Welcome to our first guest......drum roll...Suzanne Fitzgerald!!
What makes you happiest?
Spending time with my husband, we used to work together so were together remarkably almost 24 hours a day then after we had the children he had to go to work without me, our happiest times can be as simple as sitting around on a Sunday morning in our PJ's drinking coffee and putting the world to rights or thinking up our next potential big money making idea.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Chocolate... I think I'm an addict.
What is your earliest childhood memory?
For some strange reason my mind goes back to the new build 80's housing estate we lived on & playing in the garden.
What is your comfort food?
Heinz Beans with fresh authentic pas trop cuit French Bread & President Butter - sad isn't it...but you can't beat it.
What did you vote in the last elections?
To keep our current Maire in charge.
Cat or dog?
Dog but I do have a cat who won't be impressed by this confession.
What was your initial impression of France?
Ooh that goes back to my childhood, probably that the beaches were great, it was always hot (now know isn't true) and that the French always ate green beans in garlic with everything (also now know isn't true!)
What is your favourite place in the world?
My home
What did you dream about last?
Oh my, I can't believe you asked this...I'm one of those weird people that remembers their dreams and so I'll have to be honest. It was this morning about my husband falling out of the window whilst reading a book...he grabbed hold of the windowsill, tossed me the book & then fell again. I grabbed him but was worried I'd fall out of the window and that he was too heavy for me especially as I'm pregnant...at that point he locked the front door as he left for work & I woke up with a start... Now what does that say?!?
I'll never know if I dropped him or managed to help him back up...
What do you most despise?
Lazy people
What are you reading at the moment?
Oh dear, again I have to answer this & it's a bit embarrassing...it's a good book but it's a bit of a naff title..it's called Happy Kids Happy You and it's based on using NLP with your kids. Interesting stuff as I used to practice NLP at work and it was good stuff, I thought I'd try to use some of the techniques to get over the 'No I'm not doing x' with the 2 year old.
When and why did you last cry?
Probably last week when I woke up from another one of my weird pregnancy dreams.
What did you eat last night?
Meze & Fruit
What would you serve at your ‘perfect’ dinner party?
Entree - Asparagus Mousse
Fish - Definitely Lobster
Main - Venison
Cheese - Goats Cheese
Dessert - What else but a selection of chocolate delights?
Coffee - Strong & Dark
Wines to match each course recommended by the sommelier who accompanied the Chef who came to make this perfect meal for me :)
And who would you invite?
My hubby and a selection of good friends who we don't get to see enough of these days. No celebs I'm afraid...
Who was the first person you kissed?
Probably my mum! Well you never said romantically!
What did you do on your most memorable birthday?
Went for a walk on the beach in the South of France with friends (in November) it was lovely & hot.
Where did your partner propose?
In a turret of the Palais des Papes in Avignon - it was very romantic - I had absolutely no idea
What is your all time favourite film?
That Touch of Mink - Doris Day
Who or what has been the biggest influence on your life?
Moving to France changed our idea of what makes us happy, we realise that for us happiness is time together not where we can go on holiday or what colour of Farrow & Ball paint to redo the bathroom for the 3rd time in 5 years...(I'm joking of course) We took 3 months off working to enjoy a summer in France together and decided to start a family. That changed our life direction forever.
What has been your greatest achievement?
Leaving the security of an employer & working for myself. I've never looked back.
And biggest regret?
I didn't save more dosh earlier...
How would you like to be remembered?
A happy & fun person to be around
What was the last concert you saw?
Ah technically I didn't see it, but I did hear it... does that count? I bought tickets for Coldplay in Barcelona back in 2008, put them in hubby's backpack at work, arrived in Barcelona and asked where his backpack was...in his desk drawer. He'd decided to travel light. We stood outside & listened in the Olympic Park. That was the last one we will probably go to in a long time.
What has been the strangest thing you have ever done / done since you have been in France?
Given birth!
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Not tell anyone. Pop it in the bank and enjoy a nice life without any financial worries. I'd still want us to have our own business though to keep the old grey matter ticking over. Of course I'd discretely hit the 'Donate' button to Survive France.
What are you working on at the moment?
Having kids...
What is in / on your desk?
You've asked this before a long time ago & the answer is even more crap than back then...plus some more cat fur.
If you could be someone else, who would you be?
Not sure I want to be anyone else.
What would you do on a ‘perfect’ weekend?
Have a lovely day by the beach or walking in the vines then be wined & dined with my hubby (chef & sommelier would have been in to do all the cooking/prep & serving) whilst the kids slept happily.
What was the last thing you made?
Homemade wrapping paper, paint stamped with rockets, ladybirds & cupcakes... Orla Kiely eat your heart out.
What was the last thing you bought?
A Book on Rugby (it's a Christmas present)
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
At home