101 things in 1001 days

Its all done now on the last available day too.
no time to update blog as too too busy completing the last ten challenges. Phew but all done was a bit worried wouldn't go for the real tattoo but that was done yesterday I suprised myself with that one.
Time for a rest now and time to fill in all the missing entries on the blog before turning into an ebook.
Its been great fun for me and I hope all the people that joined in with me and helped me on my way.

Have a Real Tattoo

Thought I would go and have a real tattoo if I thought I was any way near getting to my 101 things so was duly booked by Rosie for Sunday my 100th thing.  Rosie took the precaution of booking herself in after me so she could take my slot if I bottled out.
I decided to have a violet flower as my Mum is Emily Violet and Catrina is Catrina Violet and apparently we used to have a Great Aunt Violet.
I was booked for mid day so took pre-emptive pain relieving medication and took my rescue remedy with me as well as a drink and a bar of chocolate.
Ali the tattoo artist was very nice and showed me a design to start off with I was a bit worried about it having a stalk and a leaf and all as in more things to be tattooed and was a bit worried would end up with just a little dot.
we changed the design to just the petals and had it down sized a good few times until I felt it was going to be way too woosy to shrink it down any more.
We then discussed where would be the best place to have it that would be the least painful.and it seems it varied from one person to the other so I went for the place with the most skin available lol. sooo its just in front of and above my hip.
Rosie stayed to talk to me and Ali got to work it was bearable but better with a bit of chat.
I asked Ali to tell me the oldest person she had ever tattooed and it was a lovely lady of 77 who has quite a few and she is awesome.
Had to stop a few times and weirdly when Geri came into to look I couldn't cope and found it more painful or I am just a little bit mad.
Talking for distraction definitely worked so I asked Ali where was the weirdest place she had even tattooed someone. She said a very smartly dressed Indian lady came once and wanted a rather intimate tattoo of her husbands name which luckily was quite a short one.  She did have to spend quite some time with her head up this ladies skirt which must have been amusing for the other customers.  She did say you couldn't pay her enough to tattoo a man's ***** so guessing she has never done that.
I thought having it coloured in was worse than the actual black outline but it was soon over and now- its done.
Its healing up and am glad I had it done, its very pretty and has lots of shading and is very well done. Thank you Ali.
Not sure if I will have another done but was looking at tattoos for the feet today so... never say never

Go To a 3D Film

On Saturday we went to the Science Museum in Kensington to go and see the Hubble Telescope film at the Imaxx cinema in 3D.
This is my first ever 3D film apart from long ago when I was a child and we had to wear cardboard framed glasses one red lens and one green.
We were well looked after paying a reduced rate for me and nothing for DH as carer and also were able to go into the lift instead of up 6 flights of stairs.
No food or drink allowed in this cinema which is marvellous no rustling of popcorn or slurping.
The introduction told us the screen was the size of 3 double deckers one on top of each other and lots more info about the sound system which I forget.
A pity still had adverts -not in 3D- but still annoying apart from the one for another 3D film about orangotangs and baby elephants. It was amazing I wanted to put my hand out and touch the baby orangotang that appeared to be right in front of my face.  I am glad I didn't go to see anything scary am bad enough at a normal film.
The film started and it was really very good about various space missions to fix and update the telescope.  I think I could have helped one astronaut put his boots on in front of me.
There were then so many fantastic images of the stars and galaxies all around us as well as images of the earth. I know its a clique but it really does make you feel very small and there really must be other people out there. How can we be alone in all this.
After the film we had a short look at a few iconic exhibits in the Museum- Stephenson's Rocket and a model TFord in black of course before going to a pub that we used to go to years ago when we were young and carefree.  The Churchill in Church Street. Our friend was once famously barred from here for moving a chair from the restaurant to the bar. It was absolutely packed with people so great atmosphere good beer, so I'm told and good company. That was me.

ten days to go

Ten days to go and ten things left to do!!
Not sure if this is possible but am going to give it a good go some are things that are half done so only a matter of completion.
Am going to call on all the help I can have completed the pubs with fires today and will see if can do anything else this weekend.
wish me luck

Pubs with fires

Hooray have visited our last pubs with fires today have only ten days left to go to complete.
The pubs were a little disappointing, out of the three we visited only one had a  fire alight not to mention the beer not very good in two out of three pubs.  Will add more details when I work out how many 101's left to complete as have lost track and think may have to do one a day eek

Making Candles

Decided this would be something I could do as stuck inside for a time owing to not feeling too great.
Thank goodness for the internet and Ebay as I was able to order all supplies needed and make a start from the comfort of my bed.
Went on short outing with GF and was really lucky to spot a candle making kit in a charity shop for £4, but have spent about £25 on supplies and equipment.
As an experiment started with some old bits of candle that I melted in a metal jug I had bought for this purpose in a saucepan of boiling water like melting chocolate.
No water must come in contact with the wax.  The resulting liquid was a bit grey so I added some blue colour to it to disguise it which worked very well.  The dirty bits also seem to sink to the bottom so just discarded that bit of wax.
I had bought wicks and little metal bits that hold the wick in place.  Some molds came with the charity shop kit but I also used two small glass containers and some teacups.
Geri helped me to make them but we found the most important thing was just not to leave it at all but we had a saucepan lid ready to plonk on the top in case of emergencies.
So we ended up making two largish blue candles, two blue candles in the little glass containers and two purple, getting a bit flash now, candles in teacups.
This was all using old wax which was very satisfying apart from breaking one of our large glass holders trying to get the wax out but never mind.
Will certainly continue to make some and use some of the new wax too.
We lit the two blue candles and they burned lovely. Magic

Things left to do 10/20

101 Things in 1001 day Linda's List
Left to do


Now have 20 things left to do from this list by 28th November 2011


Have only till November to finish my 101 list so need to get a wiggle on.  some I know just won't get done because of time constraints and money as well soooo will concentrate on ones I can achieve including new additions.
no point in having targets you cannot achieve so it is a good compromise.


1. Try a first class lounge at the airport 2/2
2. visit all pubs in Surrey bit of 2010 good beer guide with fire with David 30/30
3.  Make use of library go at least five times 5/5

4. Read a Turkish book or newspaper 1/1 have bought a Turkish cooking magazine
5. Make £50 to £100 pounds to help finance Turkey- music magpie and quidco £50
6. Go to Ritz for high tea 1/1 or maybe some other posh hotel went to high tea with my Mum and sister in Tiptree at the jam factory
7. Make a quilted picture 1/1
8. File all papers in new filing cabinet- completed 25/08/2011
9. .Make some candles 5/5
10. Go first class on a Train going to Lisa's wedding tomorrow first class
11. Declutter every cupboard in house 12/15 made a start on this cos of mouse
12. Spring clean every room- not me!! 4/8 Geri is doing this for me
13. Pay off half credit cards 7000/9000 (18000)
14. see a 3D film
15. Make some soap 0/4 soap on order
16. Visit 5 London markets 3/5  Covent Garden, Camden Market, Wimbledon Farmers Market
17. Insulate loft space and put flooring 0/1 loft space insulated by Tom but no flooring put in yet so half done
18. Write five thank you letters to people that have helped or inspired me. 2/5
19 . Try Sushi
20. Visit 5  Museums  4/5 John Soan Museum, Tiptree Museum, Horniman Museum, British Museum-on line to Look at Egyptian exhibition
21. Go to tea dance in afternoon 0/1 hoping to go to Spitalfields Market as they have a teadance on Friday afternoon
22. Have family portrait done 0/1
23. Go to Bath for a holiday 0/1
24. Go to a play by Shakespeare maybe at the Globe

25. Go on a narrow boat holiday or trip
26. Go to a gig and bravely in the mosh pit hopefully to see the Dualers- Dualers split up so will have to see someone else
27. Go to a foam party
28.. Go to a ballet
29. Dance with Anton DuBeck the American Smooth or Waltz
30. Go to Istanbul 0/1
31. Take part in a flash mob
32. Go Glamping
33.  Go to Ladies day at the races
34.Lose 30lb and keep it off -9/30 
35. Play on Wii 3 times a week for a month 4/12
36. Save towards emergency fund  200/1000
37. Go to cinema that has sofas in Knightsbridge 0/1
38. Stay in Belleek Castle 0/1
39. Go for a ride in a hot air balloon 0/1
40. Make air raid shelter into house 0/1
41. Learn to play ukulele one song well 0/1

  Have a real tattoo when I complete my 101 of the number 101
purple=completed bold = working on

Take Some Good photos and enlarge and Frame Them

Have completed this now by making an enlargement of the lavender Fields photos from Carshalton Lavender Fields.  They are really beautiful to see and I had taken one of Ellen and Rosie and about 100 of the fields themselves so had a hard job choosing which one to use but eventually chose one that had a tree along one edge which I hope looks good.  I was trying to take notice of my friends tips for good photos but am hoping to go on a short photography course to help me get the most out of my photos for the future.
I also have a lovely enlargement of Catrina in her paddling pool with her little feet sticking up behind her like two little ears.
I am going to also go through a lot of photos online and make a collage of family photos to have for our living room in Turkey.

Visit 5 London markets- Covent Garden

Had a hospital appointment in Russell Square so decided to leave early and pay a little visit to Covent Garden Market as I hadn't been there for years.
If you haven't ever been it is very interesting with many street performers shops cafes and market stalls.  as it was a Monday it was mostly antiques but other days have other specialities.
As you approach from the station there are a few performers who are painted gold and silver including Elvis and a cowboy.  You need to pay a bit of money to make them move although several youngsters were enjoying trying to get them to move by blowing and tickling them but I guess they are well used to all the tricks and it must be worth it to them.
In the main square the performers seem to change hourly and can be complete rubbish or really good mostly magicians but the audience seem indifferent to their skills and cheer on cue for each and every one of them.
My favourite were a small group playing violins and a double base down in the lower food courtyard who although playing classical music were doing a fine job of being entertaining by can caning and general messing about.
A Chinese couple dressed as bride and groom and taking photos were also wandering about but don't think they were an actual newly weds, it was the baseball boots she was wearing that gave it away but no idea what they were doing other than what a good place to take photos.
The stall holders in the antique market were a motley crew of young and old watches comics and other bits and bobs.
I enjoyed a hotdog from the traditional cafe onions and red sauce of course, had a Thorntons double ice cream cone and then off to hospital appointment. I think will go to Portobello next.  i am enjoying being a London tourist although I have lived here all my life I really have not been around much of it so this is a good way of doing it. and fun.

Ride a Horse

Who would have thought that the opportunity to ride a horse would just turn up when visiting the ancient site of Miletos in Turkey.
Just walking around with my good friend Kym and another couple we spotted a shepherd who was offering rides not really quite the same as donkey rides at the beach but still.
After telling Kym it was on my list a deal was struck and I was led over to a large flat piece of stone to get on.
The "saddle" was his coat upside down and the reins were hang on tight to the main.
I was very glad to know the Turkish for slowly and had a hair raising ride- for me that is while saying "Yavash yavash" every few seconds.
So didn't fall off or go very fast and think you must need to be really fit to really truly go horse riding but hey 5 Turkish lire well spent and another off the list .
While there with Kym I got her to share a skill with me as she is a fantastic photographer so she gave me a good few tips although we were hampered by the fact that I had forgotten my own camera.

Do all fitness DVDs in cupboard

Have tried all these DVDs now and am keeping only one of them,  I realise that even fitness goes out of fashion and some of these are laughable with the outfits they are wearing as well as being too fast or too difficult for me.
I guess that home exercise DVDs are not really for me am better going to a class or swimming.
Am really enjoying the pilates class I am going to so will stick with that for a while and then try to give the wii another go.

London Bus Trip

Have received a lovely gift for Mother's Day of a trip on a London Bus Tour from number one son.
Just need to work out when to go and it is sorted,

Random Acts of kindness

Have you ever been in the supermarket with a basket of goods just totting it up to see if you can afford to buy all of it and then realising that you can't you stare at the items trying to decide which to discard?
When my kids were small money wasn't always in great supply so there would be times when this would be me.
So in Sainsbury's last week I spotted me 20 years ago frowning into my basket so I delved into my purse found a fiver and handed it over.  The poor lady didn't know what to do but I convinced her it was a genuine offer and to enjoy it, it was just before Mother's day and she was trying to buy a treat for her Mum.
She was grateful and I was very happy too honestly I think i get more out of these little acts than the recipients.
Lovely day happy shopping.

Camden Market and random act of kindness

Although I have lived in London all my life it is amazing how little I know about it so have decided to become a bit of a tourist while we are still living here.

I had a voucher for a fish pedicure to be taken in Camden Market at Zoola fish so decided to go with a friend to visit and mooch around market.
We went by tube as it goes direct to Camden from Morden and I got a cab into Morden as I was running late.
The cab driver had not yet put on his computer for Computacab so he let me ride for nothing with the proviso of making a donation to RNLI.  But doesn't it make you feel good when someone is just kind for no reason.

We got to Camden and isn't it just lovely and lively, we started in Inverness Street Market which my friend took a picture of as she is from Inverness and then made our way to the Stables Market after having a Chinese buffet including pudding for £6.80 bargain.  I wonder if the prices go up in the summer for the tourists,
The market is full of lovely bronzes of horses as it used to be a horse hospital for horses pulling the barges on the canal.
We got to the fish pedicure place and it was very basic and not at all comfortable.  Sooo we didn't really fancy it but I spotted two young girls who were thinking about so I handed them my vouchers job done no waste and we could carry on mooching around.
I loved the clothes there but only bought some orange oil because Ellen says I need it for cleaning but I don't really know what to do with it.
Would like to go again sometime as well as to Portobello and Spitallfields market.

Go for Flotation Session

Went last week for this with a friend.  Got a voucher from Groupon so it was only £15 instead of £45 bargain.
We arrived and a very sleepy sounding man took us through to look at one of the pods which are like a large enclosed pool with a door.

He explained how to use it and that you couldn't get locked it and could keep the light on if you wanted although it was a very dim light.
Everything was there from earplugs and Vaseline to cover your cuts to a pillow and water spray in case you got the salty water in your eye.
He advised us to float naked as even a swimming costume would feel strange against your skin.
So after undressing  I got and sat down and put the neck pillow around my neck to start with and left the light on.
Some music softly played but he had explained that it would fade away and would start up again to signal the time to get out.

I lay down and floated without any effort because of all the salt in the water after a few minutes I took the neck pillow away and tried to just relax into it.

I had been told that it would be very relaxing and could give some pain relief for my muscles because of being weightless.
I found that I became very aware of the blood pumping through my head and was quite breathless.
I kept taking some deep breaths and telling myself to relax but it was no good I wished I had my I pod with me then I could have listened to that.  In the end I had to leave the door open a little bit to let some air in until the hour was up.  I didn't notice any great effect on my pain levels so don't think I will go again but will try lots of Epsom salts in the bath instead cheaper and at least I will be able to breath.
My friend loved it and is going to go again but we both agreed that £45 would be a bit much for it but not too much to pay with groupon

Read 50 Books

Fishy Pedicure

Realise that I am unlikely to get to the place in Turkey where the fish nibble away at your feet so decided to go here and actually went to Rose Hill with my GF.
One of the people working there was Turkish so I think that is as Turkish as it will get.
Anyway we arrived and had our feet washed not for out benefit but for the fish.  They don't like cream or dirt or normal water.
We sat on a little bench and gingerly put our feet in the water with the fish aarg.
So it was weird but not too weird unless you looked at all these little fish nibbling away at your toes and heels and all of your feet.  They don't have teeth so can't hurt you but it is a strange sensation to have all these fish in the water with you.  The water is not too warm as it has to be the right temperature for the fish not you but I would have liked it to be warmer. We stayed there for half an hour and the fish had made a good job of most of the hard skin as well as your cuticles.  I think I would have liked a bit more care as it would have been easy for the therapist to have got rid of your remaining hard skin with very little effort.
The fish apparently have something in their saliva like hand cream to soften your feet too so no more treatment other than a dry off.
Quite fun, quite mad may go again sometime but pretty expensive for what it was.

Go to Three Art Galleries

Have started to go out with DH on Saturdays to London to be tourists.  Last Saturday we went to the Courtaud Gallery at Somerset House to see an exhibition of Cezanne paintings. We also saw Van Gogh with his ear cut off and some of Toulouse Latrec.
Outside they still had the ice skating ring so we watched them go around and around for a little while.
On the way back to Waterloo I spotted a pub called The Hole In the Wall which was featured in a book of Strangest Pubs in Britain that dh got for Christmas so we had to go in.  i can feel another addition to the 101 list coming on.
This week we went to the National Gallery we couldn't see the Canelleto exhibition it was sold out but there were more than enough famous pictures to gaze at.
The Sunflowers by Van Gogh  lovely Cannelettos not in the exhibition and David ordered a print on canvas in the gift shop of Eecherberg because he loved the blue sky in it.
We only stayed an hour so I didn't get too tired but I was happy with the pictures that we saw so off to the pub a very narrow pub called The Harp lovely beer so DH said and very comfy upstairs in what appeared to be a front room but full so could still people watch.
Having visited the Dulwich Picture Gallery again to look at a few Canelletos last year this completes my visiting 3 art galleries.

Happy New Year 2011

Happy New Year to you all and now I realise that time is getting on and I really need to get a wiggle on if I am going to complete my challenge.

I have until 29th November 2011 to complete the remaining 38 tasks.
have got a few lined up for January and have a setback on one that is losing weight, how annoying it is to lose the same pounds over and over again.  So like lots of people am back on a diet from Tuesday as that is the end of the holiday for New Year and will need to try to get back into an exercise routine or it will all be for nothing the weight that I lost already I mean.
Some are already more than half way done so shouldn't be too difficult to get on with but some will be a real challenge.
Onwards and upwards.

Go to the Theatre Three Times- The Railway Children

Got tickets to go to this which is at Waterloo Station and your seats are on the platform.
Was really looking forward to it and it was fantastic. The steam train form the old film comes into the station and the whole show is performed on platforms moved around on the track.
We had really good seats and I had a red flag to wave at the point after the earthquake when Bobby is waving her torn petticoat to warn the approaching train of danger on the track.
Of course when I looked around i was the only one waving a flag but no matter I certainly wasn't the only one crying at the end when Bobby sees her Daffy at the station come home from prison
.   My Daddy , My Daddy
It was completely magical and I would go again if I could get anyone to go with me.

Take Dance Class

Couldn't convince David to go with me for dancing lessons so had to compromise.  Have applied more than once to go to see Strictly Come Dancing without success but then spotted Zumba dance classes with Lilia Copolova from Strictly.

Mad a booking and went along it was quite early in the morning but I arrived in good time.  Lilia arrived on the dot to take the class she has someone else to take the money so although pleasant enough she was I suppose maintaining some distance from us.

Have been to Zumba classes before but Lilia's classes were much more dancey and I suppose more technical.
I did enjoy the class but think I prefer the more informal approach of my usual instructor who is not famous.
Wanted a photo of her with me but was too shy to ask.
After watching the New series of Strictly would love to add onto my list to dance with Anton DuBeck.
How fantastic would it be to dance with him and be spun around in the air in the American Smooth.  if he can chuck Ann Widdecombe about I am sure he would manage to chuck me around the floor,

I guess that of course going to my belly dancing classes also counts really as having dance lessons as well as sharing a skill with Joyce who is by far the better dancer when she helped us with the steps for the show.  her memory for the steps is much better than mine.