Sunshine Award thanks to Nancy laRonda Johnson

I was appalled to realize that I had been guilty of blogging rudeness by not at least acknowledging an award.  I am rectifying that now.  Those who gave me awards are too charming not to understand and forgive, but perhaps, as well, they will enjoy my responses.
 
Nancy LaRonda Johnson's blog has been a source of enjoyment and inspiration to me.  It carries her signature sense of humor, wisdom and philosophy.  On March 20, 2013 she notified me that I had been given the Sunshine award.  That tickled me at the time and then, being busy with a new job, I forgot.  I have now remembered, and though I am disgracefully late, I am thanking Nancy LaRonda Johnson and participating.
 
First, a photo of me.  This was taken at Yosemite, when I took a week's riding vacation that involved traveling form point A to point B each day.  Our supplies were sent out by mule train.  I had a good time, but I learned that while the temperature each day might be 56 after sunset, that temperature is made far colder by the fact that those who camp in Yosemite are camping on granite, which makes things colder.
 
Here I am:
 
...and here are my answers to Nancy's questions:

1. Lefty or righty? - I write righty; I flip through books lefty.

2. “Hi” or “Hello”? – Hello!

3. What old-time tradition would you want to bring back, i.e., drive-in movies? – The morning visit.  Where you come to someone's house, stay about a half hour, chatting, and leave.  You can be asked to stay (and you can say yes) but you aren't obligated.  It seems to have confirmed the value of one's friends and acquaintances, and gave the opportunity to allow acquaintances to become friends.  I think it also helped teach poise.  And it kept people connected.

4. What celebrity do you think you look like most?  I am told I look like Lily Tomlin.  I think I look like Catherine Zeta-Jones (after a bad week)

5. What animal would you want to be if you had to be one? – the biggest, meanest shark in the ocean.  (that's cheating.  I was at one of those 'team-making' get-togethers and this question was asked.  To my [possibly unmerited] angst, a number of women announced that they wanted to be 'sweet, cuddly kittens'.  I gave the above answer, which made a number of people blink.)  I think I'd like to be a dolphin – the ocean fascinates me, and I'd love to roam its bounds.

6. Did you have any childhood bad habits, i.e., sucking your thumb? What? – Well, I – ah no.  I don't think people need to know THAT!  But – candor is a good thing.  Hm.  Should I or should I not?  Oh, me-oh-my!  Ah, what the heck?  I used to chew on my hair.  Just the one strand, coming from the right side of my head.  I'd chew the end.  That stopped when I was…let me see…eight years old.

7. Momma’s boy/girl or Daddy’s girl/boy? – I was Daddy's little girl.  Truth to be told, I loved both parents, but Dad was special to me.  Daddies and daughters often have a connection.

8. What’s your favorite leisurely activity?  - strolling along and watching people.

9. What one word would you use to describe yourself? – Quizzical.

10. Popcorn or chips?  - Popcorn.  Buttered.  (without hulls, I wish).  I was at the theater to see STAR WARS for the first time.  I was seated comfortably, an empty seat on either side, when I noticed an elderly couple wandering up and down the aisle looking for two seats together.  I waved them over and scooted sideways.  The lady plumped herself down, took a tub of buttered popcorn from her husband, beamed at me and said, "Here, Dear – dig in!"  (It was the best I ever ate.  Good movie, too!)

11. Who’s the last person (or animal) you kissed? – My mother, saying goodbye before I headed home.

Eleven odd facts about myself:

1.  My favorite flower is a violet.  Either the common, light purple ones or the white-veined ones.  I also like Johnny-Jump-Ups (sometimes called Violas) that are very sweet-smelling.

2.  I was on the varsity judo team in my college.

3. I can decide I want to cook something, and can make up my own recipe.

4.  I have no problem 'wasting food' by throwing out something that came about because of a recipe I dreamed up out of my fevered brain and found to be utterly nasty.

5.  My favorite color is jade green.

6.  When I can't sleep, I tend to make lists of things:  what I would pack to drive down the Pan-American highway; what gifts I would give to whom if I had a great deal of money; if I had unlimited funds, what one thing would I give to society as a memorial gift?  (That was fascinating to me.  I thought perhaps a national park, perhaps a library, a food bank…  Something that everyone needs, that everyone would enjoy, from me, without charge or restraint.)

7.  I want to get on a sailing boat (schooner, I think) and circumnavigate the globe.  I would have a crew.  I, myself, would sit at the bow with the wind streaming past me, watching the sea, the stars, the flying fish, drinking the vastness of it all.

8.  I like dogs and cats, and my pets have odd nicknames.  Frida the little cat is 'Frida-bee', or else 'Her Highness Little Miss Mess'.  Jesse James, the Labrador Retriever is 'Jesterly James'.

9.  I sing alto.  I do very well singing in the shower.  If I'm driving along, I sing at the top of my lungs, but stop at traffic lights and pretend to be fiddling with the radio dials.

10.  I am good at taking criticism.

11.  I am careful to let my friends and family know that I love them.  It occurred to me that a day would come when I would willing give anything I had just for the chance to tell someone who didn't realize it, how very much I cared for him or her.  So I started doing it.  Unobtrusively, of course.

So… Who gets this award?

Hm.

NOTE TO EVERYONE MENTIONED BELOW:  You do not have do anything other than carry on as you have.  This is just a mention of bloggers I enjoy who should be visited. 

To the readers: check out these wonderful blogs and enjoy them!

Inge Hollwoegger – a delightful lady with a wonderful way of telling stories and a fun outlook

Hilary Melton-Butcher - she combines a travelogue, a lesson and a peek into her wonderful, analytical, tolerant and kindly personality

M J Joachim - talented, enjoyable, kindly, caring and humorous

Julia Thorley - Yoga, humor and wisdom.  What is not to enjoy? 

VikLit - an engaging and kindly lady with a great sense of humor.  She is responsible for making me count my blessings every Friday, and a good exercise it has been!  

City Muse, Country Muse - poetry, kindness and inspiration

If you have been named, smile.  You have given me great enjoyment.    If you want to follow the challenge, feel free to do so - but I am not asking anything.*