Thursday 30 October 2008

Blogging Surprises

I finally seem to have figured out a way to access 'add page elements' which of course now is 'add a gadget'. From the very beginning of blogging I accessed it via. Dashboard which has not worked for me for many months. I have now found that I can use this facility via. Customise on the blog page. Why I could not get it when everyone else seemed to be able to I will never know.



Another outstanding problem I have is that Outlook Express is sending quite a lot of my comments from other bloggers straight to 'Deleted Items'. I do not know why but at least now that I have realised this I can keep a check on it.



Well it snowed in London this week, first time in October since 1934 apparently. Only a light dusting but in my daughter's town, just 50 minutes away they had a covering of 2 inches which then froze overnight causing quite a weight on plants and trees. Just 2 weeks ago it was so warm that people were flocking to the beach and swimming in the sea. Today in Devon in the South West the storms have caused bad flooding and the TV showed hailstones to a depth where they were half way up the sides of the cars that were trapped in them. Nothing to do with blogging but thought I'd add this little touch. Now back to blogging.





I recieved this lovely gift, all the way from California, from my dear blogging friend Sara of Much Ado about Something.Three beautiful C.D.s arranged,compiled and played by her husband who before retirement was a professional musician. Thank you Sara they are being played often.


Then I received this gift in the post, again from California. A box of rubber stamps for making greetings cards from Paula of The Baby Journals. Thank you Paula. I will enjoy using them.



Then yesterday this birthday card came through my letterbox from Oklahoma. This was from Teresa of Honeycomb. I knew Teresa had my address as she was the winner of my last giveaway but how did she know it was my birthday next week. (More about this special celebration in my next post).Teresa it seems kept a note of it from a post I did last year. Bless you Teresa.


Blogging fun of a different kind last week. I had the pleasure of phoning 3 of my close blogging friends. Sara (already mentioned), Susan of Penless Writer in Oklahoma and Vee of A Haven for Vee in Maine. Whoever thought blogging would be this much fun. It is so nice to be able to put a voice to faces, sometimes it takes a little detective work to come up with the phone numbers though.One cannot ask direct as then it would not be a surprise. It is the second time I have phoned Sara and Susan but initially there was a little detective work.



And now to my latest award. Blogging Friends Forever. I received this twice,the first came from Vee , and the second from Lorrie. The idea behind this award is that you send it to bloggers who have regularly commented on your blog and also to one new bogging friend.
The 3 people that I have chosen to pass this award on to are bloggers that came and commented on my blog right at the beginning 22 months ago and have continued to comment ever since. I have many regular blog friends now but these 3 have been here from the very beginning. Susan, Betty, and Lorrie.
For a fairly new blogging friend and regular commenter I award it to Elizabeth.
I very much appreciate all who visit and comment. You really add a sparkle to my day.

15 comments:

Susan said...

First a phone call, and then an award. I am deeply honored, Barbara and I will pass it on.

No snow here yet, but we did have our first freeze the other night, but then today it was 79 degrees with warm days for the next week at least. I know many years when our kids were small it would be cold on Halloween and trick or treat.

Anonymous said...

What lovely surprises from California :-) And a very happy early birthday to you, Barbara. Can't wait to see what's in store.

Betty said...

Barbara,
Well, thank you very much for the award....it has been my great pleasure to follow your blog and your life....you take me to far away places I can only dream about.....

Blogging is a blessing to me...Betty

Linda said...

I didn't know England had snow! It is strangely cold here in Paris. I think it is just a temporary cold front.

Elizabethd said...

How very kind!! Thank you so much. I always enjoy a ramble with you on one of your visits...and of course you do make me quite homesick sometimes!

duopastorale said...

No snow here :( I shall not wish you a happy birthday YET :) Blessings to you Barbara

Lorrie said...

Thank you Barbara, for the lovely blog mention. I thoroughly enjoy visiting you via your blog.

Patsy said...

What a happy blog today ,Barbara. It has been very cool here but today it will be in the 70, much warmer.
Patsy

Needled Mom said...

Snow already???? Oh dear. It could be a long winter.

Isn't it fun to find new things on blogger? Life gets so much easier.

Congratulations on you award and happy early birhtday blessings.

Vee said...

Lovely treasures that certainly must have been day brighteners! People know us so well in Blogdom because I think we talk more here than in our real lives.

Teresa is just the sort of friend everyone needs. I am impressed with her memory and organization!

Now I'm off to see who Susan, Betty, Lorrie, and Elizabeth are. That was very sneaky! :D

Stay warm!

Linda said...

I'm so glad you are finally able to access the widgets on the sidebar.
Hope you had a wonderful birthday.

Anonymous said...

What lovely gifts! Congratulations on your award. I am so behind with everything -I still have one to pass on.

Yes the weather is so weird at the moment. Today was a biting chill to what looked like a crisp day from the window. I hope you are managing to keep warm.

I don't suppose from your days living round here you know a house called Wood Bank built around 1900 for the Wood family mayors of Southport?

Barb said...

Hi Barbara,

Congrats on your award-yay!

Happy belated birthday to you. They come around fast, don't they?

I would love to see some snow. We are in the 90's today-hot, hot, HOT!

hugs,
Barb

Willow said...

I'm sure you're enjoying the music from Sara's husband! It sounds like things are gearing up for a really happy birthday for you!

Paula said...

Wow, how would I know that the stamps would be an early birthday gift for you. Glad you like them