Now listen, we will have none of that thank you very much! It was the carry everywhere for emergencies mobile phone.

Are you near the computer Mum? Said the excited voice at the other end of the line.

Now what is she looking for? There is only one person who calls me mum, and that is when she is looking for something. I won’t repeat the things she calls me at other times. No, we will draw a veil over those… Has my Elly no work to do instead of disturbing me when I am gardening pulling weeds to try and find my garden.

“The shortlists are out and you made it twice”, says she.

“The shortlists for weeds” says I. “Big, bad and in my garden”, that’s the long and short of it, I’m thinking.

No Mammy! (Ooooh,we’re getting respectful now) the shortlists for the Irish Blog Awards! You are through for Best Blog (one of 27) and for Best personal Blog (one of 14).

‘…………………………’ that’s the silence at my end.

Are you still there mum? (Respect gone already) Are you still there?

“Yes, I’m still here! I swallowed my tongue”. Says I.

I am Gob-smacked to say the least. And the people I voted for are on the same shortlists!! So I’ll take my five minutes glory and then get on with shouting for the real talent up there on the list.

So to King Damien who organises and puts so much work into the event, the Sponsors, he cajoles, torments or bribes to produce the goodies, the judges who are now cross-eyed from reading and judgely huddling, I say a great big thank you.

To all those who reached the shortlists, I say congratulations and enjoy the excitement. May the best man/woman win!

To those whose names did not make it this time I say, as some wise man said to me one day when I lost out at an interview many years ago.

“You are not a failure! You just didn’t make the cut this time!”

PS It is interesting to see we have a father/daughter and a mother/son combination this year!