Watercolor Portraits

I love to watercolor. This portrait is a work in progress.

I have been painting for over 40 years.

I love to paint because it is so relaxing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watercolor_painting

Watercolor painting

I love to paint using watercolors. This is one of my latest painting, it's not finished but will be soon.

You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!

I'm definitely an old dog trying to learn a new trick. This is the first time in my life I've ever tried to blog and it's taken me half a century to get here. But now I'm started I sense that this could get quite addictive- it's fun.

Joker Collection Hobbies

My current hobby is spending meaningful time in my favorite chatroom with some wonderful online friends that encourage me on a daily basis.

Great Joker Collection!
Joker Playing Cards

Typing Games

chatroom encouragement

My current hobby is spending meaningful time in my favorite chatroom with my online friends.

I have enjoyed chatting for approximately 3 years. My main enjoyment comes from the encouragement and wonderful fellowship that I receive from each one that visits the room. chatroom encouragement.

Great Joker Collection!
Joker Playing Cards

My favorite things...

My favorite hobby is my grandkids

I've been doing this grandma thing for six years now. Now there is a #3!

They make everything more fun and as a bonus, they think I'm wonderful.

Super Granny loves it, too.

Going Kicking and Screaming into the 21st Century

Technology is moving too fast for me. In high school, I bragged about typing 93 words a minute with 3 errors on a manual typewriter. This year two teens won $100,000 for texting 120 words in 2 minutes and 28 seconds.
A friend coerced me into joining Facebook and then taunts me with email messages about writing on my wall. I'd sign in again, if only I could remember that clever password I created.
My co-worker set up my workstation on a virtual server. I don't get it. I made him sit an unplugged computer under my desk.
My grandkids asked me to play WII with them. I thought someone has misspelled a video game about WWII. It's uncomfortable for me. I've flung the controller, hit myself in the head with it, and lost every bowling match I've played to a 6-year-old.
Blogging just seemed like the next hurdle.

1st Post for Free Blogging Pre-Course

Ok. So I have quite a bit of experience with reading blogs. I can lose several hours blog surfing. I even have a little experience with writing a blog. The problem is that I don't really generate any actual interest in reading my blog. This would be the very obvious reason for taking a blogging course. At one time in my life I actually fancied myself becoming a writer. I was even fairly good at writing. At this point though my writing just seems boring. Maybe it's my life that is somewhat boring. Hmmm...I guess being the mom of 9 kids just isn't all that exciting and glamorous. I mean 9 isn't 17 and counting. There were no multiples. So other than being slightly larger than the typical family, homeschooling and a couple homebirths we are just rather ordinary.

Getting a Blogger Life

So here I am learning a bit more about blogging... I do have some basic knowledge about blogging just by looking and reading blogs, but it is always great to learn the insights of it!

Australia to Italy one way

My name is Jill and I have been living in Italy for 10 years. After working as a chef/pastrychef in various Sydney hotels and restaurants for many years my tasebuds brought me to Italy. Here I fell in love with a tall, dark and handsome Italian. Even after 10 years I still stuggle with the language, the culture and crossing the roads safely. I have had more than my share of embarrassing moments, plenty of fun times, eaten in some wonderful places, have given birth in a provincial Italian hospital (not advisable) and have seen many unique places. I have a blog but due to technophobia (really, I am an an embarrassment to my generation) I have never used it. I am however enthusiastic to share some of my experiences, advice and recipes.