I would like to thank Kim Gosselin from Chronic Conditions and Life Lessons Along the Way for nominating me for the Versatile Bloggers Award. I was so excited. This is my first blogging award. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading her blog at: at http://kimgosselinblog.com/.
For more information about the Versatile Bloggers Award please click here: http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/about/
Me!
The rules of acceptance for this award are to share 7 interesting facts about yourself in addition to nominating 15 other bloggers for this award.
- Like many babies born in July 1969, I was due to be born on the 20th July, the day that man first landed on the moon. It turned out that man might have been able to land on the moon but my father wasn’t allowed to attend my birth. The 60s were definitely complicated.
- I come from Sydney, Australia and currently live on the NSW Central Coast.
- I am married to Geoff and we have two children: Mister aged 10 and Miss who is 8. We have two dogs. Bilbo is an 8 year old Border Collie and Lady is a 2 years old Border Collie x King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.
- I have been serious about writing ever since my mum taught me to spell enthusiastic when I was 11 and gave me a thesaurus. Daggy but true, I have always loved reading the thesaurus and sometimes even the dictionary but I’ve never played with a calculator.
- I really love antiques and vintage anything and have quite a collection of antique teacups. Both my grandmothers cherished their collection of exquisite and mismatched teacups. I particularly love Shelley and Royal Albert. The collection started in the cabinet and has since escaped throughout the house. This passion bordering on obsession lures me into all sorts of what we in Australia know as “op shops” or charity shops despite the fact that our house is all ready busting at the seams.
- Before my mid 20s, I’d thought I was a picture of health. Had never been to hospital.That all changed when I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus or fluid on the brain when I was 25 and had surgery to insert a shunt which blocked. Had a year off work and rehab. Bad luck returned after the birth of our second child when I developed a severe auto-immune disease where my muscles attack themselves resulting in muscle weakness and loss. This disease started to attack my lungs and I had chemo to treat it last Christmas which has been effective but have trouble with chemo brain. My health is a fairly constant battle but in the words of Split Enz, I manage to stay “one step ahead”…sometimes only just.
- Four of my favourite quotes:
John Lennon: “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.”
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
Calvin Coolidge
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Reinhold Niebuhr
Congratulations! Here are the 15 blogs which I am nominating for the Versatile Blogger Award. I highly recommend each of them and if you’ve been nominated, why don’t you also check out the other blogs on my list.There are a few life lessons, dog stories,travel and more.
Leadership Freak: http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/
Smorgasboard- Variety is the Spice of Life: http://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/
Within the K Streets: http://withinthekstreets.wordpress.com/
Outside the Lines: http://segmation.wordpress.com/
Humans are Weird: http://humansareweird.com/
Just so you Know: http://trinabartlett.wordpress.com/
Art Lark: http://artlark.org/
Rachel Mankowitz: http://rachelmankowitz.wordpress.com/
Little Steps http://motherslittlesteps.com/
Goan Imports: http://goanwiki.com/
Christian Mihai: http://cristianmihai.net/
Lethargic Smiles: http://lethargicsmiles.wordpress.com/
One Mountain At A Time: http://savannahhardcastle.wordpress.com
Butterfly Mama: http://butterflymumma.com/
Give Me Five Minutes A Day and I’ll give you a happier, more successful life! http://bradstanton.com/
You’ve Been Nominated…Now what?
For more information about the Versatile Bloggers Award please click here: http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/about/
I had trouble uploading the image so follow the directions on the award site and paste this into the image URL box:
http://versatilebloggeraward.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/versatile-blogger.jpg?w=145&h=150
Beyond the Flow 
Thank you so much Rowena for nominating me. I love awards and I am always honoured when someone thinks enough of my blog to mention me but I decided a few months back that I would be award free. The main reason being that I found it really difficult to nominate just 7, 10 or 15 other bloggers. But instead of accepting your lovely gesture in this form, I hope you will instead be okay that I have followed all your excellent suggestions, some I have already found but many were new to me. Thank you once again and I look forward to sharing your posts on your terrific blog.
Thank you Rowena!!!!! What a lovely compliment!!!
Born in 1969? Good heavens, I have socks older than that. Anyway, congratulations on your award and humble thanks for thinking of my silly dog blog when nominating others. Keep up the good work and, as always, don’t neglect the dog stories!
I wasn’t sure who would be award free and indeed it was hard for me to choose who to nominate although I visit most of these blogs pretty regularly so that was a good indication. Some of the blogs I nominated are very successful and I wasn’t sure about nominating them but I always think it’s nice to be asked and if they don’t do awards then like you they can always let me know. By nominating people, it also let’s others know about some great blogs too which I find a great service.
Best wishes,
Rowena
You’re more than welcome Butterfly. You have a great blog and you also appreciate that life on the home front can be more than just a little crazy!! xx Rowena
Absolutely – I have been reblogging individual posts of both blogs I follow and those that are new to me and like you feel that any way that we can showcase the super writers and artists we follow is worthwhile. You had a great selection and again thank you for thinking of me. Have a great week Sally
Thanks Tom. I was pretty stoked about the award. It’s a bit of work to follow up but interesting and it was fun going through the blogs I follow and pass on the honours. I really do enjoy your blog and I especially show my daughter who has fallen in love with Max…particularly with his sunglasses on. I have a couple of dog stories brewing but am trying not to pick on Lady too much..even if she is such an easy target. I noticed some icing sugar on the floor yesterday and then found she’d helped herself to some of my fresh best of the best oozy Turkish Delight which I’d bought to make White Chocolate Rocky Road for my husband (of course!!) Also found her with my chocolate. I think she must wag her tail at the bottom of the pantry so thing start falling down. Lady has been quite lean, unlike Bilbo and I really don’t want to have to explain to her former own who is a tennis coach, that she’s become a barrel like Bilbo. Yes, this theme is definitely brewing into another post. Sorry Lady. When you stole my Turkish Delight, you dug your own grave!
Hope Max is being better behaved over there although no antics, no stories.
xx Rowena
Well tickle me pink, call me Nancy and smack me over the head with an undercooked salmon. I’m flattered. Thanks for the kudoses, Rowena. Happy Tuesdaying.
You’re welcome. I don’t have any undercooked salmon but a friend has a huge raw flathead in her freezer. That will have to do for now. xx Rowena
New to your blog post and happy to have found you. From what I can tell, if you aren’t a perfect candidate and recipient of an award honoring the versatile among us, nobody is. Congratulations, you excellent writer.
Thank you very much Bruce. It took awhile to receive my first award and I have recently received another. Thank you very much for coming to visit my blog. My mind is a bit of a blur as it’s really early in the morning. Went out for NYE and needed to unwind before bed then fireworks went off and upset the dog so she’s been on my lap for awhile. We have only had her for a few months and we’ve had dogs escape after NYE fireworks before so I didn’t want to risk it but it’s well beyond time now. Happy New Year and thank you so much for the encouraging compliments. I work hard on my writing so it’s so encouraging to have it appreciated! xx Rowena
I look forward to reading more.
Thank you. Happy New Year, Bruce!