Tuesday, 11 January 2011

*Blushes* I am pleased to accept...

...my first (and possibly only) blog award, which comes from the lovely and hilariously funny Carmen over at whoopidoo...ings, who has made me feel so welcome as a new blogger.  I am both deeply flattered and strangely pleased at the thought of rummaging through my past to find eight things that you don't know about me.  Although as I've only been blogging since September 2010, there are probably lots of things you don't yet know about me.


Are you sitting comfortably?  Then I'll begin:


  1. I have a real love of picnics.  Give me a small bag of goodies, and I'll roam the countryside for hours in search of interesting birds, strange water features and additions to my collection of narrow boat names.  Even in winter, I'll lurk in the car with a sarnie and watch the countryside happening outside.  Give me a small group of ducks and I'll be happy for hours.
  2. I used to play the flute and piano and sing in choirs, madrigal groups, and very occasionally opera groups. I only remember that I had so many years of vocal training when I open my mouth now for hymns at weddings and the like and a very loud voice with loads of trained diction comes out. My speaking voice is very little, so I don't know where the BIG voice comes from. (Yes, former singing teacher Mrs C, I am supporting the note from my diaphragm, and using my nose to resonate...)
  3. The Cow Parade (worldwide gallery here) absolutely fascinates me.  I have several of the small beasts dotted around my bookshelves, and I love the full size versions. I am convinced one would look great in the garden, and if I ever learn to make an armature, I'll be giving it a go.  Two years ago, I found a herd in Vigo, and embarrassed OH by tearing around the shopping centre cooing over them.  
  4. I have a strange interest of anorak proportions in accidents and survival.  I could probably cite the flight numbers, causes and survival lessons of the majority of plane crashes.  Despite this, I absolutely love flying.  Side note here - I'll share my Roswell story at some time - now that was a white knuckle flight...
  5. Against my better judgement, I went on a (very cheap) two day cruise three years ago, and was gobsmacked to find that I loved it.  The artwork on the ships is interesting, the music surprisingly good, the food delicious, the people watching potential magnificent and you get to wake up each morning in a different place, without having to haul bags.  I am rather worried as to what this says about me, but from my experience to date, there are as many lovely and rather bohemian cruisers as there are those who fit my pre-existing stereotype. 
  6. I have a BIG BAD book habit.  I've been toying with buying a Kindle, but can't see that it would make me give up my shelves and shelves of beautiful books.  One of the attractions of moving to this house was the ability to have a library full of books, and we've now managed rather more than that.  You see, reader, I married him.  An author, that is.  And he's a journalist too.  So we have my books, his books, and his stock of books.  If books ever became illegal, they'd be round to ours first...
  7. The two books I would give my eye teeth to have written are Donna Tartt's The Secret History and John Fowles' The Magus.  What links them is a deeper meaning based on myth and legend, and a story that can be read at surface level when you are too tired to think much.  Plus an amazing use of language.  Imagine Donna Tartt's "nights bigger than imagining, wild and disordered with stars"...
  8. I've been blogging for three months.  I thought it might be boring, and I would struggle to find things to say.  In fact I've been babbling like a woman possessed, learned loads, laughed more than is becoming, and can't wait for more of the same.
Tagging the following stylish bloggers:
 - The lovely and talented Mrs A at It's an alien life
 - The playing card Queen (of Diamonds, if you consult Wiki) Rachel at katzelbows
 - Wipso (aka Annie), restorer of bears, feeder of pheasants and lover of poppies, at A stitch in time
 - Sue from the school of quick, messy, pretty (those are her words, I just say elegant) at Little Imperfections

Hope that was enough dirt, Carmen... ;)  It's certainly been fun!
Bernie x
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5 comments:

  1. Mrs A.11 January 2011 at 23:49

    Well Thankee soooooh much for thinking of me.
    Will go and dig up some old dirt to tell.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carmen 12 January 2011 at 00:01

    *Ears prick up* Roswell? Now you can't just drop that in and leave it at that!

    I'm with you on the picnics and tramping through countryside. Or if it's piddling down,m driving to the beach and watch the waves crashing about.

    Yep with you on the books too - going to add those two to my list of books to read ;)

    And weirdly - OH and I had a discussion the other day saying we can't wait till the kids are older so we can booger off on a cheap cruise :D

    Loved reading this - now, back to Roswell!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Annie12 January 2011 at 07:52

    Thank you for thinking of me. My days at the mo are very full of bear stuffing, Mr Tumble making, trouser shortening, boat cushion covering, sleeve shortening....oh and then there is the occasional housework, cooking, granddaughter amusing :-) It may take me a day or two to accept this challenge but I'm always up for a challenge so will do my best :-)....as they say watch this space.
    Hugs,
    A x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Zue13 January 2011 at 13:09

    Dear Oneoff
    Thank you so much for this award. It is so kind of you to think of me. I shall have to have a think about what to say.
    I am sure that you deserved to receive it, so stop
    blushing.
    Have a lovely afternoon.
    Sue xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous15 January 2011 at 16:59

    Thank you so much. I've never won a blog award before and I'm honoured, especially given the company I'm in. Thank you for a little light in my day.

    ReplyDelete

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