Grand adventure......

last week I set off on a grand adventure..........cars, planes, trains, ferries, cruise liners and the whole lot in reverse.........

It meant driving to the nearest airport an effort in itself......had to go the night before after work.........blew a tyre on the way.............thanks to a lovely farmer who heard the noise and came to help me change my tyre.........

A relo dropped me off early to the airport............

the countryside is so dry..........

love seeing the clouds........they look so soft and fluffy.........

A very different approach to the city this time............

Yep Sydney Harbour.............snapped this photo on the train coming around past Circular Quay Station.........the Sydney Harbour Bridge...........a  cruise liner was in there too........

A short ferry ride............

And here was my cruiser liner.................Noordam..........

I had a invitation from the Cancer Council to go to a special lunch............

It was hosted on the "Noordam" a Holland America Cruise ship..........

they support several cancer organisations around the world and every cruise has an opportunity for everyone to participate in Cruise for a Cause.........

they handed over a cheque with a nice donation to the Cancer Council...........

OMG it was very ornate........I've never been on a cruise ship ever so it was very exciting..............

looking down a few floors..........gorgeous stairs and the carpet............

I'm a farm girl nothing like this at my place.........

silver service......4 course meal.............OMG it was amazing watching them work...........nothing was a trouble........

Entree...........the food was sooooooo delicious.............

I got to meet Heather..........she is the ambassadoor for March Charge this year.....shes only 93.........a spring chicken........competes in Masters games too..........if only I am that well at her age.............she was lovely..........

got in trouble for taking these pics...........something about a customs area but I still don't understand............

A huge ship...........

A view of ANZAC Bridge while i enjoyed lunch............

And to finished the day I made a new besty............Meena is another fundraiser and she was lovely......She does a biggest morning tea at her workplace......

 she has lots of people working there...........

we hit it of while waiting to board the ship.........

&&&&&

I'm doing March Charge once again...........If anyone wants to sponsor me or walk with me that would be great but I will do another post about that soon..............

Walked 7kms this morning.........

Anyway my adventure continued last week and I didn't fly home............I flew north.............but you will have to read the next post about that..........

Catch you later......

Chookyblue.......

Stuff.....

ThAnKyOu  for all the the beautiful comments on my blogaversary/blog birthday post...........11 years is a lot of memories.........blog friends have come and gone to the darkside or disappeared altogether so I appreciated all those that still blog and I have lots on my list still...............I updated my pic from that post to my header...........

Life is a little hectic with a quick trip away for a family funeral.............this bible above is a family bible............given to an ancestor many generations back i'm not sure of the line as it's Mr Chookys side...... the ancestor was given this bible on his 52nd birthday from his mother......way back in 1879.....there is currently 4 generations alive.........

so it was a very long way and very quick trip............

along the way we saw some wind farms................

they are huge..........

missed the pic but I did get some EPP stitching done on the way home................

I'm a little busy over the next week........so blog posts will be quick phone ones or none at all...........

Also a little busy and terribly excited about Scrub Stitchin'.............all the fabrics have arrived for the little kits.........secret plans are still being squirreled away with my partner in secrets Sonia @ Forever Always........

I've been trying to work out what I want to take..........

some hand stitching and some machine....

we still have a few beds if anyone is interested.............

39 sleeps to go.......

then it will be 4 days of fun.......all meals prepared....no cooking or cleaning involved just heaps of chatting and stithin'

And I signed up for March Charge (Cancer Council walking fundraiser) again...........was still thinking what to do when I found out a special feathered friend has cancer so that made my final decision..........we've lost two family members to cancer in the last few months.......

I've commited to 4kms/day..........lets see what I can do.......I set 3kms/day last year and did stacks more.............

I know Julie @ Simple Stitches is doing it too......

So as usual I have tooo much going on........but you only get one crack at life so need to fit in as much as possible........

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue.......

So how did I go...........

So I think an update is due here as quiet a few of my online friends supported me during this challenge.....

I learnt things about myself......

pushed myself further and further as I raised more money.........

realised it is ok and essential to push yourself out of your comfort zone.......

I can do more then I thought I could do..........

found new friends connecting thru this walk...........

Goals                v                 Actual

93km (3kms/day)             reached 164km

$1971                               $5017

Best day 12.5kms

Best single walk/run 8kms

Best speed 8.05mins/km 

Started a walking group after work and that is continuing on........

about 6 of us now........

encouraged some of you to get moving.........

hope you are continuing on..........

thankyou for your support be that monetary, emails or comments.......it all added up to me doing something i never thought possible and raising great $$$$$ for the Cancer Council

please take care of yourself 

you are the one that makes the decisions for your health and future

mental health, physical health and gut health all make a difference as to how you feel and only you can want to make a difference.....

I've been working on "me" for a few years now

slow and steady making the difference........goodness me for the first 6 months or more I didn't even put joggers on to walk.........lets just say good joggers are the best investment ever.........my friend gave me a new pair.......she brought the wrong size and could not return them.........

I now eat better, feel better, exercise regularly..........

most importantly there is 25% less of me.......

I have crap knees but with all the extra exercises I have been doing (this year) albeit some modified to suit me it must have really made a difference to the muscles and they have behaved so well this month.........

And after this month I also realised life is better taking asthma puffers.......my allergies really hold me back...........

I didn't walk far to start..........

I didn't have time for exercise.......

i've fallen off the wagon a few times but picked myself up.........

brushed the dirt off and headed off again............

I know if you want it you can do it too........

every little change adds up over time........

Go for it!!!!!!

Catch you later............

Chookyblue..........

Keeping the love of blogging alive

Aim high...............

See previous post or this post back in Feb

So I thought about it........I can do this...........

I will get my walk total to 150kms.....

.....that means 5kms/day for the next 11 days left in March..........

Not only is Cancer Council March Charge about raising funds it's also about promoting health.......walking or running is good for your health and you raise money while your at it..........win win situation.........

It is proven that 1/3rd of cancers are preventable by a healthy lifestyle - eating healthy and doing regular exercise............

SO HERE IS MY CHALLENGE FOR YOU

Yes that's you on the other side of screen reading this........

I can see you.........

What are you going to improve your health and fitness this next 11 days......come on........who is going join me.........what are you going to do to 

you don't have to do 5kms............

do something more then what you do now........

I have a few friends who have been walking with me some days in town and we have decided to keep walking after work once this is finished.........

this has been the motivation they also needed.......

I know Janice will be riding her bike..........

Googy Girl might go to the gym or for a walk......

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?????

Don't ignore me............

Get moving.....walk around the house yard 20 times..........walk down to the park or the cattle yards, what ever it is........

Cut out fizzy drinks (except for soda and a piece of lemon)

MOVE........

come back and tell me what it is you have done...........

Catch you later.............
Chookyblue..........

Keeping the love of blogging alive..........

PS yes I am very motivated at the moment..........the more I do the better I feel.......2,5 yrs ago this was not possible..........it's been a long slow journey but OMG so worth every second to be where I am now..........

Hit my goal.....

Here are some pics from the last few days when I walked..... Up and down hills and around town.....

Been great to have company over the weekend...... Today it was me and the sheep.....    I did 5kms and meet my goal of 93kms so now onto more kms......how many more can I do in 11 days .......

So excited......

GDITC post to come but need to sort pics and get posts organised......

Catch you later.....

Chookyblue.....

Keeping the love of blogging alive

Stunning end to summer

Pleased to see the end of summer..... Nothing over 34 this week.... Heaven.......

Summer finished with a stunning sunset yesterday......

Thanks heaps to those who have sponsored me the March Charge Cancer Council fund-raiser..... I'm going to have to raise the bar higher...... And walk even harder......

A short walk this morning on my own then a long one with a work colleague after work.... I don't usually have company when walking except for the cows and sheep.......

Anyone else doing the walk.....

Shez is waking with me and also Annie in Washington..........

Catch you later

Chookyblue......

Jetstreams and prepping

Lots happening here as usual...........

Working on Lucy but run out of creams and blue squares I need to make the fillers with and put around the Lucy blocks.........

So its cutting, gluing and prepping bags to sew.........

Talk about prepping I'm trying to up my walking in preparation for March Charge a Cancer Council fundraiser...........

I headed out the gate and looked up........OMG the sun was not up yet but a jet and its short jetstream were catching the rays.............

Here it is further away.........it was a stunning sight and thinking of my walking and working out distance goals to go to I decided to walk the loop to the sheep yards...........I know if I go down and back the same way it is 3kms but I was not sure if I did the loop..........it's just under 4kms so glad I did it now..........

Dust catching the sunlight about the 3km mark.......the sheep had just crossed my path heading to water at the dam..........

&&&&&&

NOW BACK to the MARCH CHARGE for cancer...........

I am walking.......I have registered to raise funds.........

I am walking for many people in my life...........

ones I have lost - my sister, my nan, my uncle, my aunty, mums cousin, dads cousin, my great aunt, one of my best friends, Mr Chookys grandad, friends mum

Survivors - BIL, cousins grandson, friends husband

Fighting now - FIL for the second time, 

many others to numerous to mention but these are closer ones

&&&&&

In blogland I know of friends who have battles to close to the heart

my friend who lost her husband to lymphoma

my friend who's son is currently battling melanoma

  my friends mum battling lung cancer

my friend who beat breast cancer

another friend almost clear on cancer

another friends who's husband battled cancer 

So WALK WITH ME

but most importantly 

sponsor me......

Crazily I said I would walk 93kms avg 3kms/day.

I usually walk 1-1.5kms sometimes 2km if I have time.......I walked 4km this morning and my knees are hurting (they are crap) but you know what my sore knees is nothing compared to cancer so I'll just live on panadol or nurofen if need be for the month........

Any amount of support you can give will all add up..........

if you have someone special tell me and I will walk for them too..........

I don't normally ask for anything like this but cancer affects way to many people and it is not just the person who gets it it is their whole world affected......family, friends etc....

Out here in the bush there are pretty much no services so you have to travel great distances just for treatment and Drs............

 

See what the Cancer Council does here

####  SPONSOR ME ####

please.........

leave me your email and I can email you a link if you can't find me online

Is anyone else doing this challenge?????

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue.....

Keeping the love of blogging alive