Have I always been a tomboy?

If I answer my own question the answer is yes. Let me explain. I grew up with an older brother and did my best to keep up with him. That meant climbing trees, playing football, helping dad in the garage. I actually did not see any difference between girls and boys.

Looking back now I could see my mother was disappointed but at the time she never said anything. I never showed any interest in clothes and my mother chose all my clothes. I do remember having to wear a dress on certain occasions. We always went out for a family meal of my father's birthday and mother always bought me a new dress. She loved dressing me, putting my hair to a fussy style usually with a ribbon or bow. I did feel uncomfortable and did have a few tantrums as kids do but she always stayed firm. When she finished dressing me she would call dad into my room for an inspection. He always complimented me and hugged me tightly. This was one of the first times I recall that girls had to dress up to please the opposite sex!

I had to wear a skirt for school, but as all the other girls wore one I didn't really complain that much.

When I was about 8 I went to my first pony club and loved it. My parents could of never afforded to buy me a pony but they did pay for me to have a weekly lesson which I loved. The one down side to this was that my mother was desperate for me to start dancing. She had danced as a child and signed me up for Irish dancing lessons.

Although I didn't like dancing I was quite good. I would never of deliberately been bad at dancing, even as a child. My mother would of known straight away if wasn't putting in any effort. I hated the costumes. As you can imagine they were very girly but just had to put up with it. I couldn't wait to take them off. The opposite of going to the pony club, I loved wear jodhpurs.

Anyway although I was a tomboy most of the time I was made to go dancing and wear girly clothes. I continued with both dancing and pony club and then horse riding for most of my childhood. When I wasn't dancing or horse riding I just wore jeans or shorts around the house. In the school week I wasn't allowed to change out of my school uniform. Mum would go mad saying it create  more washing and ironing. My brother had the same rule as well.

So although I hated dresses and skirts and the rest of the accesories that go with it I did have to wear girly clothes at times. Not by choice though.

When I moved to high school the uniform was very strict. It was still a skirt, but a blazer as well and the skirt had to fall on the knee. It you wore it too short you would get sent home. Not that I ever wanted to wear my skirt short.

Wearing a school uniform didn't really bother me. Everyone had to wear one so it was no problem. The uniform had the option of knee socks or tights in the winter and ankle socks in the summer term. I hated wearing tights. I had to wear tights sometimes for dancing and mum always made me wear them when we went out for family meals. Whenever my mum made me wear tights it would always end up in a row.

As more girls started to wear tights I thought I would have to start wearing them soon, simply to fit in. I suggested it to my mum expecting her to be pleased. How wrong was I! She said tights were a privelage and that I would have to continue to wear knee socks to school. She was pleased that I had accepted I had to wear tights but the school uniform was not a fashion statement. I think she was getting back at me for all those arguments we had had. To make matters worse she said that I should wear a skirt and tights all weekend now that I had finially given up my tomboy days. I hadn't! All I wanted to do was wear tights to school, I still hated wearing them. The whole thing had back fired. I didn't wear a skirt and tights that weekend and mum couldn't stop teasing me about how I had gone about wearing them.

There are lots of other silly stories about my childhood I will share when I get chance. When I left school I ditched the skirts and lived in jeans and trousers. I had given up dancing as well and turned back into a die hard tomboy. I loved my jeans and t-shirts and jumpers. I suppose I used those clothes to hide away. I was and I not very confident and the thought of wearing skimpy dresses or skirts horrified me. I looked a mess but I didn't draw attention to myself. Perhaps it all comes down to confidence? Perhaps! 

Introduction

I have always enjoyed writing and have kept a diary on and off all my life.

I love the idea of writing a blog. Its kinda of private and public. I can write openly without worrying (or hopefully) about upsetting people.

So I suppose I better get my introductions out of the way. I am 28 and live with my partner John.

John is my first very serious relationship and the first time I have lived with anyone. I have had 2 long term relationships before, well they seemed long to me. I dated my first boyfriend for nearly 2 years. I found out through my friend he had been having an affair with someone at work for the last six months. It came as a big shock and took me a long time to get over. After that disater I was single for ages and then met Paul. He was the same age as me. We dated for over a year but he worked away a lot with his job. He eventually got offered a job in Ireland and asked me to go with him. I did not feel confident with things to up roots and move away so it ended.

Sorry if this sounds like a disater movie but it does get better! I met John at work. I (use to) work for a big engineering supply company. Although my job was a PA I was really just a typist and secretary to the finance manager. John worked in another building on the same site but I didn't really see him very often, only to say hello to.

Cutting this very long story short, my car was in the garage and I was walking to work when John pulled over and offered me a lift. Although it was a nice day and the walk was doing me good I accepted the offer. On the way to work he chatted about usual work stuff etc. I do remember when I got into his car how spotless it was. Mine was filthy.

Later that day he asked if I would like a lift home. I gladly accepted. Enroute home we asked me for a drink. It was a lovely evening so I accepted. On this date it was the first time I really noticed what a gentleman John was (and is!). My two previous boyfriends never held doors open for me, commented on my appearance or anything like this. I really enjoued our first date.

Anyway a lot happened between then and as they say the rest in history. I will of course write about all the things that envolved from that first date to me being I suppose a housewife!

What else? Errm well I liked horseriding until I lost my job, so have not done that for a while. John has introduced me to lots of new things. I have been to the theatre several times, gone to the ballet and eaten out in some lovely retaurants.

Well hope thats okay for a 1st post. I'm getting into this now.