The Sunshine Award

Our friends over at Urban Hounds nominated us for the Sunshine Award! We are very grateful and happy that they thought of us. Thanks, guys!

The rules of this award include sharing 11 random facts about yourself, answering the 11 chosen questions from the blogger that nominated you, creating 11 questions of your own, and nominating 11 bloggers for the award. Ok, let's get started!

11 Random Facts

1. As a young child, I had two dogs- an Airedale Terrier named Samantha and a (sometimes rowdy and aggressive) Yorkshire Terrier named Buddy. However, my mother was very cautious about the dogs around us kids and as a result, I kind of ended up fearing dogs throughout a lot of my childhood. If I went into someone's home and there was a medium sized dog or larger there trying to go up to me, I would jump up on the couch or go through some other means of trying to get away from the dog. It wasn't until I was around 13 that my fear of dogs began to subside, and now no one would ever be able to guess that I had a fear of dogs at all!

Sadie

2. The first cat I had was a beautiful Maine Coon named Sadie. Supposedly someone let her go when they no longer wanted her, and she lived outside for a while until my mother took her in when I was around six or seven years old. She was a wonderful and loved member of our family until she passed away on the 26th of October, 2006. It's unbelievable to think that she has been gone for almost seven years already; I plan on creating a post going into further detail about Sadie on the anniversary of her passing.

3. I have never traveled outside of the United States or have even been on a plane! When I am financially able to (which most likely won't be till many, many years from now), I would like to travel around the world. I particularly am interested in visiting Australia, Japan, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, and the further away US states of Hawaii and Alaska (the primary reason I want to go to Alaska is so I can view the Northern Lights in person- if I am not mistaken they are most visible during the winter months).

4. I am very introverted and get quite anxious in social situations- I have been that way since I was a little girl. I am most comfortable being in a small group of people who I know very well. However, I often just prefer to be by myself, with the immediate members of my family, with my boyfriend, and of course with my furbabies.

5. I am in the process of starting a pet sitting business. Pet sitting has been the only job that I have truly loved; I absolutely DREADED going to all the other jobs I have had. Unfortunately the majority of clients that I cared for moved, so I am working on gaining more business!

6. I'm sure some of you have wondered about my pets' names, particularly Stray's. Stray (as well as her daughter, Miracle) came to us when I, as well as my younger sister and brother, were kids. My mother allowed us to come up with the names for them, unfortunately. We were quite an uncreative bunch, at least when it came to giving animals names. We decided to call our now oldest cat Stray because- you got it- she was a stray. Yeah...

Miracle, which was the better of the two names that we came up with, was named so because she was the only one of Stray's litter to survive. Stray had given birth on a cold April morning outside in a neighbor's yard, and newborn Miracle had been closest to her mother so she was able to stay warm enough from her mother's body heat to survive- while the others unfortunately weren't as lucky.

As for the other two cats, I named Cedric after the character in the Harry Potter series and my mom gave Baby her name basically because she looks like a baby as she is very small, even though she is actually a senior-aged cat. Sookie was named after the True Bloods character. I never watched the show though; the woman who had fostered her before we adopted her named her. And last but not least, I named my guinea pig Muffin simply because I thought the name was cute!

7. The only bird I have had was a lovebird named Dutchy, though for some reason we usually called her Girdy. She was said to have been mistreated before my dad brought her for us kids as a Valentine's Day present, so sadly she had severe anxiety issues for most of her life.

8. When we decided to adopt a dog a few years ago, we were originally looking for a Pomeranian. However, after the dog we sent out an application for was adopted out to someone else, the rescue that we applied to contacted us about a Chinese Crested named Sookie. At first we were hesitant about adopting a hairless dog, but of course we immediately fell in love with her and the rest is history!

9. About three years ago, Stray had had a mole-like growth removed from just above her paw. It was discovered to be a type of cancerous sarcoma. After the surgery, she went through chemo a few times a week for about three or so months. Luckily, she went into and is still in remission to this very day. We are hoping that that mean cancer never returns!

10. Even though Miracle is 11.5 years old, she still occasionally attempts to nurse on her momma! We feel for poor Stray...

11. I would love to learn how to ride a horse some day. Besides the fact that horses are one of my favorite animals, horseback riding seems like such a nice and relaxing activity.

Questions


1. What/who was your first pet? 

I had two first pets: my Airdale Terrier, Samantha, and my Yorkshire Terrier, Buddy.

2. What is the last book you read?

I don't really remember. I'm more of a magazine rather than a book reader. However, I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series.

3. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

That's a difficult question. I'd probably choose a place like Hawaii or Ireland.

4. What is your favorite TV show?

I actually don't really watch any TV series. Weird, I know. However, I do like to watch history and paranormal related shows.

5 If you had a time machine, where would you go?

I would like to visit the Little House in the Prairie era (mid to late 1800s). Since I was a kid I was always curious as to what it would be like to be in Laura Ingalls' shoes.

6. Who is your favorite fictional character?

My favorite fictional characters are Fred and George Weasley from the Harry Potter series.

7. What is your favorite holiday?

My favorite holiday is Halloween, followed by Christmas.

8. What is the last book you read?

This is a repeat of #2 lol! No worries, Urban Hounds. :)

9. What is the last movie you saw?

The last movie I saw was Gravity at the movie theater, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.

10. What is your favorite food?

Does ice cream, brownies, and cake count? Haha but if we're talking about REAL food, my favorite would have to be my Aunt Georgie's macaroni and cheese. Yum!!

11. What is your favorite non-pet animal?

I love pretty much all animals (except spiders and some other creepy crawlies). Two favorite non-pet animals that I can think of off the top of my head are the dolphin and the Bald Eagle.

My chosen questions


1. What was your favorite place that you visited?

2. If you could choose one job in the world to have, what would it be and why?

3. Are you an oldest, middle, youngest, or an only child?

4. What is your favorite hobby?

5. What was the happiest day of your life?

6. What is your favorite quote?

7. What was the last thing that you brought?

8. What is your favorite season?

9. What is your favorite color?

10. What is your favorite book or series?

11. When was the last time you laughed and why?

The 11 blogs that I am nominating (I apologize if you have already received the award!):

1. Molly the Wally 

2. Bicontinental Dachshund

3. Bailey Unleashed

4. Speedy the cheeky house bunny 

5. 24 Paws of Love

6. Pawsitively Pets

7. Hannah and Lucy

8. Twinkletoe Tails

9. My Rotten Dogs

10. Fur Everywhere

11. CATacheresis