Boxing day swim 2008

It was freezing!!! The temperature was much lower today, and nasty biting easterly wind got up! Plus it was high tide and a bit rough! But we braved the elements, and went in. We all had to stand behind a red tape, and count down from 30seconds before 11am. It was a fabulous atmosphere! We just ran in, and the waves broke over us, and then we ran out again! it was all over so quickly I didn't have time to feel cold. Some kind person near us had bottles of hot water which he tipped over Lucy and my brother. You should have heard the squeals of delight! We all had a hot coffee and wrapped ourselves in towels and dressing gowns afterwards. it was great! Thank you so much for sposoring me, between myself, Lucy and my brother and his girls we think we have raised about £400!! Fantastic!

This is the sea that we went into!
Nicholas, Mum, Lucy and myself just arriving, BRRR!
We had t shirts printed with dad's name
Thant's me with the santa hat!


Countdown!
off we go! That's me with the santa hat in the middle
Just come out, you can see that I ma wet up to my middle!
Lucy enjoying a hot water shower!
Lucy, me, my brother and his 2 girls

Boxing day swim

OMG I must be mad! I am doing the Boxing day swim again this year. I did it 2 years ago, and thought I would never do it again, but I have volunteered this year in memory of my Dad! The annual boxing day swim is a fabulous fun event that takes place at Splash Point in Worthing, come rain, shine, wind, frost etc! It is in aid of the CT scanner appeal for Worthing Hospital. My Dad had fabulous treatment there throughout his 11 years of cancer. So this is a small way of saying THANK YOU to the hospital.

To sponsor me please visit:

http://www.justgiving.com/lindapierce

THANKYOU!!!!

December diary days 2 - 4

OOpps! Having said I will do a December diary I have forgotten to do days 2 -4! But I have doen 2 and 3 in my real life book. I'll take some photos tomorrow and upload them.

Day 2 was Tuesday, and I took Mum shopping to brighton. Managed to buy some seriously BIG pressies (Shhhhh secret!) so I am dead chuffed! Mum bought part of my present - a rotary cutter. Just need a ruler and a cutting mat now.

Day 3 was Wednesday, and I spent a while finishing off the prep of my December diary as per Ali Edwards. http://aliedwards.typepad.com/ The idea is to have the pages made so you just have to add photos and journaling each day. I then spent the evening wrapping advent presensts for the kids. I have taken part in the UKScrappers advent swap this year and decided to include the kids! So they each have a present to open each day up until 24th. It's instead of buying lots of little presents at Christmas. Kind of spreads it out! Me and Lucy have loved opening presents together each day! I posted days 1 - 12 to Nicholas so he can open them at university. I still need to buy a couple more - must try and do that early next week. Also want to get cards sent soon.

Day 4 is Thursday - today. I have been rushing around a bit today so not done very much towards Christmas except sew angels at my quilting group this morning. My idea is to give friends an angel this year to hang on their trees!

December diary - day 1

It's Christmas Journal time again! This year I am going to do a combination of Shimelle's class and Ali Edwards December diary. I need to make my book today, so I can just write, stick in photos and embellies!

Here's my 'don't forget' page from last year. I haqve been ppretty good. I admit I am not particularly organised with presents, but have made a start. I don't need to think too hard about food this year cos I'm not cooking Christmas dinner! (yipee!) I WILL sort out the decorations and throw out those we don't use anymore. I have made plenty of simple cards, and am pleased with them, but have had to supplement with bought ones. I must buy a new Christmas CD though!



Here's the manifesto from Shimelle's class.

Starting today, December first, I will keep a Christmas journal. In it, I will write
something every day to reflect on the holidays of my past, enjoy the holidays of
the present and dream about the holidays of the future. To some, this would be a
stack of papers and trivial scribbles, but not to me. I am taking back my Christmas, I am letting it be something I relish and most importantly I am giving at least fifteen minutes to myself, every day, no matter how crazy this season becomes. This Christmas I will make something with my own hands, my own words and my own memories.

My first entry is going to be what I have already done in preparation for Christmas. Actually it's quite a bit!

Made over 40 cards

bought Michelle and Izzy's presents

bought wrapping paper (cheap from Asda and expensive from M&S)

organised delivery date for Christmas tree (nice man from the pet shop called to book a date!)

organised what Mum will do on Christmas day

advent swap on Ukscrappers (what fun!)

started to buy and wrapped presents fro Nicholas and Lucy for the month of December (needs completing!)

ordered presnts for Maurice

ordered BG wassail papers! (for my Dec diary)

taken and ordered photos for Brighton and Hove crop to do Christmas LOs

made 2 Christmas cakes

Thanksgiving last day

This is my last post on this topic! Yesterday I was thankful for Lucy and her boyfriend Tom, who together cooked us the most yummiest roast dinner! We had Mum over so I cleared the dining room and we ate at the proper dining room table. It was really lovely!



I have so enjoyed doing this thread! Thank you for reading it! It has made me feel much more positive and happy, and I hope it has done the same to all of you even though some of you are going through very tough times. In fact, I was watching The One Show last week, and they were doing a little article about stress, and got this rather depressed, pessimistic man to complete a 'happiness diary'. He had to think of 3 good things each day and write them down. He had terrible trouble at first, but got better at it over the month and found his outlook on life really changed!!! I think I might do that in january, which can be a rather depressing month.