The Liebster Award

It's been a while since an 'award' in the form of a meme has done the rounds - at least on my blog. So I was (pleasantly) surprised to be picked by Laura at Autumn's Mummy's Blog  for the Liebster Award. Thank you Laura for thinking of me!

It's the usual malarkey - I answer questions and then ask a few of my own, so grab a cuppa and pop your feet up and have a read....

Laura wanted to know:

•  Who is your hero?

Hmm interesting, what sort of person is a hero? Someone I admire? Someone that has saved me? Someone with amazing powers!? I think I'll go with 'my husband'. He is 20 years older than me and gave up work to look after our daughter when he was in his 50s, he has spent the years managing the house while I work full time, as well as raising her, he still managed to find time to look after a puppy and another dog! And now a new puppy again.
When I hear about hopeless men and how men can't multitask or do housework I think of him, quietly organised and managing the washing (light and dark separately), the cleaning, the day trips, school runs, homework, dog walks, floor mopping and so, so much more and  it all makes me rather angry!

• Do you like cheese? If so, what cheese is your favourite?

I adore cheese. I love cheese almost more than I love my husband! I love all cheese (except blue cheese) Be it soft or hard, mild or mature, full of chives, apricots, nuts or even chilli! But If I had to choose only one type? Then it would be good old Mature English Cheddar, with plenty of bite.

• What genre of music do you most enjoy?

I like a lot of musical styles, growing up in the 80s I was very much into new romantic styles, Adam and the Ants and even Soft Cell. Now though it seems I have moved into the love of Alternative Indie Folk (no I didn't have a clue it was a thing either) with bands like Stornoway (sadly recently disbanded)

• Do you like surprises?

I like nice surprises. Wouldn't anyone? I'm quite spontaneous and terrible at planning so surprises are fine with me - though if you are about to spring a foreign holiday on me, I'll need notice as my passport is out of date.

• What has been your favourite holiday?

I've had lots of great holiday all fabulous for various reasons, I love to rent a cottage in Wales, with dogs and family and cosy log fires after autumn walks, but I also adore hot climates and new foods and cultures such as my trip to Egypt. But my favourite trip was when DD and I had a Thelma and Louise style road trip in California (though with less death at the end) 

• What was your first job?

I had a job as a waitress, the sort of job that really toughens you up and shows you what work is! And puts you off waitressing as a career! LOL

• Big party or small gathering?

Small gathering. I'm terribly shy in real life, at blogging events I'm the quiet one in the corner. I am very friendly with friends though and love to drink, chat and laugh for hours.

• What is your favourite mythical creature and why?

A dragon. No contest. They are huge, can fly, breathe fire and are generally gorgeous. I even have a tattoo of one on my arm. I think the sort of dragon I like best - and would love to be paired with, is a Pern dragon. Imagine flying a golden queen dragon across a new world.

Copyright: tsuneo / 123RF Stock Photo

• What has been your biggest challenge?

Does getting up in the morning count? I have CMT and I'm permanently tired. But I don't think I've achieved anything particularly momentous, I haven't run marathons, got 1sts at Cambridge, won chess championships in Russia or walked the entire Great Wall of China. I did make a new person once, and have kept her alive for 17 years.

• What was your favourite class at school and why?

Biology but only because I fancied the teacher. Later it was English literature, because I love to read and I love poetry and the meanings of words, the deeper meanings found in simple seeming phrases fascinate me. I studied haiku with the Open University because they are so beautiful.

• If you could time-travel, what year would you go to and why?

Only time? Not time and place? Maybe the medieval times then, I rather enjoyed the Medieval festival we went to last year. The fashions were lovely then, even for poor people and while I wouldn't relish the diseases, the food and general lifestyle all seem to suit. I could learn to dye and spin wool, bake my own bread, drink mead and hunt with hawks (probably only a kestrel) at the weekend.

Thanks to Laura for the questions, and now 11 random facts, hmm, not sure they are all unknown to you if you visit here often, but here goes

1. I have a Border Terrier addiction, LOL, we are currently on our third.
2. I voted remain in the EU debate. I am a proud 'remoaner' and think the effect of leaving the EU will be a disaster for our children. I would love to be proved wrong, but only time will tell.
3. I drive a white Fiat Panda. The car before this one, was a white Fiat Panda. I'm boring.
4. I only have one tattoo
5. I always wanted 6 children. Mr TM wanted none.
6. I'm terribly faddy. I'd get a new book or hobby and be obsessed about it for weeks and then suddenly get bored with it and move on to something else. Pokemon Go falls into this category.
7.  I really like sprouts. I am sad they are only eaten at Christmas, I sometimes buy them frozen so that I can have a few with my meals (cooked - I'm not so weird that I eat frozen sprouts) as no one else in the house really likes them.
8. My favourite movie is Blade Runner. Possibly as I have a 'thing' for Rutger Hauer, but also because it's a brilliant look at the near future and the ethics of creation. I love the book it's based on too - but the two are very different in plot and tone.
9. My favourite book is Life of Pi. I adore everything about it - from the plot (never ever give up before the end! Huge plot twist) to the gorgeous imagery to the religious discussions and ethical debates...hmm maybe ethics fascinate me more than I realised.
10. I don't really have a sweet tooth. I like sweet things but I would almost always prefer a savoury option if there was one. Crisps before chocolate and cheese before ice cream. Twiglets, chilli peanuts, these are the snacks of my dreams.
11. I like bright colours, my favourite changes from day to day depending on my mood but orange and green are always high on the list. I dislike pink usually, particularly when it is used to denote 'female'. Although there are exceptions to this, for example my ironic "You Can't Sit With Us" pink T shirt (from the movie Mean Girls)

And so now I need to nominate other bloggers I love to take part, and so I pick:

 Donna at What the Redhead Said

Sharon at After the Playground

Kim at Northumberland Mam
Aly at Bug, Bird and  Bee
Mark at The Honest Father
and
Tracy at Rants, Raves and Random Musings

And they have to answer my 11 questions, which are:

1. What is your favourite movie?
2. What is your least favourite food?
3. If you had to choose only one social media to use for the rest of your life which one would you pick?
4. Why did you start a blog? And is that still why you blog?
5. Are you a happy person?
6. Can you sing?
7. Which country that you have never visited would you most like to?
8. What do you do to relax?
9. Do you always take off your makeup at the end of the day?
10. When was the last time you painted your nails, and what colour were they?
11. Which book(s) are reading at the moment and are they paper or digital?

These are the rules:

Thank the person who nominated you – and display your award with pride

Answer the eleven questions put to you by the person who nominated you

List 11 random facts about yourself

Nominate and link to other bloggers that you think are deserving of this award

Give them 11 questions to answer and let them know they’ve been nominated!

I look forward to reading other bloggers answers.