Quickfire Q & A with Judy Downey

What’s your first memory? 
Probably falling out of a pram pushed over enthusiastically  by my elder brother.
 
What three words best describe you?
That’s for others to say.

What’s been your best job? 
Developing social policies for the Labour Party Research Dept, when priorities were deeply rooted in combating housing shortage, poverty and educational and social inequality. 

If you were stuck on a desert island, and you could take one person and one object, who and what would they be? 
“What about the other twin?” as Ricky Gervais has already said.  My best friend and partner, and a photograph album of my daughters and the rest of my life.

Who inspires you and why? 
My mother: for surviving early widowhood, three countries and four languages, and never complaining about anything; always conscious of her lucky survival, enjoying family, friendship and making effortlessly superb food, without ever using a recipe or a cookbook.

Where is your favourite place?
Caesarea, a Roman town at the edge of the sea in Galilee.

Which celebrity would you want to play you in a film?
Would prefer an actor, please, Natalie Wood, (I know she’s dead, but this is fantasyland, anyway)

What was the last CD you bought? 
Three, including, Baaba Maal’s Nomad Soul, a crazy Louis prima and the Beethoven trios

What are you reading? 
“Atonement”  Ian McEwan and “American Pastoral” by Philip Roth

What’s your favourite film?
A Night at the Opera or Some Like it Hot and Born Yesterday for laughs;  for pace, wit and drama The Front Page (40s version); fun and script: Philadelphia Story/ High Society; for drama On the Waterfront

‘Big Brother’ – Treat or Trash? 
Started as almost the former, now definitely the latter.

Pets – yes or no?
No, but reluctantly. Do hamsters and almost a dog count?

If you were on Death Row, what would be your final meal? 
Ashkenasi chicken soup with kneidlach and kreplach (kind of dumpling and ravioli respectively), followed by a Sephardi aubergine/tomato and chilli dish and my mother’s apple pie.

How would you want to be remembered? 
As a good friend, well-meaning and delighted parent/spouse who loved life, family and friends and tried to make a difference.