Wow. Blimey.
My blog has been short-listed for an MS Society Award,
Three things go through my mind when I got the magical email:
- Wow. Blimey.
- Gah. Double gah. What. On. Earth. To. Wear. To. The. Ceremony?
- What will The Teenager wear? Now he is very, very tall and has worked out a lot?
I must clarify, I’m not precious: most days, I hang out in baggy builders’ trousers, with seventeen pockets full of screws and a pad and pen in my hand. Just in case. I wear a bobble hat (dust always falls from the ceilings). In short, I am the furthest from glam than you could possibly imagine.
A day off for me is baggy jeans and a baggy top. And flat boots. Air-dried hair, slumped shoulders.
I literally (and, as an aspiring novelist, I don’t use this word lightly), cannot imagine me in a dress. Or a skirt. Or a skort. Or culottes. Which leaves trousers. Capri, full-length, baggy, tight.
Perhaps I should do a Jenny Beavan?
Anyway, that to one side, this is a great opportunity to turn it back to you guys.
Almost four years ago, out of sheer despair, I started my little blog with the encouragement of M. J. Hyland, a wonderful novelist; I had contacted her after reading an article she wrote for The Observer about her MS.
We emailed for a while and she suggested I blogged. The rest, as they say, is history. Almost four years later, my little blog has over 4,000 hits a month and is read in over 100 countries.
For a teeny-tiny MS blog, I’m chuffed. I write the blog I wanted to read – life is more than MS; it’s all about friends, family, work, studying, falling over, picking yourself up and … MS.
So, tonight, me and The Teenager are celebrating. He’s had a Domino’s pizza (treat night, once a week, to make up for having a ‘ripped and toned’ gym routine the other six nights).
As for me. I’m just taking it in.
One last thing – without your support, your comments, your ideas and encouragement, I know that I would not be here today. I would still be having that first Pity Party for One I mentioned way back in 2012. And where would I be then?
How times have changed.
Thank you for travelling this road with me.