draliman on life

Here is my post for Share Your World, hosted by Di.

Do you use an air freshener in your home? If so, do you prefer a solid gel, spray, timed release, pot pourri or something else?
I’m not a big fan of artificial odours. I do usually use some scented carpet powder when I vacuum, though.

When good weather permits, do you open your windows to let in the fresh air?
Yes, it’s nice to have some fresh air in the house. I might even open a window today to let the cold air out – we’ve had a sudden temperature shift and it’s now reading a couple of degrees warmer outside than inside.

With the extreme variants in weather these days, do you feel the cold in the Winter months?
I’ve always felt the cold in the winter months, even before any extreme variations in weather. I’m the sort of person who ends up putting on a fleece even during the summer.

Which would you prefer – to curl up in front of a log fire or log burner, turn the heating up, or go to bed early with extra blankets.
Well, I would prefer to have the heating blasting out in a fully-insulated house and have a nice fire going. In reality, it’s fluffy dressing gowns, blankets, a duvet on the couch, hot water bottles and the occasional blast of heat when it gets too cold to feel my hands.

Here is my post for Share Your World, hosted by Di.

When you look out of your kitchen window, what do you see?
I see my little back garden, with the bushes and little bird table and the trees behind. Until a couple of days ago the bird table was iced over. I think it will be again next week 😦

When was the last time you used public transport?
A few months ago when I used the Park and Ride to get into town for work. For those who are in different countries and maybe call “Park and Ride” something different, that’s where you park at a huge car park on the outskirts of town and a bus runs every 10 minutes or so to take you into the town.

Do you prefer cut flowers or a potted plant?
Potted plants, though I’m not the best at keeping them alive.

Do you believe in Karma?
No. I’ve certainly seen no evidence of it.

Here is my post for Share Your World, hosted by Di. She posted the questions on Christmas Day so it’s all about Christmas this week.

What will you be eating today? (Christmas Day)
We had the standard fare – turkey, streaky bacon, chipolata sausages, all the veg (sprouts, roasties, parsnips, cauliflower, stuffing) and Christmas pudding with Cornish clotted cream for afters. I’m not a huge fan of Christmas pudding, but I love Cornish clotted cream so I go for a rather unhealthy 50-50 mix…

What was your favourite gift?
I’m not going to upset anyone by making this all about this year. So, over the years there were several memorable gifts, such as a wooden fort my Dad made for me and my brother, our pushbikes and so on.

What is the worst bit, if any, about celebrating (Christmas or otherwise)
The washing up 😉

Do your pets get to join in with the fun?
No, because I don’t have any.

Here is my post for Share Your World, hosted by Di. Merry Christmas everyone! 🎅🎄

Do you enjoy or get frustrated with the run up to the festive holidays?
I enjoy a sensible run up. Which doesn’t include any part of November. Apart from present-buying and food planning which has to start earlier, two weeks before Christmas is the best time to start getting excited. I put my decorations (such as they are) up last weekend.

Do you like family gatherings on a regular basis?
The occasional family gathering is nice 🙂

What is your favourite family memory?
Summer holidays in Scotland visiting my Gran.

Do you prefer to be a host or visitor for special occasions?
A visitor. Eat and run 🙂 My house is too small for being a host anyway. Two on the couch and an office chair, nor exactly a large gathering.

Here is my post for Share Your World, hosted by Di.

What is your favourite song or artist beginning with the letter D?
What? “D”? Now my mind’s gone blank. I can’t think of a single song or artist starting with any letter at all. Duran Duran. Dido. I don’t know.

When was the last time you visited a church?
I’m guessing my Godson’s Christening. He’s nearly 10.

If you celebrate Christmas, when do you put your decorations up? If not, do you decorate your home for other traditional occasions?
I put them up yesterday. Well, I say “them”. There’s a little snowman and a string of lights. The first and last third of the string have only blue lights working. The central third has only orange and green. I think I have a set which works but I don’t know where I put it and I’m not sure I can be bothered to look.

Bah humbug.

Do you like a glass of wine with your main meal of the day?
No, I don’t drink.

Here is my post for Share Your World, hosted by Di.

Would you rather bake or buy a cake?
I’d prefer to be able to bake amazing cake creations full of chocolaty swirls and multi-layered goodness, but I don’t have the skillz so I buy them instead.

Do you have your main meal during the day or in the evening?
In the evening. There’s no time during a 45 minute lunch break to have a big meal and besides I’d probably fall asleep during the afternoon when I’m supposed to be working.

Do you have a sweet tooth or prefer savoury food?
Both. Start off with a savoury meal and finish up with a sweet treat. Main meal and pudding – that’s the way it’s supposed to be 🙂

What is one food you absolutely detest?
Liver. I hate both the taste and the texture 😮 🤢🤮

Here is my post for Share Your World, hosted by Di.

Do you watch and enjoy reality TV shows?
No and no. There’s enough reality in my own life, thanks.

If you had the power, where would you send anyone you didn’t like?
I do, of course, have The Power. I generally just wave my hand and utter “go away” and they do. I don’t know where they go, though. Just… “away”… 😮

Do you enjoy your own company and what do you do with your ‘Me Time’?
I’m usually on my own.TV, video games and walks is what I do.

If you wanted to change anything about your partner/pet/family what would it be?
I wouldn’t want to change anything about my family. If they do something I don’t like, I can just wave my hand and utter “go away”… I’m kidding! I wouldn’t do that to my own family! Or would I… 😮

Here is my post for Share Your World, hosted by Di.

What is your idea of a good holiday? Seeing the sights, lazing on a beach, hitting the night spots, getting away from it all…
Nice scenery. Not towns and architecture but moorland, mountains, cliffs and whatnot.

You are offered tickets to a show. Which would you prefer, Opera, Play, Cinema, Entertainment, Ice Gala, something else?
I’ll take the money alternative, please!

Have you ever won a sports trophy (or something similar for a particular achievement)
Sports trophy? Me? Hahahahahaha.

I jointly won the award for “best improvement from second to final year” in my department at university. But I kind of set that up as I didn’t do nearly as well in my second year as I should have, due to only doing 12 weeks revision before the exams. That sounds a lot, but not when there’s 10 exams.

What is your dream car (fact or fictional)
The Batmobile, obviously. But not the original one. As I recall that one had no roof and it rains a lot here.

Here is my post for Share Your World, hosted by Di.

If you can, how often do you exercise every week?
I try to get my 20 minutes walk about 5 days a week. I go on the exercise bike “occasionally” 😉

In the summer I sometimes go for longer 5-6 mile walks, but it’s all country roads and a bit dangerous in the winter when it’s dark after work.

Do you belong, or have you ever belonged, to a gym?
Nope, never have, never will.

Do you prefer to exercise alone or in a group (ie. aerobics)
I have to exercise alone because otherwise my fitness and prowess upsets the other people ahem cough cough 😉

Do you enjoy it or feel it’s something you ought to do?
In general I’d prefer not to have to bother especially when it’s cold and wet. It’s enjoyable going for long walks in the summer, though.