Saturday, February 07, 2009

My interview.....

A little while ago, my blogging friend Isabelle "interviewed" me. This is how it works.....if you would like me to interview you, leave me a comment saying you would like to take part, and I will email you 5 specific questions for you to answer. This is a great way to get to know people, and I am all about getting to know you all better.
So here are her questions for me:

1. What are you most looking forward to about being a granny?

Well.... where do I start? Being a Granny, I am told, is a magical thing. Knowing that your child is the parent of this little scrap, is, in a sense, the passing of the baton. The man who was my baby son, is now welcoming the role of Daddy. Just as I am delighted to be a Granny. The dynamics will probably change, but I am ready for that. I am looking forward to cradling the little one in my arms, just watching her, and possibly taking the time I never had with my own babies to really appreciate each little moment. Each stage she goes through. Each step she takes as she grows up.

Grannies know how quickly time passes, and they know that each moment is precious. I want to soak up every moment, crawl on the floor, and play with her. My camera and I will try to capture the moments too. I am looking forward to discovering the joys of this new label. Granny. It sounds perfect to me. And when she is old enough, I will have plenty of stories to tell her! I can't wait for her to arrive!

2. Your children bear a strong resemblance to you and to each other. Are the four of you alike in personality too?

They do indeed. They are undoubtedly my children and are clearly brothers and sister. Personality wise, no. They are all distinctly individual, but there are bits of me in all of them. They do all have the potentially fiery tempers, like their mother, but flare ups are rare! Andrew and I are by nature most similar, and so we clashed more as he was growing up. Diana is very like me in many ways. She is an extrovert, and the one who is the most relaxed with people, I think. David is the most placid of the 3, most like his Dad in temperament, and possibly the deepest thinker. All 4 of us are intelligent, articulate, very competetive......... that is a nice way of saying we talk a lot, think fast and this makes playing games somewhat rowdy around here. We all have the same sense of humour too, and I have to say that Andrew, Diana and I all like being in charge. David steps back and lets us fight it out! Nature or nurture? Both, I think!

3. Did your late husband Geoff have little sayings that you all remember fondly?

Geoff was away more than he was home, but when he was home, he was home 24 hours a day as the children were growing up. He came from Devon, and had a Devonshire accent, which, I think is something we all miss hearing. He was the steady quiet one. I was mercurial. And talkative. Little sayings........ Hmmmm. Not that I can think of at the moment. I will have to ask the kids.

4. Describe something you have displayed in your house that holds memories for you.

My home is full of things which have memories for me. I think that is what makes it a "home". One particular thing....... I could look at the children's artwork framed in my kitchen, the chess table I gave Geoff for his 40th birthday, my mother's portrait, so many things.

But I am choosing this photo which stands on my display cabinet, and has done so since we arrived here in England nearly 19 years ago. To all of you looking at it, it is a simple family photo. To us, it is a miracle. As a whole family, we have seldom been together. If Marge and Peter were visiting SA, Geoff was away. If he was home, Mum and Dad were travelling, or Marge and Peter were in Switzerland.

So let me tell you about this photo. It was taken at 7.30am in the lounge of my parents' home the morning that Peter flew back home to Switzerland in July 1990. He and Marge had come out for a holiday to celebrate their marriage in Switzerland in February. Geoff's ship happened to be in Cape Town for one night. We were all there in the same place, and a dear friend came round at the crack of dawn to take photos of us all. Together. We were only together once more, you know. That was one Christmas in Switzerland years ago. But we didn't think to take any family photos then.

Geoff left that morning, and Peter left that night. A few days later, Marge left, and a week later, the children and I left. How my parents managed to smile, I do not know. Their entire family left in the space of a few weeks. For ever. Their hearts must have been breaking. Dad was well. We were all well. And now Dad is gone. He died in 2000. And Geoff is gone. He died in 2006. Memories.......

5. Describe yourself as a car, a food and a flower, and explain your choices.
A car: Well, I would like to think of myself as a Jaguar, actually. I was born to be a Jag. Sigh. However, I am no longer sleek. Classy? Yes. Of course. But sleek, no. Oh no. So I think I am more like the Renault Scenic which I drive. It suits me. It is foreign. It has many hidden places to store things. It is adaptable and it is tough. It is also large. I too am foreign, have many hidden compartments, am adaptable, tough and larger than I should be. A perfect fit. It is also getting older, just like me.
A food: Butternut soup. Warm, comforting, foreign. Like me. It is also orange, and my hair once became orange after an unfortunate incident with henna. We will not speak of that. And i have introduced masses to butternut soup. So it is me.
A flower: Hmmm. I would love to say a rose. I love roses, and they are soft, beautifully scented and have many layers - hidden layers, which open slowly as they grow. They come in so many delightful colours too. They also have thorns. I am quite like that. They also keep growing, no matter what the weather does and they bloom then die and then they bloom again. They never give up. In the toughest of times, the green shoots appear. Yes. I think I can be a rose. Don't forget the thorns though. I have thorns too. Roses are not perfect. They are beautiful though. And sweetly scented. Hmmm. I may not be beautiful, but I do love wearing wonderful perfume!
So there you go. My interview. Don't forget to say you want to be interviewed too in the comments!

18 comments:

Susan said...

Really enjoyed this!!!
Susan

Laurie in Ca. said...

I love reading these things about you Linds, just love it. You can interview me anytime, heck 5 questions is better than 25:) I am so excited for you to experience being a granny! You just won't believe how you can fall in love deeper than you ever thought possible, but you will. She will bury herself in your heart and soul.
Have a wonderful weekend my friend.

Love and Hugs, Laurie

Vee said...

This was great fun, plenty poignant as well, but she was none too easy on you! You did a wonderful job answering the questions and she did have interesting ones.

Carole Burant said...

Dear Linds,

I so enjoyed reading your answers to the interview questions. You sure said it right when you said "taking the time with your grandchild that you never had with your own babies". I think when we're the parents, we are kept so busy, we truly don't take the time to just enjoy a baby. As a grandma, you have all the time in the world:-) I am just SO excited that you'll know all those feelings real soon!!

I loved hearing the story behind that family photo, how wonderful that you were all able to be together than one Christmas! xoxo

Dawn said...

Oh, Linds, I just loved this! Especially the poignant story behind the picture. Oh, my goodness.

I love your descriptions of yourself as well. You do have such a gift, as I have said many times before.

Today I wrote to Linda and told her that you, she, and Nadine need to get together and publish a devotional book. Seriously!

Pam said...

Thank you, Linds - very interesting answers! And I love that photo - how you must treasure it.

Surely that baby must arrive soon??? Though possibly it might be better if it thawed a bit first. We have no snow here in the frozen north - a tiny bit this morning but it didn't lie.

You'll tell her all her life about the snow at the time of her birth...

Dawn said...

Me again - I forgot to ask for an interview!

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Wonderful job, Linds.

You'll step right into this Granny thing as if you were born to it - and you were. :o)

Jessica has given me 5 questions to answer so I'll be tackling that in a day or so.

Stay warm and safe, my friend. Be careful not to reinjure that knee on the ice and snow.

Have a blessed Sunday. :o)

Love and hugs,

Diane

Mary said...

A rose? That was a great analogy. Yes, I believe that is a perfect flower for you. As for thorns? - at least they remind you that you are alive and can feel and that there is a certain way of approaching the rose if you want to appreciate all its beauty. What I like about the rose is that it is admired and appreciated by just about everyone.

Interview? Yes please.

Susie said...

Hi Linds,
Loved reading your answers to the interview questions. You'll be a wonderful Grammy and that day will be here soon, won't it?
I'll do the interview :)
xo

Rosaria Williams said...

I enjoy these tell-all while sticking to a letter prompt. We get a picture that's just more rounded. I too love roses, the old-fashioned ones, the ones that perfume the place.

Edith said...

Roses are one of my favorite flowers as well. Cool interview. Please count me in on one as well...Maybe it will help jumpstart my creativity!

Have a great day.

Crystal said...

I just love learning more about you, my friend!! The picture is priceless - we didn't take enough of those years ago, did we?! You did a wonderful job of answering those great questions. I think this would be fun to do so count me in, please!

I keep checking back thinking that one time you are going to post the news about Ann being in the hospital and your granddaughter arriving!!!

Anonymous said...

What a lovely lovely interview. Do you visit Devon?

Harley's World said...

Very interesting read.

Linds I didn't realize that you aren't a Brit. Where are you from?

Donnetta said...

What fun to read these answers. You did a very nice job!

I see you have a number of offers for interviews, but if you're needing even more I would also be willing to be interviewed. Whatever works for you!

Happy Monday to you! Is any of your snow melting yet??....

someone else said...

From the short time I've known you, these answers fit my perceptions of you exactly. That was great to read. I'll do the interview if you're asking the questions. :)

grammy said...

That was quite the post. I reviewed some past posts and saw that you have had a very snowy time this winter.