Clearing the Slate (a bit).

I have been a bad blogger of late.  I have been honoured with three awards.  I cherished them, and was really, really chuffed to receive them.  And haven't responded to them.

So, here I go.

The lovely Father Dragon bestowed not one but two awards.  The first was this one.

The SuperSweet Bloggers award.

Naturally it comes with conditions.  Some of which are easy, and some are beyond me.

Answer the following questions and Nominate Five Bloggers.
Questions:
1. Cookies or Cake?   Some cake, rarely.  My sweet tooth is largely savoury..
2. Chocolate or Vanilla?   Either.  The real stuff in both cases..  And the chocolate has to be dark.
3. Favorite Sweet Treat?   Good chocolate - but I would pass it up for smoked almonds, good olives, and many cheeses.
4. When do you crave sweet things the most?   When they aren't available.
5. Sweet nickname?   None.


I am totally unable to choose bloggers to single out for this award.  I don't think it is laziness.  So many of you sweeten my world.  With laughter, with your life philosophy, with beauty.


So, as usual, I am NOT going to select anyone.  If you would like to play, please take this award and run with it.

I will show you the other award the lovely dragon gave me towards the end of this post.


The next award came from Carol in Cairns.  The Sunshine Award.  And sunshine is something that she sees a lot of, and shares generously.

Naturally, it too comes with conditions.  Some of which I can manage, some of which are (of course) beyond me.

The first is to share eleven things about myself.

I am very, very bad tempered and fight to keep it under control (mostly successfully).
I come from a maths/science oriented family and find both challenging.  My mother and my youngest brother used to fight about who did my physics homework.  I was happy to let them.
I was in my thirties before I realised that not having the maths/science gene didn't mean I was stupid.
I am an introvert.
In my next life I would like to be a cat - preferably one of my own to ensure that I am suitably indulged.
The smaller portion and I have been together for over thirty five years now - I would have got less than that if I had murdered him early.
And that is more than enough about someone who is really very ordinary and not interesting at all.

Then Carol poses eleven (naturally) questions to answer.

1.  What do you love about blogging?  The exposure to different people, from different places, and the richness they add to my world.

2. Who is the most interesting person you have met in real life and why?  I don't think there is a most interesting person.  I find people fascinating (though I don't always like them).  Quirky is always good. 

3. Who is your favourite author and can you recommend one thing I should read of theirs?  Too many to count.  Barbara Kingsolver is one of them - and Prodigal Summer is one of my favourite books of hers.  Tove Jansson - The Summer Book.

4. Newspapers, radio or Breakfast TV?  Newspaper.

5. What is your favourite cake?  Probably chocolate.  But very rarely.

6. One thing you would still like to learn?  So many things.  I would love another language.  There is so much about so many things I don't know.  Fortunately I am still learning.

7. What was your first job?  Other than baby sitting and house cleaning?  Selling women's underwear in a Department Store.  They loved me, and wanted me to have a career there.  I didn't.

8. One place you would like to visit again before you die?  Antarctica.  Hands down.

9. Can you speak a language other than English?  Other than grumpy, no.

10. The first album you bought with your own money?  Quadrophenia by The Who.  I think.

11. What is your favourite flower?  Too many to count.  Probably whatever isn't blooming at the moment.

Then we get into the conditions I baulk at.  Single out bloggers to pass the award on to, and create eleven questions for them to answer.

Nope.  Can't/won't do it.  Any one of you who wants to play is more than welcome to take the award , and hopefully follow the rules better than I do.

Which does make me feel guilty.  I probably shouldn't ever get another award.  And your presence here is award enough.

Back to the second award given to me by Father Dragon, the Golden Scale Award.

It came with these words.


'The Golden Scale Award is not for the things you did, but for the things you'll be doing to be happy on daily basis. It's for the courage you promise to show when facing adversity. The determination you promise to have when standing for your dreams and for what you believe in. It's the wisdom of knowing life is sometimes way too difficult but overcoming those difficulties is the only way to grow into a better person and to learn something. We face our fears to find ourselves and our own worth.
There is no wisdom without experience, and knowledge is empty without wisdom. Accepting this award means you are willing to work hard to start working miracles in your own life. I want to make clear I am not suggesting you stop believing on a High Power. I believe too. I am just inviting you to take responsibility of your life, like I did, and release all your true potential.'


Such a challenge.  I am not, unlike the Dragon, a believer.  However, if anything, this makes the award even more important.  An acceptance of responsibility.  Always.  Not an easy path, but one I believe it.  And I will try, and when I fail (as I will) I will try again.  Thank you so very much Father Dragon. 


Thank you Father Dragon, and thank you Carol.  I am very grateful - and apologise for both my tardiness and my inability to follow the rules.