Back to reality

So after a lovely week away, we’re home and knee deep in the final preparations for the charity gig on Saturday night. 

Our week away was a great opportunity for hubby and I to chill out and spend quality time together. We seized every moment. The best part was all the unplanned exploring. We covered 716 miles and passed through around 16 counties!! 

Our first night was spent with wonderful friends in Fermanagh..... probably the best ‘free B&B’ I’ve ever stayed in and the best company you could ever ask for! From there we moved on for 3 nights in Galway City and then 2 in Athlone. Whilst these were our bases we (unsuccessfully) tried to outrun the stormy weather by driving to far flung places like the Cliffs of Moher and Cong (where The Quiet Man was filmed). It rained everywhere we went but we didn’t let it stand in the way of enjoying ourselves....... even though we knew the sun was splitting the skies at home! 

As ever I continued my ‘interacting with statues’ challenge set by a friend.......

The drive home was a long one but we broke it up by stopping for lunch with another great mate. Regardless, by the time we got home I was exhausted. 

My mood was soon lifted when hubby brought the post in and I opened a package from Nashville, Tennessee....... legendary guitarist Warner Hodges had sent me a load of goodies for our raffle being held at our charity rock gig night this day week. Don’t forget, you can attend the gig on Saturday 7th September at the Diamond Rock Club, Ahoghill from 16.30. There are 6 fantastic rock bands playing and every penny raised goes to Macmillan Cancer Care.

In order to make our raffle legal, hubby and I are now officially a Society, registered with the local Council....... after 23 years marriage lol. We’ve got some amazing prizes donated by a lot of wonderful companies and friends. Just a week to go and then we can enjoy a brilliant night of music and craic. Can’t wait! 

I’m also collecting for Macmillan for a few hours on my day off on Thursday in my local Marks and Spencer. It’s not much but it makes me feel like I’m doing my wee bit.

Fundraising can be hard work, but it’s so important to charities. Do your bit..... it’ll make you feel good! Oh and you are still very welcome to donate to my fundraising efforts at 

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/triciafest2 

Thanks to everyone who’s already done their bit <3 xxx

All sorted

The raffle debacle is all fixed. It cost hubby and I a few pounds but it was worth it to make it right. We had to scrap the old tickets and order new ones, we registered ourselves as a Society with the local Council and I spent yesterday afternoon putting tickets into envelopes for those who’ve already purchased. For every one bought they’re now getting five as we’re not allowed to sell them for more than £1 each but we’d originally priced them at £5 each. Thankfully nobody has been anything but supportive. 

It was great to get everything sorted out and we’re now getting ready to put a big push on for sale of gig tickets, t-shirts and raffle tickets. Dig deep! Every penny raised goes to Macmillan Cancer Care.

Donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/triciafest2 

On Friday I was at work for a few hours before heading for the Belfast train. It was an exciting yet daunting journey I was going on....... Macmillan had asked me to be filmed as part of a campaign they’re planning to run. I had to read out a thank you letter I’d written to my Macmillan nurse. No bother, I’d thought. I’ve done numerous presentations for my job, including an annual one to over 100 people. I’ve done an internal TEDTalk that was filmed. I’m not generally shy.......... 

I’d given myself loads of time. The plan was to get the train to Botanic where my son was meeting me. We then had 45 minutes to get some lunch and walk the 5 minute route to the studio. Easy. Except that I managed to miss my stop! Doh!! In my defence, the train really doesn’t stop at Botanic for long and, despite being at the doors while it was still stopped, no amount of button pressing was opening those train doors! And so I ended up getting off at City Hospital. 

No bother, I thought..... I’ll just get a taxi back to Botanic. I flagged one down and hopped in the passenger seat. “Ah you’re a superstar!”, I laughed, “I missed my stop. Can you just take me back to Botanic please?” The response wasn’t what I’d expected, “Erm, love, you’re not Gary” Do I look like flippin Gary?? “I’m not licensed to pick up customers on the street....... plus I’m booked. For Gary.” Double doh!! 

“Oops, sorry” Out I got and rang my son to tell him of my dilemma. He guided me down and we met up on the corner of the road where the filming was taking place. There was now no time for lunch so we headed straight to the studio. It worked out better as we were able to take our time over food afterwards.

It was a very hot day. By the time we got to our destination I was roasted and somewhat flustered. After hellos and a quick photo, I was taken into a small, hot studio with bright lights, and shown my ‘mark’. Then I was told to talk to the camera. Gah! This was nothing like presenting to an audience. There can be no ad-libbing or chuckles...... this is a serious letter, to be delivered seriously and exactly, while staring down a camera lense...... nerve wracking and I kept fluffing what I was saying. I suspect I could end up on the cutting room floor. But it was another experience. Another strange experience in a life that has become full of strange experiences! I’d love another go at it now that I know what to expect.....but life doesn’t work like that! Maybe it’ll be used, maybe it won’t, but it’s another thing I’ve done!

It was a big week...... busy at work, fundraising hassles, two train journeys to Belfast, filming....... by Friday night I was exhausted. Heavy, muggy weather didn’t help. Thunder headaches have been punching me in the brain much of the week :(

This morning I woke up to black clouds and heavy showers. I told hubby I wasn’t going to sea swim this week and he kindly brought me a cup of tea in bed. After a while I realised a sea swim was exactly what I needed. Hubby agreed and I texted my wee sea swimming pal who agreed she needed a dip too. 

Best. Decision. Ever!! Yes the tide was high. Yes there were big waves. Yes, it poured with rain. But there’s actually nothing nicer than sea swimming in the rain. Sure you’re soaked anyway! It’s invigorating and I don’t think there are many better ways to feel alive. The waves weren’t breaking so they just lifted us up gently. It was exhilarating and refreshing and just wonderful. The high tide was pushing us all into each other; my friend described us like rubber ducks, thrown into the sea and all bobbing about in a big group! We laughed, we shouted out, we cheered each other on..... a group of around 60 or 70 people, largely strangers, enjoying sharing a wonderful experience together. No airs or graces. We were all in it together. Glorious. 

Now I’m home, looking forward to 2 weeks off work. There’s a Foo Fighters gig, a physio appointment,  an oncology appointment....... and then a week away with hubby. Nothing but very loose plans, nice hotels and an Irish adventure ahead :) 

Living with xxx

Surmountable problems

You know when everything is going swimmingly and then something happens to give you a right old kick?? Following my visit to the Causeway Hospital and all the plans for The Riverbank Room, I was on a high. This year’s fundraising gig is coming up on Saturday 7th September and plans were already well underway. Motivated by seeing outcomes from last year’s fundraising, we went at final plans full tilt......

 I ordered 300 customised raffle tickets which we decided to sell for £5 a ticket because the prizes are so good. I sought permission at work to circulate an email about the gig, raffle tickets etc. Permission granted. Email sent. Orders started to come in and it was all looking great. The tickets arrived and looked fab. Well worth the money spent.

Roll forward a few days........ my phone at work rings. A staff member introduces himself and tells me we can’t sell raffle tickets for £5. In fact, we can’t sell raffle tickets outside the gig without registering as a ‘Society’ with our local Council........ Cue panic. And, I’ll admit, a few tears. How could I not have known? It hadn’t even crossed our minds......

The Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. Goddamn you! I understand the reasons why such legislation exists but it felt horribly disheartening and needlessly complicated when I was first hit with it. Not to mention embarrassing. Further compounded by the fact that the humiliation and frustration of realising I’d made something of a hash, made me shed a few tears. 

The voice on the phone was perfectly polite and reasonable and said he’d meet to help me go through it all. He tried to reassure me but I was devastated. I was already tired due to a busy day at work and this seemed like one thump too many. In my distress I reached out to someone in authority and asked her to sit in on the meeting, which she kindly agreed to do. 

I came home from work that day exhausted. A situation not helped by inclement weather...... as I’ve mentioned before, I’m prone to ‘thunder headaches’ brought on by thunder and lightning storms that can make it hard for me to think straight. I haven’t had one in ages so to get one when I was already having a fairly crap day was really tough going. 

The next day didn’t see much improvement in my physical or mental state..... I’d hardly slept, my head was bouncing and I was stressed to the hilt. Thankfully Friday was my scheduled day off work, as was Monday this week, so I had a 4 day weekend to try and calm things down. And hope for an improvement in the weather.

Over the long weekend hubby and I worked to fix me physically and mentally, as well as fix the potential raffle disaster...... I researched the relevant legislation, I filled in the forms to put in to the Council. After 23 years of marriage, we prepared ourselves to become a Society!! We drafted new raffle tickets and got a price for printing them. We took a few walks in the fresh air and I got early nights and worked on relaxation. 

On Sunday my darling son and his girlfriend came to stay for a few nights and that helped further take my mind away from the raffle debacle. Gradually I put things into perspective. I realised it could be easily fixed. Yes, it’s a bit embarrassing, but in reality everyone who’d already paid for tickets was now going to get five entries for every one ticket they’d been willing to pay for. Considering the prizes include two tickets to an Ulster rugby match and two tickets to see Rod Stewart in concert, I’d say that’s a total bargain! I felt confident people would understand and actually probably be happy. I was proved right when I started the unenviable task of telling people what was going on, whilst reassuring them every penny goes to Macmillan and the only really change for them is that they get more chances to win.

For us the outcome is a little different...... we’ve paid for raffle tickets that will have to be destroyed, we’ve paid to register ourselves as a Society and we’ve paid to get more raffle tickets printed (and we obviously need a lot more than previously ordered because they’re now only £1 a go rather than £5, so people are buying more). So it’s cost us a few pounds but do you know what? It doesn’t matter. It’s fixed, the stress is removed, all’s well that ends well. We are unlikely to raise as much this year due to not having another sister to marry off and be wonderful enough to ask for donations in lieu of wedding gifts! But whatever we raise will help local cancer patients and their families, and that’s enough for me. 

To quote Charles Dickens, sometimes “the law is an ass...”.  

Or, to be less pretentious; to quote The Clash and Judas Priest and every other band that’s ever covered it “I fought the law [kind of] and the law [rightly] won!!”

“Which is the way he wants it. Well, he gets it.” Cool Hand Luke (and Guns n Roses Civil War!) I mightn’t like it any more than you do, but the rules (whilst they might be annoying for the honest) are there for a reason.

*walks away whistling like Axl* (if you get it then you get it lol) 

Bring on the fundraising!! Xx

The good times continue

Yes, yes, I know we do far too much, but sometimes it’s worth it! Last weekend we had a great night in Belfast watching Rival Sons at the Limelight.......

What

A

Gig!!

Very quirky frontman, wearing garish trousers that were far too tight....... a bit like a cross between Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen mashed up with  Jim Morrison! But it worked lol. They rocked the house and the frontman was almost hypnotic!

This weekend we had another gig on Saturday night. We went for a post work sea swim on Friday evening and then headed to Dungannon on Saturday for this week’s live music fix. An all day charity event featuring some brilliant bands. The venue was incredible and we had a great time! There was much singing and dancing....... even hubby had his happy feet on, thanks to beer, Trucker Diablo, the Pat McManus Band, Blackwater Conspiracy, an excellent Queen tribute band and the Quireboys..... He was busting the moves!

We had the company of the best friends and even got a wee trip backstage afterwards. Great company, great bands, great friends...... who could ask for more??

Even our B&B was perfect. Overlooking a Lough, the views were fantastic and it was quiet and peaceful. The owners were lovely and their surname made me seriously wonder about the serendipity that seems to continue to weave its way through my new life....... 

Mr and Mrs Badger?? Seriously!! Our own little Wind in the Willows break. <3