My blog anniversary | And 21 facts about me you might not know!

Three years ago I wrote my first blog post with little plan of where I was heading or any real idea of how to blog!!  But here I am three years later, still blogging, still learning and most importantly still enjoying it.

So I thought for my anniversary post I'd share some facts about me you might not know:

Walking in Dartmouth, Devon

1. I'm a 52 year old wife and mum to two grown-up children (my son is 21 and daughter is 18) - they are my priority in life! 
2. I live in a Victorian cottage in the woods near Marlow in Buckinghamshire but I was born in Kent, I grew up in a small village with a village green and traditional village activities.
3. My childhood dog was a Westie called Misty-Dog (never sure why we added 'dog' as if it wasn't obvious) and subsequently I had to have Westies when we decided to get a dog and we ended up with two girls called Katy and Bonnie often to be found photo bombing my blog pics.
4. I loved English at school, I won handwriting competitions and always enjoyed writing.
5. I loved school too, my favourite school days were at a RC Secondary School in Maidstone in Kent and I still have friends from that time.
6. I have a real interest in health and fitness but I hate exercising and I am not a keen cook either!  So I am always looking for ways to get it all done quickly whilst still being healthy.
7. I am a total shopaholic!  This is something that has evolved over time - I have a soft spot for boots, scarves and jeans.  I love style and always aspire to look the best I can no matter what I am doing.
8. You will pretty much always find me wearing jeans.  An old flat-mate used to tease me about my jeans obsession!  They can be dressed up or down and are comfortable for my lifestyle which is mostly at home with my family, walking my dogs or popping into Marlow.
9. I have lots of best friends from all different parts of my life.  There are my oldest girlfriends who I met in the playground at Thurnham Infant School when we were 5, there are friends from secondary schools, from work, from the playground when my children were growing up and there are people I have met along the way who have become special in my life.
10. I attended three different infant schools in three years.  I attended one junior school and then again three different secondary schools.  No I wasn't a military child it just worked out that way with house moves and availability of places.  I don;t think it really affected me but my one aim with my own children was to make sure they only went to two schools!
11. I love to help people - which I worry some may find annoying!  But one of the reasons I started my blog was to write about what I love, to help others, share ideas and inspiration.  i never turn anyone away who is looking for support or a chat.
12. I am petite!  I am about 5'2" and this in inherited from my mother's side of the family mainly.  I have never been obese or ever really overweight although I did manage to get to a 12 for a few years which I hated - I took my eye off the ball, drank a bit too much wine and peri-menopause didn't help.
13. I have two younger sisters who I adore, but we do seem to have a few sisterly falling outs, and it seems hard for all three of us to get along at the same time!  We're working on that.  Two years ago the three of us and most of our children had a holiday in Turkey together (no husbands) - it was the best fun and I'd love to do it again.
14. My husband is a twin and the youngest of seven children!  He has a massive family all over the world.  I love his family like my own and we have so many nieces and nephews between us that we have lost count.  But I am here for each and everyone of them.
15. Once upon a time I was a Secretary/PA, I have worked at senior level for many big name companies like Black & Decker, ICL, Innovex and JDEdwards.  I never returned to work after my children were born.  I did however set up and run all the admin and bookkeeping for my husbands business.  I am pretty proud of that as I hated maths at school!  Until I couldn't work with my husband any more!!!
16. I am not comfortable in big groups or social environments.  I much prefer to chat to close friends or family and most of my friends I have known for a very long time.  
17. My daughter is also my best friend and although I will always be her mother first and any discipline that is needed is priority, although very rare, I am very lucky to have her in my life, she is my little ray of sunshine and we spend a lot of time together, and we can talk about anything.  My best advice - always listen to your children, never judge, they will find it much easier to open up to you then.  I have a very close relationship with my son too and I have taken both of them away individually to Paris and we had great adventures.  I hope we will continue to do things just us as they get older.
18. I fell in love for the first time when I was not quite 17, I got married for the first time when I was 21, it didn't work out and we soon separated but ...
19. I met my now husband in a rather dodgy nightclub in 1989, we have been together thirty years this year but only married when our son was 6 months old!
20. My first career choice was to be a Nurse and study at St Thomas' Hospital, London,  Then I had a horse riding accident and spent a night in hospital.  I realised my fear of vomiting would be a problem!  I do regret not having pursued other medical options though.
21. I've battled with mild to moderate anxiety and depression (and emetophobia - fear of vomiting) since my childhood and didn't even realise it had a name or was even a thing until I was nearly 30.  But with counselling and medication I have learnt to control it and despite some occasional recurrences I live mostly anxiety free nowadays!

These photos were taken in February at a small cove in Dartmouth, Devon!

Oh and my first haircut was at Harrods.  My grandfather and other family members worked for Harrods and so my dresses, my matching socks and patent shoes, my pram, my toys .. all came from Harrods.  I attended the Harrodian Club Children's Christmas Parties and then later on in my early teens I was allowed to go to the annual Dinner & Dance.  

So that is a bit more about me!  

Thank you so much to all my new subscribers!  I really do appreciate your support.

Love 
Michelle xx
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