First of all, I would like to thank Violet AKA CrazyCatMama for nominating me as I am a complete novice blogger and it is nice to know people are reading and enjoying my posts (I hope!) I can thoroughly recommend https://crazycatmamablog.wordpress.com/ for interesting and informative posts about cat behaviour and nutrition or just plain ol’ cat chat.

These are my answers to the questions she asked me… I kind of waffled in places…
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What are you passionate about?
That’s tricky… I feel very strongly about animal cruelty – it’s on the increase and the attitude that just because they’re animals they’re expendable infuriates me. ALL life is important and animals can show us a lot about how to live our lives. I hate bullies, who are obviously so inadequate in their own lives they feel they can impose that on other people, through intimidation and insults. I hate negativity, it’s soul-destroying and pointless… On the other hand, I am passionate about my cats, animals only have little lives and it’s our duty to make them as happy as we can while they’re with us. I’m passionate about my kids, and although they’re 21 and 16, I still like texts from them so I know they’re safe… (“Mum, I’m in exactly the same place as I was an hour ago, a History lesson…”)
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What is your favourite animal? (Wild or domesticated)
Cats have to be my favourite domesticated animals, I’ve had them ever since I was a little girl. In fact, my first memory was walking round the garden with my first cat, typical kid-style, holding him under his armpits, so his back feet were touching the ground and walking with me… My favourite wild animal, another cat, no surprises there, would have to be the snow leopard, beautiful and endangered.
- What is your favourite food/meal?
I’m not really a big foodie. I adore watching cookery programmes and following food blogs, and I’m a reasonable cook, I just have certain issues with food… Quite like chocolate digestives though – do they count?
- If you had all the money in the world, what would you do with it?
I would establish animal centres all over that would provide all the necessary veterinary care, so no more animals would suffer. Then I would sort the refugee crisis, establish world peace, remove corrupt politicians from office, eradicate poverty, provide better social care for adults and the elderly, sort the NHS – is there a time limit on this?…
- What’s your favourite pastime?
All sorts really. I enjoy reading, going to the cinema and theatre and I’ve only recently re-discovered how much I enjoy writing. Otherwise, just hanging out with the cats and exchanging witty banter…
- What is your favourite genre of books?
Crime, thrillers, mystery that sort of thing. I have particularly enjoyed Elly Griffiths’ series featuring Ruth Galloway, a forensic archaeologist, although I do enjoy some classic authors like D.H. Lawrence and the Brontë sisters.
- If you could go on holiday anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
Israel. I went there when I was thirteen on holiday with my mother and it just had the most amazing vibe. We did the usual tours of both Christian and Jewish sites and the sense of history, a shared human history is just amazing.
- What is your happiest memory?
That’s actually a really hard one… I’ve had depression since I was very young, various other stuff happened too complicated to go in to, so I’m going to go for a recent memory that was happy. Last year, my younger son and I went to see ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ at the theatre. He wants to be an actor, I love the theatre so we were both really excited. We had good seats, and as the lights dimmed and the iconic first few notes started, we just looked at each other… that was enough.
- What is your religion/belief system?
I don’t have a named belief system as such, I’ve been drawn to things that speak to me from all sorts of beliefs. Ultimately, we are all trying to find our way back to source, or truth, or universal light, how you get there or what you call it doesn’t matter. I love the words of the Serenity Prayer, and I try to live my life by the Dalai Lama’s words: ‘This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.’
- What does love mean to you?
Another difficult one… it depends on how you interpret the word. One can ‘love’ chocolate biscuits… I suppose the most important meaning of ‘love’ for me is the love I have for my sons, you’ll do anything for your children and once I became a mother, I felt that was now the most important job description. And of course I love my cats! The unquestioning faith they have in me and the bond between us is ‘love’. A blessing and reward.
So, my nominees are:
1) https://lizianblog.com because she’s featured in some of my posts and I love her gentle wisdom and humour and unfailing good nature.
2) https://blogiantimothy.com for your unique world view and for giving me the courage and inspiration to write again. Also, thank you for your kindness and support to my son.
3) https://mirandavoice.com her posts have beautiful photos and lyrical descriptions – I feel as if I am there too.
4) https://endsandbeginningsblog.wordpress.com I love all his posts, he writes on a range of subjects, all of which I find interesting.
5) https://lilyandardbeg.wordpress.com she writes with compassion and empathy, some of her posts have moved me to tears.
6) https://reflectionsonlifeandfood.wordpress.com Another blogger who writes lovely posts about a range of subjects, again I found some of her posts really emotional.
11 Random Facts about me
1) I went to boarding school.
2) I have a secret passion for the music of Justin Bieber
3) It took me 20 years to pluck up the courage to tell my mother I don’t like brussel sprouts.
4) I can’t drive.
5) I wanted to be an archaeologist (I’m not, by the way.)
6) My favourite joke of the moment it:
Q. What do you call an exploding monkey?
A. A BaBOOM!
7) I love watermelon – the first time I tried it was by the Trevi Fountain in Rome when I was 12.
8) I love ‘The Deadliest Catch’, ‘Family Guy’ and ‘Dance Moms.’
9) I’ve been bitten by a sheep.
10) I don’t like fizzy drinks.
11) I broke my wrist when I was ten, falling in a school corridor.
Here are my questions for other people… some are deep and meaningful, some I’m just curious about!
1) Do you believe in reincarnation? If so, why?
2) If you could only eat one food item for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
3) What makes you cry and why? (Can be tears of joy or sadness)
4) What music would you have at your funeral?
5) If a film of your life was made, who would play you?
6) Jungle or desert and why?
7) What is your favourite item of jewellery and why?
8) What was most defining moment in your life?
9) What is your favourite joke/one liner?
10) What is your favourite colour?
Don’t forget your 11 random facts please… looking forward to them! Thank you to everyone who’s been reading, I really appreciate it!