Lynched by Livy

Well I've been nobbled again - this time by the Lovely Livy. Today I have to share with you 5 random facts about me that you don't already know. Now since I am one of those menopausal ladies whose memory has run off with a younger man/woman and I've been blogging for a couple of years - the bottom line is I've no idea what I've already told you all. But I'll try to dig down in the memory bank and find something you just might not already know. 1. I wasn't a virgin until I got married! There now .... that got you all sitting up straight. And what's more it's true. My maiden name was Brown but I married a guy whose surname was Virgin - absolutely true - I have a marriage certificate to prove it. So hence I wasn't a virgin until after I got married. Just for your interest we actually changed it to something similar but more normal when I was pregnant with our eldest son. 2. Nowadays I come across now as a very feminine sort of a person who enjoys things like perfume, mascara, false nails, jewellery and high heels. But I was an incredible tomboy as a child - spent many hours riding my pony through the forests behind our home with only my dog as additional company. I also acquired many farming skills and spent many school holidays helping in the milking parlour at my uncle's farm - so yes, I can milk a cow. 3. I was one of the first two woman in Scotland to achieve a Certificate of Professional Competence in National Road Haulage Operations (a Transport Manager). The ensuing article and photo in several national newspapers several months later (while I was still known as A. Virgin) resulted in a series of obscene phone calls from a bit of a filthy smooth talker. What he didn't know was that while he was making all these suggestions about the underwear I was wearing, in actual fact I was nine months pregnant with my eldest, absolutely huge and definitely not wearing brief undies as he fondly imagined! 4. I said in my last 'tag' that I'm not a swearer - just something I don't do - might think it occasionally but don't usually verbalise. However I got rid of the above smooth talker by letting rip one day with everything I'd ever learned while working in the transport industry - not pretty I can tell you..... and the funny thing ... he never did call back!!! 5. At one stage of my life when we were rather short of funds, I took up part time market research to earn a few extra dollars. This was a fascinating experience where you have to sell yourself rather than a particular item or concept so that people will talk to you. One particular survey I was involved in was looking at Australian woman and the lives they had led. It could have been a really invasive survey but was incredibly well written and designed so that the participants usually ended up quite happily giving the required information (which was all anonymous anyway). But I was asking women about the relationships they had had, pregnancies they had had, contraception they had used etc. Very personal stuff. It was mind blowing stuff and amazing to find how many people had a story - which you would never have guessed on first meeting them. What was intensely gratifying to me was the number of these woman who after participating in this interview with me, said that they had unearthed emotions, thoughts and feelings that they had buried for years and actually ended up thanking me for letting them talk to me. A very humbling experience for me and one which gave me much more understanding of my 'sisters' in this world. Well chaps, that was a big story - hope you enjoyed it and now who can I tag? Maria - you thrive on this! and I need to keep nurturing my little flower. Cat - you have far too much time on your hands and I need to stop you getting up to mischief! Betty - I've just stumbled across your blog and you've got lots of interesting ideas and thoughts. And I think you're nowhere near as tough as you make out to be! Joc - because I know you're special but you still haven't realised it yet! Anne - because I suspect we're very alike in lots of ways and I'm going to be lucky enough to meet you in the next couple of weeks to find out just how much! Go girls go!! Love Z xx

Caught by a Cat!!

Cat has tagged me so here goes: Four dishes I like to cook (actually I'm over cooking - used to do it lots but now it's just a means of fuelling the body) Baked Atlantic Salmon Lamb Loin Chops in Mint Seafood Delight Shortbread (the real stuff) Four qualities I love in people Fun and laughter Self honesty Caring Personal pride Four places I have been Marrakesh, Morocco Seville, Spain Tokyo, Japan Havana, Cuba Four things in my bedroom Bloss (he's chained to the bed!!!!) Full length mirror - how can anyone leave the house without looking in one?? A glamour pic of me taken when I was 40 A sheepskin rug (Beck will understand the significance of this!) Four dirty words I like to use Bugger Shit Filthy Grotty (I'm not a swearer - don't shrivel up and die when I hear swearing but it's just not my style.) Four people I'm tagging (all the L's cos I've learned an "L" of a lot from all of them) Livy (who lives in my part of the world and is a bit of a rebel like me - or what I used to be) Lainey (who I get to meet in about 7 weeks and who talks funny like I do) Lee-anne- private (who I might meet in about 3 weeks who likes the same wines as I do) Lyn (who I'd love to meet in a couple of weeks but might run out of time, but is one of the reasons I got hooked on blogging several years ago) Love Z xxx