Versatile Blogger Award - you are too kind!

At the end of October, 2011, Angie – the lovely & generous @Write-Me-Happy,  http://arichmondwritemehappy.blogspot.com/ ,  nominated me for a “Versatile Blogger” award.  I was very honoured to be mentioned but at that time I really didn’t have enough writing connections/followers to meet the rule of nominating 15 other bloggers.  So I said thank you to Angie and then scurried off to hide in a corner.

To my utter surprise and delight, over the past three months, my niche audience has grown to over 120 people – an eclectic group of kind individuals, diverse in points of view and interests, and perfect for me both in composition and connection. 

I’m overwhelmed to say that I’ve been nominated again by several other people: 

1.  handsome & witty @ashviper ( http://stevenpaul-ashviper.blogspot.com/ );
2. beautiful & supportive @lilliemcferrin ( http://lilliemcferrin.blogspot.com/ );
3. dashing and encouraging @rodtyson100 ( http://rodtysonblog.blogspot.com/ )

Here are the rules: 

• Thank the person who nominated you and ensure there is a link back to his or her blog.

• Tell 7 completely random things about yourself

• Add the image of the award

• Nominate 15 other bloggers, then let them know you nominated them.

Thank you to Angie , Lillie, Steven and Rod.  I appreciate all of you!

The 15 unique bloggers to whom I would like to pass along this award are (and yes I know there will be duplicate nominations from others but it can’t be helped!):

Kern (@oddparticle)    http://www.oddparticle.com/

Amy (@amysept)          http://nimbyist.com/pr/category/blog/   

Gayle  (@SpiritofSSI)  http://spiritofsaltspring.blogspot.com/

Chris @chrisjames       http://chrisjames.cal24.pl/

KD   @KD_Rush          http://kdrush.com/Main/

Angela @angela_goff   http://anonymouslegacy.blogspot.com/
Amanada @9inchnails  http://writing.fly-casual.net/

Michael @mohio73                 http://michael-haynes.blogspot.com/

Procrastinatress  @defemte   http://themindssky.wordpress.com/

Louise  @louisejhastings        http://wingsoverwaters.wordpress.com/

Rachel @racheledits                http://www.twylah.com/racheledits

Gary @literarygary                  http://honestindiebookreviews.wordpress.com/

JD @jd_mader                         http://www.jdmader.com/ 

SMBoyce @thesmboyce        http://blog.smboyce.com/

Ruth @ruthedonald                 http://redonald.com/

Finally 7 random things about me:

1. I'm a knitter. Until I started writing, a large part of my spare time was spent knitting, thinking about knitting and wondering when I could knit next.
2. I am the only child of a single parent.  When Mom died 20 years ago, about the third person who phoned me to express their condolences tagged me as an orphan. It’s an odd label to have when you are an adult. Very odd indeed.
3. My lucky number is 4. Actually, I always choose it, and it's my favourite number (as much as one can have a favourite number) but it hasn`t brought me a thing, good or bad. I just keep on hoping that it will be lucky. Perhaps for now I should just say that 4 is my neutral number.
4. I don’t like cheese. Yes, all cheese. No, not even parmesan. No I don’t eat pizza. Yes really, I don’t eat pizza.  Because.
5. Assorted favourites:  Hawthorne Yellow, To Kill a Mockingbird, Gerber Daisies, Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick, nonfat cappuccino or a half full venti Americano, Seinfeld, autumn, long sleeved turtlenecks, sudoku, jazz, Timothy Findley, Susan Howatch’s Starbridge series.
6. Once when I was spelling my name aloud for someone (I have to do that quite a bit, my mom made the spelling of my name a tad difficult), the person asked me what a hyphen was.  “Is that like a dash?”
7. Years and years ago, my dear dear dear friend Judy and I decided on our favourite toast and it's the only one I ever use: "Here's to permanent peace in the Middle East, and Little House on the Prairie".