Love to think that you have seen the Kalahari, Hope. So gorgeous isn't it. I know a song about the dassies, and another song called "She came from the Karoo'. Makes me cry every time I hear it. Oh dear, I am getting maudlin...
The silliest thing? That would have to be throwing my ex's birthday presents out of the window i(3rd flloor flat) in a fit of pique...makes him laugh every time I mention it.
What scent of something brings back a great memory?

The ocean. My mom and I went to Disneyland in Florida when I was four, I don't remember much but in my twenties I finally went to new Brunswick and as soon as I smelled that unique smell, it reminded me of that, made me remember stuff about the trip I had never remembered before!
I was an only child but my mom had 12 siblings. Do you come from a big or small family?

Five of us. My mother was one of three, my father one of nine. We spent very little time together as a family really, as my sisters and I all were sent to boarding school. Only my brother did not go. Strange that. LOL
I know NB quite well, Mary. Not far from where I live and often go over for a change of shopping scenery.
Wasn't a Mamba, Hope...fortunately!
If you have been on a ship, what was the biggest that you have travelled/visited?

I was on a pirate ship called the Marigalante in puerto Vallarta a few years ago, I enjoyed the pirates more than the ship tho , it was a tour around the bay, there was dinner below deck and a pirate battle in the dark and fireworks at the end! I know, cheesy tourist attraction but I LOVE cheesy tourist attractions! I don't get out much...
The Mosquitos are really bad this year here in eastern Ontario, do you have them where you are and do they seem to be huge and bloodthirsty where you are too?

We do have mosquitoes (or mozzies as we generally call them) but they're not too bad where I live. In fact, I don't recall being bitten by one in my suburb at all during the last year, but there's more concrete than nature in this area so I'd say that has a lot to do with it.
Btw, Elphie - your mum was one of thirteen?! That's huge!!
What's the best book you've read in the past year or so?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larson. There are three of them and I read them in record time because I enjoyed them so much. I read ALOT so it was hard to choose!
Is there a candy or sweet treat from your childhood you would love to have again? What is it and is it still around?

Bassetts liquorice allsorts. I loved them as a child, and still do though no chance of eating them now. I can describe each one and remember how I would pick them apart to eat them, chewing on the top to get to the liquorice. Oh the days!
Is there something that you have baked/cooked of which you've been especially proud? Or a disaster that is still fresh in memory?!?

Black Velvet pecan cheesecake. I made up the recipe by combining a few and it's a big favorite, I make it in cupcakes too. My disaster would have to be many years ago, camping with a large group of friends, thought I'd be smart and cook spaghetti sauce on the Coleman stove. It actually turned out quite good, but when I went to lift it off the stove I didn't lift the pot high enough and it caught on the wall that goes around the stove. The whole huge pot of spaghetti sauce fell in the mud. We ate dry pasta and made do with extra beer that night.
What do you think is the best movie of all time? It doesn't have to be your favorite, could be old or new.

I'll have to go with my personal favs here: Dark City and Desperado. Weird choices, I know, but those two strike a chord with me for some reason...
What's your favorite sports team?

Well, I'm not into sports really, but I suppose that would be the Ottawa Senators, our local hockey team, my husband likes the Toronto Maple leafs so we have to have a little ribbing during hockey season.
I LOVE Desperado, it's one of my faves too but probably for different reasons, I think its very sexy.
They say your taste changes as you get older, it there something you wouldn't eat because you didn't like it, but have tried it recently to discover you like it now? (for me it's spinach)