Delayed Reaction

Mea culpa. I’m probably the most unsuccessful of continuity girls. A very poor blogger indeed. It had skipped my mind entirely (as all but the most immediate of crises tend to do nowadays). So that the barbed comment from one who may otherwise have been expected to have been more understanding, suggesting some perceived slight was perpetrated, has jolted me into what I hope is a fulsome response and, therein, a wholehearted apology.

I refer, of course, to having been tagged by the redoubtable Speccy. (Although I’m sure you will believe me when I explain that I have not entirely got to grips with Blogging Convention and had not understood the full import of Tagging and Responding).

So. without further ado, I return to the burning questions of March 23.

Cat? Dog?

Ugghhhh to both. OK across the road, on a leash held by someone else. But in my home?? Double ugggghhhh!!!

Summer? Winter?

Surely only someone who lives in a climate of perpetual desert would ask that? Standing yesterday, collecting for charity, then watching an abseil today, proved a point. There really is no question to answer here. I managed, against the odds, to save my fingers from snapping off. Now my feet have chillblains and it will take me until July to warm up. So. Do I prefer the heat??? On the other hand, as Speccy noted – I actually do have winter clothes. And the Ugg boots are soooo difficult to leave behind!

The cooking utensil I like the most?

Well. In our cutlery drawer are three? Four? Five? sets of very dinky wee measuring spoons. Not used very often during cooking, but as I say – they please me. Just a little idiosyncrasy. Which I’d certainly miss from the drawer since without them we’d be able to find the useful spoons sooooo easily!!!

And then Speccy ratcheted up the pressure: ‘what’s your favourite dish’??

OOOOOOOOOOOOoooh!!!!!

Mussels in any sort of wine sauce. Monkfish. Scallops. Oysters with lime. Lobster. Ohhhhhhhh – this is too exciting….. and I’m remembering that this is approaching Easter – thoughts are supposed to be on higher things!!! (OMG – higher than lobster??????? WHAT would that be????)

But don’t worry, Speecy, you’ve put me under no pressure asking about my favourite dessert.

Todays’ lunch gave me my absolutely definitive  answer for that: hazelnut creme brulee! Ravish by ramekin!! Guaranteed to leave you gasping!!!

Skill I would like to learn in the coming year?

I was going to wax poetic/philosophic/reflective – and then I realized that what I would really like to learn is – to master this new Android phone I have now got???? (I think I mentioned that to you??) Again – I skitter off into my own fantasy land!

Next. A decision I’ve regretted.

Tooooo many to list. I absolutely regret roasting that fennel last week . It would have been much more successful if lightly fried. I absolutely regret not backpacking the world at eighteen -thirty. Now I am having to do it a fortnight a year! (And I’ll need to live until I’m three hundred and twelve to see everywhere I want to see!)

Career path?

Should have chosen something lucrative. Or exciting. Or offering world travel. Mmmmmm. What may cover all of that?? Travel journalist?? Futures Banker?? Film star?? Plain old millionnaire?? I’m up for any of the above!! Doh! I ‘m sounding soooo shallow! In hindsight I should have been born decades earlier, to pave the way for Mr Gandhi!!!

My taboo subject to be released upon the world??

That our famed Welfare State utterly fails families where children have severe disabilities? That children remain in their family homes despite extreme risk because our legislation is predisposed towards promoting family life. That fifty really is the new forty??

And then Speccy asks what my partner would say is the most irritating thing about me!!!!!

Well!!!! I’ll have you know, Speccy, there is  absolutely nothing irritating about me!!! So. enough on that!!!

And then on to the favourite book.

Aaaarrrggggghhhhhh – I’ve just realised that I’ve done this all wrong. I’ve answered the questions Speccy was asked by the person who tagged her. (Pseu). The questions for me came after this!!

Doh and double Doh!

Anyway I’ve started and so I’ll finish – my favourite book? I loved ‘The Name of the Rose’ by Umberto Eco. And more recently ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’. To prove I could be as  posey as the rest of them I would say ‘Out’ – but too many people know the story of my experience therewith!!!!

Maybe I’ll manage to get it right and follow Speccy’s tag tomorrow night!!