Went to an Aoyama Toastmasters meeting yesterday as a guest. Their mission is to improve spoken communication and leadership skills. Thought I would just have to say a couple of words of introduction and then listen and try not to make a mess eating. No such luck. I was called on to speak 4 times . They had an "Um and Ah" counter... I was the worst Ummer and Aher at the meeting by far (14 ums and ahs!)... I was extrememly impressed by the professional format and way in which everyone supported everyone else. Will definitely go again. Clearly, I, um, have a lot to work on!

As I mentioned before, this blog is mostly written for my mum. Given this, I'll have to have a chat with the person here who put this blog as a "Pick Up" on the main blog page... The "Pick Up" is for bloggers who have something to say -- unlike bloggers like me who have nothing to say and write for people with nothing to do... ;-) ... or for their mums...

Anyway, some people who strayed across this blog have commented that I've been cruel to my mum, posting a picture of a dinosaur and suggesting that this was a true likeness of said parent... My mother is very beautiful -- below is her wedding picture to prove it. (How my dad managed to get her to marry him is a mystery... I believe it's something to do with his claiming to be a friend of John Lennon... but that's another story...)

Happy New Year Mum!