I indulged a lifelong interest by learning burlesque dance a few years ago.  Not sure if it was the glamour or the tease but I loved the workshops with delicious burlesque dancer Belle Besame and now occasionally go to burlesque evenings or workshops.  Recently taught 2 burlesque and danced in a cabaret show in Berwick on Tweed.  Its been fun putting some burlesque sizzle in my own dance workshops.

Manage to fit in Pilate workshops with Cath Hopkinson during the summer which are really enjoyable, great for postural training and relaxation and has increased my knowledge of how our bodies work which I will put to good use when I delivered the Anatomy segment of the JWAAD Teacher Training Foundation course.

Reading is a constant in my life and I enjoy books exploring different cultures and womens’ experiences in particular.  Having said that I would read anything if stuck on a train with a 3 hour journey in front of me.

Haven’t done much of it this year but gardening has also been a lifelong delight, I used to follow my Dad around our large garden and cover up the seeds when I was only just big enough to walk and have always enjoyed ‘getting down and dirty’ with the earth.  Tony and I grow a few vegetables in our back garden, I tend zillions of patio pots and an unruly front garden full of perennials flowering plants.  I do like to grow flowers for cutting and love cottage garden plants, old roses and anything which will grow in a pot.  My shed is my pride and joy, inherited from my Dad, and like all shed mad people I have personalised mine with a hand painted interior and filled it with a variety of personal treasures.

Another long hobby has been collecting perfume bottles and I now have a large collection of mainly glass perfume containers, I love going to charity shops and antique fairs to discover new finds but don’t often find the time so most of my recent purchases have been from trips aboard, Prague and Egypt, although getting delicate glass home in an already bulging suitcase can be challenging.  Lovely husband Tony even gave me a gorgeous red 'burlesque' perfume bottle for our wedding anniversary last year.

I also like arty stuff, although again don’t often get the time, but give me a glue gun and some fabrics and I will rustle up a fascinator or a pair of fancy meleya shoes in a jiffy.