I have been thinking about blogging for a while. I was reading some elses blog last night and I thought it was fascinating. I wont name her, as I havent told her yet!

I thought I would start with 100 things about me. They are listed in no particular order just as I think of them.

1) I am 47

2) I am 5' 1" weigh too much, but not too bad

3) Brown hair with very sophisticated ( I wish) grey hairs running through it.

4) Brown eyes

5) I am married

6) Have 2 children, both boys 15yrs and 16.5 yrs

7) I have been married 23 yrs, not always happily, things have been very rocky but I am still here.

8) I stroked on our 21st wedding anniversary

9) We were in Barcelona

10) I have right sided deficits which is my dominant side.

11) I have made a good recovery.

12) I have lived in Scotland for 26 yrs

13) I was born in London

14) I lived in a small town just outside London in Middlesex

15) I have an older sister and an older brother

16) My parents still live in Middlesex

17) I have four neices ranging in age from 33 to 4yrs!

18) I have four nephews ages from 13 to 34

19) I have 2 great nieces and 2 great nephews

20) My sons are proud to be scottish

21) My mother is from South Wales

22) When I was 9 I had an operation on my left leg, so I now have two gammy legs

23) I studied Botany at University

24) I went to Edinburgh to read my Masters in Ecology. I met my husband.

25) Before having children I was an ecologist specialising in surveying natural habitats.

26) After children and pre stroke I worked in a University library

27) Post stroke I still work in a university library

28) I enjoy hill walking...slowly and shorter distances

29) I still love being outdoors

30) I love gardening- vegetable and flowers

31) I had a dog for 15.5 yrs. She died 5yrs ago

32) I would love another dog

33) I have a 15 yr old cat who is blind and deaf

34) We have lots of house sparrows nesting in the ivy by our front door

35) I love going bird watchig

36) We went to Skye last year and saw a golden eagle. I was fair chuffed

37) Once I went on holiday with a friend to the north coast of Scotland to count seabirds.It was one of the best holidays I have had.

38) We have been cyling in France and it was lovely. I would love to go again one day

39) I used to cycle 10 miles to work and back when I worked at Edinburgh Zoo

40) I helped in the Primate section, it was good fun but hard work

41) I love reading, but now very slow. I like travel books or murder mysteries.

42) I dont really have a favorite colour

43) I like cooking and baking but am not very good at it

44) I hate thinking of things to make for dinner every night

45) I hate doing housework, but I hate it when the house is messy

46) My mother in law lives near Edinburgh

47) My father inlaw died 3 years ago of a heart attack

48) My eldest son was diagnosed with rheumatic fever 3 yrs ago when we were on holiday in Spain

49) My youngest son doesnt want anyone to go near Spain again

50) I dont really have any indoor hobbies. I would have liked to have tried cross stitch.

51) I would like to learn how to paint, particularly landscapes

52) I once did woodwork evening classes. I made a bathroom cabinet. We still have it

53) I like flower arranging, but am no good at it

54) I am quite a shy person

55) Even pre stroke I would have like to be able to keep a conversation going, with anybody, anywhere, any time

56) Having expressive aphasia doesnt help.

57) My favorite drink used to be Gin and Tonic, now it is white wine and soda

58) I hate whisky

59) I drink about three cups of tea first thing in the morning. I need my cup of tea in the morning

60) I then have during the day 3 cups of coffee and another 3 cups of tea.

61) Maybe I should cut down on my caffine intake

62) I hate steak and kidney pudding and love BBQ food

63) I dont really have a favorite food but I enjoy any thing that is not cooked by me

64) I love chewy merigues

65) I love chocolate, Cadburys dairy milk is the best

60) My favorite music is Rod stewart, The Beatles, Bob Marley, anything Tamla

61) I enjoy musicals like Casablanca, Hello Dolly

62) I love Bugsey Malone as my oldest son was played the lead role when he was 11 in primary school and it brings back happy memories.

63) I dont like wearing dresses because of gammy legs

64) I go for the casual look, but I should really smarten up.

65) For my 50th birthday I would like to go up in a hot air balloon.

66) I dont like heights so the hot air balloon is going to be a big challenge

67) I would like to go on safari in Africa

68) I would like to tour Europe on a three wheel motor bike aka Billy Connelly

69) I would like to go Skiing at Whistler

70) I would like to swim with dolphins off the Vancouver coast

71) I hate theme parks. I cant go on roller coasters or any type of ride that is fast

72) I want to go to Paris to check out all the paintings mentioned in Da Vinci code.

74) One of my best friends now lives in Houston

75) I would like to visit the States one day

76) I hate stawberry jam but love fresh stawberries

77) I try and go swimming once a week but not always. I am up to 6 lengths. I am going to get it up to 20 at least...one day

78) I go to a local stroke exercise class once a week. I have tried out the gym, "dancing" and badminton. Very unconvential and very ungainly.

79) I used to help out at primary school listening to children read

80) I and three other parents once took 20 11year olds skiing at Glenshee, Scotland for a week. The teachers couldnt do it so we stepped in.

81) I help set up a voluntary group trying to improve nature and wild places in towns

82) In my university days I used to go out building drystone walls, footpaths planting trees and other things

83) I would like to be self sufficient

84) I am trying to make my house more energy efficient. I would love to install solar panels

85) I drive but I dont like driving

86) I prefer cycling, but not always practical.

87) I live in a bugalow

89) I would like an upstairs just to get away from it all or maybe a shed in the garden

90) My favorite wild birds are puffins or gannets

91) I love being by water. I love living by the sea. I love being in boats

92) I am a Cancerian

93) Not sure if I believe in God, but I would like to believe in something

94) I am a socialist, I voted Labour in the last election

95) I would never vote Conservative because of the legacy of Maggie Thatcher.

96) I dont agree with the Iraq war, but I think it is good Mad Man Insane has gone. Sorry too politcal now

96) I used to be a very organised person

97) I am going to build a rockery and fill it with Alpines

98) I love the smell of the sea when it is rough and garden at night because of the honey suckle

99) I like to think of the glass being half full -a positive person

100) I would change lots of thing in my life if I could but I cant so I make the best of it.

Wow that was a struggle. I must be so boring as it has taken two days to come up with this list.

I hope you find interesting

Mary