I'm tempted to start my answer with something that goes like the old children's puzzle... "
My first is in jam and also in joke
My second's in apple and also in cloak
My last is in nut but not in seed,
My whole is someone who loves to read.

I'm in my late fifties and live in a big old house in Sydney, Australia. I have three sons and three grandchildren. Andrew will be four in January 03, Mya will be two in August 02 and little Victoria Claire, or Tora for short, was born just a couple of weeks ago at the end of June 02.

I really am a reader and love the academic atmosphere. I have a BA which I gained many years ago and a Dip.Ed. I taught in secondary school, teaching Latin, French and English. When the boys were small, I completed a Diploma in Agriculture, part time, because we wanted to move to the country and raise cattle. Still city bound, I'm afraid.

After that, I completed a Dip.Min,(Diploma in Ministry) and a B.Th( Bachelor of Theology). I am actually halfway through the Honours Year of study in this degree which would be the equivalent of a Masters (Hons.) I really want to do a Th.D/Ph.D but my studies seem to have come to a standstill at the moment for one reason or another.

I have been steadily gaining weight over the years and several years of study and not much physical activity certainly didn't help. I have been following the WeightWatchers points system, although I do not attend any of their meetings. I really like this because I can eat what I like provided it is accounted for. There are times however,when I try not to pay too much attention to actual points, but rather to portion sizes and choices.

I have discovered the pleasure of walking again. This is good because it helps prevent osteoporosis and at my age, I need to be careful of this. I have to balance walking with the constraints placed on me quite often by arthritis which can strike, ankles,knees, hips, feet, fingers and shoulders or any combination of these. Of course,losing weight is a good thing to help in the management of this. Exercise is beneficial,but too much brings it on. Balance, balance.