All About Me

Most of us are a little bit nosey, or should I say we are interested in people?

So I thought I would share a little bit about me.

And if you are new (or just plain old nosey interested) you don't need to waste spend two days of your life reading through old posts to find out a little more.

Where do I start? 

I was born in Clifton, Nottingham in June of 1969. 

Me at a few weeks old with my Nana (Dad's Mum).  My Mum is in the green cardi.

By the time I was 10 I had lived in 3 more houses, the last one being a corner shop.  This is where my parents still live, although it hasn't been a shop since 1992.

I have one brother (Nicholas) who is older than me by 18 months and a sister (Theresa) who is younger by 4 years. 

We used to go on holiday to Worthing before moving into the shop.  I have 3 memories of there.

 #1 was spending hours having fun at Peter Pan's playground,

#2 was going to the beach one evening and spotting a swan out on the sea and

#3 was stopping for a last 5 minutes on the beach before we went home and it seemed the entire sea was covered in bright red, green and yellow seaweed. 

Knowing me it was half a dozen pieces but it has taken me years to get over that particular phobia.


Which reminds me of another story of when I was very young.  Apparently there was a HUGE (four feet across from the descriptions) spider climbing up my high chair whilst I was in it.  My Mum kept it in a jam jar to show my Dad how big it was.  I have a feeling that this might be the root cause of my arachnophobia......


I went to Annesley County Primary school until I was 9 and then Brookfield Junior School.  At 11 I moved to Shirebrook Community School and did both my O-Levels and A-Levels there.  I was there during the Miners Strike - it caused some problems.  Luckily for me my Dad wasn't a miner, so I managed to avid of the worst of it. 

I did ballroom, latin and disco dancing as a pre-teen.  I did my 'one-dance', bronze, silver and gold level exams in all three.  I can still do a very basic waltz, cha-cha and the 'Advanced Brooklyn Bus Stop' (staying aliiiii - a-iiii - aiii  -ve).

I was a huge Duran Duran fan, and like most of the teenage population in the 80's I listened to the top 40 (but didn't tape my favourite songs and hone the record/pause double press skill, because taping of the radio isn't allowed)

At 18 I went to Nottingham University and studied Genetics.  I suffered from terrible homesickness for most of the first term, but like most problems it passed and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. 

This was the view from the room I stayed in for the first two years of Uni.  TBH I don't really remember it looking like this!

I met my husband whilst I was at Uni.  I had gone to Rock City (a music venue/night club) for the student night and met him there.

He wasn't a student though.  He was in the Navy (a marine engineering mechanic (mechanic)) and on leave for his Grandfathers funeral.

Three years (and a bit) after meeting we got engaged - I seem to remember us being at the Park and Ride in Nottingham.  I asked if he thought we were ever going to get married and he said 'I suppose we could' - or something similar.

It was so darned romantic I must have been overcome with emotion and can't really remember it.

The wedding was 2 years later in April 1995, followed by a honeymoon in Rome and Florence (there are several stories to share from that and ALL of them are certificate U!)
I've skipped forward and we need to go back to 1990 - the year I graduated from Nottingham.

I thought I wanted to go into 'Personnel' (HR now) but being shy struggled at interviews.  So I decided to go to Keele and do a PGCE in Science.

I taught (for 10 years altogether) in Grantham, Waterlooville, Eastwood and Mansfield before having twin boys and becoming a stay at home mum in March 2000.  The birth was quite traumatic and I don't remember much of the first 2 or 3 days, but I do have LOTS of memories of the pair since then :)

My daughter was born 2 years and 9 months later, a week before Christmas 2002.  Her birth also produced one or two complications, but nothing to serious this time.

After 7 years as a SAHM I got the offer of a maternity cover at the last school I had worked at.  Coincidently I had made a friend, in the intervening years, who worked at the school.

I did the year of Science and then, in another long story, stayed on to teach Maths.  I did that happily for 5 years until the school became part of a large academy chain.  I moved on and now work in another school becoming part of a large academy chain *sigh*. 

Now as a treat for all those who have bothered to stick with me this far some questions people suggested I answer, with said answers.

#1 What music artists do you listen to?

I only listen to music in the car - Capital FM is my favourite and I'm a closet Little Mix fan. I also like The Chainsmokers, AnneMarie, Sia and Jonas Blue.

However I do love Christmas songs, from carols to silly to schmaltzy.

I haven't been to a proper pop concert since I was at Uni.  Although I did go to see War of the Worlds a few years back.

#2 List of places to go and see/visit.

On our honeymoon my husband and I said we would go back to Rome and Florence on our 10th Anniversary - I think it may now be on our 25th.  We were so naïve pre-children!

I also want to visit the wilds of Scotland - go really far North, do some of the islands, see the lochs and visit those beautiful coasts I've seen on TV programmes.  I wouldn't mind a holiday in Cornwall.... but the long drive puts me off.

I'd love to go to Australia and Canada and part of me would like to go to see the less touristy parts of India, but I'm not sure I could cope with the poverty.

Finally I would love to go on the London Eye.

 

#3 Proudest Achievement

As a pessimist I am always disappointed in things so this is a tough one.  My kids and husband make me incredibly proud with the things that they achieve.  When I do something well the pleased feeling only lasts a short time and I soon find something to be critical about.

#4. Favourite Quote

I have a terrible memory and so often can remember some of a quote/joke/story and forget the crucial part!
However I do love the poem 'Leisure' by William Henry Davies.

I also like 'This too shall pass' which has got me through tough times in the past (along with generous amounts of chocolate).

I will add to and change this every few months (hopefully).  And answer any polite questions that come my way.

Louise x