A couple of work colleagues have taken part in various charity fundraisers recently, Race For Life and a fun run which has inspired me to get my back side into gear. I had wanted to do the 5k last year but work and time commitments meant it didn't happen and the events this year were upon me before I had realised what was going on! Rubbish excuses but I blinked and missed the past few months, being so absorbed in work.
But when I was looking through last week's edition of the Newsshopper I spotted an advert for a charity that is holding a 25k or 50k walk through London suburbs finishing in Kent. Woohoo! Fairly local event, walking which is better as my fitness levels have all but disappeared, and as a bit of a twist it's held at night! It's called Nightline for Widehorizons which gives kids the chance to experience adventure days/holidays at centres across Wales and the South East.
The problem is, I've found this a month before it's due to happen which gives me about 3 weeks to train and raise a minimum of £100 ... I don't do things by halves >.< so this could be a bit of a killer in terms of the pain barrier but it will be worth it.
- Some Weeks Later -
Okay with the swift passage of time I had completely forgotten about the above post! For some reason I must have been sidetracked and didn't finish or post it.
So fresh news!
My very lovely Dad kindly agreed to do the Nightline walk with me. 25K (15 miles) across Kent countryside for the charity Widehorizons. We were given a target to raise £100 per person and I am thrilled to say that we smashed it and at last count it was over £300 between the two of us which has contributed to over £14,000 raised in one event.
We arrived for registration and briefing at 6.30pm, received our orders and listened to a couple of great speeches reminding us why we were there and where the money raised would be going to...Why we were there will give you an idea of what spurred me on to take on this challenge.
By 7.45 we were off and walking at a steady pace, leaving the Eltham environment centre and taking in Fivearches Bridge, Chislehurst and Bexley. Pit stops at rest points were great for a quick drink and snack, and we finally finished at the Horton Kirby centre in Dartford at 12.30pm. We were thrilled with the time although my Dad is not so thrilled with the blisters >.>
Ultimately we had a great evening, met some fantastic people from close to home and from abroad, and raised much needed funds for children who will never experience the countryside - we are very much a countryside family and I realised just how lucky myself and my sister are with our upbringing...including having lots of dogs, cats, learning to ride horses and play in the great outdoors surrounded by beautiful fields. Other children of all ages should have the chance to experience this as well, so we signed up and hopefully helped to make a difference.
Bring on the event next year!
For more pictures and info see the Widehorizons Facebook Page
Thursday 29 May 2014
The cat takes a flying leap out of the bag!
What is this about flying cats leaping from bags, I hear you cry!
Oh goodness me, this post was started and some how abandoned two days after the events unfolded so I'm looking back on a month which was a time of high and low points between myself and the family.
Well I shall tell all...
Oh goodness me, this post was started and some how abandoned two days after the events unfolded so I'm looking back on a month which was a time of high and low points between myself and the family.
On March 31st my dad asked me, out of the blue, whether my boyfriend of 3 years (in October!) had mentioned getting engaged. I was stunned as in my head our serious future was still set in the future a couple of years down the line after teacher training and the NQT year. My dad is a joker so I didn't take him too seriously at the time and realised that of course the next day was April Fools so perhaps he was playing a cruel joke? He didn't laugh along with me but I brushed off the suspicions even after my boyfriend started to drop hints about a surprise for my 23rd birthday on Easter Sunday! I didn't bring it up in conversation as the whole year we had been saving up and I had wanted to get away for a holiday but it was still clear we couldn't really afford to do anything.
I guessed we might be going somewhere for my birthday which would make a lovely treat, and hoped it would be somewhere historical. On the journey there, Chris played a CD and said it was for me...it turned out that he had written and recorded four original tracks about us which had me in tears (happy ones!) and a selection of tracks that were special to us. We eventually arrived at our favourite place, Hampton Court Palace(!) where he gave me a present; a book but I was under strict orders not to open it yet and that we would read it together as we walked through the palace taking photos all the way :-)
We set off and at strategic points that Chris had carefully planned out, he asked me to read from the book which was in fact a collection of poems he had written that were based around our first meeting, the days we spent walking in lavender fields, to visiting the Harry Potter studios and through to graduation day. The last couple of poems were a little mysterious which he told me was all part of the master plan! He could see I was confused, but by this point we had made our way into the gardens, past crowds gathering to see a parade for the Georgians, and to a bridge across one of the ornamental ponds. Looking through the wrought iron gate we could see deer grazing in the park beyond, and behind us was the majesty of the palace. Finally he asked me to read out the final poem which he repeated after me and then one of the best questions I have ever heard in my life...Would I marry him?
My.heart.stopped. Then I remembered to breath and 'yes!' was rushed out and we were stood grinning like a couple of crazy happy people! It was then he explained that we would also be going to the jewellers to choose a ring that afternoon and that he had been saving hard all year long...so I had a little cry at this news, everything made sense at last!
His family and my in-laws-to-be hehe are very happy for us, mine are getting used to the idea which I suppose was only to be expected being the eldest daughter and all but we have gotten over the rocky part with them and now we are both looking on to the future and making some plans for the months and years to come, a long engagement it will be but that's what plans are for! :-)
My sister said, Happy Easter, Happy Birthday and Congratulations after she saw me at the end of Easter weekend - we were and are euphoric about our relationship, where it is going and what is to come :-)
Best.Birthday.Ever! Best.Fiance.Ever and I love saying fiancé!
I guessed we might be going somewhere for my birthday which would make a lovely treat, and hoped it would be somewhere historical. On the journey there, Chris played a CD and said it was for me...it turned out that he had written and recorded four original tracks about us which had me in tears (happy ones!) and a selection of tracks that were special to us. We eventually arrived at our favourite place, Hampton Court Palace(!) where he gave me a present; a book but I was under strict orders not to open it yet and that we would read it together as we walked through the palace taking photos all the way :-)
We set off and at strategic points that Chris had carefully planned out, he asked me to read from the book which was in fact a collection of poems he had written that were based around our first meeting, the days we spent walking in lavender fields, to visiting the Harry Potter studios and through to graduation day. The last couple of poems were a little mysterious which he told me was all part of the master plan! He could see I was confused, but by this point we had made our way into the gardens, past crowds gathering to see a parade for the Georgians, and to a bridge across one of the ornamental ponds. Looking through the wrought iron gate we could see deer grazing in the park beyond, and behind us was the majesty of the palace. Finally he asked me to read out the final poem which he repeated after me and then one of the best questions I have ever heard in my life...Would I marry him?
My.heart.stopped. Then I remembered to breath and 'yes!' was rushed out and we were stood grinning like a couple of crazy happy people! It was then he explained that we would also be going to the jewellers to choose a ring that afternoon and that he had been saving hard all year long...so I had a little cry at this news, everything made sense at last!
His family and my in-laws-to-be hehe are very happy for us, mine are getting used to the idea which I suppose was only to be expected being the eldest daughter and all but we have gotten over the rocky part with them and now we are both looking on to the future and making some plans for the months and years to come, a long engagement it will be but that's what plans are for! :-)
My sister said, Happy Easter, Happy Birthday and Congratulations after she saw me at the end of Easter weekend - we were and are euphoric about our relationship, where it is going and what is to come :-)
Best.Birthday.Ever! Best.Fiance.Ever and I love saying fiancé!
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