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Monday, 29 November 2010

A busy week...complete

We've been busy getting ready for a huge weekend of fundraising and fun.  Liz has been collecting wine bottles from pubs, clubs, neighbours...even stealing them from recycling bins. 

Samuel, Sam & Jessica have been helping prepare our table poster for this Friday's Christmas street fair, and we've been finishing our preparations for the quiz night on Saturday.....phew...breath!!

In between times, I've been on a couple of great walks around Farnborough.  It's freezing cold...minus 5 degrees on Sunday afternoon, but a completely beautiful day.

We've got the loan of the Autism Concern publicity stand for the weekend, so we'll be easy to spot at the Christmas Fair....We'll be delighted to sell you a bottle for just £1.00 each....(trouble is....will it be wine?  Or just water?)  




www.justgiving.com/graham-kennedy1

Lipsmackin'thirstquenchin'acetastin'motivatin'goodbuzzin

Wow, its been a great week....

I've managed to get to the gym, been interviewed by the Daventry Express, had a photographer around to take some publicity pictures, and persuaded Thirstys of Northampton, the UK's premium manufacturer of Beer Mats to produce 500 for me free of charge.

Coming to a bar near you :-)

Monday, 22 November 2010

Back in the race...

 Ok, so not a race exactly, but I have been very lazy over the last 2 weeks.... we've had a few relaxed walks with the dogs, the kids...even followed the noise of a hunt pack the other week, without actually seeing them.  However, climbing Kilimanjaro will be slightly tougher than a stroll through the countryside, picking corn on the cob, and chasing the kids.

We did have a laugh when Murphy fell of a bridge into the stream.  

Anyway, after 2 weeks off, I decided that this weekend I needed to get active.........and then it went a bit Pete Tong!!  (Ok - translation at this point, for anyone from Russia, Turkey, Korea or of course the Netherlands...Pete Tong = Wrong!!)

2.5 hours up the road towards Shropshire was cut short by traffic problems on the way, so I end up instead in Cannock (That's #1).  I decided to go for a walk round the Chase.  Three hours was enough, I have to say, with apologies to anyone from Cannock....it was as dull as ditch-water, and I've seen loads of that recently !!  (That's #2)  If you ever fancy a scenic walk with loads features, plenty of variety and stiff enough to give you a feeling like you've exercised?  Then stay away from here!  I wouldn't describe it as totally boring, but only because it's not that nice.

Anyway, these things happen in 3's yes?  And so it happened...Charlie, despite the nature of the walk, had managed to dig himself into a few holes, jump into a few pools and cover himself in muck...so he was going in the back on the way home...relegated from his relative comfort on the way there.

The estate was full, so while I moved the contents to the back seat to make room for Charlie, I placed my camera onto the roof of the car and......yep...you can guess the rest!!  (That's #3)   Fortunately, this means I have no pictures of Cannock Chase to share with you!!

I've never been particularly superstitious, but maybe I should have exercised more in the last two weeks?  The payback was a bit rough mind....I mean,  why guide me towards Cannock for a walk??
Suitably punished for my lack of effort in the last two weeks, tonight I went back to the gym.  I may brave the wrath of Mr Wii in the morning....I'm sure he won't be too tough on me.

There has been a couple of positive things to report in the last couple of weeks....my friends at Catalyst Logistics became the first sponsor of my Kilimanjaro coat, adding £201 to my fund.   Thanks to Jeremy Batchelor & his colleagues for the huge donation.  

And, the Northampton Saints, who have already come up trumps with their enthusiasm and assistance publicising my challenge in their match program donated 2 match tickets, which were purchased for another £50 in the pot.  £2370 raised....4 months to go.  Bring it on!!

www.justgiving.com/graham-kennedy1

Monday, 1 November 2010

Birthday home truths....

I'm 44 tomorrow...Sam told me this morning "you're fat, and you're old, and we need to throw you in the tip.""  Goodness knows what he thought in August...I may have been 3 months younger, but I was also 20lbs heavier. 

Still, it doesn't do any harm to have a little motivation from time to time...I think I'll give Sam a wide berth when choosing a personal trainer though!!  The trouble with living with an autistic child is that he finds it very difficult to lie.  He's not for the faint hearted...and you are advised never to ask if your bum looks big in this!!

Slightly more of a motivation is that my fundraising profile has taken a bit of a boost in the last week.  Firstly, Snix magazine, (Special Needs Index for Northamptonshire) printed a full page poster advert, and then the Parcelforce News printed a lovely article highlighting my challenge.  Between them, possibly an audience of 000's so all I need to do now is work out how to capitalise on the publicity.

We also have a feature in the November WOW (Whats on in Woodford)...Liz is organising a quiz night on December 4th to help with the fundraising.  I think it's likely that I'll end up with the job of hostess with the mostest....or maybe just 100 questions or so.   We're collecting plenty of prizes for a raffle on the night, as well as some decent prizes for the winners.  It should be a fun night. 

The training is picking up too, I've been doing a bit more running, and a bit less cycling, as I prepare for my 10k race (haha...did I say race??)  on the 21st of November.  In the mean time, I have loads to do...I've an appointment next week with Jeremy Batchelor at Catalyst Logistics to collect a nice cheque for £201 towards my target.

This whole challenge is a bit of a logistics nightmare...pack everything you need for 7 nights in a tent in temperatures ranging from +30 to -24 degrees, kicking off in tropical rainforest,  through lifeless dry tundra, and up onto a frozen icecap with no oxygen....oh...and make sure you can fit it all into just two bags, weighing less than 25kgs between them.  (remember you have to carry one of them 63kms up 19,340ft).

So, who better to be the first sponsor of my coat for the challenge than a specialist in Logistics planning & design?  I'm delighted to have them supporting me, and it's given me a great idea for the remaining space on the coat :-)....

Onwards & upwards.....(I think thats what it's likely to be all about).