Thank you, Sue, for nominating me for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award! Sue’s grace, generosity and gentle wisdom shine through every post she writes on her blog, Stories of an Unschooling Family. She has been my biggest inspiration in our journey towards unschooling.
I read Sue’s Seven Revealing Facts About Myself with the same joy I read everything she writes. When I came to the end of her post and saw that she’d nominated me, I was very honoured.
It was especially nice to be thought of by Sue because I’ve been offline most of this summer, enjoying beach and (extended) family time. I’m sure my blogging friends must think me very rude not commenting on their lovely blog posts. Tomorrow we leave from Venice on a European cruise with my husband’s family. I like cruises because you get to dress up in the evenings, which is something I rarely do. The photo above is from the last cruise my parents-in-law took us on. When we get home I’m looking forward to catching up with all my blogging friends again.
Here are my seven facts about myself:
* I wasn’t brought up in any religion but I’ve always believed in God. Seven years ago I discovered a teacher whose work resonates with me deeply. I don’t go to church but I meditate every day. My faith is at the heart of everything I do, including how I raise my children.
* Two years ago I created another blog to write about more personal things, like my faith, but I’ve never posted there. One day I will have the courage to do so!
* I look and dress like an average English woman but in fact I am in a very small minority. I have an unusual faith, an unusual IQ, I unschool my kids and – despite being very gregarious – I am extremely introverted (I need lots of time by myself to recharge). My close friends tend to be intense extroverts who love me enough to keep phoning even though I rarely phone them.
* My ideal evening would be a meal and a glass of wine in a quiet restaurant with a good friend, leaping straight into joyful conversation about life, the universe and everything without any preliminary smalltalk. That would be once every fortnight or so. The other 13 nights I’d be at home on the sofa with my husband.
* I love walking my dogs on the beach while listening to loud music. Especially if it’s blowing a gale, when I can dance on the sand and sing out loud without anyone thinking I’m crazy.
* I love getting older. I’ve been happier every single year of my life. Last week I turned 44. Isn’t 44 a great number?
* I don’t think you’re ever too old to follow your dreams. As a child I longed to learn a musical instrument but my (single) mum never had the money for lessons. This year I took my very first music exam – grade 4 classical guitar. I passed with merit, and got six marks fewer than C(10) who took the same exam. I was glad it was that way round!
Here are the guidelines (it’s meant to be “rules” but I can’t bring myself to write rules on my blog. Probably just as well, as I’ve broken a few).
- Thank and link to the amazing person who nominated you.
- List the rules and display the award.
- Share seven facts about yourself.
- Nominate 15 other amazing blogs and comment on their posts to let them know they have been nominated.
- Proudly display the award logo on your blog and follow the blogger who nominated you.
Nominations. I am inspired by many homeschooling blogs. Sue already nominated several of my favourites. Here are a few of the others.
Phyllis from All Things Beautiful
Karen from Homeschool Girls
Carol from Learning With Boys
Prudence from Adventures in Home Schooling
Ingi from Defying Gravity
Thank you again, Sue, for nominating me. I’ve enjoyed writing this post!
Happy belated birthday and have a great time on your cruise! I can’t believe it’s already mid-August, can you?! Thanks for sharing such interesting facts about yourself. It makes me feel like I know you a little better. 🙂 Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Thank you, Hwee. I enjoyed your facts very much too. I’m just re-emerging into the blogosphere after the cruise. I have a lot of catching up to do!
Oh, happy birthday! You’re going to have a wonderful time on your cruise! (Love the “dot” dress!)
Thank you Jessy! I love that dress. 🙂
A European cruise! I’m very jealous! We will be cruising a bit closer to home in Asia in a few short weeks. Make sure you blog about it for those of us playing at home. Walking on the beach with loud music and a dog? Hell yeah! And happy belated birthday! Thanks for nominating me – will attempt the big reveal this weekend. But 15 nominees? Seriously?
An Asian cruise sounds super-exotic to me! Have a great time – I’ll look forward to reading about it. 🙂
What a great post! Glad to hear you are having a wonderful summer. I think it’s important to take time away sometimes. The cruise sounds wonderful. Thanks for the nomination!
Thank you Carol! The cruise was a wonderful end to a great summer holiday. I hope you had a brilliant summer, too. Now to begin easing back into a new routine … (But first, so many lovely blog posts to catch up on…)
Cruises are fun for dressing up, I agree.
This was fun to read, I’m an introvert like you too, so your ideal night sounds pretty good to me.
Thanks, Ticia. I find it interesting how many of my blogging friends are introverts too.
Lucinda,
Oh my! What kind and unexpected words in your introduction. You have a talent for spreading joy and making people feel good. Thank you!
I am so glad you joined in and wrote some facts about yourself. So much of what you wrote resonated with me. I’m also an introvert who never phones her friends. They never give up on me either. Perhaps they understand.
And it’s been a few years since I was 44 but I too think that’s a wonderful number. I love how you love getting older! I totally agree. I love being me despite the wrinkles and lines that are unfortunately appearing!
I hope you have a wonderful cruise. Come back refreshed, ready to take up blogging again for another year!
Sue,
I meant every word!
I enjoyed writing this post – thank you so much for giving me the opportunity, and for all your encouragement for my blogging. It’s taken me a while after our (lovely) holiday to get back into writing, but better late than never. 🙂
And so many of my friends’ posts to catch up on!
I love this post – you are SUCH an inspiration and a really beautiful person. xxx
And so are you to me, Angela – thank you so much for your lovely words. 🙂
Happy, happy birthday, Lucinda. I hope you’re having a wonderful time on your cruise.
It’s always fascinating to learn more about the person behind the blog. I love getting old too! Somehow one can’t take oneself as seriously as one grows old disgracefully. Not that I’ve ever taken myself that seriously. I’m 40 this year and still feel like an excited 16 year old. I tell you, I’m not mature enough to be married and have children. Especially children who are frankly more mature than I am.
Congratulations on your guitar exam!
Claire, I just noticed I didn’t reply to your lovely comment! We are definitely kindred spirits when it comes to growing old disgracefully. My husband is 42 today so I am just a little more disgraceful than him. 😉 Thank you for your congratulations. We are hard at work on grade 5 now!
Thanks for sharing more about yourself! I enjoyed learning more about you. I am also an introvert who would rather stay home, but once I get out I always have more fun than I thought I would! Always a pleasure to read your posts. Thanks for blogging!
Hi Christi – lovely to hear from you! “Once I get out I always have more fun that I thought I would!” – Yes!! Me too!
Thank you for your kind words, it’s so nice to be reminded that kindred spirits are out, especially when it comes to getting back into the swing of a new term!