Monday 21 April 2008

A Few Of My Favourite Things!!

I hope you don't mind if I ask you a personal question. Are your speakers turned on? This post appeals to more than one of your senses!

I don't remember having favourites of anything, when I was younger. I didn't care which seat I occupied at home, which mug I drank out of, or which spoon I used for dessert. I wore all of my clothes, in turn. I had a choice of jewellery and would wear it all, in rotation. I changed my hairstyle, constantly. One day, I had my hair cut twice. I visited my hairdresser during my lunch break at work and then I went to another salon, after work, because I didn't like the first style! I've never watched a film twice. I think I must be the only woman, in my age group, who saw The Sound of Music just once, when it was first released at the cinema. It was one time too many as far as I was concerned.

Now, I have favourites of everything. I have a favourite comfy seat, in the living room. It's the one my mother-in-law pinches, whenever she visits! If I drink tea out of one of my favourite flowery mugs, it tastes divine, but tea out of one of my husband's favourite wildlife mugs, for example, tastes disgusting. My after-lunch yoghurt takes on a totally different flavour, if I eat it with anything other than my favourite old teaspoon, with the wooden handle.

I feel that I'm wearing someone else's clothes, when my 3 favourite pairs of Per Una dark blue denim jeans are delayed in the wash, and I am forced to wear my Armani pale denims, or worse still, my Dolce and Gabbana black bell-bottom trousers. Every day, I pass over my Tiffany and Cartier earrings, so that I can wear my favourites, which I bought several years ago from my favourite jeweller, Elizabeth Duke. Anyone from the middle or upper classes, who has stumbled upon my site, in error, will need to click here to discover the whereabouts of my favourite jeweller. Did you have to click? Oooh! Get you!

I have finally succeeded in growing my hair back into my favourite style, after the rash decision I made, to have it cut into a 60s style bob, when I bought tickets for a Bootleg Beatles concert, several months ago. Some weeks after the occasion, when my mobile hairdresser next visited, I tried to defend my decision. I explained that I'd wanted to recapture the 60s look, for my special evening out. I'd bought the 60s style 'mod' suit, the long boots and the ecru tights. I was momentarily distracted from my explanation, as my hairdresser stood, in front of me, scissors poised, lips pursed. 'And why didn't you buy the wig?' said her somewhat menacing, but wordless expression.

The film Gosford Park pandered to my obsession for murder and mystery and it was set in my favourite period. It is the only film I have ever seen 4 times over. I am so dangerously close to understanding it, now, that I recently treated myself to my own copy, from my local supermarket, for the princely sum of £4.99. I have no doubt that I will consider it worth every penny, when my moment of enlightenment finally occurs.

Anyway, enough about me! What do you mean, you've never come across that remark before, on my site? There's a first time for everything, isn't there?

How about you? Do you have a favourite chair, or a favourite utensil? Do you favour raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, or bright copper kettles and warm, woollen mittens? Do you have a favourite dress? Is it white with a blue satin sash? Do you have a favourite snowflake that stays on your nose, and your eyelashes? I'm interested! Let me know!

PS I know that I really should apologise for my choice of music, but I'm not going to. You should know me, by now. Enjoy!! You can always click on the far right button. The next track might be better...... or worse, of course!

35 comments:

the mother of this lot said...

You know perfectly well that YOU weren't allowed just to say hello. And I for one didn't have to click to find out where Elizabeth Duke was. I have spent many fraught pre-Christmas hours in her queue, thank you.

Favourite things - it is not wise to become emotionally attached to objects in this house. They usually get broken within a couple of days and it's not worth the upset.

Mean Mom said...

the mother - Sorry! I'm just a little rebel, you know!

I could tell that you would know where Elizabeth Duke was, but I had a bit of suspicion that not everyone would.:0)

Am I still your friend? Oh, was I ever?

Dusty Spider said...

Who's Elizabeth Duke? :-) I don't have a favourite anything really but then I'm careful what I buy in the way of crockery and cutlery so that I always use nice things. Well, I think they're nice! You could have turned this into a tag -missed your chance there! Flick xx

the mother of this lot said...

Yes you're still my friend. Just.

Mean Mom said...

dusty spider - You don't have favourite things?? Is it just me, then?? Oh no! Maybe I have borderline OCD??

Mean Mom said...

the mother - Oooh! Goody!

Suburbia said...

This made me laugh because I didn't turn my speaker on until the end!
When I was little I knew all the words to the whole Sound of Music album which my mum must have played to me constantly. What a sad childhood I must have had! It must have been one of my favourite things once I guess.

Mean Mom said...

suburbia - I still know all of the words to 'My Favourite Things', as you've probably guessed. I just can't resist singing along with Julie. Who knows why? It's corny but compulsive!

aims said...

I have a favorite necklace. It is one of those silver balls with the little chimes inside. I love wearing it because whenever I am anxious I just give it a shake and I instantly feel better...that's it - that's all I've got..oh wait...Gone With The Wind...what can I say?

Mean Mom said...

aims - I like the sound of your favourite necklace! Gone With The Wind? What a long film that was!


maggie may - I do apologise for deleting both of your comments!!! Yes, they were both there, so I tried to delete the first and publish the second, but deleted both! Oh, dear. Full marks for determination, anyway. Sorry, my finger twitched, before my brain was in gear.

Swearing Mother said...

My favourite things? My own special mug, from Egypt, all green and gold and pharoah-esque. Nobody drinks out of that mug except me, if they know what's good for them.

My pen, bought for me by my kids for my 50th birthday, cost a fortune but worth more than it's weight in gold to me.

The little silver cross from my husband, close to my heart always.

Mean Mom said...

swearing mother - Aaah! I had a favourite pen. It was gold and black and I lost it through a hole in my handbag. I have a plain one, now, but that also is my favourite, and is always in my handbag.

Grit said...

my soup ladle. i'm going to the death with it. when they take me off in the ambulance i will keep the last power in me to grab it off the kitchen hook.

i can offer no explanation for this. perhaps it is an expression of motherhood cooking.

Maggie May said...

Well At least you got the two! First time I blinked & the post disappeared! So I wrote another, posted that & realized you would have two!
Never mind! Three for the price of one! That's something you don't often see!
I was saying that I cringe to think of the time I have seen"The Sound of Music" 6 times! (Much younger)
I have a favourite chair, but others often beat me to it!

softinthehead said...

My favourite thing at this moment in time is catching up on all the posts I missed from everyone while I was away and it is taking up a tremendous amount of time when I should be doing something else - no change there then :) Loved knowing more about you - I will get to that tag soon.

Mean Mom said...

grit - Now, you've struck a chord, there. When my children were young, I also made soup and even invested in a blender. Minestrone, bortsch and curried parsnip...mmmmm! Curried parsnip may sound weird, but it was delicious - honest! I still have my ladle, too. Wise choice!


maggie may - Thanks for re-visiting. 6 times was fairly insignificent, as far as I remember, when the film was first released! It was a sensaion, wasn't it? Things like that just don't happen anymore. We are spoilt, nowadays, I think. Too much out there and too much choice!
My lads know that I have a favourite chair, and try to beat me to it! Student son also knows about my favourite teaspoon and, again tries to get it first! Such bad boys!!! They love to wind me up!

Mean Mom said...

softinthehead - Glad you're back. I'm coming over to see whether you've posted. I want to know how you got on. I find, since blogging, that I have 3 magazines, which I haven't even opened, and an unread novel. I also watch less tv. Unfortunately, I also have even less sleep than before! No need to worry about the tag. That can wait, but I will be over to read it of course, if you get round to it.

Irene said...

I understand some of your likes and dislikes, although I have a little bit of a broader range than you do, I think. But I do get stuck on things to make my life as comfortable and predictable as possible.I have three pairs of jeans that I always wear, two blue and one black, that's all I need. I always have the same coffee mug and I always eat my yogurt from the same tall glass. I only like black panties and black shoes and boots.
I like things done in a certain order and I like to do them myself so they will be done right.

Mean Mom said...

bitter sweet metaphor irene - I didn't list all of my favourite things, to be honest. My blogging space probably isn't big enough for that! I also like black shoes and boots, but mainly because you can wear them with most things.

Maggie May said...

There's an award waiting for you over at my place!

Mean Mom said...

maggie may - Thanks, maggie, coming over!

merry weather said...

How on earth did you get this music playing on your blog? Brilliant MM!

Yes, I've got favourite things - hmm, I'll listen to your music and think for a bit :)

OK, I'm with you on the Per Una jeans - comfortable and flattering. I get very attached to useful things, like my car, this computer etc. But perhaps my most favourite thing is a ring my mum gave me that she'd had made by a friend years ago. I'd be lost without it, it's a little piece of her.

Great post!

Mean Mom said...

merry weather - My player came from myflashfetish.com. Blogger help suggested a few sites. Some players were too big for my sidebar. Some sites I was too dim to understand, to be honest! Go on! Why not get your own? Tip: Test your music file on the site, first, to make sure it plays! Not all of them work!

That was a lovely, touching remark about your mum's ring!

Maggie May said...

I have had a few of the people who I gave the badge to who said that they were not sure what it meant. So I thought I would just say, in case you are not sure either that the <3 signs Minus + 3 is a heart lying on it's side. It means I love your blog! But you may have worked it out beforehand!

Mean Mom said...

maggie may - I didn't know what it meant, so I googled it! I love your blog, too!

Jules said...

One word

*C*H*O*C*O*L*A*T*E*

Um....... that was more than one word..... ah well.

Jules said...

Oh, I forgot....... there is something special waiting for you. I was inspired by your lovely party and I held one of my own. So please come and visit, won't you?

Mean Mom said...

Jules - I was so excited by your comments, yesterday, that I forgot to reply on my site. Aaah! Chocolate is great! I have to be careful about it, nowadays, becausse of my teeth. Sob!

I had a great time at your barbecue. Everything was great! Thanks, once again, for the awards!

Mo said...

The first day I clicked on your blog, I left it open the whole night so I could keep enjoying the music. You have incredibly good taste!

As for favourites, I never did the whole favourites thing too as a child but I find myself slowly shifting into it now too. Familiar things are just so comforting.

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Ah, Favourite Things, well The Beatles, Good Chocolate, Sea Horses (not to eat!), My Children, My Grandson, The Sea, Dinner with Friends, A glass of wine at 6 o'clock (p.m!), a good book at bedtime, music, music, music.. It's a long list and I could go on. M :-)

Mean Mom said...

a mother's place - We both like the Beatles and sea horses then! Now it sounds as if I don't like everything else you've mentioned, so I really ought to add that I also like everything else you have mentioned, but I'm not so keen on wine and haven't had the grandson experience, yet!


mo ma - Why not get yourself a player? I got mine from myflashfetish.com, because it's a small one that fits into my sidebar. You would need a bit of patience with the music files, on that particular site, because not all of the links work, but blogger help list other sites you could try.

You are right, of course, about favourite things, they are very comforting. I wonder whether they are the comfort blankets for the middle-aged??

MissKris said...

Hello...I'm new to your site, visiting from Suburbia's site which is also new to me! I have tons of favorite things, too many to list here, even more the older I get, but I did want to comment on your lack of love for the "Sound of Music". Same here!!! I think I've only seen the entire movie once, at the theater...maybe bits and pieces thru the years as my daughter's watched it on TV. Blech! I'm a midlife mom/grandma myself and love to find women going thru menopause on here, too. I WAS going thru years of premenopause 'til I finally ended up having a full hysterectomy a few weeks ago and went into instant full menopause, ha! I'm sure I'll be back again to visit...please stop by and say hello if you get a chance!

Mean Mom said...

misskris - It's just great to have new people visiting my site. My blog is taking over my life. Oh, who cares? I'm not bothered! Full menopause after a hysterectomy? I didn't realise that happened. I'm not very well informed, but I realise that it's logical, now I think about it. Oh, my commiseratons. I just want to know how long we have to suffer? How long is a piece of string?

I'm working my way around new sites. I will certainly be calling in on you and thanks for visiting me!

Debra in France said...

I'm with you on the Sound of Music - biggest pile of shite ever.

I love cheese, roast potatoes, soft, comfy clothes (probably because I eat too much cheese and roast potatoes), my cats and baby geese, films: The Quiet Man, the Ghost and Mrs Muir and the Lord of the rings Trilogy. Heaven would be cats on my lap, watching above films with a dish of hot crispy potatoes with sour cream and cheese dip! Any wonder I am the size of a house!

Mean Mom said...

debra in france - Oooh! Sounds good? What was your virtual address, again? You wouldn't mind sharing would you?