party – and you are cordially invited!

I love parties. I love having friends over and taking part in parties. Having our ‘Community’ blog party in September here was so much fun, I thought I’d try and have another one. So during the 12 days before and after Christmas Day, we’re having a ‘Christmas’ blog party.

Once again, I have a whole mixture of people with a whole mixture of thoughts. Because some of them asked for a ‘prompt’ I thought I’d show you the list, which lots of friends contributed to over facebook and twitter.

Holly

Jesus

Pagans

Hanukkah

Hogmanay

New Year

Beach

Summer

Family

Home

Brussel Sprouts

Nativity

Saviour

Hope

Stuffing

Decorations

Advent

Illegitimacy

Angels

Journey

Snow

Gifts

Star

Children

Birth

Traditions

There’ll be rants, anecdotes, recipes and who knows what else. And if you’d like to get in on the action, please do get in contact (which you can find out how to do on the ‘about laura anne‘ page). Even if you don’t want to contribute with a post, I hope you do pop in as others share by commenting on their posts!

Of course, I’ll also be (re)sharing some of my winter recipes (and maybe some summery ones to for my friends in the southern hemisphere) and having my annual nativity story rant (because it is tradition). Meanwhile, for those of you who like to see my ‘Edinburgh at Christmas‘ pictures, some new ones are over at my other blog. Plus a brand new ‘Translator‘ post for my Americaneze speaking friends!

Oh, and if anyone feels like contributing some storytelling of ‘The Night Before Christmas‘ we’ve only got Australia, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England represented so far. I think we need some more accents!! If you can make a vimeo/youtube video, let me know so I can add you to the collection for Christmas Eve!

Nov23

The day we met Alf…

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The day we met Alf…

 

We weren’t sure the day was ever going to come.

The day we would meet Alf Ray Meagher that is.

But it did.

At 8.30 a.m. me and my rolly suitcase & wee rucksack went down the brae as fast as we could to catch the Airlink bus to Waverley Station. It took forever for the bus to come, and forever to get through all the tramworks and traffic lights, but with time to grab a bottle of water, bag of crisps and some grapes at Boots I made it to my 9.30 a.m. train to London.

I sat next to two lovely ladies who I got chatting to (me? chat? I know it’s shocking, isn’t it?), and surprisingly we arrived at Kings Cross a few minutes early. Off I went to top up my Oyster card and navigate the London Underground to Bayswater where Ruth & I had booked an apartment. Apartment found (with free wi-fi – hurrah!) I dumped my stuff, changed into slightly smarter clothes and went to meet Ruth at Paddington. Back to Bayswater so Ruth could dump her stuff, and off we went to Leicester Square to meet Mike, Rebecca and Oli.

To say we were excited was a teeny weeny ickle bit of an understatement.

Off to Chinatown, and we got chinese food in a restaurant. At this point I would show you the picture of the receipt we got that I picked up to work out how much I owed to discover the whole thing was written in Chinese.

But I accidentally deleted off my camera.

Which means the embarrassment of the waiter coming over and seeing me take a picture of the receipt in Chinese was all for nothing (except the entertainment of Mike, Rebecca, Ruth & Oli who laughed a lot at me & the bemused waiter who probably didn’t know that it was all for blog storytelling).

Then we met my friend Mike and it was time to take our seats!!!! eeeee!!!!

The show was amazing. The costumes were brilliant. The script was hilarious. The choreography was just right in helping tell the story and matching the crazy costumes. The set was so well done. The only thing that let them down is that sometimes you couldn’t hear what they were singing. I’m not sure if it was the actors not having enough strength in their voice or an issue with the sound engineering.

As soon as the show finished we went straight to the Stage Door (though my friend said goodbye to us at this point) and waited anxiously for Ray Meagher. As did a huge group of New Zealanders who had been sitting behind us.

Doors opened. Security people poked their head out – our hopes rose as we thought the moment had come and….

out walked Cliff Richard.

Eh? What?

Very confusing (he must have been in the audience we think), but we did get a giggle seeing him running away (literally) from some people chasing him for an autograph.

Mitzi came out (or as I call him ‘Lachlan Fraser’ – yes, another Home & Away star starred in Priscilla too!) and looked disappointed that none of us Alf Stewart fans asked him for an autograph.

Then the moment….

He was super nice. We told him how we’d tried to come down last year. He thanked us for coming to see the show. He told us that Kate Ritchie (Sally) was doing well and how her Mum had been to see him the other week, and when I asked him how they’d written out Alf so he could come do Priscilla, he assured me that Alf was not going to jail again. (Phew!)

After that we got our picture beneath ‘the shoe’ and we headed for the tube station and parted ways. With ‘We met Alf!‘ being exclaimed every now and then.

I confess it took about 2 hours before I had calmed down (sorry Ruth!) and Rebecca let me use her phone where I did wake up my Mum just to tell her that Ray Meagher said ‘Hello’. Gotta love my Mum who answered the phone not with ‘Hello‘ but with ‘So, you met Alf then?’ (because who else would be phoning at 11 p.m. but her insane daughter).

So now we’ve crossed that off of our ‘bucket lists’. What next?

I’m thinking a trip to Summer Bay Palm Beach, Australia – don’t you? ;)

Aug24

How Noah flew to the moon

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How Noah flew to the moon

In the last month my godson has officially made ‘minister’s kid’ status. My friend is now a Probationary Minister with ‘the kirk’ (as we call it in Scotland) in the church another friend is the Minister at. I love it when my prayer turns out to be God’s plan!! Apparently my friends were having lunch with the minister’s family (also friends of mine) who had asked them how they knew me. The Minister’s wife apparently exclaimed ‘Oh!!!! Your son is Elastababy!!!!” as they put two and two together meeting my friends, and recognising their children from photos on facebook.

Hee hee.

Anyway. The pressure to be a good godparent is really on now.

Last summer, the one known as ‘Elastatoddler’ came to the conclusion that the wise men brought the baby Jesus cupcakes when I read his nativity storybook with him.

Well. Tonight I was on the bedtime story duty again.

After ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar‘ (excellent choice Elastatoddler!) he pulled out a storybook of ‘Noah and the Ark‘.

I read the first line: ‘Many years ago, there was a man who was good and faithful to God. His name was…’

Elastatoddler: ‘NOAH!!!!’

Auntie Laurie: Yes! That’s right!

Around this moment, Elastatoddler got very excited, bounced on the sofa and knocked Mr Teapot’s spaceship toy flying.

Elastatoddler: ‘And Noah built a SPACE ROCKET!’

Auntie Laurie: ‘ummm….no, I don’t think Noah built a Space Rocket’

Elastatoddler: “Yes he did! There was a flood and Noah built a Space Rocket!!!’

After some debate, we did agree that Noah had built an ark, but Elastatoddler still maintains that after Noah built an ark, he also built a Space Rocket and flew to the moon. We then moved onto a book of children’s devotions he pulled out from the bookshelf, and opened it up to the story about Jesus as a child visiting Jerusalem during Pentecost, and based on pictures is adamant that there was a castle in Jerusalem like Edinburgh castle.

Soooo, to sum up:

Three wise men brought cupcakes to Jesus when he was born.

Noah built an ark, and afterwards built a space rocket.

Jerusalem has a castle just like the one in Edinburgh.

Hopefully I did redeem my ‘Auntie/Godmother’ status by helping him with the number 4, learning how to read and some adding skills.

 

Jun15

The newest Elmo on the block…

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The newest Elmo on the block…

You may already have caught a glimpse of him on twitter or facebook, but I thought I better introduce you to the newest Elmo on the block…

Sarah (my PCC partner in crime) was on holiday for the last few weeks visiting family in the USA and seeing her big bro graduate (Hey Steve if you are reading!!!). While she was in South Carolina, she spotted this wee guy and reckoned I’d give him a good home.

He’s currently sitting on top of a Dawson’s Creek boxset, leaning against the TV looking pretty chilled out.

He hasn’t really met the elmo slippers yet, I thought they’d been kidnapped and then I found them in a toybox in the centre office on Monday (!) 8O

Oct10

I got tagged…

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I got tagged…

So apparently there some kinda blogging version of tag, or as we would say in Scotland ‘tig’. I got tagged by the lovely Staff Nurse Rebecca. And it’s this or read one of the books for inter:act (it seems I still remember how to procrastinate when it comes to study reading despite the fact it’s been over 4 years since I finished uni).

So the idea is that Rebecca tags 8 people and gets them to answer 8 questions chosen by her….here goes….

1. What are the 3 places you would like to go and visit?

One place I would like to see more of is Italy. For a long time I’ve wanted to tour Italy, and only got about 1.5 days when I stayed in Levanto during our InterRail trip in 2002

I’d also like to see more of the USA – I especially want to see California and North Carolina (thanks to bits of it I’ve seen in TV and film mostly) and there’s part of me that has had a heart for Ghana. I used to have a list of all the places I wanted to see in the world, but now my heart lies in USA, Australia and South Africa.

2. Tell me about something you really care about?

Can I cheat and refer you to the ‘story of Sophie’ page?! I think everyone who reads my blog or knows me for um, like…a few minutes will know that I have a passion for people being equipped with resources and information to make healthy choices in sexual health and relationships. I also wish that people considering terminating pregnancies were actually giving properly informed consent they made a decision – and sadly because of the politics and picketing, that doesn’t often happen. And so I (and others) see the aftermath walking through our doors with the immortal words ‘I wish they had told me you existed before I made a decision’.


It’s also fair to say that I have a huge heart for women in general area of pregnancy, women’s health, emotional and sexual health, self esteem and the rest…that what took me into Girl Guides, Youth Advice Work, Community Education, into Strip Clubs, pregnancy crisis support, positive parenting, South Africa…

3. What is the hardest thing you have ever had to do?

Terminate my pregnancy – or as I see it now – end Sophie’s chance at growing into human person that God created her to be.

4. What is your favourite part of the day?

Hmmm….depends on what day. I’m best in the evening!
5. What is your favourite film?

Dangerous Minds


I was probably about 13 when I first saw it? I’m pretty sure that’s what drove my passion from teaching in a primary school setting to teenagers, and why after a few months as a Guider in Leith, I hesitated to say ‘yes’ to the chance to study for a BEd in Primary Education.

6. If you could ban one thing what would it be?

I’m not a huge fan of ‘banning’ things. But certainly I don’t think cannabis should be legalised after seeing how it’s ruined the lives of 3 people I know in a totally irreparable way. And I think there is WAAAAY too much sex before the 9 p.m. watershed.

7. Are you superstitious?

I used to be VERY superstitious. I was late for school because a black cat crossed my path once, and spent a lot of time saluting magpies, avoiding ladders and not breathing under bridges. Now I’m totally not.

However, I got teased by Mr C the other week for the fact that I believe the worse my week is, the more God is going to do at Powerpoint.

8. Where would you like to see yourself in 10 years time?

I have noooo idea. If you’d asked me 10 years ago, I’d have said I’d be married with a couple of kids by now, and I wouldn’t believe in God. Some things in my life are much better than I expected, other much worse than I expected. I cannot predict the future, and I’m not sure I want to!

Ok, now it’s my turn to come up with some questions:

1. What are you most passionate about?

2. What is your biggest fear?

3. What place in the world could you see yourself living in?

4. Which do you prefer and why: City or Country?

5. What skill would you like to learn than you don’t already know how to do?

6. What is your favourite savoury food?

7. If you were to write your autobiography, what would you entitle it?

8. If you could choose anyone (dead or alive) to spend time with & learn from, who would it be?

And to answer these 8 questions and continue the tagging festival I choose:

Tam from inProgress

Lori & the ladies from Leading and Loving It

Connor from 5enses

Prue from My Life As The Good Twin

Lucy from Looking for Something Deeper

Lisa from My Life By Faith

David from Preposterousness

Jeff from D Train

Sep3

Flower of Scotland Friday: Scottish Hokey Cokey

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Flower of Scotland Friday: Scottish Hokey Cokey

I don’t know if in your part of the world, you grew up doing the Hokey Cokey at birthday parties and the like. Years ago, my friends and I took great amusement at Bill Bailey’s ‘German Hokey Cokey‘.

Well earlier this week, my friend Carrie posted a video of these guys on Facebook. I found them on YouTube, and I think it’s proof of what I’ve known for a long time now: us Scots are little bit crazy…

…but we like to have fun!

Aug29

Praying is a dangerous business

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Praying is a dangerous business

I’ve realised that I’ve been pretty lucky not to have grown up in a Christian culture in some ways. Why? Because I never learned all the politics of church and religious culture. All the add-ons, and as a result some religious rituals or rules make me giggles.

However, praying is not usually one of them.

I LOVE to pray. I love to pray for people. I totally have no qualms about the Holy Spirit (which freaks a lot of my Jesus believing friends out).

The fact is inviting the Holy Spirit to come and minister to people is a dangerous and sometime hilarious business. And you know what? That is biblical. As one church leader pointed out the first post-Jesus evangelistic sermon started with the words ‘We’re not drunk‘

People speaking weird languages. People being healed of injury or ailment. People falling over. People starting to laugh. People screaming as evil spirits are cast out of them.

It is weird. It is tough (if not impossible) to explain.

But surely, if it was explainable, it would not be God at work?

Anyway. With all the havoc that the Holy Spirit creates, praying can be a highly dangerous business. And I’d just like to give you a few examples of how, and a few pointers for those of you who like accident prevention. Especially as you gather with other Christians and may be involved in prayer ministry today (being that it’s Sunday and all). :)

1. Being prayed for may make you cry.

So before you go to a gathering of Christians where you may possibly be prayed for, do not wear eyeliner under your eyes. And if you want to wear mascara make sure it is of the waterproof sort.

2. Being prayed for may make you fall backwards.

I was very dubious about this whole falling backwards thing until of course it happened to me for the first time at Imagine 2008. The first time was all fine as I had 2 lovely women who had insisted on praying for me (I was trying to duck out under the premise that I was on the prayer ministry team). They caught me, didn’t hype anything and all was overwhelming but good.

So size up your pray-ers…are they going to be able to catch you if you fall?

3. Being prayed for may make you fall backwards, and when you fall backwards your top may ride up.

And you will have no control over the fact this happening. You may reveal more than you want to of your body, bordering on the edge of inappropriate. Or stomping right over the edge of inappropriate. And while it’s nice that God has given you a word and a picture of the woman in South Africa you’ll meet to pass it on to. Flashing your notsoflat tummy is slightly embarrassing.

You can prevent this by choosing your clothing very carefully.

4. Being prayed for may mean someone talks utter crap to you.

The fact is we’re all human, and sometimes what we think is God is actually us. Sooo…know that while prophecy can be personal it doesn’t have to  be private – it’s ok to share words you’ve been given by others with trusted Christian friends to help you discern them. And it’s ok to say ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s relevant for me right now, but thank you for having the courage to share that‘ to the person who has ‘spoken’.

It is not OK if that person continues to pray that over you once you’ve said that it is irrelevant.

5. Being prayed for can make people fall over.

So it’s important to have space in case that happens. And for people praying to have their eyes open so they can gently move someone out of the way of a falling person. Or catch a falling person.

6. Being prayed for can give you bruises.

If the people praying for someone else aren’t paying much attention and their pray-ee falls backwards and lands on your legs as you are already prostate on the ground seeing visions and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Again, it helps to have space and people praying with their eyes open.

7. Being prayed for can cause you injury.

Although I’m not sure how. But it did once happen to me in South Africa… (and to this day I don’t have a clue quite how it happened).

Make sure there is a First Aid kit handy, just in case.

8. And while we’re on the topic of injury…you may get someone pray for you and not check to see what’s happened after.

So if someone is praying for healing of the knee you injured during a prayer ministry time, they should really check you have actually been healed before they leave you abandoned and unable to get up off the floor should the Lord not have chosen to restore the tendons in your knee to working order.

9. Being prayed for makes you snotty.

Usually because of the welling up of tears and the fact that they end up running down your nose.

You can help by having tissues available and a nice prayer ministry team who subtley slip clean tissues into your hand so you can blow/wipe your nose and maintain a little dignity, and not gross out everyone around you by bogeys hanging out your nose or anything.

10. Being prayed for can change your life.

Because you open up yourself to listening to a powerful and almighty being. And you can never be too sure what He is going to say to you. Or the wonderful things He can do. The inspiration and encouragement and knowledge He can share with you.

So go enter in ready to listen with your mind and heart open, and prepare yourself to be blown away.

Like I said before…Praying is a dangerous business. Done with a bit of common sense and a lot of love it can change the world. But it’s a bit like what Forrest Gump’s mother said about life – it’s like a box of chocolates – you just ain’t ever sure what you’re gonna get! But like chocolate, if it’s from God…it’s probably pretty good!

:)