Tuesday 10 March 2015

A weekend to remember

This weekend I took part in the "Relay for Life".
For those who don't know it is a fundraiser for the Cancer Society. 


I've been wanting to take part in it for several years
 and when a visiting minister announced that his wife 
was putting together a team I decided now was my opportunity.
The idea is that the team walks for 24 hours in relays.
We did it in half hour slots, quite manageable.


Some slept, some walked overnight.
This was a school group next to us
who reckoned that they would be up well after
 all of us old ones were counting the zzzz's. Ha!

Anyway our team decided we would have a theme
 and it would be Noah's ark.
We would all come in animal onesies.
ONESIES? PARDON?
I don't do onesies!


Famous last words. 
I did onesies!
My granddaughter loaned me one of hers, bright red,
and I sewed black dots on the back and turned into a lady bird.
We had a good turnout of critters. 
A dog, a couple of dragons, a tiger and a giraffe and some more lady birds.
An owl. A rabbit. And one or two others I can't think of at the moment.


The event was quite emotional at times,
 particularly I thought at the beginning 
when the 'cancer survivors' did the first lap, led out by the bagpipes. 
We're in Dunedin after all, the Edinburgh of the south, 
we always have bagpipes.

There was entertainment as well, 


a Chinese Lion Dance done by 6 and 7 year olds,
it was quite something to watch.

Zumba to take part in,


at 7:30 in the morning - I watched.

Non stop music throughout.

And friends to catch up with...


...in the early hours of the morning.
We had a corner spot and the wind was blowing through
but we hadn't seen each other since I finished work
so we had a good old catchup.
Then we went to find hot tea and coffee to warm up again.

My youngest daughter and my grand daughter came to pick me up at 10:30am.
I was ready for the off by then and left the morning shift to carry on.
But did I get to go home ? Oh no.
Grand daughter had to be dropped at her boyfriends house,
then it was back across the city to pick up eldest daughter
so she could come out to our place to pick up the truffles
 she had bought as part of our fund raiser.
I didn't mind really, but I was ready for a proper cup of tea and my bed.
We had the cuppa and just as I was about to head to bed
youngest daughter says
" Mum, I don't know how much sleep you're going to get,
Dom's just arrived to do the hedge".


I went to bed anyway.
Dom did the hedge.
Then the neighbours did their hedge.
Eventually I got out of bed again and was surprised
 to see I'd actually managed 4 hours.
At least I'd rested and probably dozed though it didn't feel like it.

As a team we managed to raise $3400,
not too bad an effort really.

joining in with:


If you are still reading after that marathon, 
good on you.
Take care 'til next time,
Diana

17 comments:

  1. Congrats on doing the relay for life,Diana, my hubby is a cancer survivor!
    Looks like it was a fun event even though you lost lots of sleep. $4300 is great!

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    2. That should have read $3400, I had the fiures back to front.

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  2. awwww....you and the others are such sweeties to do this. My husband is a cancer survivor...4 times......
    xoxo

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  3. What a great thing to be involved in...wearing onesie or NOT. Good for you!

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  4. I've done that a time or two here in Maryland too. : )
    You raised a GOOD amount amount of money for a great cause.

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  5. Congrats on a job well done! Love that you all dressed up.

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  6. Well done with the fundraising. I've never heard of that kind of fundraising event and it looks very interesting. I love your header with all the potted plants. Looks so cosy.

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  7. Congratulations on you taking part in the fundraising! What a great cause. You look very cute and I know it was fun.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  8. Good on ya!! I know it was a satisfying event.

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  9. Diana, a very energetic little lady You must be.I'm glad to see You had a good time.I enjoyed the photos,esp.seeing You and Your friends.Blessing You will receive I'm sure.Hugs Denise

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  10. Diana, a very energetic little lady You must be.I'm glad to see You had a good time.I enjoyed the photos,esp.seeing You and Your friends.Blessing You will receive I'm sure.Hugs Denise

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  11. Hi sweet Diana! First of all, I must apologize for just now getting around to visit your lovely blog. I have been dealing with computer issues for the last 4 days. Thankfully everything seems to be back to normal....whatever "normal" is with computers :)

    This was very moving and inspirational! What a blessing to walk in this relay and raise money. Thank you so much for sharing with Roses of Inspiration. And you look adorable in your "onesie" :)

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  12. How wonderful to be able to take part in such a great event. And you raised a lot of money for the cause, too. I'm so proud of you! KUDOS to you my friend! Hugs, Diane

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  13. Hello Diane! Just wanted to pop in and let you know this post has been featured at Roses of Inspiration :) Thank you for linking up last week! Hugs!

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  14. Diana, thank you for doing this. Everytime someone takes part in a cancer fund raiser it helps all of us. My daughter is an 11 year survivor of breast cancer and I am a 18 year survivor of endometrial cancer. We did a "Relay for Life" once when her girl friend was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and then when my daughter was diagnosed and finished her therapy we did the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and have been doing it every year now for the past 11 years. You are so right about how moving it all is and I have so much gratitude and amazement of all the courage shown by everyone who takes part in one of these events..Happy St. Patty's Day..Judy

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  15. Such an inspirational post...and I love the photos of everyone in their onesies :-)

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