Last Sunday I was in Pori in western Finland. I've performed at their theatre festival for the last four years and I've made some very good friends there so I go over regularly. On this visit I wasn't performing . . . I went with some friends whose play, Tick My Box, has been translated into Finnish and was being staged for the first time. It was very successful.

We spent Sunday tobogganing on frozen sand dunes and walking on the beach in minus 15 degrees. Then we went to a spa and swam in a heated open-air pool. It was completely exhilarating.

I've been touring with a one-woman show, Absolute Cabaret, promoting my album Very, Very. I travel with the lighting guy, my friend Colm, and the band travel separately with all the gear. We launched the show and the album last September and I've been touring pretty constantly since then, although I keep adding new bits to the show so it still feels fresh . . .

I don't want to get bored.

When I'm not working, I usually start the day with a walk around the docklands.

I live near the city centre and it's a great place to go for a bit of peace and to get a bit of air into me. I walk along by the river and then cross over and walk back on the other side. Because I work for myself, and 90% of what I do is administration, I find it hard to switch off on Sunday. I'm really trying to stay away from the computer for at least one day and I find it's making me more productive so I'll do my best to stick to it.

I like to catch up either with friends or family. My nieces and nephews are very sweet and I don't like to let too long go by without seeing them. They make me drawings for my fridge and good luck cards for the shows.

I enjoy cooking for other people so I might have friends over for a big roast.

A few weeks back lunch turned into a poker session. I hadn't played before and I won so I'll definitely be playing again.

My friends couldn't read me at all: it's not that I had a good poker face, more that I was over-reacting to my cards . . . laughing hysterically, weeping, screaming, etc . . . and they couldn't figure out what was going on. I swore I'd give my winnings . . . all 12 of them . . . to charity but they're still sitting on the mantelpiece.

Because I'm out so much during the week . . . I go to other people's shows when I'm not performing myself . . . I like to stay home by the fire on Sunday evening. I might watch a movie or take a whole series out and watch it all in one go. I did 24 episodes straight of The West Wing a few weeks back . . . it was bliss.

'Absolute Cabaret' is at the Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, on 2 March and at the Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray 3 March