My numbers are 5 from Lori, 11 from Adrian and 6 from Bee :). So Ill try my best to do them all ;): 1. I was born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1972 and the hospital I was born in no longer exists. 2. When I was a kid up until age 13 we had a 300 acre farm in the Manawatu, north of Feilding in Kiwitea way out in the boondocks on Ridge Road where I got to be a true blue farm kid: docking lambs, mustering sheep, swimming in the river, learning to ride a motorbike at age 11 and riding my ponies everywhere. They are some of the best memories of my life and I want to be able to give my own kids the opportunity living in the country if I can. 3. I got my first pony at age 5, her name was Flicka, but have been riding since I was 3 years old. I miss my horses so much. 4. I applied to be a medal bearer for the 1988 Commonwealth Games in Auckland and got 2nd place - I was gutted but actually never thought I would get that far! 5. I went to Boarding School for 5 years in Wanganui. It was (mostly) a great experience! I rowed whilst there (Maadi Cup 1987/1988), was in the National Secondary School Cycling Champs twice , was in the school debating team and got the prize for Drama in 7th form. Our school also founded the Students Against Driving Drunk campaign of which I was Treasurer (not sure I was a good one!). 6. I lived in Wollongong in Australia, South of Sydney for 6 months when I was 21 years old and have lived in a total of 6 cities across the world including London, 4 in New Zealand, and 2 small towns. 7. When I was pregnant with Kate my feet gained half a size and I went from a size 8 1/2 to a size 9, they never went back! 8. I have had a total of 10 surgeries in my life so far and might have to have more yet. The last one was only 2 months ago and it was a hysterectomy :(. 9. I have several dreams but my top two are to get back into my dressage riding and compete again and to travel the world with my husband and kids firstly following the Tour de France and also to have Thanksgiving in America with my great friend Lori Graf! 10. I studied first year law at Victoria University but finished with a degree in Political Science! However I did not have a political career, I instead went into IT for 8 years in Disaster Recovery Planning which is where I met my good friend Adrian :). I didnt study Photography until 2002 but was only one of 2 in my class who got a distinction that year. I have my own photography business which is dormant right now due to concentrating on the children and their health. 11. I met my best friend Fiona Gordon in 3rd Form (Year 9) at Boarding School. We have been each other’s bridesmaids and have been there for each other for the past almost 30 years! We both have one boy and one girl each who are roughly the same age . 12. My husband Jason and I competed in the 2003 Coast to Coast. It was a hard slog but I was very proud to have finished with him although I have no great desire to ever see those damn boulders ever again! 13. At age 18 I never wanted to have children. My mother told me I was selfish! But having my kids is the greatest thing I have ever done. I have had a total of 4 pregnancies but have 2 living children. I would have liked to have had at least one more but am ever so grateful for the 2 amazing ones that I do have. 14. I first got drunk at the age of 12 and was a little bit of a rebellious teenager, often with my brother Damon Jensen! I used to like to push the boundaries a little bit but somehow managed to keep some sense about me and still had dreams of going to Uni and having a career. I did like to party though . 15. I met my wonderful husband Jason via a friends wedding/honeymoon (Justine Quirke) in Queenstown. We have not been able to get back there since we first met 13 ½ years ago but are finally going with our little family this year just before Christmas! 16. My Mum married a man named Fred Barnes. He was a most wonderful stepfather and he founded one of our iconic TV programmes Country Calendar. He died almost 21 years ago now. I still miss him a lot. 17. I would like to do something significant with my life and help people in some way: maybe fostering children, maybe community work, continuing to help women with Asherman’s Syndrome – something. I believe that every kid deserves a chance in this world to become something great and to be loved. 18. I have a mother and stepmother who share the same birthday - October 12th, but not the same year. I also have a father and father-in-law who share the same birthday and the same year (April 29th which is also my friend Lori’s birthday!). 19. I broke my right arm at the radius at age 12 doing a flip on a trampoline. I was showing my friend how I could do a flip and stand on my feet but bounced too hard and landed on the ground. She didn’t even see it, she was too busy watching the hunky Wellington College boy walking down the street! To this day I still cannot straighten my right arm properly. 20. My name comes from an Australian TV programme my mother was watching when she was pregnant with me called “Pastures of the Blue Crane”. Apparently the heroine in the show was called Ryl. I only know one other person with my name and spelling in the world. She was born in the same year as me and her mother was also watching “Pastures of the Blue Crane”! We also both studied Political Science and seem to have had similar lives along the way. She lives in Australia. 21. My favourite movie is Dirty Dancing . 22. The one food I cannot stomach and absolutely loathe is Pork. Like and Ill give you a number, unless youve already done it of course :).
Posted on: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 05:20:00 +0000
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