25 Random Things About Toni

1. I was born at home in May 1971, back then, my mum wore her hair long and her skirts short and my dad looked like he was one of the Dubliners.

2. My mum thought that as she was having a spring summer baby and would be able to put me in my pram in the garden but May 1971 turned out to be a rather wet month, so Toni had to stay indoors.

3. I have lived in Chester for all but 8 months of my life but was born 160 miles away in Luton.

4. I would like to travel more.

5. My first name is Toni, many people ask about this; I am not Antonia or Antoinette, my parents liked the name Toni and said that Antonia or Antoinette would just get shortened anyway, so they christened me Toni. It wasn't easy going through school with a 'boys name' but overtime I think I have kind of grown into it and now like it for its quirkiness which I think suits me just fine.

6. 'Family legend' says that I am related to John Shortland of the famous Australian naval Shortland family but there is no solid proof of this. For the most part I am descended from agricultural labourers and domestic servants.

7. I live in a small two up two down mid terraced house but aspire to grander things. I am very fortunate to have lovely neighbours, a mother and daughter live either side of me and I hope that if I ever move, I will be able to take them with me.

8. My mum taught me how to sew when I was small and I still enjoy needlework to this day - I find it a relaxing pastime and enjoy the sense of achievement when I have completed a piece of work.

9. I love music and during my 20's went to numerous concerts, both indoor and outdoor events, where possible, up at the stage next to the loud speakers. The older and less financially endowed me, misses live music.

10. I have never watched The Sound of Music.

11. The last concert I saw was George Michael - this was something I thought I would never get to see and was a dream come true. I have heard all the jokes about George Michael but couldn't care less what people say - I think it is an unconditional love and there is no cure for me.

12. I am a book worm and like nothing better than to curl up with a good book. Sometimes, I give my books away when I have finished reading them. Bookcrossing allows me to register books on the Bookcrossing website with a unique id number, then I 'release the book into the wild' for someone else to find and enjoy. If I am lucky, the person who finds the book will register that they have found it, read it, then pass it on to someone else. The unique id number means that everyone who finds the book is able to keep up with where the book travels.

13. I like to garden - this kind of took me by surprise when I first found myself with one but I enjoy planting things, nurturing them and watching them grow.

14. I believe I am perceived as a quiet, shy and unconfident person and whilst this is not un-true, I am also incredibly stubborn, determined, feisty, fiercely loyal to those I think deserve my loyalty and will forcefully stand up for what I believe, if I believe it is worth fighting for. It is an interesting combination of character traits to have rattling around in one body.

15. I probably care about my appearance too much - I think to some this may come across as being vain but I believe it stems from being unconfident and needing to feel good about myself, in order to face the world each day.

16. I need a lot of sleep and get very grumpy without it.

17. I left school at 16 years of age - when I told my English teacher that I was going out to work, she told me she thought I could do better for myself than that. It was as I recall, a short exchange of words but the words stayed with me, niggling way, until eventually I embarked on an Open University degree course, causing me to believe that you should never underestimate the impact of what you say to others.

18. In 2008 I completed my Bachelors degree having studied as a part time mature student for 6 years.

19. People take my breathe away, for both good and bad reasons.

20. I wish I could return to my youth knowing what I know now.

21. My greatest fear is loosing the use of my legs and not being able to take care of myself; I can be quite particular about the way I like things done and ensuring things are done properly and the thought of not being able to do so and having to rely on on others to do things for me scares me immensely.

22. I am not difficult, I just know what I like.

23. I wish I could walk in high heels, cope with late nights and let go more - somewhere inside there is a wild child waiting to get out but I think she lost her way.

24. I would like to make a difference, I hate the idea of living my life going through the motions and giving nothing back. I think too many people think it is not possible to change the world but I believe in the idea that from little acorns, large oak trees grow and that lots of tiny actions can make a big difference.

25. I am a work in progress.