This one's been doing the rounds for a while ...

Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says.

"... small watery eyes stood beside Frank, a mixture of fear and ..."

It's from "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". Sophie's reading it at the moment.

Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?

Sophie. She's reading next to me.

What is the last thing you watched on TV?

George W.'s press conference. My God, the man's a moron. I cannot imagine why people would vote for someone who not only weasels out of uncomfortable questions, but does it shockingly badly.

With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

Emily talking on the phone to her best friend.
Sophie breathing : she's reading next to me.
The fountain in the lake outside.
Cars.

When did you last step outside?

About five minutes ago; Sophie wanted me to watch her skipping.

Before you came to this website, what did you look at?

Been googling various scary sites about brain adenomas. Really hoping E. does not have one, and feeling outraged that the endocrinologist didn't mention this possibility to us two months ago, when she got the MRI report.

What are you wearing?

A dress I bought in South Africa in 2000. It's pretty - bluey turquoisey purpley colours. Long, sleeveless.

Did you dream last night?

Yes, long complicated dreams about being late and lost and out of place. Standard anxiety stuff.

When did you last laugh?

About fifteen minutes ago, playing "Hullabaloo" with Sophie.

What is on the walls of the room you are in?

I'm in our bedroom. There's a map of the world on one wall. Some tiny 3-D butterflies on another, and a Van Gogh print above the bed. We bought it at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2001. It's looking a bit ratty now, since we never got around to framing it. It's called "First Steps After Millet" and I love it : ther's a dad, working in the vegetable garden, holding out his arms to a toddler across the field. Mom is helping the baby stand, and the baby is streching out her arms to the dad. It's so beautiful.

Seen anything weird lately?

Not really.

What do you think of this quiz?

It's something to do while I wait for calls back from the endo. and our family doctor so that I can set up an appointment for Emily with a neurologist.

What is the last movie you saw?

The Barbarian Invasions, last Wednesday. Worth seeing.

If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?

I'd hire a personal assistant to smooth my path in life. S/he would be waiting for this call right now, and I'd be outside in the sun. Also a cook and a housekeeper. And a masseuse.

Tell me something about you that I don't know.

I don't have a middle name.

If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?

Free universal health care.

Do you like to dance?

Sure. I'm not very good at it,though.

George Bush:

You already know what I think of him.

Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

If Stephen had been a girl, we were going to call him "Emma Jane". By the time Emily came along, we'd decided we preferred "Emily Rebecca".

Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?

Stephen Connor. Though he was going to be Timothy, right up until we met him.

Would you ever consider living abroad?

Sure. I am.