You Make Me Smile Award and other bits

I will not be posting for a week as we are going to our daughter Janie's home to cat and rabbit sit again

I do think I made up for it this week though!

However I will be keeping up with your blogs - got to feed my addiction somehow - not really, it is because I will miss you if I don't

Something interesting happened today

We have a new store open in our town and while looking around last week we both entered their opening draw

Alan got a call today to say he had won the runner-up prize

A tool box and contents worth over £100 (almost $200)

Even though we always say - is it worth bothering - we then say but if you don't enter you cannot win

I still have a lot of posts to do on the Cotswolds when I come back plus many, many other subjects

While away I plan to take some time to continue writing MY STORY at the moment it is all in my head - Looks like lots of Winter time spent at the computer!

Hope everyone has as good a week as possible - I'll leave you with this

You Make Me Smile Award

I am very honoured to have received this award twice

It first came from Melissa@theinspiredroom

The second time from Vee from http://www.ahavenforvee.blogspot.com/

It really makes my day to know that I can make someone smile

Sometimes I get to wondering about the time that I spend blogging and then realise just how much I enjoy it.

A little of what you fancy does you good as the saying goes

I can also say that it has made me more alert to what is going on around me when I am out and about, and in researching information for my site I have learned a lot

It has also given me an outlet for one of my favourite hobbies - photography

It does not stop there though

I have learned a lot from fellow bloggers and also made lots of new friends

So all in all blogging has added to my already busy life

I want to thank all those who visit me regularly and especially those who stop and leave comments

I especially enjoy showing overseas friends around my

country and of course I equally enjoy joining them on tours of their homes, gardens and countries

and to see how talented most are

As you all know, it is very difficult to pass on these awards as there are so many deserving blogs out there so I will stick with four

My choice of four

I have to award Becky, The Butler's Wife of http://www.knittinginthesouth.blogspot.com/
I find her writings so funny. Becky manages to make serious and difficult situations so amusing to read

My second goes to Linds of Rocking Chair Reflections http://www.lindslangdon.blogspot.com/

Linds has been through some very difficult times recently due to the death of her husband but she nevertheless can make even her down times sound funny

My third award is to Amanda of London Southern Belle http://www.londonsouthernbelle.typepad.com/

Amanda is from the Southern States of America and she lives in London

She really makes me smile as I see through her eyes how she sees my country

My fourth is to Britt-Arnhild of Britt Arnhild's House in the Woods

http://www.britt-arnhildshouseinthewoods.typepad.com/

Britt lives in Norway and travels constantly for her work and for pleasure and I always smile when I visit and see she is off again. Just think of the variation of bed mites that Britt must encounter! Keep travelling though Britt, your photos are great