Liebster Blog Award

I have a thank you to wrap in a bow and deliver to Jo of Adventures and Tea Parties for nominating me for a Liebster Blog Award!

"The Liebster Award is for bloggers with under 300 followers and the rules of the award is that the nominee must link back to whoever awarded them, write 11 random facts about themselves, answer the 11 questions from the award giver, and then nominate another 11 bloggers and make up 11 questions for them to answer. It's a great way for new and undiscovered bloggers to meet new people, get more followers and find some blogs that they want to follow."

So...

11 Random facts about me:

1.  I haven't dyed my hair for seven years, but my gran still insists in telling me that I do, and that I have ruined my natural hair colour as a result. I take this as an amusing compliment.
2. As a kid I owned a pet oscar fish, and he liked sausages. I joke not. 
3. The first flower I learned the name of was the snowdrop. I thought they were called 'snowdrips' and still get the two mixed up to this day. I never forget the name of forget-me-dos, though.
4. I don't like olives. I do like olive oil. I wish I liked olives.
5. I have a Paddington Bear alarm clock.
6. I get all antsy if I forget to wear a watch on work days. Even though I am surrounded by clocks at work. They taunt me. 
7. My great grandmother on my dad's side was called Annie and was known for being strong minded and saying what she thought. Several family members have always called me Annie, and say I'm uncannily like her. I can't imagine why. I'm also called Annie at work, to stop confusion with a Hannah and another Anna. This doesn't stop me being confused and answering to the wrong name. Every day. 
8. Sometimes I use tickets, shopping lists and other ephemera as bookmarks, then leave them in the book when I return it to my bookcase. I like to think it's like random scrapbooking for future generations. I also hide cheery notes in library books. Hey, it might brighten someone's day! 
9. I don't have any tattoos, but am increasingly fascinated by the small, quirky tattoos of others, especially if they have a tale to tell. Art really is everywhere.
10. I have a big brother. He beats me at arm wrestling (not hard.) I beat him at Scrabble.
11. I go to modern jive and latin dance classes every week. I have far too much fun and usually get the giggles and forget what I supposed to be doing. Unless we're doing the teapot move, then I'm all ears. 

Jo's Questions:

1. North or South? ~ North. I love to visit the south, but I'm a northerner through and through.
2. Countryside or city? ~ Argh! I'll say countryside, though I'd never like to be unable to get to a city.
3. Home or away? ~ I think you sometimes have to go away to appreciate home, and I love visiting new places, but I'm most content at home. Mind you, I've had a fair few homes! 
4. If you could have a magical power for one day only, what would it be? ~ Oooh... absolute fearlessness. Perhaps then I could show myself I don't need to worry so much!
5. Can you make any interesting anagrams with your name? ~ ...Nana? I'm a palindrome! Anna backwards is Anna. 
6. Is the glass half empty or half full? ~ Always half full. Positivity is a muscle I try to exercise daily. 
7. Do you sing in the shower? ~ I tend to whistle at full volume. It took me ages to work out why Bea is always waiting for me when I open the bathroom door! 
8. Favourite colour? ~  Difficult. This week... light pink. 
9. Morning person or night owl? ~ Both. I'm useless between about 3 and 6pm. Which is handy at work!
10. Henry's Cat or Pigeon Street? ~ Always Pigeon Street. 
11. If you could have a dinner party with 5 people of your choice (dead, alive or fictional) who would you choose? ~ Hmm, I think this time I'll have a literary party, so Roald Dahl, Dickens, Beatrix Potter (I know, I know), Elizabeth Gaskell and Diana Gabaldon. 

I'm going to cheat at this point because I pass a fair few of these awards around and honestly can't remember who I've nominated before. (I'm not displaying the award to make up for my cheaty ways.) So... if you fancy answering the following questions for fun, please feel free!

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. Restaurant or picnic?

3. Which character from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are you most like?

4. What do you do with odd socks?

5. If you found a dragon's egg would you run away from it, cook it or hatch it?

6. Which creative project are you most proud of?

7. What did you want to be when you were little?

8. Do you make your tea in a teapot or mug? (I promise this isn't so I can judge!)

9. Which part of the country you live in would you most like to visit?

10. Typing or handwriting?

11. If you could be mentored by any celebrity chef/cook, who would you choose? 

Hope those questions are random enough for you, and thank you again to Jo for nominating me!