I'm Feeling the Love

The past couple of weeks have been the time to give me awards, apparently, as I have received 4 of them.  I'm thrilled, blushing, and just so delighted that I was the recipient of these awards. 

Thanks so much to Elizabeth at Blue Clear Sky for the Sunshine Award,

Pamela at French Buttons for the Happy 101 Award,

and both Gina at Three Ring Cottage and Amanda at The Modern Brady Bunch Family for the Versatile Blogger Award.

They all have slightly different rules so I think I will just follow the rules from one of the awards and share 7 things (hopefully interesting things) about myself.  So here goes:

1. I lived in the Netherlands for a year as a Rotary exchange student when I was 17.   I didn't know a word of Dutch when I went over, but by the end I was talking all day long in Dutch and even sometimes dreaming in it. I've lost most of my Dutch now all these years later, but I still know a few rhymes, can say the alphabet, and frequently answer "ik weet het niet" (translation: "I don't know") when I'm answering my husband's or kid's questions.  When I was there I bought a pair of klompen (wooden shoes) and wore them to school a few times - it was the fashion to do that (I wasn't being a wierd tourist ).

2. I'm a closet foodie.  I didn't really know this about myself until I kept answering all the questions correctly on the TV show, Jeopardy, when we used to watch it a few years ago.  My husband was astounded and wanted to know how I knew about all those foods and dishes that I had never eaten.  I really don't know apart from reading about them.  I will try eating almost anything and really enjoy a wide range of food, but the only food I'm absolutely obsessed with is chocolate.

3.  I love to use Google to look things up.  Since I love to learn new things and have a terrible memory I use Google all the time.   I think it is the best invention since sliced bread.

4.  I love email and can't stand talking on the phone.  I have a theory that introverts prefer email and extroverts prefer the phone - I certainly fit that.  How about you?

5. I have an excellent sense of direction, but in order to get somewhere I have to go the same way I have always gone (even if it is out of the way).

6. I am able to read blueprints and can find my way around a building quickly and visualize the space in 3-D.  Maybe it is from studying house plans for years as a teenager.  I wanted to be an architect but couldn't do physics.  It's unfortunate that the buildings actually have to be made so they stay up, not just look good.

7.  I love symmetry - in architecture, in decorating, and even in numbers.  I find it hard to break out of symmetrical arrangements when I'm styling the sideboard or mantel or arranging pictures on the wall.  For the same reason, I'm drawn to Georgian architecture with its even arrangement of windows and doors.  I even love symmetry in numbers, such as when the clock turns to 11:11, or when the date is 03-05-03, or when my odometer turns to 70507 - love it!

There it is in no particular order - 7 interesting (or possibly odd) things about me.  

I'm flattered to be given these awards, but since I just passed awards on to 12 fellow bloggers quite recently, I'm going to take a pass this time.

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Don't forget to enter my giveaway Cottage Charm Giveaway.  You can find details here.