Hazel's 33 random questions

I like answering random questions. I stole these from Hazel!

1. Who are you named after?
No one. My mum chose my elder sister's name from the Poldark books (and the original TV series she was watching in the 70's) and it presumably stayed in her head to name me a Cornish name also.

2.  Last time you cried?
I cried yesterday reading about a Royal British Legion man who died and won't get a funeral - he has no living relatives.  I also cried after hearing the testimony and thought of the day from the pastor of Sutton Vineyard today. I cry for other people's feelings and hurts quite often. I also cry easily for my own.

3.  Do you like your handwriting?
Well, let me tell you, I SORT of stole my neat handwriting from my friend Punam at school. She had the most immaculate handwriting and I loved it. So I copied it and adapted it to my own style and now it's mine! I have struggled with cramp and RSI in my wrists in recent years though so I struggle to write neatly for a long time. My exam handwriting (i.e. when writing quickly) is horrid!

4. What is your favourite sandwich?
Hmmm, I like DIFFERENT sandwiches at different times. Firstly, I prefer a good old crusty white roll than actual sandwiches.  One I love (which we've been eating this week) is hummus with grated carrot and cucumber. Also nice with Avocado. A recent surprise like is egg mayonnaise.  At WOMOTM's funeral, the egg sandwiches were amazing. I also like the Bacon, Brie and Avocado rolls that the Hutton Bakery does.

5.  Favourite drink?
Earl Grey tea, fresh Lemon Balm tea, Wagamama Raw Juice and Tropical Juice.

6.  Do you still have your tonsils?
Yes, though they misbehave sometimes like in January.

7. Would you bungee?
No flippin way! I hate heights!

8. What is your favourite kind of cereal?
Generally boring things like Branflakes, shreddies or All Bran. I like porridge cooked in a particular way and I like Cocoa Pops but rarely eat them.
The nicest cereal I had was a homemade Granola with chocolate chips on our Honeymoon in Spiez, Switzerland.

9.  Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Yes.

10.  Do you think you are strong-willed?
Yes, I am. Though I struggle with decision-making sometimes.

11.  Favourite ice-cream?
Ben and Jerry's Phish Food, Stracciatella and ultimately Mint Choc Chip. I'd choose Mint chocolate Viennetta if we are being specific and I am gutted I didn't buy the one they had in the freezer in Londis the other day. I went in today to get some frozen fish fillets and was very sad when the Viennetta had gone!

12.  What is the first thing you notice about a person?
I genuinely am not sure but I will always notice an open, genuine smile.

13.  Football or Baseball?
Neither. Yuck. Though is Baseball like Rounders? If so, that.

15.  Last thing you ate?
It was either a Fudge bar or a gummy bear or some rice scraps from the saucepan from CBC's delicious dinner which I scraped into a plastic box.

16. I WISH I were listening (good use of the subjunctive there) still listening to The Good Place on Netflix but CBC got tired of it and now some horrendous thing called The Tiger King is on in the background. I might continue watching Sunset Beach on YouTube as I type (been working my way through Series 2 of it whilst I write letters and do school work or do washing up for days)

17. If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?

I would be turquoise.

18. What is your favourite smell?

Hmmm, I have lots of smells I like- I like the smell of Garlic cooking, fresh bread, onions cooking, Dettol (the original), Lemon Balm and Wild Garlic.

19. Who was the person you talked to on the phone?

My Dad.

20.  In a relationship?

Yes, married to my husband for 6 years and 8 months.

21.Eye colour.

Emphatically brown.

22. Favourite food to eat?

Thai food- Thai Green Prawn Curry, Thai fish cakes, Chinese Salt and Pepper prawns or chicken wings, Chivey omelette, Anna Jones Red Lentil, sweet potato Dhal with coconut Chutney  or my Stepmum's Roast Chicken or my Mum's  Spaghetti Bolognaise. I adore food!

23. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy Endings. I LOVE happy endings and do not like scary movies. The end.

24.  Last movie you watched in a cinema?  Was it Frozen 2 with my niece or was it Star Wars the Rise of Skywalker with our friend Nathan? Not sure which way round it was.

25. What colour shirt are you wearing?

Er- why assume I'm wearing a shirt. Actually, I am but it is undone, worn like a cardigan. It is shades of blue checked with a pink thread running through it. Worn over a navy dress with swans on. Yes, it sounds a horrendous mix- I just threw the shirt on for my walk, just in case it got chilly.

26.  Favourite holiday?

As in EVER or one I like going on repeatedly?  If repeatedly, I love going to Northumberland and I love my music camp in the Chilterns.  Amazing holidays include our trip to the Greek mainland a couple of years ago, our honeymoon all around Switzerland, amazing tour to Italy with my orchestra when I was 13.

27. Beer or wine?

Neither. Yuck.

28.  Night owl or morning person?

Not sure.  I tend to stay up late and struggle to get up early but I do actually function really well in the morning so....?

29.  Favourite day of the week?

It depends what  year it is?

For example, at the moment, I like Mondays at school because I have my favourite year groups on a Monday- Year 4 and 6. I also like Tuesdays for the same reason. But I love Saturdays because I don't have to commute (unless I have a rehearsal)

30.  Favourite animal?
Domestic- Cat.  Wild- Squirrel, fox, Lemur.

31. Do you have a pet?
No, but actually, as of next Saturday, we were supposed to have a pet for 8 months as we were supposed to be cat-sitting for my sister-in-law whilst she and her husband went off on Sabbatical to do the Pacific Crest Trail.  Sadly, for them, that isn't happening now because of the current crisis.

32. Where would you like to travel?
Right now, up to Northumberland to pick Wild Garlic to make pesto and walk.  I'd like to go to Taiwan or Norway or Switzerland again.

33. Favourite Joke?
Hmmm,  I don't have a classic favourite but cheese jokes came to mind when I read this such as.
What do you call a Mexican cheese thief?
Nacho Cheese!



Thanks to Hazel for her inspiration.  If you answer these, let me and  Hazel www.hazelsworldofjoy.blogspot.com  know so we can read them

Three Things (stolen from Bev- as usual!)

Bev always posts great tag ideas. Things, when you're not inspired to post, that you can post about.  After all, it's easy to talk about yourself isn't it!

Three things I liked about February:
1.  Northumbrian half-term:
I hadn't been to Hexham since last Easter and though the weather was egregious, it was SO delightful to return to this wonderful country.  We had a great few days of delicious food, rest and relaxation with CBC's mum.  We ate some gorgeous food at the Beaumont hotel, Bouchon, at home & my dear friends J&K, who moved to Hexham last year came round for dinner.  It was so nice to see them and I really enjoyed quite a restful holiday.
2.  My Flautista flute recital at Chelmsford Cathedral:
We had SUCH a good audience!!! At least 200 possibly, though I'm not so good at numbers!  We performed well, we performed the premiere of my flute trio, Flautistic, which was exciting. I've not had a non-school-based composition performed for a while. I was supported by lots of friends and family and even a blogging friend, which was honestly such a delight when I received a text from Hazel who told me she was on a train on her way to Chelmsford!!!
3.  Teaching the Pentasong in all its myriad permeatations! Honestly, it is one of my favourite lessons to teach and it is SUCH  a versatile, simple song with so many teaching points:  Through this one simple song, you can teach such concepts and techniques such as:  Unison (monophony), polyphony, rounds, 2 part, 4 part, octaves, transposition, pentatonic, intervals, major/minor/tonality, effective melody-writing and obviously, pentatonic music.

Three things I'm looking forward to in March:
1.  Performing Shostakovitch's epic 11th symphony with Kensington Symphony Orchestra on Saturday. It's bloomin' hard and relentless, loud, difficult and turbulent but it's such a treat to play Shostakovitch esp with such a wonderful orchestra.  Also looking forward to having two BBC symphony orchestra players performing concertos with orchestras I'm playing with this month!
2. A day off on Sunday!!!
3.  I WAS looking forward to the biennual Royal Albert Hall choral festival with my school choir but that was last week! So instead..I was also looking forward to eating Malaysian food at Warisan Café near Paddington on Saturday but that's also happened too!

Three vegetables I eat the most:
1.  Courgettes:  they are my go-to vegetable. I cook them with everything. Funny to think I didn't like them as a child.
2. Tomatoes (I know they are a fruit but anyway...)- they also feature in everything.
3.  Peppers:  These are my third most prolific vegetable purchase.  I think I buy these three the most because they are the most likely not to be in plastic.

Three groceries I buy every week:
1.  Milk: delivered in glass by Milk and More.
2.  Apple Juice- also delivered by the milkman
3.  Bread of some sort. Ideally loose.

Three things we go through like crazy in our house:
1.  Tea (that said, my Mum bought us SUCH a big bag of loose leaf tea (both Earl Grey and English breakfast) that they are lasting absolutely yonks and I foresee no running out in the near-distant future!
2.  Cheese.  I barely ate cheese before I met CBC. He is an absolute cheese-hog and I have also increased my cheese-consumption drastically in the decade we've been together. As a little aside... CBC was sacked for eating too much cheese once!
3.  Crackers: to go with aforementioned cheese. Or tomatoes.

Three things I always have time for:
1.  Reading:  I commute for at least 10 hours a week. There is MUCH reading time!
2.  Moaning about annoying children (need to stop this!)
3.  Sitting down with a cup of tea.

Three things I never have time for:
1.  Urgh, housework!
2.  Going to bed early! What is wrong with me!??!!
3.  Tidying up the massive pile of mess beside my bed! Relates to point 1.

Do let me know if you answer these!
x

One of those tags where I answer questions which require decisions which I am bad at...

The Sisterhood of the World Awards Tag was awarded to me by Tasha.  Thank you Tasha!

The rules are fairly simple for this one:

1. Thank the blogger for the award given

2. Answer the ten questions given to you

3. Nominate a further 10 bloggers for this award

4. Write another 10 questions for those bloggers to answer

5. Display the award on your blog or in a post

1. What is your favourite gemstone?

Ooh, this is a difficult question!  Long term, I've always been fascinated by opals- the way they can shine different colours of the rainbow! They are so pretty and I always feel sad when someone says, "But they're unlucky!" when I say I like them! They're super pretty!
Similarly, I love Labradorite- it also has a rainbowy shine and lustre to it! And moonstones.
So, basically, all the rainbowy gems!

2. If you had to spend the day as any historical figure, who would it be and why?

Tasha, these are HARD!!!!!!! I don't know,really don't know!!!!  

3. Do you have a favourite genre of film, and if so, why?

I like lots of types of movies but I'm not sure I can classify a favourite!!! I like Costume dramas ALOT, but also some (non-gory) sci-fi but also the tame and gentle rom-coms!

4. What was your favourite toy as a child?
Pinkie, my lovely, loppoly Panther who I blogged about. HE HAS GONE MISSING SINCE MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't find him anywhere and I fear he somehow got picked up with a charity bag and was culled (or deliberately by someone???). Very unhappy about this.
UPDATE: since I wrote this (ages ago). Pinkie was stuffed in with a duvet and a quilt (and bizarrely, the Joseph Joseph chopping board I had bought for my mother-in-law for her birthday and totally misplaced!!!)

5. What was the last book you read that you'd recommend to everyone?
Hmmm, good question. I think that Jolly Foul Play by Robin Stephens is brilliant but I think 'Hound of the Baskervilles' was BRILLIANT!

6. What was the best piece of advice you've ever been given.

1 Corinthians 15- Love is patient, love it kind.  Need to live by this one a bit better!

And Rach texted me with a proverb, 'Above all, guard your heart for it is the well spring of life.'

7. Who would be your dream dinner guests and why?
I'd love to have my Grandparents back for dinner.  If we were including famous people, I'd have loved to meet Robin Williams, I loved him. I'd also like to meet David Tennant too!!! The ultimate one is C.S. Lewis or Enid Blyton though or Dame Agatha Christie. C.S. Lewis because of his amazing works on Christian faith and Enid Blyton and Agatha because of my love for their books!

8. Do you prefer day or night?
Day, definitely! I am grumpy and tired at night!

9. If space travel became a possibility overnight, where would you go?

If we are talking REAL, then I am perfectly happy on Earth thank you, wouldn't really want to leave. If Doctor Who Space, then I would like to visit the 'Eye of Orion' the most peaceful and positive place in the Universe!

10. And because I'm always interested to know this, if time travel were real, what time would you go to?
Ack, decisions again... I don't want to go anywhere scary- I'd go to the 50's!!!

My questions are going to be Tasha's too as I am lazy and I want other people to have to go through the indecision too.
I tag anyone with an A in their name!!

THE Summer tag

Louise at Polka dots and freckle spots  did this tag and so I thought I'd give it a go, it being season appropriate.

1. What is your favourite thing about Summer?

Oh, the fact that I can walk to the park without getting wet feet, without having to wear layers. Being able to get washing dry.  And all those hours of daylight make me so much more motivated. I just smile every time I walk in the park. And sleeveless dresses, shoes without socks, swimming outside, cheerful people.

2. Do you have a favourite Summer drink?

Not really although I always love a still lemonade- you know, the natural one that is ever so slightly bitter and slightly sweet. Plus, my Mum's elderflower and rose cordial with fizzy water is delicious!

3. Is there a special place you like to visit each Summer?

Well, it's definitely not summer unless I go to music camp in the Chilterns. I've only missed one year in the last 18 years so it's a summer institution. Also, now, I feel cheated if I don't go up to Northumberland to stay with my lovely in-laws and take a walk in the Lake District.

4. What's your favourite make up look for Summer?

Ha, make-up??? I don't wear it in the summer (or really at all).  If I did, in the past, I would love to wear bright turquoise mascara. That's all I would wear and it was a fun look! I still have some somewhere!

5. Dresses or skirts?

Dresses, of course!  So much easier! Fun and lots of variety.  You don't have to worry about a matching top- you can make a fun skirt look boring very easily!

6. Festivals or vacations?

Oh, definitely vacations! I've not been to many festivals but I love peace, silence, nature and walks rather than lots of people! 

7. What's your signature summer hair style?

"I wouldn't call it a hair style exactly; if my hair isn't worn down, I just absent-mindedly scrape it back in to a messy knot or pony tail to keep it off my neck!"- totally the same as Louise's answers. Or bunches if my hair is the right length.

8. What is your signature summer scent?

I don't really have one- I just wear the perfume I have which is usually my beloved CK Be (when I actually remember to put it on!) 

9. Pool or beach?

I love both! I adore water.  I like to swim but I much prefer swimming in chlorine rather than salt. BUT, I love all that comes with the beach- walks, breeze, cliffs, paths etc.  If I could swim, I'd choose a river or a lake as there's no salt OR chlorine!
I visited Haltwhistle outdoor pool this week which made me SO happy. It was delightful!

10. BBQ or seafood?

I like parts of sea food and parts of BBQ but neither are my favourite way of eating. I'm more of a veg person.

11. Do you tan or burn?

Both.  I tend to get very rosy cheeks and shoulders but it often turns to tan in the end. I do try to hide under hats as much as possible though!

12. Favourite Summer song?

I don't have a quintessential summer song, I don't listen to that many songs!

I'd be delighted if you were to have a crack at The Summer Tag, if you want to, of course! If you decide to blog about it, leave me your link so I can give it a read!

What's your favourite thing about Summer?

The Disney tag

Gemma recently shared this and I started to do it but then forgot to finish the post, but I thought it was a great bit of fun!

What is the first Disney movie you remember seeing?

I definitely remember Snow White but I suspect it was something else like Cinderella.  However, I DO remember listening to all manner of Disney stories courtesy of the Disney cassettes we used to buy with my grandparents at Martin's and they had read-along and sing alongs; the one that really comes to mind was Lady and the Tramp which always makes me sad.

What is your favourite Disney Film?

I don't know if I can actually call this one.  

I really love Aladdin. The wonderful Robin Williams as the Genie just makes me laugh and I loved the sequence where he first met Aladdin and asked him what he wanted to be called, "Al, Din or perhaps Laddie???" I love anything with Robin Williams in it.

I also really liked 'Oliver and Company' and I don't think enough people remember it!  I really liked that film.

There are plenty of other favourites too like Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang; Pollyanna; Mary Poppins; Jumanji; Summer Magic and more.

Who is your favourite Disney Princess?

Oooh, that's genuinely a tricky one!  I really adored Giselle in Enchanted, I loved the songs,the making dresses out of curtains and the fun that Disney poked at itself through her songs and the whole premise of life not being a fairytale.   Plus the fact she was a bit more 2 dimensional after her New York experience but still retained her sweet nature.

Which Disney movie do you think is the most underrated?

Source

I'm including a non-cartoon here, but I ADORED the 1960 movie of Swiss Family Robinson. It was one of the most watched movies during my childhood and many of my 'bucket list' items come from that film.The trouble is, when I talk about it nowadays, no one I mention it to has ever seen it or loves it quite as I do.  I think John Mills is/was a fine actor and the setting was quite beautiful.  How exciting, I discovered thanks to Youtube that Disney's magic Kingdom ACTUALLY has a Swiss family Robinson tree house!

Source

From the animated ones, Robin Hood (made in 1973) is also one I adored.  I TOTALLY had a crush on Robin Hood in fox-guise though my pal Maria's boyfriend Mark preferred Little John- I totally remember that conversation aged 10!

What is your favorite Disney quote?

I confess that I couldn't remember ANY Disney quotes, so I did a googlesearch and as I was doing so, I remembered a Disney quote from one of my favourite films, The Princess Diaries which I had committed to memory:

“Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear; The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.”

As a bit of a Scaredy-cat, I should try and follow this a bit more. 

What is your favourite Disney song?

I really like the songs from Enchanted, especially the one with the rats and pigeons- I am that sad I sat and listened to it over and over again so i could learn the words. It just makes me laugh! 

I also love 'That's how you know that he loves you'. It's just so fun and witty and I love Giselle's descant over the top of the main riff.

A classic that I love is 'Once upon a dream'- it's great fun to play -and makes a nice change that it's a waltz- in 3 time. Nearly all Disney tunes are in 4. It's also based on Tschaikovsky's original ballet music too!

Which Disney character would be your best friend?

I'm wanting to say Mia from The Princess Diaries, I like her self-effacing nature and her natural humility.  Not sure if I just like the idea of Anne Hathaway as my best friend though and am getting the two mixed up!

Which Disney character would be your pet?

 I just LOVE the Cheshire cat in Alice In Wonderland. I know he's a bit elusive and all that, but what cat isn't?

I'm definitely tagging Gemma (Pinkhaired Princess variety) to do this but anyone else, do have a go!

If you do this tag too, let me know, I'd love to know which is your favourite Disney!

11 things

I meant to post yesterday but we had a little party and I was helping CBC tidy his house.

The lovely Angela at Tracing Rainbows did a taggie thing and I thought it would be fun to join in. I wont tag anyone because I know we're all busy, but if you do decide to do it, drop me a comment and I will come and read:

Eleven Questions to answer


1.What was your favourite sweet as a child?

There were many but the ones I always remember feeling excited over were those pink foam shrimps and those gummy bears, the slightly hard ones that were penny sweets.  I have a lasting childhood memory of buying 40 pence worth of these whilst watching The Box of delights one Christmas!
2.Historical novel, romantic fiction, or detective story?

Mmmm, I'd probably say Detective novel but usually historical or days gone by setting, not the modern blood, guts and gore sort.  I do like a nice chaste historical romance!
3.Where in the world is your heart ‘at home’?
Well, home where I live in Essex but in the Chilterns, there is a certain Hill that I heart belongs to.
4.Nigella, Delia, Jamie, or HFW [or another?]
I don't really watch cookery programmes but I have all Delia's cookery course books- my Mum went to a signing by her when I was about 6 weeks old, taking me with her and Delia commented on what a small baby I was!
5.What is your favourite season of the year? Why?
I love August, it's sunny and I am on holiday! Also really like early April as the weather is usually surprising you with how beautiful Spring is!
6.What was your first car?
I've never owned a car or had a driving lesson but the first car I remember my Mum owning was a pale blue Morris Minor.

7.Which aspect of housework do you find most difficult?
HATE washing floors!

8.At this very minute, where are your house keys?
They are in my handbag, slung on the floor
9.What is your favourite ‘Christmas’ food?
Mmmm, turkey and those pigs in blankets! I detest all sweet Christmas fare!
10.Who is your favourite cartoon character?
Well, I will always have a soft spot for Princess Kneessaa from the Ewoks cartoon of the 80's!

11.What colour is the chair you are sitting on right now? Wooden foldup chair in a sort of stripped pine colour with a floral cushion on it.   You can answer Angela's questions if you'd like, I like those questions and I am nosy to compare answers with you!

Ciao bella!
.

The best book tag ever!

For those of you that shun my boring book posts, to start, here is a silly outfit I wore today that I enjoyed wearing.
Otherwise here is a mememe tag about books you can join in with!!!

FYI, Love this Dorothy Perkins pearl Peter Pan Collar necklace, it makes even the most boring of t-shirts look interesting! FYI2- there is actually yellow in this outfit!  Am being adventurous with yellow belt. AKA my most feared colour!)

Oooh, a lovely tag involving books!  How wonderful!  I tag Alex Odd socks, Millie at New World,

Books books books


The Rules:

1. Post these rules

2. Post a photo of your favourite book cover

3. Answer the questions below

4. Tag a few people to answer them too
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you've tagged them
meh, can't be bothered today. Tomorrow, I'll do it!
6. Make sure you tell the person who tagged you that you've taken part!

I tag any one who loves books also! Please let me know if you do it so I can have a nosey.
Pinched from http://www.ablogfromblackpool.com/2012/05/books-books-books.html  Danielle.

What are you reading right now?

Surprised by Joy by C.S Lewis. It’s his biography and it’s beautiful!!!


Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?

I hope to read a book on world views called The universe next door, or Maya by Jostein Gaardner. Both are on my pile. I’m also hoping to borrow the next Daisy Dalrymple books from J when we go to Northumberland soon.
What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?

Papercraft inspirations and Papercraft Essentials.

What’s the worst book you've ever read?

Oooh, this is hard, I’m willing to give most things a go. As a teenager, I tried to read one of my Mum’s books by Jean Auel a go and it was awful- there was some nasty description of a woolly mammoth’s bits! And I read a terrible Mills and Boons as a teenager which I found dreadful!

What book seems really popular but you actually hated?

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. What a stupid, disappointing ending. I can’t believe that after all that buildup, the thing that was the ‘big sin’ was a kiss. What a total let-down! Stupid and annoying. It left me feeling flat. And the death of God and all that and everyone coming out of the rift or whatever it was. Weird and silly. I’d really enjoyed Northern Lights and The subtle knife.


Oh and I was infuriated by Lemony Snickett’s The End (part of the series of A series of Unfortunate events). I HATE there being loose ends and things I don’t understand, that aren’t explained. It’s just a total cop-out. I even read ALL the spin-offs in order to glean something to solve the mystery, to no avail!

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?

Thanks to http://www.amazon.com/ for the image.

Tom’s midnight garden by Phillippa Pearce. Utter genius!

I would also recommend ‘The screwtape letters’ by C.S. Lewis. It’s a brilliant book!
And anything by Alexander McCall Smith

What are your 3 favourite poems?

I love ‘Oh tell me the truth about love’ by W.H. Auden. It’s just so witty and evocative. I also love ‘The nighmail’ by funnily enough- W.H. Auden for its fine rhythm. I love ‘The highwayman’ by Robert Louis Stephenson for its brilliant plot and Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. There’s also some great poems I’ve loved in the past.  Like Macavity by T.S.Elliott.
Where do you usually get your books?

Charity-shops, 2nd hand bookshops (like a brilliant one in Felixstowe called Poor Richard’s http://www.poorrichards.co.uk/  ) Daunts, The book people, Amazon, eBay, WH Smith, Waterstones

Where do you usually read your books?

Anywhere! Whilst eating, on a sofa, in bed,  in the bath, whilst travelling, in the garden, walking along the road, lying in long grass….

When you were little, did you have any particular reading habits?

I was a creature of habit. If I read and liked one book in a series, nothing would satisfy me until I’d read as many as I could get my hands on! This happened with Enid Blyton series’ (e.g. Famous Five, Secret Seven, Faraway tree, wishing chair, Mr Twiddle, Mysteries, The R mysteries, the ____ of adventure), Nancy Drew, Ramona, The Hardy Boys, Sweet valley high, Christopher Pike, Agatha Christie… I disliked Non-fiction and I am still not fond of it.
I would disappear for hours on end and my family would find me nestled with a book. At my Dad’s house, I loved reading in the upstairs bathroom.

In my adult life- any Jane Austen or modern spin-offs, Georgette Heyer continue this trend.

Have you ever “faked” reading a book?

Not really. I read a book by Janny Wurts called ‘The curse of the Mistwraith’ as a teenager which I borrowed from a boy called Tim who I liked, which I found hard-going and too sci-fi fantasy for me but pretended I liked. I rued the day of doing that when I was bought the rest of the trilogy for Christmas by family friends.
Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?

Yes occasionally. I also like titles. The first Alexander McCall Smith I bought for myself was The right attitude to rain which I loved because my attitude to rain is, that if you think it is lovely, then it is indeed lovely. I’m soooo soooo glad I DID buy it otherwise I might not have discovered this wonderful man!
What was your favourite book when you were a child?

Unfair to restrict me to one!! I loved Five on Kirrin Island and Five go to Smugglers top best out of my Enid Blyton obsession because of the amazing secret passages contained within.
What book changed your life?

Change my life is a little dramatic. Well, if I had to say that, I would say The Bible, when I read (much of) it properly (still haven’t managed to make myself read Lamentations and a few other bits) for obvious reasons but that it is always refreshing, informative and comforting to find hope in there.


What is your favourite passage from a book?

Not sure about passages, might have to edit this later, but certain quotes are great:

“You didn’t get the best gigs as a murderer They probably made you play the viola.” Or something of that ilk from Soul Music by Terry Pratchett.

“Ah music, a magic beyond all we do here” Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Philsopher’s stone.


I also loved the part in Tom’s midnight garden, the description of their ice-skating trip down the River Ely.

What are your top five favourite authors?

Alexander McCall Smith, Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, Jane Austen, Enid Blyton, Eva Ibbotson, C.S Lewis and Michael Morpurgo. Ha! 8!


What book has no one heard about but should read?

Hmmmmmm, a hard one…

A house in Bali http://www.amazon.com/A-House-Bali-Colin-McPhee/dp/9625936297  by Colin McPhee. Well, Bali enthusiasts will have heard of it, but others wouldn’t. It gives a wonderful look at Bali, 60-70 years ago from the point of view of a classical musician! It’s brilliant!

The Country gentleman by Fiona Hill was a lovely Regency-set book I read and delighted in!
What 3 books are you an “evangelist” for?

Er- the Bible? By God.
Tom’s midnight garden. Already mentioned
The screwtape letters Already mentioned
The butterfly lion by Michael Morpurgo (any parents evening with children whose writing needs more imagination, without fail, I recommend Michael Morpurgo to the parents. And children)
What are your favourite book by a first-time author?

Er-? Remember, I am a creature of habit, I like a series!!!

What is your favourite classic book?

The Phantom of the opera by Gaston Leroux.

Or Pride and prejudice by Jane Austen.
5 other notable mentions?

Northanger Abbey- I am totally Catherine Morland!

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

Harry Potter! J.K Rowling

Masquerade Terry Pratchet

Veronica at the Wells by Lorna Hill or any of that series.

White boots by Noel Streatfield or A vicarage family.

The murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.


Do you have any books I should add to my 'to read' list?  Do you hate any of my choices? 

And more importantly, HOW are you today?!

Tag, I'm it!!!!!!!!

Loves dressing up!

***Edited to include Sophie's questions!***
 I've somehow avoided doing this just because I am renowned for long boring waffle and I knew it would take ages to do it.  However, I've been tagged 3 times to do this, so I better oblige. 
Firstly, I was recently tagged by the lovely Luan at Green Tea and cupcakes to do this tag!  She's lovely!  Fun, likes great dresses, gets up to some crazy shenigans at times and she's a brilliant follower who always makes you feel you're saying something interesting!    Then Sophie Finally, Alex at Odd socks and pretty frocks got me.  So here we go (brace yourselves!)
Well this is what I need to do

First Things First, The Rules:

You must post the rules.
 Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
 Tag eleven people and link them on your post. Let them know you’ve tagged them! (Meh, I don't like tagging people it feels like a chain letter, but anyway!)

The facts:
I'm trying to think about anything interesting I can write that I haven't already shared in previous posts and I am pretty much left with the mundane!
1. My first paid musical gig was playing for a production of Mozart's The Magic Flute, aged 16,
playing viola in the 'pit orchestra'.  My desk partner (what you call the person you share your music stand with!) was really lovely and was happy to dress up in tiaras with me each night
 for the Queen of the Night's aria!

2.  Like Luan, I love fancy-dress!  I am always willing to dress up for special days at school!  Am currentl y debating what to wear for World Book day!  Last year, I was Helen of Troy (see picture above!) and the previous year, Catherine Morland!  I quite fancy being the White rabbit from Alice, or something from Oz (although the latter seems too obvious!!).  Katie Morag?  Any ideas?!

3.  As a child, aged 18 months I used to draw "Safeelite pictures" of the United Kingdom and referred to them as such!

4.   I have far far far tooo many dresses and blogging is a BAD influence on me!

5.  I went to Paris, Bruges and Reims last week,  it didn't manage to work out Marrakesh! I have left my replacement camera lead at CBC's so I wont be posting any photos yet!

6.   I am intensely scared of scorpions.  Seriously, they utterly scare me- they look soooooooo EVIL!   I only saw one once in real life, on the ceiling of my neighbour's bathroom in Bali. Shudder!!!!!!!!

7.  Like Alex, I am not on Facebook.  I have many reasons for this which I wont bore you with.  Although there are some reasons I wouldn't mind, the cons FAR outweigh the PROS!

8.  I really really dislike hairy chests!  Men with hairy chests do NOTHING for me! No offence but I wouldn't have a penchant for you Mister Hairy!

9.  I have recently decided that I do not like indoor malls/shopping centres like Westfields, Bluewater etc, I feel claustrophobic, cooped up, hot and crave natural light.  I much prefer a high street or a small shopping parade with shops around.  I was in Westfields Stratford for 30minutes last night before I had to escape.  I made it to Forever 21, Primark and a hat/accessory shop before I needed to leave!  Tis also a reason why I don't like Ikea!

10.   I am sooo sooo sooo messy!  I try hard to change and I don't like mess, yet I fail.  Perhaps this is a good reason for me to have joined Danielle's 100 day shopping ban!

11.  I love chocolate but all in all, I am not a desserts person.  9 times out of 10, I'd rather not have dessert- especially stodgy English ones.  I'd sooner mug you for that bag of crisps you're munching on!

Luan's questions:
1. Cat person or dog person?

Definitely cats!  I have owned over 17 cats in my childhood/past.  I think dogs are really sweet and I enjoyed my dog-walking job as a 12-16 year old but I don't like being licked with doggy-breath!
2. Who is your hero, and why?

Ooooh, difficult one.  I admire many people for many different qualities.  Sorry, can't pin it down! Can I say Jesus!!!?
3. What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Hmmmmm, I had rabbit last week in France.  It was nice!
4. What’s your favourite book?

Awww what a mean question!!! So many to choose from!  I love I capture the castle, Five run away together,Northanger abbey, Pride and prejudice... Somebody STOP me!

5. If you could have 6 people, living or dead, over for a dinner party at your place, who would you invite?
Ah how can I choose! 
Paul McGann- I adored him as a teenager and I would just LOVE to meet him!
Some of you bloggers I'd never get to meet otherwise! 
Alexander McCall Smith - he's just soo funny.  And someone told me they saw him at a reading of one of his books and he was giggling like a child over something in his book.  That's so sweet!

My nan (Mamgu, that's her on the left)- I miss her.
John Williams - I adore his film music and I'd love to grill him!
Schubert- he was painfully shy and died so young before he'd written lots of music. I'd like to draw him out of his shell.
Robin Williams- I think he is soo sooo funny! 

6. What is your favourite song?
 I HATE these questions Luan, you're making me pick!!!!!!!
I love How deep the father's love by Stuart Townend.
I love Andrew Lloyd Webber's Music of the night
Londonderry air (AKA Dannyboy)
I could go on for a long time...
7. What language/s do you speak?
English, German, Indonesian, French, some Greek, a little Balinese and miniscule Japanese,
8. What is the number one thing on your “bucket list”?
What?
9. How do you like your coffee?
I HATE coffee!!! A year in Bali of politely drinking minging black sugary coffee, trying to hide my disgust whilst smiling politely. Urgh!

10. Who would play you in a biopic of your life?

I think the girl who plays Willow in Buffy is rather ditsy like me!
11. Which animal would you steal from the zoo, and how would you get it out of there?

A parrot. I would go in there in a rather bright and fetching hat covered in flowers and birds.  It would then be persuaded to become part of the scenery.

Alex's Q:

1) Are you a morning or a night person?
Neither.  I like the middle of the day. 

2) Have you ever stolen anything? (be honest, I won't set the law on you)
Oh no, trauma!  Yes, I stole 2 sweets from the pick and mix in Sainsburys aged 3ish.  I remember one had a brown and gold striped wrapper.  I remember standing by the pick and mix and looking at them.  Then I blacked out totally (literally, I have NO memory of what happened next) until the next thing I knew, I was in the car on my own outside my sister's school whilst my Mum collected her, staring at these 2 sweets.    Seriously, I have no idea how it happened and it still haunts me to this day!

3) What is your favourite word?
Ooooh, I love this one!!! Ostensibly!  Without a DOUBT!  I have a weird thing with it.  I absolutely LONG to use it in conversation and yet I find myself never at a suitable juncture to use it.  If someone else uses it, I scowl inwardly with utter envy.  Ostensibly, I appear to be enjoyed your conversation whilst you say it, but on the inside I am grumbling that you said it first!! (ones that I use frequently include:  alacrity, audaciously)
4) What can't you live without?
A book!

5) Who/what do you have an irrational dislike of?
Face paints! Mendhi!
6) Where is your favourite place to eat out?
Mmmmm, I love Wagamamas, I also love Yen Lin, the lovely Chinese restaurant near me!
7) Who is the cleverest person you know?
OOoh, this is HARD!  When I go camping, nearly everyone there is some frightfully clever Oxbridge graduate, PHD-possessing polyglot!  I feel a complete dunce in comparison!
8) What was the last film that you saw at the cinema? Was it any good?
I saw Woody Allen's Hannah and her sisters at the BFI in January.  It was brilliant!  I have never seen any of his films and I loved how quirky it was and the sentiment of it!
9) What is your guilty tv pleasure?
Oh dear, how embarassing- Emmerdale and Home and away.
10) Where did you last go on holiday?
I got back from Paris, Reims and Bruges yesterday!  All three were lovely and fun with their own virtues but I adored Bruges!
11) What makes you go "GAHHHHHHHHHHHHH"?
The way I can just lose something just like that!  I RAGE around my house/school trying to find the desired article cursing myself for my utter stupidity for not being able to find something!  Like right now, I have lost all 3 of my school memory sticks- they're inside a small Cath Kidston pencil case and I last saw them on Saturday night 3 weeks ago downstairs.  I have back-ups of the main memory stick but unfortunately ALL my lesson plans for this half-term for music are ALL on the one I didn't back up!  I face the prospect of rewriting ALL those 4 plans tomorrow as well as everything else I haven't completed yet.  I am FURIOUS with myself (and of course, the camera lead, where oh where?!)
 
Sophie's questions:
1) What happened on your favourite/most memorable day?

Oh  blooming heck, which one in particular?!  Right now, I think of the day at University when I discovered in my first week, that after my orchestra audition, I had got into the orchestra as principal flute (first flute).  I hadn't even bothered to check the results board because I just assumed I hadn't got in (10 flutes in my year, lots in other years, 2 girls who went to the Chethams school of music before Uni, there was no possibility!) and then I heard the two Chethams girls (at the board) say, "Who's Kerenza?" and I ran over and saw my name there.  I was so unbelievably happy.  I had never been chosen from audition to play flute in an orchestra because I played the viola, I always had to play viola in my youth orchestra despite my longing to play flute.  I thought it would never happen and then it did!  Despite the fact they knew I played the viola and loads of others had auditioned, they had chosen me.  I love playing my flute in orchestras more than anywhere else.  It was wonderful!

Then I could talk about the day I first danced with CBC.  It was at Music camp on Dance night.  We'd had a quick dance together and then he'd said, "But I want a waltz later". Somehow that night, there were virtually no slow dances until the last dance.  And then we found each other (my previous experience at Dance night had never been dancing with the person I most liked for the last dance.  And I liked him so much more than anyone before. I had been so miserable thinking that he didn't like me in that way and then he held me really close when we danced and I actually didn't feel shy which was a miracle for me as I am painfully embarassed when dancing with people! I started to wonder if he actually did like me!
2) What is your least favourite colour and why?
Yellow.  It looks horrid on me!
3) What don’t you like eating and why?

Do I need to say this again?  MUSHROOOOOOOOOOOOMS- evviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil!!!!!!!!!!
4) Who is your celebrity twin?
 Eeeek!  I'd like to say Anne Hathaway but I'd be deluded- that is purely wishful thinking!  Can someone help me with this!!!!????
5) Do you have a surprising skill, what is it?
I can play more than one note at the same time on the flute (multiphonics) and make all sorts of strange beatbox percussion-type sounds.  This is probably not surprising though.  Also not surprising, if you ask me what a note is, I can say, "That's a G#!" or whatever.
6) What place is the world would you most like to visit?
I'd love to visit some remote island in the middle of the Pacific - in Micronesia or Polynesia (as long as there are no nasty insects or spiders to bite me!)
7) What is the best or worst bit of advice you have received?
Above all, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life (proverbs 4 v13 I think?)  Rach gave me that advice and I remember it always.
8) What is your favourite snack?
Crisps!!!  Wotsits that have been left out so they are all chewy!  Disgusting no yah, but I know someone else who likes them too (leave a comment if that's you!)
9) What would you like to change about the world, if anything?
The fact that people feel socially inadequate, that Society creates platitudes that we must conform to and if we are different it isn't a good thing.  It IS!

10) Dogs or cats? Or neither?
I believe I have answered this!

11) If you were to change your first name, what would you call yourself?
Ooooh, I love the name Sophie! (Honestly, it is literally my favourite name! I named my cat that aged 13!) 
Otherwise, I have always loved the name Genevieve!
Ok, so I am going to tag:
Nicole and Gwendolyn
Missy Miller
Rach Warwick
Leanne at Stundon
Lauren at Someone like you
Chris at the Chrlog
Tasha at Tasha's treasure trove.
Emmah at Vintage Sweetheart
Laura at Adaisychaindream
Bonnie at Glam Kitten's litterbox.

My questions are:
1.  Which confectionary or product that is no longer available do you miss and would like to bring back?
2.  What was your favourite cartoon or kids programme as a child? Tell me what it was about!
3.  What is your favourite word and why? (sorry, I liked that question!)
4.  Which place do you really have no desire to go to on holiday and why?
5.  Likewise, where would you MOST like to go and why?
6.  How many _________ does it change to change a lightbulb.  Give me your best q and answer to this joke!
7.   What do other people say is your best personality attitribute?  What do you think of this?
8.  Who is your favourite author and why?
9.  Kindle, paperback or hardback- choose which and why?
10.  If you could obtain tickets for any Olympic event this year, which sport would it be and why??
11.  If you could play a musical instrument, which would you play and why? (and no choosing one you can already play!)
Sorry I will finish uploading the links soon, but my computer is going sooo slow that I may scream!!!

Come and play tag!!!!