One

I speak reasonably fluent Spanish. I spent my third year of university studying Maths at La Universidad de Granada in Spain. I do need to go back and practice it though.

The Alhambra and Albaicin in Granada

Two

When I like a song, I can listen to it on repeat for an hour at a time. I’ll do this until I eventually tire of it…which can be weeks or months. I can only do it when Sam isn’t around because he’s exactly the opposite and will only listen to something once or twice to avoid getting sick of it. Current top ‘repeater’ songs are: ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’ by Justin T and ‘This Is What You Came For’ by Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna.

Three

In a similar way to my previous point about music, I will develop cravings for food. Right now it’s Crosta & Mollica grissinis. Growing-up it would drive my Mum mad. I remember going through a phase as a teen where I only wanted margherita pizza. Then on another occasion I drank 2 litres of milk in one day and got told categorically that I could not go to the shop to buy more.

Four

I’m a bit of a geometry freak. I don’t mean in a Mathematical sense (although I did enjoy that area of the subject) but it terms of sharp lines and accurate angles. If something doesn’t look at exactly the right angle (a picture, a cushion etc) it will really grate on me until I have to go and change it.

Five

I enjoy washing-up (within reason!) because the warm water makes me think of having a bath. When I have a bath it’s rarely as good as I expect because it doesn’t have the washing-up liquid smell!

Six

I miss studying Maths. I had hit my ‘Mathematical ceiling’ at the end of my fourth year – I wasn’t naturally gifted enough to go further. But I really loved the way it used my brain.

Seven

If I had been better at Maths, I would have loved to work in Cryptology. My fascination started during University when I read about Enigma and Bletchley Park.

Eight

One of my favourite parts about my website is being able to tweak the code and add new features. I don’t spend enough time on it to be really proficient anymore, but it works the logical part of my brain now and then! Part of my website is custom built and part is WordPress; My WordPress theme is self-coded and styled.

Nine

One of my absolute favourite singer-songwriters is Lene Marlin. She’s a Norwegian musician whose first single, Sitting Down Here, is probably one of her most well known. I bought her first album when I was 16 and have got every album since.

Ten

I’m really competitive both with others and myself. I don’t just compete in games but also in general accomplishments. My competitive streak drives and motivates me a lot, but it can also cause me a lot of stress and frustration. Since becoming a mum I have really had to keep my competitive nature in check; It’s so easy to try and ‘compete’ with other parents and I also still struggle with what I can do at work compared to my peers who still work full time.

Eleven

I love tea. It’s without a doubt my favourite drink (water doesn’t count – it’s a necessity!). If I were forced to only drink water and one other drink for the rest of my life, it would be tea I chose.

Twelve

The mug I use for my tea is a major decision. I don’t have a mug I religiously use – I pick depending on my mood. For a snuggly evening on the sofa I want an Earthenware mug. On a hotter day I like a wider mug so the tea cools quicker. When I really want to enjoy the full flavour of the tea I need fine bone china.

Thirteen

Learning to row changed my life. Growing-up I thought I wasn’t a ‘sporty’ person*. Then, whilst at uni, I tried rowing. I realised I was sporty and had just been offered limited opportunities at school (hockey, netball, cross country, athletics and ping pong!). I rowed for 2 years at uni and then at Broxbourne Rowing Club for 6 years until just before I had H. During that time I had 5 sweep regatta wins, 1 sculling regatta win and 1 sweep headrace win. Remembering that success is still a massive psychological boost.

About to win our doubles final at St Neots Regatta

*Sam discovered the same with cycling a few years ago. I fundamentally believe anyone can be ‘sporty’ if they find the right sport.

Fourteen

I don’t like travelling. I love seeing new places but I can’t be bothered with the upheaval of getting there. I also prefer home comforts. If I could go to places for the day that would be ideal for me! I also prefer to keep my carbon footprint down; I think people fly too often now and it’s the form of travel with the most significant environmental impact.

Fifteen

I am obsessed with plants. As a child I have had lots of houseplants; Originally it was about 8 spider plants but then I started to branch out. Once we bought our first house I discovered a love of gardening. I love being outside and tending to my garden. I know spring is arriving when the buds start to appear on the trees and I can get out to clear the garden after the winter!

Feel free to take a look at all my 30 Days Blogging Challenge posts.