I'm hoping to have a full house of climbers by tomorrow, ready for Sunday and the rock wall challenge. I won't look down I think! Did I mention I was terrified of heights?!
My food challenge finally was completed on Saturday at a barbecue with a sampling of white pudding, and to my surprise I didn't dislike it. I have to say there weren't too many items in the list of 40 I'd try again, apart from peanut butter and banana which has been added to my regular sandwich list now.
Next week hopefully will see another challenge completed, assuming people at my school fayre come and throw wet sponges at me. I'm also hoping a few more quid might get thrown in the tin, to keep the total creeping up. I think there will be also a huge chunk taken out of my 40 hours of volunteering in the next week too. I'm booked in for an all dayer for the school fayre and most of the previous day too. So if you happen to be in Tamworth next Saturday, come and pay me a visit and throw wet sponges at me.
The films are rattling away at a fair old pace, first two Harry Potter's and the first Pirates of the Caribbean this week, so done up to 2003 now. As they get newer there are more things the kids want to watch now!
Watch this space for climbing photos next week.
Don't forget it's not too late to donate.
https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
Thursday, 18 June 2015
Climbers needed!
My rockwall challenge is fast approaching ans as yet there are only 3 out of the 6 places filled. I am in desperate need to find 3 more people to climb with me. Given I am terrified of heights I'm sure there must be someone who enjoys this sort of thing.
As I type a plea has gone out, and hopefully it will get answered!
I've been busy clocking up the new foods, up to 39 now! Jimmy Spices is a great place to try all manor of weird and sometimes wonderful Asian foods. I also tried the delights of buffalo burgers at Download last week. I have to say a couple of bites and Rob was given the rest.
The films are going well too Unbreakable from 2000 was my latest and the kids have insisted Harry Potter is next.
I'm also clocking up plenty of hours volunteering. Organising a school summer fayre seems to be taking over my life at the moment.
I'll keep this short and sweet, and hopefully by my next blog another challenge might be chalked off.
Thanks for reading.
As I type a plea has gone out, and hopefully it will get answered!
I've been busy clocking up the new foods, up to 39 now! Jimmy Spices is a great place to try all manor of weird and sometimes wonderful Asian foods. I also tried the delights of buffalo burgers at Download last week. I have to say a couple of bites and Rob was given the rest.
The films are going well too Unbreakable from 2000 was my latest and the kids have insisted Harry Potter is next.
I'm also clocking up plenty of hours volunteering. Organising a school summer fayre seems to be taking over my life at the moment.
I'll keep this short and sweet, and hopefully by my next blog another challenge might be chalked off.
Thanks for reading.
Saturday, 6 June 2015
£1000!!!!
Just as I said it had all gone quiet, I check my justgiving page, that has suddenly stopped emailing me my donations to see to my amazement that I have now surpassed £1000.
When me and my little sister dreamed this 40 before 40 one evening on Facebook a couple of months ago I never thought it would get so big. I've do fundraising even before I was ill, having lost my best friend to cancer at just 18, but never before have I ever been part of such an achievement.
I walked the race for life on chemo and raised a few hundred. I've done the great midland fun run a few times again raising similar amounts, and a couple of Macmillan coffee mornings, but have never even got close to £1000.
My 40th year has already been so memorable, and I have so many more memories yet to make.
Thank you for being part of my 40th year!
When me and my little sister dreamed this 40 before 40 one evening on Facebook a couple of months ago I never thought it would get so big. I've do fundraising even before I was ill, having lost my best friend to cancer at just 18, but never before have I ever been part of such an achievement.
I walked the race for life on chemo and raised a few hundred. I've done the great midland fun run a few times again raising similar amounts, and a couple of Macmillan coffee mornings, but have never even got close to £1000.
My 40th year has already been so memorable, and I have so many more memories yet to make.
Thank you for being part of my 40th year!
It's all gone quiet
Things have slowed down on the challenge front as my life whizzes around at a tremendous pace at the moment. I'm still just a few pounds shy of £1000 which I'm still hoping to reach soon.
A lot of the challenges are taking their time to complete although I'm pleased to report that I'm half way through the films, Dangerous minds being my latest offering from 1995. I've spent many hours this week trying to arrange a school quiz and summer fayre, so I'm easily past halfway in my 40 hours of volunteering. If I logged every moment I spent sending email, communicating with various people, designing forms and posters, I'd have passed 40 hours already!
I'm still struggling to get people to commit to joining me on the climbing wall challenge, so far it's me and Samuel who've paid for me to scare myself half to death up a wall on a bit of rope!
We had a flurry of card games whilst away on our caravan holiday during half term, and I purchased half a dozen books from my childhood to keep me going over the coming months.
The walking group restarted after the holidays and I chalked up another 5.5 mile walk. Now I just need to practice the up hill bit for Snowdon!
The last few weeks of school are always the busiest, but whilst all this is going on, I didn't think I'd still be around to see my son finish primary school. When you get a cancer diagnosis, you start planning for the worst. I'd chosen my hymns for my funeral in my mind before I'd even been officially diagnosed, and I even thought about whether anyone from the school choir would attend, as my kids have both been part of it through their time at school. My son's last day next month will be emotional for me in more ways than one. We all will move on to the next big part of our lives in the coming months, something I didn't think I'd see back in November 2010. All I can say is there will be tears!
Please keep sharing and supporting.
Louise
A lot of the challenges are taking their time to complete although I'm pleased to report that I'm half way through the films, Dangerous minds being my latest offering from 1995. I've spent many hours this week trying to arrange a school quiz and summer fayre, so I'm easily past halfway in my 40 hours of volunteering. If I logged every moment I spent sending email, communicating with various people, designing forms and posters, I'd have passed 40 hours already!
I'm still struggling to get people to commit to joining me on the climbing wall challenge, so far it's me and Samuel who've paid for me to scare myself half to death up a wall on a bit of rope!
We had a flurry of card games whilst away on our caravan holiday during half term, and I purchased half a dozen books from my childhood to keep me going over the coming months.
The walking group restarted after the holidays and I chalked up another 5.5 mile walk. Now I just need to practice the up hill bit for Snowdon!
The last few weeks of school are always the busiest, but whilst all this is going on, I didn't think I'd still be around to see my son finish primary school. When you get a cancer diagnosis, you start planning for the worst. I'd chosen my hymns for my funeral in my mind before I'd even been officially diagnosed, and I even thought about whether anyone from the school choir would attend, as my kids have both been part of it through their time at school. My son's last day next month will be emotional for me in more ways than one. We all will move on to the next big part of our lives in the coming months, something I didn't think I'd see back in November 2010. All I can say is there will be tears!
Please keep sharing and supporting.
Louise
Tuesday, 19 May 2015
9 days on water ..
Last day of my water challenge tomorrow, and still no-one brave enough to join me on it. I went to a party at the weekend and purchased 5 bottles of still water over the course of the day! Today I've developed a cough and a bit of a cold, so much for the detox. Looking forward to squash and hot chocolate again.
I completed my salad growing challenge, two nights of cress with my salad. The radishes are well under way and I have shoots of spring onion, let's hope they are edible too.
The books have come along nicely, Last term at Malory Towers completed, and for something completely different, the Running Man too. I think I read that one in my late teens. I've put out a plea for kids books as I've run out again, about to embark on another Stephen King. He was my favourite as a teen along with James Herbert and Shaun Hutson, pretty gruesome tastes in my youth!
I finally finished listening to my 40 tracks to celebrate my 40 years the other evening, took nearly 3 hours and bought back some memories, my first record in Virgin Megastore in Birmingham, my best friend who died when we were in sixth form (she had a huge influence on my music tastes), and my wedding day too, to name just a few.
The walking has been going really well. Last week's walking group chalked up 5.2 miles. Just thinking back to when chemo had me at my worst I could even walk to the end of my road without feeling completely exhausted. You don't realise how ill the treatment actually made you until you look back. There was a short time I wasn't even left alone after blacking out one evening when sat at the dinner table.
I've noticed that my views have been dropping recently, I'm hoping the novelty isn't wearing off too much with my challenges. It certainly isn't for me. I've really enjoyed every moment (olives and marmite aside) of these challenges. They've help me appreciate how lucky I actually am to be reaching this 5 year landmark. It has also helped me see the best side of human nature. So many people have supported me throughout the journey, and given so generously.
My final challenge which I'm hoping to finalise soon will be a party / get together in the final few weeks leading up to my birthday, at the centre. Look out for invites! I'm hoping to get together as many of the people who I can who've been involved in one way or another with my 40 before 40. Just in case the guest list gets too big, I might bore you with photos / slideshows of my challenges!
I have a facebook page dedicated to my challenges
https://www.facebook.com/LouiseVernon4040
Feel free to share, comment, add suggestions on what you'd like to read about on my blog etc.
Just under £90 to reach £1000. Keep reading and sharing and drinking water if you're brave enough!
https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/
I completed my salad growing challenge, two nights of cress with my salad. The radishes are well under way and I have shoots of spring onion, let's hope they are edible too.
The books have come along nicely, Last term at Malory Towers completed, and for something completely different, the Running Man too. I think I read that one in my late teens. I've put out a plea for kids books as I've run out again, about to embark on another Stephen King. He was my favourite as a teen along with James Herbert and Shaun Hutson, pretty gruesome tastes in my youth!
I finally finished listening to my 40 tracks to celebrate my 40 years the other evening, took nearly 3 hours and bought back some memories, my first record in Virgin Megastore in Birmingham, my best friend who died when we were in sixth form (she had a huge influence on my music tastes), and my wedding day too, to name just a few.
The walking has been going really well. Last week's walking group chalked up 5.2 miles. Just thinking back to when chemo had me at my worst I could even walk to the end of my road without feeling completely exhausted. You don't realise how ill the treatment actually made you until you look back. There was a short time I wasn't even left alone after blacking out one evening when sat at the dinner table.
I've noticed that my views have been dropping recently, I'm hoping the novelty isn't wearing off too much with my challenges. It certainly isn't for me. I've really enjoyed every moment (olives and marmite aside) of these challenges. They've help me appreciate how lucky I actually am to be reaching this 5 year landmark. It has also helped me see the best side of human nature. So many people have supported me throughout the journey, and given so generously.
My final challenge which I'm hoping to finalise soon will be a party / get together in the final few weeks leading up to my birthday, at the centre. Look out for invites! I'm hoping to get together as many of the people who I can who've been involved in one way or another with my 40 before 40. Just in case the guest list gets too big, I might bore you with photos / slideshows of my challenges!
I have a facebook page dedicated to my challenges
https://www.facebook.com/LouiseVernon4040
Feel free to share, comment, add suggestions on what you'd like to read about on my blog etc.
Just under £90 to reach £1000. Keep reading and sharing and drinking water if you're brave enough!
https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/
Sunday, 10 May 2015
Wow £900
Yes I hit another landmark with week, the £900 total, £1000 is still definitely on.
Yesterday I completed the rugby double, not initially part of my challenge but I went to see my first ever rugby union match with my friend. I've now seen both codes, and have had a thoroughly good time at both.
I think with the plans I have in place, my 40 challenge list should now be full. I've got a few ideas in the pipeline for the last couple, more will be revealed later ....
Pipeline brings me nicely onto my next challenge. Tomorrow I embark on the 10 day water challenge, which I saw as an idea from another charity fundraising site. The idea is simple, drink only water (I'm allowed to eat too!) for 10 days and donate some of the money you've saved to your charity. It would be lovely if I could sign a few people up to do this with me. So if you're reading and thinking that's easy enough, then please take part and donate at the end via my justgiving page.
I'm going to a party on Saturday so it won't be as easy as is sounds, but I'll keep you posted.
Yesterday was a busy day, and I tried my first balti pie at the rugby, yet another new food to add to my list, definitely another like there, more than half way through now. Can't remember if I mentioned last week's olives, but when they say a picture says a thousand words, here's mine!!
Yesterday I completed the rugby double, not initially part of my challenge but I went to see my first ever rugby union match with my friend. I've now seen both codes, and have had a thoroughly good time at both.
I think with the plans I have in place, my 40 challenge list should now be full. I've got a few ideas in the pipeline for the last couple, more will be revealed later ....
Pipeline brings me nicely onto my next challenge. Tomorrow I embark on the 10 day water challenge, which I saw as an idea from another charity fundraising site. The idea is simple, drink only water (I'm allowed to eat too!) for 10 days and donate some of the money you've saved to your charity. It would be lovely if I could sign a few people up to do this with me. So if you're reading and thinking that's easy enough, then please take part and donate at the end via my justgiving page.
I'm going to a party on Saturday so it won't be as easy as is sounds, but I'll keep you posted.
Yesterday was a busy day, and I tried my first balti pie at the rugby, yet another new food to add to my list, definitely another like there, more than half way through now. Can't remember if I mentioned last week's olives, but when they say a picture says a thousand words, here's mine!!
My other food challenge is almost complete, down to the last few flavours of crisps now, so I'm on the look out for the unusual ones or the ones that have slipped through the net.
This week has been very busy. 2 more books, The Wishing Chair and The Wishing Chair Again done. I'm really not liking Enid Blyton as an adult. Another 3 hours of volunteering ticked off too, helping at my last ever I hope primary school disco.
Snowdon finally has a rough date set now. The first week of the school summer holidays. I'm meeting with my sister in Wales depositing the kids, and dragging Rob along with me! Selfie at the top I've been told.
Now I must get out of my PJs and get some ironing done for the week.
Sunday, 3 May 2015
Sorry it's a bit late
I haven't posted in over a week, I'm not quite sure where this last week has gone.
Since my last post the total stands at almost £900, boosted by £40 yesterday at a freezing cold wet car boot sale in Chorley, Lancashire! Me and my sister were due to do our car boot together yesterday, but my nephew was taken ill, so last minute rearranging saw my husband two boys and myself head off to a wet, windy and absolutely freezing car boot sale nearby my sister's. I couldn't believe how cold it was for May bank holiday!!
I've had quite a few more donations since my appearance in the newspaper last week, and also had a go at canoeing as another challenge. I didn't intend to go canoeing, it was meant to be just Samuel with the Scouts. So there was me in the River Tame completely unprepared, and in unsuitable clothing, high-tops for a start. Somehow I managed not to get wet, and was well looked after in a 4 man canoe in a boat which I was told was very difficult to capsize, good job really as I had no change of clothes. I enjoyed the experience, although I had no idea how much hard work rowing actually is.
Since my last post the total stands at almost £900, boosted by £40 yesterday at a freezing cold wet car boot sale in Chorley, Lancashire! Me and my sister were due to do our car boot together yesterday, but my nephew was taken ill, so last minute rearranging saw my husband two boys and myself head off to a wet, windy and absolutely freezing car boot sale nearby my sister's. I couldn't believe how cold it was for May bank holiday!!
I've had quite a few more donations since my appearance in the newspaper last week, and also had a go at canoeing as another challenge. I didn't intend to go canoeing, it was meant to be just Samuel with the Scouts. So there was me in the River Tame completely unprepared, and in unsuitable clothing, high-tops for a start. Somehow I managed not to get wet, and was well looked after in a 4 man canoe in a boat which I was told was very difficult to capsize, good job really as I had no change of clothes. I enjoyed the experience, although I had no idea how much hard work rowing actually is.
Earlier this week, the kindness and generosity of people showed again. Someone who does not even know me has been inspired by my blog (I think) and journey and has kindly paid for me and a group of friends / volunteers to go climbing on a rock wall. This is now booked in for the end of June. I don't know whether to be excited or terrified, probably both. Here is a girl who gets scared standing on a chair, so this will be a challenge for me in more ways than one!
There are very few spaces left in my 40 challenges to fill now, all I need to do is start getting some more of them completed now. Not many more flavours of crisps left to go, down to my last 9 now. They are getting more obscure as I go now Monterrey chilli and goats cheese has to be the most unusual so far.
The only challenge I'm really going to struggle to compete is getting 40 people to do a challenge, or take part in a challenge for me. If you are reading this now there are a few simple ways you could help.
You could join me in my walking group that meet on a Friday afternoon at 1.30.
You could just post an inspiring picture on the Centre's facebook page tag me and donate £1 or 2 to my justgiving page.
I'm sure there won't be too many takers to go up Mount Snowdon with me!
Thanks for keeping reading and supporting my cause.
I will finish with a thought for the wife of Rio Ferdinand who sadly died this week. I am so lucky to still be here 5 years on. Let us cherish every day we have.
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