festive friday facts...

Not long now until Christmas day is upon us so I thought another batch of festive fun facts was in order.

Christmas pudding was originally a soup made with raisins and wine.

In Britain, the best-selling festive single is Band Aid's 1984 track, Do They Know It's Christmas?, which sold 3.5million copies. Wham! is next in the same year with Last Christmas, selling 1.4million.

The bestselling Xmas single ever is Bing Crosby's White Christmas, shifting over 50million copies worldwide since 1942.

The word Christmas comes from the Old English "Cristes maesse" meaning "Christ's Mass".

56 percent of Americans sing holiday carols to their pets!

Jingle Bells was the first song broadcast from space when Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra sang it on December 16, 1965.

The holly in a wreath symbolises Christ's crown of thorns while the red berries are drops of his blood.

Many parts of the Christmas tree can actually be eaten, with the needles being a good source of Vitamin C.

The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.

The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.

Jesus was probably born in a cave and not a wooden stable, say Biblical scholars.

Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.

According to a survey, 7 out of 10 dogs get Christmas gifts from their doting owners!

Happy Friday everyone.

facts on friday...

I've found some really funny animal facts this week that are bound to make you smile.

Cows have best friends.

A group of flamingos is called a “flamboyance.”

Millions of trees grow every year thanks to squirrel’s forgetting where they put their nuts.

Butterflies can taste with their feet.

Sea otters hold each other’s paws when they sleep so they don’t drift apart.

When rabbits jump and twist out of excitement, it is called a binky.

Gentoo penguins propose to their lifemates with a pebble.

Sea horses are monogamous life mates and travel holding each other’s tails.

Male pups will intentionally let female pups “win” when they play-fight so they can get to know them better.

Worms communicate by snuggling.

A cat’s nose is ridged with a unique pattern, just like a human fingerprint.

A group of porcupines is called a “prickle.”

Now if that hasn't got you smiling I don't know what will.... Have a great weekend.

friday friday...

Strawberries aren't actually berries, but bananas, avocados, pumpkins and watermelons are. - Hmmm this one is going to need some investigating...

One person in 20 is born with an extra rib.

Rubbing banana peel on mosquito bites will help stop the itching. - wish I'd known this before heading to SE Asia.

You can tell from the statue of a mounted horseman how the rider died. If all four of the horse's feet are on the ground, he died of natural causes. One foot raised means he died from wounds suffered in battle. Two legs raised means he died in action.

A lump of pure gold the size of a matchbox can be flattened into a sheet the size of a tennis court. - I want to see evidence of this one.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

Polar Bears trying to blend in with the ice will sometimes cover up their black nose with their paws. - this is so cute, and clever too.

The sound of E.T. walking was made by someone squishing her hands in Jello.

The thin line of cloud that forms behind an aircraft at high altitudes is called a contrail.

If you squeeze your nose together where no air goes in or out, you can’t hum. - it's true. I tested this one, at my desk, at work.

These foods will give your brain the most power: Dark Chocolate, nuts, seeds, fish. - and who says chocolate isn't good for you.

Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete. Yikes, that's strong.

Have an amazing weekend. Xx

penguin parade...

As it was Billy's birthday on Thursday I decided to plan a fun filled weekend for us both to celebrate. We have kind of decided that while we are away travelling we would much rather spend our money on enjoying things rather than buying each other gifts. How very practical of us but it means we really are having the most amazing time away.

On Friday we kicked off the weekend with dinner at a mexican restaurant, one of our favourite types of food to eat and then we went to see Captain Phillips. If you have not seen this movie you must go. It is based on a true story and honestly I don't think I took a proper breath from the moment I sat down until after I had left the theatre. It was fab. Seriously gripping stuff and so well filmed too. Tom Hanks is as always outstanding in this roll.

On Saturday we were up early and went for brunch in town and then went to meet a bus tour. We hopped on the bus at one and headed off down south to Phillip Island. Our first stop was at Churchill Island to see a working farm. We saw a working dog display and also a blacksmith display. There was loads of animals to see here including some wallabies and guinea pigs. There was also a beautiful old house to see too.

From here we went to a Koala Conservation centre. The koalas are just so chilled out, sleeping high up in the trees. They sleep for about twenty hours a day. How crazy is that? We saw about ten Koalas here. Some were pretty big too. I was quite suprised by that.

We then went to see the Nobbies rock formations. The view was spectacular and we had a lovely walk along the boardwalks there. It was pretty windy but so fresh. The air comes straight off the Antartic so apparently some of the freshest air you will breath.

Our final stop on the journey was to see the penguin parade. This was absolutely amazing.

Firstly you visit an information centre where we saw these Penguin nests. Some had newborn babies in them too. You can just kind of see the little babies wing peeking out from under it's mother here.

We also got to learn some interesting facts about the little penguins. Tough love in the penguin world.

You then get to sit down by the beach and watch the little penguins coming home for the night. You see them all as they cross the beach and head home to their nests. It takes them a few goes before they pluck up the courage to make the dash but when they do it is fab. There were hundreds of penguins. As you head back up the boardwalks afterwards you are within touching distance of them all as they waddle home. They were just so so cute. It was a pretty full day so needless to say we snoozed for the whole bus journey home.

On Sunday we met my brother Pete for brunch. As usual Pete was over half an hour late, nothing new there at all. We had a delicious brunch at one of our favourite restaurants called Phamish in St Kilda before heading to town. There was an open day on at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) so the boys were dying to head there. We have already been there to see some footy games so this was their chance to actually get to go onto the pitch. We went and bought two footy balls on the way there too. The place was packed but it was so much fun kicking the ball about. The stadium looks so amazing from the pitch. We had a nice cool cider afterwards to bring us back to life and then Pete headed off to work. We were feeling a little lazy so decided to eat out instead of facing the cooking when we got home. I can't believe it's Monday already. Roll on next weekend.

for more info have a look here...

facts on friday...

It's time again for some fun Friday facts...

did you know...

"I am" is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

Many hamsters only blink one eye at a time.

A cockroach will live nine days without it's head, before it starves to death.

A crocodile can't stick it's tongue out.

It is impossible to lick your elbow. - yeah go on give it a go just to be sure.

More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.

23% of all photocopier faults worldwide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their butts. - ha ha ha.

Tea is said to have been discovered in 2737 BC by a Chinese emperor when some tea leaves accidentally blew into a pot of boiling water.

Outside the USA, Ireland is the largest software producing country in the world. - yeah, go Ireland.

Hope you have some nice plans for the weekend. Enjoy. Xx

friday friday friday...

Every day more money is printed for monopoly than the US Treasury.

Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."

The youngest Pope was 11 years old.

To escape the grip of a crocodile's jaws, push your thumbs into its eyeballs - it will let you go instantly. - This one is pretty handy to know when living in Australia.

A rat can last longer without water than a camel.

Certain frogs can be frozen solid, then thawed, and survive. - Don't try this at home!!

The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

Have an amazing weekend! Hope the sun is shining, or you're all cosied up on the couch with some movies.

fun friday facts...

It's Friday and that means it's time for some more fun friday facts.

did you know...

Coca Cola was originally green.

Every person has a unique tongue print.

Leonardo da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.

A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time: 1/100th of a second.

The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time television were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Clans of long ago that wanted to get rid of their unwanted people without killing them used to burn their houses down - hence the expression "to get fired."

The dot over the letter 'i' is called a tittle.

Hope everyone enjoys the weekend! Xx

friday feeling...

Yippee it's Friday!! Let the weekend begin. I cannot wait to enjoy some sunshine, hang out with my amazing fiance and catch up with my brother too.

I decided as it's Friday it might be fun to learn some fun facts. I have a crazy memory and remember none of the important stuff but will always have a fun fact on hand to get me out of a sticky spot.

Here we go... did you know...

It's possible to lead a cow upstairs...but not downstairs.

Dogs have four toes on their hind feet, and five on their front feet.

Polar bears are left handed.

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, and purple.

If you put a raisin in a glass of champagne, it will keep floating to the top and sinking to the bottom.

Have a great weekend everyone.