Axes, Awards and Freebies

It's been a tricky few weeks. First our car died, then the washing machine spluttered its last.  In fact, with that dreadful superstition of things happening in threes, I was starting to feel a little nervous for the cat.

But then, what do you know, things picked up.  A lot.

Firstly, I was given a greenhouse.

Yes, that's right, given; free, gratis and even delivered to our door. It belonged to a friend's father and he no longer had need of it, so it was offered to me. Apparently, they were surprised I was interested. To quote my friend "I thought you'd want something bigger, fancier and Victorian-looking".  To be fair, I am disgustingly shallow when it comes to buying garden items, but I am also frugal to the point of cheap, and to misquote from Jerry Macguire "you had me at free".

So, I now have a wealth of plans for this fabulous new garden addition - starting with erecting it of course - and the kids are almost as excited as I am. Well, that, or they're just humouring me... again.

Secondly, I won something.

At this year's Garden Media Guild Awards, I was joint winner in the New Talent category for my pieces in The Guardian.  Obviously, I am particularly excited about the 'New' part, given that I'm 18 months off hitting 40 and being called 'New' anything is a novelty.  It also felt like an added bonus because the big achievement for me was getting published in the first place.  For this I am hugely grateful to Jane Perrone who gave me the chance and didn't hang up the phone when I called (which, let's face it, would have been the far more reasonable response).

I'll admit I was probably even more shocked to have Little Green Fingers named as a finalist in the Blog of the Year awards. When you consider that the list included Mark Diacono's Otter Farm, James Alexander-Sinclair's award-winning Blogging from Blackpitts and, this year's winner, Lia Leendertz' Midnight Brambling you will understand my reaction.

Unlike those Hollywood types, I can honestly say it was an honour just to be nominated.

Then of course, it all got a bit messy.

This was my first ever GMG Awards, and also the only time I had left the house on a non school-run related trip for 24 days. Yes, that's right 24 days!  I was wearing a dress, surrounded by some very entertaining people and there was a lot of alcohol around. I'm not sure when I said to myself "this is kind of my work's Christmas do", but from then on my fate was sealed.

Amongst other things:

Andy Sturgeon stole my axe (actually, I think I gave it to him, but there is something very "Freddie Star ate my hamster" about that headline, so I'm sticking to it)

I decided to tell the Producer of Gardener's Question Time how I began my love affair with Radio 4 whilst on a summer job grading daffodil bulbs (she was, as you might expect, fascinated by this anecdote...)

I had a long conversation with Mark Diacono about his friend's piles

For some reason I was left in charge of the RHS Director of Shows' briefcase (I think he may have mistaken me for a cloakroom assistant)

I may have challenged a few people to a lager drinking contest (in fairness, I wasn't even drinking lager but by this point reality was a stranger to me)

I also lost a glove, smashed the pot in my goodie bag, and gave an impromtu garden design consultation to a lady I met on the 11.15 to Bedford.

In my defence, I would remind you that 24 days is quite a long time... and at least there wasn't a photocopier involved.

Comments

[Helen]

Well that was a day to remember by the sound of it! Hopefully it will get you through the next 24! Am jealous of your greenhouse as its bigger than mine (well all greenhouses are) and I have found myself hankering after a bigger one recently

[Arabella Sock]

I'm sure I've congratulated you already but have another couple from me, one for the award and one for the greenhouse! I love my greenhouse, it is a posh one but I always liked my mum's one too which was just bog standard thing. THere is just something terribly exciting about a greenhouse. No matter how big your greenhouse is you will always want, actually always NEED a bigger one.

[scentedsweetpeas]

wow great greenhouse and thank you for the giggle about your 'works' do - sorry but I did have to giggle, I tried not to but I couldn't help myself.

[Lia Leendertz]

Did anyone get away WITHOUT hearing about Mark's friend's piles? Poor Mark's friend...
Huge congratulations, so well deserved, and thank you for a great night out. I want to say 'we know how to party' but I think we have actually forgotten, yet managed to make a pretty good fist of it anyway.

[Dawn]

Helen - yes it's not a bad size but to be honest I would have been equally happy with something much smaller (particularly if it was fancy and Victorian looking of course)

Arabella - Thank you so much. And I'm delighted you have a posh greenhouse. Bog standard would not have gone with your chashmere credentials.

Scentedsweetpeas - There may well have been more fodder for your amusement, but I fear I have forgotten more than I remember.

Lia - Yes, but I think I was the only one having an in-depth discussion of piles whilst trying to digest my food.

And, we definitely know how to party - and screech - and stamp on each other's feet. We are so classy it hurts...

[Damo]

Congratulations on the award and on bagging a free greenhouse!

[kat]

Hurrah!

[Esther Montgomery]

I like the grading daffodil bulbs bit best. I used to work in a nut factory. (I really did!)

Esther

P.S. Nearly missed the most important thing to say - Congratulations!

[JamesA-S]

I don't know about you but when I had the conversation with Mark about 'his friend's" piles I got the distinct impression that perhaps "his friend" was a bit closer to home than he said.
Then I watched Mark walking up to get his award and there was a slight bandylegged duck walk to his stance which led me to believe that"Mark's friend" might be a way of getting sympathy.

Sorry that I missed you when you were very, very drunk as opposed to just plain squiffy.

You know what I think of you and your award, suffice to say that I am still beaming.

[Dawn]

Damo - most kind - thank you (not sure which is more exciting)

Kat - Thank you madam - I always enjoy a good hurrah.

Esther - I think we can agree that there should be more formatiuve years spent in nut factories and on daffodil bulb graders. We are obviously persuasive arguments for such regimes.

James - Now you mention it 'Mark's friend' remained curiously nameless and Mr Diacono was shifting around in his chair a lot. Oh my God - this is just like the end of Fight Club. Except of course that he forgot the basic tenet: "The first rule of piles is you don't talk about piles"

[Ryan]

Well done Dawn! You've deserved it.

I was also very skeptical about Mark's "friend" having piles . . . I think JAS hit it on the head there!

I can't wait to see the greenhouse when it's up and hopefully I'll get the opportunity to say hi in real life at some point next year! ;)

Enjoy your moment x