Always the Bridesmaid

Always the Bridesmaid

Of course, I always knew that I wouldn’t really win the MAD Blog Award for Best Family Fun. 

Just as I had also known that I wouldn’t win the Brilliance in Blogging award that I was up for earlier this year.

But, I was chuffed to bits to even be nominated, let alone make to the finals of both. 

I felt incredibly proud to see my blog up there in lights, holding its own… and some!

‘I’m just here for the wine!’ I guffawed as I clinked glasses with everyone.

Although, that didn’t stop me from holding my breath for a short moment, just as they introduced the finalists.

For that split second before the winner was announced, I thought to myself  what if it IS me…?

But, it wasn’t. 

The award went to the brilliant Multiple Mummy blog, definitely the most deserving winner and I was genuinely thrilled to bits for Kerry and her family.

Leaving me to return to the incredibly important task of dividing the contents of a red wine bottle between mine and Anya’s (Older Single Mum) glasses.

It is always nerve-wracking turning up to big glitzy events like this, not really knowing a soul and relying on your twitter avatar photo to be recognised. 

I don’t hang out regularly enough online, or offline for that matter, to have aligned myself with any particular blogging circle so I stayed within my comfort zone for the most part; chatted to people I have met before and who I was fairly confident would recognise me again.

Luckily, I spotted the lovely Ruth from Dorky Mum as soon as I arrived. 

I’ve met Ruth on a few occasions before, have chatted on twitter and Facebook and her friendly face was all I needed to ease any nerves I was feeling. 

It was not long before I located Alice (More than Toast)… well, near the drinks was a good place to start… and enjoyed catching up with her a lot.

I then spotted Kate (WitWitWoo) and Helen (Actually Mummy) who not only both recognised me (YEAH!!) but stopped to chat too, so I was not left standing on my own like a Blogger No Mates.

I had a mild panic when I realised that I would not be sitting at a table with any of these familiar faces, but needn’t have worried as a quick glance down the table plan and I saw that I was seated next to Older Single Mum, Anya, and knew instantly that it was going to be a fun night.

As my blood alcohol levels grew, so did my confidence and with only a slight stagger in my step, I sauntered over to the legendary Jane from Northern Mum and said hello.

Now, let me be clear on this.  Jane’s blog is one of my very favourite reads – she can have me in stitches one day and sobbing into my porridge the next.

I think she is brilliant.

She is FAMOUS.

We have never met before. 

Luckily, she did not seem to mind the intrusion at all and pulled up a chair for me next to hers.

Say something funny, say something funny! I instructed myself.

“I hope you win” was I think all I managed. 

Damn you comedy gods, damn you.

Then, I drank more wine. 

In a fortuitous twist, there were two hardly touched bottles of red being pointed out in front of me. 

Fortuitous that is, for Northern Mum, in that what goes down must eventually come out and an urgent call of nature called an abrupt end to our time together.

The rest of the night is a bit of a blur if I’m be honest.

But I captured a few moments on my camera phone.

Actually Mummy wins Best Schooldays Blog

Myleene Klass with Alice from More than Toast

I retired to the bar with Dorky Mum and Older Single Mum until 2am (!) with my heart bursting full of love for the wonderful company I had kept all evening; with being all dressed up and out in Central London on a Friday night; with blogging, my blog, with being a blogger, with other bloggers, with being a finalist (O.M.G. doesn’t quite cover that!!!!) but most of all, probably with wine.

Thank you to everyone on the MAD Blog Awards team for having me as a finalist this year. 

You can read posts by other bloggers about the awards here

You can view the official photos from the awards here

Have you ever been nominated for an award?  Did you win?

You can also find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @Smudgerella 

 

19 Comments

  1. October 4, 2012 / 2:50 PM

    Yes I have. And yes I did!
    Ooops, those calls to action get me every time 😉
    You talk about me like I’m Cameron Diaz or something. Of course I bloody recognise you – I’ve tried to invite myself over for dinner at yours several times already!
    You are blogging royalty in my eyes lovely, you make me laugh and cry just like Jane. Incidentally, was it her or you who had to dispose of a bellyful of red wine? 🙁

  2. Grenglish
    Author
    October 4, 2012 / 3:06 PM

    No it was me!!!!! She was rolling around on the floor with Heather at the time 🙂
    Well done on your award, was so happy you won! I voted for you and whooped when they called your name.
    You are a dead ringer for Cameron BTW…
    x

  3. October 4, 2012 / 3:14 PM

    I can’t say you woz robbed cos we all love Kerry and wish her well BUT .. i’m so glad you were a finalist and you got to come – although you seriously out-glammed me Must. Try. Harder.

    xxx

    • Grenglish
      Author
      October 4, 2012 / 4:00 PM

      I do not think there is a woman on this Earth who could ever out glam you!
      But thanks, you are lovely. It was great to see you xx

  4. October 4, 2012 / 3:30 PM

    Lovely. Sounds like you had a fab time! I’m a little like you, I don’t dilly dally about much on social media. So glad you felt comfortable and got to hang out with some really friendly bloggers – That Anya is a wall flower isn’t she? (ha ha ha) – fab that you got to sit next to her! X.

    • Grenglish
      Author
      October 4, 2012 / 4:01 PM

      She is a red wine menace is what she is!!
      Fab night with Anya, really fab x

  5. October 4, 2012 / 3:35 PM

    Looking gorgeous honey and you are a total winner to me anyway. Hugs x

    • Grenglish
      Author
      October 4, 2012 / 4:04 PM

      and that is why I love you!
      x

  6. Donna Callan
    October 4, 2012 / 4:38 PM

    Smudge, I am so hugely proud of you. What an achievement! Well done you! I love your blog, you are hugely talented and I am thrilled that it’s not just your mates who recognise that.

    You asked if any of your readers had ever won anything and of course I never bloody have but it did remind me of the time I desperately tried to skew the stars in my favour.

    Yonks ago there was a PA of The Year awards running over here. I didn’t care about the kudos (honest!) but I really did fancy a week in the Caribbean which was the first prize. So I begged a very reluctant work colleague (who thank god was also a great mate) to put me forward for it. I wrote up a gushing testimonial to my skills which Mark kindly submitted for me and after a few weeks I forgot all about it and felt pretty sure my ridiculous plan had been sunk.

    However, unbeknownst to me I was shortlisted but didn’t make it through to the final round. But one of the organisers knew my boss so decided to ring him. She told him all about my entry, how much I was loved by my colleagues and how I’d nearly made it through and he should be very proud of me… blah, blah, blah. My boss thinking he was doing me a favour decided to email all 150 employees of the company with my testimonial, telling them all how I had nearly made it and wasn’t I wonderful etc.

    My mate Mark was furious with me as I’d outted him as a suck-up and for 3 hours I had to endure everyone coming up to me saying how I should have won and what a lovely tribute Mark had paid to me. And finally to copper-fasten my misery my boss organised drinks after work where I was lauded once more. Finally unable to bear my guilt (and having drunk 4 large glasses of Sauvignon Blanc) I confessed that it was all a big lie and I’d entered myself as I wanted a free holiday.

    I was convinced all my colleagues would think I was a pathetic liar and a cheat who had duped them all. Luckily, they saw the funny side and I was able to turn this humiliating incident into a ‘story’ which I am now sharing with thousands of strangers on the net.

    That is all….

    • Grenglish
      Author
      October 4, 2012 / 4:46 PM

      Best.Comment.Ever.

      Absolutely brilliant Donna!

      Love that you did this, and am not surprise one little bit xx

  7. October 4, 2012 / 8:34 PM

    Such a delight to meet you (and will pay you later for all of the above!). Luckily I met you before my memory buggered off with my ability to stay awake!

    Xxx

    • Grenglish
      Author
      October 5, 2012 / 3:07 PM

      and you Jane!
      so.much.wine.
      what was I thinking!!

  8. October 5, 2012 / 8:50 AM

    Well done you for even getting there. You looked -and were – and are fabulous. So funny to see my name plastered all over your blog, but fitting really, the ‘plastered’ bit! A great evening. Lovely piece. Can’t wait for next time XXX

    • Grenglish
      Author
      October 5, 2012 / 3:11 PM

      Such a great night Anya! Was fab to get to know you a LOT better xx

  9. October 5, 2012 / 2:59 PM

    Amazing achievement to have been nominated, but no surprise because your blog is BRILLIANT, as are you Ms Grenglish – it sounds like it was such a fun night, I would have loved to have been there downing bucket loads of red wine with you and all the other fabulous ladies out on the town. Next time… must get together v soon though lovely, hope you’re well – you’re looking stunning in these pics xxx

    • Grenglish
      Author
      October 5, 2012 / 3:13 PM

      I missed you so much RM! You are my bloggy partner in crime and it felt strange without you. Until Anya got me trollied, obviously 🙂

  10. October 8, 2012 / 1:44 PM

    It was a great evening. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to meet you x

    • Grenglish
      Author
      October 12, 2012 / 7:27 PM

      Same! Next time defo 🙂

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