what a pleasant surprise...

I awoke this morning as I normally do.

Let out the dogs, put on coffee, fed the cats, fed the dogs, take out the recyclables (trash day today), pack a lunch for my daughter, fed the pond fish, check on the hamsters, fed the beta fish, set out her school clothes, get dressed, get HER dressed, take her to school, make more coffee, grab a breakfast bar, turn on the computer and check my e-mail.

I KNOW! Makes you tired just reading it! And that is all before 7:45am.

This morning when I got to the last component of my morning routine, I had a little surprise.

Not one, but two e-mails from some friends in the blogshere that have deemed me worthy of prizes. How fun for me! I feel like dancing around my house naked! (Not really, I put that in to make Carlos blush.)

The other day when I was reading through all the new posts from the blogs that I follow, I noticed these fabulous pair of slippers from across the pond. Sarah @ sas magical mystery tour granted me a badge with the aforementioned coveted slippers. Aren't they marvelous?

You must do yourself a favor and go check her out. But fair warning: Please, put your coffee down BEFORE you open her page. I've snorted hot coffee through my nostrils a few too many times when seeing her posts. Don't say I didn't warn you...

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AND then my new friend over at With Eyes Wide Open sent me this lovely little award as well! Isn't she sweet?! Although I'm not sure about her take on me...she finds me witty, insightful and thought provoking. Wow. Cool.

("thank you, thank you, thank you"....gesturing wildly and blowing kisses to the masses)

The rules of this award are pretty simple. I must list Five Obsessions and share the love with five other blogs.

The Blogs are easy. There are so many that I've found recently that I find Fabulous but here are the ones at the present top of my list.

Lola at FEVER is perhaps one of the first blogs that I hit on a daily basis. If she hasn't posted something new that day, I read the old one...they are that good. Pretty heavy stuff at times that she's gotten some hater comments on, but she's real. She's really quite awesome. If she lived in my same city, I'd stalk her...

THAP - To Have a Parsnip is the full title. Talented, Clever, Witty, Off the wall. You gotta check out a past post of Hitler's Match.com dating page. Irreverent and I love it.

Rae over at Weather Vane has a sharp wit. I look forward to seeing what's on her mind.

Please also visit Maureen at Island Roar. She is perhaps one of the best writers I've come across recently. She always impresses me. I wish we were sisters from different mothers...

And then there is Ron at Vent. I've been a lurker on his site for a time. Always funny. Great sense of humor AND style. We have a Vampire connection with our love of black clothes. Yeah, baby.

The five Obsessions were a little harder to come by. At least the ones suitable for posting. ;-)

Black Turtlenecks: I have a thing for black turtlenecks. That's the best part of fall and winter...cashmere. If I could wear them year round I would.

Original Abstract art: I like abstract oil paintings. My home is filled with them. I even brought some paintings home from my last beach vacation to the Dominican Republic. Not those ones you see everywhere...somehow I found the one artist that did original work, so I bought two. They are now prominently displayed at home. And they're fantastic.

Red Bull: I know. I gave up drinking soda, and drink less coffee now than I used to. And I'm sure that in about 5 years I'll read how drinking Red Bull creates havoc with your body and will cause cancer and make your hair fall out, your ass drop and your eyes blind. But right now I love it. Somehow it virtually adds the extra 3 hours I need each day. It's either a Red Bull or a nap, and I don't have time to nap.

Blogging and reading blogs: I have two computers on at all times. Each computer has at least 3 tabs open. I spend a couple hours a day getting my reading fix each day from some of the fabulous blogs that I've found out there. I love to read, but haven't completed any books recently because of the blogosphere. Very cool. Thanks to Chrissy for turning me onto what has become my recent obsession!

And last, my daughter: SHE is the reason that each day is a worthwhile cause. I can't imagine my life without her. Just writing this now makes me cry with joy and love and gratitude for her existence. I love you, BooBear!

So there you have it. More information about me that you really didn't want to know! Have a great day! Happy September!

:-)