40 Things List

Lounge Play List:

Sara Sant'ambrogio - Dreaming Album
(cellist)

As you know..lol..I recently turned 40. I was very lucky to have a very splendid celebration with close friends and family. Turning the big 4 0 was a lot easier than it seemed it would be. Thankfully...lol

I had been witness to others making lists for their landmark birthdays and always thought it looked like fun. A friend of ours made a list of 40 things to do in that year and one of them was eating the A-Z in cakes..I made of few of them for her. lol. Cake addict doesn't begin to describe her really. When My Love turned 40 the list was very simple..40 Gigs! And it was achieved quite successfully and every second was enjoyed. The smile on the face every time My Love came home from a festival or gig was priceless.

I toyed with many ideas for my list. 40 waterfalls were suggested quite a lot as many people around me know how disappointed I was last year to be too unwell to visit Askrigg Falls in Yorkshire Dales..it was a planned outing with our gang of pals. But the logistics of visiting 40 waterfalls in one year would have been costly and time consuming. So I decided to keep it simple with a simple list of simple 40 things to do over the year. Note I have repeated simple a few times in that sentence...lol..because simple..it was not! lol.

I started well and added a couple of fun things...then it quickly turned to a very worthy list of things which almost read like a New Years Resolution list. Very disappointing.  The night before my birthday I had six spaces left to fill and wanted them to be fun things and the stress was incredible. I truly felt I was letting myself down if I didn't finish this list by the stroke of midnight. I finished it..at 11.57...having given up and added a couple more worthy things. But I had a workable list...

So instead of printing the whole list out on here I shall just post a blog about the 'things' as I achieve them. And I'm not off to a bad start if I'm honest.

See Nickelback Live  - TICK!

I found a love for Nickelback 18 months ago and now have every album they have released. I have my favourite albums...Dark Horse can always put me in a very good place. And to see them live was something that I have wanted to do since finding the love. My Love surprised me with tickets to see them when they tour England in October! The 'I got tickets baby' moment as it's now known here. lol If I had been well enough to jump up and down and scream I probably would have done..lol.

My lovely tickets for the Nickelback Here & Now Tour...Wehoo!

My Love was so excited to have got these tickets for me and practically exploded with relief when I finally knew about them..lol...

Find a Pen Pal - TICK!

As a child I always had pen pals and loved sending and receiving the letters and photographs. I enjoyed hearing about another life in the world and the experiences. And as an adult it's a shame that we lose the simple pleasures in life...like receiving a letter or card in the post instead of bills and statements. However as I am not the most patient of people awaiting letters to arrive now would be hard on my nerves..lol. Joking..I am not that bad really..Ahem..I'm not! Uff...anyway I accept these days with the speedy emails that old fashioned pen palship is almost redundant.

I added this 'thing' fairly early on in the list writing. And thought it would be one of the last to be ticked..if at all. And what do you know..it ended up being the first to be ticked off. lol. I now have a lovely pen pal who lives in Brisbane Australia and the life experiences we have in common have been good freaky..lol. But I am very happy with my new pal and look forward to years of correspondence.

I think we should all have pen pals..

Buy a 40th Tea Set  - TICK!

Oh now come on...lol..could you ever imagine a list that I make without tea cups and saucers being part of it??? Huh? lol. No! Exactly...lol.

I have been searching for a very simple but elegant tea set for some time now. I was always hopeful for a plain white and silver set. Last year we found a set called Platinum at a chain store. It was pleasing to look at as the cups and saucers were a lovely Art Deco shape but the finish on the dinner service wasn't that high a standard. To be honest I felt like once through a washing up cycle with My Love and the silver would all be chipped off. (I have lost many casualties to My Love's washing up regime..lol) It was £25 for a four serving dinner serving. Yikes...I know that's not pricey compared to Department Store and designer prices but it was steep for us. So we..I let that set go and continued on my hunt.

Now I have tried every charity shop in the city and surrounding towns for months. Every.Single.One! The day before my birthday we were over in the city picking up last minute party things and we did one last trek around the charity shops on the part of the city we love..and would live in if we had the chance...but nope..it was all garish nasty tea sets that I wouldn't even use as target practice should I be the type of person that owns a gun. Shocking examples. We were driving home and we drove past a small outlet centre and remembered there was a Dr.Barnardos charity shop in the corner..so we pulled up and went inside.

Laid out on a dining table that was for sale was the most beautiful white and silver tea set. I knew it was the one I had been looking for and My Love and I quickly pulled all the servings to one end of the table as someone else was eyeing it. My Love checked it over..perfect condition!

The elegant white and silver tea set..picture quality is my fault but you can see it's beauty no less..lol

The silver trim was off a high standard and the only thing that stood between me and my perfect tea set was the price....It was a six place tea service..so cup and saucers and tea plates which was exactly what I wanted and not a dinner service.

What doesn't show on the design is between the silver trims is a faint lace design..pure and simple

And it was £6.50 for the lot. Fantastic!! So it was purchased by My Love as part of my birthday gifts..how lucky am I? And I felt very good that the money paid was going to a charity that I have a lot of respect for.

OK one last gratuitous shot..lol. The markers mark and sneaky shot of another cup..lol.
My name is Red and I am an addict!! But you knew this right?? lol

Buy a photography book and learn how to take better food photographs - TICK!

I hadn't even realised I had completed this 'thing' until sitting down to write this posting. But if you read yesterdays posting you will know that I have achieved the buying of the book. I have been coveting Plate to Pixel by Helene Dujardin for a while now and spending some birthday vouchers I was lucky to receive, I purchased it and it arrived yesterday.

I'm a frustrated photographer and can't wait to get started on the reading of this book and when I'm up and about I intend on spending much time practising. Can not wait!

So there it is..four ticks on my list already in the first week..not bad going, eh? It was nearly five as we were going to venture to see Askrigg Falls this last Thursday as My Love's folks were staying up there on holiday but lurgy stopped play. But it's on the list (Visit waterfalls..)...as are 35 other 'things' that I look forward to exploring and sharing with you...

Thanks for stopping by..and I hope your Sunday is a good one?

~R~