One Lovely Award

What a week! I wasn't feeling great, just one of those weeks where you feel sort of blech. Then our air conditioning went out, giving us a painful opportunity to empathize with the thousands of people suffering through record heatwaves and power outages all over the US. Three days and $800 later, we were just glad to get back to a livable temperature. (Also glad that it was only a repair and not a system replacement that might cost ten times the amount.) Then I discovered that our cable company has been overcharging us for at least six years, adding up to hundreds, possibly thousands. A very long phone call to customer service netted me only a small refund. Sheesh! Is this week over yet?

But nice things happened too. The blogging community never ceases to amaze me. Ten months ago, when I started posting my little lists and projects, ramblings and mumblings, I never imagined that anyone would even find my blog, much less read it and even respond to me. Now I have 22 followers, which might not seem like much, but it’s exactly 22 more than I ever expected to see. Thank you all so much for your interest, support, and all the entertaining interactions we’ve had!

And now, on top of all that loveliness, I have been nominated for an award! It is the One Lovely Blog award, which I’ve received from the talented Virginia Robertson from Tangent Gardening. Thank you so much, Tangential One! Virginia is an Arizona gardener also, but she seems to have much greater success than I do in growing vegetables, fruit, and flowers in her corner of the desert. I am envious, but don’t let that distract from Virginia’s kindness and generosity in nominating me for the award.

The One Lovely Blog award is another one with the mysterious and murky origins. Different sites give different rules and different badges for it, so I’ll just stick with the ones that Virginia used.
Rules:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated me.
2. Post the One Lovely Blog badge (I have moved the award badges to the side bar so they’re easier to see!)
3. Share seven random things about myself that people might not know.
4. Nominate ten other lovely blogs for the award.

Here are seven things about me that you might not already know:

1.     I drink more than a gallon of water each day. I got thirsty when I moved to the desert 15 years ago, and I still haven’t gotten over it. I carry my big cup of ice water everywhere I go, and refill it every time it’s empty. In the cooler months, I occasionally drop below a gallon, but when it’s hot, I usually go over.

2.     I had a total of 13 paid jobs and 7 volunteer positions during my 35-year working life. No wonder I’m tired. (Favorite job: beehive observer. Most dangerous job: candy store clerk.)

3.     I learned to sew at age 14 when my parents gave me my first sewing machine as a junior high school graduation present. I took a class at the local Singer store, and was the youngest person there, by a generation or two.

4.     I am not good at throwing things away. Okay, so you might already know that. I have my tax returns going back to the early 1970s, and my passports back to the 60s. I have 30-year-old college textbooks and 20-year-old computer software guides. Torn-out magazine articles, Christmas cards from people I can’t remember, and supplies for hobbies I gave up years ago.

5.     I have visited 25 of the 50 United States but only 9 other countries. Considering the complications of modern travel, I don’t have any plans to increase those numbers. But never say never!

6.     I call myself a writer, but I don’t follow the rule of “write every day.” I only write when compelled by a story I find so vitally fascinating that I can’t eat, sleep, or talk to anyone until I get the thing typed and out of my head.

7.     My favorite movie changes pretty regularly but currently it is Sita Sings the Blues. It’s difficult to describe without just giving a list of ingredients: Hindu legend, modern relationships, ancient art, brilliant animation, 1920s music recordings, gods, demons, monkeys, cats, puppets, and the ultimate, eternal power of the feminine. See it here. (The link takes you to the home page for the film maker. Page down to the link to view the film. It’s an hour and 20 minutes long.)

And finally, there are so many blogs that I love to visit. I nominate the following to receive the One Lovely Blog Award:

Dixie DIY 

eat the damn cake 

The Frump Factor 

Lilacs and Lace

The Makings of an Urban Rustic 

nothing-in-the-house 

Scruffy Badger Time

Sew Vintage, Sew Fun 

snippa 

Sweet Life Garden

Feel free to pass the award along, but please don’t feel obligated. I don’t want this to turn into a chain letter kind of thing. (Does anyone remember chain letters?)

Happy blogging, everyone!

Katrina