The sign

The sign
Thanks Dad !

Sunday 9 December 2012

Number 26 (part 10) - an unexpected opportunity

Possibly I think I should have aimed for 40 unexpected opportunities instead. Even though I have just over a month to go I know there are things that are not going to be completed for various reason- time constraints, lack of organisation and logistics being the three main ones. I don't think I am going to make it 'wild swimming' (number 10) go up an eco tower (number 29) or have a road trip holiday (number 8) before 14th January 2013. I am going to have to make myself cycle to work (number 30) and possibly weaken the meaning of 'culture' in number 17 (partake in more culture- actually using the word 'partake' sounds quite cultural in itself so maybe??) However, there is still time 'who knows what is going to happen'......  if someone could build a loch near work with an open air stage offering a modern  interpretation of Ibsen's A Doll's House, then I could knock those three on the head in one go.
As this is unlikely to happen- I am going to carry uncompleted things over and complete them next year over as I think I am going to keep this up. It has been a great motivator. And to be honest- some things I cannot complete this year I know I will get the chance to do next year and as long as I have done 40 different things this year then I will be a happy bunny.

So yes- unexpected opportunity number 10. Snow tubing...........
Involves the following:
Wrapping up warm.
Wearing a snug helmet
Speeding down a slope in a rubber tyre.
That is all.
Apart from the stress of navigating the three moving travelators  that get you to the top. Between these and the cable car I think skiing might be off !

So yes- this is the tubing run......(from the bottom).


And here is me at the bottom. It was impossible to take photos at the top. Due to the fact that you were perched for seconds at the top by the instructor and then hurtled off at speed. I figured that if I had managed to take a photo on the river cruise and not dropped my phone I would be foolish to take a chance now.

I think I am adopting a 'gnarly snow dudette' pose here. I am not really sure this is a style that suits me. As on my first 'tube run' there was a lot of high pitched squealing from my mouth!  It was fab though- I would even go as far to say I wish it had been longer and faster....

Number 26 (part 9) - an unexpected opportunity.

Since I ran the Race for Life (29 minutes you know!) and then ran a 10k (65 minutes- which sounds much more impressive than 1 hour and 5 minutes- well it does to me) I haven't really done much running. I decided I needed a rest and I thought running in the dark would be dangerous. But then at work I started to think how good it would be to go for a run after work and I began to think I should carry on running and get over myself about running in the dark (clumsy enough in the daylight- the pavements in the dark are lurking to suck in my ankles). So Chops and I went out a couple of nights late November and then I was idly looking on the interweb* and I noticed that there was a local Santa Dash happening at the weekend. 'How exciting- shall I enter? I thought, as I was busily typing in my details and completing my entry form.
The Santa Dash was a 5k and I really wasn't expecting any great shakes as I had only been running three times in the last 10 days and the furthest of those was 5k (but it was 33 minutes so I knew I would be ok time wise).
I dressed up warm on the day as it was quite nippy. I knew I was would be getting something 'Santa-ish' to wear as the entry form mentioned that there would be a Santa theme (and I suppose the title of the race gave it away). It turns out that when I was looking at previous Santa Dashes on the internet I had glossed over the fact that all the runners were in a Santa outfit. I thought 'how sweet' and wondered innocently how I would attach my Santa hat that I was bound to be given, on the day.

Imagine my surprise/panic (how much would this outfit slow me down- my mind thinks I am some sort of Zola Budd!) when upon registration I was given an actual Santa outfit. Hat, trousers, jacket, belt and beard.... Ho.Ho.Ho.


Man I was hot ! There were about 60 of us altogether. The route had changed as it had rained so much the previous day that some of it was still waterlogged. (I am getting used to the control-less aspect of running by now) and the route was now slightly less than the advertised 5k. It was now 4.5k and  4 times round a circuit as opposed to one route of 5k.

So off we went. It was good fun as there were people walking through the park just doing their normal Saturday morning stuff and then 60 Santa's ran past. As they do. I found running in clothes that are too big for me a bit annoying as I kept having to re-adjust myself whilst running. I know, I need to get a grip. So here I am... all bearded up. And not actually looking very impressed. I think this might have been after the race. My eyes do look defeated. But I really enjoyed it- it was my favourite race so far (out of the three I have done).

 
I kept my pace (thanks Women's Running) and halfway through the 3rd lap I passed a Santa and he asked if he could run with me as I had a good pace (!!??) and he didn't like being on his own. I said that was fine as long as he didn't mind me sounding like I am gasping for air as I tend to match my breathing to my feet (I have been reading this and I find the rhythm of my feet and breath help me switch off and move my mind) So we ran the next lap and then with about 25 metres to go he asked if I wanted to sprint finish (you have NO idea how professional I felt when he asked me that). I got the impression he thought he would leave me for dust. I did ask him if he was sure (he had never met me so he is unaware of the competitive beast within) and he was very nonchalant in his reply.
As a result, I didn't feel bad when I sailed past the finish line. And his family who were waiting patiently for him. To be fair he was only seconds behind me.

And my little runkeeper app told me that I had achieved a personal best- 4.35k in 26 minutes so I think it is fair to say that I would have beaten my Race for Life time. Slightly gutted that there is no official record of this.

So here is my Santa Dash medal. His outfit is better than mine.


* I feel I must add that whilst I say 'idly looking on the inteweb' I think what I actually meant to say was 'I was looking to see if there were any local races coming up' as I think I might be a runner.
There was no one to meet me at the finish line either as JGS commented that I was becoming some sort of 'glory runner' and he had stuff to do at work. So he dropped me off and picked me up afterwards. By which point I was leaning against a lamp post like some sort of bad Santa woman of the night. 
x

Number 26- (part 8) an unexpected opportunity

A day trip to the seaside.....
Yeap- the other day I took the day off work and took myself off on a little adventure. I got the bus to the seaside.
It was my favourite type of day to be on the beach. Blustery and overcast. I always think the seaside seems more romantic in these circumstances. The beach was deserted as it was midweek and out of holiday time.


As I was by the seaside I did have to have the obligatory 'chips for dinner'. I would like to say that I took the photo above then went to get the chips and then re-created the first photo perfectly. But I can't as I just hid the chips (with difficulty) as I took the first photo.



I did sit on a rock to eat the chips but then it began to rain and even I thought I was beginning to look a bit too much 'romantic heroine' (think The French Lieutenant’s Woman on the Cobb) on the  for my own good. The rock would have been a fabulous rock if I had been a  mermaid though- it was lovely and smooth for my tail to lie on as I combed my hair. I so, so wish my next photo was of me with a mermaid tale. But it isn't.

I wandered around the seaside shops and bought some Christmas presents. And some needless presents for myself- but I felt they were necessary.

Then I was thirsty. The lovely tea shop was full and the second lovely one was closed. The others didn't really appeal so I went for the next best thing.....


 This is a half pint of 'witches blood' (it was Halloween) and it was delicious. I think I freaked the bar staff out slightly. Middle aged woman, in the pub on her own in the middle of the day drinking real ale? What is the world coming to?
Maybe they had seen me earlier all romantic and wistful, looking out to sea. Whilst shovelling chips in my mouth....That sight would be enough to freak even my nearest and dearest out.

On the way home I stopped off to check out a couple of other places and had another 'looking out to sea moment' but this time from the harbour perspective. With no chips- but I did partake in a delicious hot chocolate after I took this broody little number.



So yes- this is my day at the seaside. I am counting it as an unexpected opportunity as I went on my own whereas if I had gone with JGS and Chops I would have had a lovely time  but it would have been different. Everyone needs to do things on their own from time to time. It makes us appreciate everyone else.

Number 20 - Do a craft fair

I have always pottered about with sewing and making stuff since I was young. Then stuff sort of got in the way and all the making and creating got pushed aside. I started sewing again  a few years ago and made various things. JGS has also got in on the act and has made car seat covers, a welly boot bag (for me) and an awning for the side of the Landy. He is a much more a freestyle (gung-ho?) sewer than me . I worry about things looking rubbish. JGS doesn't seem to worry about things looking rubbish and they always turn out fab. Does this imply I think my things always turn out rubbish? I think that might be a conversation for a different blog.....  Anyways... my sewing machine and I have got on so (sew) well this year that I am going to dedicate a whole number 26  post- unexpected opportunity to sewing later on.
Back to the craft fair. So aside from sewing I also do a bit of felting and this year I wanted to add some crochet items to the mix. At the beginning of 2012 when I started this list, I had an idea of the craft fair I wanted to do and when. A place round the coat has one at Christmas time so I rang up and asked about a stall. Oooooohhh turns out I was going to have to make and awful lot of stuff to break even.... I got confused about the size of the stalls available but managed to un-confuse myself enough to understand the cheapest one would be about £100 for two days......  That is an awful lot of stuff to make (already I was going off the idea- once I have to do it I never find it as much fun) so I decided to think about it and carry on making some random stuff in the meantime (just in case..). This may not come as much of a surprise to you, dear reader(s) but I got distracted by other stuff (possibly the other 39 things on this list) and the activity of 'making stuff for a craft fair' sort of ground to a halt.
Then, out of the blue an opportunity arose in that a friend was having a craft party... did I want to take part?? Once I checked that she was not going to charge me £100 to stand in her kitchen, I was in. I had a mini panic over the fact that I did not have much stuff- I had a granny square cushion, some crochet brooches (I made the brooches last year sometime adapting this pattern from Lucy over at Attic 24-I love the stars) and I quickly made up some chicken doorstops. I did not have time to felt anything (least of all finish off the felt fish- number 31). So off I went.

All I needed to do was sell one thing and then I would have sold something at a craft fair.... There were other people there selling their wares, including some who sell in shops and at actual £100 a stall craft fairs. So I felt it was legit to class it as a craft fair.And maybe sign off number 20.. All I needed to do was sell one thing and then I would have sold something at a craft fair....

AND I SOLD SOME STUFF !!


 
 
I don't think I am going to be able to retire just yet. A lady who sells in a shop did take some of my brooches to see if they would sell in the shop though....

Monday 19 November 2012

Number 32- crochet a ripple blanket

I mentioned this earlier in the year when I was having terrible problems learning to ripple. I didn't think I would be able to do it as I found it so hard. All the counting- it stretched me (I am no Carol Vorderman) and made my head hurt. So I resigned myself to the fact that I might have to let this one go.


However, the other night I sat down with this and concentrated. And look what happened over 3 nights...



I hasten to add this is me my darning my ends in at a train station waiting for my connection. I do not live outside.....
 
On plus side, if I did live ouside, this would be my view...




So I have a little ripple sampler.... I can ripple. So before this list reaches its deadline, I will have started a ripple blanket. I am thinking it could be my Christmas project as I would like to do it in nice wool (as I have an owner in mind) so I can ask Santa for the wool.

Number 26- (part 7) an unexpected opportunity

We went on a river cruise !! We hopped on the last cruise of the day from Westminster- went across to the other side to pick up some people from the Eye and then went down to Tower Bridge. It was dark, everything was lit up and it was lovely. The Shard looked less pretty than The Gherkin at night. All the lights along Embankment looked so pretty. It was just lovely.

The Eye- what a delicious green....there is no camera (well there probably is and it is well out of my price range) that could capture the greenness of that green.


The Shard by night
 
 
And the far prettier Gherkin

 
And Tower Bridge


These photos are not the best as I took them very quickly on my phone as my actual camera threw a strop and took exceedingly rubbish photos (if I am honest, my camera and I are not really speaking to each other now). I am quite clumsy so I was petrified that I would drop my phone in the river. So they were very quick snaps. But memories of a brilliant multi-transport day-adventure.





Number 19- Visit the house in Spaced

Spaced is one of my favourite tv programmes ever.

 
And here I am outside 23 Meteor Street !!! Apparently Tim/Daisy/Marsha and Brian do not actually live here but other people do so  JGS took a very quick sneaky photo. I am unsure as to why I have adopted some sort of 'emergency exits are here' type pose.


I forgot to mention- there are no photos of me in 'airline'cable car because I forgot to ask JGS to take one as I was otherwise occupied !


And then after The Ritz and before the second 'unexpected opportunity' of the day, JGS and I took a wander around London. And I saw this.........

 
 
A very bad photo as a bus was coming but this is the cocktail bar from here   such a shame...




Number 26 (part 6) an unexpected opportunity

JGS and I binned off work for the day when we went for 'Afternoon tea at The Ritz' and ticked another thing off the list (more later) and also took in two unexpected opportunities. This post involves the first of those opportunities.
One of my favourite things about London is the transport system. I love the Docklands Light Railway and when JGS and I were at university we did spend a lot of time pootling to Greenwich and back. Anyway I digress... We went to Stratford to check out our Olympic Park......

 
In the distance, behind the security gates is Olympic Park. Apparently there is a viewing platform in John Lewis but we couldn't go and look because I needed to buy anything from Liberty. I bought a pencil.
 
So, after Olympic disappointment we made our way to the first 'unexpected opportunity'......
 
 
I was so excited !!!!!!!! The cable car!!!!!!!! Although once we were in and it started to move off it appeared that my excitement stayed on the platform....
Oooohhh it is so high...........(note to self keep breathing..)

 
There were other people in the cable car, including a 11(ish) old boy. JGS must have thanked his lucky stars for these people because at this point.....


Which is quite high...... the cable car stopped. Stopped moving. The cable car just stopped. Well it stopped moving forward- it was still swaying (gently) from side to side. My mind went into overdrive and I was wondering how we were going to be rescued. In all honestly, I kept it together because  the 11 year old boy probably didn't have a list off  '11 things' he wanted to do this year and if he did ' being trapped really high in the sky in a swaying cable car that has stopped moving forward with a 40 year old woman yelling 'OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD' interspersed with 'WEAREGOINGTOFALLTOOURDEATHWEAREGOINGTOFALLTOOURDEATH' was in all likelihood was not on that list. And if it was mate- I am really sorry I couldn't get that one crossed off for you.
Anyway- after seconds of holding onto my hysteria really well, an announcement was made about how the 'airline' has to stop occasionally to let people on/off and a woman in the carriage laughed and said how this always happens. I did make a mental not to get in a cable car with her again in case it was her that made it happen. Even though it felt like hours after a few seconds we started to move forward again.
 
 
And I could concentrate on the view. Which was spectacular. This was looking back towards the Thames Barrier (can you see it in the distance? You might have to squint).
I did enjoy it but I was glad we only went one way. And when we got off at Greenwich I wasn't sure if I would do it again. Which I have been informed could get in the way if JGS and I ever went skiing.......
I think it was the fact there was noting underneath the cable car that freaked me out. Not the height itself but the fact that when you looked down there was nothing underneath you. But river (and it looked very blue).
But now, after writing this up I think I would love to go on it again.
 
 
 


Monday 12 November 2012

Number 1- Afternoon tea at The Ritz

Ohhhh more sandwiches? With the crusts cut off?And delicious fillings? And endless amounts of tea?? And cake???? Why, kind sir, don't mind if I do !!!!
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Thinking back, afternoon tea at The Ritz was the reason I started the list. I thought it was something I would have to make an effort to do so why not find 39 other things as well.....
Afternoon tea at The Ritz was a birthday present from JGS's parents. And it was lovely.
 
Look- here is it ! JGS and I were booked in for 3.15 and as a result were ravenous. Hence the realisation halfway through the sandwiches that I hadn't taken a photo! How un-chic.

 
 
 
And then a waiter appeared to my left apologising profusely for the delay in the vegetarian sandwiches.......Oh my. We ended up having more sandwiches between two of us that the table of four did next to us! We weren't complaining.
 
 
 
The cakes on the top plate were a vanilla slice, two raspberry and cream tarts, a macaroon and this little chocolate ganache beauty.



We shared the vanilla slice and the ganache- mostly because the option of playing 'scissors, paper, stone' for the cakes would have lowered the tone.

It was so lovely- the pianist was playing and everything was so elegant. The place was full and we had really good seats for people watching.

Thank you JGS parentals. Such a thoughtful birthday gift and I loved it ! xx



 
 
 

Sunday 4 November 2012

Number 11- make a roman blind

The windows are funny in this house. The bedroom windows are dormer windows so there is not much room for curtains and the curtains we used to have let a lot of light in as they didn't sit flush with the sides of the window. So we took them down as I said I would make a blind for the window. And for the next three years we had a flexipole inside the actual window space ( I am unsure of the actual technical name so please use imagination) and I hemmed a piece of blackout blind and hung that from the pole. I made two little straps to hold the 'blind' up during daytime. I can confirm the whole caboodle was more makeshift  camp than shabby chic.

In 2010 I bought some lovely material from Ikea for this hallowed roman blind. And the material stayed in the bag for about 6 months. I think my problem is that I do not really like practising anything. I just like to 'do' (I admit it- I am impatient.) and I also lack faith in myself. Which is a terrible vicious circle and tends to go something like this.....

'oh I could start that roman blind... but it is for the bedroom and I don't want to mess it up... I don't think I can do it.. I could have a dummy run... but then I am left with a roman blind that I don't need... why don't I think about it and have a cup of tea.' 
Repeat to fade.

Anyway- one day late last year ( I think possibly the timescales for this might be slightly out of the remit of this list- but hey-ho) I decided to do it. Just do it. I had at least 3 patterns telling me how to make a roman blind so I utilised all three and got in a right mess. In the end I made an SOS call to the sewing (and knitting) support that is JGS's mum and she guided me through and helped me a lot (Muchas gracias)..... And the finished product does look lovely.  In hindsight (and I am going to have to make another one as the makeshift camp blind has been recycled and is now downstairs in the dining room as I took the curtains down to decorate and declared I would make another blind and bought the material) I think I would just cut the material to the desired fit and sew the tape/insert rods/hang. All the fuss about 'cutting the lining to form a tube' tipped me over the edge.

So.... I finished the blind........ did I go home and put it straight up? No, because in the (very long) meantime between thinking/doing/finishing blind JGS had knocked out a portion of the bedroom (on purpose- not in a fit of fury) which subsequently needed plastering and I got all precious about the blind and I quote 'do not want it covered in plaster dust after it took me so long to make' So it stayed rolled up in the corner and we continued as we were with our makeshift camp window dressing system. Until a couple of weeks ago when I decided 'enough was enough' ( and the plastering had been done) and I demanded JGS fetch his drill and help me put this masterpiece up........

I think it looks lovely and I am really proud of it- although the photos are not that great (difficult angle) and I can report that since the blind has been up it has got comfortable- in that the drop has 'dropped' and the whole thing sits much better.

Anyway- I intend to make another one in the (very near) future so watch this space.... In the meantime here are some gratuitous 'up and down' roman blind shots...








Saturday 20 October 2012

Number 26 (part 5) an unexpected opportunity

The 10k run........
Oh my....... I got so stressed about it. I wrote about how stressed I was here. And it was all I could think about . I worked myself up into such a state over a rubbish run that I did the week before and thought it was all over. Three days before the 10k I made myself go out and  I did 5.5k in 35 minutes- which I was disappointed with as that was slower than the Race for Life (29 minutes anyone??) but I decided I would use the race as a benchmark- to see if I still liked running and to use some tips I read in Women's Running- namely pace myself - stamina vs speed. I was not going to set myself a time. I just wanted to finish.
So..... it was a beach run..... which I thought was along the prom (nice concrete surface) next to the beach. Not actually on the beach. Apparently a beach run is actually on the beach. And it turned out that the tide hadn't long gone out and the route had been changed slightly as some of it was still underwater..... There were not very many of us- probably about 50 people in total and some looked very professional and had good running kit and club t-shirts. This made me even more nervous and I had visions of being last in and everyone having to wait for me to finish.
The route was 1k out and back to the starting point and then a further 4k out and 4k back. My feet got wet and sandy immediately which was an experience ! After the first 1k then next 5k were into the wind. And it was windy. JGS and the dog came to cheer me on and they gave up walking as JGS said it was just too hard walking into the wind (and we are hardy walkers). I cannot describe how hard this was. It was so windy all I could hear was the whoosh of the wind in my ears like they were going to explode . The sand was whipping up a storm and blowing right into my eyes. It was intense  and extreme and the last half of this first stretch was not fun. I was determined to keep going. The worst point was when I started to think 'I didn't sign up for this' after I had to walk for a minute or so as I could not actually see in front of me.
But, the moment we turned the checkpoint to run back something amazing happened. Running away from the wind meant the whooshing in my ears stopped. Immediately. It was like the whooshing never happened. There was silence. Just silence. Like someone had flicked a switch.
And then I felt like I was running again. And it felt good. And I came in at 1 hour and 5 minutes. And I am really pleased that as only about 20 people got in before me. I managed to stay in the middle for the whole race and I even overtook some people. 
So it turns out that I do like running. I am so proud of myself for doing this. My second race. My first 10k. In extreme endurance conditions. 1 hour and 5 minutes. Well done me. I think I might be a runner.  xx





ps- I have listed the 10k as an 'unexpected opportunity' because at the beginning of the year I had no idea this would happen. Definitely unexpected and weirdly an opportunity.

21- knit a tanktop jumper- update

It is official. I cannot be distracted when knitting.
I can only knit. I cannot knit and talk.
I can only knit. I cannot knit and watch tv.
I can only knit. I cannot knit and listen to the radio.
I can only knit and concentrate on knitting.
I know this is official as I needed to knit 43 cm for the back of my jumper and now I need to make another visit to my knitting guru (JGS's mum) and get sorted as I got carried away and knitted up 65cm of jumper !!!!!! All because I thought I could knit and talk......



However- I am really pleased with it and I am even thinking about knitting another one. I am enjoying it. But in the back of my mind my next crochet project is making a bid for freedom.........

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Time is running out but Strictly has arrived !!!

Just for the record, I would like it to be known that I would like Lisa and Robin to win SCD 2012 !! It has been ages ( well 12 months) since I saw someone enjoy dancing so much. If a male celebrity has to win it must be Vaughny- Natalie has been robbed of the Strictly crown in the past. Will report back over weekend with progress on my 40 things ......................................... hope all is well x

Monday 24 September 2012

More hmmmmmmms

I am still having problems knitting and I am supposed to be on the easy bit now (as in 1 row knit and then 1 row purl) but I am all over the shop. JGS's mum has unpicked me and set me straight at least three times. This is the first time I have ever knitted anything from a pattern (in fact the first time I have ever knitted anything other than a square/scarf). I think the problem is that I can talk and crochet and it appears I can only knit or talk separately. Oh well.
I am also stressing about my looming 10k run. My running has been random (to the point of non existent) of late and I had a disappointing run last week and I have been thinking about not doing the 10k.  I received two points of wisdom today- one was intended and related to running which was that I should do the run, walk some of it if I have to and that also I do not need to have run 10k before I actually run 10k. This did knock some sense into me. It is a 10k run- not open heart surgery. The second point was unintentional but hit home- that you should do something for the enjoyment and not the achievement. I think that is how I have started to view the list. I will complete all 40 things- but maybe not all by January 2013. It is more important to enjoy the 40 things rather than achieve them.............(but even so I want to cross most things off).
Thank you to both those imparters of wisdom.
So I am going to start a new crochet blanket. For me. A combination of colour and patterns never seen before......
Happy days x

Monday 10 September 2012

Hmmmmm to hurrah !!

Well.... knitting is not going very well at all. But I am enjoying the learning curve. I have never been a confident knitter anyway. But I think this might change.
Well.....finishing off other projects before starting a new one is not going that well either !! It appears that I have more unfinished projects than I thought (who would have thought that??) but I have not started anything else so I am taking that as a win!
Well.....running is not progressing as well as I thought either.It has been a busy couple of weeks though.
I need to take myself in hand !
Hurrah- the Strictly Come Dancing line up has been announced. Cha cha cha. All rise for HRH Craig Revel Horwood. Mwah.
Enjoy your day x

Monday 3 September 2012

21- knit a tanktop jumper

Namely this tanktop jumper. ALL PROJECTS ON HOLD UNTIL I HAVE KNITTED THIS and completed several bits of crochet that are lying around (that could possibly go towards number 20 -do a craft fair).
I started knitting  the tanktop on Friday night. And had to stop knitting it on Saturday morning as I made a mistake and I need help. It is quite an easy pattern and I have just got lost on the rib bit. I don't think it helps that my needles are freebie ones and not really that great. However, I really enjoyed knitting again and this blog has really got me into knitting again. This woman is a demon knitter- check this out. I would LOVE to make that.

So, here is a photo of my progress so far (even though it has stopped)



I am looking forward to getting back to it. I think it is going to knit up quite quickly. Actually I am going to buy some better 10mm needles now from the interweb. Then there will be no stopping me.
It has been such a lovely day here that we took the dog to the beach for a run.



I love living here x


Monday 27 August 2012

The List

Last week I had a conversation with the lovely LC (my yoga (and soon to be spa) buddy)and LC mentioned that my list was nowhere to be seen. And then I realised that I had forgotten to actually blog the list...........So, in no particular order......

1  Afternoon tea at The Ritz
2  Dinner at the Spaghetti House
3  Cocktails at Centrepoint Cocktail bar
4   Long weekend in London (to help with 1/2/3 and 19)
5   Learn to surf
6   Get into blue stripey dress
7   Spa break/yoga retreat
8   Road trip holiday- (French/Spanish passion)
9   Drive abroad (including motorway)
10 Go wild swimming
11  Make a roman blind
12  Pay off student loan before I am 40
13  Walk part of/all Coast to Coast path
14  Go roller skating
15  Have pizza at pizza pub
16  Be a more confident driver
17  Partake in more culture
18  Stop my checking habits
19  Visit the house in Spaced
20  Do a craft fair
21  Knit a tanktop jumper
22  Be able to do 20 press ups in one go
23  Go to Lewes bonfire night
24  Run Race for life 2012
25  Have fish and chips and cava watching the sunset.
26  This is blank for an unexpected opportunity
27  Blog about these things
28  Put up hammock and crochet in it
29  Go up a wind turbine
30  Cycle to work
31  Finish felt fish for JGS
32  Crochet a ripple blanket
33  Make Gert lovely (seats/doors/seals)
34  Make an ironing board cover
35  Revamp dining table
36  Finish patchwork (started in 1988)
37  Go for a drink at a social club
38  Go to a New Years Day fireworks celebration
39  Do a zumbathon
40  Submit chartership paperwork.


so that is my list. I probably should point out that this is not a 'bucket list' ( I hope !) but a list of things I wanted to do in a year. I have discovered that whilst I like putting a tick next to something I have completed, I am also a terrible procrastinator with a lack of faith in both myself and my abilities at times. So I made a list to include things that I have wittered on about for months (probably years) but never actually done. Some of them are not likely to get completed (8/13/17 and I have no idea how to assess 18) and I am ok with that. I can carry them over- especially the driving ones as I think JGS and I are going to do this next year !!  I need to speak better french and become 'winch compliant'.

In other news.....
Yesterday, I made a blackberry and apple crumble and we nipped off to the beach to walk the dog and have pudding by the sea. I would like to say that it is creme fraiche with the crumble. But it is bad cream !. Have fun xx

Number 28- put up hammock and crochet in it (simple things)

Last weekend was lovely and hot (and I am not a hot weather person). JGS, dog and I just relaxed and pottered. It was just lovely. This weekend--- well that is a different matter. Whereas last weekend I was wondering when I got middle aged as I realised how fabulous it was that I emptied the laundry bin, washed everything and dried it all on the line. And it was mostly the 'drying on the line' that pleased me at the time (but has since worried me deeply). This weekend, nothing has dried. In fact things have got even wetter as I just left them hanging on the line in the rain. I have made a conscious decision to remove this 'Stepfordness' from my life.
I feel better now I have got that in the open.

So yes, number 28- put up hammock and crochet in it. Up went hammock and in I went.

This is a blanket for a friend who is due baby #3 at any time. Luckily my list provided me with this opportunity to sit and relax and crochet. I am also putting this towards number 32- crochet a ripple blanket. Even though I know it is stripey and only a ripple if you shake it up and down and wave it about in front of your face. However, I have made a conscious decision (yes another one) to finish off all my WiP's before I start another crochet project- WHICH WILL BE A RIPPLE (but probably a cushion rather than a blanket- although this blanket is a lovely size so I could ripple one this size maybe). Whilst hammocking and crocheting I also did some tea drinking.

The hammock was not very high off the ground so I was able to reach my tea easily. In case anyone was worried. I darned all the ends in on this blanket this weekend and last night edged it in a lovely green. So it is now officially finished. Here it is- all rolled up and ready to go.
In all honestly-I am contemplating handing it over and saying if you don't like it PLEASE LET ME HAVE IT BACK. I WILL NOT BE OFFENDED. In my urge to finish off outstanding projects I also finished this.
Wow- I hear you say. Another cushion. But this one is mine. All for me. To brighten up 'headache corner' now granny square blanket has been rehomed in Gert.

PS I understand that 'crocheting in a hammock' isn't exactly 'bucket list' .




Monday 13 August 2012

Not even on my 40 4 40 list

But it appears that I have just signed up for a 10k in September!
Just off for a lie down...........

Monday 6 August 2012

15 -Have pizza at lovely pub that does pizza!

A few miles away there is a lovely pub which serves pizza. Home made pizza. And they always look lovely. And I REALLY wanted one. So I put it on my list.
I suggested we should have said pizza for JGS's birthday. I would get to cross something off my list, JGS would get a lovely birthday treat- now that my friends (I have 5 followers- so that is definitely plural but maybe too casual to all be 'friends? Too late..) is what is known over this way as 'a touch' and what is known over my way as 'playing a blinder'.
My pizza was delish.
I took the required photo.
I am a bit scared to post it as I had a fiorentina. Which it turns out- is not the most photogenic pizza. And I have previous bad food photos with the ration packs from Snowdon.
This is what is should look like- perfect fiorentina
And this is what it did look like- but it was scrummy. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM


JGS had a calzone. Which hit the spot nicely.


Running update


Well..... I am not sure how this happened. Nor how I purchased the wrong magazine. I was recommended Women's Running but appear to have acquired Runners World. In my defence, I think I panicked as I never thought I would be buying a magazine about running. Thanks for the tip though DL- I will get Women's Running next time- as specified... Hope your training is going well.
I have been out running tonight-the first time in a week which is the longest that I have not been running since I started training for Race for Life (do you know I finished in under 30 minutes??? Have I mentioned that?) I need to get a crack on with running 10k now as the 10k I am hoping to enter is at the end of September. I would like to run that in an hour.
Last Monday I did 6.5k in 43 minutes and tonight I did that same route but backwards. This was a mistake as I ended up doing a lot of walking as there was quite a lot of traffic on the lanes- which was annoying and the whole thing seemed to take longer and was definitely more difficult (for some reason) but now I am home I can see how much the dog and I had to stop. And to be honest, I should get over myself- I am not an Olympian. And I was only out for 45 minutes so it wasn't that bad.

My running partner and I took a while to get into our stride tonight. At one point I was laughing as we were like an old couple in some sort of badly organised 3-legged race. My running partner is very patient .

We are going to practice more next week.