Liebster Award

YAH!!  When last have I had a reward??  Seems like ages ago when my business was succesful and I was walking around with a swollen head in good ol’ S A and getting the annual awards from the various companies!  O yes, and  before I forget,  of course I was part of the team that won the most – yes, the MOST trophies for coming first on handicap and line honours for cruising class in the Cape to Rio Yacht Race 2011.  Almost forgot the exhilaration of standing on stage with cameras flashing in all directions, delighted with our achievement!

Yachts leaving Table Bay

Since then, lots have changed and I am finding myself in Dar es Salaam, being a housewife and married to a wonderful man, the only type of “award” I’ve had over the past few months have been sweet words from my hubby’s mouth, and for me that has been music to my ears – all I really need, as it is the most sincere and meaningful award any woman could want.

But then I started blogging and now I have been awarded the Liebster Award by the two outstanding bloggers, Aneesa and Faraaz, two fellow South Africans roaming the globe and working in Korea, of LIVE.EXPLORE.LEARN.REMEMBER. blog fame.  They write in good, readable, delightful English about their experiences in Korea, and I hang onto every word they say!  So thanks to the both of you!

The Liebster Award is given to a blogger with less than 200 followers, and although I have more than 200 followers from Facebook alone, I would love to have more people come and visit my site, so I am so grateful.

“Liebster” means beloved, dearest, cute, pleasant, kind and most of all WELCOME to all my readers.  To be a worthy recipient, I must follow a few simple rules attached to this award, namely:

1.  Post 11 Random facts about yourself
2. Choose 11 deserving bloggers and tag them in your post
3. Tell them you’ve tagged them
4. Answer 11 questions the tagger has asked you and give 11 questions to the people
you’ve tagged.
5. No tag backs

So, the questions Aneesa and Faraaz want answered, with the anwers below, are:

1. Favourite book to film adaptation?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X2hcx1v0Rw&feature=player_detailpage

This has to be “I Dreamed of Africa“, with Kim Basinger in the lead role, simply because I had the pleasure of staying on the author, Kuki Gallmann‘s farm – Ol Ari Nyiro Ranch, Laikipia, Kenya.  I had my two kids and my foster daughter with me, and Kuki invited us for coffee at her house, showing us the gravesites of her husband and son.  The book was an incredible read, and made so much more special for me to actually go and see the landscape she so lovingly describes, and meet her in person – a remarkable woman!!

Cover of I Dreamed of Africa

The movie was not that well received, a financial disaster, overly dramatised for commercial purposes, and I giggled when I still found a notice on the back of our boma door warning the cast and crew to be careful when wandering around outside, as they may encounter wild animals!!  The kids and I had the most amazing time on the farm, and one of my most favourite moments in life has to be with us lined up between the Askari with his gun, and the farm manager, around the dam on the farm at sunrise.  About 200 buffalo came down to drink water, and we were positioned in such a way in the wind that they could not smell us, so we could observe at close enough distance to be able to count the ticks on their backs – a truly breathtaking moment!

Buffalo

2.    What was your first job?

I should have gone to study further (marks were good), but my parents were not able to afford the university fees and I compromised by going to study medical technology at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town.

Two small test tubes held in spring clamps (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I was in the blood sample division and at that time we were required to suck blood from the sample tubes with a pipette, then drop small amounts into at least 6 test tubes, place it in a centrifuge machine so the red blood cells could separate from the serum, and then do the tests for syphilis, gonnorhea etc.  I cannot imagine that sucking sample blood will be the norm anymore what with the onslaught of HIV in the world – but then it was 1979, and we were none the wiser!  I hated working in the other departments over my weekend shifts, as it went from blood to faeces, spit etc – YUK!!  thank goodness we have people who are equipped to deal with such matters, as I quit after merely a month, due to yet another test tube of blood spilling out over my clothes and body.  Needless to say, I went home and jumped into a bath with a full bottle of disinfectant, and gave 24 hrs notice.

3.  Who is your favourite author?

Undoubtedly Paulo Coelho – he is the wisest, most endearing writer as far as I am concerned, and I have introduced my husband to his writings, and he is now an avid follower as well.  So is my daughter, the safe-keeper of my Paulo Coelho collection at this stage.

4.  If you could travel anywhere in the world and money was no object, where would you go? Why?

Again, a strong answer here:

Residential section of the Machu Picchu, Peru. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Machu Picchu – I am fascinated by history and I would love to see this site and immerse myself into the atmosphere of ancient tribes living and loving there.

5.  What’s the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?

Their aura of assured-ness – no weaklings for me please!!

6.  What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I am the proud mother of two super, intelligent, confident, warm-hearted, beautiful children – Belinda and Allister!  Perhaps this is not an accomplishment – rather a blessing from Above!

Grandma, Belinda and Allister

7.  If you had to live in a decade other than the current one, which would you choose?

Again, undoubtedly the era of the Tzars in Russia, the French Bourgeoisie – all circa 1700’s – think Peter The Great.

Peter The Great

But please to be as one of the rich people as I think the poor people in those eras really suffered!  Russian History fascinates me.  But then I am fond of the French history as well….  I am drawn to the rich textures and pomp and ceremony of the time – it also seems like they knew how to party!

8.  Eating in a theatre nefarious behaviour or perfectly acceptable?

I like to eat in a theatre, but whether it is good to allow it is another question – some people eat very noisily, so it may detract from the theatrical experience – so no, no eating in a theatre!

9.  Sailboat or cruise ship?

The thrill of sailing

Sail any time.  There is nothing like feeling the wind in your hair, the power of the wind, ocean and the steer in your hand, the beauty of the stark nothingness of the wide open sea water, knowing as I did whilst crossing the Atlantic Ocean en route to Rio de Janeiro, that the bottom is kilometres down below you, and then wondering what all lives there under your hull.  The stars at night so big and ripe you could pick them, the thrill of a sudden squall to wash your hair in…..  I can go on and on…BUT, I also get sea-sick, so there are some moments that I would rather be on a cruise ship with its jumbo stabilizers!

10.  If you could go back, what advice would you give yourself in high school?

Save, save and save – older age creeps in faster than lightning, BUT also keep a balance and make sure you see enough of the world!  We need to fill our memory banks with enough experiences so that the time in the old age home, when the rest of you body fades and you spend more time sitting and lying down, you can re-live your past by digging into those stored memories.  And entertain the other oldies and your grandchildren!

11.  What movie do you flat-out refuse to watch, no matter how good people say it is?

Any creepy, spooky, devilish movie!!

My questions to my award nominees are: (and anyone  else who feels like answering them – I would love to hear!!!)

1.  How would you describe your best physical attribute to a modelling agency?  Try and keep it light and fun please!! 🙂

2.  How would you like to be remembered by your loved ones – therefore your best character traits? Try and write your own epitaph here.

3.  Do you like sweet or savoury treats?  Give us a good example.  Sharing of a great recipe would be welcome.

4.  Do you believe in a Higher Power, angels, ghosts?  Have you an experience to share?

5.  What is next on your “Bucket-List” of Life?

6.  Do you have phobias?

7.  All-time favourite movie and why?

8.  All-time favourite song and why?

9.  How old were you when you had your first proper kiss?  Do you remember it fondly, or with less-than-fond memories?

10.  How long have you been blogging and what led you to blog?

11.  Words of wisdom to any new blogger?

I am also to give some random facts about myself:  my friends will probably be more qualified to answer this than me, as they observe closer, even when we try and hide behind a mask.

Here goes:  I love to place things square, I CAN sing, I miss my mom, I absolutely adore my sisters and think they are beautiful, I love nooky with my man – probably more than most 50-odd year olds do, and luckily he does too, I am animal mad and would love 20 dogs and 20 cats, some goat, cows and birds one day.  I fear heights more than anything on earth, I believe in God and my 6th sense, I love playing Scrabble on Facebook, I love Strictly Come Dancing – and we are trying to imitate by learning the moves at the moment, I get lost in the wonder world of the ocean when I snorkel or dive – it is beautiful!

Underwater treasures

So there, now you know some about me, and I want to thank you again for reading thus far – I am truly grateful for the opportunity!

My nominees for the Liebster Award go to:

1.  Sahandra’s World – http://sahandrasworld.com/  Inspiring blog – a great read.

2.  Pink.Pray.Love – http://theclousefamily.wordpress.com/  October is breast cancer awareness month and this is the story of one woman’s cancer experience.  Inspiring.

3.  27 Days of Heartbreak – http://27daysofheartbreak.wordpress.com/  A must read if you have had your heart broken sometime in your life, and for all the heart breaks still to come.

4.  L.A. to N. O. LA – http://latonola.wordpress.com/  Because I love New Orleans and would still like to go and listen to a Dixie Band there, and she describes it so vividly.

5.  World Ocean Network – http://rio20wonuk.wordpress.com/ Raises awareness about preserving our oceans.

6.  Wolfgangthome’s Blog – http://wolfgangthome.wordpress.com/  All the news about East Africa and Indian Ocean Islands – and probably many more than 200 followers, but I live here and find this blog so interesting…

7.  From Russia with Love – http://innamazing.wordpress.com/  I love Russia – must have some ancestor blood coming through from there!!

8.  It’s Not O K, Cupid – http://itsnotokcupid.wordpress.com/  I found the most amazing jewel of a man on a dating site, so read all about her experiences as she entertains us with humorous accounts of her dates!

9.  All things S A – http://www.cooksister.com/ I am a proud South African, and I love Koeksisters and am a proud hangpram sister!!!

10.  Reading Interrupted – by Letizia – http://readinginterrupted.com/ – because reading is such fun, and her photographs are amazing!!

And as they say in the movies – That’s All Folks!!!  thanks, and happy reading!