Tagged

I have been tagged by Shirley!

THE RULES:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

So here are 7 things about me...

1. Unlike a lot of (most?) quilters, I didn't start sewing as a child. My grandmother was a trained seamstress and she and my mother were often sewing (clothes, not quilts) when I was a child, but I was never interested. I didn't start sewing until my first child was born (in 2003) and started quilting 3 years later.
My mother and grandmother both died when I was a teenager. Everytime I finish something now, I think of how happy and proud they would have been...!

2. The best thing that ever happened to me was having children (well, not actually having/delivering them; that was rather painful - although I was very happy to be able to have 3 natural deliveries, 2 of which were at home, which is still possible and safe in The Netherlands. Nothing beats lying in your own bed - freshly made by the midwife's helper - with your newborn baby). I am an only child with very little family and I love having my own family now!

3. I love living in a subtropical climate! I have never liked sunbathing, my favourite holiday destinations are the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia and I was sure I would miss the seasons in The Netherlands very much, but as it turned out I adore living in a place where the sun shines (almost) every day! Admitted, at the moment it is very humid and that isn't very nice, but spring here was wonderful and I am looking forward very much to autumn here!

4. As a consequence of nr. 3, I do not miss The Netherlands very much. I do miss my friends and family, talking in Dutch with my girlfriends (and with 'official people' on the telephone...) and riding a bike everywhere (without wearing a helmet and looking out for car drivers who are not used to bikes or do not want to get used to bikes). But I don't miss the gloves, scarves, wintercoats and raincoats (especially the childrens'!).

5. I am a medical doctor and in The Netherlands I used to work as a public health physician in tuberculosis control. Here in Brisbane I have worked for a while as a research assistant at QUT and in March I will start working as a senior researcher at the Queensland TB Control Centre. I am really looking forward to that. I haven't registered as an MD here yet, but will do that this year, so maybe someday I'll be able to do my old job again.

6. My favourite pastime besides quilting is reading. My all-time favourite book is The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Other favourite authors are Iris Murdoch, John Fowles, Minette Walters, Robert Goddard, Milan Kundera...

7. I always thought my favourite colour was blue, but since I started quilting I know it is green and purple! I still love blue, though...

And now I tag Corry in The Netherlands, Nicole in Germany, Julie, Delia, Pamela and Remote Ramblings in Queensland and Cat in Tassie, Australia!