Answers for SkippyMom

Dear Blog, well today Skippy Mom has set me the challenge of answering four questions posed by her.  The answer to the first question was so long,that I will just answer Question 1 today, and will answer the remaining three tomorrow.

Question l: You are having a dinner party for 10 people - who would you have? Living or Dead.

The ten people I have picked are in no particular order!

1.  Meryl Streep.  Meryl is another "woman of a certain age" that has done amazingly well in her movie career.  In fact, many movie reviewers consider her to be the greatest living film actress.  She has been nominated for no less than 16 academy awards.  I have seen her in so many films (Out of Africa, The Hours, Sophie's Choice, Mama Mia, The Devil Wears Prada and, most recently, Julia & Julia).  I have seen her interviewed many times, and she seems like a real fun person.  I think she would make a very entertaining dinner companion, and I am sure that she could regale us with many stories about her leading men!

2.  Mother Theresa. An humanitarian who devoted her life to helping the sick, poor and orphaned in India.  On receiving the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, she was asked the question "what can we do to promote world peace?"  Her response was, "go home and love your family."  Her quotes are far too numerous to mention, but here are just a couple : "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love; a gift to that person, a beautiful thing."  "Spread love everywhere you go.  Let no-one ever come to you without leaving happier."

3.  Princess Diana.  I loved Diana, and think it was so tragic that she died so young.  I loved her for her luminous beauty, for her compassion and for her unfailing gift of being able to interact with the ordinary people.  She was like a dazzling star in the Royal Family, and I feel that they hung her out to dry.  She was only a young 19 when she married into that family, and they gave her no support whatsoever.  Yes, she had her faults, like the rest of us, but I would still love to meet her and have her at my dinner party.

 

4.  Admiral Horatio Nelson. Nelson is one of England's greatest heroes. His name has been known and revered by English people down through the centuries.  During his naval career, he was involved in battle after battle, culminating with his death at The Battle of Trafalgar, aged just 47.  I am fascinated by his life.  He was a brilliant tactician and was always able to confound his enemies by his audacious tactics in battle.  I am also interested in the love affair between Nelson and Emma, Lady Hamilton.  Shortly before the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson sent his famous signal to the Fleet - "England expects that every man will do his duty."  Admiral Horatio Nelson - a very brave man.

5.  Neil Diamond. Neil has been singing for over 50 years and, certainly, I have been playing his music for over 40 years.  I just love his singing - the tunes and the stories that his songs tell.  He would provide the entertainment at the dinner party, and think of all the famous entertainers that he has met, and would be able to tell us stories about!

6 & 7.  Mum & Dad.   Would it be cheating if I said that I would love my mum and dad to be at my dinner party?  It would be so good to see them again, if only for a few hours, so that I could also hear their voices.  I can remember them vividly, but their voices are harder to recall.  With all the new technology that has evolved since they have been done, I would make sure that I would keep a record of their voices.  Also, I would love them to see my grandchildren.

Gosh, I've got three more to go.  This isn't easy, you know!

8.  Pearce Brosnan.   It wouldn't matter what he said - I could just sit and look at him all evening!

9.  Richard Burton.  Whilst I was looking at Pearce Brosnan, I could be listening to the marvellous Welsh voice of Richard Burton.  I would ask him to read to me Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood", and then I would ask him about the crazy years  spent with Elizabeth Taylor, the yachts, the diamonds, the suites at The Dorchester here in London and, although he was married to Sally Burton when he died, was he still really in love with Elizabeth.  I would like to think so!

10.  Queen Elizabeth the First of England.  Daughter of Henry VIII, who once said "I may not be a lion, but I am a lion's cub, and I have a lion's heart."  The reign of Queen Elizabeth 1 is often referred to as The Golden Age of English history.  Elizabeth was an immensely popular queen, and her popularity has waned little with the passing of four hundred years.  She was one of the most admired Rulers of all time.  She became a legend in her own lifetime, famed for her remarkable abilities and achievements.  I would like to ask her about Elizabeth the woman, her fears and desires during her reign.  Was she really the Virgin Queen, as was claimed?  Her most famous quote was "I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King."