Landsberg: I want to have great stories to tell

Judith Landsberg is at the forefront of the go-green campaign on the island in her role as President of Greenrock.

She has recently championed a charge for single use bags in Bermuda and promoted a more sustainable way of living at home and work.

The keen musician, who lives in Pembroke, is also a devoted mother of two daughters and a son as well as a fitness enthusiast.

And the self confessed chocoholic counts her fire truck-driving mother as her heroine. Here she speaks to Simon Jones.

Your earliest memory?

The Moon landing; sitting on a freezing couch in Scotland with my three sisters all bundled up in blankets watching a fuzzy black and white picture

What were you like in school? 

Clever, sporty, I got on okay at school but always vaguely wondered who all these people were. Life started in college for me

Your heroine? 

My mum; Diane Landsberg, she drives a fire truck, goes on hikes in the Australian outback and sends really, really, terrible jokes to my kids

Property aside, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought? 

A cello for my daughter. Music is important to me and my family — it is a wonderful way to relax, to stand out in life and to exercise your brain. The cello was a gift to her after nearly 10 years of hard work learning the instrument

Your ultimate ambition?

To sit in my rocking chair in the old people’s home and have better stories to tell than the old person next to me

Your most unappealing habit? 

Not letting other people finish their sentences.

Best party you’ve ever been to? 

The midnight 5k run in Central Park on New Year’s Eve — we had been to a party beforehand and left in time to be on the starting line when the fireworks went off to signal the start. The ‘water’ stops were non-alcoholic champagne, and many of the competitors ran in costume. We lived in NY at the time and ran home afterwards for hot chocolate and cookies on the couch

Biggest regret? 

Not spending enough time with my kids (I am still trying!)

What do you do if you can’t sleep? 

Read. Annoy my husband [David Cash], go and stand outside and look at the water

Your most memorable dream? 

Flying … I’ve only once dreamed I could fly like Peter Pan rather than an airplane and it was magical

Most unpleasant exchange you’ve have had with a person? 

A racist comment from a 10- year old packer at a grocery store... so sad! The thing that made me sad was that he had to have learned it from his parents or community — how are we all going to live together if parents teach their kids intolerance?

If you weren’t President of Greenrock what would you be? 

 I would love to be a classical musician, or very good at gardening!

What do you like best about your appearance?

My long legs — also I am pretty fit, so I think they look good for 40 something years!

Your attitude to money? 

It isn’t important. Of course it is if you don’t have enough, but once you can pay for groceries, your kids’ education and somewhere to live, then find something more important to worry about

Define romantic love

Someone you want to grow old with.

Tell us a joke

A turtle was mugged by snails who took all his cash. He went to the police station to complain and they asked him to tell them all about it. He replied “I dunno … it all happened so fast!”

A dream location for a home? 

Somewhere I can’t see anyone else – on a beach, a mountain, out in the bush 

Guilty pleasure? 

Chocolate; right now it is those chocolate dusted almonds

Name some favourite:

TV shows/series: The Good Wife, House of Cards

Books: The Lower River by Paul Theroux – a haunting, thought-provoking book about Africa

Vacation spots Almost any National Park

Your attitude to exercise? 

You gotta do it, but you don’t have to enjoy it

Pet peeve? 

People keeping me waiting

Most daring thing you’ve ever done?

Sky-diving; it scared me witless but I did 3 jumps

What would you most like to be remembered for? 

As someone who lived by their convictions – and who was kind to other people 

Most important lesson life has taught you? 

Most of the time when people annoy or upset you it is nothing to do with you — it is usually something in their life that is bothering them, you just happen to be in front of them. Just let it roll by.