‘I’ve always known that I had this strong inner camp. I’ve just never quite revealed it in this way’ (Ed Balls on his Strictly experience and my quote of the year)

And so dear listener we come to that long anticipated moment in the year when it’s time for the Blog Personality of the Year. I think this is the seventh such show but I do know that I never ever thought that the blog would run for – coming up to – eight years. It was basically designed as a way of keeping people up to date on the progress of my cancer treatment but it seems to have just kept going – with a will of its own. 🙂

I have never kept records so I’m not too sure who or what has won the various categories in the past but I do know that only one actual person has won the Personality Award and she was three at the time – and she actually got a prize, which was a kite. Which reminds me, e…….. 😉

And last year’s winner was the little house on the prairie for burning incense that J had brought back from Canada, which indicates the high standard of award. 🙂

Anyway I see the stretch limos are pulling up; the guests are in their finery; and the sea bass is to die for.

So, strike up the Strumpets, Skippy and let’s get started.

Let’s start with the Team of the Year Award. At one point, earlier in the year, a group of women called the Johnstone Jaunters were the main contenders but since I first met them, I’ve not been to Johnstone and, therefore, I’ve not jaunted there either. Nothing to do with them as they are an exceedingly nice bunch of people, but the best-laid plans….but a promise is a promise, Patricia and Sharon, so I will be back. 😀

But I’ve since made contact with another group of like-minded people and it’s been fun. I think there will be a serious side to things come the new year but, in the meantime, I would like to say a big thanks to the people in my Gaelic class, so I will;

Tapadh leibh tha thu ann an Sgioba na Bliadhna

They are the Team of the Year and I hope the fun continues. 😀

A couple of years ago, I introduced a (musical) Track of the Year Award and it went to Zombie by Jamie T and last year it went to  Come On and Dance by Walk the Moon. This year I, with various good friends, went to a few gigs and they were all good….including seeing Kris Kristofferson at Celtic Connections – which reminds me…..someone has still to look at this year’s brochure

And I’ll be mentioning Alabama 3 quite a lot – later.

But seeing the Waterboys was brill….and their version of Purple Rain was amazing. Their very special rendition of that in the Chris Evans’ studio will be the piece that plays us out at the end of the show. As a radio producer, I was always amazed at how many people (and instruments) you could get into a radio studio and what you see is not unusual. So Purple Rain by the Waterboys is the Track of the Year.

And so dear listener, we come to the Lifetime Achievement Award and it’s something I don’t have to give any reason for awarding it other than to say I was overwhelmed by the number of votes that came in for this person. I think it’s her Big Sky philosophy that has made such a difference to so many people’s lives (well, me and Skippy) and her kindness in opening my garden earlier this year. So, ladies and gentlemen, this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award goes to

J…….and it is soooo well deserved. 🙂

So we move to the Personality Award itself and we’ll do it in traditional 3-2-1 fashion.

In Third Place, is somewhere I had not visited for a long time but I had a marvellous time walking around the island of Cumbrae with five marvellous women and it was just a lovely day and I felt quite a special achievement for us all….the chips in Largs just being part of it….. :)……

And then I have a problem. For the first time ever, there is a tie for First Place with an equal number of votes cast for each contender. And there is nothing in the rules to allow for this situation…..So I tossed Skippy in the air and she came down on both her head and her tail….so it is a tie for First Place, for the first time ever.

So, please step forward to the podium,

The Bees, a fabulous book by Laline Paull, and the amazing Alabama 3 who happened to turn up in Glasgow on the tenth anniversary of my Cold Turkey (and thanks to whoever ‘up there’ arranged the whole night) 😀

The Bees changed much of my reading habits as I’d been much more of an angsty reader in my various selections but The Bees is a book written to give pleasure purely from the act of reading – no WhoDunnit where you try and out-do the detective or ghost-written sports autobiography where you learn of how the hero overcame so much to become a upper sports hero – but neither of these will ever out-do the achievements of Flora 717. 🙂

The book also gave rise to a bee backpackers’ hostel on my back fence and a chocolate bee which is currently sitting on my dining table.

And, at Kris Kristofferson earlier this year, at one point he seemed to call out the name of my companion and said, ‘this one’s for you.’ Watching A3 with the same companion, I felt they were all for me and everyone and anyone who has ever been through that spiritual process known as recovery.

And so dear listener, this has been one of the closest contests for years and every vote did count so thanks to all those who voted but if your favourite didn’t make it, well there’s always next year.

For me much happened last year including anxiety and depression and a new car but I owe so much to my amazing friends – not all of whom are women. Next year already promises interesting times as, apart from anything else, I start to work part-time days as opposed to part-time nights. I also intend to stay as friend with all those who’ll have me – even with all my idiosyncracies. 😉

And if I have one revolution for the new year, it is to get back to the fitness and girth size that got me round Millport all those months ago.

Feasgar Math, Iaint850

(And it may be one of those occasions when you have to actually click on the link)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02hz2kg