My Mum

Eamonn from Flowers Made Easy has a lovely competition running for bloggers today. Write a post about your mother, link back to him at http://blog.flowersmadeeasy.ie/eamonn/ and you’re in with the chance to win a lovely bunch of flowers delivered to you mum on Mother’s Day. So here’s my entry:

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Most people who read this post will know my mum well even though they have never met her in person.

Several of them will visit her blog more often than mine.

Last night we wondered if she was the oldest blogger in Ireland, but we weren’t sure…

My mother is know in the online world as Grannymar. It was a nickname she acquired as a young adult, as she is one of those people who is always there for you – as a shoulder to cry on, with some good advice, with a needle and thread to stitch up that rip, whatever you needed.

When I forced persuaded her to start blogging and podcasting two years ago she was quite reluctant. “Who would want to read or listen to what I have to say?” was heard several times. Again, as I’ve done a few times in the past (mobile phone, broadband, firefox) I pushed her through this time, as I knew that once she started, she would soon find a use for this activity in her life as well.

Two years later and nearly 700 posts, I think she’s come around to the idea!

Her audience is diverse, in age, location and demographic – but they are all attracted by one thing – the honest stories of a woman, be they sad, funny or containing a lesson that makes you stop and think. And they come back regularly, with many posts generating whole conversations in the comments as people add to the information on offer.

To say that I’m proud of her would be an understatement. She as tackled activities that would scare most 30-year-olds over the last few years – installing her own broadband, podcasting, learning new systems – and has even taught me a few new tricks. Yet I think that my proudest moment was just a few days ago when she was confirmed as a finalist for both the “Best Blog” and “Best Personal Blog” categories at the Irish Blog Awards.

You see, it’s all well and good when I tell her that she’s great – but I’m only her daughter – but now that other people have said it, maybe she’ll believe them!

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29 Comments on “My Mum”

  1. Grannymar says:

    What is she looking for now? ;)
    Elly like your lunch box years ago, the message is still the same: I Love You!

  2. Grandad says:

    we wondered if she was the oldest blogger in Ireland

    OY!!!!

  3. ellybabes says:

    You’re not claiming to be older are you??? Then again, I can’t ask how old she is, she’s a lady after all!

  4. Grandad says:

    You can’t ask me either ;)
    Herself probably takes the prize, but she is somewhat irregular these days.

  5. ellybabes says:

    Well, looking at your post from 6th August last, I’m pretty sure that mum hit that same special number during the March before – unless I’m a total decade out?

    See here: http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2007/03/10/the-experience-counts/

  6. Grandad says:

    OK. You win on that point. But she’s a foreigner! So we win, game set and match. :)

  7. ellybabes says:

    No, I’m the foreigner!

    But seriously, since when would you count the Northside of Dublin as foreign? That’s just Jackeen-hating talk from a culchie! :-)

  8. Grandad says:

    Gerronaoutathat! North Dublin? Apart from the fact that that is no-man’s land, she lives in Norn Iron. And that’s foreign. They still use ancient coinage and all.

  9. ellybabes says:

    Tell me about it! I went to the bank today and asked for 300 sterling. The little fresh-faced lass tells me – we don’t have any, we just have some Northern Irish money.

    I nearly ate the face off her and then when the bills were finally produced I pointedly pointed to the large word “sterling” across the face of them…

  10. FlowersMadeEasy says:

    And the Winner is….

    It’s You… A Blogger blogging about her blogging Mum! How could we pass up on that.

    Email me tonight or tomorrow and I will sort out your prize.

    Eamonn
    Flowers Made Easy
    http://blog.flowersmadeeasy.ie

  11. elly parker says:

    Woo-hoo! Thanks so much Eamonn, has been sent as requested! As mum and Grandad jointly won the award for Best Personal Blogger tonight, this news just tops off a wonderful evening! Thanks so much for organising the competition!

  12. FlowersMadeEasy says:

    Hope you Mum likes them. We would love to get a photo of the pair of you for our blog, if that is possible.

    Thanks again for posting your story and please spread the good word about or product and service.

    Happy Mothers Day,

    Eamonn
    Flowers Made Easy

  13. elly parker says:

    Eamonn, the flowers are gorgeous and I’ll send on a photo later today (we’re still both looking the worse for wear after the late night!) once we both get our makeup on!

    We’ll both be blogging about it soon too!

  14. Grannymar says:

    The flowers are fab! Thank you Elly and a great big Thank You to Eamonn, it was a great idea. Photo to follow then I get my street face on!!

  15. Manuel says:

    Great to meet you last night…….hope you are well today……aaaarrrrrggghh

  16. ellybabes says:

    Manuel, I was reasonably sensible regarding drink last night – so doing well today!

  17. ellen says:

    And may I also add – extremely elegant looking;) I never got to talk to your Mum but she looked wonderful;)

  18. Roy (irish taxi) says:

    Welcome to my blogroll Elly it was nice to meet you (briefly) at the awards

  19. ellybabes says:

    Hi Roy, thanks for the blogroll add! Sorry we didn’t get to talk for longer at the awards…

  20. Roy (irish taxi) says:

    Errr, I’ve just added to it again……….. you may not like it any more ….hee hee

  21. ellybabes says:

    Roy, I just knew someone was going to mention that “fight” sooner or later!

  22. Ben says:

    Well done on winnin the flowers! Yer post brought a sniffle to my nostrils, have the door open, tis cold here ;)

    Must add ya to the blogroll :)

  23. ellybabes says:

    Ben, I have to admit that I’m a bit stunned about winning the flowers – I wrote the post in 5 frantic minutes on Friday, but I think they liked it because it came from the heart.

    I probably should update the post and say that my new proudest moment was seeing her win her category!

  24. Ben says:

    I was the last up to me mammy last night , all the cards were all on the telly and she counted them out loud as if to throw salt in the wound!

    Wish i’d made it now on Saturday night :-\ shucks

  25. ellybabes says:

    @Ben – I had a card but no present organised, so the bunch of flowers saved me some cash!

    (Only messing Mum!)

  26. Ben says:

    Your lucky, my mam has the ‘turn the card upside down and shake it’ routine down to a fine art. Just now she doesn’t bother waiting till you’ve left the room!

  27. Grannymar » You wanted details says:

    [...] night, entered a competition sponsored by Eamonn from Flowers Made Easy with a post entitled ‘My Mum’. Whether you believe the rubbish she wrote about me is your choice, I did not recognise ‘little [...]

  28. eamonn says:

    Hi Ellybabes,

    Check out this link -

    http://blog.flowersmadeeasy.ie/eamonn/2009/02/03/valentines-day-blogging-competition-2009/

    Thought you might want to enter our V Day Competition!

  29. Eamonn says:

    http://blog.flowersmadeeasy.ie/eamonn/2009/03/13/mothers-day-flowers-competition/

    It’s time to Blog about your Mum again…

    Spread the word if you could.


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