Grannymar

As the year draws slowly to its close, we all regardless of age seem to look back over the events of the past year, remembering lost loved ones, re-live our celebrations, rejoicing over achievements, tiptoe past disasters and move on to plan for the year ahead.

At first glance sewing seemed to overtake if not punctuate my year at every available space. In fact it was actually a year of great variety. In March I attended the Irish Blog Awards in Dublin, where I had the opportunity to meet with other Bloggers with amazing talent. A week later I turned sixty and officially become a senior citizen.

Over the months many hours were spent talking to Elly simultaneously on the phone and internet working through suggestions, ideas and plans for the wedding.

Moving forward to May I was approached on Skype and asked to help a young man in Italy to improve his English. I almost said no, but now we talk regularly and I think at this stage he can be counted as a friend.

The Wedding in June brought family and friends from across the globe to help celebrate and witness Elly & George’s Special day.

The weather was kind and Elly looked happy and glowing in her outfit. She said that it was very comfortable to wear and gave her the freedom she wanted.

The train of her outfit was detachable and was removed for dancing.

The end of May was rather scary with an emergency trip to hospital but thankfully I have recovered, and learned yet again to listen to my body! By the end of September I had sufficient energy to attend Podcamp in Kilkenny. It gave me the opportunity to learn and share, while renewing old friendships and making new ones.

November saw the passing of Cherry the mother of my new Son-in-Law George. I know that with Elly by his side, and the love of his father and siblings to share the great loss, George will feel the smile of sunshine on his face once more and hear and enjoy the birds singing.

Back in July I quietly marked the 30^th anniversary of the day I married. Sadly, and not by choice, I have been alone for a third of that time. When Jack was alive our world was wonderful and I am thankful for warm loving memories.

The mention of marriage reminds me of a radio interview I smiled at over the holiday, an 80-year-old lady was the focus, because she had just remarried — for the fourth time.

The male interviewer asked her questions about her life, about what it felt like to be marrying again at 80, and then about her new husband’s occupation.

He’s a funeral director,’ she answered.

Interesting, the young man thought. He then asked her if she wouldn’t mind telling him a little about her first three husbands and what they did for a living.

She paused for a few moments, needing time to reflect on all those years.

After a short time, a smile came to her face and she answered proudly, explaining that she’d first married a banker when she was in her early 20’s, then a circus ringmaster when in her 40’s, later on a preacher when in her 60’s, and now in her 80’s, a funeral director.

The interviewer looked at her, quite astonished, and asked why she had married four men with such diverse careers.

She smiled and explained, ‘I married one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go.’

Now I don’t mean well done like a steak, but then at his age he might be a little like that these days.

I have just heard or should that be read about his double whammy! Winner of the Best Blogger at the Spider Awards last night and also news of a Book Deal.

The effort of posting every day, always sounding fresh and interesting is no mean feat.

I take my hat off to you Grandad and wish you every success with the book. I only hope that the blog keeps going for all of your followers worldwide. We are now all so hooked in, that withdrawal symptoms are unthinkable.

Rest well after the night on the town and enjoy the glow of the occasion.

I look forward to reading the book in the months ahead and expect to be invited to the Book Launch!

Heartfelt Congratulations my good friend.

Now I know I have just managed to get my one and only off my hands. Elly might be a married lady now, but she is and always will be, no matter where her travels take her, metaphorically attached to her dear old mother. With her I have the added bonus of my new son George.

“Why would you need another daughter?” I hear Elly thinking and mumbling.

I don’t need one. I would like to adopt one.

The young lady I have chosen is known to me for some months now, but we have not had the opportunity of meeting in person. She is very kind and generous to this here old soul. Compliments trip off her tongue, pen keyboard on a regular basis. Do you think she hasn’t enough to do with her time? She certainly has time to entertain, inform and at times jog and shake us out of our comfortable little worlds.

In August she sent me this little treat:

A Schmooze Award

“So who is this little treasure?” I hear you ask.

It is none other than K8 the Gr8, a faithful follower and she has again honoured me with this little number:

“This award casts a spotlight on bloggers who are just beginning to draw lots of attention — the equivalent of a song with a bullet on Billboard’s Top 100 chart. Lots of good posts. Lots of good buzz. These bloggers are going places in a hurry.”

Now instead of memeing the award I will offer the following thought from Marcel Proust:

‘Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;
they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.’

Thank you K8.

Tuesday I was in shock, and you can blame that K8 once again! I worry about her because she gets more like her father every day. He fires hands things out ad lib and now she is at it.

“So what is she handing around now? A tray of drinkies, or a platter of Smoked Salmon”, I hear you ask?

Not at all, it is another Award. This time it is a Schmooze Award.

So why me? Well to put it in her words:

“Because you’re such a motherly spirit around here.. your posts are warm and familiar, and you always find time to comment, which ain’t easy!”

It’s the ‘motherly spirit’ that scares me. I have heard of High Spirits and Holy Spirits but motherly spirits are a new one. I wonder are they part of the tekki language with a total different meaning to our usual one. I must remember to ask my grand nieces.

So how would you like one of these on your Blog?  (Honours for cash easily arranged!)

Now I have to put my thinking cap on….

Right now, are you paying attention? Here we go…

Conortje: He amuses me daily and he is just the age to be my Toyboy!

Ellybabes: Since she pushed me into this entire blogging lark, I have to get my own back. Anyway if I didn’t include her she might have me in the Nursing Home before the weekend!

Gingerpixel: A lady of great talent and the ability to make me broody!

Nelly Moser: In the wilds of Co. Antrim she waxes lyrical about life, living and anything that catches her mood.

♫ I am off to Dublin in the green, ♫ in the green ♫ well it is not quite in the green “I shall wear purple with a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me. This last quotation comes from a very old poem called “Warning” by Jenny Joseph it is about growing old disgracefully. Some day I will add it to the Blog and see if you agree with the sentiments.

Most of you think I am travelling to Dublin for the Irish Blog Awards; yes I will go along as an acknowledgement of Elly’s efforts in coaching me in modern technology and as a physical show of support to all involved in organising and bringing the Awards night to fruition.

My main reason for this trip is to fulfil a long time commitment to attend a Photographic Exhibition in Baldoyle Library, Dublin 13 from Monday 5^th to Tuesday 20^th March 2007. I have known ‘Richard M’, the photographer; since he was born and have watched his talent grow. He reminded me the other night that his first commission was to take the photos at my wedding! I am pleased to say that he has now agreed to do the same for Elly in a few months time.

‘Richard M’ is very skilled at his craft and over the years his work has ranged from photographing children visiting Santa, Graduating students, Official Conference photographs, Weddings right through to an Irish President inside Áras an Uachtaráin.

‘Richard M’ has a great love for nature and this passion is captured through his lens. He will wait several hours while the world sleeps to capture the sun as it appears on the horizon. This exhibition is mainly ‘Seascapes’ capturing moments at different times of the day in or around the Howth Peninsula taken over the past 30 years.

The word ‘Howth’ gives me a warm glow because it brings back memories of days spent either up at the head or down round the pier. I know that through ‘Richard M’s’ lens I will see it with new eyes.

Now I must sort out my packing for this trip. Where are my clean clothes…..

Yesterday I had some trouble uploading, embedding or whatever the term is when I want to add an Audio Post to my Blog. I am not so sure that it was my entire fault. Google and Firefox were both misbehaving at the time. In frustration I closed down and went to do some manual work in the kitchen. A good wholesome dinner was what I needed to give me the energy to tackle the problem.

Later I had a ‘tekki’ lesson over the phone from ‘Prof Elly’- daughters do have their uses. I suppose it was part payment for the Tee-shirt. Someone at Barcamp South East might let me know!

Now back to this problem of mine. Elly talked me through the steps and they were exactly the ones I had taken earlier, maybe ‘Google’ had eaten dinner and decided to work properly, because everything went as it should and I was able to embed my Audio Post. Now when I get ‘Prof Elly’ on the phone I try to have all my computer problems solved in one session. Somehow in the past few weeks I had lost the ‘Google Reader Subscribe’ tab. This led me to bookmark items and then not be able to find where they had hidden. We played hide and seek and I learned yet again to highlight, drag, hover and drop. Now I have added some sites I use frequently in my toolbar.

My final request was for a magic formula. If I wanted to make reference to another Blog or web site what did I need to do so that the site name appeared in a different colour and underlined allowing readers to link directly to it? I discovered I needed to learn this formula when one day I made reference to Nelly’s Garden. Nelly adds a smile to my face on many a bleak day. Keep up the good work girl.

If I have listened to my teacher and remembered all she told me this post might have some links for you. Maybe if I keep up the good work I might even warrant a mention in the 2008 Irish Blog Awards! I would need to buck up and post on a more regular basis for that. Good luck to all those entered and especially those I have nominated.