Happy 101

I just received this award from Elle over at Feeding My Enthusiasms. Just like her, I've received a few awards in the course of my blogging that I have neglected to post about. Time sometimes just gets in the way although the intent is always there.

This award asks the recipient to list 10 things that make them happy. Now I found it difficult to list 10 things - not because I am an unhappy person but more because it was difficult to limit it to just 10 things or people! Anyway, this is a list of 10 things that make me happy, and by no means is this list exhaustive!

1. The Lovely Wife
2. My two kids Michael and Sarah
3. Arsenal FC - especially when they win!
4. Good Food and drink. Making good food for The Lovely Wife and kids to enjoy is happiness. Finding out new ways to cook things and making new delicious recipes is even better!
5. Good Friends. Sharing good food and drink with good friends is cause for happiness!Making new friends through blogging is another source of happiness. Getting positive comments and knowing that my posts have somehow made a difference in your life makes me happy too.
6. Good Music. I'm sure many of you have many songs that instantly bring a smile to your face! Khe Sanh from Cold Chisel ALWAYS transports me back to my Uni days and I smile as I remember my mates and I standing huddled in a circle, stomping our feet and singing this song while on a bus from Melbourne to Brisbane! Happy Days!
7. Watching a really good movie
8. Reading a really good book
9. Chilling out at home and sleeping. Yeah, I can be a lazy sod!
10. Realising that you don't need lots of material goods to make you happy is happiness in itself.

I'm supposed to nominate 10 bloggers too but most of the bloggers I want to nominate have already been nominated. So, I'm going to take an unorthodox method and ask that if any of you want to take part in this award, just follow the rules as below:
1. Copy the award image into a post
2. Then list 10 things that make you happy
3. Tag 10 bloggers who brighten your day
4. Put in a link to their blogs
5. Notify the award receivers
6. Award recipients must link back to sender's blog - that's Me!

Little did I know....

When I started this blog, little did I know how much fun I would have. Little did I know either how much work it would be. Fun yes, but a lot of work too! Little did I know also how many friends I would make on the blogosphere. And finally, little did I know how many people would read my blog and little did I know that I would get some blog awards too!
This award comes to me from my good friend Val over at More Than Burnt Toast. In my opinion, Val's blog is a Brilliant Blog and she is pretty near awesome too. So it is very humbling indeed to be given this award from her...
Brilliant Weblog is a prize given to sites and blogs that are smart and brilliant both in their content and their design. The purpose of the prize is to promote as many blogs as possible in the blogosphere.


Like everything in life, there are rules for this award. The rules are pretty simple.
When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back.
Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.
Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Brilliant Weblog’.
Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).

I think there are so, so many blogs out there that are worthy of mention and some that deserve this much more than I do. In the spirit though of passing this award on, these are my nominations.

Jenn the Leftover Queen - One of the first food blogs I started to read and someone who has now become a close friend
Meeta from What's for Lunch Honey - an inspiring photographer and food blogger who has also become a dear friend
Tanna from my Kitchen in Half Cups - someone who always has a kind word and who runs a great 'ship' when it comes to the sea of blogs
Breadchick Mary - what can I say! Her blog is superb and she Mary has taken me to new heights with her friendship as well as her skill in breadmaking.I can now bake bread and in no small part thanks to her.
Anne from Cooking with Anne - a brilliant blogger, mother, wife. Truly an amazing woman.
Elle from Feeding My Enthusiasms - another of my early food blog buddies.
Courtney from Coco cooks and Nikki from Nik Snacks - two fellow bloggers that are frequent visitors and who have their own awesome blogs!

So there you have it. Yes, Yes I know that I picked eight but what are you gonna do, shoot me?? Little did I know how difficult it was going to be to just pick seven. And little did I know how many of you I wanted to pick but the list would just be too long.

Most of all though, Little do I know how little i really know....

Just a small Complaint plus two Awards

One of my biggest grievances with respect to the Blogosphere is the lack of time I have to visit all the food blogs that I would like to. Sure, I have a few favourites but even those don't get the time that they deserve. I've met many new foodies and forged many new friendships on the blogosphere and I just want to tell everyone that although I don't visit your blogs as often as I would like to, I DO wish that I could!

Some of you are pretty darned amazing, blogging about food almost everyday - complete with fantastic photos. What's even more amazing are the number of comments that some of your posts receive. 30, 40 sometimes even more - and this happens regularly on some of your blogs! The only time I get into the 30's is when its Daring Bakers time.

So yeah, there's a whole bunch of blogs out there from all over the world. Some of you I know and some of you I dont. It is indeed quite humbling when you see the amount of sheer talent in some of your blogs. More than the talent though is the willingness to share not only your recipes but a little bit of yourselves - your thoughts, your personalities, your stories - with the rest of us.

That is why, I am greatly honoured to be given the following awards by my fellow
bloggers who have also become good friends.

The first award is from Meeta of Whats for Lunch Honey. Her blog is excellent in my mind so if you've never visited her, I think it't time that you did.



The second award is from my friend over in Canada, Valli who blogs at More Than Burnt Toast. Don't be fooled by the title though. You'll find a whole lot of gourmet food here. Certainly more than toast - and its never, ever burnt!


I'm supposed to pass these awards on now but I think ALL of you food bloggers deserve it because quite simple, in one way or another, you are all Excellent and you all have a Great Purpose in your blogging. So feel free to pick up the award! For those of you with multiple awards or for those who may have received these awards before, there's never any harm in getting an award twice. I mean really, would you turn down an Oscar just because you won it the year before??!!!