Would You Believe It?

Well, I am certainly struggling to take this in. Last Sunday, I listened to BH on Radio 4, and subsequently blogged here about Rana Jawad, Libya and Chocolate Cake.

Then Rana herself commented on the post. I spent all Monday muttering “A BBC Foreign Correspondent read my blog”

This morning, listening to BH, they had their usual “soundbite of the week’s news” competition. I knew the answer – it was all about Towers – the rebranding of Blackpool, and the photo of the Eiffel Tower struck by lightning. And the prize – which is always something topical, but often quite random, was one of these…

It is a valve from one of the Bletchley Park Colossus codebreaking machines [each one had over 1500 of these thermionic tubes]

I rushed into the bathroom, where Bob was shaving, and announced “ I know the answer - I am going to enter the quiz!”

I fired off an email [and said that I wanted to win because my late Mum worked at BP, and my husband’s an electronics geek] Then I went to church. And then Jan arrived and said her daughter Kay had phoned from the other end of the country to ask if it was this Angela Almond who had won the BH quiz? [Kay is wonderful!]

Jan had actually just heard it on the programme herself. She came to church and told us the good news!

I’ve just checked my emails, and the BBC have sent one asking for my address so they can send my prize!

This is such a lovely thing to win – representing something very special for me. Thank you BBC Radio4

My Mum’s name is now on the Roll of Honour at BP, and I am so proud of what she did.

Bob’s first job on leaving Oxford was to work for GEC, so it is doubly special. I am one very excited – but still half-deaf – little woman!

I think I must go and have a rest before I go out preaching tonight, before I burst with sheer excitement.