Chatting with Patrice

Good morning to you Patrice! It's a cold, damp, grey morning here.  Pretty much as it has been on a regular basis over here in the UK.  I mean, I know we get a reputation for grey weather, but it SERIOUSLY is not normally like this in May, nearly June. I am ready for some regular sunshine, like, YESTERDAY! lol I don't like it too hot, but some warm sun, with a gentle breeze, would suit me down to the ground.  

So, as I wait for some sun, I will chat with you, and IMAGINE the warmth on your farmhouse porch.  Wendell's chomping aside.....

1.  When you were a child, what age did you think was "old"?

Now, this is a funny question, because I was talking about it quite recently.  When I was young, I thought people who had been married for more than 10 years, or had a child that was over 10 years old, was OLD!!!  Well, that makes me "old" on both counts, now. *great* 

2.  How often do you have dessert?

Not very often.  I only make dessert when we are having guests. So, it's more often than not on a Sunday, and the odd times in between.  I tend to make the same things over and over - old favourites are pavlova, lemon meringue pie, raspberry shortbread pie, trifle, sticky toffee pudding and sachertorte.  Not all at once, I hasten to add.  I like them all, funnily enough, or I guess I wouldn't make them? 

3.  What's your favourite kind of exercise?

I have a DVD by Davina Macall.  It's very good. I haven't done it since before I found out as I was pregnant, because as soon as I know I am pregnant, I feel nauseous. Nausea + exercise = don't go together.  Of course, now I am resting, so the most exercise I am getting involves typing....or walking to the kitchen....or going upstairs to bed. 

I also like pilates. It is so gentle, but it does a GREAT job of toning up your muscles. 

4.  Do you watch movies on TV, movies from a rental or the library, or movies online?

We don't have a TV license. So, we don't watch any TV, other than on the catch-up players.  Years ago, in the days of videos, we used to rent movies more. We have, the odd time, downloaded movies from itunes.  We also have a Netflix membership we are trying out, but have not got round to watching movies on it.  Generally, we buy a movie if we really like the look of it, but it isn't very often, and it's usually biggies like LOTR.

5.  Tell me something you remember about your grand mother's/grand father's house? I'm thinking of something you saw all of the time, like a picture, clock, statue, teapot. or some thing that was always there.

It's funny the memories we have of grandparents.  

My Grandma, my Mum's Mum, I remember her sapphire necklace.  She used to wear it a LOT, and I remember playing with, sitting on her knee.  Visiting her house, I remember a particular smell.  It was just *her* smell - not a bad smell.  We used to have tea there sometimes - it was always tinned ham, potato croquettes and tinned peas.  But, we LOVED it, because it was something we never ate at home!  She had a stuffed teddy - one of the old-fashioned type, that was really hard.  We always played dominoes at her house.  She kept them in one of those traditional wooden boxes.  

My Grandparents on my Dad's side were from Northern Ireland.  Visiting them was always a big adventure, because it involved a boat trip.  I can't remember a lot about their older house, except that they lived on a busy road, and I remember how noisy it was at night time. They then moved to a more rural location.  They always had little nick-nacks that we had given them over the years, on their fireplace. They always bought "soda" from the "soda van".  Fizzy drinks in bottles, in all sorts of flavours that you couldn't get in the shops - limeade and dandelion and burdock being two I particularly remember. It was such a novelty to see the men come round in their van.  My Grandpa always enjoyed his gardening and his houseplants - so, the houseplants are something I remember about him.  He passed away just a few weeks ago.  I want to write about him, but am still trying to hunt down a picture of him.  I have a lot of happy memories of my Grandpa. He is missed, but what a joy to know he is with the Lord.

There we have it, Patrice.  A wee yarn on the farmhouse porch, to cheer my dreech day. 

Hope to chat again soon - and, oh so relieved that you and your chats are not going anywhere.