Giveaway...

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It has been brought to my attention that I've been blogging for

just over a year

(see my first ever post here)

- doesn't time fly, I can hardly believe it..!

In some ways it seems like I have been blogging for years and

in others I feel like I am still a newbie...

.

In celebration of this monumentous occasion (ha ha!)

here are

a few random blog tidbits about me:

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° Here, There, Elsewhere...

was not my first choice for a blog title...

..
° I’m an independent minded thinker who marches to the beat
of her own drummer, even though my blog
may not necessarily reflect this...
.
° I am not quite sure what I gave up
to make time for this as I still do so much off-line…
. .
° I have received many, many nice, intelligent and
thoughtful comments.
.
° I have many regular readers who never leave comments but
send me mails instead..
.

° Since starting this blog I have been introduced to an entire new vocabulary;
twitter, stumble, digg, memes...I could go on and on...
.
° I really, really, really appreciate my readers, and particularly,
my commenters;
I know I no longer respond to every comment
but I do read every one.
..
° I have learned so much from this experience...and
I know I wouldn’t blog if it wasn’t fun, so
thanks for keeping it enjoyable..!
.
.Plus, a giveway,
and all you have to do is guess
where I've been for the last few days...
.

.
Clues to help you:

° I took the above photos (all except 4th down which is from flickr)

of one of the many shops I visited

whilst there...

° Doris Day immortalized the city, not only in film

but also in song...

° I love the city with passion and visit often...

.

I'm sure you've all already guessed the answer, so, just leave me

a word - I'll select one correct response at random and

let you know who's the lucky winner

of the gift I bought at MERCI..!

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Paris Passionnément...

.

Source

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.° paris is, and always has been, so breathtakingly beautiful,

° parisians are just so fabulously chic,

° paris was unbelievably cold for this time of year

° parisians were, as i've always found, amazingly friendly,

° paris is full of surprises, each and every time i visit

i discover something new and different

(and i've visiting regularly for decades...)

° parisian taxi drivers were noticeable by their

absence outside our hotel,

° paris is the first European capital i ever visited,

decades ago, and i fell instantly, wildly, head over heels,

in love with the place..!

° parisian bistros (checkout my latest find)

are quite simply the best

° paris is where i met the most delightful,

multi-talented lady,

whose hilarious blog is quite simply unique...

.

.~~~

.

"A daughter is the happy memories of the past,

the joyful moments of the present,

and the hope and promise of the future"

Author Unknown

.

18 years ago today,

I became a mother, for the very first time,

and, what I want to know is, where

did all that time go..?

It only feels like yesterday that I was strutting

around with my huge belly..!

.

Bizarrely, after all this time,

I still don't feel like a 'mum', more like a lady

who is taking care of the

most amazing and precious person on earth...

I love this quote by

Harry S Truman:

.

"I have found the best way

to give advice to your children

is to find out what they want

and then advise them to do it"

.

.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY J..!

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Birthday Giveaway...

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It's my birthday today and what better way to celebrate than by
holding a giveaway..?

.
Everyone who leaves a comment in my absence
(during the Christmas/New Year holiday break)
will be included in the draw...
.

.

I'm not revealing what goodies I'll be offering but I'm sure you'll
just love them..!

.
photo: stone chalet

.Meanwhile, I'm celebrating my special day on the ski slopes before heading

to Provence for the New Year festivities...

"And in the end,

it's not the years in your life that count

but the life in your years"

unknown

I do hope you all had a wonderful Christmas

I most definately did...

- thank you all for your warm wishes,

I'll be catching up with your blogs as soon as I get back...