Let's Warm Up!

With the terribly cold weather we're having this winter--why, even Florida is cold--I felt that I needed to laugh to warm up. Hopefully, these will cheer you a bit too.

















































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To further warm me up, Kathy from Happy at Home presented me with a most satisfying award: The Best Blog Comment Award. It is so nice to be appreciated.



I know that I appreciate all of you who routinely leave comments, and I'd like to share this award with you.

Blogger Needs Glasses!

CC at Lace ‘n Ribbon Roses gave me the Gorgeous Blogger Award last Thursday. Clearly, CC has problems with her vision! She’s a blogger who is devoted to Sunbonnet Sue. Check her out.

For the award, I am to tell six things about myself and then pass the award on to six other people.

I have a twin brother. Some people are astounded when they learn this because they only understand identical twins. We are fraternal twins: two separate eggs and two separate saqs. No, we do not “look alike;” he was born with blue booties, while I was born with pink booties!

I was raised in Washington, D.C., and I have climbed up the Washington monument four times!

I smoked from the ages of fifteen through twenty-five. It was a very difficult habit to break, but I’m glad that I did break it.

I see nothing wrong with having a diet drink with a piece of pie.

I did not begin college until after my children married.

6. I bit my fingernails to the quick until around age forty-two. Then, I quit by applying one coat of clear nail polish every day. If you're a nail biter, try this; it really works!

The people that I tag (ahem, I mean, honor) are:

1. Elizabeth at Thoughts from an Evil Overlord
2. Kathleen at Focus on Interiors
3. Darlene at Darlene's Days
4. Joy at Joy's Web
5. Betsy at Joyful Reflections
6. Jeanne at Backyard Neighbor

Awards

Chaitra at Recipes for the Life: Chronicles of A New Wife gave me this beautiful Deborah Award this past Thursday. The small print reads, "Friendship isn't about who you have known the longest, but who came and never left your side. I’m so very honored as this was the first award for Chaitra. (I’m certain that it won’t be her last.) If you haven’t yet met her, take a minute to visit this special blogger from India.




La Voice at Thoughts from Meme’s Corner gave me this wonderful award this past Sunday. La Voice is a new blogger who has quickly become well loved and appreciated with her thoughtful posts and comments. For instance, this is what she wrote when she presented the award to me and several other bloggers:

Their blog writings are filled with encouragement and inspiring thoughts. They appear rich in their faith and on the right path. My only request to them is continue to keep your feet on solid ground. Perhaps your actions will speak to someone else.

If either of these ladies are unknown to you, pay them a visit today. They're the kind of bloggers everyone would like to have as a friend.

Shopping for Sofas and Be an Inspiration!

Shy at Milestones gave me An Inspirational Award this past Blue Monday. She's a relatively new blogger friend of mine, and I'm so honored to receive this pretty blue award.

Yesterday was a busy day as it was Blue Monday, and Johnny and I were scrambling around trying to find some couches. Yes, I said "some." We need three: one for the living room and two for the family room. These days, couches are made for people to sink into, and I'm so old that I simply want to sit--not sink. In fact, whenever I sink, I sometimes struggle to "swim" back up!

Here are some I found on the internet:





I like shiny things, but this isn't quite my taste.


This looks nice, but it sits soft. It's a "sinker."



This one would sit low to the floor.



There's no room for anyone to sit on this couch!


This one is called, "moleskin." I can see the moles crawling on the arms! Ew.


We did not find a couch. (sigh) If you have an idea of where I might find a tight back sofa, please share. Meanwhile, the hunt continues.

This made the receiving of this sweet award even more appreciated. I'd like to pass it on to you because those who visit and leave comments inspire me. So feel free to take it to your blog; just let me know if/when you accept it.

Over The Top

Last week Charlotte from At Home is Scottsdale has honored(?) me with an award. This award comes with a survey to fill out with the difficult RULE to use just one word. Charlotte knows me well enough to understand that this is a challenge.

As a matter of fact, I’ve done this one before, but some answers have changed, so I’ll meet that challenge again!

Rules 1. Use only one word! 2. Pass this along to six other bloggers. 3. Alert them that you have given them this award. 4. Have Fun!


1. Where is your cell phone? returned
2. Your hair? colored
3. Your mother? gone
4. Your father? gone
5. Your favorite food? sweets
6. Your dream last night? forgot
7. Your favorite drink? water
8. Your dream/goal? heaven
9. What room are you in? office
10. Your hobby? blogging
11. Your fear? Alzheimer’s
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something that you aren’t? thin
15. Muffins? yuk
16. Wish list item? empty
17. Where did you grow up? DC
18. Last thing you did? read
19. What are you wearing? polyester
20. Your TV? large
21. Your pets? died
22. Friends? sure!
23. Your life? good
24. Your mood? smiling
25. Missing someone? friends
26. Vehicle? Toyota
27. Something you’re not wearing? shoes
28. Your favorite store? Dillard's
29. Your favorite color? blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? forgot
32. Your best friend? husband
33. One place that you go to over and over? church
34. One person who emails me regularly? Binky
35. Favorite place to eat? Crispers

I present/pass this award to these six bloggers:

1. Joy at Joysweb
2. Carol at Charli and me
3. Becky Hospitality Lane
4. Cindy A House with two cats
5. Suzanne Colorado Lady
6. La Voice Living at meme's corner

Bloggers Must See This Movie

Johnny, Brittany, and I went to see Julie & Julia this week. The premise shows an interweaving of two separate stories about two very different ladies--all the while keeping food at the center. We see Julia Child in France before she learned the art of French cooking all the way to her tremendous success at publishing her cookbook.

Julie, a young married, bored with her life and government job, cooks to relieve stress. She decides to begin a blog while she cooks her way through Julia Child's cookbook. For that reason, this is a must-see for all bloggers. There's so much about "us" in it.

It's refreshing to see a film where both marriages are good ones; both couples enjoy each other and are deeply in love. I found myself smiling throughout the film. Note: there is some unnecessary profanity in it.

I remember watching Julia Child's television programs. Meryl Streep BECOMES Julia Child. What an actress! Although it is a chick flick, husbands will enjoy it--especially the competitiveness in the onion chopping scene. What a fantastic film! It gets a thumbs up from me.

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Blogger love coming this way!

On August 10th, I was awarded the Neno's award by Andrea at Arise 2 Write. The Neno's award is given to those who love blogging, love to encourage friendships through blogging, and who help others seek the reasons why we all love blogging.

This is the perfect bloggers award to be given in celebration of blogging (which the movie celebrates). Good timing, I'd say.

I think this probably defines every blogger reading this, so if you have not already been awarded the Neno award, I'd like to offer it to you. Just let me know in the comment that you're taking it. Happy Blogging!

Test Your Vision - What Do You See?

Are they moving? Spinning?



Or are they perfectly still?




How about these. Are they moving? Turning?



Or are they perfectly still?





Now, look at these. Are they moving? One teacher said, "I felt like they were all moving...but slowly. Kind of like they were breathing."



Or are they perfectly still?





The pictures above are used to test the level of stress a person can handle. If you click on each picture, you can see movement more clearly.

The slower the pictures move, the better your ability to handle stress.

Allegedly, criminals that were tested see them spinning around madly; however, senior citizens and kids see them standing still.

None of these images are animated--they are perfectly still.

If you do happen to see the images spinning around madly, please lie down and rest!


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Here comes Blogger Love!



Missy from Things in Life presented me with The Super Comments award July 23rd. The rules are to post the award, tell who presented it with a link back to that person, and then pass the award on to six other bloggers, linking them to the post. Since comments are so special to me, this is an award I cherish. Missy's blog is a good one to visit.


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July 11, Barbara at The Purple Goat Lady shared the PREMIOS DARDO which means "Top Dart. The award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his or her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values everyday." Barbara is a proud Texan, but then isn't everyone who lives in Texas? I lived there for one year, and I was proud. I hope you'll visit Barbara too.

The rules are: 1. accept it 2. link back to the one who awarded it to you 3. award it to fifteen others.



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I appreciate these two ladies and feel honored to accept these awards. I have been known to bend a rule or two, so I'm tweaking one of the rules--the last one. I would like if everyone of you who leave a comment to please accept the commenter award, and every one of you who bother to visit me to please accept the Premios Dardo award. That may mean that you should take both awards with my ❤ Blogger Love! ❤ You may copy and follow all of the rules (or not!). Just let me know in your comment if you're taking one or both.

Tulips, Award, & Tag

The Tulip Award

On July 7th, Ita at Something to Share shared this beautiful Tulip Award with her blogging buddies. It comes with a tag. Questions must be answered. I really love tulips, and I don't yet have this award, so here goes!


1. YOUR NICKNAME - Sally. My "real" name is Sara. Sally is the standard nickname for Sara. No one has ever called me Sara. The nickname my father gave me was "Sassy." Johnny calls me "Babe."

2. YOU ARE - a cheerful person who enjoys life and family.

3. YOUR MOST SPECIAL PERSON - Johnny, my husband.

4. YOUR FAVORITE SONG - It Is Well with My Soul especially the third verse:

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

5. YOUR FAVORITE FOOD/DISH - anything sweet ... particularly ice cream.

6. THINGS THAT MAKE YOU STRESS - anything I cannot physically accomplish. As I get older, I am less able to do what I used to do with ease.

7. YOUR FAVOURITE COLOR - blue, but you knew that. I think purple is a close second; actually, purple has blue in it.



8. THINGS THAT YOU MUST HAVE IN YOUR BAG - driver's license, lipstick, tissues, pen, paper, money, credit card.

9. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED - when I read the anniversary card Johnny gave me.

10. TAG SIX OF YOUR FRIENDS - I break rules, so I hereby tag everyone who reads this IF you choose to stop to smell the tulips!