December 17, 2013

Meet the Bloggers: Rita's Mom Gets Wordy Again

Today I'm joining the "Meet the Bloggers" hop.
Meet the Pet Bloggers Hop

I feel like you guys already know tons about me, since I don't hide behind Rita for posting. After all, part of the reason I have this blog is to attract attention for my writing, so I have to put myself out there as myself, not just as "Rita's mom." I post pics of myself every once in a while, and my mug is always there on the right side-bar. Plus I share interviews that I've done, so... you guys already know me, probably as well as you know Rita. But... I thought this sounded like such a fun hop so I wanted to play along. Hope that's cool.

So, here's the deal with the hop. We're supposed to share a recent pic of ourselves and answer a few questions.

Here's one of the most recent pics I've got of myself. The hubs took some time off last week, and we went to Disneyland. It was a lot of fun, as it always is, and I got my usual treat when we go at Christmas time - a ginormous ice cream at the Carnation place in a waffle cone that's been dipped in chocolate and then in crushed candy canes. YUM.

Normally they also have peppermint ice cream at this time of year, and the pink ice cream with the crushed candy canes makes for an especially lovely - and tasty - treat. I walk around eating it, and we crack up at how everyone turns to gape at my beautiful cone. (Seriously, Carnation should pay me to do that.) Sadly, this year there was no peppermint ice cream! The jamocha almond fudge cone did not elicit the same reactions.

Here's me a few years ago with the peppermint version. See how pretty that thing is?? I am ridiculously happy to be eating that thing!

Anyway... on to the questions. We were supposed to pick at least 5 from a long list. You know me. You know I'm wordy. Do you think I'll stop at 5??

What’s your favorite non-animal related book?
This is a tough one for me to answer, because I've got about 10 "favorite" books. But if I had to go by which book I've read the most times (and also it's timely), it would be A Christmas Carol. I really love every book I've read by Dickens, but that one is my fave. And it's a quick read. If you've never read it before, you should consider checking it out. It's very funny in parts. 
I have a lovely, old illustrated version of it.
What’s your favorite non-animal related food?
This question makes me laugh. I guess I can't say cheese, because that's animal-related, right? Are all dairy products out? Cuz, as the pics above show, I'm a great lover of ice cream. Did a vegan write these questions? I'm confused... I'm sorry, but my answer IS animal-related, and it's ice cream. Or cheese. (The motto in our kitchen is "Don't be shy with the cheese.")

Who’s your favorite actor?
For old movies it's Cary Grant. You can't go wrong with a Cary Grant movie. For new movies, it's Audrey Tatoo. Love her.

What makes you feel fabulous?
I really had to think about this one. I was going to say "walking Rita," but sometimes that actually makes my back hurt by the time we get home, so that's not always true. Then I was going to say "getting my hair cut and styled" (cuz as you can see in the pics above I usually spend NO time styling it). But that doesn't last even 24 hours. So, recently, the thing that makes me feel fabulous is when someone tells me they loved one of my books.

My books are my babies, and when you send them out in the world, it hurts if someone says you have an ugly baby. But when someone takes the time to write a review, or post on their blog, or email me, or even just leave a comment on my Facebook page, well that just makes my day - and sometimes my whole week! (And with that I just want to give one more thank-you shout out to Caren at Dakota's Den for her recent review of Rescue Me, Maybe!)

What do you wish you were more skilled at?
Eating without dropping food on myself. And public speaking. And public eating. (I could go on...)

Favorite meal? 
The hubs and I make fabulous homemade pizza!

What one word would people who know you use to describe you?
I would hope it would be "funny." But it might be something boring like "reliable."

If your pets could talk, what one word would THEY use to describe you?
Smotherer.
Me, smothering Abby

What is one thing you’ve done that you’re most proud of?
Moved to a different country (Bermuda). I'm pretty chicken and very much a homebody/routine-lover, so that was a big deal for me. And in the end it all went very well since I met my hubs there. 

How is your pet most like you?
Neither of us like meeting strangers. (Abby was good for me in that regard. Rita has set me back to my "don't talk to the neighbors" ways.)

What can your body do for you that makes you most proud?
See over crowds and reach things on high shelves. As Jane says in Rescue Me, Maybe, "Tall at twenty is great; tall at twelve sucks." I used to hate being tall, but now it's all good. (Except shopping for pajama bottoms. All other pants you can find in Tall. Not PJ bottoms.) Anyway, you have no idea how often short ladies at the store ask me to reach things for them on the top shelf. 

Other than blogging, what are three things you do that bring you joy? 
Being with dogs, being out in nature, hanging out watching sports or movies with the hubs. (Oh yeah, and peppermint ice cream in a chocolate-/candycane-dipped waffle cone eaten while walking around Disneyland at Christmas time. Apologies for listing 4 things.)

If you didn’t have your current pets, what pets would you choose to have?
I would like to have this hippo. Or this penguin. Or... if I could steal any other blogger's dogs (man... that should have been one of the questions, because now that I think about it, that is REALLY hard to answer... but if I had to pick just one) it would be the three gorgeous pups of Cascadian Nomads fame.

This was fun! Thanks to all the co-hosts: Go Pet Friendly, I Still Want More Puppies, Kol's NotesLife With DesmondNo Dog About It Blog, The Daily Dog Blog, My Brown Newfies, CindyLu’s Muse, Bringing Up Bella, Heart Like A Dog, Rescued Insanity, Peggy’s Pet Place, and NEPA Pets.

36 comments:

  1. Oh wow...you too with the meeting strangers...yeah, not good at that either..like you, too much of a homebody and I'm an off the charts introvert. Love the idea of stealing another bloggers dogs..that would be a VERY hard question.

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  2. Public speaking yikes we hated that. Have a wonderful Wednesday Smotherer LOL.
    Best wishes Molly

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  3. very nice to hear more about you
    retro rover

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  5. How tall are you? I hit my adult height at 12 and at the time was taller than just about everyone, but I am actually only 5' 7" (always wished I had grown taller), but compared to my just scraping 5 foot sister, I was a monster ;-) It seems high school girls these days all grow to 6ft...must be all the crap they put in in milk. LOL!

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  6. We quite literally have a blizzard happening right now, so ice cream in December seems a little bit crazy. But it looks delicious!
    I second the cheese business, too!

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  7. Great post- so glad I found your blog! I'd LOVE a hippo or a penguin too. In fact, penguins are my FAVOURITE. Can't wait to read more of your blog :)

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  8. WHAT FUN!!! I love those nomad dogs. And I love ice cream! And cheese! We're sisters! That must be true! This is a fun blog hop. I answered questions, too. And I like the idea of a question being Which blogger's dogs would you steal? I'd probably steal Stella Rose and crew, but Hunny would say no to Pugs.

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  9. Nice to meet you!

    Stop on by for a visit
    Kari
    http://dogisgodinreverse.com/

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  10. The non-animal related food one threw me off too! Also, now I want ice cream. And cheese.

    I spill food on myself when eating all the time too (and let's not mention how I spill wine on myself.... that's a whole other issue).

    Um, so now we need another hop where one of the questions is which blogger's dogs you would steal. That is GENIUS. You are a visionary.

    Loved reading your answers!

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  11. Great meeting you! The ice cream sounds amazing! My favorite at Halloween is pumpkin!
    Maggie

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  12. Great answers. And no peppermint ice cream?! Whats up with that?

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  13. Going through life without having to look for a step stool would be nice.

    I wish you hadn't described that ice cream cone so vividly. That is all i will think about.

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  14. No, you're not too wordy. You're not wordy enough. Now I want to hear the rest of the Bermuda story. What the heck made you move there?

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  15. What fun answers to those questions! Of course, now I'm craving peppermint ice cream. You're right, that would have been a fun question....what other blogger's dogs would you steal? Maybe that could be another hop!

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  16. I love the "which dog?" question too! Hmmmm, now I'm going to have to decide which one I'd steal for the blog hop that we are sure to have now regarding this! lol Thanks for being wordy about yourself (and writing it all so well!)

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  17. Thanks so much! Now my mom has drooled all over the keyboard thinking about that ice cream cone! Nice post though :)

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  18. If any of our dogs to missing, we're coming straight to you, Jackie!! :) Jason and I joke all the time, though, that if anyone ever did steal one of the dogs they'd likely bring them back right away. They are not nearly as polite and well-behaved as they appear in blog photos. Thank you for reminding me we had not yet picked up our tub of holiday peppermint ice cream and we just might like cheese more than you around here... Often heard in our kitchen is "would you like a little [insert absolutely any food here such as potato, lettuce, bread, broccoli, hot dog] with your cheese?" (And one of us usually has a mouth full of cheese when asking...

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  19. Now I want ice cream! Such fun getting to know you a little better :)

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  20. Excellent post, I'm glad you joined in the hop and I got to know more about you. Cracked up at walking rita makes your back hurt. I can relate. Glad the move to Bermuda was great and that you met your husband there, can't beat that.

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  21. SUCH great answers!! I share several of those... especially the "get better at" list! I love that smothering pic with Abby. So, so cute and sweet!

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  22. Great post! Loved learning about you and that peppermint ice cream sounds yummy!

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  23. I'm so glad that you joined the hop and I got to learn more about you! You have me wanting to seek out some peppermint ice cream! Yum!
    I love that you would want a hippo, that makes me happy :) I think I would want a moose ;)

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  24. No peppermint ice cream? The horror! lol But seriously, I enjoyed reading your Q&A.

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  25. Hi Jackie, it's so nice to read about you. I definitely understand about your books. I love when people say nice things or write to me about my books. It is never nice for someone to say mean things about them or about my dogs. Sometimes humans are not nearly as fun as dogs! LOL!! I'll have to check out your books! Good luck in 2014!

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  26. Hey, Cascadian Nomads live in the same town we do. I am glad you will be coming to steal their dogs and not mine :) I didn't pick that question to answer, but one of my favorite foods is ice cream too.

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  27. Great to get to know you a bit more, although now I suddenly want ice cream. And cheese. And pizza....

    Here's something to make you feel fab...I'm half way thru What the Dog Ate - and I totally LOVE IT! It is really great, and I'm glad I got a chance to pick it up. Just wish I wasn't so busy with the holidays so that I could read it one sitting. :-)

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  28. A hippo or a penguin. That's hilarious. You've inspired me. Maybe I should change my answers. Now I want a tree kangaroo and a octopus. Oh, and a capybara.

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  29. I'm 5' tall, can you reach something on the top shelf for me? Thanks.

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  30. I'm still working my way through the ho. I had no idea you had decided to join! Yay!

    I am now craving a peppermint ice cream with the crushed candy canes in it. OMG! Yum!
    Love Cary Grant! Philadelphia Story is one of my favs. I love the picture of you and Rita. Absolutely adorable.

    Shy? You? You've published two books already! Now this I did not know. :)

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  31. I really enjoyed your post, so great to learn more about you! I'd have reported Carnation on a monday mischief for not delivering on the peppermint ice cream, the cheek! :)

    Oh and don't talk to me about smothering, my mum is a terrible smotherer, sometimes I can just handle it, other times I have to shake her off! :)

    I hope you're having a fun day,

    Your pal Snoopy :)

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  32. Thanks for joining the blog hop Jackie, even though we know you and know what you look like we're getting to know different things about you, which is what the blog hop was designed to do!

    That ice cream sure did look amazing!

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  33. Mmmm cheese. :)

    I'm so glad you joined the hop. I've been following you on Twitter for ages but never connected this blog with you, the writer. (Please forgive me, I am terrible with names.)

    I love your pretty pup and that picture of you together is simply adorable!

    And I love your idea for the next hop! Although I'm pretty sure no one would want to steal Bella. Or if they did because they think she's cute, I certain they'd return her posthaste once they lived with her for a few minutes. ;)

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  34. Cheese and ice cream, I love them, too.
    She is really lovely, humorous and clever. Love her!

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