Q & A

Blog about trip to Roma complete with many, many photos to come soon, but in the meantime Piglet In France has posed some questions and I have responded.

Beware that it's about 1.20am here and there were about 20 other, far more productive things I could and should have been doing - tant pis!
Could-a, Should-a, Would-a.


1. Why did you start a blog?
My reasons for starting a blog were twofold: firstly, I was sending large, rambling and potentially bothersome emails to friends and family back home and I felt a bit guilty going on and on about what I was up to, especially as I tend to be a tad verbose, when I knew they would probably be busy with work/life etc and I thought the blog was a way for them to check-in on us over in France at their convenience. Also, quite a few people I know don’t have facebook. Gasp. It’s true. Like my grandmother, for example, or my parentals – thank god. But they like to see photos and hear our news so – blog makes this easier. Although the fact that my mother-in-law prints it out, gives it to M’s grandma who shows it to her Nursing home buddies is a wee bit disconcerting. But sweet. Also an old school friend had a blog that was so funny and snark-tastic and lovely (Heather – I’m talking about you!) so I thought I’d try and emulate her coolness.


2. Comfy shoes or killer heels?
In theory – killer heels, the higher the better, I love them.
In reality – comfy shoes. Ballet flats or boots in winter and Havianas all summer long. My husband would quite happily walk to and from every event we attend, so I’ve learnt the hard way not to wear kick-arse heels out for a night on the town if I want to be able to use my feet at all the next day. Which is a pity as I am not that tall – or as said husband explains “it’s like you have stumps and where your knees are meant to be, feet grew.” Ouch. This is also the man who calls my piddly little toes “Cancerous growths”. Charming.


3. The funniest moment in the last week?
Would probably be from today.
Catching a taxi to the Rome airport the driver somehow got it in his head that I speak fluent Italian and decides to give me the guided tour as he dives in and out of the insane traffic like a madman, changing lanes with nary an indication or a blind spot check. I understood very little apart from the names of a few Emperors and his funny way of giving dates “167 years before Christmas”.
Hehe.

After awhile my “si si” “oh, ok, si si” wasn’t passing muster so he informs us that as “special treat for you” we could listen to some music. He presses play and the opening strains of Nessun Dorma blast through the speakers. He gives me a look like "fully-sick speakers, no?"
“ahh, Puccini?” I ask – he pats me on the arm in a proud, impressed manner. And turns the volume up.
“Pavarotti?” I ask. He nearly crashes the car as he stares at me in shocked delight (maybe he thought I was mentally impaired after I said "si si" to everything he said. It's very possible he wasn't only asking yes/no questions!)
“Si Si!! Bueno Nm,ah rhgubnm,bh b3hjkg mescolando bene!!" = a whole lot of Italian I didn’t understand accompanied by even more enthusiastic arm patting, car swerving and crossing lanes nearly collecting a guy on a motorcycle, and turning the volume up once again.
So we’re flying along the freeway to the airport, possibly minutes away from death due to this completely crazy taxi driver, Nessun Dorma blaring and the driver gives me a wink and says “say bye bye Roma”.
Obviously we made it, in one piece to the airport.
A fitting and amusing end to a great holiday.


4. What would have been your dream job?
I feel like a missed my calling to be an Olympic Platform Diver, (so could have) and I would have loved to be a make-up artist for a Theatre company but I honestly do love my job. I don’t know if I’d say teaching is necessarily my dream job – because my “dream job” would probably involve a lot less work, a lot more money and not having to deal with the occasional psychotic teenager or parent.
So if I could do anything??
A highly paid travel/food writer. That would be awesomesauce.


5. If you won the lottery tonight, what would be the first thing you’d do?
Buy dream houses all over the world and go traveling with money as no option. First class baby. Oohh yeah.
Oh, and, like, give some to charity/save some/give to family and all that stuff you're meant to say.


6. Most useless gadget you own?
Here: A stupid knife/peeler combo thing that I got totally sucked in to buying in San Remo. It doesn’t even work!!
At home in storage: probably the juicer that M gave me for my birthday one year. It’s not that it’s useless, I just hardly ever used it. Oh! I thought of another one –the deli-meat-slicer thingo we were given. Opening my own corner deli wasn’t high on my list of things to do, and it’s not that often that the two of us have a whole leg of ham just waiting to be sliced. Ham usually comes pre-sliced these days. Handy.
Having said that, M used to buy all sorts of salamis and smallgoods, just so he could use the slicer. But he's weird.


7. You’re waiting for someone and they’re late. How late is too late?
I am always late when meeting people. Always. So it would be me the person was waiting for, not the other way around.



8. Are you a do it now person, or a It can wait until tomorrow person?
As the great Scarlett O’Hara once said “I’ll think about it tomorrow.”

In fact, I saw a guy wearing a T-shirt the other day that I think sums me up:

Reasons why I procrastinate:

1.

9. If you were a drink, what would you be?
A strawberry milkshake: sweet, fatty, a little bit childish but always fun.


10. What was the first thing you thought when you read these questions?
Ooohh, I could do this instead of finishing the emailing/sorting/paying bills/dish washing/list of things I should be doing. See #8.



Thanks Piglet for the fun questions!

Stay tuned for Rome recap.
xx