An Interview Meme

JoJo poasted this meme on her blog:

A. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
B. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
C. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
D. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
E. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

If you want me to ask you some questions, ask me in your comment, "interview me". I will send questions to the first tow (so you must be someone whose email address I have).

Here are the questions JoJo sent me, and my answers to them.

1. How old were you when it was discovered that you could sing opera?
I always knew I could sing. I sang "Secret Love" when I was about 10, and my teacher recorded it. At secondary school we had a yearly music competition, and I usually sang a duet. But when I went to university, I wanted to follow one music course. You had to study an instrument and showed you improved over the course of a year. Sadly, I didn't realise that voice was an instrument.

A few years after leaving uni, I started going to the opera, and joined a Friends group. I was asked to take part in a master class, but thought I wouldn't be good enough. Then I heard the people who thought they were good enough - some of them would-be professional singers - and thought I could do better. So I signed up for a singing class. The teacher worked miracles, and within a year I was ready to take on minor roles. I suppose I was 28 or 29. A good age for a mezzo soprano.

2. How did you get into collecting dollhouses, how many do you have and for how long have you been doing it?
There was a shop not far from home that sold reproduction antique dolls, and doll kits. I started making dolls from kits, but then I began to lust after the dollshouses they also sold. I'm not sure how long ago it was, but it was more than 10 years, probably more like fifteen. I found a bigger, specialist shop and spent a whole afternoon choosing the right house for me. I built it and decorated it, and filled it with furniture. I started to go to dollshouse fairs, and at one I saw a beautiful craftsman built Tudor house. If I was five inches high I could live there. I'd just seen a real Tudor house for sale that I could almost but not quite afford, and this was my consolation prize. Now I have about 10 houses, and not a single one finished! I also have room boxes containg things like a garden, a garden shed and a Chinese room.

3. What made you decide to travel to Rennes-le-Chateau in search of the Holy Grail?
I was fascinated by a TV programme about it, The Priest, The Painter and The Devil. When I found a fellow opera-goer (the father of Rat Scabies of The Damned punk rock group) who was similarly interested, I translated some documents from French for him, and then went with him and his wife and younger son to the south of France, where I was supposed to be the interpreter. But the guy got really nasty and dumped me in the back of beyond while he went to Rennes-Le-Chateau. He just didn't want to have to share the treasure with me, I suppose. Not that he's found it more than a quarter of a century later.

4. What was your most memorable trip and why?
I loved introducing my mum to Paris, but my most memorable trip was in 2006, when I went to Alberta in Canada for a reunion with members of my family I didn't even know existed till I started to research my family history in 2000. There were 117 people at the reunion. It was an amazing experience. The lakeside home where it was held was stunning, and the people were just wonderful. There should be another this summer, but with the collapse of Zoom Airlines, I have no idea how I'd get there.

Island Lake from the pontoon.
The end of the house.

The lake from the garden.


5. Do you think Vincent wears boxers or briefs?
Yes. Or no.

Actually, I've never really made a study of how men's equipment moves in their trousers depending on what underwear they are sporting. To be honest, I've only ever even tried to make a study of Vincent's equipment. It does seem to migrate a bit from time to time, so maybe he's hanging loose. I think boxers would show some kind of an outline, and briefs a different sort.

On the other hand, I worry that the rough fabric of his suit might rub his beautiful member if the rampant Python is wandering about in there unprotected. I think I may have to rub it with oils and wrap it in soft linen...

Evidence of The Python.