Picture Perfect Walk

The Winner Takes It All

Now some people have rightly commented that some of these challenges I have done before. It is true, for example, that I once made a costume for one of the witches from Macbeth. However, this isn't about doing all new things: it's about having fun!

Most of my my challenges are definitely new to me but one that is an old friend is Number 12: "win a competition". I am one of those annoying people who wins things. So far in life (amongst other things) I've won two holidays, a lovely Parker pen and pencil set, a Guildford flames hoodie, a voucher for Macdonalds, a record token, several boxes of chocs/bottle of wine and 48 packets of crisps. I'm sorry, I know it seems unfair that I seem to take the prize home more often than you but answer yourself this honestly: Do you enter many competitions? I enter loads. Really I do. For example this morning I have entered 62 online competitions. Can you say the same is true for you? So is it any wonder then that I win more competitions than you?!

Now it's not to say that I am lucky in all the competitions I enter. I doubt very much I'll win any of the 62 but you can't win if you don't take part. Plus my luck is clearly directional. I am freakishly lucky at raffles...in fact if you see me buying a raffle ticket you probably shouldn't bother getting one yourself as I'll be winning that. But if you ask me to cut the pack in cards I will always lose there. I am good at cards however so lady luck serves me well there....but you know the old saying "lucky in cards: unlucky in love"? Well trust me it's a saying and in my case it seems to be spot on. 

I'll confess that it's not every day that I enter 62 competitions (and I dread to think how much junk mail I'm going to get as a result of it) but as it's cold out and pay day isn't until tomorrow this was the only one of my challenges I could think of attempting today. Plus a lot of the prize draws I took part in were for things that could help me with other challenges should I win the prize. I entered to win a trip to a French vineyard; money to spend at HMV/Amazon (need to get those DVDs after all); a couple of camcorders (fitness video). I also entered anything I could see that would help me get a vacuum cleaner after mine wasn't working very well so I took it apart and now it's worse/smells funny/ and I have a leftover screw! 

So will I win any of these? Almost certainly not. But someone has to win and why shouldn't it be me? This is just the first attack. If this doesn't work I'll try again and then I'll start on the local radio competitions too. Of course the big worry is whether this particular challenge will become a "watched kettle never boils" type of challenge. When I'm not worried about winning I win loads but when I'm trying to win will I suddenly become as successful as the UK in Eurovision (post Katrina and the Waves)? 

Watch this space to see if the winner takes it all. 

Vierzig vor vierzig

This week I decided to have a fairly impromptu trip to Berlin to cheer on a friend who was running in the marathon. Berlin is a surprisingly delightful city and much cheering was accomplished. But this was not the only thing that was achieved. For I am pleased to declare that...

I have completed my first challenge!

After my practice at Bury Market when I spotted a little street market I decided to check it out. With my haggling head on I scanned the stalls eager to find something I wouldn't hate to have in my home. I finally settled on some cute little prints of animals. Sadly nothing to do with Berlin but I could at least picture it in my home. I asked how much...she said 10 Euros. Taking a breath and being brave I said "Would you take 8?". She paused. The fierce negotiation battle had begun. What number would she come back with I wondered? I held firm remembering Martin Lewis' instructions for haggling "Don't fill the silences"...I braced myself for her counter offer. "Ok" she replied! OK?! Well that was unexpected. I left with my purchase in hand and a mixed feeling of achievement and frustration I hadn't gone in lower still. But mostly feeling pleased that after almost a month I had finally achieved my first challenge.

Here's a little pic of my purchase:

But that's not all...I also managed to do my first dance in a capital city:

Not the most flattering pic but I'm salsa-ing away happily near the Marathon finish line here. And as if that wasn't enough I thought you'd like to know how my plants are coming along (get ready to be impressed!):

On the far left is my now dying heather (we'll pretend that doesn't exist for a moment) Then from L to R I believe we have Marigolds, Morning Glory and Nasturtiums. Now I'm a little concerned that I may just have planted these at a very silly time of year as frosts will be upon us soon enough so any tips for helping them survive would be appreciated. My theory is that I cannot cross the challenge off until one of them flowers. 

And lastly as you may have noticed I have learned the German for 40 before 40 - 1 down, 9 to go! (So glad I didn't go for 40!)

So what next? I honestly have no idea. I still haven't begun my Cheshire Ring walk but assuming it's not too damp this weekend I may try and do some of that. 

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