Silence descends on the room. The TV is muted and ‘airplane mode’ enforced on all electricals. Even the fridge. The audience (one disinterested cat and one genuinely interested partner), wait with bated breath as I prepare to announce my news;

‘And the Award goes to…….ME!’

3 Awards actually.

Everyone squeals with delight. Except the cat, who has taken the excitement as a prompt to lick his bum.

‘I would like to thank…….well…….nobody really, as I’ve done this all by myself.’

At that point, I lose the room, so I’ll just carry on with the presentation details for the benefit of my readers and to thank my nominators, shiny diamonds every one of them. And all such amazing human beings that not one of them will think;
‘Hang on a minute, she’s lumped us altogether in one post. She did that last time. Lazy cow.’

First up; Sunshine Blogger Award.
“The Sunshine Blogger Award is an award given from one blogger to another as a way to promote community and boost morale. Bloggers give this award to an equal whom they feel embody creativity and talent.”

My first nomination came from The Ginger Effect. A fellow freckly who I gave a shout out at my last Award Ceremony. Repeating what I said then; This lady has made me laugh and cry, sometimes on the same page. She has a no-nonsense view of life that’s expressed with hilarity. She’s also written one of the happiest, most heart-warming and touching posts I’ve read, sharing with her followers the day she finally and officially adopted her daughter.

My second nomination for this award came from Soul & Scribble. I don’t know what I can say that would convey the exceptional writing talent from this young woman. You need to just go read. Part of her blog is dedicated to recounting her experience of being homeless and caught up in the cogs of a welfare system that seems as broken as the people it cares for. And although some episodes of Scar Tissue are harrowing to read, there is always hope. And heart. And humanity. Jocelyn takes the 26 letters of the alphabet and does something magical with them.

Next up is a nomination for The Mystery Blogger Award from A Comedian’s Guide To Enlightenment. This award is “for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get”.

Oh, go on then, I’ll take it 😉

Our paths crossed over job losses. As you may know, one of the cornerstones for starting my blog was after being made redundant. Twice. I’ve used The Lockwood Echo to lay down some funny (open for subjective discussion), and likewise, a job loss, a spiritual awakening and natural gift for comedy has led Alissa to re-evaluate how she could pursue her dreams, giving us plenty of giggles along the way.

If you’ve been to one of my Award Ceremonies before, you will know that I play fast and loose with the rules. But I ALWAYS pay Awards forward. In the spirit of sharing some blogging love, tipping a hat and a cheeky wink to some outstanding writers and content, I would like to pop some people on a pedestal and encourage others to ‘Oooh and Aaah’ at the talent before them. In previous ceremonies, I’ve bowed before to this bevy of beauties and sung the praises of this enchanting ensemble. It’s impossible to chose just a handful from the many worthy mentions, so forgive any exclusions. If I’m following you, it is out of genuine interest and ALL are deserved of a sparkly accolade. This then is my opportunity to offer a standing ovation to some not previously heralded more recent discoveries. I’ve also included a link to one of my favourite pieces by each.

As always, in fairest alphabetical order;

Adele Archer Writes. A writer who is grabbing life and using a lovely brand of wit to share her tales and views. This was the first post I read by Adele and loved how she wasn’t afraid to put her head above the parapet and admit such shocking truths as not really liking Elvis or wine. Forgiven on both counts, but only because she’s so entertaining!

Amaan Khan. You never know what’s coming next from Amaan. His works of fiction are a breath of fresh air. This recent post stopped me in my tracks. Also really enjoyed his Micro Fiction #1 & #4. Each piece is so different, I always look forward to seeing what he surprises us with next.

Barb Taub. So many pet-related funny reads to be had here, but this one involves a shopping trip and a husband. Fabulous writing style, real-life in all its humorous glory. You’ll be laughing at the ridiculousness but nodding in agreement.

Feeding On Folly So many excellent finds through taking part in Bonnywood Manor’s 3-Word Challenge. This entry had me howling with laughter, so clever. One of those where you think ‘Damn, wish I’d thought of that!’ There’s also skeletons in the family closet and food. What more could you want?

Healthy Living For Hot Messes. Love this lady. She tackles some serious stuff. But it’s never patronising and the humour never belittles the subject. She pulls no punches but you will also laugh so hard, that’ll hurt too. Am I selling this right? Some of it is heartbreaking to read. And some of it is about chickpeas and what the actual hell are they.

Heide Blog. You will just have to go visit as this lady is mostly about the photographs and they are exquisite. Showing travels near and far, always atmospheric, beautiful and captivating. This particular post was as haunting as it was fascinating. We recently both posted a near identical photo of a peacock, within a few days of each other. A different peacock, taken years apart on opposite sides of the world. A fact which will always make me smile due to the sleepless night I had worried that I’d inadvertently stolen another photographer’s peacock photo!

Samantha Dee. Having read Samantha’s book ‘My Big Fat Fat’, I see her name and I think Bras. She could probably open her own bra museum. It’s an honest, insightful and incredibly funny A – Z of being fat, trying to not be fat and everything in between. One of her latest posts is very relatable, embarrassingly so.

Stories From The Edge Of Blindness. ‘Flowering Ink’ came to my attention via other bloggers. This lady is all about the poetry. She is also coming to terms with losing her sight. She’s sharing her journey with honesty. Her fears and hopes are laid bare and her words paint pictures that only need a mind’s eye to see. This post reflects on a frustrating day. A falling out with Zelda – integral to Susan’s life – forces a new approach that brings hope. Zelda is Susan’s white cane.

The Bloggess. Her Royal Highness. When I first decided this was the platform my voice needed, I Googled ‘Top Blogs’. For those in the know, it will be no surprise that The Bloggess was right up there. Her blog was all the confirmation I needed that I was doing the right (write) thing and this world would give me the creative outlet and inlet I’d so desperately seeked. Jenny Lawson is weird and wonderful and crazy and full of so much chuffin heart and genuine care for her tribe that you will cry as many tears of compassion as you will cry with laughter. I thought myself too lowly to give a shout out to The Bloggess, but it seems only right as she was unwittingly instrumental in my hitting the start button on my printing presses. This was posted the same day my blog went live across the world and it remains one of my favourite ever reads. Knowing there are Bloggess fans reading this, I hope I’d be forgiven for sharing a second link. Jenny doesn’t need my help in adding to her fanbase, but I’d also like to introduce the other side of her writing to those who don’t know her. This piece struck a chord with so many, it’s heartfelt, honest and raw. And it really shows what an incredible skill she has when it comes to sharing the dark-side, all within a bubble of empathy and understanding so that no-one ever feels alone. Ok. Let’s move on from this sycophantic big ol’ girl crush.

The Incurable Dreamer. Tanya has stories to tell that will break your heart, but her strength is to keep moving forward and she’s found light in the darkness. She’s also funny AF! The post I’m sharing here will tug at your heartstrings, but it’s balanced out by the story of how to bathe a white gerbil who is currently ‘crime scene red’!

The Secret Blind. I’m going to struggle to pick just one post to share here, as they’re all so fabulous. Fun, informative, with a big dose of doggy mayhem. I refer to Minster, the very obedient, highly-trained guide dog that assists ‘his maid’ in all manner of ways. Off duty, he is Munch and I get the impression he pretty much rules the roost. Following The Secret Blind has prompted me to think how I can make my own blog more accessible for readers with impaired vision; I’ve started to add descriptions to my pictures for anyone who uses a screen-reader (I hope it’s working!). Not only is this blog highly entertaining, it’s also a great reminder about the things in life we take for granted and what is truly important. This post is pure joy. If you can’t see, how useful to have your own personalised Face Recognition Device!

There we have it. Gosh. That was a long post. Thankyou for all the fabulous reads, the giggles, the sniggers, the insights, the ‘well I never thought of it like thats’. I hope this proves mutually beneficial to new audiences, new readers, new content seekers. I’ve written this within a blur of illness. It’s taken me TWO DAYS! I only hope all those links go to the intended destinations. Do give me a virtual slap if something looks wrong!