Questions questions...

The last few weeks have seen some of my favourite blogs receiving awards which include setting sets of questions to answer. I've been lucky enough to have been kindly included in people's lists of nominees. As I have the award thingy somewhere on here already from a couple of years ago, rather than do the whole thing, I've been answering the fun questions in comments, but decided to compile a few as a post on its own! I wonder if you'd predict the answers I give? 

If you want to play along feel free to copy n paste n answer at will! 

1.  Weight Watchers or Slimming World?

Neither. I've never ever been to classes. Over the years I must have lost and gained a full person in stones! When successfully left to my own devices I do quite well just by calorie counting and upping the exercise. 

2.  Chocolate:  Milk or Dark?

Milk. Dark gives me a headache and its yakky! Chocolate snobs do my head in. 70% solids this and chocolate with chilli that. They can have it! I'll stick with my current CDM favourite thanks. The HG prefers Galaxy. 

3.  Prosecco:  Overrated, overpriced fizz or new favourite tipple?

It's ok, for fizzy wine. I only like pink champagne. I don't like real champagne at all. I don't actually drink that much, but when I do, I go for drinks that are like desserts - cocktails etc but my new favourite drink is a very sophisticated Bombay blue sapphire gin, ice,  slimline tonic and lime! 

4. Gerard Butler or Tom Hardy? 

 

Easy, both! But I'd be cheating on my number one TV/FILM husband Ray Winstone and I'm sure he'd win in the ensuing fight over me. 

5.  New James Bond:  Idris Elba or Tom Hiddleston?

I don't care either way. I hate all James Bond films with a passion, so I'd not be watching it anyway. Unless one of the above three were chosen. I then might reconsider. 

6.  Holidaying abroad or in the UK?

UK every time for me. Besides, Wales IS abroad!! 

7.  Farm shop or Supermarket?

Farm shops annoy me when they want to charge three quid for a cauliflower. But I do like a wander around one every now and then, to stroke the over priced produce and to indulge in a little local economy support! Actually the ones I go to offer really good value for money and the produce is excellent. However, until I win the lottery, the main weekly shop is done in the supermarkets. 

8.  Europe: Are you an Inny or an Outty?!

I'm voting out. The main reason is, a change is as good as a rest! 

9. Favourite month? 

I've got three. December - for Christmas reasons, August for A WHOLE MONTH OFF SCHOOL REASONS and June - for birthday reasons. I'm so shallow! 

10.  Favourite outfit?

I've a black sleeveless dress, Indian embroidered cotton, with a laced bodice top and a layered handkerchief hemmed long full skirt which I adore. It cost me £3 from a charity shop in Windermere about ten years ago, it fits me if I'm big or small thanks to the lace tie at the back. It's a very forgiving piece. People always admire it when I wear it, which is all the time in summer. I've re dyed it black twice, I've taken it in, I've repaired it. I love it. It's my dress for my coffin if it lasts that long. If it disintegrates before then, I shall mourn for it. 

And here's another set! 

1. What is your favourite meal?

Ummm I think it depends on the season. Currently, it's jersey Royal spuds, boiled, with salad n summat. The summat can be anything from cooked meat to prawns to coleslaw to fish fingers! 

In Winter it's got to be roast beef and Yorkshire puddings and in between, I do love the Thai coconut chicken curry I make. It's too hard to choose just one. Last meal on death row if I absolutely had to choose? Beans on toast with a glass of ice cold milk. Mmmmmmmmm

2. Do you have a party piece? If so, what can you do?

I can play the trumpet. I can play the guitar. I cannot do these things together! Party piece, if on cocktails is getting outrageously hilarious ( I think so! ) and extremely sing songy - in fact I've just cringed at a few corkers  that just flash backed! 

3. Do you sing in or out of tune? 

I'd say in, others might disagree! I can hold a tune and thoroughly enjoy a good singsong.

4. What was your 'best bit' today?

As its only 6am, I've not had any best bits! Best bit yesterday was 'looking at loads of fabric at knock down prices and meeting a morris dancer called Moss. 

5. What was your last 'good turn'?

Errrrrm not sure I want to say without it sounding like bragging and then I'd feel like it wasn't a good turn, which is done for selfless reasons. 

6. Are you social or anti-social?

Wrote a deep answer and deleted it! I will say I don't leave litter, I'm not a vandal, I've never been arrested, I don't have an ABSO so I guess that makes me social. And I'll leave it there! 

7. What is your most annoying habit?

None of my habits are annoying! Others who live with me/ know me might have a different opinion but it's my blog question so they can bog off!! 

8. What is your least favourite food?

Stewed fruit. Warm or cold. Also, tinned garden peas. Interestingly I do love a tinned marrowfat pea though. 

9. Dieting or not dieting? 

Constantly striving to eat healthily and lose weight. I'm the type that if I say I'm on a diet, then I'm constantly STARVING and see food everywhere and become obsessed with it. So no, not dieting ever again. 

10. Name one form of relaxation that you enjoy.

Reading.

And because I'm enjoying this so much, here are some more! 

1.  How many different homes have you lived in?

Three. My ma n pa's first marital home until I was two. Then they moved to what I class as my childhood home and lived there until I moved in with the HG a whopping not very far round the corner from my childhood home! I'm never moving again. It's too traumatic and I've got far too much stuff. Even if I win the lottery. I'm not moving. I love my house! 

2. The first record/CD you can remember buying?

CD LOL. I HAD TAPES! But my first single I think was Belouis Some with Imagination. I wish it was way cooler an answer! 

3. A memorable holiday in this country? 

The first one I went on with my friend without my parents to Newquay. A very pleasant time was had by all! 

4. Favourite job if you could choose?

Steward at the MEN Arena. All those concerts! 

5. Worst ever road journey?

I blogged about it. Look up Coach trip from hell and you will see why! It was bad, though the people who commented found it hilarious. 

6. Last meal out? 

With the staff, I ordered Caeser salad for the first time. Related: I discovered how vile anchovies are. 

7. The station your radio is usually tuned into?

BBC Radio Lancashire upstairs because any other station is crackly. Though Graham Liver does my head in. He repeats himself all the time and he's not funny. I like waking up in my own time to no radio at the weekends. BBC Radio two everywhere else. In the car, in the kitchen. I love playing Pop Master in the holidays and my number one favourite is listening to Liza Tarbuck's Saturday teatime show. I love it. I love her. It a great show to listen to when I'm making tea. I've emailed in a few times but she's yet to mention me! I dislike it when she's not there and she has stand ins! Last night was Anita Rani, bland and insipid frankly. I like a bit of Paul O'Grady and adore EP on Sunday, especially in the car when I can felt out a few show tunes! Graham Norton is also wickedly funny and I did like Craig Charles last year when he was standing in for Graham Norton! 

8.The colour most featured in your wardrobe?

Black. It's slimming. ( but you know that's only true if you are slim in the first place! ) but black it is. It's like I can't give up my 16 yo Souxie Soyx/Cure/Cult/Smiths goth child. 

9.The oldest thing in your house?

The house itself. A Victorian terrace built in 1800s. There are some alabaster cherubs in the walls/ceilings in the hall that are original to the house. So it's them. I would show you but they are so dusty, I'm ashamed!  You've also seen the original slate fireplace in my bedroom in another post. And I've the mangle in the garden from the original kitchen. This house was the HG's Grandma's. Then I found out that my favourite Aunty ever ( who wasn't my Aunty really, she was my Nanna's cousin , but we called her Aunty even though she was more like a second Nanna and we were her surrogate Grandchildren ) was born in the house nextdoor! Another reason for never moving! 

10. Best boot sale/jumble sale/charity shop bargain recently.

I was in Skipton yesterday and went in every charity shop! I wasn't looking for anything in particular though I always look on the dress rail first. I'm also looking for copies of Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo for Y6 as they read it as a class every year with work included as High School Transition work. But yesterday something caught my eye. I ummed n aaaahed and checked with my workchums 

but bought it anyway. It's a Silver cross doll's prom, like new £10! Not one of the coach built ones mind, because I'd have bought that for myself! No, this one is destined for Night Owls as the ones we already have are in high demand and this new one will ease the pressure! Had a quick look on eBay and people are selling them around the same price I paid but I'm glad Night Owl's money went to help Scope. 

And finally a last set of questions to answer...

1. Most hated domestic task.

All of them. Current mood is lazy. Minimum effort in cleaning and tidying right now. 

2. Knitting or Crochet.

Knitting. Crochet is still foreign to my fingers, despite constantly trying! I can do it but can only produce long strands! Cannot fathom out the patterns. 

3. Favourite Film genre.

I adore films like The Day after Tomorrow, where a natural disaster is about to end the world. I like true stories too. If it's a true story about a disaster then I'm in my element! 

4.  Best place that you have been.

Think I answered this as a comment on someone's blog, but The Tower of London is one of the best places on earth to go. The Beefeater tour is a must. I can't get enough of the Crown Jewels. Tourists and extortionate prices for drinks are the downside. But other people melt away when I'm in there and taking your own cancels out the other! 

5. Jewellery  wearer or not.

Not every day. My earrings are hurting my ears at the moment. I've them pierced three times. My gold ones hurt. My white gold ones hurt. Silver hurts. It must be what my Dad said all those years ago. If we were meant to have holes in our ears, we'd be born with them like that! I've tons of gorgeous Pilgrim jewellery bought for me by the HG and a Troll bead bracelet made up of blue beads. I don't even wear my diamonds! My engagement ring is very precious and after all these years ( LAUGH OUT LOUD ) is an antique! True story, I lost a diamond out of it ( it's three diamonds on a twist ) years ago and I was heartbroken. I searched everywhere. I couldn't afford to buy a replacement diamond and have it repaired. ( quoted £500 ) I found it WEEKS later on the morning if my sister's wedding. It was right in the bottom of my pushchair's padded cosy toes cover. Now that pram had seen a12 month old or thereabouts Mr 19 in and out of it everyday, it'd been collapsed for the bus a few times etc. But there, glinting at me, right in the crease was my diamond! Cost me £80 to have it reset! So I have been extra careful with it ever since!   I do wear jewellery on the rare nights  out  and special occasions though. 

6. Book or E Reader.

I have both. But I do like a book. Real pages to turn. 

7. Adventurous cook or plain and simple.

Current mood regarding all domestic chores is lazy, so at the minute it's simple! Last night was rib eye steak, grilled on my optigrill. Plain boiled jersey royals and leaves. Simple! But oh so good! The HG did fanny about making a salad dressing with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin rapeseed oil, mustard and fresh garlic. That was delicious! 

8. Walking or Gym.

Walking. It's free! 

9. Pets or not.

Currently not. Still swithering over getting a dog. Of course I do have an abundance of garden pets!

 

10. Fresh Oysters or no way Jose.

Did it once. On a French Cuisine course I went on in the lower sixth for a week. This is us! I am on this photo! It is so 80's and I'm very pre goth!!! 

 We had to try one else we'd fail the course. It was like trying to slither someone else's giant bogey down my throat. The rankest thing I've ever tried. Yak. 

So there you go. If you want to, you can copy or paste them for your own blog, you can copy, paste and answer in my comments. It's a fun easy blog post though some of the above questions were a little bit soul searchy! 

Lots of love from 

Rachel * thoroughly interrogated and sang like a canary* Radiostar xxx