A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Eat, Pray, Love, The Long Silence of Mario Salviati by Etienne van Heerden, Elizabeth Costello by J M Coetzee and Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Damarenga (I am absolutely patriotic to South African writers)

Have to say – ABBA!! Which is not the correct intellectual choice but no matter where you are or what you’re doing, their music always gets your foot tapping.  Also love Dame Shirley Bassey, Barbara Streisand and Edith Piaf (since seeing the movie La vie en Rose) More contemporary stuff – Groupie of Bruce Springsteen and adore Robbie Williams.

I’m definitely a latent hippie and would have loved to have lived in the 60’s – “Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try and love one another right now!!” I suppose I was born in the 60’s so there are remnants there.        I would also have loved to have lived with the American Indians.  Their sense of unattachment to materialism and their absolute honour for the planet they live on, is something I can relate to.

My Dad used to make me laugh.  He had a right cockney sense of humour.  I think that’s why I love listening to Loraine and all her shenanigans. I’m also rather amused by undignifying mishaps like when the skin on Nigel’s coffee slapped him across the face as he took his first sip while he was in very important mid sentence. Try as he might he just couldn’t get rid of it in a dignified manner.

My Nana convinced a man in the church who had a band that I was a very good singer.  She clearly assumed this because I have a good ear for music and can play the piano.  So, he forced me into doing an audition with his band and they made me sing “What a feeling” from the movie, Flashdance.  The first part is completely do-able and an easy tune to hold, however, when I hit the high part in the chorus the whole band came to a grinding halt – drums stopped drumming and guitars stopped strumming and I was left red faced as some of the wives burst into hysterical laughter.  I was 18 and wanted to die!

If you’re nothing without it (whatever ‘it’ may be) you’ll be nothing with it.  The joy of life is about just ‘being’.

“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued is just beyond your grasp … but if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”Nathaniel Hawthorne

 I was born in London and left on a boat for South Africa when I was one week old.  My parents settled in Rhodesia where my Mum was born and raised and I spent my childhood on her family farm.  I attended Townsend Girls High in Bulawayo and then, for my sins, my mother sent us across the border to Hoerskool Eric Louw in Messina where I completed matric. After school I studied a degree in Drama and Broadcasting at Northwest Missouri State University in the USA, which I didn’t complete and came home because I was homesick and had received an “I’m so sorry I left you and please let’s get back together” letter from my high school boyfriend, Neil.  On my return we walked down the aisle all starry and blurry eyed and Gary was born shortly thereafter – not a full 9 months either. I married Mike 2 years after my divorce from Neil and David and Adrian were born in Cape Town in 1994 and 1997. I started a career in the Financial Services Industry in 1991 and ended that career in 2005 when my daughter, Georgina, was born.  By now I was married to Gus, still am and intend to be for a good many years at least! Victoria was born in 2007.  So, Gus and I have 7 beautiful children between us.  After my divorce from Mike I registered to complete my degree in English which I did last year.  I didn’t attend the ceremony because I was busy hosting my eldest son, Gary’s 21st birthday party, but I got my degree in the post and popped over to Michelle’s house for the obligatory glass of champagne or two or three…. I’m so enjoying our boot camp training – sort of – well, most of the time.  I love the empowering feeling of building a strong body.  Kilimanjaro was a magnificent experience but I think the 5 peaks in 5 days are going to take the cake! In terms of my personality, I once had to write an essay on “who I am”.  I gave a title: “I am a dog and a butterfly” using the analogy of these two diverse creatures to try and summarize ‘Me”.  I quote verbatim the last paragraph of that essay: “I am a dog when it comes to my diverse bunch of children, my precious family and my wonderful friends.  I guard them, guide them, nurture them and treasure them as best I possibly can.  Although, every now and then I shed the fur coat, put on a pair of wings and do something that sets me free; climb a mountain, see a show, write a story.  And all this is done with the blessing and encouragement of the third and, God willing, last and most beautiful partner in my life, Gus.

That’s all about me for now.