7 Things

Vicky, at Coffee and Milkies, kindly tagged me in her list of 7 things, a 'liebster award' type thingy. Thank you! I thought it was a while since I'd done one, although it took me a some time to come up with some entirely new information. It comes at just the right time, when my blogging is slowing down because I'm all end-of-termy, and consumed with trying to find childcare for September, so I'm not so inspired to sit and write as I'd like to be. Its not going too well just now, but I need something to turn up, for me to continue working... and in these circumstances where something needs to happen, I find that somethng unexpected usually does. So we'll see!

Here are my facts.

1) I had a few ideas about my career path when I was little, (chef and journalist spring to mind), although I never really was focused on 'that one job'...  But the first little dream that I told my parents of when I was small, was that I wanted to teach the violin, in a house in the country* and have lots of cats. I have achieved two thirds of this, despite it being the career route I didn't really want to take initially... Am I finally settled? Not really! :)

*NB I grew up in London: therefore all areas that weren't cities were termed 'country'! Locals may not think this is the countryside, but I'm convinced it is!

2) I hate olives, and coconut (although I like korma) and dislike nuts (although I love marzipan and praline)...

3) I have a completely irrational but severe fear of two particular creatures. Even the names upset me! It seriously encroaches on my ability to garden, and I thought I had it sussed, with a paved garden made entirely of pots. Not so. I'm desperate for my children to escape it, and it takes all my effort not to scream when I see one... and yes its bonkers but I've been battling it for a long time. Mind over matter... and more birds/ hedgehogs please!

4) I'm currently planning my Birthday Party, and a picnic gathering the day after, for my children's friends and families. Its making me smile, although I'm a little nervous. For some of my friends, its the first or second time they'll have been Here, and I'm not used to hosting. But I am having to think about lots of lovely cooking!

5) I don't have a coat that I like that much. In fact I don't think I've ever have had one that was entirey comfy in. What I have in my mind's eye when I go shopping is quite often entirely different to what I end up with! I'm not a natural shopper.

6) I have the most entertaining neighbours. Its a quiet road, despite a taxi rank, and the fact that my garden is next door to the pub's garden, but I do love a bit of 'hubbub'. I also love to take a glance out of the window when I'm washing up, and see the people opposite live out their colourful lives, and have noisy conversations/arguments about who finished the vodka. They're outgoing sorts, and cow outfits have been spied on the washing line...

7) I never used to like my middle name. I thought it was hideously old-fashioned, and I thought that, said together with my first name, I sounded like a ship. I still don't like it very much, and wouldn't choose it for myself, although my full name's meaning made sense to me as an angsty teen. And now, finding out that my parents named me after the year they were married in, I feel I need to accept it as part of the family history, and it sweetens it considerably.


I haven't tagged blogs individually, but please feel free to join in, if you have the time! Have a lovely weekend.


xxx

I have much to tell you (well no, I need to tell you ONE thing) Part the Second.

I can't really believe it, but I am very grateful to Lucy, at Tête en l'Air, for my second little award in a week. (You can read about the first one here, if you fancy). Look! I am putting it over there on the left, yep, just there, with the other, on the virtual mantelpiece so that people will see it and realise how thankful I am. You lot are fab! As with the Kreativ Award, much celebratory bouncing and big smiles took place when I found out. Happy Me.

You may be wondering why I received it. So am I. It is passed on to recognise smaller blogs with less than 300 followers. I have about 5% of 300, and I am grateful for every single one. And any readers that do not 'follow' or comment- we love you too. [Insert sloppy acceptance speech HERE].

The rules say that I should pass this on to 5 other small (under 300 followers) blogs. Hmmm. Most of the smaller blogs that I love have received this. And I really don't want to be the one who passes this on to people who perhaps then feel that they are pressured to post a response, (and who then have to choose five blogs), if this isn't something that appeals too strongly to them! Some people just aren't fans of the process. So for this reason I have chosen two for now- ones that I know will feel as I did.

Louise at Ramblings of a Roachling...

...who writes beautifully and captures the scenery so well in her posts about the lovely walks in her local area. As with the best blogs (in my humble opinion), there are little snippets of daily life thrown in here and there, and she has been so welcoming to me in Blogland. So there we are. Isn't it lovely that you get to 'meet' these nice people via your own writings, and discover mutual interests and similarities and senses of humour etc? Its a lovely blog to dip into, and lose yourself in.

And...

Cello Lady at Misadventures of an Experimental Cook...

...which may be a completely new blog, (even newer than mine) with just the one stalker, (moi...), but every post has made me giggle. She is too much like myself, and I'm quite sure she'd appreciate the award, like in a bouncy way, which is quite an acceptable way (perhaps the best way) of responding to it.

xxx

I have much to tell you!

And this is what I say to my sister, when we have our phone chats- to prepare her to clear her evening! So I hope you have a free 5 minutes... The layout of my blog only allows for a narrow amount of writing space, and I'm having no luck updating the look- I'm sure this is why the posts look so long! ;)

I need to tell you , at some point, about our visit to the circus, and my evening at the O2, and I need to dash around a bit and try to complete my photos for the Photo Scavenger Hunt, while we have a couple of days left in the month. I will try and get those things done soon.

But today, I need to tell you that I have been nominated for the Kreativ Blogger Award... not once, (thank you Vicky) but twice (thank you Pink Cat)!

Ooh. how exciting! I truly bounced when I found out. And I shall be wearing it proudly on my blog. I say 'nominated', but it translates as something that I can announce, and pass on to ten other bloggers. I'm not sure how I managed to get one of these, as my blog is only a baby one, (I'm not even weaned, although I'm getting hungry for more substantial stuff) and I still have lots to improve. I also don't have that many followers, but I'm going for quality rather than quantity... and amongst a couple of girlies who I've known for a long time, (who surely read this sympathetically), are some other bloggy people that I have never met, but who also seem to kindly put up with my rambings. Thank you to everyone!



These are the rules:

1) Link 10 blogs

2) Tell these bloggers about the award

3) Write 10 facts about yourself

Hmmm, ten blogs. I have so many blogs that I follow with interest, that this is quite hard. I've tried to nominate smaller blogs, and ones that haven't had this before. I reccommend you have a little read of these if you haven't already- I genuinely enjoy them. Of course, the rather lovely Pink Cat would be included, but she's ahead of me and has written her post! So I'm going to go for

Rachel at Baking Brownies For Mozart

Sio at Cake Creations

Toni, aka Irish Lass at Gardens, Chickens and Folk Music

Diane at Heart Shaped

Top Chelsea Girl at How Soon Is Now?

Maddie at (Diary of a) 30 Something Skellum 

Pooky at Pooks Place

 Louise at Ramblings of a Roachling

Taz at Ratbag

Simply Vintage at Vintage Hearth

Right then, 10 facts about myself. Apologies if I am repeating things here- it probably can't be helped when some of the readers know me very well! I've tried to be consise, but it doesn't come naturally ;) Here we go:

1) I do not have any cousins. Not a single one. Sad face. Most unfair- considering that my mum has a couple and my dad has puh-lenty. I have spent my life collecting other people's cousins as a result- the ones that they don't want.

2) When I had my ears pierced, the lady said I would only be able to wear 9 carat gold because they were sensitive. This led to me being a Gold Jewellary Wearer by accident. I actually prefer silver, and now that I no longer have blonde hair and don't need to wear rings on the fourth finger of my right hand, I have decided that silver suits me, and I have rebelled.

3) I'm not one of the majority that says 'I loved Uni- best time of my life!' It was more than a bit poo, I was lonely, and I haven't really used the qualification. It wasn't a totally pointless experience, but one that I quickly realised wasn't for me. It was a long three years! I'll be supportive of whatever my children decide to do, jobwise, but won't push them towards University on the notion of better jobs, and higher standards of training.

4) I was appauled by The Office sketch at this year's Comic Relief Event. I was getting more and more uncomfortable, waiting for a punchline, or a twist that would make what they were saying all ok. It didn't come.

5) I love my afternoon naps- they are essential. Actually naps at any time of day, for any length, are a grand idea. I much prefer this kind of sleep to the night-time version. And theres nothing better than sleeping in a sunny puddle.

6) I haven't travelled abroad much, and I really want to. I took a holiday to Greece with a friend and her family when I was 16- my only two aeroplane-trips, and have been on two 'working tours' by coach (but we didn't have time to stop to see much). I'd love to go to Italy, and America, and Canada. In fact, everywhere.

7) One day, I hope to be the sort of smug person with the perfect home, who remembers the bins and recycling without a midnight dash in PJs, or an 'Oh No!' feeling on the way back from the school run. My front garden will truly be awesome, and the front of my house will be newly painted, and the bins will be clean and neat and tidy, with pretty flowery transfers on them.

8) I hate my photo being taken, and I always look awkward because I have to smile without showing my teeth. I don't have enough photos of me with my loved ones. One is probably the result of the other.

9) When I am a Grown-Up, I shall have boots of many colours, and I will look fabulous. I do love my boots, and my flip-flops. In fact I wear knee-high boots for half the year, and flip-flops for the other half.

10) I love cats. I badly want a cat, and have had them in both homes previous to this one. When the time is right, I will aquire one. I have a long list of impressive names to choose from. Just need the cat.

xxx