The Interview

Mary the Teach over at Work of the Poet is interviewing some of her regular visitors who have volunteered to answer questions. Do take the opportunity to read the interviews as she knows some truly fascinating people. That makes it a true honor that she wanted to interview me when I said I was willing. The questions change for each person so here are mine.

1.If I were to ask your best friend to describe you, what would he/she say?

First is always, "When I need to know something, anything, you are the first person I call." This is something in the way of being the bane of my existence. I'm always flattered combined with being mildly peeved. Somewhere along the line, I got a reputation for being a walking encyclopedia and every body's "I'd like to phone a friend", and almost all phone calls start with, "Do you know .... ". Hey folks, call me every once in awhile just to say "Hi" .. then ask the question.

Second, that I will go anywhere at the drop of a phone call to help a friend if needed. This may explain why there are so few people that I truly think of as "friend", and finally that I am always, always early everywhere. If you don't want to get caught in your slip and prefer to have me arrive "fashionably late", give me a start time one hour after everyone else.

2. Do you get to spend a lot of time with family? Who in particular?

I have lived with my son and grandson for the past five years, so I see them every day. Other than that I speak to my daughter once a week and see her once a year and we have lived together in the past. That is about it for the relatives. My mother passed away when I was 17 and my dad in 1981. All of the aunts are now gone and the cousins are more Christmas Card companions than anything else.

3. What would you serve at a casual get-together of friends at you home?

If they were invited for dinner, then it would be lasagna, a nice green salad, good crusty bread, and a hearty red wine. I truly like to just cook in advance and then just sit down, pass around, and have fun.

4. What have you read lately? What are you reading now?

For years I have promised myself that I would FINALLY read Anthony Powell's, "A Dance To the Music of Time". I just finished Spring and now I'm on to Summer with Autumn and Winter yet to go. All of these will get interspersed with other books and right now I'm lusting after Peter Matthiessen's "Shadow Country", winner of the 2008 National Book Award for fiction.

5. Have you ever had, or do you have now, a role model?

This is going to sound a little strange, but yes and Louisa May Alcott created her or was her. I'll expand a little on this at a later date for a planned blog article, but due to circumstances I was raised in almost total silence. Except for music and my books, I could go for days without speaking a word to another human being. As a result the characters in books became family and Jo from "Little Women", "Little Men" and "Jo's Boys" and a blend of Rose and Phoebe from "Eight Cousins" and "Rose In Bloom" were where I went for guidance and companionship. If I some time's come across as a blend of Victorian sensibilities and rather wild adventurousness willing to try anything, blame it on them.