It’s always exciting when a fellow blogger drops by to bestow an award. Today Confessions of a part-time working mom gave me the prestigious (!) Sunshine Award. I’m honored, and will be happy to play by the rules and give you seven random facts about myself, answer some questions, and pass on the love.

Right now I’m beaming sweetly at three pets and two men with all of my happy, sunshiny warmth. Excuse me? I’m a writer. I can spin this any way I want to! Neatly attired, makeup in place, hair coiffed, I am flitting around on this Sunday morning cleaning, baking, and spreading joy. As usual. Honest.

FANTASY

REALITY

Ahem. Shall we?

The Rules:
Display the award on your blog. Give 7 random facts about yourself. Answer the questions I had to answer. Then nominate any amount of bloggers you choose up to 11.

My 7 Facts:

1. Being in the garden grounds me. During the winter I drool over seed catalogs the way men drool over Victoria’s Secret catalogs. I close my eyes and imagine the heat of the sun on my shoulders, and am happy waiting for spring.
2. I am an empath. I often feel pain and distress that others are feeling, even if they are just acting a part. I have a terrible time watching a movie where someone is being hurt – emotionally or physically. It also makes me uncomfortable around strong emotions of any sort. I won’t deny you a shoulder to cry on, but will be very, very happy when everything’s back to normal.
3. I dog-ear books, which is a bad habit that I’ve been trying hard to break. Don’t lend me any books! I have so many bookmarks for this purpose, but still catch myself reaching for that upper right hand corner of the page.
4. I can’t resist black licorice in any form.
5. Housework is the devil. I do as much as I must just to be socially acceptable, but hate every minute of it. I did a lot of it when I was growing up; can I blame this issue on my parents?
6. I am “Eema” to my grandchildren, “Lorinda” to my past co-workers, “Lor” to my sisters and friend Mary, and “Lucy” to my husband. I’ll pretty much answer to anything.
7. I have no memory for faces. Unless I know you well, if we meet in the grocery store I will probably make generic conversation until I’ve placed you. It’s not intentional…just something I struggle with.

My Questions:

1. If you could go back in time ten years and tell yourself one thing, what would it be?
Answer: Work is just work. Don’t take it home! Scrape your feet off going out the company door and come home happy.

2. What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Answer: Seriously? You expect me to choose just one? I have it narrowed down to three, but that’s the best I can do. Second runner-up is Rocky Road. First runner-up is Chocolate Chip Mint. And the winner is….Maple Nut.

3. If you were to take me on a date, where would we go and why?
Answer: The Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. We bonded over maple and chocolate – what could be more appropriate?

4. Above all else, what are you afraid of?
Answer: SPIDERS!!!

5. What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
Answer: Start a bakery.

6. What has been your favorite age to be and why?
Answer: 52. That’s when we retired and moved to the country. I felt strong and energetic and incredibly free.

7. Coffee or tea?
Answer: No contest! I love, love, love coffee. I even roasted my own beans until I blew up my little makeshift roaster. Some day I’ll get a real one and try again. I drink tea too, but I’m not passionate about it.

Well, that’s certainly enough about me. How about YOU:

Real Life Parenting
The Aliso Kitchen
Dried-on Milk
Crumbs in my Mustachio
Tampa Cake Girl
Hun, What’s for dinner?
Fresh Eggs Daily
Lemony Thyme
Cooking from a Stay at Home Mom
Manila Spoon