I live on a hill and the wild wind has come straight off the fells at times this week, battering the house. I love storms, so long as I’m safely indoors, finding them strangely soothing and as I lay in bed the other night with the tempest raging around me I gave up on trying to read and just listened instead.

As I lay there I reflected on my week which has been so nice, although having three two course meals out on the trot hasn’t done my waistline any favours 😄🐋 I’ve caught up with lovely friends, had a really interesting evening doing guided meditation with a group I belong to and today was arm twisted to attend a candlelit pilates class, after which was mulled wine and mince pies (I now ache in muscles I’d forgotten existed and will shortly be getting in a hot bath 😉). I’m ready to start winding down for Christmas now, though, so have also indulged in a relaxing massage and although I have one more social event to attend on Tuesday I’m now ready for some quiet R&R.

I’ve received 2 further awards this week 😊 I still really struggle to acknowledge my successes publicly and coming so soon on top of my post about collecting my trophies in this year’s NCPF Annuals competition it feels like boasting. I’ve thought not just twice but three times about whether I should mention it at all, but in the end I decided I would if for no other reason than it helps me to keep track and enables me to look back in 5 years time and plot the journey of my photography.

So, I’m delighted to say I have been awarded:

The PSA Interclub is an annual competition of camera clubs from around the world who are members of the Photographic Society of America. The difference between an Honourable Mention and a Merit Award is that a HM means the image is in the top 10% of photographs in the competition and a Merit means the image is in the top 5%. To be honest I’m just awed that any judging panel likes my pictures at all, so the difference is immaterial to me!

To celebrate I met a friend down at Levens Hall for yet another meal out and when I got home I tucked into the Christmas chocolates early – I don’t think Santa will mind 😉

Whatever you’re doing over the holidays I hope you are surrounded by peace, joy, laughter and love. Happy Christmas!