THIS IS BOOTS

Known as "Boots" I am the oldest of us 3 girls. I'm an English national who was born in Germany but is now living in Portugal. My life has been exceptionally varied and NEVER dull. Married 3 times (seperated at present) and I live with my 9yr old daughter out here in the Algarve region of sunny Portugal.

My background could be termed as middle class, my education was played out in private schools and ended up in anarchic chaos with the outcome of being unceremoniously expelled! I like to think it was due to my high spirits, but for some reason the school board of Governors thought I was just plain disruptive to anything within a 100yard radius of me. That being said, I survived Secretarial College uneventfully (and unsuccessfully of I'm honest) & then temped at a few jobs doing impressive and 'character-building' posts which involved a lot of filing and pencil sharpening! God knows how, but I blagged my way into doing my nursing training at St. George's Hospital, London and passed! Got bored administering enemas and vomit bowls so then wandered into hairdressing college at Morris Materclass International on Tottenham Court Road, London and actually passed with distinction. Boredom is my biggest enemy and it struck again shortly after passing hairdressing college. I can be incredibly persuasive and wormed  my way into an interview with British Airways based at Heathrow Airport, London. Thus began my 'flying career' doing long haul routes. Wow, I could tell a million stories regarding that gig, but to protect the innocent - I shan't! Trawling the skies transatlantic for a couple of years I switched to British Airways Helicopters and began flying the North Sea to oil and gas rigs. One of the stipulations of my contract was to also be a flying nurse when the occasion rose - and it did - many times. I wound up for 2 yrs flying in helicopters based at Penzance in Cornwall (furthest South West in England). After the flying finished (bored again) I went back to Nursing full time and worked as a District Nurse caring for people in their homes and the community. Specialised in Oncology and working with the Palliative Care Teams primarily. Then I switched after my daughter was born and became a Head Nurse working from a huge Medical Practice with a 22k patient base. We covered everything you could think of and worked frontline also for a good part of the working day. Finally I left it all behind to concentrate on my daughter, who for the first 7 yrs of her life had had 2 parents who flitted about in her world but were rarely with her for any decent length of time. We n ow reside, the 2 of us, here in Portugal and life is far more ordered and peaceful, but like any of you, not always straightforward...........

So there you are - that's me, Boots. Bit unpredictable, kind but won't tolerate fools gladly, low boredom threshold, sense of humour and refuses to grow up until I'm ready.

Love to you all xxxxx