... because life's too short to do anything ALL the time . Creativity and positivity are my "hiraeth"

Sunday 27 May 2012

I Can't Help It - I'm a "Joiner"

Three days graft in the garden have lift me with hands like a stevedore, but a lovely view for blog writing on a Sunday morning, surrounded by dogs and coffee.

And I'm on my second blog post already.

I've been really honoured to be asked to guest write my friend Terry (see fancy dress photos "fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" stylee and author of "Building an Empire")'s blog while he's away working on a very important mission.



I'm so jealous of their being able to get so hands on with this project, but very pleased to be a tiny part of it. I'll do my best to do it justice.


It really does warm my heart that so many people have donated to this fund, and the boys themselves are using their own money, but more importantly their time and energy - the two things money can't buy . My friends know that I am a "joiner". I love to get involved, to be part of something,  to lend a hand, and I love it when I see evidence of other people doing so. I'd love to win the lottery, not so I can retire and never lift a finger but so that I can put money behind all the things my friends family and others are doing. Zeitgeist baby.

Terry, for example, as we know, is part of the 501st Legion. A group of guys (I think predominantly guys) that are Star Wars fanatics and modelling fanatics. They've collectively raised thousands of pounds for charities and thousands of smiles from adults and children buy "trooping". I can't imagine this to be cheap or comfortable and also pretty damn dangerous to the costumes they've painstakingly made.

This not being enough Zeitgeist-ing (I'm aware that's not even a word!) Terry's raising money to build himself a full size fully operational C-3PO costume to add to the fundraising efforts. Wearing it I can only imagine will be agony and a bit like being trapped in a moveable plastic coffin.

My Brother in Law, Mark, is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in September, despite his collapsed lung, for Cancer Research Uk, having lost his wife to "the satanic c word" last year and our larger than life Stepfather (in law to me) within 6 weeks of each other.

Jess, aside from working a ridiculous amount of hours for Save the Children each week, has been massively involved in the fundraising efforts to save her local parish church. They needed to raise £80,000 to keep the beautiful and historic building going. It was for this purpose I did my little tiny bit by collecting and delivering the mannequins for the wedding dress exhibition in the church - I'm going to take photos later on today which I look forward to sharing tomorrow. From 7am yesterday, Jess was busting a gut putting the village fete together and co-ordinating the fundraising efforts. She has put in SO much effort it's ridiculous, and wonderful.

Jenny very recently did the London Moon Walk. That's an incredible feat of mental and physical endurance and I'm so proud of her for doing it. It's unbelievable.

And all this is just off the top of my head. It's amazing what people do on a regular basis and I love it.

As you know, my family have our fair share of "troubles". Mr Red is wheelchair bound by a dreadful un-diagnosable wheelchair condition that give him no end of pain and difficulties, but we are so very lucky and very, very blessed. We are together, we love each other dearly and we together can get through anything. Some people find it difficult to believe that the three of us can be so happy together in such difficult circumstances, but we just are. So there.

I've got a massive project I'm working on currently, I'll be able to share more soon but it's a secret, and I've been overwhelmed by the help and offers of help I have received with it. You know who you all are. Following my DIY few days I have a mountain of laundry, washing up, cleaning and ordinary stuff to be getting on with, and do you know what? I love it.

I LOVE being alive. The world is such a wonderful place, every tiny thing just fills me with wonder and gratitude. I'm not getting all god-bothery or anything, but look around you. Look at the people that love you, the technology we have around us, the weather - sunny or not. I have so much to do and so much I want to do that I wish I didn't have to sleep, despite it being my favourite thing in the world. There are so many books to read and write, so many films to see, people to meet, conversations to have. I could fill each day ten times over and I do try to!

We're all very lucky, I just wish everyone could see it.

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