Warning! Tearful acceptance speech ahead!

I have been told that the best acceptance speeches comply with two basic requirements:

1.  Keep it brief.

2.  Talk about sex.

So, with that in mind, here goes.  Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure.

Thank you.

[sits down to thunderous applause]

Hahahahaha, fooled you!!  You didn’t really think I was suddenly going to start keeping it brief, afer nearly a year of writing what Anthony calls "more pillars than posts". Naaah, why start now.  So lets begin at the beginning.  A while back, you may recall that I invited you to  go and vote in the first ever South African blog awards where Cooksister had the honour of being nominated in four categories:  Best New Blog; Best Overseas SA Blog; Best SA Food Blog and Best Writing on a SA Blog.

And so the sun rose and set a few times, tides rose and fell, the moon waxed and waned and a few of you graciously went to vote for me (your cheques are in the mail!).  Anyhow, time soon came for the winners to be announced at ceremonies in Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively – glittering occasions where the moon shone brightly (so I’m told…).  But here’s the best and most amazing part – Cooksister won!!!  Yes folks, Cooksister was voted:

Best South African Overseas Blog

Best South African Food Blog

Runner-up for Best New Blog

YEEEEEHAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me!  And thank you to the organisers of the awards for all their hard work in making the awards happen! I also want to thank Sally and Jeremy for inspiring me to start a blog.  And I want to thank my family and friends, and my Sub A teacher, and the kitten we got when I was 10, and the director and the producer who didn’t listen when the big studios didn’t want to see this blog made, and, sob, sniffle…. and all the little people… [OK, this is getting silly. Pull yourself together – you aren’t Halle Berry!  Ed.]

Well, you get the picture – I’m extremely pleased at the result and extremely honoured to have won anything, given the calibre of the competition.  Congratulations to all the winners, but some particular words of congratulation to Brian from Kitschnzinc who was runner-up in the Best Food Blog category; Red from Redsaid who won the Best Writing category; and Cherryflava who won Best Photographic Blog.  Way to go, guys!!  May you all go from strength to strength.

As for me, I’m off to create a little celebratory dinner menu for myself and my better half – and to crack open that bottle of bubbly that’s been waiting on ice!