I live in Ireland but am not Irish.  Islands are in my destiny though, my mother was born on one, I have lived in St Thomas, USVI and I have, by default landed up on another one! The green isle of Ireland (yes, it is exceedingly green, in more ways than one).  I am married to a Euro-African of Irish decent (does that make sense?, have two wonderful Mutts B, the labrador and L the terrier cross (Pavement special). I have a wicked step daughter - but we won't go into that right now.

I am dyslexic, imaginative, very creative and practical (good with my hands) and have lived by my wits most of my life. I am spontaneous, and have a short attention span. I procrastinate a lot, probably due to the fact that I hate boring tasks like ironing and housework, so will find a way to drift off on some day dream and allow stuff to pile up.  The day dreaming has paid off however, as I am excellent at problem solving and am a brilliant lateral thinker.  My husband says that I never "listen". There must be some truth in that, otherwise he wouldn't say it, but a lot of not listening is tide up in some of the afore-mentioned short attention span or exuberance, if I like what has just been proposed I am off and at it before you have finished the sentence. If I don't, then we have problems, as I can really switch off and drift off to my other world.  

My other world is filled with fantasy and unrealistic (but fun) solutions to challenges faced by either myself or others on this planet. I have been writing a play, in my head, for the past three years, but have not found the "time" to put it down on paper. I enjoy telling stories and have been told that I am a good raconteur. 

My battle dress is confidence, I love people and talk a lot, but crack the confidence shell open and you will find a different creature living in there.  I avoid conflict at all costs and would rather bury the issue than deal with it up front. I like be be the optimist and try to be cheerful at all times, but the river runs deep and there is a dark presence living deep inside me, a horrible monster that surfaces at times then tries to drag me under. Those are the days when I am powerless and labotomised, incapable of performing the most basic of tasks.  Last year was a bad one, that is why I joined Tools for life, but things got so bad that I was incapable of evening participating in that.  Well, I have emerged - at the other end of the tunnel, stronger and wiser, but, like all humans, still vulnerable.  

I have an eating disorder that I am struggling to bring under control (binge eating).

I don't think I have had a "real" conversation in 10 years (the type you would have with your best friend), not since moving to Ireland.  Don't let the party reputation of the Irish fool you, they are in fact an extremely complex, insulated tribe who don't take easily to "blow-ins".  I come from a culture where everyone is welcome and included, regardless of race, colour or creed, where success is greeted with celebration.  The Irish have a different way of doing things and it is not really inclusive or fun and they really do resent success or talent.  

I am fortunate enough to work in a creative environment, so life is not all bad, but it is time to move on from this island and find another one, as we are stuck in a rut. My husband's employers don't appreciate him and treat him really badly, he is exceedingly talented and very, very good at what he does, but with the economy the way it is, he cannot afford to leave his job. Like elsewhere in the world, we are stuck with our house aka mortgage, as the housing market has collapsed.  But, I am determined to find a way out of this, and off this cold wet island. We are scanning the seven seas for a warmer climate and a hospitable, sociable friendly nation with whom to share our lives with.

My past is filled with broken homes (my father was married four times), incapable step-mothers and dead people.

Between my father and his harem of women, the lives of eight children, that I know of, (including myself) were impacted on in several ways, which has left us all with some form of debilitating scaring that will never heal.

My father died the year I finished school and his estate was never fully resolved (not surprisingly, his personal live was unnervingly complex), so there was no money for me to continue my education, instead I ended up going to work and supporting the plethora   of children he had spawned.

My first marriage ended when my husband, the CO of a parabat battalion suffering from post traumatic stress, shot himself after an argument with me. 

My checkered work history included the following jobs:

Waitress/Bar tender (more times than I wish to remember) 

Trainee fashion buyer x2

Senior fashion buyer (I made it!)

Commodities broker

Shipping (Import/Export trade)

Sales representative

International Banking

Editor Arts Publication

Crew member  on yacht  

Entrepeneur  - retail/art gallery/manufacture of crafts/candles/jewellery

Assistant Store Manager - retail (regressive) 

Personnel Counselor (recruitment)

Director of Community Arts Organization

Housewife

Artist

Photographer

Art Teacher

General Manager - Dance theatre 

General dogs body at the receiving end of a gaggle of a*holes who have suffered from massive egos and a variety of bad personality traits and poor work ethics, not to mention dire attacks of mysogeny.

I don't know about Jenny from the block, looking at this, I've been around the flipping block quite a few times!

Like Karen Blixen, I too had a farm in Africa, prior to moving to Ireland with my new husband (now 10 years old - the marriage that is), so I have a thousand "African" experiences under my belt too, which include dangerous situations, wild animals and crazy people. 

Involves a sunny climate, in a pretty place filled with friendly intelligent people.

There will be a published play and a book and a gallery filled with paintings and ceramic sculpture made my me. The work will actually SELL and not jut grace the walls.  

There will be a university degree. 

I will be a (arts) teacher and mentor, friend to people and animals in need.

Financial stress will not exist and we will live a fruitful, productive, healthy life. My husband will be happy. 

I will be size 12, min.