11 random facts about me - blog tag.

Thanks to the lovely Ms. Madge of Chinwags and Tittle-Tattles for the tag.  It's my first ever blog tag!  Apologies for the delay in posting - yet again I've had a crazy week at work.

Anyway without further ado...  Here are 11 random facts about me.

1. When I was a teenager I used to win prizes for cattle judging at agriculture shows.  I grew up on a dairy farm and my dad was keen that my brothers and I knew as much about farm life as much as possible.
2. As a kid I was a huge Abba fan.  Huge.  Yet years later when I had the chance to meet them at the first night party for Mama Mia in the West End, I chickened out.  To this day, I'm still not sure why.  I think it's because I'd built them up so much in my mind that the human reality could only disappoint.  
3. I got the bug for theatre at the age of 11.   My first show was a school play of Brigadoon.  Thirty seven years later I'm still in the business.
4. My favourite thing to do (besides sleeping) is travel.  I'm lucky enough to be able to travel for work so I've been fortunate to see a lot more of the world than I'd be able to afford under normal circumstances.  My favourite places, so far, have been Berlin, Lisbon and Oman.  I'm dying to go to the US.
5. I read Valley of the Dolls, (yup, the one about drug taking, sexual exploitation and suicide) by Jacqueline Susann at the age of 12. My mother and grandmother were horrified when they found out. I was a precocious child.
6. The smell of KP Dry Roasted Peanuts makes me gag.
7. I could eat Lindt's Chilli Chocolate all day.
8. The first perfume I bought was Chanel no. 19.  I had to save for ages to afford it.  I used it so sparingly that it went off.  Even now the merest whiff of it takes me back to those heady days when I was first starting out in the world.
9. My great, great, great, great, great grandfather was expelled from the Royal Scottish Academy of Art for 'bringing the academy into dispute', (taking a day job).  He went on to become a renowned artist.
10. I really don't like ice-skating.  I like the idea of it but the reality of wobbling around on a pair of blades is frankly terrifying.
11. I love heavy metal and hard rock.  For some reason, people always find this surprising.

I tag Sharron of Style at every Age, Rosemary from NYC, Style and a little Cannoli and Disney Roller Girl