Liebster Award

Helen from Confessions of a Doctor to Be nominated me for this award, which is really cool because my blogging network has so drastically changed since the first time I was nominated. Thanks, Helen! OK, so maybe it was actually Lexi who was nominated by her boyfriend Noodle the first time, and I was just her typist. I did, however, resurrect the badge from back then!

Rules to the Liebster Blogger awards:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and give them a big hug give them a link to the blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions given to you or at least most of them
3. Share 11 or so facts about yourself
4. Nominate between 5-11 other bloggers
5. Ask your nominees 11 or so questions
6. Notify your nominees once you’ve uploaded your post

So. I thanked Helen. Now for her 11 questions. The biggest question in my mind, however, is who answers them? Me? Xena? Lucy? Angel Lexi? Hey! How about if we each answer some of them?

1. What piece of writing are you the most proud of? Angel Lexi: I would have to say it was writing my book, The Life and Times of a Thespian Schnauzer. You can order it here.

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2. How long does it take for a post to go from an idea to fruition? Amy: Anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of days. A few minutes is, “I need to post something, it’s been a while.” A few days is, “I thought of something as I was falling asleep last night, and I need to take some pictures and find time to sit down with my computer.”

3. What has been your most enjoyable new hobby during this lockdown? Xena: That would be barking as loudly and as shrilly as possible at anything at everything I see out the front window. Mommy rearranged the furniture, thinking I wouldn’t be able to see outside. That hasn’t deterred me. I am a schnauzer, after all.

4. If you could go somewhere for a week, all expenses paid and you could do whatever you wanted, where would you go? Amy: Somewhere like French Polynesia. Warm, sunny, white beaches, clear blue water, good food, umbrella drinks.

5. What’s one thing you wish you were better at? Amy: Music, especially singing. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, as the saying goes. You know it’s true when your 4 year old says, “Mommy, please don’t sing any more.”

6. What language would you like to learn and perfect if given the opportunity? Amy: French. I took 4 years in high school. I dated a Frenchman for 4 years. I’ve been to France 3 times, where a very nice French lady said she would understand me better if I would just speak English, slowly. Wow. So yeah, I would like to be good at it.

7. What’s an irrational fear you have? Lucy: That Mom is going to hit me when she raises her hand for any reason or when tries to teach me what she teaches Xena. She has never hit me, not ever. I guess I have issues.

8. What’s something you might be embarrassed or self-conscious about, but you know you shouldn’t be? Amy: How I look now vs. how I looked when I was 35. Yep, totally irrational.

9. What food are you craving the most right now? Lucy and Xena: beef, pork, fish, chicken, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, nuts, kefir, anything anyone else is eating. Amy: Ice cream.

10. What’s your best party trick? Angel Lexi: Every night at the theater, when I came on stage to take my final bow, the crowd always went wild. I’m a great actress. So good, in fact, that I was the first animal to win an Annie Award. No, wait, my very best trick was making sick little kids in the hospital smile. Amy: I’m an introvert. I rarely go to parties. Xena: What’s a party?

11. What brings you the most joy in life? Mom: Our family, and ballroom dancing. Xena: Our family, and Freestyle dancing, and my meals Lucy: Our family, and every new person I meet, and my meals.

Now it’s time to share 11 things about ourselves myself ourselves. Well, what did you expect when you nominated someone who writes in the voices of her dogs?

Puppy Xena in her dress

1. Xena: When I was a puppy and didn’t know any better, I loved Mommy to dress me up in pretty clothes. Now, not so much. I tolerate it, and that’s about the extent of it.

2. Lucy: Every time my dad comes home from wherever he’s been, I greet him at the top of the stairs with a smile on my face. Then he says, “Look at my big girl smiling at me!” (I sure do love my Dad.)

3. Amy: I love being outside. Yet, the outside is loving me less and less. I’ve recently become allergic to stings and bites from insects, such as bees, wasps and fire ants, and end up at the medi-clinic. And until I discovered that apple cider vinegar laced with salt dries up a poison ivy outbreak, I had to get a steroid shot plus prednisone pills every time I broke out. So now I mostly stay in the yard and on the patio. No more hiking or tramping through the woods.

4. Lucy: We eat a B.A.R.F. Raw Diet. Mom doesn’t tell everyone, ’cause people are so judgmental. (But we trust you.) After losing Angel Lexi to gum cancer (that also went into her lungs and brain), Mom did a lot of reading and studying about things that cause cancer in dogs. Dry kibble is one of them. So she did a lot more reading and studying about raw diets for dogs and we are so, so happy she did! Talk about excitement at meal time! And we always lick our bowls clean.

5. Amy: I can make things happen. No, really. My husband said he knew this for a long time about me before I realized it. Actually, most everyone can, to one degree or another, and, like me, don’t even know they are doing it. I say something – put it out there in the universe, as hubby says – and very often it happens. Example: Years ago, I spent a day on a small, rented pontoon boat. I liked it so much, I decided I wanted one. I’m not one to spend a lot of money or buy a lot of things, but this is something I wanted with all my heart. That morning, I opened the paper to the want ads, and there it was. The first listing was for a 16 foot pontoon. It was like new and $1000 more than I knew I could spend. I called anyway, and the first thing the seller said to me was, “I just got this boat in a divorce and I’ll take $1000 less than it is listed for.” Example: I was in-between jobs, and working for a temp agency that also did permanent placement. One afternoon I looked at my hubby and said, “I want to work for a church, or other faith-based organization.” The next day the agency booked me for interviews with two different churches, and I got offers from both. I was very happy with the compensation and job for many years at the one I accepted. Example: One evening, while visiting at a friend’s house, she told me that Chattanooga Theatre Centre was looking for a dog to play Toto. Without hesitation, I exclaimed, “Lexi can do that and she’s going to be Toto!” Of course, the rest is history. This happens all the time, so I’m careful about what I say. Actually, everyone can do this, but some people are just more in tune to it than others. (I wish I could declare myself a millionaire, but it doesn’t work that way.) That said, how about you?

6. Number 5 is so long that we’re also counting it as number 6.

7. Xena: I’m scared of thunder and lightening, of rain hitting the car windshield, of plastic bags coming near me, of riding in the car unless I’m in my kennel, of the vacuum, of dogs that bark back at me, of farts, and of the vet’s office. Mommy named me Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess, and Daddy says it’s something to live up to. I’m still working on it.

8. Amy: A few years ago, one of the local high schools with predominantly underprivileged kids decided to try out a 6-week ballroom dance program for any of the kids who wanted to participate. Since I can teach ballroom, and I love teens, I was asked to be one of three teachers. I taught the kids hustle with a routine to Gloria Gaynor’s song, “I Will Survive.” I danced with them, and we got to perform in front of the entire school. What a rush!

9. Lucy: While I have a lot of fears, too, I’ve never met a stranger. I love everyone and want them to pet me. I will get in their car if they leave the door open.

In no particular order our nominees are *drum roll, please*
1. Erin the Cat Princess We recently discovered Erin across the Pond. She has the attitude and staff of a princess for sure, and Xena is secretly trying to take lessons from her.
2. Lulu, Charlee and Chaplin and their Dad of the Oceanside Animals. We try not to miss Dennis the Vizsla too much while reading about the real and imaginary adventures of Lulu the dog and her 2 cat friends. Their Dad is an author, and I can’t wait to dig into one of his horror/sci fi novels.
3. Rachel from The Cricket Pages. Rachel only blogs once a week. She blogs – with raw openness – about her struggles caused by childhood abuse, her victories, and her failures. I’ve read her book, and it’s worth a look.
4. BellaDharma of BellaDharma and LadyMeow’s Purrfect Pad is a beautiful solid black kittie who is often the purramedic for her Mom up in Canada. Purrayers badge for her Mom is on my sidebar.
5. Max Power’s Blog is another one I have recently begun to follow. An Irishman blogging from his home country, his posts are both entertaining and insightful. He is also a published author, and I have also read one of his books. Take a look, there are several from which to choose.
6. The Canadian Cats have been going on adventures with my Xena in her blog stories. Beyond that, these two Siamese and one DSH have lots of fun on their own blog. Definitely worth a look.
7. Millie and Walter from Bird Brains and Dog Tails are two sweet pups who share what’s going on in their corner of the world.
8. We love Kosmo from PHOTOFINLAND RANTASALOT. I learn so much about the wildlife and landscape of Finland with the help of gorgeous photos. And Kosmo the tuxedo cat has a not-so-secret crush on our Lucy dog. She’s flattered.

Eight nominees seems like a good halfway point between the 5 minimum and 11 maximum in the instructions, don’t you think? If you weren’t nominated, please nominate yourself, as I would love to hear all about you. And, just so you know, I did leave out some of my other favorite blogs, so come on and join in the fun – you know who you are!

Now, for the questions you get to answer:

1 Why do you blog?
2 Blue jeans or formal wear? Cake or a health bar? Why?
3 If you could have one (more) animal live with you, what would it be and why?
4 What do you feel are your greatest talents?
5 If you could be any age, what would it be and why?
6 If there was one thing you could go back and do differently, what would it be?

Since I’m a rule-breaker, I’m only asking six questions. Besides, this is getting way too long. Just remember to “#3 Share 11 facts about yourself.” And since I only asked 6 questions, feel free to share more than 11.

If you haven’t already, be sure to hit “Follow” on my sidebar. See you around.

Amy, Lucy, Xena and Angel Lexi