Downs and Ups

Downs - this has been a very disappointing week in the sense that we've had to bury the idea of a long-planned trip. And one reason its down is the U.S. dollar is so. very. down. I'll do more on this in another post. It also explains my less-than-diligent posting this week.

Ups! Many ups in the world of blogging! And warmth and kindness from blog friends really cheered me up as we were going through some rather hard patches on the trip planning front:

First off, sweet Allison, of Soccer Mom in Denial, gave me this very special award:



She was handed this award (which she very much deserves) for making a difference every, single day. (Which she does).

I would like to pass this award on to Anno, who's written a very courageous five-part piece over the past month. It has to do with the foibles of youth, and mistakes that she made long, long ago and has tried to explain through this amazing, beautifully written story. For her courage and honesty, both through her story and through the way she lives her life every day, I'd like to present Anno with this award.

I was extremely rich in friendship that day, because I received this




from Alex Elliot, which I pass on to these wonderful bloggers, in no particular order, just because I have to send a big, old Mwah! your way: , Jenn, Anno, Leslie, Blooming Idiot, Betsy, Goofball, Wholly Burble, Jan, Mariposa, Cable Girl, Carol, Luisa, Alex, and Painted Maypole. And I'm probably forgetting a slew of others, darn it!


and this lovely




from Mariposa.

I don't want to cheapen the award, or the lovely thought from Mariposa, but this one I must pass on to ALL my regular readers, along with all those (check 'em out under the blogroll!) whose blogs I visit daily. You all really DO make my day!