As part of the Better Blogging Challenge, here are five things you probably didn’t know about me:
1. I slept in the room I was born in until I was 18
This may not be an earth-shattering revelation but how many people have slept in the actual room they were born in for years and years? My mother had all three children at home and I was the biggest and best (ok, I’ve added that). The room I was born in was my parents’ bedroom and the biggest in the house, so with two girls and one boy, the two girls were moved in to the big bedroom at an early age. I’m sure there must be some deep psychological benefit from sleeping in the place you emerged in to the world but I haven’t yet discovered a decent thesis on this topic.
2. I hitch-hiked from the UK to Venice when I was 17
I was a teenage rebel in to heavy rock music and intent on disobeying my parents, although I loved them dearly. My best friend, Denise and I, told my parents (her parents did little parenting, so didn’t really deserve the title) that we were going to Venice by train. Dad drove us to the train station and after we’d said “goodbye”, Den and I legged it to the road out of town. We moved swiftly across Europe, mainly with long-distance lorry drivers (one of whom had brought his Dad and every time we stopped, he would jump out of the lorry in his slippers and offer us all a nice cup of tea cooked on his primus stove). We did board one train from Venice to the French Riviera but bored, we hitch-hiked home again!
3. My other name is “Schlossfraulein von Werneck”.
I studied German at university and spent 18 months living in Bavaria. I was taken on a hot air balloon by a lovely local man who was determined to show me the best that Bavaria had to offer. In Germany (this may be the same in other countries) hot air ballooning is deemed a royal sport. We flew over Schloss Werneck, an amazing baroque castle in the district of Schweinfurt in Bavaria and this became the inspiration for my royal name. My hair was singed and I was doused in champagne as they named me “Castle Girl of Werneck”.
4. I used to salsa dance 4 nights a week.
I lived in London for 15 years and for most of that time I was a single girly enjoying the nightlife. I discovered lambada in Brixton and then salsa dancing, a new buzz that gripped the capital, from the bright lights of the city to the odd dodgy club in Peckham (oh yes, really). I was a girl obsessed and loved my nights out dancing to the salsa vibe.
5. I met the love of my life in Venezuela… and he lived 5 minutes away in London.
I travelled to Venezuela at the end of 1998 and on New Years’ Eve met a man named Dave in the only bar that was open to tourists. He was my Scorpio soulmate and it turns out he only lived 5 minutes away from me in London. He lived in Putney and I lived in Clapham. Fast forward 14 years and our 11 year old daughter is named Merida, which is the name of the town in the Andes where Dave and I met.
It is amazing how much you can learn about a person in five sentences. Makes for a lovely story . History, roots, love, adventure and family.
When did you live in Golders Green then??? I love the way you danced your way though your younger years. A girl after my own heart. I wonder how many others would be prepared to bare their soul in 5 sentences?????
Thanks Carole. I must have been in Golders Green late 80’s, early 90’s. I can’t remember exactly. I was there a couple of years. Loved it 🙂
Amazing Sally.
🙂
How fascinating!! I never knew any of that before, I especially love the story of how you met Dave and chose Merida’s name!
hi Julia, thanks for your comment. It is quite amazing how we met. Meant to be!…
OOOH, such a rebel! Me too. My friend Mary and I used to be part-time hippies in the early 70s and hitch hike down to Devon on the weekends, then back to stuffy old work on Monday mornings. Thanks for sharing Sally, and really good post 🙂
Thanks Yvonne. It’s good to know there are lots of us with rebel tendencies. The world needs rebels! best, Sally
Not only fascinating, but beautifully written, too – thanks so much for sharing this Sally!
Thanks for your comment, Sarah. Love the biker photo! Very proud to show it on my site. best, Sally
You look at someone and have no idea of what they’ve done or where they’ve been. It’s truly fascinating, learning some of the hidden facets of your life. Thanks for sharing – Jan x
Thank you, Jan. Looking forward to sharing more between us over the next few weeks. Sally
Thanks Sally. Your share enrolled me to find out more. How great to learn more “secrets” and connect. Love it. Thank you for the awakening to life! Monica (have reverted to my birth name..no time like the past eh?)
hi Nyki/Monica, How lovely to hear from you and I’m glad you enjoyed the share! Hope all is well with you, best, Sally
What a lovely list. Two things I envy – salsa dancing four nights a week, wow! Do you still do it? And still with ‘the love of your life’ – not that common these days.
Great post, thanks
Allison
Thanks, Allison. No, sadly I don’t salsa dancing anymore except in the kitchen! I am planning a milestone birthday this year though and salsa dancing’s on the cards. Yeah! best, Sally
Oh my word Sally Kirkman, and I thought I knew you so well! I’m sure I would remember hearing about you being the Schlossfraulein of Werneck? or maybe this revelation came during an evening of some uncharacteristic overindulgence of the boozy kind and thus was not remembered …. I also didn’t know you lived in the room you were born in until you were 18. ahhhh, that’s kinda sweet.
One doesn’t brag about one’s royal connections…. you’re me’ best mate and I’m still full of surprises! Fab. What about you? Any surprises in your past?!! Thanks for the comment! Sx
Hi Sally
I loved reading your stories and hearing more about you, the romance and passion and you are such fun!!
Thanks, Robert! How lovely to hear from you. Your turn to tell me your “five things” next…
bw, Sally
Great post…& great idea!
Thanks for the comment, Jo, and glad you liked it. It was fun to write too…
Oh Sally, DEEP envy, these are all so good! Cool, exciting, interesting, funky and romantic in that order. The world needs to hear so much more about you, Schlossfraulein. We have so much in common (except No 1) Clapham, Brixton, Peckham and rebellion.
Judith, I’m so glad you find them cool and exciting. They seemed quite normal to me as they’re my life (if that makes sense) but actually they’re not… The joys of Peckham, eh… – Sally
Janet, Yes, “down the pub in Putney” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it?! – Sally
Amazing, Sally, it was obviously in ‘the Stars’ that you and Dave should meet and how romantic that it was New Year’s Eve in Venezuela. I was right there with the music and dancing and it feels so much more special than ‘down the pub in Putney’ might have done!
Ahh, thanks Janet. Yes, “meant to be”. Sx