Good morning dear friends and here I am, as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as I intended (despite some doubters in the crowd!) on this cold December, Monday morning. I hope that you all had a lovely weekend?
I can report that in between guzzling several sipping genteelly one or two glasses of bubbly during the course of the weekend, we did manage to:
- Buy a Christmas tree (great deal at B&Q, £25 for a Nordmann Fir with minimal needle drop (more on that subject in another post)
- Attempted to buy a few pressies for people (in real shops) but couldn’t find the inspiration
- Made too many visits to ASDA for boring things like eggs and bread (that’s all I’m owning up to)
- No online shopping to be had.
Other than that, and not getting any decorating done (except for the lights on the tree) what was most important was that I got to spend time with my boy. With all that he has been through since September it is so good to see him a bit happier, offered a new job which means that he can move back to Brighton in the new year and also looking forward to a fresh start and a brighter future.
More important this, I’m sure you would agree, than running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get Christmas off the ground? After all, there are two weeks or so to do that, starting NOW.
Yet it seems that the celebrations must continue despite my ever-rising Christmas panic because it would appear that Father Christmas has visited me a little earlier than usual this year in the form of several of you lovely people who have been so kind enough to nominate me for a plethora of awards (hope that doesn’t sound too much like bragging but I didn’t know how else to say it!!).
So many in fact (and I’m actually quite embarrassed about this) that I will be doing three separate blog posts, one after the other, to make things easier. Hope you can stand it!
So even though it’s Monday morning, I hope you are in somewhat of a party mood as I’m about to kick this one off with first round!
Firstly, lovely Ilka of her delightful blog, Simplyilka, nominated me so kindly for The Versatile Blogger Award. Ilka is a scientist, environmentalist and medical writer who just happens to have a passion for writing too! Her delightful opening on her ‘About’ page says, ‘this blog was my kids’ idea!’ and her desire to share ‘science with a smile’ certainly shines through in megawatts!
The Versatile Blogger Award
Around the same time, another lovely new friend, Glynis Jolly of Speculations Impressed, also nominated me for this award. Glynis writes about her thoughts, ideas and emotions as she shares her memoirs with her readers and her tagline ‘My Perils with writing’ captures the way in which she explores her writing and the journey that she is on.
Thank you so much Ilka and Glynis for thinking of me for these awards!
In the time that I was preparing this post, and while away from my blog this weekend, I was amazed to see that my lovely friend Sandra over at quirkybooks has been extremely busy and so very kind to nominate me for several awards, the first three I will mention here (yes, there’s more!):
The Versatile Blogger Award, the Sunshine Award, The Dragon Loyalty Award and also the WordPress Family Award, all of which I’m greatly honoured to receive and especially honoured to be considered part of Sandra’s WordPress cyber family which warms my heart greatly.
The Sunshine Award
The WordPress Family Award
The Dragon’s Loyalty Award
Sandra adores her four guinea pigs and just happens to be a writer who, in addition to her quirkybooks blog site has a website called beatredundancyblues and teaches blogging as an aid to recovery for those who have lost their jobs through redundancy.
I recently commented on one of Sandra’s blog posts about my redundancy story, albeit briefly, and Sandra very kindly posted my comment as one of several ‘redundancy success’ stories on her site. I was thrilled that she wanted to share my experience with her readers as I had never really thought of it as a success story as such, merely as a way to show that it is possible to get a life after 50 even when you think you are finished! If you are interested, you can read it here.
Thank you so very much Sandra for bestowing all these awards upon me 🙂
Since I have previously received all the above awards and having nominated others for them all fairly recently, I will not be participating in the rules this time but I wanted to make sure that I gave my thanks to all three of these lovely ladies and also give a shout-out to their must-see blogs.
Now onto Part Two – Watch this space!
A View From My Summerhouse 
You spent time with Nicky, that’s the most important thing. Everything else will get done in time, Sherri. Congratulations on your well deserved awards!
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Thanks Jill! Yes, that is the most important thing you are absolutely right! I hope things are going well with you and that you had a good weekend and your Christmas preparations are underway nicely – better than mine anyway 🙂
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I’m ready! 🙂 You’ve got the tree, that’s a great start. 🙂
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Yep, I though you might be 🙂
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I had a Christmas shopping weekend too. My sister and I had a lovely grown up day in London, stopped off at the South Bank Christmas market and quaffed large quantities of gluhwein, then went to a matinee after a quick lunch in Garrick Street. My present buying is well under control and I’m feeling strangely relaxed. Must have forgotten something.
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That sounds perfect Jenny! Very civilised I must say. Hubby and I were joining in the mad rush down to B&Q for our Christmas tree (and believe me, when I go shopping for a Christmas tree I’m on a mission…blog post coming up on that one!!) fighting off the crowds. Actually is wasn’t quite that bad but I did end up with at least three different trees falling on me!!!
I did manage to do some more shopping today amazingly so I feel more in control now like you and that is always a good thing.
I felt very relaxed over the weekend – I think the bubbly had something to do with it!
Hmm, you are feeling strangely relaxed…maybe you returned to the Christmas market and never actually left??? 😉
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It’s the season of peace and good will. Feeling relaxed is required!
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Yes, always a good thing to remember, that… 🙂
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Amazing and Thank you… @ ^_^
kindness blossoms in your heart
My love be your friend in all journey
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Many thanks for your kind words 🙂
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Great you’ll spend quality time with your boy. Outstanding.
About the awards, they look good on you. Congratulations. 😀
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Yes, that is the most important thing, spending time with my boy. Saw my other other boy the weekend before and have them both home for Christmas, as well as my daughter of course who lives with us. First time we’ve had all three together for Christmas for a couple of years so really looking forward to it 🙂
Thanks Tess about the awards – I’m a bit embarrassed really!!! I do like the pretty pictures on them though, a bit of bling you know… 😉
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Aw, enjoy.
I stopped accepting awards as I can’t handle all the duties and after a few, I’ve had acknowledgement enough. 🙂
I have a Razzle Dazzle page.
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Yes, think that’s a great idea. Will do the same thing methinks 🙂 Love the idea of a Razzle Dazzle page, will take a look!
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It would appear as if congratulations are in order!
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Lol! Thanks very much Navigator 🙂
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I’ve got a Nordmann Fir but it was £35, so that’s a great deal! Last year we got a cheaper one but it spiked me to death getting it out of the car. Nordmanns are the best.
Do you feel sad that your boy is moving away again? Although I guess you both know that is what he wants.
Well done on your awards, you have a great blog that I always enjoy reading.
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Yes, they had a run on them at B&Q but they were going fast, I ended up with at least three trees falling on me as people were grabbing them and I was getting Hubby to hold each one up for approval 🙂
Sounds like you did what we did last year with the same kind of tree, I know what you mean about being spiked to death! Ours was the same, deathly sharp…never again! By Christmas it had hardly any needles left. Let’s hope that this year we both do better!
Not too bad about Nicky moving back. He always wanted to go back to Brighton and we go there a fair bit to visit my older son but lately I’ve seen a lot of him so I think it will hit more once he’s back there…just so long as he is happy and he is doing a bit better and smiling again here and there 🙂
Thanks Denise, I appreciate that 🙂
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Congratulations, Sherri — I’m happy, happy, happy for you on so many awards and so well deserved, my friend. Take an extra sip for me of the bubbly to stay warm! 🙂
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Many thanks Pat! You are always so wonderfully encouraging and a great blessing to me! I will certainly do both on your account 🙂 x
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You’re truly welcome, Sherri. Hugs xxoo
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🙂 xo
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Congratulations! You are so very deserving…God bless!
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Thank you so much Wendell for your very kind wishes and God bless you too 🙂
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Congrats on all of your awards! It sounds like you are having a pretty good week.
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Hi Robin, thanks so much, yes, but a busy one and too much to do… hope you are having a good week too 🙂
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Come on, what else did you buy at ASDA? I’m hoping for some chocolate. Sounds like you’ve been busy and congrats on all the awards. well-deserved!
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Ha Ha!! Maybe some chocolate, maybe some more cava, maybe some…..cat food??!!! It has been busy, and getting busier…looks like for you too! Thanks so much TB and looking forward to tomorrow… 🙂
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I’m amazed by how much my dog and cat eat and then they beg for my food as well. I never ask them to share. Me too!
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I know just what you mean 🙂
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Thank you for the mention and all the wonderful things you said about my blog. You deserve the awards you get. I enjoy your thoughts and the stories you tell.
Yep, Christmas is coming. I’m not even half ready for it. I might have to wing it this year.
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You are very welcome Glynis, you deserve the recognition and thank YOU for your kind words 🙂
Think you and I will both be winging it then… 🙂
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Congratulations on your awards, Sherri. They are well-deserved.
I just got our Christmas last week which I managed to cram into my bicycle with my three-year-old in it at the same time. Both made it home safely. 🙂
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Thank you Rachel. Wow, that’s amazing and a sight to behold I bet 🙂
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Congratulations, well deserved!
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Many thanks Andrea.
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