WHAT MY CHARACTERS WOULD DO AS HOBBIES
Derek is the gardener’s gardener. He is out in all weathers. He gets all the magazines, watches and listens to all the gardening programmes. He spends so much time in his greenhouse Eileen times meals around gaps in Derek’s schedule when she knows she won’t have any problem persuading him to come in for something to eat. Coffee is Derek’s other great love. Passion he saves for Eileen, despite his tendency to arthritis in his knees. He likes a good film and is fond of Star Trek and sci-fi productions. He really loves Eileen so when he finds out what she really is her “betrayal” hits him hard. He likes normal lives, things being what they’re supposed to be. He’s devoted to Jenny and Eddie and gets on very well with his son-in-law, Paul, much to Eileen’s disapproval. Derek is not above winding her up when he feels she’s merited it!
Paul likes gardening, movies, passionately loves Jenny and equally passionately loathes his mother-in-law. Paul and Jenny are into all kinds of music (most of which Eileen looks down on, added reason to like it as far as Paul’s concerned). Paul takes to fatherhood well and adores his son. He loves playing with Eddie’s toys as well as with Eddie! And for Eddie, bathtime isn’t bathtime unless Dad’s doing it. Dad seems to understand the need to get water all over the place unlike Mum. Paul enjoys driving, gets on very well with his father-in-law (whom he pities) though Paul is conscious that if Eileen weren’t around, he would miss baiting her so that counts as a hobby too! Paul likes wildlife (except squirrels who keep destroying bird feeders as Greyfur would be the first to testify).
Fresdian, later Rose, is the Fairy Kingdom’s equivalent of David Attenborough and is devoted to all things flora and fauna. Going to earth later merely gives her a marvellous opportunity to study flora and fauna elsewhere. She has been to be out in all weathers so rambling is a major part of her life too. And she wears good, sturdy practical clothing so she has one eye on fashion - the fashion suitable for a country lady rather than for some silly girl. Fresdian wouldn’t dream of trying to impress any male! Fresdian is also a great secret keeper. She keeps from everyone the fact she is of the fairy godmother class. She saw what happened to Eileen and is determined it should never happen to her. Had Fresdian fulfilled her proper duties and joined Eileen in fighting all things evil the way she was meant to, there is a strong possibility that Eileen would never have defected. On the other hand, Fresdian knows Eileen owes her happy marriage and indirectly Jennifer to that secrecy.
Stanrock and Whespy (later Stan and Wes) are the mischievous sprites’ sprites. There are very few practical jokes they have not carried out and for a long time this was the nearest they got to any kind of hobby. They also spent lot of time fighting - other sprites, anybody else annoying them and, most of all, each other. Stan is a good cook and carries on with this when he’s on earth. Wes develops courage and bravery but hasn’t really taken to any hobby. If he can get his act together with Isabel, maybe that would be something she could encourage. Isabel would know better than to try to improve his mind (you have to work with the material you’ve got!) but I can see her encouraging him to read (even if it is graphic comics and novels, they would not count as proper literature in her eyes but she’d be too glad he read anything she’d overlook it - this is one view not shared by me. Graphic novels, when well done, are great). Both sprites might get into earth music when they’re there but they’d take to loud pop/rock. They did develop a taste for wildlife programmes, encouraged by Fresdian (Rose).