I've Been Awarded and Tagged!

I am honored and humbled and beyond flattered by the recent award that was given to me by Maddy of Whitterer on Autism
and, even though it's a bit like bragging, I just had to share what she posted on her blog because it was just so darned sweet and I am just so thrilled (honest!). The award is the I Love Your Blog award as seen to the left and Maddy awarded it to myself and six other people. What she wrote was this:

"... Also to lovely “Linda” at “Are we there yet.” Sometimes it’s hard to put your finger on quite why you warm to a particular blog. Linda’s life and mine have little in common. She works full time and her children are older. She’s in a different State and experiences weather and seasons. It could be that Linda’s is one of the first blogs that I felt comfortable commenting upon. I know that whenever I turn up there I will enjoy what I read, what she has written even though her posts run the gamut. Linda is my soft spot to fall."

Wow. I am somebody's soft spot to fall ... I don't think I have ever been that before but I am honored to be so. Maddy is right in that we don't have a lot in common - she lives in California, is a native of England, and is mom to, as she puts it, "3 minors and a major, two girls, two boys, two with blue eyes, two with brown eyes, two with autism, two without." She cooks fantastic meals that are creative and healthy, draws some fantastic cartoons, and writes not just one blog but two (her other blog is Alien in a Foreign Field) with a fantastic wry sense of humor.

I, on the other hand, can't cook for beans anymore it seems, can barely draw a straight line, have trouble keeping up with this blog never mind another one, and obviously live on the other side of the country. I have no concept of what it's like to try to even raise one child with developmental difficulties so we don't have that in common either but Maddy fast became one of my favorite reads because even though she faces some very daunting challenges with her two young men, she has maintained a fantastic sense of humor and purpose of life. She lets you take a peek into her life and the trails, tribulations, and tee-hee's of autism and it helps me to understand perhaps just a little better that even though life can throw some real twists and turns at you that you can either stress over them or you can take them in stride and own them rather than let them own you.

In short, I admire Maddy tremendously. Thank you so much, my friend, for the award and recognition - I truly don't deserve it but I'm keeping it anyway!

Now, for the 'Tagged' part of this post ... first off, I was tagged by Daynger from the blog Dayngrous Discourse for what should be a simple meme but knowing me, I'll make it more complicated than it has to be! I'm not sure if I can think of that many but this is the ...

Ten Things You Probably Didn't Know About Linda Meme

1. I have three memory cards for my digital camera but I've yet to ever fill up just one!
2. I absolutely positively cannot sleep in a room with an open closet door!
3. Vanilla is probably my all-time favorite scent.
   
4. My middle name is Jean and I truly hate it. Put it with Linda and throw in a Southern twang and I may as well have been from Alabama rather than Connecticut!
5. Even though I can't sing for love or money, I was in church choir for many, many years!
6. My handwriting is so bad, I could be a doctor!
   
7. My favorite color is purple; second favorite is green.
8. I once worked at Sears Automotive installing tires and batteries for a living.
9. I have never broken any bones.
   
10. I once drove from California to Connecticut in a U-Haul type truck with just myself and my then 6-year old son.
    

Along with that tag, Joan, my favorite Erstwhile Librarian, tagged me for the Power of Four Meme - I would have preferred the Power of Three Meme but what's a blogger to do??

Four places I go over and over
Work, work, and work!
The local Stop & Shop
Outside of the grounds of the Norwich State Hospital to take pictures
Walgreen's

Four people who email me regularly
VistaPrint ... enough already!
Princess Patti of Late Bloomer Boomer
Morgen of It's a Blog Eat Blog World
Some guy trying to tell me I've inherited a marvelous fortune if I'd just send him all of my personal information!

Four of my favorite places to eat
Jack in the Box (but there are none on the East Coast!)
Cancun Mexican Restaurant (but it's not on the East Coast either!)
King Wah Chinese (it's not the best but it's cheap!)
Sunset Pizza (the best pizza place in Norwich!)

Four places I'd rather be
Visiting my best friend on the West Coast
On a cruise ship somewhere just kicked back and relaxing (I've never actually been on a cruise)
Visiting historic battlefields in Virginia
At lottery headquarters cashing in a winning ticket!

Four TV shows I could watch over and over
Cold Case
The Closer
The Big Bang Theory
House

Four people I'm tagging
Rob
Erik
Star
Connie

If I didn't tag you and you want to play along, feel free to do so and just let me know as I'd love to see your answers! Thanks again to Maddy and even to Dayngr and Joan for thinking I'd make a good 'taggee'!

The Five Things Meme

*********************

Miss Patti of Late Bloomer Boomer fame recently tagged me with the Five Things Meme and being that I haven't done a meme in quite some time, and don't want to risk the Dungeon at Bloggingham Palace for such a simple meme, I figured I had best do it post-haste and pronto. After all, I understand Queen Mimi is not feeding the prisoners a traditional roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings for Thanksgiving (and if she did, you might be better off not eating it if what I hear about her cooking is true!) so I really don't want to spend my holiday there! Bad enough I have to spend it at work answering 911!

Oh, and just to give credit where credit is due, Patti got the meme originally from Joan who got it from I-don't-know-where and I will pass it on with a tag to Misty Dawn and Connie! Consider it a Thanksgiving gift from me to you, ladies!

The Five Things Meme

Found in My Room (the one I'm sitting in now is the living room so we'll use that!) ...

1. At least three plushie dolls (LynZ, Steve - with pants!, and a half-finished still-naked Jimmy)
2. A wedding picture of myself with my father walking me down the aisle
3. My collection of elephants
4. My infrequently-used Gazelle exercise glider
5. My grandmother's old sewing machine

I've Always Wanted to Do ...

1. Go to England
2. Win the lottery!
3. Find true love
4. Play a musical instrument
5. Go on a cruise

Found in My Bag (I don't carry a purse so I will have to use the lunchbag I use for work) ...

1. Dental floss
2. Allergy medication
3. A packet of cinnamon & apple instant oatmeal
4. A potholder (I have no idea why!)
5. Spare change

Found in My Wallet ...

1. Driver's License
2. Health Insurance Card
3. Hot Topic Frequent Shopper Card
4. Time Badge for Work
5. Two Dollars

I'm Currently Into ...

1. Apple Crisp (it's that time of year!)
2. The music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra
3. Blogging (aren't we all?)
4. Sleeping in on my days off
5. Finishing this meme!

Aw, You Shouldn't Have!

A new reader who has been visiting my blog and leaving some very lovely comments, Misty Dawn at My Dog Keeps Me Sane, was kind enough to present me with the Wonder Woman Award with the following words:

"She is a dispatcher, a mother, and the assistant to creating really cool plushies. When a long-awaited for concert is canceled, she plans a whole day of doing something that she doesn't enjoy, just to lift her daughter's spirits. I think she deserves a Wonder Woman plushie, but I don't know how to make them, so I'm giving her this award instead."

I don't know what to say other than wow! and thank you! And a Wonder Woman plushie would be cool, especially if it had those awesome boots she always wore!

I am going to pass this award along to Jeni of Down River Drivel - a Nittany Lioness who raised three of her own kids to become fine adults and who now watches over her granchildren Alex, Kurtis, and the Princess Maya. She likes her Penn State football and her Bushisms and a visit to Jeni's blog is like sitting down at a friend's kitchen table and chatting with an old friend. Only problem is you have to bring your own coffee! She is most definitely a Wonder Woman in my book!

In addition to that wonderful award, I was the recipient of another little treat this week from Patti of the Late Bloomer Boomer and my favorite Erstwhile Librarian, Joan. Thank you both so much for this sweet little fella!

Patti got the award from Lynn of A Tired Mama who received it from Michelle at the Rocky Mountain Retreat who also gave it to Joan. Michele was honored with it by its creator, Trista, at the Pumkin Patch. Isn't it fun to see where these awards started and what path they took to get to your blog?

Thank you so much Misty Dawn, Patti, and Joan for thinking of me and making my week that much brighter by your thoughtfulness and kindness! You're all treats for me to read, too!