Day 287 Days to go - 59! I can see clearly now the funds are raised!

Yep folks (i am going to continue believing that someone other than myself is actually reading this until someone tells me different!!)  ;-)

Gosh, what can I say since my last spiel???  I have been ARDENTLY training and walking - HONEST!  My walking is going great due to two charity treks I have completed for Maggie's and Marie Curie at 15 km night walks.  I actually struggled a bit with the first one as I was too keen to get ahead, but my favourite friend Elaine told me to 'slow doon ye eggit, i can nae keep up wi' ye'.  The well meant advice worked a treat and we completed our 15 km in about 2.20 hrs.

The Marie Curie trek through the woods and grounds of Dumfries House took even less.  (And do you know!  they never even offered us a cup of tea at the end of it!!  Bah humbug I say!!

I have been walking home from the SGH via Glasgow which is actually a really hard walk, but had to hop on the bus after nearly three hours as I desperately needed a pee!

I have been on a Commando 4/5 regiment training day - OMG!  was that hard work, but softened by the VERY splendid Marines who assisted us with our training - one of the best days of my life I have to say - and all thanks to Elaine Welsh - she's some gal!

I have been attending a Boot camp Training class out in the woods of Hamilton and YES!  I AM the fat bird at the back of the group but hey!  I actually love doing it!

Had tried to organise another Ceilidh but it didn't work out due to folk pulling out at the last minute, I was pretty upset about that but over it now.  I am a great believer in Karma!

I have held a car boot sale instead and raised a good amount from that, and managed to clear out a quarter of my garage into the bargain!!

I am overwhelmed by the generosity of the Celtic supporters bus club at the Windmill Tavern in Tannochside to be honest with them donating over £150 to my fundraising total, I think that is AMAZING and I am very touched by their kindness.

And all these bits and bobs of fundraising over the last year has enabled me to raise in the region of £5000 (£4000 going to Macmillan's) for the following cancer charities -

** Macmillan's** 

**Maggie's** and

**Marie Curie**

When people ask me how much did i have to raise to go to Jordan with Macmillan and I tell them it was £3200 they ask me why I have continued to obsessively try to raise even more money.  And its a funny thing that it becomes an obsession to try to raise as much money as possible, regardless of how much is expected.

I started this 'journey' last October and knew it would be a 12 month 'trip', I am almost there, its been REALLY, REALLY HARD at times, I have been disappointed by friends attitudes and commitment to support me (or not), I have been overwhelmed by those who have, by people who I do not even know personally but have heard locally of what I am doing and have come to my door and donated money, and then there are people like the guys from the Windmill who have donated their own funds to this worthwhile cause.

I have learned SO MUCH about myself and about the people round about me and it is only the beginning really of my experience, I want to thank you if you are one of those who has overwhelmed me with their support and generosity.

I WILL post again, before I go - I promise. 

Time is marching on so fast that I hardly have time to eat my cupcakes that I make now and again (for strength you understand?????)

Weather turning more horrible than it normally is now, but I have dogs, so the weather isn't a great deterrent to me! 

Going to start walking to and from Glasgow Central to my work every day from now on to ensure my stamina for day after day walking is at its best.

My head is clear of the worry of the fundraising and all that's left is to prepare my last few items and get my head in gear for it.  So much else going on in my life it is proving REALLY difficult but it is getting a wee bit easier by the week.

Blogging off now.

This is Lindabee blogging off.

Day 147 - 219 to go! Something got me started ...... (but I just cant remember what?)

Again, if you could humour me with the dates and pretend this is Friday 22nd April 2011 I will be grateful!

To be honest I haven't done much in the way of fundraising OR training in the last month.  I was so tired after the ceilidh that I sort of stopped thinking about it 24/7.  Because of illness I stopped training as well, in fact I sort of lost my way a bit with it all, I didn't know what else I could give to it.

My fundraising total at that time was £2900 with intermittent donations still coming in from friends, family and church members which I was extremely grateful for but I just couldn't raise myself to the hyper person  had started out as.

I bought some books of Amazon about Jordan, did some research, went out and bought some more bits of equipment I needed but just couldn't contemplate training.

We went off to Marbella for a week at Easter and we walked for miles, sometimes up to 15 miles a day, in the sunshine it is so easy to do, you just eat up the miles whilst staring at all the 'beautiful' people on their yachts!

I came back from my holiday feeling the need to get back to training again.  This the point where the big metal sign blew off a fence and clattered my cankle!  So that was me, in A&E with a cut ankle and bruised ankle bone!!! 

It never rains but it feckin' pours!!

Day 199 - 167 days to go! Aint No Mountain High Enough!

OK so you are REALLY reading Monday June 13th's posting now - I'm up to date and up to speed!


I think I mentioned that I lost my way with this trek malarkey for a while, so I rang up the advisers at Macmillan in London and had a wee chat with them, and they were really supportive and gave me really good advise and feedback about what I have done and what I need to do in preparation for October so that is me back with the confidence I need to prepare for this.


I have signed up with 6 other girls to do the Maggie's Glasgow Night Hike on 22 July 2011 which is a 10 mile walk around famous architecture in Glasgow so that sounds like a lot of fun.


We are thinking of naming the team 'Up Jacobs Creek without a Paddle'.  (As I feel that this is the liquid we will be partaking in the most on our way round!!


They are a great group of girls and I am looking forward to it.


I thought another good name for the team was 'Fat birds always win at see saw'???????


I am back into the way of my training now I am glad to say, and I am just starting to organise another ceilidh for early September.  I know that this one will not raise half as much as the last one but I don't mind, every little helps as a certain crap store keeps telling us!!


I have booked my flight down to London and my overnight accommodation before flying off to Jordon on Sunday 30th October, I am sort of excited but also a wee bit afraid.............. of failing.


I REALLY couldn't bear to not achieve this after all the effort everyone has put in for me, so that is why it is so important that I do my utmost with my training and getting mentally prepared for the trek.


I am indebted to Kenny for all his support.

Day 75 - 291 Roll up, roll up!

Its amazing doing this to feel so OVER whelmed and UNDER whelmed at the same time by the response of people and businesses.

I have posted lots of ads on my works staffnet intranet pages advertising the raffle tickets and have been overwhelmed by the kindness of people offering to sell tickets for me in their place of work.

I would especially like to thank Carol, Stephanie and Lauren who have all taken a book of tickets to sell - Thank you so much!

Raffle ticket sales are moving along nicely now but there again we do have some amazing prizes on offer to win.

Really busy so cant stop.

Regards

Day 105 - 262 to go! - I'm on my way, I'm on my to happiness ah ha, ah ha, ah ha ah ha!

I know the date is listed as the Monday 13 June 2011 but I want you to humour me and pretend it reads - Friday 11 March 2011 please.

Since the ceilidh (more on that later) I have had a couple of spells of holiday, illness, sickness & dizziness, labrynthitis and had a large metal sign fall on my one good foot!

I had been, (up to the ceilidh) doing a lot of training, walking everywhere like a woman possessed, I had started to walk home from work a couple of times a week and one time I was SO thirsty that I nearly went into that wee gammy pub Park head, next to the chapel but I resisted and staggered onto the next chip shop and purchased a can of coke (full fat of course) and 2 fritters laden with fat!!  (got to keep my energy up you know!)
Anyway only made it to Arnold Clark's car showroom that day as I was going to pee myself if I didn't get to the toilet quick smart!  (I knew I shouldn't have had that full fat coke!)

Anyway, the run up to the night of the ceilidh was MANIC! I was selling tickets right up to the last minute and in the end sold approx 95 (two so called 'friends' let me down with the sale of 12 tickets).

On the day of the ceilidh, little Ken did all the running about to shops, bakers, Tunnocks, M&S etc he did a sterling job ........... staying out of my way whilst I prepared food for 100 people myself.  I kept it fairly simple with only a couple of hot foods which were easy to throw into the oven and leave for 20 mins.

The night itself was absolutely fabulous, the raffle was a bit sticky as folk weren't happy that tickets had been sold in my work before the night but I couldn't not take the opportunity of getting as much money as I could for the Sir Alex Ferguson signed Man U shirt.  In the end we raised over a £1000 for the raffle  - an AMAZING total, and the night brought in approx £2300 altogether.

The band we had 'The Vinyl Countdown' were exceptional, and I am indeed, gratefully indebted to them for there service- but not a lady!)

We had amazing help from Liz Vasey who is herself, a Macmillan Nurse and a lovely kind lady (as is Jim
Kenny and I didn't get home until about 2pm - EXHAUSTED!

The only awful part of the event was having to tell folk that they hadn't won in the raffle, I felt awful that not everyone had won.

But overall a great night for a worthwhile cause.  Thank you so much if you took the time to contribute or come along on the night.

Day 84 - 283 to go

I know I usually talk a load of tosh throughout my postings but I would like to talk about the sort of reason why I am doing this trek and fundraising.

Last week I went to see a friend who I hadn't seen for quite a few years.  I had contacted her via Facebook inviting her to come to the ceilidh and quickly got a reply back saying that she would love to come but wasn't sure she would be up for it as Friday 11 March 2011 would be her last session of chemo for breast cancer.  I was apalled that I had contacted her to attend to support a cause that she is keen to avoid experiencing herself.

And that is what has been so apparent to me throughout this journey so far, and that is the quiet dignity cancer sufferers show throughout their experience.

I am in awe of Diana, she really is an amazing lady, so full of optimism and positive thoughts that after visiting her I came away from her house feeling so much better about her condition.  And I think that is what cancer sufferers do, they make YOU feel better about THEIR illness and suffering.

So for whatever reason you are reading this, or attending the ceilidh or donating on line please be assured that you have done an amazing thing in donating and taking an interest.

I am uncomfortable with people telling me that its a 'great' thing I am doing with the trek and the fundraising because I TRULY do not feel that, I just feel that I am doing a small thing for a very big cause.

And I am extremely grateful for your involvement because I cant do it myself!

Stick with me throughout this journey.

Kind regards

Linda B xxx

Day 74 - Nothing's Gonna Stop us

Good evening Linda (well, I'm the only one who reads it!)


Well in all seriousness I NEVER realised how much work the actual fundraising would be.  It takes up every evening for hours at a time. 


I must have written about 75 very nice begging letters and only had responses from the following -

Tunnocks
The Rainbow Rooms, Uddingston
David Corbett Hairdressing, Bothwell
Pir Palace, Uddingston
M&S, Argyle St
Cricklewood hotel, Bothwell
Lewis's

Thank you so much, even for responding and regardless of whether you have offered anything for my raffle or not.


The most rudest 'man' (and I use the term 'very loosely') alive is the delight what is a male hairdresser who owns a shop on the Main St, Uddingston.  I know everyone has the right as to whether they donate or not but his response to Kenny was nothing short of rudeness to the extreme.


** Note to oneself**
Even if Daniel Craig asked me out to dinner and he was the only place open I wouldn't give him my hard earned cash!  Not a nice man at all!


Most other businesses in Uddingston and Bothwell have politely ignored me with a hotel in Bothwell being the most ardent at ignoring me.  After ringing 3 times (on three separate days) and being told that 'Ms Whatsherface' will ring you right back ......... I am still 'eagerly' awaiting that phone call - very unprofessional Ruth!!


I have written to  -

airlines,
the football clubs,
car dealerships,
local hotels (see above),
local restaurants,
city hotels,
city restaurants,
shopping centre managers,
chemists,
supermarkets,
hairdressing salons,
beauty salons,
takeaways,
garages,
biscuit factories,
cake makers,
butchers,
bakers,
health clubs,
my local MP,
packaging companies,
drinks distributors,
football centres,
insurance companies,
clothes retailers,
country hotels,
and so the list goes on.

I am pretty exhausted with it all to be honest with very little return.  You would rather get a 'no, sorry' letter than just be ignored.


But hey ho! onwards and upwards we go. 


Little Ken has been a wee gem running here there and everywhere with letters, and coercing folk into buying tickets for the ceilidh. 


It has been quite hysterical watching people you know very well  try to ignore you or not make eye contact rather than just say 'Linda, I wont make it to the ceilidh'.


Nicholas has also been great at selling tickets for me so thanks son. 


I do have some great raffle prizes though with the absolute best being a Man Utd home shirt signed by Sir Alex Ferguson.  I REALLY cant thank Lainseyisbanana enough for doing that for me.  Thank you.


We also have -

• a meal for two with wine,
• Wash, cut, blow dry and massage from the top stylists in Bothwell & Uddingston,
• 2 bottles of champagne,
• lots of bottles of wine,
• Indian meal for two,
• M&S bubbly things.

I have had quite a few donations of money to my
Justgiving-Linda.Beecroft.com account and I now have 16% of sponsorship money needed.

The Ceilidh ticket sales are picking up with around 80 tickets sold, still 4 weeks left so hopefully with sell a few more before the 11th March.


There is a need to keep in touch with the Macmillan manager who is supporting me and also the band - The Vinyl Countdown who are appearing at the Ceilidh.

They have been extraordinarily kind and I hope I can generate some business for them as a Thank you.


And training, well it hasn't been as good as I had hoped after doing so well on holiday but back to public transport next week so plenty of walking then!!


I had a wee home baking stall at work today and raised approx £68 so that has been logged in the Just Giving account.


As that multi national corner shop desecrater likes to say 'Every little helps'.

I am a wee bit weary and despondant with it all just now, so much time and effort for what seems like such little return.


But I KNOW the ceilidh is going to be a fab night and once I have stopped panicing about what food to buy and how much, I will enjoy it!


So that's me, spilled my guts. 

D'know, you have become my therapist!  I feel better now I have got it all out, no point worrying about the negatives I should just be grateful for the positives we have achieved to date.

Nothing's gonna stop up now.  (Name that tune?????)

Let them say we're crazy.
I don't care about that.
Put your hand in my hand, baby, don't ever look back.
Let the world around us just all apart.
Maybe we can make it if we're heart to heart.
And we can build this thing together, stand in stone forever,


Well I am off to watch Cougar Town - have you seen it?  IT IS SOOOOOOOOOO funny - not to be missed!

This is Linda B signing off.

Day 63 - Days to go - 303 I gonna be (62 miles) da da dada

How's it gawn peeps?

(I say 'how's it gawn peeps', but I am fully aware I am the only one reading this blog but in a way its theraputic to be able to list all my body swerves of exercise and healthy diet because when I read over it I feel guilty and it is spurring me on)  -  I say this as I sit eating my way through a large bag of Milkybar white moments!!  (Dont bother with them, they are not that nice)

I am beginning to realise that this isn't in fact a daily blog (my life is just tooo boring) so it has become my intermitent, when I can get a minute blog.

I am really happy to confess that I have started my training in earnest now! 

Last week me and the fat chap - Kenny, flew off to Fuerteventura for the week and we walked approx 9 miles a day, I power walked most days ( and then had to power walk back to meet little Ken who was lagging behind).

I have to say it is certainly a lot easier to walk 8 - 12 miles (in 3 hours by the way!) when the sun is a very pleasant 24oC and the med sea is sparkling as far as the eye can see. 

Some how North Lan just doesn't have the same appeal but I suppose if I go down to Strathclyde park I can pretend???????

 

I had a great week in Fuerturventura and was really pleased at my fitness levels for 12 miles walking, there wasnt many gradients to climb but I will add this to my training in the next few weeks.

 We were managing to walk 12 miles in about 3.5 hours at a brisk pace so I presume 14 miles a day over an 8 hour period should be achieveable.  I also swam so starting to train seriously now.

I haven't been out for a long walk for a few days now as I have had a nasty tummy bug (but not nasty enough to stop me eating the while buttons things - still not nice).

I am almost at 10% sponsor money now, and I am really so grateful to those who have taken the time to donate, thank you so much.

The Spring Fling event on Friday 11th March in Uddingston is beginning to gather pace now, I have been sending out letters to all the local businesses and have had a few responses, I have also had a few bottle donations from friends and work colleagues and now have a healthy 15 lovely prizes for the raffle.

Nicholas has gathered about 20 pals to buy tickets and Luke is going to start asking this week, Kenny has worked his little legs off to sell appox 30 tickets already so tickets are going down nicely. 

I really want to sell as many as I can though so if there is a secret reader of this blog PLEASE buy a ticket or donate on line.

Well I think thats all my news for now, keep reading mystery reader and dont forget to donate something, any amount, when you can.

This is Linda bee signing off

TTFN

Day 45 - 321 to Go! - You can call me Al!

Well peoples!

What a blooming week I have had I can tell you!  I feel like Alan McGee must have felt when he first signed those two stroppy brothers from Manchester with all the bargaining, signing of bands, organising events, harassing folk to attend encouraging people to buy tickets, etc, etc, etc darlinks I have been doing this week.

And the Training - don't be daft!  No, I have been harassing err contacting the 4 corners of the world (OK Sheffield is the furthest) to try to 'encourage' (sic) party, happening, down with it, hip-hop, tip-top, happening (oh, already used that) my kinda people to come to my 'Spring Fling' ceilidh on Friday 11th March 2011 in Uddingston.

Tickets are £12.50 but hey! you get to sample my cookin' for that, as well as a ceilidh (I am eternally grateful to that word ceilidh as I had a friend who named her first girl Eilidh and whilst initially I sounded her name out as 'El-eye-dee-ha'   :-o I quickly learned how to spell it from the dictionary, by looking up the word ceilidh and dropping the 'c') what a blooming numpty I was! 

http://vinylcountdownshowband.com/

I am EXTRAORDINARILY excited to say that the above band are going to do a live set (get me 'live set' - that reminds me - I must go out and buy one of those useless egit looking headphones that hang off your ear malarkey) and a ceilidh afterwards on the evening.

(Do I occasionally digress do you think?)  Now, what was I saying .........

This band have been ENORMOUSLY GENEROUS to me but I will let them explain how they have been generous on the night, if they want too.

Needless to say I am DEEPLY indebted to them for their extremely kind offer to perform in the way they did and you will be blown away with their performance when you have BOUGHT YOUR TICKET!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L35vTPliwwE&feature=player_embedded

And if I ever get married again (not fe*king likely though!) this is the band that me and Daniel with have at our wedding.  Yes I definitely think Mrs Linda Craig would suit me!

I have spent the last 3 nights making arty farty invites, working on them til 2.20am last night (I am very slow!), tongue stuck out the side of my gob, slaver dripping on the envelopes, its not a pretty sight I can tell you.  In fact it was only when my ample arse went to sleep and my legs failed to support me as I stood up that I thought, 'come on now Mrs Craig err Beecroft, time for your beauty sleep luv!'  And BOY do I need it!

So just to recap - ceilidh, disco, buffet & raffle night (it may take all night me thinks!) is organised for -

FRIDAY 11 MARCH 2011 FAE 7.30PM - 1PM in

Uddingston.

Be there or explain to me why not at a later day!!  ;-)

Training starting tomorrow ............. love Annie!

Well, this is Linda B saying IITWY?

Day 38 - 328 to Go! That's it, I'm on the Road to Mecca! (well Jordan and Petra actually)

Hello Peoples!

You have missed me? Yes???    Honest?

I have been snowed in,

at death's door with a chill due to the temperature dropping to -18oC,

have had to walk for miles in a pair of wellies which had more holes than a colander meaning i had to wear tesco plastic bags INSIDE my wellies to stop my feet from freezing solid. 

Also I have been deeply traumatised by having to travel on the buses to my work rather than the train.  (Where do these people come from???)  To be honest, in the morning most folk seem quite normal (even me) but coming home is like being involved in a re-screening of thriller to be honest!!  With Rab C and Mary Doll and the cast of Shameless taking centre stage!!  :-{

I cant help thinking that the buses should be paying us for the experience.

Anyway what the feck is she waffling for, you may be asking (ha! that's me presuming other folk are reading this).  Wellllllllllllll the reason being is that I haven't actually started the walking part yet, BUT that is only because the snow has been up to my armpits, but all the malarkey has STOPPED - honest!

My next blog will list my activity.  Honest!

I have been busy, organising my first really big fund raiser which I am planning for the start of March '11.  Honest!

It is going to be called 'A Spring Fling'  but I cant tell you anymore just now as it is all a big secret but I hope to tell you more by the end of January and that you will get involved.  Honest!

Things are getting serious now, I have approx 9 months to be fit for the purpose, and I dont want to fail so from now on my head and my heart will be concentrating on training to achieve this event.

Honest!

This is Linda Bee signing off!


T.T.F.N.