Mark White at Better Business Blogging has tagged me in the “5 things you didn’t know about me” meme so I thought I’d join in the fun:
1. What I can only refer to as severe errors of judgement and monumental short sightedness on my paternal grandparents side back down the line (one married out of his faith and the other ran off with her gypsy – so both were summarily disinherited from their respective well-to-do families) meant that I wasn’t born wealthy!
Do I see a disturbing familial trait? Well:-
2. At the age of about five, encouraged by these same grandparents, I entered and won a colouring competition in the local Evening Argus. Great! The prize was two tickets to see Swan Lake. Mum and Dad ended up forking out for three more tickets so the whole family could go.
3. Then, at about nine I was elected Queen of the May at our school. Huge honour but, again, Mum had to buy the material and spend hours making the dress for the grand occasion. And all that fancy foot work I’d been practising for dancing round the maypole went to waste as I sat there all day on my throne watching the proceedings with a stupid grin plastered on my face.
4. I passed the eleven plus exam and was lucky enough to get into the best grammar school in the area. That was really rewarding for me but, er, meant that money for the uniform (only available from one exclusive school outfitters), sports kit and social activities then had to be found by my parents for the next five years.
5. Fast forward a few years and guess who bought into a Tessa just before the market bottomed out?
Am I downhearted? You bet not! Because that paternal grandmother of mine worked hard and worked smart and carved out success in what was then well and truly a man’s world. So I have a brilliant role model and I’m following her!
You’ll have to excuse me for now, I need to go find someone else to play tag with – have a great and glorious Christmas if we don’t “speak” before hand.
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