Open water swimming and great big fish...

Well, after last years saying no to the Great North Swim this year it was a big YES (well probably quite a timid, shy one really but it's a far more confident one now)!

Open water swimming became June's challenge on my 13 challenges (or playtimes) leading up to 2013 and has been a lot of work, learning, discoveries - and fun!  I thought I'd like the concept but not the reality (the cold, huge fish and enormous weeds bothered me) but it turns out although I'm a little bit less happy with the weeds, I've not seen an enormous fish in either Coniston Hotel lake or Malham Tarn as yet and I can deal with the cold.  I'm raising money for Homeopathy for Health in Africa - of course - who are doing such incredible life changing work in Tanzania.  They work largely with people who have HIV and AIDS, using Homeopathy alongside the conventional medication their patients are on.  So far I have been pledged over half of my £500 target and it would be wonderful to smash through this altogether.  If you'd like to sponsor me the link here will take you to the page:

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/emmacolley1

Reflecting last night whilst swimming and looking back over the time since I started this mission back on the 29th November, there's been a whole lot of 'I can''s going on - I have learnt lots of new skills, revisited old ones, become more adept or at least less rusty at others.  It's been an incredibly positive experience which I would recommend to anyone and am so very pleased I started it. 

Next stop T'ai Chi July and roller blading August - eeeeekkkk!!

Catwoman, Cakes and Lakes

1/2 way through my 13 for 13 - the real challenge on Tuesday..
....maybe anyway. I've been told that the nearby lake may be open for open water swimming in which case I will be trekking up there with wetsuit, which poses a question - do you wear it in the car to drive there and look a little odd? or does one wrestle ones way into it upon arrival at the side of a cold lake? Who knows - and, faced with the prospect of getting into the cold lake - do I care if I drive up there looking like catwoman on her way to do, well whatever cat woman does? Or at least look as though I'm trying to look like cat woman - not sure she had quite the love of cakes that I do.

So at half way through the challenge I set for myself back in November last year, I'm about to face my most challenging one so far.  Part of the fun has been a saying yes to life really, playing with new things, trying stuff out and working more on things I've always wanted to give myself time to do.

 But open water swimming? Out of nowhere it came (or really I'd said no to it last year and it just came back again to tempt me). I love the idea and find it really appealing, but the reality? Tell you after Tuesday... my first outdoor session in preparation for my Great North Swim on the 23rd June.

If you'd like to sponsor me it's easy to do through Homeopathy Action Trust which means that Homeopathy for Health in Africa can get the Gift Aid on any money you donate too.
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/emmacolley1

 Coniston Lake on a cooler day (I hope it's warmer than this anyway!!)

My 13 for 13 so far
December - knitting
January - mindful meditation
February -pole dancing
March -  sewing
April - photography
May - crochet
June - open water swimming

Still to come yoga/pilates, guitar, roller blading, cooking/baking and two spaces to see what comes along...