Seven Things You Never Knew You Wanted To Know About Me, Or maybe Not.

The delightful Christine, who plays with the seasons and much else in a most erudite, gentle and delicious manner at  Lockwood , on the other side of the world to me, has seen fit to award the Versatile Blogger honour to my humble blog, for which many thanks. I know I have this great, unfriendly and stand-offish sign installed in my comments box, which says "Keep out,  I'm busy",  when it comes to awards, but sometimes, much against my will, the kinder, friendlier side of my nature takes over; it has done so on this occasion and the credit is all yours, dear Christine from Oz.

Nothing comes for nothing, there are, of course,  rules attached to this award, but I am a rule breaker by nature - as well as unfriendly and selfish - so I will choose that part of the honour which allows me to indulge the 'me-me-me' side,  and throw the other rule open to the four winds, namely: anybody of the many blogs I follow with such great pleasure may appropriate the award and do likewise, i.e. inform the blog world of seven things about themselves, which they haven't already shared with the rest of us. If you could make it sensational, that would be good. Go on, I dare you.

one

I was expelled from my first grammar school - probably because of my parents' political activities - and accepted by a more academic school, which caused no end of trouble.

two

In any kind of social event (here at Valley's End) I gravitate automatically to groups of men rather than women. I don't choose to do so deliberately, it just happens. Sometimes wives throw a cautious look in my direction. There's absolutely no need for them to do so.

three

I am literally terrified of loud noises and men or women fighting. I will never ever stand and gawp in a crowd, but run as fast as I can from any trouble.

four

I have a photograph of me standing next to the President of India in his state apartments, and while I'm showing off . . . . . .

five

. . . . .  I might as well tell you that I have had a very jolly and animated conversation with the Prince of Wales on the lawns at Buckingham Palace.

six

I haven't sung for years. When I married Beloved, who got paid for listening to and accompanying the most perfect voices on earth, I felt too embarrassed to sing in his hearing. Before then, I sang anywhere and always.

seven

My favourite books are the kind which describe gloomy, dark and bleak lives. Scandinavians, for preference. And not just the thrillers.



Some of these might repay further attention; come to think of it, do I see a blogpost or two coming on? As I said earlier, if any of you whom I follow would like to accept this award for your blogs, please do so. You don't even have to refer back to me.

While I'm at it in a sort of general way, I'd like to address several of my commenters who do not leave a forwarding bloglink and also belong to the no-reply-emailers. Sometimes you leave such sweet comments that I'd like at least to thank you. Unless you make yourselves available digitally, I can't do so. If you read this, know that your comments are appreciated.