7. Learn to knit

Kitted up!

I'm going to see the knitting guru on Saturday that is my Nana (legend!) to get down with the basics, casting on, casting off, turning corners (does that have a special name?) 


I'm thinking that there are going to be a lot of naked sheep around with the number of times I cock it up (sorry sheep!)


My Nana live in Yorkshire so I can't just pop round when I go wrong so if you are reading this and can knit, or knows someone that can and would like to do their good deed for the year then make yourselves known and we can organise a knitting afternoon with coffee and cake!

Maybe I'm being over ambitious but I'm hoping to get really good so I can start making these by Christmas (courtesy of Lyndsay Airey) so if you haven't got your requests in yet then let me know what kind of Meerkat you'd like.


It's me if I were a Meerkat!

Raaaaaaarrrr


x

9. Raise £1000 for charity

I thought I would start off with something easy(ish) to get the fundraising ball rolling and then work my way up to a more strenuous sporting activity to try and raise my target (The Great North Run?! Biking the Coast to Coast?!) 

I got a flyer through my door for the St Oswald's Hospices 5th midnight walk (http://www.stoswaldsuk.org/support/midnight%20walk/) and it sounded like fun - I may have also been encouraged to join in with the promise of a cuppa and bacon sarnie at the finish line! St Oswald's provides specialist care for local adults, young people, children and their families. They do some amazing work across the region and have helped a tremendous amount of families through difficult and challenging periods in their lives. 

I know money's tight at the moment for most people and you'll have other friends and family asking for sponsorship so I'm not asking for a big donation but how about the price you'd pay for a pint or a glass of vino? - so next time you go out have one less drink so then technically you won't be out of pocket?

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/willythe1st

So hit the link and get donating. . .If I reach my target of £333.33 then I will do the walk in this! (now there is an incentive!)

Bring on 7th July 2012!

Hello everyone

You all be glad to know that I've completed the walk, firstly a massive THANK YOU to everyone that sponsored me - you are all awesome. I didn't reach my target (which I am glad of because wearing that hat would have been ridiculous!) but I did make an amazing £279!

It wasn't a race but 12th out of 1000 ain't bad! It was an awesome event to take part in, spirits were high and everyone was ready to go. I  made the mistake though of cycling to the event - didn't think through having to cycle the two miles back at 2.30am! Didn't have to dodge too many drunk people.

                                                             That's a lot of pink!

                                                                         Action shot!


Feel free to make some suggestion on how to raise the other £721 (and no I am not doing the Great north Run) but I like the idea of cycling the C2C. . . 

x

New entry - Wednesday 3 September 2014

Just a quick post to say that I have joined the masses and been nominated (by Laura Fenwick) and completed the ALS ice bucket challenge. This is a really good article from the BBC highlighting the positive effects of this so called 'fad' by some critics http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29013707

Even if the ice bucket challenge now fades into memory it has still raised millions of pounds for charity and has raised an unmeasurable amount of awareness for motor neuron disease. My video is at this link http://youtu.be/oQtehDuh_cc another thing that it has highlighted is that I need to lay off the biscuits and up my exercise regime!

x

21. Celebrate a birthday abroad

Well ladies and gentlemen, as the dawn of my 26th birthday looms I am busy writing a 'to pack' list for my and Laura Fenwick's excursion to eastern Europe.

I've heard amazing things about this city (a castle, sex museum and beer?! what more could a girl ask for) and have been wanting to visit for the past few years so no better time than the present. All I need to do now is survive three days in Sunderland, four Ancient Greek & Olympic poster workshops, three minibeast workshops and an evening at Scouts (a task easier said than done!)


Watch this space for a blow by blow account of 24th May 2012, it's going to be epic. . .

Well what can I say? After having a few days to reflect on my break in Prague I can hand on heart say that it is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting.  I think the glorious sunshine could enhance the appearance of any city but the Czech people obviously take great pride in preserving the cities architecture and heritage. I would recommend to everyone reading this that if you haven’t been to Prague then get yourselves on low cost holidays and get booking a trip.

Walking into the Old Town Square just took my breath away. It’s an image that you’ve seen time and time again in the media but actually being there, seeing it for real just adds another dimension to it. The astronomical clock is as awesome as I thought it would be - The oldest astronomical clock still functioning in the world! The little skeleton (a representation of Death) that rings the bell on the hour every hour to allow ‘The Walk of The Apostles’

We spent an afternoon looking around the Josefov (The Jewish Quarter) including the Old Jewish Cemetery that is thought to contain over 100,000 graves which was extremely humbling. The exhibition of pictures drawn by children held within one of the Nazi concentration camps reemphasises how much the Czech people, especially the Jews suffered under the Nazi rule and occupation of the country.

The Vltava River splits the city in two and offers stunning views of the castle on the North West side and the Charles bridge, we took a stroll along before having beer and some really good Czech food (you may also be shocked to learn that I made Laura Fenwick drink my free shot because now that I’m the wrong side of 25 I’ve turned over a new leaf not to partake in the drinking of shots!)

I haven’t even mentioned the Castle, the Charles Bridge, the Cathedral, the Loreta, Petrin Hill, Salvador Dali’s exhibition, the Sex Museum, multiple beer & ice cream pit stops, the arduous climb up to the top of the lookout tower, Wenceslas Square or the most incredible buffet breakfasts (and I mean the ones that would make Laura Wilson quiver at the knees – sorry I didn’t manage to get a photo taken) I’ll fill you in over a pint if you want any further details of my escapades in Prague because there is too much to choose from to go into here.

All in all it is going to have to be something pretty special next year to beat turning 26. Thanks for reading and check out my Facebook page to see more photos of the trip.

x

1. Get a tattoo

I wouldn't describe myself as an impulsive person but getting a tattoo was not on my to do list this weekend. 


Getting a tattoo is one of the biggest decisions in life that you can make. Its a permanent accessory. Not many things in life are permanent but I've wanted one since I was seventeen. Its taken me eight years to think about where I wanted one (not anywhere that will get too wrinkly or stretch when official old age kicks in) and what design - something with personal meaning to me and a design will be timeless. I choose a heart for a lot of different reasons. Its a universally recognised symbol of love, which is something that we all need. According to some historians, the heart-shaped symbol has been here since the existence of man. Its a symmetrical shape, I love maths and it's sooo cute.

I can't wait to whip my wrist out when I'm an old woman and show my grandchildren. 


There was only ever going to be one person that I would get my first tattoo with - Laura Wilson - she rocked up at 10 pm on Friday, we discussed life, love and lists over cheese and Hoegaarden and then 15 hours later I find myself in the tattooists chair. We rocked up at Tattoo Station, (I think the tattoo man didn't think I would go through with it. He told us to come back in half an hour after a coffee to make sure we were serious.) I must admit there was one point where I thought I was going to throw up and wouldn't be able to go through with it but I got over it, I just thought fuck it, if Britney can do it then so can I. There was also no way I was going to ask the tattoo man for my money back.

A lot of people have asked me whether it was painful. Now, you've got to take into account that someone is repeatedly sticking a needle into your skin so its not going to be one of the most comfortable life experiences but I wouldn't say it hurt really bad. I can understand why some people say getting tattoos are addictive.  It may have eased the pain because the tattooist was fit - Mr hot tattooist guy if your reading this then get in touch and you can take me out for a pint.


Well I think the end result is pretty awesome.


x

Introduction to THE LIST.

I’m a great believer in writing lists. Especially during times of change, when you may start to feel a little lost, unsure as to where the path is going to take you next.  One thing that scares me in life is one day waking up and seeing that my life has passed before me and I haven’t achieved anything. 

There are lots of things that I want to do during my life so many that I could spend all day listing them and then spend the next year being indecisive me and not achieving anything (for example  I’ve been constructing the below list for the past 8 months.)  Sooo with that in mind I’ve written 30 things that I wanna do before the BIG three zero so that I can have a more focussed direction.

1. Get a tattoo
2. Have something published
3. See the aurora borealis
4. Learn to cook a Sunday dinner
5. Ride on horseback across a beach
6. Watch a rugby match in New Zealand
7. Learn to knit
8. Visit Loch Ness and hunt for Nessie
9. Raise £1000 for charity
10. Plant a tree
11. Have a massage
12. Travel first class
13. Order (and pay for) a bottle of champagne in a bar
14. Have a surfing lesson
15. Paint a canvas
16. See the pyramids of Giza
17. Visit Stonehenge
18. Learn to play poker
19. Have a pint of Guinness in Dublin
20. Sleep under the stars
21. Celebrate a birthday abroad
22. See a ballet
23. Go on a camping holiday
24. Read ‘ a long walk to freedom’ by Nelson Mandela
25. Jump in a pool fully clothed
26. Have a spray tan
27. Go and watch a premiership football match
28. Sleep in a castle
29. Sing in public
30. Complete my Wood badge training 

Stay tuned for the next four years and twenty four days to see if it can be achieved (also if you can help me out with any other then just let me know. Trip to Dublin anyone?) I know I’m going to enjoy fulfilling my list (especially completing the Wood badge. . . ) and I hope you enjoy reading about my experiences.

Just finally, I would like to dedicate this to Laura Wilson.  It never ceases to amaze me how you can make me laugh, make me cry, make me drunk?! (sometimes all three at the same time) and yet managed to inspire me to make sure I don’t waste my life but do everything I want to do and more. I’m sure you’ll get more than one mention in this blog along the way so 'thank you' in advance.

This is for you. I know who I’ll be with on 24th May 2016.

x