MY 50 BEFORE 50 LIST

23. Organise a charity cream tea

2012-08-05T08:57:00.001-07:00

This has been on my 'to do' list for years and yesterday the weather was certainly on my side with the sun shinning for a few hours! With the help of several friends we served a delicious home made cream tea on our lawn to several hungry customers. There were several plus sides to holding this event - my hubby finished off several jobs that had been on the go for rather a long time!!! We had a general spring clean up everywhere and we raised £330 for the local cancer hospice! Just a win, win situation ;)

16. Attend a yoga class

2012-04-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was little and a friends Mum used to go to a yoga class, this has held an a certain appeal.

Well what can I say about this one ...... perhaps not quite what I expected and you certainly don't get a photograph!! I think I had visions of sitting on a mat with my leg behind my neck (not that my leg would do such things!!) and drinking lots of water - but in reality it was perhaps my sort of exercise. We spent most of the class on our backs relaxing - we did a few 'strange things' where I have to admit I was pulling myself in tight in case I had a severe attack of the giggles - but have booked for a further five classes so can't have been to bad - I am just going to be one chilled chick!!!

38. Book a flight on the internet

2012-03-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

For most people this one is probably a normal course of action - and I would consider myself reasonable computer literate, but I certainly wouldn't consider myself very travel wise!!! So after researching travel arrangements for what seems for ever and everyone giving me different advise - I have at last booked flights from London Heathrow to Miami through http://www.trailfinders.com/ We are off to visit my daughter who we haven't seen since last October.

I will now be worrying that we will probably end up in Timbuktu though - but hey - I hear the weather is good out there too!!! Wish me luck!

47. Write a letter to someone important

2012-02-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Now this was a difficult decision to make ........ I could possibly write to
James Paice (Environmental, food & rural affairs minister) with my strong views on the Common Agricultural policy reforms, alternatively I could write to Philip Clarke (CEO of Tesco) with my opinions of how supermarkets will be the ruination of the farming practices in this country (I would not have been able to publish this letter due to strong language content so thought better of this!) or even to Chris Graylins (Employment minister) offering my thoughts on offering jobs to the unemployed but after much deliberation I decided on the following letter offering a solution to a problem that is within arms reach!!!

Mr Marc Bolland,

Chief Executive,

Marks & Spencers Group plc,

Waterside House,

35 North Wharf Road,

London.

W2 1NW

11 February 2012

Dear Mr Bolland,

I would like to suggest an idea which would not only solve my own personal dilemma, but I am positive would help lots of other customers and could potentially increase your upper clothes sales dramatically.

I inherited my Mothers size 12 body, but unfortunately also inherited her size 14/16 arms!! Not that I have fat arms - just rather long! When purchasing an item of clothing for my upper body at M & S I find a size 12 fits perfectly around my body, but to find an item that actually reaches my wrists - it has to be a size 14/16.

I have carried out my own personal researched on both large men & women, and my conclusions reveal that as the human race become larger their arms do not appear to increase in length! Hence I would ask you to consider the same policy that you take with trousers – short, medium and long! If you were to take this step I think you would find a dramatic increase in sales in upper ware!

Yours in anticipation of a well fitting M & S top,

Mrs Sue Slade,

36. Register as a transplant donor

2012-02-14T01:53:00.000-08:00

I have been planning to register as a transplant donor for quite a while, but it's one of those things that I never quite get around to. Having had a persistent cough for quite a while and now having to face tests on my liver and kidneys has pushed me into action. The form at https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/ukt/how_to_become_a_donor/registration/consent.jsp took under a minute to complete and I now feel that I have done my good deed for the day!

39. Survive on £35 for a week - food and drink for two

2012-01-25T10:05:00.000-08:00

I always find it frustrating when people say they can't afford to live. I gave myself a budget of £35 to feed two adults for seven days - my hubby is a farmer and has an enormous appetite as any of my friends will verify. Unfortunately he dislikes pasta or I could have lived on far less! As it was, we lived well for the week - I didn't compromise on quality and purchased a free range chicken and free range eggs. We enjoyed a week of basic cereals for breakfast and home made bread (only a fraction of the cost of super market bread), a variety of soups, baked beans, left overs or eggs for lunch and evening meals consisted of roast chicken, sausage casserole, liver & onions, Spanish omelette, fish, vegetable casserole and chicken pie. I even had 4p left in my pocket at the end of the week!! If I carried on this experiment throughout the year I could feed two people for a cost of £1,820 - bargin!

4. Spend £52 on the online lottery (£1 per week)

2012-01-14T04:34:00.000-08:00

It probably would have been more sensible to complete no. 3 (Make £52 profit from the internet) before contemplating no. 4 - but hey I don't do sensible!!!

I love the adrenalin rush of a bet - not that I am a harden gambler, in fact I can't even remember the last time I did have a bet!!

When the lottery began back in 1994, I was one of those people who stood and queued for ages to make sure I got my ticket - carefully choosing my numbers, convinced like every one else that I was going to be the first UK lottery millionaire. After 3 weeks, following the same process and I still didn't win the million my excitement dwindled and I decided to forego the pleasure.

But with all the media coverage of late on Euro Lottery winners I keep thinking I must have a go again. I have now signed up to the on-line lottery lucky dip (it would be to heart breaking to choose set numbers and find they came up on week 53!). I will be paying by direct debit once a month, for 12 months - so will keep you informed when I receive my win! All I need now is to plan how to spend my millions - oh and that could be a whole new blog!!

42. Go to the Hummingbird Bakery in London

2012-01-11T02:36:00.000-08:00

After reading numerous, glowing reports on 'The Hummingbird Bakery' I felt that having never been there I was missing out big time. Farming in Devon does not give me much reason to venture into the big city, however as last weekend I had gone to see a show it seemed a perfect excuse to pay a visit. With four bakeries in London to choose from, I decided to head to Old Brompton road. Now I must be the only person in the world that was disappointed! For some reason I was expecting a large, gleaming show room with spot lights and every type of cupcake imaginable, but it was just like a little cake shop with one table and chairs in the corner. Being one to never turn down the chance to eat cake, I choose a red relvet cup cake (£3.55!)....and yes it was very nice, moist with a cream cheese topping - but 'nice' I was expecting ' supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. In my mind I was expecting to see stars, with great explosions of flavour and savouring the taste for the rest of my life!! Perhaps I had built up my expectations, but I don't think it was a visit I will be repeating!!

Day One - Task One!

2012-01-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

First day of my challenge and one task that I thought to be way beyond my capabilities was starting my own blog - how wrong was I! The information available on the Web makes it just so easy and fun - even my son who is studying Computing at Bournemouth Uni was impressed with my efforts :) Now what to choose as task number two!!!

Introduction

2012-01-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by a friend who came up with the idea of doing 50 things when she turned 50. Like most people there are many things in my life that I just have not got around to doing - some quite mundane, some fun and some probably sheer stupid - but hey you only live once!! I am a 'list' person so the idea of ticking off my experiences one by one appealed. Glancing through my carefully prepared list it seems that I might have a busy 12 months ahead of me - roll on 50 - I might need the rest!!