At 12am on December 31st/ January 1st, what will you be doing?
Raising a glass with my husband and toasting in the new year…
Is there a tradition you have for New Year’s Eve?
My husband and I tend to spend new year quietly on our own, watching Jools Holland and his Hootenanny on the TV… we usually see in the new year together then go off to bed shortly afterwards…
Do you have any hope or reason to find that next year will be better?
Honestly 2021 has not been a good year for me, so surely next year has to be better…
What’s the biggest personal lesson you learned during 2021?
That Covid is not necessarily just a short-term illness…
Describe in 1-3 words how you feel going into 2022?
How many pillows do you sleep with? If over one or two is it because you sleep better ‘propped up’ a little?
I sleep with one reasonably fat pillow under my head, and one specially shaped little knee pillow between my knees to keep my dodgy hip in alignment – being a side-sleeper, before I bought my pillow every time I turned over the pain in my hip would wake me up, but with my knee pillow I’m finding it all so much more comfortable 🙂
What would be the worst thing you could out in a pinata?
Ice cream? Pepper? Spiders?
What noise annoys you most?
Conflicting noises, like the cacophony created when someone has the TV and the radio on in the same room at the same time…
If cartoon physics suddenly replaced real physics, what are some things you would want to try?
I’m a huge fan of the Roadrunner cartoons, so I’d probably spend the day being Wile E Coyote, both dishing out and finding myself on the receiving end of all the fantastical plots and pieces of equipment (courtesy of myriad Acme Co parcels) he makes use of when trying to eliminate Roadrunner… But being a cartoon, I’d always survive to fight another day, of course… Beep, beep! 🙂
Please share something good that has happened to you over the last month?
Being allowed to visit my dad in hospital over the last 10 days… there are still the inevitable restrictions due to Covid and limitations on total visitor numbers but at least I’ve been able to see him regularly. Last year dad was in hospital for five weeks at the height of the first Covid lock-down, when no visitors were allowed at all and our only contact was the telephone – that was horrible for all of us.
What was the very first popular song you remember taking a liking to?
‘These Boots are Made for Walking’ by Nancy Sinatra, circa 1966, when I would have been three years old… Are you ready boots?
Are you one of those people who get queasy at the sight of blood, or could you watch an open heart surgery?
I’ve never watched open heart surgery, but while working as a Physiotherapy Assistant in the past have been present in an operating theatre to watch both a knee replacement and a hip replacement (on two different patients). The idea was that I would assist in the pre-op phase for these patients, watch the actual operations take place, and then assist with the post-op rehabilitation afterwards. It was a fascinating opportunity, watching live surgery is absolutely amazing!
Who or what do you feel is lurking right behind you, just waiting to ambush you and make your life a living hell?
That’s an easy one – my recurring depression. It’s shadowed me for years, sometimes rising up and overwhelming me completely but more often than not just waiting expectantly in the background, reminding me its enveloping darkness is never far away…
What is the gaudiest thing you have ever worn?
Depends on your definition of gaudy… I’ve never done bling or shiny fabrics, but in the late 1980s I did own an eye-catching pair of purple leopard print harem pants that I just adored and wore to death! OMG they were wonderful!
Fess up! What is something you did as a child that got you into big trouble?
When I was growing up we lived next to a railway bridge, and we used to play on the bridge a lot, daring each other to do ever more dangerous feats of bravery. I was once dared to walk along the outer edge of the bridge ledge across the tracks, holding on for dear life, which I did… But a railwayman saw me and he told my mum and dad, and not surprisingly I got absolute holy hell for that! Gives me palpitations to think about now, but I guess you do crazy shit when you’re young…
What are you looking forward to as the festive season approaches?
Nice food and drink, and spending time with my children and grandchildren.
When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
When it comes to doing stuff involving others I try really hard not to be someone who over-promises and under-delivers, who talks the talk but doesn’t walk the walk, all mouth and no trousers, all fur coat and no kickers, all hat and no cattle. So if I say I’ll do something, I do try to follow through and won’t ever promise something I have no intention of keeping to. But when it comes to making promises to myself I’m forever telling the whole world I’m going to lose weight, eat healthily and do more yoga and yet here I am, even more overweight, comfort-eating for Scotland, and even less supple than ever before… Sigh!
What does the world need less of?
Let’s just go with pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth…
Do you feel older or younger than your age?
Right now, older… For the longest time I felt younger than my age, but since hitting menopause a few years ago I’ve really started to feel my real age. And then since catching Covid in January, and still not quite being over it yet (Long Covid is so exhausting to deal with) I feel the whole experience has really aged me – I suppose because the combination of such prolonged deep-seated tiredness and shortness of breath and aching limbs and headaches leaves me feeling more than a bit down, and drained, and old before my time.
What is a cause you’ll always passionately support?
Feminism… We’ve come a long way – well, some of us have, although sadly some are steadily going backwards – but too many people only pay lip service to the idea of gender equality without it ever meaning anything. In my experience in far too many places it’s still a man’s world at source, where man is the entitled norm and woman the faithful side-kick, the after-thought, the spare rib to be indulged or controlled as necessary… It bothers me that so many (usually insecure) men complain of emasculation by women when all that is being asked is the removal of the invisible male privilege inherent in society. In my mind if anyone’s sense of self-importance is dependent only on the subtle (or not so subtle) subjugation of someone else then it’s no more than a puffed-up illusion in the first place. I understand that the wholesale removal of that beneficial-to-half-the-population illusion of gender superiority is perceived by many men to be a threat to their lived experience to date, but that perception doesn’t alter the reality of fact. Being born with a penis doesn’t make you a better person straight out of the womb than someone without, it’s just culture that creates that belief. And it’s clear that religion – including Christianity, look at Adam and Eve – definitely helps create and perpetuate that cultural belief in a male-dominated system. (A similar argument could probably be made for racism, of course, but being a white woman that’s not my personal experience – and yes, I’m very aware that’s my white privilege talking…)
What is your personal affirmation (if you have one)?
‘Something will turn up’… Whatever happens in life, whenever the chips are down I reassure myself that something will turn up to move things forward again, and so far I must be right because I’m still here…
Restrictions are being lifted all over the world. Do you feel it’s safe to go out and mingle in crowds in light of the pandemic?
Here in Scotland the last of the restrictions on social distancing and numbers meeting up together were only removed on Monday, although we are all still required legally to wear masks in indoor public places.
I must admit after all this time I’m finding it a bit odd to have strangers standing so close to me again while waiting in line at the supermarket, but so far that’s the only place I’ve been this week other than at home, in the garden, or out for a walk. And to be honest I’m not the world’s greatest mixer in large groups at the best of times, so I’m still remaining decidedly cautious about public social interactions with strangers.
Happy to be able to meet up more easily with family and friends though, that’s going to be nice… 🙂
What are some things that are OK to do occasionally, but definitely not OK to do every day?
Drink too much alcohol, eat too much fast food/ junk food/ cakes and sweets, stay in bed all day… Spoil-sport! 😦
Would you relocate for love (romantic or otherwise)?
Yes, already have done, both for romantic reasons and for family reasons ❤
Do you believe in any conspiracy theories (no judgement)?
Not really, although I suppose it depends on where you come from as to how realistic covert government intervention may be seen as a reason for certain individuals being suspicious about stuff they don’t like…
For example with some so-called ‘conspiracy theories’ currently circulating in the USA it’s seriously hard for all of us on the outside looking in not to be at least a little bit judgemental about what are clearly, to the rest of us, such decidedly dubious claims. I mean, off the top of my head, as far as I can see the Covid 19 pandemic is not a politically-biased hoax invented by the Democrats, none of the Covid 19 vaccinations implant any microchips under your skin or make you infertile, Trump definitely did not win the 2020 election, and the Capitol insurrection by revved-up Republican rioters on January 6th was a very real event, like it or not – across the world we watched it happen live on TV, moment by inglorious moment…
But on the other hand if you live in one of the old Eastern Bloc countries and you’ve spoken out about social injustice and you believe your government is out to get you, well… potentially that could be a different story altogether…
Gratitude: Please share something sweet
Jaffa donut to enjoy with my coffee… plain donut base with gooey orange jelly injected into the middle and coated in chocolate – yum! 😛
What would be much better if you could just change the colour of it?
An orange… that would mess things up a bit. It would still be called an orange but no longer be an orange-coloured fruit – so would that mean a change of name for the colour too?
Do you think cats have any regrets?
Nope, I imagine all nine of their lives are purrfect just as they are 🙂
Do you ever count your steps when you walk?
Not usually, unless a treasure map is involved and X marks the spot…
Is there a supreme power?
I think gravity is a pretty supreme power – well done holding on so tight to that one, Planet Earth! 🙂
Would you rather be a super nice person and be depressed all your life, or be happy and a total ass-hole?
Hmm…That’s a bit of a simplistic, stark, black and white, either-or choice for me – surely real life falls more on a complex continuum of grey? I’ve already been depressed all my life but am definitely not super nice, and I don’t necessarily see the connection between happiness and ass-holery… In my experience the biggest ass-holes tend to have the biggest inferiority complexes, so they’re definitely not happy, they’re miserable and compensate for that misery by belittling other people to feel better about themselves…
Have you ever made someone cry?
Going for a positive, happy answer for this one – I first got married at 18, and the day my mum and I brought my wedding dress and veil home from the dress shop I tried it all on to show my dad how I looked as a bride… He took one look at me and turned on his heels and left the room, to wipe away tears… It’s the first time I ever saw my dad cry ❤
Are you a dreamer or a go-getter?
Dreamer, definitely, and I wouldn’t ever have it any other way… Dream on, girl… If you can dream it, you can do it!
If you were in a band, what instrument would you play?
If I were in a band I wouldn’t play an instrument, I’d be one of the backing singers, dressed in black and playing my part, but safely standing in the background 🙂
Do you feel gratitude is necessary?
Yes, because feeling grateful for something means we are aware that we are not automatically entitled to health or happiness or whatever it is. Gratitude helps keep us considerate of others, and that’s got to be a good thing… ❤
How well do you know your next door neighbours? Do you like them?
We’ve only lived here for 18 months, and for 12 months of that we have mostly been under Covid restrictions and so not allowed to visit other people’s houses. We have a corner property so we know the guy who lives next door in the adjoining garden, we know the family who live across the road in front of us, and we know the family who live across the road on the side of us – at least we know all of them well enough to have a decent conversation with at a safe distance outdoors, and that’s probably the best it can get for now. Maybe once Covid slings its hook we’ll get to know everyone a bit better…
Do you have a full length mirror?
Yes, we have two – one set in to the wardrobe in our bedroom, and one free-standing cheval mirror in the spare bedroom…
How long do you spend putting on make-up in the morning?
On a work day, maybe five to ten minutes max, but on a home day zero time at all – I’m not really a make-up kind of girl…
How many items of clothing are in your bedroom but not hung up?
Currently one full stack of clean neatly folded laundry (assorted items) sitting patiently on the bed from earlier today but not yet put away, and a pair of jeans, a cardigan, a hoodie and three random scarves that have all been worn already but can easily be worn again, all slung not-so-neatly folded on a bedroom chair… And some stuff in the laundry basket not yet washed – does that count?
Do you have a happy place?
Right now my happy place is pretty much anywhere I don’t have to wear a face mask… 🙂
Do you feel you ask enough questions, or do you settle for what you know?
Ooh, I love learning new things, so am always going to be a questioning kind of girl. When I was studying for my degree as a mature student I was always asking questions for clarification, or to aid exploring new ideas, or going off at a tangent out of inquisitive curiosity! But I’m not into just asking random questions for the sake of it, I usually bide my time to wait for an explanation to be forthcoming before I ask, and listen carefully to whatever answer I get.
When did you fail to speak up when you feel you should have?
Hmmm… When it’s important or if I’m asked directly I’ll always try to speak up, but otherwise in general if it really doesn’t matter too much I’m possibly likely to not want to rock the boat so may just keep quiet. There are enough opinions out there in the world without me adding my tuppence worth!
When was the last time you felt lucky?
When I caught Covid at the beginning of the year but didn’t get it bad enough to have to go to hospital or worse. I’m still not fully recovered six weeks on but thankfully I’m getting there slowly but surely… Still resting lots though.
What is a boulder?
Not sand, not a pebble like these, not the size of a rock you’d have in a garden rockery, but far bigger than that – something big enough to drop impressively on Wile E Coyote while he’s trying to drop it on Roadrunner 🙂
What are you grateful for this week?
That my elderly parents and parents-in-law have all had their first Covid vaccine, and that my 30-something eldest daughter (who has type 1 diabetes) was also given her first dose yesterday! 🙂
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