Ella's Winter Meme

I always love a good meme, so....

1  You have to leave your house because of a disaster. All the people and pets you love are safe. If you could choose just one item to carry out, what would it be?

Am I allowed just one, or ALL my photo albums? And what about my flash drives? How awful to have to leave your house and know that all those precious memories are left behind. If I had to choose just one, it would be an album containing photos of the children when they were babies.

2  Tell us about a book or series of books you loved as a child.

Everything I did as a child had to do with horses and riding them. I even cantered home the mile from school each day till I was about ten, jumping the water runnels as if they were huge cross-country jumps. My favourite series of books were written by the Pullein-Thompson sisters, and were all about ponies and the children who owned them. I never actually owned my own horse till I was 32, but I was very fortunate as a child to have friends who had ponies I could ride.

3  Name one item of clothing that you love for your spouse to wear.

I love Dan in a suit, especially a dinner suit with a black bow-tie that he has undone so it just hangs around his neck. So sexy.

4  Is there a lullaby your mum or dad sang to you that you also sang to your child?

My dad used to sing me a song about a little cat that got into mischief. But it was all in Polish and although I remember it, I can't spell in Polish. I often sang it to my kids when they were babies.

5  Tell about the fanciest restaurant at which you have ever dined.

I've eaten in many fancy restaurants, and can either take them or leave them. They are often far too pricey or the food is so nouvelle cuisine that you end up starving. But I can recall a special dinner at a Polo match that a certain prince attended. I don't remember too much about the food as like every other woman there, I was hanging on his every word and watching every movement. I think the food was good...

6  Tell us about any phobias you have. What else are you scared of?

The only real phobia I have is spiders. I just cannot bear them. I've had many a "spider" incident, and always hope when we are on our travels that the spiders will stay hidden away. I got marooned on a sunbed once due to a very large spider catching and consuming a reasonably large crab in front of my eyes! I also dislike heights as viewed from the tops of buildings. I'm not so bad on hillsides, although I did crash once when skiing, due to looking over the edge at the sheer drop.

7  Is there something old from a family member that you treasure?

I have a few items that have been passed down from generation to generation in our family, and I like to use them or place them where I can enjoy them. However, they can never replace the people who have gone from my life whose memories I cherish above all else.

8  If there is reading material in your bathroom, what magazines or books could be found?

Usually there are magazines or travel books, but at the moment we are packing in order to move, so if you want to read something you will have to read the labels on the jars of pots and potions.

9  Tell us about your dearest childhood friend. Besides the typical outdoor stuff?

I have a very good friend I have had since the age of two years old. It was her ponies I rode during childhood; we went to school together; we went to discos together; we met our future husbands within a few months of each other; we are godmothers to each other's eldest children. She lives a few hundred miles away and we only get together occasionally, but we are just like sisters.

10  Is there a household task that belongs to your husband?

Depends what you mean by "household task". He chops the wood and brings the logs in, and lights the fires. He looks after the septic tank and sorts it out if it needs rodding. He sees the cars are washed and that they are full of fuel and regularly serviced. He is always happy to help, but "household tasks" per se are not really his domain.

11  Have you ever smoked pot? How old were you the first time? Do you still enjoy?

I belonged to the flower power generation, so I probably did. We smoked some weird stuff in those days. But I never smoked it intentionally to get a high. I can get high just on fresh air, lots of laughter and good times with friends. I have no need for drugs other than those that keep me alive. I do, however, enjoy a good gin and tonic, and the occasional cocktail.

12  If it is cold, what do you wear to bed?

I have a couple of t-shirt style nighties, but I take a hot water bottle to bed if it is that cold. I don't take long to warm up - it's mostly to keep my feet warm, and Dan pinches it as soon as he comes to bed. Usually I sleep au naturelle.

13  How old were you when you lost your virginity? Share any story with which you are comfortable.

I was twenty. I remember it well because in those days there was no co-habiting in case the neighbours informed the parents. Dan took me away to the Cotswolds for a romantic weekend and we stayed in a wonderful old coaching inn. It just didn't happen. I clammed up and it didn't matter how many times Dan tried, it was hopeless. When he finally brought me home after our weekend it was late in the evening and my parents were out. He said he wasn't going home until he succeeded. He finally managed it but that first time wasn't the pleasant experience I had been led to believe. Thank goodness things improved thereafter!

14  Think of something you did as a kid about which you were glad your parents never found out. If you were a perfect child, you may just respond with "Perfect".

Where do I begin? I broke someone's window; I used to scrump apples from other people's gardens on my walk home from school; together with some naughty friends I would ring people's doorbells then run away; I dyed my hair bright pink when I was about eleven; a friend and I tried every single one of about fifty "miniatures" of whisky her dad had collected on his frequent flights to and from Africa (heaven knows how we didn't die of alcohol poisoning!). I could go on and on!

16   Boob question - Think Goldilocks and the 3 Bears.

Do you think your boobs are:

a)  too big
b)  too small
c)  just right
d) "All of the above" is not a valid answer

I am fine with the size of my boobs, but I do so wish they wouldn't end up under my armpits, which they do without bones in my bra!

Thanks for reading, and thanks, Ella, for such a mixture of questions.