What's this all about?

A new adventure beckons, and this is once again about my personal journey to make it happen.

It might make you laugh; it might make you cry, but by 'eck lads and lasses, it will be worth a quick skeg every now and then, tha's for sure.

Friday 30 March 2012

No photos, just emotions

It's Friday and my last day in the offices of the Co-operative Banking Group before I leave for my polar adventure.

Since Monday evening, my mind has increasingly filled with thoughts, nerves and emotions about the imminent departure (not helped by my polar colleague Douglas throwing a curve-ball into the whole adventure on Wednesday evening - you little tinker). And today things have reached the point where the nerves are tangible, the butterflies seemingly roused in the pit of my stomach and my appetite is dimmed.

It's not the idea of doing the challenge that's driving me to mild distraction, it's the anticipation and the desire to 'just get on with it'.

Moving hugs from Dora yesterday, handshakes from Craig, Jon and others yesterday as well as lots of good wishes today, complemented with "Be careful", "Stay safe", "I'll be thinking about you every day" and "Hopefully see you when you're back" (usually followed by a weak smile or some quip about ".... unless the polar bears get you" just add to the tension in my gut.

All well intentioned but I'll be glad when today is over; Lucia and I can talk about everything OTHER THAN the trek over the weekend and then it's goodbye for over two weeks, as I head to Leeds to buy the last two pieces of equipment I think I need, to see my youngest daughter, my 'most worried friend' Pam, and then packing commences.

The organisers have evidently sent one final package with an extra holdall, some new gloves and a 'wee' bottle for the tent (they already said we had to buy two 'wee' bottles so exactly how much fluid I'm going to 'pass' during curfew hours I really don't know. Might as well get a bloody catheter at this rate!!).

Writing about my tension helps (just come to that conclusion) so I'll drink a 'skinny gingerbread latte, extra hot, no whip, no nutmeg' Starbucks before getting my hair cut and the day will be all but over, workwise.

And so I conclude this penultimate blog entry with the following words (Dora, Alison and Jon ... you might want to get the Handy Andy's out again now): -

- Thanks to all who have read my blog entries thus far. Knowing you are out there, interested, has spurred me on

- Thank you to those who have donated (as well as in anticipation of those who still have to pay for getting their logo #ontheflag), and I salute those of you who might somehow be inspired by my madness to find out for yourselves just how far you can push your minds and bodies in support of those less able.

- I acknowledge the astonishing bravery of Dr Jon Hastie and James Golding (and countless others I have never ever met) and hope I can display a fraction of what you possess; I salute the memories of Nick Pratt and Oliver Shaw, admire the sheer guts and determination of my arc-angel Mandy Barwick and the brutally honest Ellie Jeffery in their fight with breast cancer, and thank my most amazing of supporters and enablers; Rushfirth Creative, the Yorkshire Mafia, my girls and my partner Lucia. I thank you all for everything you have given me psycholgically, emotionally and spiritually for, without you, there would be no polar adventure.

- I thank my Dad for helping me through those dark training days when, if not for remembering your grit and determination to overcome the odds, I might not have made it this far ... even though you haven't been here to see or hear of my exploits. And I thank my Mum because if my Dad was the kite, my Mum is the ribbon keeping the kite safe whilst still letting it soar.

5 comments:

  1. Just beautiful - well said.
    M

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  2. Lovely words.

    Also love it that you got a hair cut. Will come in mighty useful!
    I know, it's a bloke thing! All best wishes if we don't speak before you go. T

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  3. Looking forward to the beer and stories on your return :-)

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  4. Looking forward to the beer and stories on your return :-)

    All the best from ME Consultancy & SMileS SMS

    ReplyDelete