You Win Again

Today, if I had no conscience, I could have crossed off a challenge. If only my parents had brought me up to lie, cheat and steal I could be ticking off number 12: Win a competition and celebrate accordingly.

At a trade fair I ran into a couple of my former colleagues. I'll call some Chris and Bjorn (for those are their names). They were chatting to a somewhat dull man about something I didn't fully understand. I stood and listened and after the appropriate amount of time excused myself but just a few moments later the aforementioned dull man... I'll call him Nev (Not because that's his name...just because that strikes me as a dull name)... came up to me and said the golden words to me
"Would you like to enter a competition?"
Now if you've read my previous post on this challenge you'll know that those words are like the red flag to a bull or a bottle of St Tropez to an Essex girl. So far I have entered 360 competitions through one of those competition websites (this is in less than 3 months) and I even gave up £3 of my last £4 in November for the chance of winning a Pudsey Bear. I really do go crazy for a competition so Nev offering me another opportunity to win...well he wouldn't have to ask me twice. He did have to explain the rulesmore than twice though as, bless Nev, a Gameshow host he will never make! So I filled in my entry form and he kindly then said the words that led to my inevitable downfall: "Shall we fill in forms for Chris and Bjorn too?" 

Well, had I been a statistician I may have said "No!" to this question, clearly I'd be lessening my odds of winning but because I was excited for them to potentially win I declared "Absolutely!" and Nev and I filled in the forms putting my phone number as the contact on all 3 entries.

You can imagine what happened next. I'm working away at my desk when the phone rings. 
"Hello, It's Nev here! Good news!" 
My interest in what Nev has to say has never been higher...I squeal delightedly.
"Bjorn's won a prize!"
My heart sank slightly. A lesser person than I would have felt robbed, frustrated with Bjorn but thankfully I'm a pretty good loser and to be honest I was just delighted for my friend to win something. After all if I can't win it I'm glad it's going to someone lovely. (Plus it was only a £10 gift voucher!)

So I arranged with Nev where to leave the prize for Bjorn then, as he didn't even know he'd entered the competition I claimed the prize for myself and spent my tenner

...only joshing! 

Had I been more Machiavellian perhaps I would have done this but instead I emailed Bjorn to tell him he was a winner of a competition he had no idea he'd entered and told him where he could pick it up. Because that's what friends do. 

Besides if you believe in Karma you could say I have just raised my chances of winning one of those 360 online prizes now! Perhaps next post, instead of a Bee Gees track as a title I'll be posting one by Hot Chocolate (and I don't mean You Sexy Thing!).

RIP

It is with deep regret that I write the obituary of the 40b440 plants. The plants, known individually as Nasturtium, Marigold and Morning Glory sadly lost there lives after a tragic night in frost conditions. They were just under three months of age at the time of death and will be sadly missed by their black fingered gardener, Daybarkle. 

The plants, which had been thriving only a few weeks previously had been moved indoors due to inclement weather but were put outside to gain some much needed sunshine during the daytime. However, their neglectful gardener failed to remember to bring them inside when it turned dark. They were discovered covered in ice and clearly in a deceased state. Despite best efforts to revive the plants they were declared dead on the scene. 


Daybarkle plans to hold a small service for friends and family of the deceased only. Floral donations may just be seen as insensitive on this occasion!





On the plus side Spring is only a few months away now so I guess I'll be planting some new seeds then and having another go at the challenge.

Here's a little sneak preview how one of my other challenges is progressing...

                                                                                                                 ...more on this soon!