In which I thank the Academy

Posted by Tania Kindersley.

The lovely Marcie over at Lemons and Laundry has given the blog an award:

I find this both very flattering and excruciatingly shy-making. It is wonderful to be acknowledged by other bloggers, but at the same time I feel this is such a tiny, fledgling thing compared to some of the tremendous and polished blogs out there, that I really don't deserve it.

It has made me think about the curious nature of blogging. The marvellous thing about it is that there are no rules; the terrifying thing about it is there are no rules. I like to do things well; there is still a part of me which is the small schoolgirl who wrote and rewrote pages of homework so that there were no smudges or blots or crossings out. I adore the kindness and comradeship of the blogosphere, yet, despite all the encouragement and generous words, there is still a voice in my head which insists I am not doing it quite right. Even though I sort of know there is no Right.

I think, on this glorious sunny Monday, I am going to put these absurd nagging doubts aside, and just say Thank You. I dedicate the award to all you dear readers, without whom this would be nothing.

The rules are: you say seven things about yourself, and then pass the award on.

So, my seven things:

1.  The first album I ever bought was Songs of Love and Hate by Leonard Cohen. I was nine. Go figure.

2.  My favourite novel in the whole world is The Great Gatsby, followed closely by The Sun Also Rises. I love Mrs Parker and Mrs Woolf. For comfort reading, I go back again and again to Nancy Mitford. I can recite quite long chunks of Love in a Cold Climate and The Pursuit of Love. I don't really understand people who say they don't read.

3.  I take an absurd pride in my ability to make really good soup.

4.  When I was younger, my secret ambition was to be a backing singer. I wanted to be one of those shimmying women who went woo woo do bop wop. I have recently had to admit to myself that this is never going to happen. (I also once quite seriously wanted to be a professional backgammon player.)

5.  I am embarrassingly bad at: tennis, cryptic crosswords, skiing, sewing, mathematics, poker, remembering where I left my keys, keeping my bag tidy, filing, and making any form of bread except for soda bread.

6.  I am in a state of constant awe and wonder at the loveliness of my female friends. They are brave, funny, elegant, clever and kind, and I could not exist without them. (I love the boys too, of course, but it the women who take my breath away.)

7.  I take an odd delight in the fact that I can type at 75 words a minute.

And now for the passing it on part. I have my very old favourites, whom I mention quite often here, so I thought I would highlight three new discoveries. They are:

Lou, Boos and Shoes, which is not only utterly charming but also one of the most aesthetically pleasing blogs I have ever seen.

This led me to another gloriously visual blog, The Bottom of The Ironing Basket, which is a perfect feast for the eyes.

I read quite a lot of wordy blogs, which I love, but a couple of weeks ago I had a sudden desire to gaze upon beautiful photographs, and I rummaged around the internet in search of prettiness. That was how I found these two, and they are packed full of delightful photographic treats.

Another one new to me is Fashion's Most Wanted. Despite the name, it is about much more than fashion. It is a great combination of life in Dalston, pictures of style icons, general musings, and excellent quotations from interesting women.

There we are my darlings. Now I am back to the election. I leave you with some pictures of the one thing I did not have to include on my list of seven, because you all already know of my absurd and irredeemable love for my two old ladies, who spent last night basking in the spring sunshine:

(Now they are getting on in years, their faces have taken on a faraway philosophical expression. Unless of course they see a rabbit or a biscuit, in which case they revert to the frantic puppiness of youth.)