Friday 6 June 2008

Tagging

I have been tagged, hurray! by Driftwood..



What were you doing 10 years ago?

Well I had just turned 20 and was working as a nanny for a family with three children, a girl and two boys, aged 7,4 and a few weeks old. I also looked after two more children as well on Thursdays and Fridays. My working day was from 8am until 6pm, how the heck did I manage that? In the school holidays I had 5 of the terrors! The 7 year old hated me on sight, so I remember trying to bribe her with her favourite meal (tuna lasagne, yuck). I was not the greatest of cooks and used to ring my lovely Mum at work and ask her how to cook certain things, and how long to cook them for, like jacket potatoes. It went like this,


Ring Ring

"Hello Anna!" (It got to the stage where she knew it would be so didn't bother waiting to check)

'Errm, how long do you cook a jacket potato for?"

"Well how big is it?"

'Errm, not that big...' (very helpful)

I was living at home still, just about, I think, but about to move into my first rented flat with my friend and a smelly boy who took the third room to help us pay the rent. We always knew if he was home by whether the smell of his socks was in the air or not..

We spent all of our spare time and money in the pub around the corner, and staggering out of the nightclub two doors down. Our flat resembled a greenhouse, great big windows from floor to ceiling, and was above a parade of shops. I remember lying in the bath with cold water dripping on me from the skylight above. It was roasting hot in there in the summer and freezing in the winter. My female friend and I used to huddle up in bed together on Sunday mornings with a pot of tea and watch telly, snuggled under the covers (usually with a hangover) to keep warm.


5 Things on my to do list today

Well today is nearly over! But...


* Find the recipe in the huge pile of torn out recipes in the kitchen for marinading the seabass I have just bought for dinner.
* Pack a weekend bag for our trip to London tomorrow to see the Flugtag in Hyde Park. (blog to follow)
* Wander around the garden with a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc and see how my seedlings are doing
* Change out of office clothes into something a tad scruffier and more comfortable
* Get the wet washing out of the machine from this morning


Snacks I enjoy

* Marmite on toast..mmmm
* Chocolate raisins
* Chunky kitkats ( but only from the fridge)
* Sunflower seeds (shelled)
* Raw broad beans from the allotment (so sweet and lovely, but only when they're tiny)


Things I would do if I were a billionaire

* Shout some expletives
* Open my cafe/ bookshop/ florists
* Buy a little cottage on the beach in St Ives, Cornwall
* And a helicopter to take me and my family there (to save that long drive, although I guess I could get my chauffeur to do it)
* Help my family and friends out with whatever they needed
* Give to charity


Places I have lived

* Ickenham, Middlesex
* Wokingham
* Tewkesbury
* Perth, Scotland
* Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
* Evesham, Worcestershire

People I want to know more about
* Nancy at Philosophyoflists
* Domonique at Shabby Chic
* Alison at Vintage Amethyst
* Catherine at Mollycupcakes
* Gill at Moss Stitch

and I shall leave you with fowl pictures from the weekend gone...







We went to visit the Domestic Wildfowl Trust which is about ten minutes away. I have never been there before and it was AMAZING. There were less than half a dozen of us wandering around the most enormous place filled with as many different breeds of chickens, ducks, geese peacocks...you name it. They also had baby bunnies..


They were the cutest things I have ever seen. Ever. I had to go back and have another peek at them before we went home.


17 comments:

No one is you ...& that's your power said...

Hi Anna
happy late birthday wishes to you too. I have been neglecting my blog so catching up!. I loved reading all your information in your tag. Looking after all those children, I know what it is like i used to work in a nursery! and somedays were hard!
those bunnies so sweet. Hope you are ok, and taking it easy.
x Dom

The List Writer said...

Have done what I was asked! I hope you enjoy reading it ;o)

Thanks for the lovely chicken photos. I've been a good customer of the Domestic Wild Fowl Trust over the years - but always by phone - have never been there.

Have a good weekend.

N. xxx

Ragged Roses said...

Hello!
Now why did I think marmite on toast might be appearing on this post!!!! Lovely answers Anna, great to find out more about you. Hope you enjoyed your broad beans the other night, a friend told me she gets really bad headaches from eating raw broad beans, but that's never stopped me! Hope you're having a great weekend
Kimx

pinkgreen said...

I love those baby bunnies - I had some born to my 2 (supposedly female) rabbits when I was a child and they looked just like that! The nanny job sounds like very hard work, and it also sounds like your cooking skills have come on in leaps and bounds since then!!
Cathy X

driftwood said...

love the story about ringing your mum!
marmite on toast - yumm, I could nmanage a piece right now!

mollycupcakes said...

Oh hun it's so sweet of you to tag me but I was also tagged a week or so ago hop on my post and have a lookies.
Thanks for thinking of me sweetie x
I'm loving the photos of chickens, ducks and baby bunnies, did you hear the screams of delight where you are? lol
We must go there next time we're up your way the girls would love it. I'm always on the look out for somewhere new to go.
I'm so glad you liked your little gifts, you are so very welcome here anytime your down in this neck of the woods. Just close yor eyes as you drive up our road it's not the prettiest hehe!
Many hugs.
Catherine x

Heidi said...

I so love this "tagging"!... it allows us all to learn about each other! Wonderful post as usual!...have a great weekend!....Heidi :)

dragonfly said...

I really can't think of a worse job than being a nanny...hang on, I want to be a teacher...is it the same? I hope not!
How cute are the baby rabbits? However did you manage not to bring one home?

JuliaB said...

Cool pics! very brave career 10 years ago!! I went to school near Perth!!

Summer by the sea said...

Hi Anna
Just catching up with blogs and am really sorry to hear that you were made redundant, Im not sure what your plans are but I hope you move onto something even better - Natalie x
P.S - I have returned from a week away to find my once spindly and rather sad looking sweet peas now look healthy and strong (must have been lots of rain while I was away?) - there may be hope yet - Thanks for the advice you gave me x

Curlew Country said...

Brill, what a great read Anna thanks! Your life sounds so much like mine was back in the day - I lived with a smelly boy too and yes, almost killed myself enthusiastically cycling to the Centre Parcs shop - never again! Your comment made me laugh so much, I can just about sit down again. Owwww!
Stephx

Tracy said...

Very fun to read your list, Anna! Have a great day in London...And lovely to see all the roosters and hens. Happy weekend, my friend ((HUGS))

Carol said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carol said...

I loved reading your tag! I can't wait to try my broadbeans - if they survive!
The bunnies so very very cute...didn't you just want to take them home with you!
Carol x

Wendster said...

I just loved those baby bunnies and the chickens.

dottycookie said...

I fear I would have been unable to leave the bunnies there!

Anonymous said...

Hi anna
lovely to read your tag, I like picking up the little details, such as the Sauvignon blanc (my fave also at the mo), and the marmite on toast (also top of my snack list).
Your blog is lovely alround, i'm gald to visit, and thanks for popping over to "see" me too. xxx
ps YES, do read Two Caravans, its fabulous
x