Two More Sleeps

💙🌷💙 For those of you who don't know, I am trying to sign off my posts, messages etc with blue hearts because Parkinson's UK logo is blue, and the tulip is the flower of Parkinson's.

Hello Friends! 

Well, at the time of writing this, it's just two more sleeps until the Walk for Parkinson's challenge begins.  Thank you to everyone who has supported me!  I am truly humbled and somewhat overwhelmed by the generosity of my supporters.  For all the enquiries I've had from overseas friends as to how they can donate, I am working on it. The person in charge of fundraising in Wales is setting me up with the necessary information, which I will pass on to individuals as soon as it is with me.  No mad panic, as the donations can still be made until the beginning of July.

I will be posting daily updates to monitor my progress.  I do hope you will follow along, although I don't expect you to reply to each entry, but occasional words of encouragement will be appreciated!

At the time of writing, I have raised just over £300 including Gift Aid declarations. Immense! as Nessa would say.

Support doesn't only come in the form of financial donations, but let's be honest, that is primarily what FUNDRAISING is meant to achieve, but kind words, following me, sharing my cause, an encouraging message {when the "WHAT HAVE I DONE?! kicks in}, even someone coming over to help me on with my coat {because with Parkinson's you need help to do something as simple as that} or hold the outer door open to make getting outside with my rollator easier, especially when the wind is trying to turn me into a squishy filling in the door jam! Anyone who will join me on the daily walks to hand out leaflets, or distribute posters to help raise awareness beforehand, that's all SUPPORT.

I now have just over 24 hours to decide about the Wild Welsh Herbal Medicine course.  My classic, indecisive, Libran petticoats are showing!  Here are my next two batches of herbal vinegar medicine, the much maligned by many Dant y Llew {Dandelion} and the biting Danadl Poethion {Stinging Nettle}

I have a friend who has just completed the first year on the Face to Face format and she cannot sing it's praises enough! She is all in for the second year.  I missed signing up for the F2F for this year, but another friend is signed up for that, and she is eager for me to join her as we can work together.  The online format is the same as the Face to Face, except the F2F get to meet up for four weekends over the year at Salena's small holding.  Oh, the joy of indecision!

Well, tomorrow will be a busy day.  My handyman, Darryl, is here at 9:00 a.m. to give me quotes for a whole heap of those small jobs that I can no longer do for myself, and a few others besides.  Then I have to start making copies of the QR code for my fundraising account, and I will distribute those to my neighbours, and I have some phone calls to make too.  I also have to make a temporary bunting for my rollator because I'm not just walking, I am promoting Parkinson's UK and the importance of getting more people to recognise how horrible and how seriously prevalent this condition is.

On that note, I'm off to do dishes, sort the laundry, and get the recycling that was missed ready just inside the door so that my morning call carer can help me put it out. She will hang the laundry and hopefully it will bit rain, so when my p.m. PA arrives, she can bring it in for me.

Speaking of rain . . . you might have guessed it, that after a lovely, long spell of dry weather, the rain is coming in on Friday. Isn't there something happening on Friday?  Oh! Yes, ha! my walking challenge begins.  Well, wouldn't ya know it!  Not to mention it's a Bank Holiday, so as sure as Ben Hur will be on telly, it will rain.

Until Friday!!!

Debbie xx  💙🌷💙

Updates and A Challenge for May

Hello Friends!

I haven't been doing so good lately, I have been sleeping a lot, about 18+ hours a day; my medical treatment, support, and medication all seem to be in limbo after there was such a promising shift in December.  I am now in between care teams, and it's not helped by the Parkinson's Nurses team now back to one part time nurse for the next two months.  Enough!

Okay, down to business before I start chatting away.  I am begging for money!  Well, donations, for Parkinson's UK.  May is their Walk For Parkinson's 100 Mile Challenge and, although I will not be able to even think about the 100 miles over 31 days in my current condition, I have done what others in my situation are doing, which is adjusting the challenge to something achievable.  In my case, I originally said I would aim for 100 laps of my driveway, but I'm now thinking to up the ante on that. Anyway, I've signed up and will be doing this every day throughout May . . . and I am hoping some of you will support me with a donation to Parkinson's UK by way of my funding page which is 

HERE

If you can, please give whatever you can.  Every penny is so important.  Thank you.

I am actually sitting here sobbing at the generosity I have already been shown by several of my Facebook friends.  I have in just over an hour raised over half my original target!  Of course, don't forget to sign Gift Aid if you are able, because that gives an extra 25% to Parkinson's UK and not to the Taxman!!

Now on to other news.

I have started selling my effects, possessions, clothing, knicknacks, bits 'n' bobs, and more, on Vinted. I was surprised at how easy it was to set up the account, and how easy it is to manage.  All I have to do is take photos, write a bit of a blurb {as much or as little as I want} hit "post" and sit back and wait, and hope someone likes something and buys it.  The buyer pays postage, sends me a label for the carrier, and off it goes.  Within 10 days of accepting an offer I have the money in my account!  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!  The mad thing is, I was going to give most of it away either to the charidee shops, or on the "Donate It, Don't Dump It" local Facebook page, and now I've already sold over £150 worth of donatable items.  So, money for my chosen charities and for me!!!

I also have treated myself to a short, online introductory, taster course in making herbal medicine, the Wild Welsh Herbal Medicine Challenge.  It was only three x 1hour Zoom sessions, a taster, for £29.00 and I would dearly love to take up the year long course that follows on, and is intensive but it is £1400.00 and that is a lot of money just for something I am interested in and does not result in a qualification at the end of it.  However, I have one friend who is coming to the end of her first year and is so happy she is going to sign up for the second year; I have another friend who is signed up to the "in person" option whereby the group for that option meets up four times a year in Caerfyrddin, and 12 times a year on Zoom.  It is a big decision, because with Parkinson's you never know what is coming, when it is coming, or how bad it will be, so a long term, considered purchase might not be a good idea.  On the other hand, it is something I have always had an interest in.  My mother always called me her little witch.  Other mothers had princesses, mine had the witch!  LOL

Here are some videos I made of me making the first stages of my first Wild Welsh Herbal Medicine.  It is Rhosmari {Rosemary}macerated in Organic, Raw, Unpasteurised Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother.

and here are a few photos of the same, and other things

There be DRAGONS!  And, let them lie, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup . . . 

Well, my friends, it is now the next day and I still haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday morning, so I'm off now for a little midnight snack!  

I am utterly overwhelmed at the generosity of people! It is not yet four hours since I signed up for the challenge, and I am already just £7.00 short of my original target!  I am humbled, and I still have my neighbours and family who are not on Facebook or Instagram to "hit" too!  I do hope I can do well. I will be posting regular updates.

Until next time

Debbie xx

EDITING to say I'm over the moon to have just found out that my favourite garden designer, Arit Andersen, is designing a garden for Parkinson's UK at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May!!!