about me

I am a nosy person and love to find out interesting things about others. At the off chance that I am not the only such inclined person, here a brief description of myself. A CV so to speak, with lots of holes but you should be able to get to know me a little.  

I have asked various family members a million time to take a nice picture of me. Without success of course. I wonder if this is because I see a picture of myself in the mirror that does not correspond to the reality?

I have tried to capture a photo of myself in the mirror, feeling slightly silly doing so, but here you go, an up to date photo of me. It is a bit out of focus (to blur the wrinkles). I am wearing my beloved red turtleneck sweater, hand made to fit me perfectly. It hides my double chin. This particular red is one of my favourite colours and I think it suits me. Fashionistas may beg to differ but I really don't care. I also like most other colours apart from grand father beige and military green. I may have mentioned my favourite colours elsewhere in my blog and quite possibly, they are no longer the same now. You see, I often change my mind about things.


I am a vintage 1970 edition, some may call me middle aged but I think this is only true in years, not in spirit. Being born in 1970 makes it easy to work out my age.

I grew up in Switzerland with one brother and my mum and dad. Dad is no longer with us and I miss him a lot. I think I look a lot like him. My dad was Italian, which makes me part Italian, part Swiss but I feel a lot more Swiss than Italian and really, I am Italian on paper only.

As a child I lived in the German speaking part of Switzerland, in a small village near Bern, the Capital. It was  great when I was little because I lived in a traffic free estate. We were safe to roam the estate and surrounding fields. It was not a great place for a teenager unfortunately. I remember being bored out of my wits but maybe teenagers are bored wherever they are. 

I was a brainy child and glad to start gymnasium in Bern, escaping the teenage tedium. Gymnasium is a bit like 6th form college but longer. I chose to attend the language section of gymnasium and took German, Latin, Italian and French as main subjects. How I ended up studying Biology remains a mystery but I am sure I had a reason at the time. I finished my studies with a PhD and was researching the lives of teeny weeny single celled parasites for a long time.

When I was still working towards my PhD, I met Richard, my long suffering husband. We met at a conference on the Cape Cod, during a poster session. I know, very romantic. I have never looked back.

Richard was living in the United States at the time but wanted to move back to the UK. I didn't really care where we lived as long as it was together, and we ended up in Glasgow in 1999. We didn't think we would still be here now but we grew to like Glasgow which is one of the friendliest places I have ever been to. Unfortunately, the weather is awful a lot of the time but when it is nice, we really really appreciate it.

Sam was born in 2000, followed by Annie three years later. I always liked the idea of lots of children and in 2010 we decided to become adoptive parents and siblings. It was a long process but early in 2012, we finally met James and Alistair. It seems they have been with us for ever.

I was always a working mum but moved from being a parasite researcher to being a teacher at University. I was lucky and worked part time since Sam was born, and was able to work around my children's school times for the past 8 years. I have recently been made redundant.

I am a stay at home mum just now but hope to find work again soon. I seem to need the intellectual stimulation of academia, even if the stress of it all is often too much. I am studying towards a Master in Education in the meantime.

My tastes and likes are changing and evolving but here is snapshot of some all time favourites.

I love to all things yarn and usually have one or two projects on my needles or hook. I like sewing, too, but don't often do it because I have no dedicated space for the sewing machine. I squirrel away yarn and fabric for the future. I am not sure when I will ever use it but imagine it will be after retirement and when the kids have left the house. I hope this is before arthritis and poor sight will dominate my life.

I am a keen cook but find the daily feedings of fussy eaters tedious. We mostly cook fresh food because I like to know what I eat. Sam sometimes asks why we can't eat like everybody else. I am not sure what he means.

I like to be fit and go for jogs about three times a week. I would prefer to call it running but really, my running pace is not much faster than the average walking pace. I particularly like jogging in the winter, before people close their curtains (because I want to see how everyone else lives).

I like art and seem to be unable to restrain myself from buying a piece of art most years. I should probably start painting myself to save money. Unfortunately, I have no talent. We have lots of paintings, drawings, watercolours and a tapestry from all around the world and from local artists and friends. I'll show you my favourite ones another day.

I love spoken word and listen to at least a dozen radio programmes and podcasts downloaded onto my iPod every week. These include (but are not limited to) Inside Health, More or Less and All in the Mind (all BBC Radio 4), The Naked Scientists and some more obscure geeky science podcasts. I usually fall asleep listening to one of these.

I read a lot and I listen to audiobooks. My taste in fiction is eclectic and unpredictable. I also love non fiction, mostly popular science.

I have a soft spot for science fiction, in particular for Star Trek.

I am often grumpy and I often shout. I blame the children, or the lack of sleep, or stress, or bad coffee. Sometimes all at once. I would like to think that I have a sunny personality but I guess there is plenty of shade where there is sun.

On the grand scheme of thing, life has been kind to me. I like who I am and who I share my live with. Sometimes (at least once a day) I wish to be someone else somewhere else, preferably somewhere warm and without children. Maybe glamorous, too, and witty, funny and clever. But mostly, home is best. I am quite funny and clever actually, but definitely not glamourous.

There you have it, me in a nutshell.

Have a lovely Wednesday!  Cx

P.S. Thank you all for your thoughtful and encouraging comments on my last post!


Comments

  1. I love this, I'm nosey too and love a good About me post. You should pop this along side your Recipes and Sock patterns - a nice way for new comers to your blog finding out a little more of who is behind the writing. By the way, your skin is amazing - what's your secret! xo

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    1. The secret of my skin is an out of focus photograph.... and some foundation to hide the spidery red drinkers veins on my cheeks. I have just made a tab next to the socks and recipe tabs, thanks for the suggestion. Cx

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    2. Thank you by the way, for the compliment!

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  2. This was a fascinating read. I'm nosy too and I love when bloggers share more about themselves. You're so pretty! I think that's a beautiful photo. I look like my father too. :)

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    1. Thank you Jennifer! I don't think I have been called pretty in a long time. Cx

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  3. Always good to be nosey and find out a little more about bloggers. Whenever I find a new blog, I always go to the About me page but often it doesn't say much at all, so this is a bonus.

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    1. I just hope I haven't given away too much!

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  4. What a super post Christina, I feel I know you now! That final paragraph about being glamorous, somewhere/someone else without children but the life you actually have is best - that's exactly how I feel about my life.

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    1. I bet many mums feel like us Jay. I am glad you know me a little now, this is exactly what I was hoping to achieve, that my readers get to know me a little. Cx

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  5. Hey Christina,

    I loved this! I was born in 1970 too!! I love your photo too. And I reckon glamour must be very time consuming ;)
    I am the nosiest person on the planet, and I have spent most of my life staring in other people's windows.
    Leanne xx

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    1. You can't possibly be nosey than I am! Some people are born glamorous but I am not and it would take hours of my day to achieve a half acceptable result.

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  6. Wonderful to learn so much more about you Christina. I too, am a 1970 vintage and love where I'm at with my life, though wish the years would stop whizzing by at breakneck pace. Love the photo of you, I'm going to blame the Australian weather and my outdoors life for the increased ageing evident on my face by comparison to yours!
    Perhaps I'll feel inspired to add an 'about' page sometime soon. Thanks for the insight into what sounds like an absolutely fascinating life.

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    1. The years do seem to get shorter the older I get. I think you look absolutely amazing on all your photos Fiona, healthy and glowing. I sometimes feel like I am going mouldy with all the bad weather here... I have plenty of signs of aging but I cheated with foundation and being overweight helps filling out my wrinkles for now. I am glad you feel inspired! Cx

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  7. What a great 'about me' post Christina, and your picture taken with the mirror is lovely.

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    1. Thank you Linda, I am glad you like this post!

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  8. I love being nosy and finding out about people. That's a fab pic of you...everyone thinks I look like my Mum until they meet my Dad! I loved doing my PhD (although it was a total love-hate at the time) and know very much about very little :) I thought it was just me who was thinking of being elsewhere (potentially where whining isnt allowed!!) but I do love being at home really! Loving your blog :)

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    1. I loved my PhD, too. So much in fact that I would happily embark on another one.... but I won't of course. No, I think most mums (and probably everybody else, too) I know wish to be elsewhere most days, for a wee moment at least.

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  9. So nice to know a little more about you Christina! You are very pretty - I hope you don't mind me saying that. I share your love of yarn and Radio 4, and the challenges of feeding fussy eaters. I also run, but my daughter said yesterday that really I should call it "jogging" because it's not fast enough to be running...charming. x

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    1. Thank you Gillian, I don't mind at all you saying that because my youngsters often criticise my wrinkles, the bad skin, the saggy tummy etc and a compliment like yours warms my soul. Children are so thoughtless sometimes! I have started referring to my runs as jogs.... Cx

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  10. Gorgeous pic and I love this post, it's great to learn more about you. I was really intrigued to read about your Swiss background as I spent a year there as an exchange student (in the French-speaking part) and loved my time there. Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog, although I like to say I run, I am a jogger too but you should feel proud of yourself to have attempted a half-marathon. Having just discovered how hard it is to run under a third of that distance myself, that is an incredible achievement in itself with all the training and commitment that is required.

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    1. You must be fluent in French! It is good to share some history isn't it? I lived right on the border to the French speaking Switzerland. Cx

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  11. Loved this. I have an About Me page but somehow the tone of a post like this is much friendlier I think and really introduces you to a person. And a fair bit of this is true for me. Pleased to meet you Christine :)

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    1. Very pleased to meet you, too, Annie. I have a daughter called Annie, such a lovely name. Cx

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  12. Loved this and your photo. You are certainly not middle-aged if you were born in the 1970s! I've only just started to accept that I'm middle aged now and I was born in 1959. What a lovely idea for a post. So many of the blogs I read are a bit vague about personal information - I love your directness. Found via this Year in Books linky - it's been a good way to find other interesting blogs.

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    1. I have hereby revised my definition of middle aged Dorothy, thank you. Directness is both my strength and my weakness, depending on the situation.... Cx

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  13. lovely post and so nice to learn more about you. I'm a nit nosey too if I'm being really honest and unfortunately always want to know a bit more - my other half accuses me of always having another question. Thank you for visiting my blog - so nice to meet you x

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    1. oh dear it should read " a bit nosey" not "a nit nosey" which sounds like a dreadful affliction. I shouldn't be typing so late at night! x

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    2. :) It is good to always have another question! I think it is the way we learn. Good to meet you, too. Cx

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  14. Thanks for stopping by my Blog, I would love it if you joined in on the scavenger hunt just add you post of the photos you have taken to the scavenger hunt page and join in on the fun. Your post was a great read and a good way of getting to know you. Greenthumb

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    1. Thank you! I am going to start walking around with my camera at the ready. I am glad you liked my post.

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  15. This is a fabulous post. I love to find out about other people too. And you look lovely in your photo!

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    1. Thank you Gina! I have been inundated with compliments, which was not intentional but nice all the same.

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  16. What a lovely post, I have really enjoyed learning a little more about you. I listen to lots of Radio 4 as well, it's amazing what you can learn while cooking the tea. I'm very impressed with your cv, and I do hope you find something that you want to do soon. And I know exactly what you mean about those fussy eaters! CJ xx

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  17. Love it!!! Makes me realise the importance of an "About Me" Page as it's so nice to find out more about you and to see your gorgeous self too! I think all of us bloggers are a bit nosy, I know I am :-) Mel x

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  18. Ditto Mel! I definitely need to update my 'about page'...and I'm nosy too!
    Christina, thanks for popping over today, I love meeting new visitors and reading up on their lives too, it makes the distances smaller.
    I related to a lot of your sentiments above...well all except the Star Trek bit. Eek....
    I paint, so I've ever you want an Australian piece to add to your collection pop on over.
    Liv x

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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