Both Cheryl and BadAunt have tagged me for this meme. At first I wasn't going to do it, but then this morning, all bleary-eyed, for some reason it doesn't seem so onerous!
What I was doing ten years ago:
I was a struggling single parent with two kids. The year before I had been homeless and was starting a new life in my lovely council flat in London. I kept a red book in which I wrote every single penny that came into the house and what went out.
5 years ago:
I had been blissfully married to Mr Doris for one year, was on my way to becoming self-employed, and no longer lived in London.
1 year ago:
Doing lots of renovations on our Victorian house that we had moved to the year before. Privileged enough to be in a position to plan and choose, but still having to do some of the work ourselves.
Yesterday:
Actually got quite a bit of overdue work done for clients who were very happy. Found out loads about the space shuttle and shared that with one of my kids who was impressed with the things we can find out because we want to. Made yummy fajitas for dinner.
5 snacks I enjoy:
Milk chocolate (but have to very careful 'cos of migraines)
Banana (has to be just right)
Custard cream biscuits (I rarely have them as they are best refrigerated)
Tinned mackerel in tomato sauce
Salt & Vinegar crisps (definitely never cheese & onion - yuck)
5 songs I know all the words to:
Happy Birthday
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Some Enchanted Evening
Somewhere over the Rainbow
Yesterday
5 Things I would do with $100 million:
Put about $90 million into a trust fund to be invested and give out all the interest every year to good causes. I'd be one of the Trustees, get other volunteers on board and pay just a few staff to administer it. It would help the homeless and anyone needing to start a new life, artists, parenting courses, re-build the education system, and help those in the Thirld World to overcome their problems.
Give chunks to various family, friends and charity via an anonymous donor
Pay off all debts and move to an even bigger house where we can have staff who are happy and well paid and have open house for all my friends' children from overseas to stay as foreign language students
Frequent holidays going to new places.
Continue working the way we are, choosing what we want to do, but knowing that we are secure.
5 locations I would like to run away to:
Running away is so passe, dear!
5 bad habits I have:
Procrastination
Good intentions (a second way to get procrastination in)
Letting Mr Doris do too much
Worrying too much
Not enough exercise
5 things I like doing:
Anything Internet related and work
Writing (that's a new one for me)
Finding out
Being sociable
Watching people
5 things I would never wear:
Thong
Nasty fabrics
Boob tube
Lots of make-up
Fur
5 TV shows I like:
Doctor Who
Big Brother
You are What you Eat
University Challenge (kids get 50p per correct answer)
CSI
5 Biggest joys of the moment:
Mr Doris (always)
Kids (not always)
Work style
Saga radio (great music)
Going places (always)
5 Favorite toys:
My childhood was too pathetic to enjoy favourite toys.
I tag...
Anyone who is reading this! Think about doing it, it really isn't so hard and was actually fun :-) Let me know if you do it as a result.
Hooray for Pookie65 at Inherently Wrong
and Bossman too at, wait for it..... The Bossman
Original Comments:
Wow!
Isn't it nice to get higher up a hill and then look back at the view.
Made me smiley.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 9:34:00 AM
What a great description, which made me smiley :-)
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 9:43:00 AM
Ah!
Very impressed with somewhere over the rainbow.
Do you know the intro about the world being a hopeless jumble?
It was one of my solos for dancing class LOL, replete with gingham frock and bunches..... I'd get locked up for looking like that, these days.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 9:58:00 AM
Either locked up or photographed and sold to pervy types. A fantasists dream :-) Maybe one of those adult baby types?
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 10:16:00 AM
LOL - Great answers - I should have put Procrastination as one of my bad habits - I miss Dr Who - Saturdays just aren't the same.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 10:41:00 AM
Karen - I'd forgotten you had already done this Meme. You're the "mushy peas and cous cous" fiend!!! :-)
Yes, Saturdays have seemed quite odd these days without our beloved Dr Who.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 10:50:00 AM
University Challenge (kids get 50p per correct answer)
What a fab idea! I might adopt that one.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 11:13:00 AM
The little things in life smell sweetest about usually about 1/2 way up the hill. At the bottom we're too busy struggling to breathe. At the very top we're too consumed with our new success to stop and enjoy the air around us. You've obviously climbed a remarkable hill, Doris, and managed to absorb some good along the entire journey. I totally admire that.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 11:46:00 AM
Pookie65 - Awwww..... you are just too kind and lovely >blush< I think you are right to a certain extent but have to say I'm jumping up and down on my hill, waving madly at you and grinning :-)
Anyway, I thought you were supposed to be going on holiday today?!
Arrazello - it works and they are interested enough. Son scored £2 on the last programme with a couple of lucky guesses plus two answers he knew. I don't manage to answer any more, nor does double degree Mr Doris but it is fun to try.
You have a great blog there Arrazello :-)
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 12:20:00 PM
I love the way your life has become better and better. That's the way it should be!
(But do you know the words to the SECOND verse of Happy Birthday?)
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 12:43:00 PM
There is a second verse? Does it involve a zoo or pooh?
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 12:52:00 PM
Thanks Badaunt - I am grateful for my life. I suppose it is a bit like statistics and if you look at them close up you see all the ups and downs but if you look at the overall trend then it looks really different.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 12:54:00 PM
Aren't there always second verses that nobody knows the words to? I mean, do you know the words to the second verse of your national anthem?
:-)
(OK, I'll admit it, there probably isn't a second verse to Happy Birthday - but if there was, I'm sure it would involve both zoo AND pooh.)
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 1:51:00 PM
Impressive. I can't remember what I was doing 5 minutes ago.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 3:36:00 PM
Badaunt - you are so baaaaaad! And I am so glad I didn't rush off to find the second verse!!! Yes, we all know the words for the second verse of our National Anthem - pretty much like the first Da da da daaaa da-daa, da da da daas da-daa, da da da dum, da-da-da-da .....
Hooray, Pookie has done his Memory meme and he was very sweet about little old me :-) [Grinners of the world unite!]
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 3:39:00 PM
I should've put boob tubes on my list as well. Smaller chested girls end up accidentally flashing people and the larger chested girls look like a sausage in a too tight casing. An offense to taste.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 5:11:00 PM
I love it that you put Mr. Doris before the kids! You are, indeed, a wise woman!
Thursday, July 14, 2005 2:11:00 AM
Doris, You've surely come a long ways!! I think life is all the sweeter when we've had to live without. Thanks for sharing so much about you.
Thursday, July 14, 2005 7:52:00 AM
I did mine:
http://tinyurl.com/bycs8
Thursday, July 14, 2005 2:15:00 PM
Nice one Bossman :-)
Jane - I agree with you, and same goes for your life too, eh? :-)
Bonnie - as the mother of 11 kids I thank you for your reassurance that it is the right order of things. I think we as the parents have to be a tight unit which helps the kids so much more.
Ella M - I appreciated reading your Meme too. Puts one's own life into perspective.
Thursday, July 14, 2005 4:18:00 PM