You catch me at a low ebb…
It was the Garden Media Guild Awards yesterday and it was my day to be bridesmaid and not get to wear the full meringue. This happened not just once: I got shortlisted twice but in the Blog of Year Category I lost out to the supremely deserving Lia Leendertz and in Journalist of the Year (which is a terribly grown up category) to Victoria Summerly (who not only writes beautifully but is a proper journalist rather than a part time chancer like me). Here is a picture of Carol Klein’s shoe (as is traditional). The heels are, apparently, excellent for dibbing.
It is an odd thing this awards lark. In the days leading up to the lunch there is a lot of anticipation and moments of both doubt and imagined triumph. Then one has a jolly time with nice people, lots of kissing (i) and slightly strange food – pudding was something called a Blackberry Tendance. When the actual moment comes, one is initially disappointed but soon gets over that and quickly becomes genuinely delighted that the people who won, won. If you get my drift. I guess it helps to lose to really nice people rather than cads and rotters.
If I carry on like this then I am going to sound insincere and make people feel queasy. Suffice to say that I have two runners-up certificates to cover up the blank spots of the wall.
May I extend hearty congratulations to not only Lia & Victoria but also to Mark Diacono (in spite of his barnyard ways with gentlemen’s tailoring).
Anne Wareham for her shiny new look ThinkinGardens website: even though she called me smug in a comment on my last post.(ii)
But most of all to Dawn Isaac for her best New Talent award. We need more new talent (iii) and, although only a bit new, she is extravagantly talented.
As a consolation prize I did win the Award for Best Dressed Gardener in Martyn Cox’s OMG Awards for the second year running. I have a certificate and my tailor will be thrilled and although I realise that it is just a sop to compensate for my being too over the hill to qualify the the Most Snoggable Award I am very pleased. My female equivalent is Laetitia Maklouf who has the edge on me by being not only well dressed but deeply gorgeous. I think we should learn to dance the Minuet together (iv): although she is probably already an accomplished ballroom dancer in possession of many proficiency badges and exotic dresses made mostly from stretchy fabrics.
On other matters you may remember my wittering on about the letter of complaint about me that was published in Gardeners World Magazine a month or so ago. For the keen the link is here, for those with better things to do I will paraphrase… “Am I the only one who thinks James A-S is really annoying?”
In response, some people emailed GW Magazine to express their opinions and the answer was that yes, some agreed wholeheartedly with the correspondent and James A-S is supremely irritating.
“I get so cross when I read the nonsense that emanates from the mouth of Mr Sinclair…”
but others (all of whom win my undying love) disagreed. I have, apparently done my bit for international relations…
“I am German and the first time I came across one I thought “hey,perhaps the British aren’t as stiff upper-lipped as their reputation” “
and marital harmony……
“James’ column…causes me to laugh out loud and I annoy my husband by reading it to him when he is trying to sleep”
Let us hope that he majority will have their way and I will continue to write the column until sacked by the Sainted Mr Adam Pasco.
By way of light relief, I shall introduce you to the latest Three Men Went To Mow offering. We spent a very jolly day at Kew Gardens last Thursday and this is the result.
[youtube clip_id=”Ui__ZgxGq9c”]
I am listening to Red Garters sung by Rosemary Clooney and the Paramount Studio Chorus.
Last year it was all so different.(Sniff!)
The picture is of Cedar cones.
- It was particularly cold outside yesterday but very warm in the building. The secret in this situation is to adopt a two part strategy. On first entering (while still cold) only kiss people who have been there a while and have warmed up a bit. Then when warmed up start kissing those who have just arrived and are a bit cold. Works like a thermostat, but softer (except when kissing the slightly rugged and unshaven – eg Matthew Wilson, Terry Walton or Gary “Grizzlybeard” Rogers). Do not get carried away or you are liable to be ejected.
- Believe it or not I was nominated for a new talent award once. I lost to Sarah Lancashire.
- If you remember I ventured the opinion that, as most of AT’s programme was actually very good then one should ignore the odd things he wanders off to make. My point was, if I recall correctly, that gardening television (not Gardens per se) doesn’t matter so much that it is worth getting into a froth about. Some is good, some is not and it is better not to get worked up about it: if you want to get in a tither then go to the Daily Mail website or watch Question Time.
- I learnt how to ballroom dance when I was about eleven. Sadly I have forgotten all of it except the basic waltz steps. Also as it was an all boys school and I was quite small I was always made to be the girl and had to dance backwards.