NaBloPoMo: November 27 – the pre-30 bucket list

So it’s about seven months since I wrote my list. There’s a heap of changes and also some to cross off as completed.

1. One thing that scares me

I did this. It scared the pants off me! It’s well known in my circle of friends and family that Chris loves roller coasters. I can’t put my finger on it but I don’t like them. I don’t understand why but I just don’t like them. I went on Nemesis when I was 16 and was fine but what’s changed now that I’m 27? Because I can’t put my finger on what I don’t like about them I decided this was my thing that scared me, so while we were on holiday I went on the Grand National roller coaster at The Blackpool Pleasure Beach. That was definitely more of a day for the boys so I’m glad that I went armed with my iPad to be able to read while they were on the rides that I didn’t want to go on. I told the boys that really one of them needed to sit with me and hold my hand. I think they thought I was joking because they both sat in the carriage in front of me.

At one point Ryan turned round, looked at me (tear streaming down my face and I’m screaming out of fear rather than usual roller coaster screaming) he turns to Chris and shouts at him that I’m not okay. Chris then briefly looks over his shoulder and realises that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea me going on it. Well we got off the ride and I found the nearest free bench, carried on crying then pulled myself together. If anyone has any idea why it makes me feel like this please explain. The idea of going on the vomit comet really excites me but roller coasters terrify me! It’s probably a good job that I pulled out of the annual Alton Towers trip.

Having said this all we went on the ride at the end of the Blackpool Dungeon tour, it’s one of these rides where you get pulled up and then dropped. The idea being it goes with the story, there’s a video clip that plays up on the screen then the guy on the video says something about commending spirits into God’s hands and then the ride drops. Well this was okay – I could tell by the pause in the clip what was happening and what was going to happen next. The funniest thing was that Chris left his jumper behind by mistake and one of the actors put it on and came out into the shop pretending to be a model!

2. One thing that I’ve always wanted to do

Dance at the Tower Ballroom. Okay so it was never going to be doing proper ballroom or something like that but it kind of happened by accident. During the Summer there are children’s/family parties in Ballroom during the evening. Chris thought it might be an idea for us to go to one and see of it was any good. As part of it they had a kids dance competition. On this particular occasion they were doing the Cha Cha Slide and had got the parents to go up onto the dance floor area. Well Our Sidekick was dying of embarrassment but Chris came up with me. Okay so it was the Cha Cha Slide but it still counts right – I can still say that I danced at The Tower Ballroom, can’t I?

3. Get a new job……or vocation

At the end of May, I landed a temp job working at a company who have an office based just round the corner from me. There have been some rough patches along the way but I am really enjoying it and really like the people. My manager is a lovely guy and I am blessed to have a group of 3 friends who I’d call my Work Best Friends, I know when they ask me in the morning how I am it’s not out of some kind of politeness but actually because they want to know how I am doing. I also get to work on spreadsheets nearly all the day which is completely up my street and has meant that I’ve been helping lots of my colleagues when they have questions or need help.

4. Get BMI to “normal” bracket

At present this is still a work in progress. I’m back in the overweight category rather than obese which is really good. I’ve lost almost a stone and a half since starting Slimming World at the beginning of August. Lorraine who runs the Castle Road group here in Bedford is so lovely and friendly. She’s really approachable so if you do have questions or you just need someone to help you along the way she’s lovely and caring. If you know you’re going to have a rough week she’ll make a little mental note and try to remember to give you a call or just a text in the week to see if you’re okay. I still have something like a stone and a half-ish to go to my goal and I’m not sure the path is exactly going to be smooth but Chris is on my side, Our Sidekick has been such a gem and will often walk with me to the supermarket rather than jump in the car (it’s a little harder now it’s dark in the evenings but we’re still working on it!).