Occasionally, just occasionally, something nice happens without requiring that you actually DO anything to earn it... which is nice! I've won a blog award!!! Yes - ME!! Woo hoo!

This award was given to me by Caz. She's a friend I've met through Born Sleeping, but I got to know her better through Twitter. (See - Twitter DOES have uses other than telling people what you ate for breakfast!)

There are some rules that go with it:

1) I have to choose five other people who deserve it and pass the awards along

2) Regale you all with seven random facts about me
3) Let the people that you give the awards to know
4) Thank the person who gave you the award

Ok, so here goes... 1) Five others, eh?

Our Sonshine - this blog is the story of a school friend whose first baby was born with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. The story of her struggles to process the lows and the joys of the highs helps to keep me centered as a person.

When the flames go up - this blog is jointly written by divorcees LOD and Moxie, a`bout their experiences of co-parenting following their divorce. It takes a special sort of person to be as open as they are, through the pain of their divorce, and reading their blog reminds me that when life is tough, really tough, I still have a choice about how I choose to live.

Slight cheat on this one... it's not strictly a blog, but I love Sarah Britten's columns for Thought Leader. While I don't always agree with her point of view, I find her writing insightful and thought-provoking, plus she's slightly sarcastic, which I always enjoy.

Bee is another school friend. She's working in Bosnia as a YWAM missionary. While I lived overseas for nearly 8 years, I missed home ALL the time and could never imagine making a foreing country my permanent home. Bee has done that, happily, willingly, because it's what God has called her to. I love her courage to live by her convictions, and the example that she is to me.

Bron is a varsity friend, and another one who has moved her life overseas. What I love about her blog is her honesty - WYSIWYG. When things are good, she blogs the celebrations. When things are rubbish, she blogs the struggle with honesty. What an inspiration to me!

OK - moving on to #2 - 7 random facts about me:

1) I like salted peanuts on vanilla ice-cream.

2) I am happier in jeans than any other type of trousers/ pants - I would rather wear jeans than anything else. (In fact, I hate ordinary trousers. I only wear them because I'm not allowed to wear denim or tracksuits to work, and skirts with stockings are just too darn cold in winter.)

3) I have a blood disorder - APS - that means I feel the cold MUCH more than others, and struggle to exercise, because my blood doesn't pump fast enough (it's "sticky").

4) I saw 25 lengths in the pool this past weekend - I swam lengths for the first time in YEARS.

5) I walked the dogs in the rain today - and hated it.

6) I love medical dramas - ER, House, Grey's...

7) I went to watch a dance performance at the Baxter this past week - also for the first time in YEARS.

And moving on to #3... that's done.

So on to #4. Caz - thank you. I really do appreciate the acknowledgement. There aren't many people who read my blog regularly (not like Tertia's blog... LOL!) so I appreciate each and every person who takes the time to read my ramblings. You're a special person, but you know that already. Big hugs!!