When I was seven my mother took me to see Snow White. I was so scared of the wicked queen that I didn't go to the cinema for many many years!
I think that the film 'Out of Africa' is one of my most memorable films. I like film for the actors or actresses who are in them. 'The Queen' was a good film because of the accuracy of the portrayal of Her Majesty and the historical account which although so recent was so very true.
'Ghandi' is another favourite film of mine and a very old one, 'Lassie'!
MUSIC
Do you remember Victor Sylvester? He played music for Ballroom dancing. There is nothing like his music today. I love the Beetles and as I've said before the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
I'm not a very High Brow person I'm afraid.
Nor am I very musical. I can't sing. My children told me I was flat and that has put me off ever since. I can appreciate really good singing. I like it when it makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.
BOOKS
Already covered this above
MY FAVORITE COLOR
I suppose it must be BLUE as I am fair and it suits me
MY FAVORITE FOOD
I think I've covered this above - but I do like TV suppers on a tray in front of the Television.
We eat a lot of fish here. There's squid of course, and mussels and little tiny clams Prawns and the usual Bass, Hake, Bream etc. All fresh. Restaurants here in Spain serve simply everything with chips (potatoe fries). The chefs just cannot cook vegetables. They are always overcooked. Spanish people are not used to having ovens. They fry mostly everything or barbecue it. Nevertheless one learns where to go for good value and we enjoy what we have nearly everywhere.
There are several English Restaurants that have opened in the last few years. They advertise Sunday Roasts and do very well. There are lots of Chinese Restaurants too. We like going to eat Chinese food. There are several Indian Restaurants but they don't agree with me so we don't go to them.
I think that's about all. If you've read this far, I take my hat off to you and thank you very much. Byeeeee
Oh here is a slide show of photographs of our life on the Thames Barge........
PLEASE add your photograph to my guestbook. I love seeing the map behind the photographs so that I can see where everyone lives style="width:450px;height:425px" name="flashticker" align="middle"/
Above is a video of our grand daughter, Ella, aged 11 in the Soldeu Downhill race in Andorra last Christmas. she is the one in the red trousers. she came fourth but only missed being third by two milliseconds; so she did very well.
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ABOUT ME
My husband and I are both retired teachers. He taught technology and I taught general humanities. English, French and Religious Education. Sometimes I was asked to teach history and art as well but I was mainly an R.E. teacher in secondary schools. That is for children between the ages of 12 to 16.
We have four children. the first two were twins; a boy and a girl, they are both happily married with two children each of their own. My next was a little girl who is now 40 years old. I can't believe it! She has a little girl of eleven who is a brilliant skiier.
My youngest son is 39 and has three children under five. All four are doing very well in their chosen careers, making more money than we ever did at their age and lack for almost nothing. We often wonder what we did right to be so blessed.
My husband and I decided to live in Spain permanently about 17 years ago. We came out first for the winters in a flat we bought to let for the summer and live in in the winter. We decided that this was a better life, a better standard of living, more social life with people of our own kind and interests and although the cost of living is going up here it is still more suitable to our teachers pensions than life in the UK,
Life in the UK I feel, apart from the weather, is represive. I think it's because of the protestanism in their history. The Government keeps telling you what to eat and how to live, CCTV cameras are everywhere. They are all over the cities and all along the roads watching for speeding. Thats all well and good but petrol prices are high because of the tax the Government puts on. There's parking meter wardens everywhere. They are charging to drive through the centre of London and they plan it for more cities. Spain is more relaxed. Again, it's a Catholic country. Children are idolised. Men treat ladies with respect. They look after their old poeple within the families and don't put them in Old Peoples' Homes as in the UK.
Oh I could go on and on.
Anyway, the UK is not like it was. It's a shame but that's as it is.
WHAT I LIKE
I like dogs
I like cats too but I am not a cat person. I have owned several cats and loved them very much. They are great company at night when you wake up because they are so pleased to see you. My cats often used to come for walks with me and my dogs. One cat even used to use the loo standing astride. I never taught her how to do this and was amazed when I discovered her doing this one night I like the theatre but now I have to make do with television.
I like music that makes me want to dance; and ballet music. Not too fond of opera but I love Andrew Lloyd Webber. Especially Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat.
I paint in oils sometimes and find it very relaxing.
I like food; but not curry or highly spicy food.
I like swimming in the summer.
Computing has been my overriding passion for the last few years. I look forward to Fridays when my Information Avenue arrives.
I like reading. I like to read the books of one author and collect them in sets. Penny Vicenzi, Martina Cole,Lesley Pearce and my favourite of all time, Noel Barber.
Oh there's lots of things that I like - too many to remember all in one place and at one time.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE
I really don't like the way the world is going at the moment. I don't like the violence, the knifings and shootings that go on in our big cities all because of drugs. When I was young we had the second world war and many sons and husbands were killed. We lost our home when I was six. It was burnt down by an incendiary bomb but we didn't have this incidious drug related war that goes on in our streets today.
I don't like the lack of respect that is prevalent in young people. There is a lack of discipline. A lack of caring for others. It all seems to have gone so far I don't see how it can be restored. There is a sense of greed everywhere. Money seems to be the God. I am not deeply religious but I do feel it is growing to be be more like Sodom and Gomorrah or am I listening to too much news on TV???
HOBBIES
My Family of four children and eight grandchildren. Here is a slideshow of youngest son and his wife staying for a long weekend to celebrate his fourtieth birthday at the Ice Hotel in Sweden!! A bit cold for me!
Computing, Playing Petanca (Boule in France) My husband and I run a club of about 90 people and we play on the beach three mornings a week. We have won lots of tournaments and have cups and trophies in a special cupboard. I suppose eating out is a hobby. Here on the Costa del Sol everyone eats out regularly.
Entertaining and shopping are hobbies.
I've mentioned my painting and reading and computing so I suppose that's all for now. But they change don't they. As we mature we change our likes and enthusiasms.
I have always said that ex-pats have to be creative. They have to have something within themselves to be enthusiastic about otherwise - and I've seen it happen - they turn to the gin bottle and die young! Oh yes, one other thing I grow geraniums in pots and have a few roses growing under the wall. Otherwise it's Plumbago and Damen del Noce, lemons, chirrimoyas and pommegranits.
I haven't been around in a-g-e-s....thought I'd finally drop by and say howdy. My computer is down and I'm using my son in law's - LOLz - while mine is at the "doctor's office". Time is limited while he's at work and I don't have things to get done. Miss you all so much! *hugs*
How have you been? I'm just out "hiking" around on The Hill a little since the SoCal weather is not to my liking right now for hiking the many trails around where I live. I have gotten out quite a few times so far this season. Because of our more than normal rainfall, all of our mountains and canyons are green and the streams are flowing. I have visited some of our "wet weather" waterfalls that are in the area. I'm hoping that all of the "wet" will bring us some fantastic wildflowers so I can get some good photographs this year.
Stop by and visit me whenever you have the time. It's always nice to hear from you.
This is Maggie, my granddaughter at her first birthday party. Looks like she's saying, "How much did this cost?" Or maybe, "Can I eat this?" There's a slideshow on my page if you have time to come see it...
