Last week was one of those that I would quite like to forget about, to be honest. I got my speeding penalty letter on Tuesday. It turns out that even when you get a nice policeman and it’s just a caution you still get a $110 fine. On Wednesday I dropped my phone and smashed the screen. “Great,” I said to DorkyDad, “That’s two things… I wonder what the third will be?” I didn’t have to wait long to find out. On Thursday when I was in the shop getting a new phone sorted out it took so long that I came back to the car and found a parking ticket.

Then on Friday came the news that put all of my little grumbles into perspective. Two friends – two of the people I went to Greenland with, nine years ago exactly – had gone missing in the Arctic. Unfortunately, the rescue mission soon turned into a recovery mission. As I write this they have still not been found – I hope for their families’ sake that they are soon. I have had a very sad few days thinking about them, but I’ve also been smiling as I remember some of the incredible experiences we had together. It was a privilege to write a piece about Marc and Philip for the Guardian Environment blog, which you can read here.

The one piece of good news last week was that I have been shortlisted for Best Writer in the BritMums Brilliance in Blogging Awards. I’m not really doing much to deserve that at the moment, but thank you so much – I very much appreciate the support of all my readers. If you’d like to cast your vote to see me in the finals – or any of your other favourite bloggers who are shortlisted – it’ll take you two minutes to do here.