The Liebster Award.

A very big thank you to Sandy at Mommy’s Little Princesses who nominated me for a Liebster Award.

I have to confess, despite many years of blog reading, I had never come across it before. My good friend Google provided me with a few details and it seems the award is a lovely way to highlight new (and sometimes not so new) blogs.

The rules are:

1. You have to post the award on your blog.
2. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
3. Write 11 random facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and have less than 200 followers (I’m guessing this must mean blog followers rather than Twitter or Instagram).
5. Answer 11 questions posted by the presenter and ask your nominees a set of 11 new questions.

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. I’m named after a hill in Ireland (The Hill of Tara) which was once an ancient seat of power.
2. My mum chose it after reading a book on the subject while she was pregnant with my older brother but my dad put his foot down (and named him after himself) so I got it instead (which is good because I like it).
3. I thought we didn’t have any connection to Ireland but when I did my family tree a few years ago I discovered my great grandfather (on my dad’s side) was born in Cork.
4. I knew I wanted to be a writer/journalist from the age of nine when I was presented with a typewriter for Christmas (I wasn’t very happy about it as first as I wanted a toy kitchen).
5. I have been vegetarian for 25 years.
6. The decision about whether to give Freya meat or not was somewhat taken out of my hands because of her intolerances but I found sourcing and cooking it tricky as I had no idea what I was doing (thank you, internet).
7. And on the subject of the internet, I met my now husband via Lord of the Rings Online – which is a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game (yes, I am a geek).
8. He lived near Birmingham and I lived in Norwich but we met up one day in Cambridge, which was sort of half way.
9. We married on the same date in Cambridge two years later.
10. My somewhat guilty pleasure is reading romance novels, which seem to get a bad press (just like mummy blogs).
11. My ambition is to write a Mills and Boon novel (I’m working on it).

Q&A (great questions, Sandy).

1. How easy do you find the time to blog? I actually have a post about this waiting to be finished (maybe that’s a clue to my answer). I think I would find it easier if I didn’t have to go to bed so early but, as Freya wakes up for the first time at 10.30pm, I have to prioritise sleep.

2. What is your favourite form of social media? I’m a big fan of Twitter. I have “met” so many interesting people who I otherwise wouldn’t come into contact with.

3. Do you have a favourite chocolate? No, I love all chocolate. If I had to pick one that I wasn’t so keen on it would be white chocolate but I will eat that at a push.

4. If you could go anywhere in the world for a day, where would you go? If I could magically get there without flying I would go to America to visit my brother, sister in law and nephew (and maybe Barnes and Noble).

5. Which do you prefer coffee, tea or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate (with peppermint) for me. I’ve never had tea or coffee (that could have been one of my 11 facts).

6. When was the last time you went on holiday and where? We took Freya on her first holiday in September (there she is on the beach). We had a lovely time in a caravan by the sea 40 minutes from home. My mum and dad came too so it was a proper family holiday.

7.  Where is your favourite place to blog from? In the summer I like to write on our balcony but normally I write from bed.

8. What was the last book you read? My friend Kate let me read an advance copy of a book she has written entitled The No-Nonsense Guide to Green Parenting, which is published later this year. I’ll be featuring it in one of my It Is Easy Being Green posts as it is brilliant.

9. Are you better at cooking or baking? Neither. I’m better at eating.

10. If you could choose a super power what would it be and why? Not exactly a super power but I would choose to be able to power nap any where and at any time and wake up feeling refreshed because I think it would solve a lot of my problems.

11. How long have you been blogging for? I started After The Rain in April, just after I started my freelance career.

I would like to present my awards to the following bloggers (I apologise if any of you have been nominated before).

1. Raising Dystonia

2. Happy Mamma = Happy Baby

3. Dam Baby

4. Running Heartless

 5. Scars, Tears and Training Bras

6. Headspace Perspective (this is a bit naughty as Leigh has 250 ish followers but  I would like as many people as possible to learn about her beloved Hugo).

7. 23 Week Socks

8. Mud and Nettles

9. Now and Gwen

10. The Intolerant Gourmand

11. Cath Greene

And if you accept the award I would like you to answer the following:

1. What is the story behind your blog name (even if it’s your name)?

2. Is there one particular post you are most proud of? (Please link it)

3. Has anything surprised you about blogging?

4. What do you do when you procrastinate?

5. Do you have a favourite quote? (I’m collecting them for a quote wall in my office, which is actually my bedroom).

6. If you had an entirely free day to spend on your own doing something for your own pleasure what would you do?

7. Do you prefer city, country or coast?

8. Do you have a favourite book?

9. Are you a morning person?

10. Did you have a favourite television programme as a child?

11. What is the one thing you would tell your younger self.