I am fanatical about saving money.
During my early married life, money was short. My husband’s wages barely covered what we needed to live on. So I had to be careful.Being careful became a way of life. Even now I save where i can. Water, I have twelve rain barrels for watering home grown veggies. Saving electricity comes easy now. Being married to an electrician he taught me not to waste. Use what we need, turn off lights. Oven off before time up
Sun, Sea and Sex
Loving gadgets.
I love gadgets, Time, labour saving, use less electricity type of gadgets. I have most of them and they are used daily. They save money as well.
I always plan ahead
What ever the occasion I plan ahead. Holiday's, family outings, dinner parties, visitors. I am a list writer. Meals were planned ahead, I tried not to repeat a recipe in a month or two. This came from living with my grandmother, before marriage. I could tell what day it was by what we were having for supper. It never varied. Sunday always roast lamb, so Monday cold lamb, cold potatoes - left-overs and over cooked greens. No I was determined my family would eat better.
I love cooking.
I planned dinner parties, invited friends. I became famous for my desserts. At one dinner party, a friend asked me to plan one for her. She joked and said she would love a Roman Orgy. So themed dinner parties were invented. She got her Roman orgy. A million miles of butter muslin was bought and dyed. This transformed a room easily. A Turkish evening? No problem, planning and more butter muslin, dyed exotic colours. A tent in the desert, with belly dancers, no problem. More butter muslin, large cushions hired. Sand on the floor optional.
Crosswords
I have a love of crosswords and for years did the same one every month, from a woman’s magazine. I prefer cryptic ones to just plain words, anything that makes me think, I enjoy.
Siamese cats, showing and cat clubs, in that order.
I have a love of Siamese cats, all our married life we have been owned by one. Before marriage, I saw an article. A kitten was as much as a small car, unaffordable. Five years later, my husband planned an outing, to a London cat show. Over lunch my husband had a surprise. He said he had been saving to buy me a Siamese kitten. A breeder was at the show, she had kittens for sale. We bought our first Siamese kitten. Sinbad, a seal point. Sadly Sinbad, his proper name unpronounceable, was ill from the moment we got him home. He had a short life. Next Lynton Idas, bought from a recommended breeder another Seal Point Siamese, much loved, but he killed anything that moved. Every day we got dead or half dead mouse or bird on the door mat. Not a welcome sight before breakfast! He lived until age 15. Moonswift Loki came next, his breeder suggested we show him. He was a good type and would do well. Bitten by the show bug. We showed Loki, another seal point, he did well. His breeder said she had blue-point, Moonswift Machu Picchu. He also did well. He died aged 17 in 2004, much missed. The cat I am owned by now, is another seal point, Premier Amyday Inca Warrior. Inca for short.With Machu came the suggestion, from his breeder, that we join the Blue-pointed Siamese Cat Club. We did and joined as committee members. I am still on this committee after 21 years.
I like making money.
We all like making money. I do. My husband suggested we declutter in 2000 and give money raised to help cats. As a committee members of the BPSCC, we gave them money. As members of the Seal Pointed Siamese Cat Club we gave both clubs cat welfare money. I am a life member of both. I am still decluttering, selling on eBay and helping cats. Sadly my husband is no longer with me, but I do it in his memory.
I value friends.
Near and far, keeping in touch by email is a pleasure. Before the days of email, much written by pen on paper. I enjoy writing, not just my book, words written to friends I enjoy so much.
I love reading.
A variety of subjects can hold my interest.
Games and computer games.
I am obsessed by computer games. Anything to keep my grey matter alive, important at 73! My husband and I used to run a Youth Club and back then, Commodore 64 computers were “in” and as a club we had one. We also had one at home. I might not be able to beat our members, but I could join in and knew what they were taking about. We also had traditional games like backgammon and Scrabble. As leaders we were taught to give our members a wide table of opportunity to play and learn new games. Most had never heard of backgammon. Scrabble was played by old ladies, but they learned and enjoyed playing as well. Backgammon was also enjoyed when they knew how to play it. I remember much excitement at the backgammon table. As a family we played a variety of board games, caravan holidays saw new games being bought and played. These were shared at Youth Club. Much enjoyed as a family.
About the author: Retired and living in Great Horwood, Buckinghamshire Greta Horwood is the pen name for Patricia Rudkin. An active member of her community, Patricia has worked as the secretary for the Village Hall management committee, arranged village fetes and fundraising events and worked as the caretaker for Great Horwood Village School. Along with her late husband, she also used to run a youth club called Great Horwood Sports and Activities Club. And up until last January she was a weekly contributor to the Buckingham and Winslow Advertiser and Great Horwood Village News. Patricia is also membership secretary for Blue-Pointed Siamese Cat Club Committee and life member of the Seal Pointed Siamese Cat Club. Her other interests include Genealogy. Sun, Sex and Sex by Greta Horwood (published by AuthorHouse 3rd August 2017 RRP £9.99 paperback and RRP £3.99 ebook ) is available to purchase from online retailers including amazon.co.uk and to order from all good bookstores.