I’ve won an award…
…..from Shannon at Giraffe Days who reads SO many books and writes great reviews. I love checking out her blog – especially when she goes on a book-buying binge as I love drooling over all her purchases (and I thought I had a problem 
)
The rule is that I have to share 7 things about myself that you might not know. So here goes:
1) I once got deported from Cyprus and banned from going back for 4 years!
Oh yeah! Back in 1994 when I’d left Israel (where I’d worked as an Au Pair) I got on a ferry and ended up in Cyprus (the plan was to go on to Greece but myself and a friend got so drunk on the ferry that we got off in Cyprus as our hangovers were not compatible with the swaying of the boat). We hitched a lift to Ayia Napa where I worked in a rock & indie bar for 3 months until the bar was raided by the police one night for employing 5 British workers. I was arrested and deported. I went back to Israel for another month before getting to the same ferry back to Greece – but when it stopped in Cyprus I couldn’t resist seeing if I could get away with stepping off on to Cypriot soil without anyone noticing. They didn’t and I spent a lovely day pottering round Limasol flipping imaginary birds at everyone.
2) I used to work as a table-dancer in Faliraki, Rhodes.
It gets better, doesn’t it? The hilarity was that I used to wear Doctor Martens (when everyone else had kitten heals and strappy sandals on) and most of my other attire was either ripped or tie-die. Oh, I also had a ring and a silver spider in my nose (I was 22 – it’s allowed!). Once I had finally managed to get into Greek waters this time, I stopped on the island of Rhodes to meet up with some friends I’d met in Jerusalem but I had about £3 left in the world so I needed a job and quick. I sat in a bar until the owner finally gave in and told me that my job was to mingle with the holiday-makers and get them to spend loads of money at the bar and whenever he blew a whistle I had to get up on a table and dance. Whenever I think back I laugh out loud thinking of what I must have looked like – I was so untypically touristy that I must have stood out like a sore thumb!
3) I have visited a total of 25 countries
I am as passionate about travel and culture as I am about books. I love going to different places and expolring (I also love lazy beach holidays where I can do nothing but lie horizontal with my book too). I have been to the following places: France, USA, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Belgium, Holland, Czech Republic, Spain, Monoco, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Some of the above I have been to on many occasions as I love it there so much (France 8 times, USA 7 times, Greece and Turkey 3 times each etc).
4) I used to play the piano
I played the piano from the age of about six or seven through to age 18. I wasn’t bad at it, actually, and used to play it while the kids walked into assembley at school and then play them out again. I gave up after my A Levels before going off to Uni and have never played a note since. Actually, that’s not true – I tried having a go on a hotel piano when nobody was looking once and I couldn’t even make my fingers go in the right place. I can’t remember a thing about how to play – it’s a shame really.
5) I once owned 8 cats in a one-bedroom flat
When I was single I had my own flat in High Wycombe and it was just me and my old rescued cat, Izzy. Then I met Mr Whisperer and he moved in and we bought Phoebe as “our” cat. A year later we got Madison because she was so fluffy and cute and we couldn’t resist her and before we managed to get her spayed she got in the family way and the next thing we know 5 kittens have been born and we had 8 cats in a one-bedroom flat. We only have two these days (Phoebe who’s now 12 and Princess Saffy who is one of Madison’s kittens who is now 9 years old).
6) I am the daughter of two Teachers
Actually I am the daugher of two retired Teachers now. My Mum taught both primary school and also worked in a 17th century house where kids go on school trips and dress up for the day and actually live for a day as they would have back in the 1600′s. My Mum was the Lady of the house and used to supervise activities such as spinning, lace-making, butter-making, roasting meats on the spit and telling stories to the children.
My Dad worked in a secondary school in the middle of a council estate and taught PE. He was pretty strict and earned himself the nickname of “Bomber”!
7) I believe in ghosts
OK, not the white sheet types with holes for eyes, but I do believe in the after-life. I believe that we all come back many times to learn lessons and move on and that we have soul-mates that we reincarnate with (in different relationships each time).
8. I once cleaned an airport for the arrival of Bill Clinton
When I was living in Israel I was down to Eilat (the southern tip of Israel) for a couple of months and worked as a cleaner of hotels. This compirsed of sitting on a wall every morning from about 6am with about 20 other travellers waiting for the owners to turn up and pick us for jobs that day. Once I was picked to clean Eilat Airport for the arrival of Bill Clinton on 26th October 1994 when he was coming over for the signing of the peace treaty with Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan. There were 3 of us and the airport was shut for a few days while we scrubbed and laid down the red carpet. Clinton also stayed in a hotel over-looking the marina where I was living on someones yacht but alas I never actually got to see him.
I hope you liked your little insight into the world of The Book Whisperer. I don’t normally like revealing too much about myself so you should be able to dine out on this little lot for quite a while.
And you thought I was just a book-nerd!
Just one of those things would have made my day, Boof! My goodness, you have done some …. things in your life! And these days, just a quiet life with Mr Whisperer? Or is there more to tell?
Great 8 things we didn’t now about you!
Ha ha, yes just the quiet life these days Judith. I’m really boring now – I literally stay in every evening with Mr Whisperer and my cats and read – that’s it! I get exhausted just thinking about my travelling days now
Oh, I just realised that there is a bonus “thing” in there too – I was only meant to do seven!
What a pity you’ve settled down to quiet life, Boof! I checked you out and saw that you’re from Yorkshire. I lived in York for 6 years and my sons were born there. Before the kids Mr Wammes and I used to go on lovely drives through the Yorkshire country side. In ‘t car or on ‘t bike!
No way! York is about 40 minutes from me – it’s one of my favourite places in the whole world. Glad to see you picked up ‘t lingo when you were here
AHHHH>>>> thats great stuff!
Hee hee
This was one of the coolest bios I’ve read!!!! I definitely know you’re the one to call if I need to get out of a jam — I have a funny feeling that you more than likely would know how to get me out of it!!
I used to play the piano, too and I can now only play Fur Elise — I have this secret dream that I’m going to get a piano one day and pick it back up again!
Ha ha, Natalie, once-upon-a-time I probably would have known how to get you out of it but unfortunatley these days I’m a little more sedate in my approach to life (read: boring).
I used to love playing Fur Elise too!
I feel like you’d make an interesting character in a book!
Thanks for sharing….
Someone has said that to me before, Laurel-Rain. Maybe I could be like Jim Carrey in The Trueman Show and star in my own book!
OK, next time someone gives me an award I am going to write my list of 7 random things in the style of Boof-sadly, I won’t actually have done any of the things on my list, unlike you, but it makes for lovely reading!
I’m sure you could have just as much fun making it up though Heather
Wow, you have definitely lived haven’t you? What great stories in all of those answers. I am new to your blog… what a great introduction!
Thanks Wallace and thanks for stopping by my blog too
Those were some quite unexpected facts! I was never as outgoing as all that, I’m afraid my facts would be a lot more boring
Well, Boof, I knew you were an interesting and fun character when I met you but you really do have a very cool history! Also, you look a lot younger than I presume you are (in 1994 I was 13yo and yet you were working in Israel – before or after uni?!)
Erm *clears throat* that would make me exactly 10 years older than you then, Claire!
Ah, a likewise milestone birthday next year, then?
Wow, I’m really shocked – you certainly don’t look it and you can most definitely take that as a compliment!
Yep, the big 4-0 next year! We’ll have to make sure we have a little milestone celebration at one of the blogger meet-up’s in 2011
What a life! I loved reading this (you realise you can’t count though right?
) I can’t decide which was more fascinating to read about!
(I have a MAMMOTH book hoard coming up – it’s a doozy!)
Yes I realised after I posted it and then thought I’d leave it in as a Brucey bonus!
Can’t wait to see your latest book hoard – I’ve got one coming up too!
Fascinating, Boof! More than ever, I want to meet you some day! : ) Let me know if you’re ever in the Toronto area.
Absolutely, Gabriele!
Tabledancing in Doc Martens!! Hat off to that and thanks for a great laugh! Also thanks for all the reviews!
I knowk, it’s quite an image isn’t it?
Oh my good god. You are officially the most interesting person I know. I laughed out loud at number one, but even more at number 2. I’m so jealous of all your travelling! How on earth did you end up skipping Malta, considering you were so close?
Man, you’ve had such a cool life!
Gabriele: Indeed! I’ll come too, seeing as I’m only a couple of hours away!
Oh, I have been to Malta (and Gozo) but missed it off my list (doh!).
Wow – your life is pretty exciting, isn’t it?
Thanks for sharing these facts – they were fascinating! I really enjoy you all that travelling. Hopefully someday I’ll be able to do the same 
My life “was” pretty exciting, Nymeth – not so much these days: I prefer to sit on the sofa with a book and that’s about it
I read this on my lunchbreak earlier and had to try very hard not to laugh loudly at my desk! I love the table dancing in DM’s. Brilliant. Not bad for a 8 cat in a flat person. You mad-bad lady!
I did look a treat in those DM’s, Polly
You are SO cool! And I don’t think you are afraid of anything. Shame about the piano, though. I used to play and now I can’t even do the scales at the same speed. My left hand is so much slower than the right. Scary.
LOL, I’m not sure I would describe myself as cool – but I kinda like it
I did used to think I was bullet-proof in my youth, but these days I am a massive wimp!
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