Meet Sally Cronin. Most of us know Sally from her wonderful blog – The Smorgasbord Invitation, where she entertains us with music, books, interviews, laughter, and her health series with her expertise on the human body and how it functions. Well today she’s over at Joy Lennick’s blog divulging some of her personal thoughts about herself and life. #Recommended!
An interview with author Sally Cronin
Thank you very much Joy for inviting me over for an interview… it is a great pleasure.
Where you born and what was your first memory?
I was born in Wickham, a village in Hampshire, not far from Portsmouth. My parents lived in a house that my mother grew up in from about the age of 8 years old. Her step-father was the village butcher, with a shop in the main square. We went to Ceylon, as it was called in those days, when I was 18 months old for two years, and my first memories were of noisy monkeys. Small macaques lived all around us in the forest, and they would come into the house at any opportunity to thieve food, my father’s cigarettes and my mother’s jewellry. I also have vivid memories of the scents and sunshine, and I remember swimming at a very early age in my rubber ring, following my sisters everywhere including into the water.
Most poignant memory?
Probably my most poignant memory is visiting my grandfather’s grave for the first time in 1998. He died on November 2nd, 1918 and was buried in a small military cemetery in the village of Poid-du-Nord , close to the Belgium border. My sister had done the research to locate his grave and taken my mother there for her first visit in 1996. David and I were living in Brussels and we took my mother back to lay a wreath on the 80th Anniversary of his death. She was only 12 months old when he died, and therefore never knew him. But it was still very emotional for us all. He was 31 years old and left a legacy behind that he could never have imagined. I am sure he would have been proud of his daughter, who lived to 95 years old; travelled the world, and his four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
What place you’ve lived or visited has remained special to you?
We have moved around so much as a family, and David and I have lived in six countries since we married in 1980. If I had to pick one place it would be our home in the mountains to the north of Madrid where we lived for 17 years. We had panoramic views from where we lived at 900 metres, across a valley to another mountain range and also over a plain for 50 miles. The weather was alpine with long hot summers, very dry so a lovely heat, and very old, crisp winters with snow. The sun was usually shining for about 250 days a year which was wonderful and I swam every day for two hours from May to October. The friends we made were amazing and we loved the lifestyle, spending most of our time outside. Great people, wonderful food, fabulous weather and memories.
The view from our front terrace – perfect for a sundowner.
Did anyone inspire you to write or was it something you naturally turned to?
My sisters read me bedtime stories and as soon as I could read I was off like a rocket. I was like a sponge reading books way above my pay grade. Every author I have read inspired me to write; as a child I would make up stories . . . please continue reading at Joy’s blog
DGKayewriter.com 
Thank you so much Debby… really appreciate the boost to the interview.. you are a star…♥
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No Sal, YOU’RE the star here today. Wonderful interview, and I’m happy to share you in the spotlight. 🙂 ❤
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Such an interesting interview! Living in the mountains to the north of Madrid sounds wonderful!
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Sally has a wonderfully colorful life to say the least. 🙂 x
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It was Stevie.. but there comes a time when you feel more comfortable closer to family. A great 17 years and would not have missed for the world.xx
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So nice to get to know Sally better. You lived in 6 countries! I am so not that brave.
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Lol Jacqui. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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I didn’t have much choise as a child but I have to say it set me up to be inquisitive and to enjoy the dip into other cultures… But now we are home.. and that is us now.. hugsxx
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I love this interview! Sally has such an interesting life and is an amazing person.
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I’m with you 100 % Darlene 🙂 x
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Thank you Darlene. that is very kind… I have been very lucky… hugs xx
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This was such a fun interview. I loved learning more about Sally. Thanks for sharing, Debby. ❤
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My pleasure Diana. Love to see Sally getting her due kudos. 🙂 ❤
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Thank you Diana… I am not sure I have many more secrets left… we shall see.. hugsxx
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Glad I saw this Deb! I read and commented on the post and shared!
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Thanks Ter! Sally certainly deserves the spotlight. 🙂 x
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Thanks Terri and for your comment on the interview and sharing.. hugs xx
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Thanks for sharing this interview. I missed it the first time round. Hugs!
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Welcome Christoph. So glad you saw it. ❤
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Thanks Christoph..hugsx
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How nice to find this interview with Sally! Thanks Debby as I might have otherwise missed it ♥ I left another comment for Sally over on the original interview post. Hugs to all!
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Thanks my lovely. So glad you found it. And thanks for sharing Sally around town. ❤
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This is a wonderful interview with Sally, Debby. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing it.
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So glad you got a chance to read it. 🙂
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