Five Questions Friday - 11

1. Do you collect anything?

I used to collect books.  I don't want to do that anymore.
I still collect stamps which I started when I was 10.

I also collect tokens from the top of cereal boxes and supermarket ones, to give it into school, the school can claim back books or sport equipment.

I also like this little character on TV called Fifi and I collected a serious amount of magazines and magnets of this little animated flower.  I have not opened any of the packages.  I am keeping them for my grandchild for some reason.  My kids think I am extremely weird...  I have to go and dig it from the loft to take a picture, will probably add later...!!!


2. Name 3 celebrities that you find good looking.

Catherine Zeta-Jones  (The Mask of Zorro)

Simon Baker (The Guardian)

Marvin Humes from the boy band JLS

They are so many other people I find good looking... but you did say 3...



3. Do you have any scars? If so, what's the story behind it (them?)?

I have a scar on my left index, I was peeling a cassava (exotic root vegetable), and it was old and too advanced to do anything with it really. I got angry, and lifted the knife to hack it and my finger was under...It never bled, my finger was in such a shock, I should have been taken to the hospital to have it stitch up.  I put a plaster on it not to see the bone.


4. What is a food that you like to eat, but others might think it's gross or weird?

I like to eat salty peanuts with lemon juice!

Bombay mix with pomegranate seeds!

It is not gross, it is just odd combination really...


5. Have you ever seen a tornado in real life?

No, not a tornado, but where I come from we have cyclones (another word for hurricane) from about December till March.  They are named alphabetically.  They vary in intensity from a tropical depression to full blown cyclones.

The wind and rain are very destructive and the sea is not approachable.  The ravines, dry at other times of the year, become very dangerous.

I remember during the Red alert the most dangerous phase of the cyclone, even radios were not working.  We had to stay inside even during the passage of the eye (calmer bit of the cyclone).

This is when I realize how a palm tree is made for such weather.  They bend easily half way in the gusts and come back up.  Other trees bend and snap.  The devastation is enormous.
The sea and beach cannot be used for days afterwards because of the debris and mud.

Somehow I have never felt scared.

Five Questions Friday - 7

1. What is your favorite thing about summertime?

I like to live in hotter weather, I like to leave the doors unto my garden opened and this gives me a sense of freedom.

2. What is your ideal retirement location (if money didn't matter)?

This question makes me giggle, I often talk about retirement homes with my children:  I am a fussy eater you see.  So it is not so much the location or the money issue but the  menus that I would be looking at.  I love exotic or spicy food, so I often say will they please check out the chef and as long that he is not so much into mash potatoes but more in rice and curries, I will like my retirement home.  In the mean time I also pray that I am totally with it for a long time...

3. Do you live in the same town you grew up in?

Definitely not, my father was in the French army, so I was born whilst he was posted in Madagascar, then we moved to Germany.  When I had to start school, we returned to La Réunion (Indian Ocean).  I finished my schooling there.  Left to go to university in Paris.  And because I was studying English I came to England and decided to come and live here, the rest is history as they say.
I now live in Welwyn Garden City which I prefer to say, otherwise I would have to say that I live in Le Tampon (where my mother still lives)!!!!  I think it is a good move don't you!  Although the word does not have the same meaning, English speaking people cannot get over it!

Welwyn Garden City

4. What nervous habit did you have as a child that you kicked to the curb before becoming an adult?

I did not like to go into shops and ask to buy bread for instance.  I hated opening my mouth to ask for anything to "strangers".  Now I talk to anybody, my kids cringe about it.

5. What is the most embarrassing thing that happened to you while on the job?

This is still embarrassing when I think about it.  I was working as a personal assistant to the managing director of a successful company, they bought another company and we went in to see how they worked and get to know their working force.  They had a different switchboard to the one I was used to and it also was an opportunity for me to get to know the receptionist.  So I was sitting next to her and learning the system.  My director walked in from another meeting that day and instead of finding me upstairs at my desk outside his office, he saw me downstairs in reception and he said "Trying a new job!" and me young and stupid said " We all have to start at the bottom"

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah I still feel awful when I think about what I said. I never recovered the lost ground with this particular receptionist.  As I am confessing now,  maybe the feeling of awfulness of what I said will dissipate.  It is not happening so far. This was like nearly 25 years ago.  If one day you are the receptionist I offended reading this, please accept my sincere apologies.  I really did not want to sound snobby.

I have learned since not to be so glib with my tongue!!!

I enjoy answering these questions on a Friday, click if you want to join this meme held by Mama M at

 My Little Life.

Five Questions Friday - 5

1. What do you think makes a good friend, or friendship?

I am thinking about the people I call friends as I am typing this.  I realize of course that there are different levels of friendship.  From my experience good friendship is to be able to share laughter and tears.  A bit of give and take.  Distance is not a problem if you are honest each time  you get in touch.  I like depth in my conversation and laughter.  Having similar interests and values are an added bonus.

2. What is the last thing you bought & later regretted?

I deliberate a lot before buying exactly for that reason: to have no regrets.  All my thought processes go before hand.  In England we have the advantage of being able to take things back in the first fortnight as well if we have kept the receipt.

3. Have you ever had a prank played on you?

No, I think they are scared of my wrath!!!  I think my kids learned that very early on.  We are not a prank-type family.  We love to laugh but not at the expense of tricking somebody else.

4. What is your favorite theme park?

Disneyland Paris, I have not been to others so I guess I can only like the one I have been to.  Not even for the rides, just because of Sleeping Beauty's castle in the middle and the square trees...

5. Have you ever seen someone else give birth?

No, maybe my daughters one day...  Do you think they or their husbands will want me there?

Five Questions Friday - 3

1. Is there something you've always wanted to try but just can't muster up the courage to actually do yet?

I really have to think of this one.  I am out-going and I talk to anybody,  I have learned to stand up for my children and I do not suffer fools gladly.  My motto is : What's the worst that can happen?  I do not take failure to heart anymore, I just try again.  Don't think this has come about easily...

So right now I cannot think of something I actually need courage to do, is this tempting fate?! lol

2. If you had $100 handed to you in cash without your significant other knowing about it, what would you spend it on?

Clothes or shoes that he would see anyway eventually.  I do not like to be secretive about money with my husband.  I am at Stay at home Mum and he goes out to work very hard.  I am blessed and provided for abundantly.  Come to think of it, I would probably tell him what I got before spending it.

3. What was your favorite piece of playground equipment as a child?

The slide, I would go up and down and  up and down.  You could only find slides in the playground when I was a child.   Swings were easy to come by in gardens but slides only in playground.  And they were shiny.

4. Do you prefer a sweet or hearty breakfast?

 I discovered the Full English as they call it when I came to live in England and at the time I wondered how people could eat a savoury meal for breakfast.  Up until then being brought up in a French family,  breakfast was not that important.  A black coffee, and a croissant would suffice.

These days I looked forward to Saturday with my husband who will cook:  bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, sausages, fried bread, black pudding.  It is filling and we are out for the day, it means lunch can be a very light affair.

5. Are you a Neat Freak or a Messy Bessy?

Well if you had asked me that 20 years ago I would have said definitely Messy Bessy.  But being married and having kids has kind of changed my attitude to housework and tidyness.  These days it depends which room and what mood I am in.  I always like coming down in the morning to a tidy clean kitchen, so I will make sure that the night before it is done.

I am learning to let my kids (teenagers) do their own room, that's not always easy!

If I am in a middle of  a project in the lounge it stays put unless I have people coming around.

I like clean and uncluttered rooms on the whole.  But it is not the end of the world if it is messy and we are having fun.


These Five Question Fridays are great hosting by Mama M.

Five Questions Friday - 2

I enjoy answering these questions, they actually make me smile or make me think...

1. Take your pick...date night, girls night out, or night out alone?

Date night:  Good food, my husband's company, chatting or sharing comfortable silences: Priceless...

2. Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

No, but somehow 2 of my kids can, exactly like cows,  I find it fascinating!

3. What is your favorite flower and why?

I love lilies, they do not have to be cut just in my garden.

4. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?  Don't give it away!  You are worth so much more than what those jerks think of you! I say it to my daughters these days, and to my son don't act as a jerk with girls.  And stick to your first passion with what you want to do with your life!  Sorry that's 2 advices already.  Forgive me I am wearing the lamp of experience that only lights the road already walked (Chinese proverb)

5. If you won the lottery, what is the very first thing you would do?  Scream and deafen my husband!  After screaming, I would probably buy a new digital camera to get ready to go on a world tour!

Why not join in the fun with Mama M at My Little Life?

Friday Fragments

It is an understatement to say that my week has been bitsy.  I have put on my different personalities (Don't worry I am still whole) and varied attires on and off.

My husband was in Japan/Korea since very early on Sunday morning, which left me to do my mothering role on my own, I do not have a problem with him travelling, I have never minded being on my own. I love my husband but I acquired early on in our marriage the understanding that it is a myth that we had to do everything together. I actually like being on my own, I am still an only child after all. My youngest daughter fares less well, she finds it more difficult not to see her Dad and catch up with him in the evening.  The energy is different and the rhythm is more centered around her activities.

Worship service on Sunday morning was awesome.  And I had a busy afternoon meeting a lovely couple I am doing wedding photos for in July.  Exciting new projects...  Sunday night I went to a talk about "Keep Sunday Special".  The laws in Great Britain seem to more and more allow Sunday to pass as any other days in the week.  I love those talks at our church where the interactions are thoughtful and thoughts provoking.

Monday I went for a beautiful walk in the morning in the woods not far from where I live.  Spring is so much later this year because winter had been so much colder and harder than previous year.  I am enjoying looking at the blossoms and the warmer weather at the same time.

I also went to watch my daughter's last rounders match of the season, later on in the afternoon.  Her team came second.  Well done!

Tuesday I hold my regular Connect Group in the morning.
In blog land I participated in a Tuesday Tag-Along and met lovely bloggers and in the process have more followers.
Also my daughter has extra rehearsals to get ready for her show at the beginning of June in a new location, so a new routine was implemented to be carried out till the end of May.  And I received a "good news" phone call, my husband had had good meetings and was coming back earlier from Japan/Korea.

After a trip to the supermarket in the morning, to fill cupboards and fridge on Wednesday morning,

in the afternoon I went to my neighbour's funeral, an extremely talented watercolour painter and very kind gentle man.  You will be missed J.  I have always appreciated your steadiness and very helpful manner.  And as you would want life carries on...

Thursday I have been baking non stop:  I have made banana bread and fruit cakes, the banana bread recipe is already up and the fruit cake recipe will follow on Tasty Tuesday.  Since my oven was on the go I have cooked a delicious beef stew with barley.

That is for a very busy week.
I am looking forward to the extra day off work on Monday that we are enjoying in England as a Bank Holiday.

How about a visit to other Friday Fragments...or maybe you would like to write about your own fragmented Fridays, click the button below.

New Friend Friday - Fun Friday

I am in a playful mood...

I am on Facebook, check my badge on the right handside bar...  And there I like to play games in my status, today I am playing on Blogspot. One of the games is to find a very unusual word and ask for its definition.  Today's word is: Aglet , I challenge you not to google it or bing it but use your dictionnary ;)

Good way to make New Friends on a Friday don't you think!!!???

By the way if you do not want to play that is also OK with me, just sit with your favorite cup of coffee and browse, you are always welcome here...

Check out The Girl Creative, great fun...

New Friend Friday (Fun Friday)

I thought I would make friends today by inviting you to play a game with me:

Just answer the question in my comment box: Which is man's best friend? 

Dog or horse?

Have a Fun Friday making New Friends, follow the link from The Girl Creative!

Fun Friday or New Friend Friday! Actually Good Friday with You!

First of all I have a friend in Jesus, He calls me friend also, and today I want to thank Him for the Cross.

Thank You Lord for the sacrifice you made, so that I could be free!

But most of all Lord, thank you for the power of your resurrection, you are off the cross and out of the tomb...

I have a blessed life because of You.

And if you are visiting thank you, I love visitors who become friends!

Fun Friday or is it (New) Friend Friday?

I really really like blog hopping when I have the time,  I have found many friends in blogland that way ;)

So today to have Fun on Friday I am joining The Girl Creative on a blog hop.  Make sure you visit her blog, she has treasures upon treasures of informative posts about blogging, you know the kind I like, to improve the look of your blog, inspire you etc, etc... or just crafty clever things!

For those of you who are visiting have a browse...

Click on my archives on the side bar or go and visit my daily photo blog

Oh and did I tell you I ♥ comments...

Now unto the Fun Friday, I was asked the other day on Facebook which games did I like to play?  Straight away my answer was Scrabble in English and French, then ever since my kids recognised numbers we have been playing Tomy Rummikub, and I also like to play Monopoly and collect sets from around the world!  And any quizzes!

What about you?

Fun Friday

This is a little gem, as we are Friday, most of you will have your two days planned out, but I would like to make a suggestion:  Get this film it is so cute.  It has won the Oscar this week for Best Animated and deserves it wholeheartedly.

If you have read my previous reviews, you know that I like kids' movies.  This one particularly touched me and it is so refreshing to have an old person as the main character.

I also like collecting memories along the way:  you will get my meaning when you watch the film.

Just one question stayed with me:  Do you think your destiny is in the future or do you think you are actually walking in your destiny rigth now? 

Have a super time with your popcorns!

Fun Friday!

Friday is my day to be an Assembly Angel in a primary school, today we were talking about feelings and playing with playdough! 
For this specific class called ECM, (Every Child Matters) I make black playdough and the kids love it.  Those are efforts by children aged between 9 and 10.  No tools, no templates, they are allowed to do whatever they want!