Today I hit my first block... but I jump ahead of myself.
Pretty knackered after yesterday, I spent a good while putting all the tea things away. Then realised that this was not the way to forge ahead with the Quest, so nipped down town to thank the lovely people in the Carlton Club. [After helping to set up, my husband had popped in for a pint and mentioned what I was doing. They immediately got together some gifts for the raffle and directed him back again, leaving his beer behind. Don't worry, beer & man were soon reunited.] So although technically they knew about Homeopathy for Health in Africa, they still hadn't heard the fine detail, which I was then able to Tell them.
They were so nice they even encouraged me to use their fabulous hall for an event - which I hope I can!
So the tough stuff? weellll.... Did I mention I wanted to have a Barn Dance? You know how I love to leap about in a vaguely rhythmical manner, whilst laughing uproariously? well that is a Barn Dance to me, and I thought it would be nice to share it around. However (Ooh, heck, this is tricky to admit) it seems that on principal one of the band is averse to homoeopathy, so it is No Go.
Now once I get the bit between my teeth I'm off like a good 'un, and this was like hitting a brick wall (or facing a staircase if you're a dalek). Unexpected, and not welcome. But really in the best dalek fashion, I shall say "oh Bugger" and will just go a different way. (Had been thinking of doing a Concert Party... may resurrect that one)
Anyhow, to end on a good note, my Mum was at the Tea Party yesterday and had an enjoyable time with her buddies (or should that be biddies?) Then this evening she popped round to say how proud she is of me. Very unexpected, but this time very welcome.
Just back from an Afternoon Tea Party for homoeopaths and therapists - the first step on my journey to the Homeopathy for Health in Africa Project. (As a wimp I thought it safer to ask only friends to the first fundraiser.)
As you can see from the frog, I ate a bit too much cake - no-one came through the door unless they brought something edible, or raffleable - Oh, but the cakes were good. The tea was a bit haphazard, but I have loads of odd teapots and lovely assorted bone china cups, saucers & plates so with table cloths and flowers arranged by my son Becan, everything was very attractive.
Needless to say I Told loads of people today. Yes, somehow I had managed to persuade people to come to a fundraiser without knowing exactly what it was for! I think the promise of tea, cake and a good chat are hard to beat.
Hadn't seen Nicki in ages and she reminded me of the time I went to visit her, hell-bent on going for a walk. We set off, but the clouds closed in and we got soaked. Really soaked. So soaked she forced me to take off my sodden trousers and borrow a pair of her pyjama bottoms to go home in. This was very kind and much warmer, but the idea showed its limitations as I rose to go. I am a few sizes smaller than she and the pyjamas didn't have enough to hold on to, so slithered to the floor. So she tied me up with string! (like Compo in Last of the Summer Wine) Getting into the car was OK, it was just outside, but once home I had a 50m Walk of Shame from car to house and of course by then the string had worked loose so was not really doing its job properly. Luckily the neighbours I saw seemed to accept my shuffling, nodding greeting as I stumbled to my door.
Oh, and we raised £300 today. Yippeee!!!
(Need to lie down, just had another of Carole's fantastic biscuits)
(OK, a little bit melodramatic....)
At breakfast this morning I mentioned that I would be going to Zumba with a pal whereupon my son did a little jiggle-dance (jive, he called it) and commented that "that's like pilates but up-beat, isn't it?"
Hmm, well it certainly made me sweat. I went along, as I have an ambitious idea that I can put on a Zumba fundraiser and thought I'd better find out what it is first. (How do I come up with these ideas?) Anyway, it was good fun and I nearly died laughing watching my friend shuffle and skip in front of me. Turns out she couldn't see the teacher properly so was following an 80-year-old who had forgotten her glasses.
I told one of the group about Tanzania, and then the teacher. She is lovely and said she was up for a sponsored event - hooray!
On the way out I waylaid the postlady (almost physically as I hadn't noticed that she had earphones in and thought she might be deaf). Another True Professional i.e. used to mad people on the street, and genuinely interested. I was grateful.
We then went on for a pick-me-up cappucino to restore balance. (Yes I know coffee dehydrates, but whoever heard of chatting over a glass of water?) Anyway, there were two ladies from Zumba in the cafe so I leaned across and told them too. In fact we had quite a jolly chat about Africa, Zumba and all points in between.
As we went to pay I told both the barristas who, being much younger and therefore still having young children at home, sympathised with wanting to do something when the kids fly the nest. One has a friend who had volunteered in Africa and she recounted the effort involved in using the internet - walking then cycling miles to get a signal or something. Clearly a far more physical activity than it is here.
So how many's that? billions! makes up for the three (3!) opportunities I missed yesterday at the market. No I didn't confide that fact before, far too embarrassed.
When I'm not struggling with the Quest, I can sometimes be found helping my son with his Physics. By 'helping' I mean listening as he explains imponderable things to me. Did you know, for example, that if 1g of matter (and that is a teeny, tiny amount) were annihilated, it would produce enough energy to fuel 1 million people for a day? The picture above is a close facsimile to my head exploding as I tried to understand this.
Fortunately most of today was not on that level.
After a very cold & foggy start (crow barred myself out early to get flowers on the market for the fundraising Tea Party) the sun gently lit my drive to see a spiritual friend. She was glad to hear about the planned trip to Tanzania, and reckons this will be a Good Thing for me. (I am still not convinced that such a long time away from Hotel Chocolat is a wise move, but this was not really the time or place to mention it).
On the way back I called in at our local Co-operative, where they sell bulk nuts, seeds and of course lentils. (I still don't know why my friend [5th Feb] associates me with flowing robes, beads & lentils. Sure I like to snack on the odd nut & seed but I'm really not that floaty). I glanced at the chap on the checkout, but decided that a captive audience was too easy (get me!) so braved the inner reaches for someone else to tell. Would you believe it, the lady I spoke to gave me all the information, including tips, on how to apply for sponsorship, and even told me about her own volunteer trip to Uganda.
On the way out I did persecute the fella on the cash desk with my story, who went on to suggest that I bring in some leaflets to leave for customers to read (and hopefully donate).
All this & sunshine too - yay!
Today I wrote an email to Tell a friend who is travelling a lot at the moment. He posts a lot on line and is well-connected (about 2 billion times more mates than me on facebook) so may be able to help encourage people to events.
The second person, our lovely electrician, was spotted going into the newsagent's so I stalked him. I felt just like Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple, leaping behind cars and sidling up to the window to see if he was still in there.
Then I remembered this is not the movies and I am not a twat, so walked straight in and Told him. Would you believe it, he visited Tanzania a few years back and was able to fill me in on all kinds of interesting things.
I also ran the plans for a Clothes Swap party past my hairdresser. She is a whizz at ideas, and did not let me down. But then how could I doubt someone who instigated the "naughty tank" for one of her fish? (not heard of it? it seems if you have a group of jolly fish swimming around and one slightly larger one decides to become a bully, you hoik him out and put him in the naughty tank. It is miserable in there, with no friends, so he is on his best behaviour when he comes back! Fish psychology.
I find, when you have been through challenging times with someone, a kind of bond forms. For example one summer, as a student, I lived and worked in a restaurant in France along with a girlfriend. I can't remember many good things about it, except singing the most vulgar rugby songs we could at the tops of our voices and occasionally escaping with a bottle of wine to some remote area where we couldn't be found. Tsk, Tsk. I was lucky, the owners didn't know the extent of my knowledge of French, so when ordered to do unappealing tasks I often used to just shrug and walk away. (Do not tell my children) Anyhow, the friendship forged through adversity has lasted for decades.
There are similar feelings about working with other mums at the Youth Club in town. After a night of selling sweets (mental maths, aarrgh!) mediation with peace loving neighbours and trying to encourage fun, but not-too-frenetic fun, you really felt an affinity with anyone who had been there too.
And so, when I saw one of these mums walking down the street, I felt it would be right to Tell her about Homeopathy for Health in Africa. She was enthusiastic, but warned of the dangers - this from a woman who has dealt with teenagers; perhaps I should be more worried?
I also called in on our vicar, however she was out so I collared her husband who politely listened to me in his socks, poor fellow.
This morning, being my usual chirpy Monday-morning self I began cursing the being who had used the last of the butter without bothering to get any more out of the fridge. It was your average 3* rant, so I was surprised to see son Becan walking up to me with a conciliatory look on his face, saying "mum, mum" in that gentle way that can be a bit annoying when you're in full flight (who wants to stop?) He then put his arms around me - which shut me up - and took a deep breath, before saying "breeeeeattthh".
For one second I though he meant it...
...then we fell about laughing.
Love to laugh.
Went to see the super letting agents in town to drum up more support for the Quiz (Can count them in, yay!) Whilst there I pinned Mark to the wall, so to speak, and would not let him move until I had Told him. He looked anxious throughout.
Also told Stephen, who was truly wonderful by saying they will make a donation! I was so thrilled I hugged him, just as two people walked into the office. (No worry, I am so not his type).
