Sunshine Blogger Award Nomination 

I recently discovered a wonderful blogger, Darryl B. I absolutely love his writing. I’ve told him recently that reading his posts is like reading a book that I cannot put down…except I have to because he is still writing the next chapter!

Darryl nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. I am beyond honored to be nominated by such an awesome writer. Darryl  is genuine and he is kind. I hope you take the time to read his work, and subscribe.

https://neptunesky.com/author/dbb459/

Thank you, Darryl, for reading my thoughts and thinking they are worthy of a nomination. You are more than gracious.

Darryl B gave me 11 questions to answer.

1. What is home for you and why?

Well, I’m kinda like a turtle in that respect. I have lived a few places in my life and they all have great meaning to me. Does my loyalty lie in Waukegan, IL, where I grew up? Or, in the homes where I raised my children? Is Maine my home, because it calls to me…always, although I’ve never lived there. I am absolutely blessed to share a wonderful home with my husband D.

But truth is, no matter where I have lived or visited, home to me is in my mind. I take it with me no matter where I go. You know, like a turtle. Home is wherever I find peace and that is simply a state of mind. Even though I’m a Gemini and the twins rarely agree on anything (I mean anything!), and I am the world’s greatest overthinker, I still find great comfort in my mind. I can sit on the Gulf and watch the setting sun and know peace. I can take a road trip in silence, and find that same peace. Home is my cabin. Home is falling asleep holding hands with D. Home is listening to my music anywhere, anytime. Home is in my writing. Home is cradling a grandchild. Home is silently listening to my adult children talk and laugh with one another. Home is recalling my memories. Home is absolutely in my mind. 

2. What is your greatest joy?

I have a lot of “who’s” who are the joys in my life. As far as a “what”, that would have to be writing…even when I accomplish nothing during a writing session. Nature is a close second though, along with the sun and gentle breezes. 

3. Describe a moment when you had to make a tough decision.

Back in 2021, during Covid, I had to make the call to leave long term healthcare. Coldplay has a song called Clocks. There’s a verse that rang through my head during that time. “Am I part of the cure, or am I part of the disease.” Without getting too political, I felt it was very unfair that I was able to hug a resident but his/her spouse of 50 years, couldn’t come near. Then I had a false positive covid test and they locked down all the residents in the facility, again, for another 14 days.

I called headquarters which was located in another state and battled with them. They refused to acknowledge two additional tests I took, on my own, at a hospital that were both negative, and locked “my” residents in their rooms for 14 days. All because of my false positive test. I fought hard for the residents but to no avail. I felt in someway that I was abandoning them by leaving. I loved all of them and was very close with several. But clearly, I was not part of the cure. I couldn’t continue to be part of the disease. 

4. What ignites your creativity?

I can be inspired simply by a photo, the lyrics of a song, a scripture verse, something I overheard in grocery store conversation, a triggered memory, a current issue or problem, or just by being in nature. 

5. You have a day with unlimited funds and a teleportation device. What would you do?

I would buy the coolest RV and load it up with my husband, all of my kids and grandkids and then teleport us back to the ‘70’s. I’d take them to Waukegan, Illinois, where I grew up. I’d share with them my old home, meaningful places, and the kids I hung out with. Then onto Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, where my family spent about 3 weeks every summer. I would make sure they got something fun to drink at the Woolworth’s soda fountain, a souvenir, and candy at Thomas’s General Store. We would find cardboard boxes and flatten them. Then we’d walk to the top of Indian Hill and slide down. It would be a long day but a fun one. 

6. What bugs you?

There are a lot of things that bug me. I’m sure I’m on some spectrum somewhere. Irritating sounds, like barking dogs, the rock quarry near us with all their sirens and explosions, and truck’s backing up. The sound of slurping drinks, even though my daughter says I do the same! Too much talk first thing in the morning. Again, I have been guilty on occasion. Not having a schedule for my days now that I’m retired. I feel like I accomplish less now because I don’t know where to start. Yet making a schedule for myself is senseless because I make my own excuses for not doing anything. 

7. Describe a memorable chance encounter.

When my daughter was going to move to Florida she didn’t want her regular customer to be alone, or me, so she introduced us. Nine months later we were married. I knew about the initial meeting, but he did not. So it wasn’t really by chance…but does it still count? Nothing else really stands out. I guess I’m never in the right place at the right time for a chance meeting. 

8. What is your greatest fear?

My greatest fear is not making it to heaven. That maybe I’ve missed something along the way. I didn’t do enough, love enough, or forgive enough. That my regrets will continue to hold me captive and I won’t be able to enjoy my last years. 

9. Of all of your posts, do you have a favorite?

Several come to mind. I wrote a lot during the time when my dad was passing. That was March 2021 and after. There’s a post called The Roses in My Garden, August 23, 2021, which is about my six children. There are several others as well, but the one that stands out the most as I answer your question is called As the Taillights Fade into Her Future, September 5, 2023. This one is very special to me because as I was beginning a new relationship with D, I told him I was a blogger. I had written that post a month before he and I met and I sent him the link. It was the first post I had shared with him. He said reading that post is when he fell in love with me. 

As the Taillights Fade into Her Future

10. Describe an idyllic childhood experience.

I guess what first comes to mind is in Waukegan, IL. Waukegan is located north of Chicago on the shore of Lake Michigan. Lying in my bed, with the open window above me, the coolness of the night breeze would rush over me. To the east, I’d hear ship horns on the lake and sometimes fog horns. To the west of me, I’d hear train whistles and the click clacking on the rails as they traveled to places unknown to me. That was magical. 

11. It’s the end of the world and you get a final meal. You’d pick:

Well, this is kinda tough. As I am 98% carnivore, do I break my diet and enter into eternity bloated, inflamed, and itchy from histamine reactions, or do I just say goodbye to this old vessel?

I’d definitely ask for a grilled, ribeye steak, medium rare, with a side of crispy bacon. Maybe a plain, baked sweet potato. Perhaps I will say good riddance to this old body of mine and add a piece of key lime pie to top it off. Okay, okay…might as well add an extra large glass of sweet red wine too…please and thank you.

I am so grateful to have you as a new blogging friend, Darryl B! Thank you again for this honor.

I have also nominated 10 bloggers for the Sunshine Blogger Award. They are listed in alphabetical order. 

1. A Meraki Writer

2. (The) Art of Poetry

3. A Star on the Forehead

4. (The) Daily Addict

5. God Still Speaks

6. Goff James

7. Love, Life, Happiness, and More

8 Mitch Teemley

9. Over Hill and Dale

10. Sheryl Craig Russell

I have created a list of 10 questions for each of them to answer. 

1. Are you a spiritual person, and if so, where do you find your greatest connection to it?
2. If you could come back as any animal, what would it be, and why?
3. In a world of so many worthy causes, what is your heart most drawn to?
4. What is the first thing you wrote that made you decide “yeah, this is what I want to do”?
5. What is the biggest stumbling block in your life?
6. Can you name six games you played as a child?
7. Who influenced your life the most? (Human influence)
8. What is your favorite smell/fragrance?
9. Who is your favorite author, and why?
10. If you had the opportunity to move somewhere else in the U.S., all expenses paid, would you move, if so, where would you go?

When Darryl notified me that he nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award, I was shocked. Me?!! Then I was excited. But I read his questions for me and I was overwhelmed. With so much going on in my life currently, I wasn’t sure that I could focus. But I reminded myself that writing is who I am. If I shy away from a challenge, that doesn’t help me grow at all. So, I did it! And I am glad.

Thank you for the thought-provoking questions, Darryl! 😊

♥️

Andi