100 Bloggy Doo-Dahs!

Mes dahlinks, this is my 100th Post...

Cue applause... Bring on the plus-sized strait-jacket, the dancing men, and some wax crayons...

Please, get my cell ready and, do you know, they do not allow sharp pointy things here in my padded cell up in the bat-encrusted belfry of creepy Crawford Towers...

So here are 100 Things About Moi in the fashion to which we have become accustomed when one reaches one's centenary... Me and Bloggus Nuttus both, and nary a wrinkle between us, I'll wager!

Let's start -- Have you read Jane Eyre, mes bloggy chums?



1. I am The Madwoman In The Attic...

2. I have my very own Mr Rochester, in that he does keep me very short of money, much as a Victorian employer of a governess would... Especially when we are on holiday, when he hoards the folding stuff as if he were auditioning to play a modern-day Mr Scrooge...

3. I am A Woman Of No Importance.

4. It's worth repeating that I took my blogname from Oscar Wilde's least well known play... They're filming it this year, with the ever-fabulous Annette Bening.



5. When I started writing my blog, I was at home with undiagnosed but scarily painful leg and back problems, and it is likely I was feeling a little sorry for myself, so the name felt very me...

6. I have a habit of feeling sorry for myself... Sometimes; I blame being an adult orphan...

7. ...And I do suffer from the mortal sin that is Envy of other People's Lives...

8. I also suffer from scaly skin - Dry Eczema - My dad also had it. Do you think it's divine retribution for my mortal sin, or am I perhaps transmogrifying into a lizard?! If that's so, do you think I could make more money in a travelling show?

9. I am a vegetarian. I eat no flesh...

10. With the exception that I choose to eat Mussels (usually Moules Mariniere) whilst on holiday - My OH says I'll eat anything that hasn't got a face... or whiskers...

11. I love Christmas and all its promise...

12. I love giving presents, however small, and seeing the recipient's face shine if I've got it right...

13. In another life, I'm a professional buyer of the right gift for the right person...

14. Here are some favoured awards which I have treasured recently... They are over there in the right hand sidebar, and I am most grateful to the lovely people who thought so well of me that they left me little offerings - Much as I do on the Temple Steps of La Wiki, as you well know...


15. Sisterhood Award. This came into my loving arms from the fabulous Artist Unplugged... Please go check her out. She means a lot to me; I am an only child, and I once discussed with a girl from a similar background to me, how much only children look for meaningful sibling relationships in others all through their lives. ...This is true.

16. I am most proud of my sisters who are scattered across the globe, and who I love with a deep, bloggy passion...

17. Diane

18. Blognut

19. Braja

20. Clippy Mat

21. Pinklea

22. Saz

23. Meredith

24. Ann

25. Deb

26. Lola

27. Ladyfi

28. Rosaria

29. Pen

30. Carolina

31. Woman In A Window and Carma

32. Michelle

33. For this award I must tell you my 5 addictions -- Ta da! Chocolate

34. Coffee

35. Wit

36. Wisdom and Learning (I can't count, remember?!)

37. Friends

38. Zombie Chicken Award

I received this fantabulous award over at The beautiful Blue Kimono from the wonderfully talented and elegant sallymandy, whom I shall forgive for loving la Birkin - The woman, not the Hermes handbag... Sallymandy said (much better than I...):

"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all..."

It’s hard to choose five people to pass this on to. I follow all your blogs as I do because I love them and you make me smile, laugh out loud, and often want to hug you all.

Here are five and the reasons I’ve nominated them are between them and me:

39. Derrick

40. Dedene

41. Vodka Mom

42. Aleksandra - Sandra

43. Ann from Ann's Rants

44. A Heart for All Reasons

I can't even remember the backstory to this award - Forgetfulness is one of my sins... I think... This beauty came from the lovely Reasons to be Cheerful, 1, 2, 3, who makes adversity look like a cakewalk. Such a brave lady... I shall pass this on to five folk, if that makes any sense... Just because they are wonderfully brave and just wonderful...

45. Cynthia

46. Saz

47. Reggie Girl...

48. Moannie

49. Right back at Reasons - because she deserves it twice!

50. I know many of you don't do awards. I won't take offence if you put them away in a drawer never for them to see the light of day again... It's the thought and the love that counts...

51. Always...



52. The - Your Blog is Like My Coffee - I Like It First Thing In The Morning Award from Dumdad -- Many thanks, Sir! I am very much in awe of those who offer awards to others when they write like angels, and make their living with their art. This is not faint praise, and would you believe it that I blush fully like a real blonde would, so...

53. I offer this award up, as Bold Dumdad did, to anyone who hasn't got it and would like to treasure it... and because I send you my love, all of you who stop by my fiercesome rambling -- Please take it. Go on... I'm not even looking! You deserve it, because you put up with me!

54. I don't blog about my parents yet... Much... I still can't fully face staring over that precipice.

55. I love Monsieur Hulot's Holiday with Jacques Tati.



56. When I grow up I want to be an opera singer (I've got the bulk)...

57. A famous actress - But you knew that one... I could be a grande dame - I love Maggie Smith and Judi Dench - I saw Judi on stage in fact when she was very young - She lit up the stage and had such fantastic presence...

58. I'm finding this harder to do than I thought with my foot-in-mouth big gob...

59. I have blue eyes...

60. I have a ruddy kind of complexion - Attractive, non?!

61. My hair is mid blonde... It always has been, now highlights and sun-light make it twinkle.

62. My dad made me promise never to dye it.

63. So I haven't.

64. I have ugly fingernails.

65. I have ugly feet.

66. I have been needing to take toe nail polish off my toes for at least two weeks...

67. I can't really be arsed...

68. I'm like that.

69. Prone to the terminally lazy.

70. But I'm nice with it...

71. Really nice...

72. Unless I don't like you.

73. And then you'd be able to tell, by the expression on my face.

74. You can read anything and everything there...

75. I keep secrets well, if you trust me with them.

76. I like Real Ale...

77. And I'm a Guinness Gal...

78. And I drink wine, usually white these days, and less and less of that...

79. My secret and most deadly nibble is cheese and crackers...

80. As a child, I played the Vile Din... Badly.

81. I've been an au pair to a French aristo family. It was an experience...

82. I've been a Childcare Worker -- Briefly!

83. I've wanted to become a teacher since I was a little girl (I never was that little!)

84. I didn't because I failed Maths at school.

85. I went on to pass my Maths exam when I was 30, and I thought I might get made redundant and use the money to train as a teacher... I didn't do either

86. I can no longer use my dizziness in Maths as an excuse in life...

87. I've only had a handful of boyfriends in my life... and I am ashamed to have been responsible for abandoning a French boyfriend originally from Lille whom I met at my aunt's party and who looked like a younger and more handsome version of Eric Cantona.


88. I was only 17 - I was terrified of my whole life being dictated by his wishes and his religion... I sometimes wonder what version of me would I have been had I spent my life with him -- I might have been an Catholic engineer's wife, and much thinner, living in the north of France, with probably five kids and a great big extended family...

89. I feel I've led a bit of a sheltered life, but I don't feel I've missed out -- Does that make sense?

90. I am bored with me, I'm not that interesting a person... I hide here, among friends, terrified that you'll not love me if you were to meet me in the lizard-flesh...

Okay, ca va... Too much neurosis... and information - TMI!

91. Now I have space for 10 questions - That I'd like YOU to put to ME - the confident, bolshie, Franglais-speaking one... THAT Fhina! Allez, et merci mes potted shrimps! Mwah!

And, by way of reward, here are many feathery-soft kisses from the angels! I hope you can feel them.

Seven, ooh er, Six Deadly Sins In Order To Highlight Six Things About Me!

For the purposes of today's lesson, dear congregation, I shall (mainly) refer to 6 of the Deadly Sins. You'll see why in a bit, well a longish bit really; I must learn to do short and sweet, like some of you do most beautifully - I can see you scrolling down and yawning, as I type... Yes I can!

One final point, I do not intend to offend with this post, or any of them, so if you are particularly sensitive to any slight to your perceived faith, please look away now!

So, in accordance with the goddess Wiki:

"The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, are a classification of the most objectionable vices that were originally used in early Christian teachings to educate and instruct followers concerning (immoral) fallen man's tendency to sin.

They are: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.

Please scroll through this next bit, if you were born, or converted into the Catholic religion - I wasn't, so apologies for any errors...

"The Catholic Church divided sin into two principal categories: "venial", which are relatively minor, and could be forgiven through sacraments of the church, and the more severe "capital" or mortal sin.

Mortal sins destroyed the life of grace, and created the threat of eternal damnation unless either absolved through the sacrament of confession, or forgiven through perfect contrition on the part of the penitent". Out with the rosary beads then...

"Beginning in the early 14th century, the popularity of the seven deadly sins as a theme among European artists of the time eventually helped to ingrain them in many areas of Christian culture and Christian consciousness in general throughout the world. One means of such ingraining was the creation of the mnemonic "SALIGIA" based on the first letters in Latin of the seven deadly sins: superbia, avaritia, luxuria, invidia, gula, ira, acedia".



"There is nowhere in the Christian Bible that a specific list of the Seven Deadly Sins is given, although lists of virtues contrasted with lists of sins are found in certain books of the New Testament, such as the Epistle to the Galatians ~ (Did you know that?).

"The modern concept of the Seven Deadly Sins is linked to the works of the 4th century monk

Evagrius Ponticus, who listed eight "evil thoughts" as follows (Refoule, 1967):

Gluttony; fornication; avarice; sorrow; anger; discouragement; vainglory; pride.

The first three of these sins, as Refoule explains, link to lustful appetite; anger links with the irascible; and vainglory and pride link with the intellect.


Some years later, in 590 AD, Pope Gregory the Great would revise this list to form the more common "Seven Deadly Sins".

So, as follows:



Pride (Latin, superbia) is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity".

Here, the ball is in my court; Where was I?

I would not describe myself as vain, or particularly proud. In my last house I didn't even have a full length mirror. I just used to hang smaller mirrors up at a certain height, so that I could tilt my chin, pretend I didn't have a double chin, and look down my body to ensure that my clothes matched. I went to work on occasion with blouses turned outside in with their seams showing, trousers that didn't match my tops, and covered most of it with a shapeless beige cardi - Well, they were sort of in fashion then, and as a young (I was then!) mum, I couldn't afford better clothing.

Now, six years later and in our new home, I inherited (along with three laying chickens - don't ask!), beautiful longer mirrors - In the bathroom (Yikes - Too much is visible, and in so many ways!) and in the bedroom...

So, I'm no clotheshorse, but I am proud of my son, Griz, in all his delights and torments, but I don't regard that as a sin at all, do you?



Envy (Latin, invidia) is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.



Ok, I'll admit it, of all things, I am probably most guilty of the sin of envy. I am envious of pretty women carrying covetable pretty, or noteworthy, bags in the street, or if their shoes are lovely and just look more comfortable than the ones I'm wearing, or if their tights are a better shade of black than mine (I always seem to get the most hideous tights...)

I want to ask them where they got the bag/shoes/coat - but am afraid of being committed/sectioned/humiliated by them in return for my cheek!

So, I'm no clotheshorse, but I am proud of my son, Griz, in all his delights and torments, but I don't regard that as a sin at all, do you?



Gluttony (Latin, gula) is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

And you know that I am a bit porky, right - so I cannot shake my head and say, "No - I am not gluttonous!" - Is that even a word??!

I just looked up to see something hideous on TV - My son, has just come in from the school bus - He's put the TV on, something that seems to be about fashion - Run's House - and they're talking about Pastry Shoes - I looked up to see sneakers that looked like those we see on Cake Wrecks blog - I asked Griz how they made them as cakes, and he looked at me with an expression of utter disdain, and said - "Of course you can eat them, mum; What do you think?... It's a brand name! - Are you going to blog about that?!" Well I am, so there! Sometimes my mind is just on one track, and it concerns my stomach - Greedy, moi?!



Lust (Latin, luxuria) is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.

GJ and I have been married for 23 years this year.
We've been together 26 years - Lust - Qué?

Anger (Latin, ira) is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

I can and do get angry. It sometimes takes me quite a while to get there, at other times not... I'm generally quite a patient person, although I would say I am intolerant of those I deem to be fools... or racists, or rude people, or cruel people, or war-mongers, or child beaters, or friends who ask you for advice with no intention of ever taking it... Is that enough?



Greed (Latin, avaritia) is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

Material wealth or gain - No, that's not me, not really. I don't measure our lives by what we've got, what kind of TV, what car - We live well enough, I think, but we are sort of hippy tree-huggers, so there is 'stuff' that is way more important to us than wealth.

I'll be totally honest though, we have been really strapped for cash a couple of times in the past, in spite of pretty much always being in work, (bless my parents for helping us to survive); And so I would have to say, that while money can't buy you happiness, it can certainly help you to look for it for a while!



Sloth (Latin, acedia) is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

Like I said, I'm not doing the Sloth thing! Of all of these sins, I have chosen to leave out that of Sloth, because I feel that is well covered in my 'About me', and also under my profession: "Serial Housework Avoider..."

Speaks for itself really, no?



(NB: All images of women, copyright Artist Marta Dahlig - http://blackeri.deviantart.com/)

Did you know, there is even a list of the sins and what the anticipated sentence in Hell will be?

Sin = Punishment in Hell

Pride = broken on the wheel
Envy = put in freezing water
Anger = dismembered alive
Sloth = thrown in snake pits
Greed = put in cauldrons of boiling oil
Gluttony = forced to eat rats, snakes
Lust = smothered in fire and brimstone

(Source: http://www.deadlysins.com/sins/history.html)

But......If you had been guilty of gluttony, it would be a bit difficult to be forced to eat those rats and toads, etc, if you'd also been guilty of anger - And who among us isn't? - Because if you'd been dismembered alive first, how could you ever eat??!

You can see how my mind runs!

Back to Wiki: "On March 9, 2008 the Vatican newspaper published an interview with Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, in which he listed seven modern social sins.

These "social sins" include environmental pollution (yes), genetic manipulation, (not always bad if it saves lives...), obscene wealth (I'm so with that one!), infliction of poverty, drug trafficking, morally debatable experiments, and violation of the fundamental rights of human nature (yes, yes, yes and yes!)".

To finally chip in on the subject of environmental pollution - Interesting!


I am currently weighing in as part of a healthy battle to try to get the council to refuse planning permission for a large, even gigantic, wind farm to be perched within sight of my cottage... We fear that the energy returns will be minimal; that the wind turbines will blow away our endangered little red squirrels; that tourism in the area will be negatively impacted (we are on the edge of the ,protected, Northumberland National Park), and that they are just trying to make some money out of Government grants! I'm getting off me soap-box now, honestly...




The Roman Catholic Church also recognizes Seven Virtues which correspond inversely to each of the seven deadly sins:

Vice ↓ Virtue ↓

Lust = Chastity/Prudence
Gluttony = Temperance
Greed = Charity
Sloth = Diligence/Fortitude
Wrath = Patience/Justice
Envy = Kindness/Hope
Pride = Humility/Faith


Perhaps I'll save those stories for another day...





You might have guessed but this post is in response to a tag by La Belette Rouge, the devastatingly beautiful and unruly, she-weasel.

The Rules of this meme:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Write six random things about yourself.

4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.

Diane's Addled Ramblings
Fat, frumpy and fifty
Ann's Rants
French Fancy
Clippy Mat
Stinking Billy

I could have tagged loads of others of you, you are probably all heaving heavy sighs of relief as I type...

You know who you are, the lot of you who have the guts and the good fortune to live over the Channel - in Europe, where I would always rather be - and I envy you that, I'm sorry ; )

All apart from French Fancy, who has copped for it this time!

And those of you, stand up Belette, Braja, and Vodkamom, and yet you keep getting tagged by your many followers, and I did not want to intrude and give you too much to do...

And others of you, yes, Auntiegwensdiary, Henry The Dog Diaries, who I know would not necessarily have appreciated being tagged, either because you don't like having to pass things along, understandably, or probably because you have such fabulously exciting lives, you probably never struggle to find something wonderful to blog about!

And those professional writers, most of you, because I just wouldn't dare, and you're just too busy writing the stuff that keeps the wolf from the door! Is that all of you, apart from the newbies??!

5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.