Keir Royale

Mopsa has memed me with a set of specific questions - much scarier than “tell ‘em ten things you can remember about yourself and make it snappy.”

What was I doing ten years ago?
I bought my first house in February 1997, and it needed a lot of work, so in June 1997, my notebook is filled with lists like “sand sitting room floor” and “measure for curtains”.
Perhaps life before children wasn’t all long lie-ins and spontaneous foreign travel.

What was I doing one year ago?
Much the same as now. Last year’s kitchen calendar says “Hash camp at River Dart Park” – so in fact I was doing exactly the same as this year, give or take a day or two, minus the heavy rain.

Five snacks I enjoy
Cheese on toast
Duchy Originals lemon biscuits
Kettle chips (with or without houmous)
Greek-style yoghurt with a dollop of Neals Yard peanut butter (I know it sounds revolting, but just try it)
and finally (oh dear) a bar of Cadbury’s Whole Nut, with a glass of red wine and some trashy telly

Five songs to which I know all the lyrics
Most of the songs from The Sound of Music (not too hot on that dull love duet Julie Andrews sings with Christopher Plummer)
Seasons in the Sun, by Terry Jacks, although I get some of the verses muddled up
Kooks, by David Bowie (in fact, most of Hunky Dory)
Bob the Builder, unfortunately. I don’t seem able to forget it
Guys and Dolls (I was in it, many moons ago, and the lyrics have stuck)

Five things I would do if I were a millionaire
Legally prevent Mike from using the money to buy Lincoln City Football Club and waste it all on buying good players
Buy a house with a garden big enough to kick a real ball instead of a Swingball, and with a garage in which to stash all of Mike’s belongings. Oh alright, he can keep his clothes in the bedroom, but that’s it
Save enough to pay for the kids’ schooling at secondary level in case they don’t get into an acceptable state school (sorry and all that, but needs must around here)
I don’t think there’d be much left after that

Five bad habits
Wanting to throttle people who don’t happen to do things the way I do
I can’t think of any others – perfectionism maybe?
I really can’t think of any others – Mike says my bad habits are too numerous and too revolting for him to say out loud, so I’d better not mention any of them either, or you may not visit ever again
Not being sympathetic enough when malingerers moan about their ailments (see what I mean?)
Telling the children off for doing things I did, or still do – eg helping myself to a chocolate biscuit without asking first and then lying about it when my mother catches me with crumbs spilling from my mouth

Five things I like doing
a nice long, gentle walk with Mike and the kids, stopping to investigate dragonflies, Dartmoor ponies and animal poo, and to eat our picnic
dancing
meeting up with old friends – which I do far too rarely
sitting at the Splash, staring out at the sun setting over the raging sea with a glass of cold beer and some of those old friends at my side, pretending we’re still carefree and could just go, anywhere, if we felt like it… oh, and the kids are on the beach mudlarking about, close enough to hear them chuntering happily, but not near enough to answer every call to “Look at this” or “Can you help me with this sandcastle?”
I think the fifth would be scuba diving or flying a plane. I’ve flown a plane three times and it was FAB. I learned to scuba dive but have hardly done it for ten years.

Five things I would never wear again
hotpants
dungarees
platform shoes
small triangles of stretchy cloth that tied at the neck and around the waist – can’t remember what they were called
tutus
I could go on…

Five favourite toys
iPod – which I think I may have lost, but don’t tell Mike as it was a present from him. He never reads this.
PC – on a good day when it doesn’t freeze every five minutes
bike – on a sunny day
juggling clubs – I can still just about manage your basic three club juggle
roller skates – so I can try to keep up with the children and make them laugh with my flailing arms and ungainly technique

Well there you go - more revelations but no sashes.

Over to…
- aha, I see Drunk Mummy hasn’t answered this particular call to revelations yet
- and SAHD, time to strip naked under the memetic flashlight
- Scruffy Mummy - get yourself off Facebook and tell us your secrets
- and Iota, I’m interested to know more

That’s it. Can’t check any more blogs for memes already done.

A bientot.

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