Chasing my Dreams!

#3 Ride a Jetski – DONE! :D

On Saturday 7^th September, I got to experience something which I have been wanting to do, for as long as I remember – I got to fulfil the 3^rd of my major Life Dreams – 3 dreams I had had in my mind for a very very long time…forever, it seems.  These 3 (Race in a V8 Supercar/Racecar, Interact with a dolphin….and the 3^rd, Ride a Jetski) Life Dreams had been in my mind, for many years, way before my bucketlist had even been born.  It’s a surreal feeling knowing that the 3^rd of these has now come into my reality!

I had had a couple of opportunities to go out on the water on a jetski before now…but for one reason or another, they just didn’t happen.  Which is OK, because it paved the way for the absolutely amazing way it all unfolded, this past weekend!

Earlier this year, I headed to the Maroochy River to watch the launch of the ‘Flyboard Experience’…(a water powered jet pack which propels you into the air…it looks like SO much fun!)

Flying through the air, out of the water…awesome!

While I was down there, my eyes and mind kept going over to the jetski’s which were beached up on the shore of the river….”THERE is my opportunity right there, to go jetski-ing!”.  Something clicked inside of me, and somehow, I just knew that this was the opportunity that I had been waiting for, all these years, to make it happen.  After the Flyboard Launch was over, I headed over to where the organisers were standing, introduced myself and told them that I’d love to tick jetski-ing off of my bucketlist…and would they consider getting me onto one of their jetskis to do so?  Cindy, from Maroochy River Jet Ski Hire, said YES! There it was….the opportunity was starting to actually come into my life!  We exchanged details, and sent emails – and the seed was planted.  Unfortunately, I then fell sick so wasn’t able to take this opportunity right away – but once I recovered, emails were sent – and a phonecall was made, to LOCK it in!! Yayz!! 😀 And the absolutely magic part was, Jonah, the guy taking me out, as it happens he has had many years in the carer industry, so immediately understood any fears/concerns I had regarding my disability/balance etc, which was awesome..he really ‘got’ why I was alittle worried, and didn’t make a big deal out of it, which really helped.

So, on this past Saturday morning, I drove, full of nervous excitement, down to the Maroochy River, to meet up with Jonah, and to jump onto that jetski for the time of my life!  And it was an experience most certainly worth waiting for…for sure! Heres my thoughts after the experience was lived…

“#3. Ride a Jetski – DONE!  Wow…wow…what an EPIC experience that was! Not only did I get to ride on the jetski, but I got to drive it myself, with the awesome Jonah from Maroochy River Jet Ski Hire on the back, supporting around me for my balance. I zoomed around out on that water, having the absolute time of my life (getting faster once I got used to the whole ‘balance’ sensation etc)…riding over the little waves which other ski’s created, doing loops and figure-8s in the freestyle area – taking it right up to ‘hire set speed’ up the strait…and wanting to push it faster! haha. I could not believe that I was actually driving the machine, MYSELF!  How empowering!  Instead of being taken for a ride as a passenger..I was actually driving it, myself….wow! 😀

After my ride was over, Jonah took me for a ride up the river to the rivermouth and to other areas of the river (me still on the front, but him controlling it from the back, so he could support his arms/legs around me) to show me what the ski is REALLY capable of..! (in the ‘free water’ area, not in the hire area). I think by then he knew that I loved a bit of speed haha. WOWZERS! I have to tell you, going at that speed, was a little scary at first (because of my balance issue….not because of the speed, I LOVED the speed – not actually being strapped in was a little surreal…I had to trust fully in Jonah that he had me ‘strapped in’ with his support!), especially bumping over the bigger waves that we crossed..but…it was ‘awesomely scary’…SO MUCH FUN!!  Zooming through that water, all the adrenaline pumping through me, from the speed…Yeeew…I loved every second of it…especially the ‘scarily awesome’ speed we were travelling at! 😀

Wow..I am actually on a jetski – Im about to drive this beast, myself…amazing feeling! 😀

There were some other shots taken while we were on the jetski, I will add these to this post when I have them from the company…this above shot was taken when I first sat on it, before we went out…

My next adrenaline adventure…hmm I wonder what that will be – Ive come to realise that I love, and seek adrenaline – and I will definitely have to get some more….soon! 😀

Thank you SO much to the awesome Jonah (and Cindy) from Maroochy River Jet Ski Hire for helping me make this happen in such a fun and flawless way…I felt just like ‘anyone else out there on a jetski’ – as someone with a disability, this feeling is absolutely priceless! I WILL be back! 😀

Maroochy River Jet Ski Hire…where dreams come true!

**Update:  Monday 9^th September – driving past the river this morning, I glanced across at the water while sitting at the lights and found myself with a huge smile on my face – I no longer had that empty longing feeling to be out on that water, zooming around just like anyone else on that river on a jetski…because I can do it…Ive DONE IT!  The feeling now is “Wow..Ive done that..and it is SO much fun!” And that’s what bringing your dreams and goals to life is all about – no longer having the ‘longing’ to do it, those things you’ve ‘always wanted to do’ – because you’ve done it! And next time (you can bet there will be a next time haha) – I wont have my ‘nerves because of my balance’ to worry about…awesome!

Anything is Possible…when you find the right people to help you make it happen!

#174. Watch/capture the sunrise at least once a month, for a year – so far!

Its no secret that this year has been a little ‘slower’ for me, with certain ‘life/health stuff’ happening that has held me back from achieving many of the things I would have loved to have achieved this year – I’ve really missed being able to get out there and chase the dreams I know I can make possible, with the energy I know Im usually capable of.  But…one of the dreams on my list, getting out to a different location on the Sunshine Coast once a month, in the (very!) early mornings and watching the magic of the sunrise, and a new day unfolding – has been such an amazingly fulfilling experience….even more so, as time goes on.  It has made the many months when I just wasn’t able to get out there and enjoy my life ‘as I know it’ that much more bearable…not to mention, when I haven’t been able to get out there and Chase my Dreams – doing this once a month has given me the feeling of, still getting out there and actively chasing a dream on my List, when I haven’t been able to, otherwise.     Its one morning a month…sure it has been wiping me out for the rest of the day when I do it haha…but, if I do it on a day when I am able to relax at home afterwards – it has been very achievable! 🙂

Heres just a snapshot of the sunrises Ive captured so far this year…just gorgeous.  I plan to create a collage of all the monthly albums of shots Ive taken…maybe even create it into an artwork for a wall in my home…

Magic…just magic! The sun rises every single morning without fail…and puts on some amazing ‘shows’ for us!

Being out in nature about an hour before the sun actually rises (yes, even in the middle of winter – the freezing cold 330am winter wake-ups have been a bit of a challenge, I wont deny it…but SO worth it once I get out there!) – THIS is when the real magic is…the breathtakingly beautiful colours, the serene atmosphere of being out there in complete silence and solitude as the world is still asleep around you – and as the sunrise creeps closer, you start to hear the occasional bird or insect start to wake up, and the everchanging colours..it is just such an amazing experience..

This was the sunrise, taken in January off Maroochydore beach on the Sunshine Coast, which prompted me to add this to my bucketlist…witnessing the absolute pure magic and beauty of this morning, I thought – “I HAVE to do this more often!” – so came straight home afterwards and added it to the bucketlist!

No matter what else is happening in my life…I know I will always have the next sunrise to look forward to..we all do! 🙂

Anything is Possible…each day is a new day, full of new possibilities!

#99. Create something artistic/creative for my home – the beginning! :)

I’ve always had a creative streak in me (but I just cannot draw for peanuts! haha)..over the years I’d started different crafts and arts etc, to try to create something handmade for my home – but nothing never really gelled with me.  When I discovered photography, and the absolute bliss and serenity I feel when I have my camera in my hand, and am out in nature capturing the pure beauty of this world around us…that’s when I knew I’d discovered an outlet for my creative streak.  But I still wanted to create ‘something handmade’ (not through the camera) for my home…hence throwing it onto the bucketlist! I thought…’There WILL be something out there to satisfy this ‘want’ to do this!’ 🙂

Recently, quite by chance I was scrolling through a local Facebook group, and something stood out – a local pottery group.  Bingo! There it was!  As soon as I read it, I somehow knew that this was what I had been looking for…and even better, the post was made by someone I already knew/had met in the past.  So, I made contact with this woman, found out where and when the group was based….and it turns out that the group is run literally just a couple of streets from my home – even better! I was excited…who gets excited over pottery?…..Me, it seems! haha..

I had no idea what it involved, what the process was….my only real knowledge about pottery was ‘that scene from Ghost’ with Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and the pottery wheel.  Im sure everyone is familiar with the scene Im talking about! 😉 But apart from that, all I knew was, especially after looking through some of the awesome creations that people in this pottery group had made, on the Facebook group – I was so inspired, and excited, to create something of my own – THIS was exactly the feeling I was looking for!

On the morning of my first pottery group lesson, I was really looking forward to how it was going to unfold…I drove to the building where it was being held, and made my way inside.  The other members of the group were so welcoming….and fun! I love being around other creative people, it really feeds my spirit.  I was shown the basics of what to do….and the next thing I knew, I had donned an apron and was kneading my piece of clay, to start to create, what I hoped was to be a beach-themed vase…

Getting right into the creativity of it all…loving it! 🙂

Who knows, it might turn out to be something completely different, and not a beach-themed vase after all haha…but, its all part of the fun, to see what it turns out like, in the end.  Something I have since found out is, pottery is a long drawn out process, especially when working with a group and we have to wait till theres a few creations to ‘fire’ together before its actually done…and I may not have my finished ‘vase’ (or whatever it shall be!) for a couple of months or more – but that’s OK, its all part of the fun and anticipation of it all.  I often talk about ‘anticipation’ when it comes to bringing my Dreams into my life…and this has turned out to be another one which gives me this feeling….awesome! 🙂

The next step..decorations being placed on my creation – love the little sun, so cute! 🙂

I cannot wait till next week when I get to create even more, on my first pottery creation! Im already feelng proud of this little ‘vase’ haha…stay tuned!

Anything is Possible…when you find an outlet for what’s deep down inside your soul!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Chasing my Dreams!

Sitting alongside Steve Johnson in the #17 Dick Johnson Racing/Jim Beam Racing V8 Supercar. Here we go, my Life Dream is about to be my Reality!

Happy 2nd Birthday, ‘Chasing my Dreams’!

Two years ago today…something very special happened. My life changed forever..I brought to life my most special, and lifelong #1 Life Dream, of Racing in a Racecar – in ‘my own way’ – I raced like my family did, when I was growing up. After that magic ‘moment’ (3.5 minutes of INSANE fun haha)…I then got out of that Supercar, and I thought….”OK, Ive done that…I can do ANYTHING I want to, in my life now!”…and in that moment two years ago, my Chasing My Dreams bucketlist was officially born…I was now off on what has turned out to be one big, awesome, crazy adventure!Throughout the ups and downs of everyday life…my bucketlist has been one of the most incredible, uplifting experiences…even when Im not ‘ticking something off the list’, its there, in my soul…waiting for the next adventure to begin.

Thank you to each and every person who has been with me, supported me, and encouraged me along this crazy ride of mine. It means more to me than you will ever know. At times, its been confronting, at times downright scary, because of some of the experiences Ive been confronted with, along the way…when you change as a person, even though its largely positive…change within yourself, and stepping further outside that comfort zone, can also be daunting….but it is SO worth it! The confidence Ive gained as a person, is, for a large part, also due to others who have shared the ride with me, even if from afar. I can now say I am proud of myself…which is something I have struggled with all my life..

Dick Johnson, Steve Johnson, the Johnson family, and the Team (Dick Johnson Racing)…you know how thankful I am for this…Ive said it often enough lol. Who knew, on the morning I woke up two years ago, how different my life would be, by the end of it?  Seriously people, go out there and Chase your Dreams..it is the most amazing experience to have them come true – you just never know what may come of bringing one of your dreams to reality!

(click on the image below to be taken to a video/photo compilation of memories of this very special day!)

I am in THAT car, in THAT moment…my #1 Life Dream has now become my reality! Wowzers! 😀

Chasing my Dreams!

ANYTHING is Possible…when you Chase your Dreams!

One small step leads to bigger steps…and Dreams filfulled! :)

With our goals and dreams – many (if not all!) of them simply would not happen if we didn’t take that first step towards achieving them.  Sometimes that first step is easy (it might be as easy as making a phonecall,researching on the internet, or making a booking for ‘whatever it is’ that you want to achieve)…and sometimes that first step is one of the hardest things you have ever done in your life.  Sometimes, it takes that many steps towards that dream, that sometimes it feels that the dream or goal will never be fulfilled.  But..keep stepping towards that goal, and the dream WILL come true! 🙂   It doesn’t matter if you are only able to do teeny-tiny steps at times (I’m not saying do teeny-tiny steps all the time…oooh no 😉 …sometimes you have to push yourself to take huge, scary steps – but you know what, your goals are worth pushing through those scary steps, too!)…just keep moving forward towards that goal, when you can.  Even if just in your mind at times if you’re unable to physically make it happen – if you keep your, as the saying goes ‘keep your eye on the prize’…that goal will one day be fulfilled if you keep your focus and ‘want’ on it.   If you don’t put your focus on it, if you don’t take steps towards it….guess what? its highly likely that you wont achieve that goal! Simple, huh? 🙂

For most of this year, I have had to pull right back from exercise and physically striving towards my goals and dreams on my List – its been one of the hardest journeys Ive been on to pull back, knowing that I was losing fitness, putting on weight, and also losing a fair amount of mobility – especially because I achieved such huge Fitness Goals last year (Climbing ‘my Mountain’, Walking down the beach for the very first time…and my very special first Slowdance, all fulfilled at my (the now former) SBH Qld Fundraiser Event in 2012), and this year I have had to pull back to not doing my training which I so love to do.  Having to go from putting such hard training over so many months (and just quietly, even though some of it was torture haha….I enjoyed every second of it), and achieving so many goals (31) off my List in 2012, to doing basically no exercise/not moving around a lot – it hasn’t been easy.  But, the wait has been worth it…because as of this week, with the major part of the ‘life stuff’ Ive been dealing with all year behind me, I now feel that I am ready to get BACK into it! Yeeeeew! 😀  Keeping my eye on the prize, and keeping my mind focussed on the fact that just because I haven’t been able to strive for the goals ‘right now’ (during this year)…that does NOT mean that I can never strive for them – it just means that now, I am even more ‘hungry’ to achieve my fitness and other goals! 😀

Yesterday, for the first time in many months, I got the want, and the ability to know that I am ready to slowly get back into it all 😀 I got up out of my wheelchair, and back on my mini-tramp (which I have at home, along with my boxing bag) and ‘jogged’ (my way – stepping up and down with both legs, while hanging onto something for my balance) for 5 minutes straight.  My goal was to do it for 15 minutes…but after 5 minutes I had a raised heartbeat (which is a no-no for my heart condition), and was shaking…that frustrated me, I knew I was unfit and lost a lot of my mobility…but I didn’t think I could do so little on the mini-tramp.  BUT, on the positive side…at least I did 5 minutes – and I will aim to do 5 minutes at least once, if not twice (or more!) every day, till my aim of returning to the gym next week! Through the energy strain I felt, it felt FANTASTIC to be up on my feet, back exercising again – cant wait to push myself even more, to gain my fitness and mobility back – and to smash my fitness goals with the energy and force I know Im capable of! 🙂

Taking that first step towards your goals is an amazing feeling!

I have Fitness Goals to achieve!  Two of which are:

* Go-karting – initially, I had aimed in finding a double kart somewhere and being a passenger while someone drove me around a track – but oh no, that’s not ‘enough’ for me now haha…my Goal now is to get my legs strong enough so I can push the pedal down myself, in the drivers seat (on a childrens kart – as the pedal is easier to press down, in a kids kart).  I have spoken to a local indoor kart track, and they are willing to let me have a go on their kids kart when I am ready to have some fun and give it a go! Cant wait!

* I also aim to do Boot Camp at my gym, when I am fit enough to be challenged with force haha…  Mark, the owner of my fantastic, and supportive gym (Suncoast Fitness in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast) is keen to get me to a Boot Camp class – it was one of the Goals which I thought I would be ready to smash at the start of this year – that obviously didn’t work out…but when I DO achieve it, its going to be an amazing challenge..and SO much fun! 😀

Now that Ive taken that first step…my Goals are just that little bit closer!  The next time (later today) that I step on that mini-tramp, the Goals will be even closer still.  With every step…the Goals are getting closer to being achieved ‘some day’ (not ‘one day’…because as we all know, sometimes just thinking ‘I want to do that one day!’, that one day never comes, if we don’t focus on making it happen).

What steps are you taking towards your Goals and Dreams?  Take that step you’ve been thinking about…I Dare you! 😉

Anything is Possible, when you take that first step! 🙂

UPDATE! 🙂 28 Aug, 2013 – I re-instated my membership with Suncoast Fitness (Wises Rd, Maroochydore) today, a gym I have been a member of for 5 years now! It felt FANTASTIC to be back in the environment which I love so much, a place where I push my body to (and sometimes over haha 😉 ) its limits, and feel an amazing sense of achievement because of it.  I pushed myself through an  (almost) hour long workout…it was amazing to be pushing my body again! Fitness Goals, here I come! 😀

#69. Donate to someone/a family overseas to help improve their quality of life

There are countless ways to donate to people in need around the world – by donating directly to charity, by donating your time to a charity which enables them to assist communities/people in need…and there are also some novel ways whereby, in even a small way, you are able to contribute to a community which needs it.  I thought I would mention two of these ways:

1. Kiva – “We are a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.”
The beauty of ‘microfinancing’ is that the money you lend, is paid back to you – so you can then use that initial outlay of money, to re-lend to another person in need – without having to spend any more money if you dont wish to do so.  Also, the beauty of Kiva is that you actually get to see/read the stories of all the different people in need (including photos, which makes it even more personal)..and choose exactly who (or what area of need) your funds get directed to.
The first woman I have donated to, is a woman living in Costa Rica – she needed assistance to finish studying nursing, so she can offer her services to her local community, in a clinic, or medical facility.  The funds I decided to donate, were added to the pool of funds needed, to enable her to achieve her goal….when I donated, my funds were the last allotment of donations needed, to enable her finance to be ‘fully funded’ (which I wasnt aware of, until my funds went through) – awesome! 🙂
**UPDATE on Kiva! 🙂 My first Loan, to the woman in Costa Rica whose story I shared above, has now been fully repaid back to me – so I went ahead and re-donated those funds (my original $25 outlay), to another woman in Sierra Leone, to help her in her textiles business, so she can continue to contribute to the family household income.  Its a great feeling to donate again, to another woman who needs a helping hand in this world….and this time, I didn’t have to use any of my own funds, as my initial (first) Kiva loan was repaid to me, which is brilliant!
**March 2014 UPDATE! – I just re-lended my original $25 to enable a woman from Samoa, to continue her farming business! This is my 3rd loan made through Kiva, from my original $25 that was re-paid back to me, after each loan was fully funded! Kiva rocks! 🙂
**Further 2015 UPDATE!
I have now – using my initial outlay of $25 which had been paid back after every loan made, then re-lending back out to people and families in need – loaned to 4 different women and their families.  It really is an amazing feeling to be able to give to others in need around this beautiful world of ours!

Kiva comes to those in need around the world…

2. Who Gives a Crap – is a brand of toilet paper which uses 50% of its profits to build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world, (through the organisation, WaterAid *this link takes you to the Australian site…but you can click to the site of your country, if outside of Australia*). “We’re taking a product that everyone needs and using it to help people in need”.  A novel name for the brand….a novel way of donating towards a community which needs it! By buying this toilet paper, I know that in a small way, I am helping contribute to the health and wellbeing of someone who needs it.  Its 3-ply too…a little bit of ‘luxury’ in return! haha 😀 Do you know of any novel ways of raising funds for communities around the world? – please share, in the Comments section below! 🙂
Anything is Possible….even if you wish to help someone on the other side of the world!

#16. Go Whale Watching – Tick!

On 5th July 2013, myself and some friends climbed aboard Mooloolabas ‘Whale One’…the boat which was to take us out (I believe we were about 10 miles out!) into a whole other world – into the open waters off Mooloolaba to go spot some whales on their migration, out in the ocean.  Being an ‘ocean girl’, and having a love for marine creatures, I have been wanting to do this for SO long….and today was the day! Awesome! 😀

As I drove to Mooloolaba, and into The Wharf complex, I could feel that oh-so-familiar feeling of nervous excitement deep down in the pit of my stomach, a feeling I get whenever Im about to tick something awesome off my bucketlist – its a feeling which I have grown to love…and to live for! Its a feeling of REALLY being alive! 🙂

We boarded the boat, chatting away happily to some others passengers who were about to experience this magical morning…settled into our viewing areas on the boat..the engines started – and we were off!  Wow…such an awesome feeling…

On the way out, off the Coast of Mooloolaba…it truly is another world out here…magical!

…this is what unfolded..

Wow….wow…thats up there as almost one of the best experiences of my life! To be out there, right in amongst the ‘whales turf’, and out in the, what they call the ‘highway’ (the track that the whales take in migration) – BEYOND amazing!  It was quite surreal…there was a lot of lurking around (that was very, very cool..seeing the whales surface and glide through the water, then theyd go back under the water – you know theyre there, theyre right there – but you cannot see them – at some points you could see the super-smooth ‘shapes’ of water which told us that they were right there, right below the surface, but we couldnt see them…ooooh haha), surfacing over the top of the water, and under us, by these beautiful creatures – probably 5 all up choosing to drift around us, and in the distance…what we saw was just so special!

“Hi!!” – such a gorgeous moment, the whale breaching out of the water, to ‘greet’ us, and play!
(photos courtesy of Whale One photographer)

One absolutely beautiful moment (if this was the only ‘moment’ on the entire trip, I would have been completely satisfied, it truely was magical – there is nothing like being right there to experience the magic!) was the high breach (a huge amazing leap out of the water, basically right in front of where I was, on back left of the boat), there was apparently another smaller breach on the upper end of the boat which I didnt see…LOADS of surfacing, the whales showing themselves and their top fins/part of their body out of the water for us – there was 3 at various stages, lurking around, and then others further along. And as a bonus, a beautiful pod of dolphins swimming right beside us on my side of the boat, next to me, on the way back.   Amazing…Im in love with these beautiful creatures even more now!

our first glimpse of a whale in the distance – the magic was about to begin!

I didnt get a lot of ‘action shots myself, and missed capturing the amazing breach as it just happens so quick…you’re so mesmerised with waiting for them, and watching them, that the camera sort of gets forgotten…lol.. but I did get a few ‘surface’ shots of them.

Even when you see just the top of the whale – you know that there is a huge magificent beast lurking just under the water – no other feeling like it, knowing this!

I am just amazed at the experience..it was truely awesome – nature at its most raw, and at its finest. A huge reminder that when we are out in the ocean, we are in the whales/marine creatures turf…and they totally call the shots, so its up to them how much they want to play….they certainly were very inquisitive, the ones which lurked around the boat for ages!  Made me have the feeling of wanting to go swim with them…haha…

LOVED it…totally recommend it…would go back out there tomorrow if I could!

Whale Watching was amongst one of the first ‘dreams’ I placed on my list when it was first born.  The evening I got back to the hotel in the city, after ticking off my #1 Life Dream – Racing in a V8 Supercar – the day that my mind discovered, when I got out of that beautiful #17 V8 Supercar, that I could do absolutely ANYTHING, was when I sat down with pen and paper and thought ‘you know what, what ELSE do I want to do in my life??’, and thats when Whale Watching made it to my list.  Less than 2yrs later, that dream became my reality – thanks to perfect timing (and pricing, with the voucher/discount price we discovered just when my friends and I were talking about doing it ‘one day’).  Got to love how things often happen in waves…you want to do it, you action it, you start to talk/think about it….and the opportunity appears in front of you! 🙂

“Whale One”

Thank you so much to Whale One staff, and of course to Midgey, the Whale Whisperer dog…hehe (Midgey had such a, excuse the pun lol…whale of a time out on the boat!)  Your customer service, the magical experience you bring to us, the way you assisted me with my chair, on and off the boat, was absolutely brilliant!

Midgey the Whale One dog!

*oh…and as a side note – on the way back into The Wharf complex, I happened to stroll past a row of jetski’s…oooooh….Riding a Jetski just happens to be No. #3 on my List..haha… you know where my mind went right there, dont you? 😉

ANYTHING is possible….when you experience the true magic of life itself!

#114 – Plant a Tree – Working Bees!

Following on from when I ticked off ‘Plant a Tree’ ( read about it here ), by planting a number of baby trees, in amongst all the others which were planted at the Model Railway site, Nambour – we are now holding regular Working Bees, to further nurture, plant, weed, and take care of this land.  On Saturday 15th June, I headed back to the site, to participate in one of these Working Bees – and will continue to go whenever I can, on a monthly basis.  It is such a good feeling, knowing that we are doing our bit for the environment in this way….there’s nothing like getting your hands into raw nature, into the soil.  Nature – Medicine for the Soul! 🙂

My ‘corner’ which Ive adopted as my own..’Tarns corner’ 🙂

Ginger plants, and ferns go into the ground, ready to grow into lush green growth at the site! 🙂

Thank you to Norm, Jenny, Elisa and all at the Petrie Creek Catchment Care Group Inc. for your help and support, to enable me to join in with you all, in taking care of this gorgeous piece of land.  Looking forward to joining in with you all again regularly, in taking care of ‘our land’ and seeing it blossom (excuse the pun! lol) as time goes on 🙂

Anything is Possible….with some TLC and nurturing!

#145 on the bucketlist (2km walk in the Sunshine Coast Marathon 2013) – *postponed*

Sometimes, no matter how much we would love to attempt something, to chase a dream, to achieve something we put all of our heart and soul into …sometimes, it is just not the right time for it.  Simple as that. The Universe works in amazing (and sometimes strange!) ways, both in placing opportunities right in front of us to achieve some amazing things in life…and also, in giving us signs that maybe, just maybe, its just ‘not the right time’ to do something – but this doesnt mean that we can never achieve it – just ‘not right now’.

I have, this morning (late May 2013) made the sad decision to pull out of the Sunshine Coast Marathon in 2013 (#145 off my bucketlist), to get a team together and compete in a marathon/fun run type event to raise money for charity – getting up out of my chair and walking the 2km distance Running for a Reason 2013 ).  This really hurts to make this decision, and its a decision Ive been avoiding for the last month or so….until my body has been giving me increasing signs that now is simply ‘not the right time to do this’, and I had to face the decision once and for all – it is now 3 months out from the Marathon – the decision would have been more heartbreaking if I got say, one month out, and then had to make it.   I was, once I made the decision to enter into it, SO excited about competing in this Marathon in ‘my way’ (getting up out of my wheelchair and walking the 2km distance on my crutches) – and I was feeling that my whole heart and soul was being put into it…until a longstanding health issue I have had, has started to rear its head more and more, as time has gone on, this year.

This has resulted in my not being able to exercise as much as I normally absolutely love to do (these days, I LOVE pushing my body to its limits!) – let alone put efforts into training for this Event – and I also havent been able to put efforts into the fundraising side of my Marathon entry (fundraising, of course, was going to go towards my/Chasing my Dreams charity of choice, (the now former) SBH Qld).   Most of my efforts right now have to be directed towards my health.  Unfortunately its a waiting game for me, as surgery is what is going to ultimately ‘solve’ this issue…but, when the surgery is over – WATCH OUT – haha..I will be back, stronger than ever! I will be practically running that 2km next year! ;)(haha..wishful thinking..but yes, once this surgery is over, my life is going to be so different to what it is right now)…

Chasing my Dreams on my bucketlist has had to be slowed right up at the moment too…but..as soon as this surgery is over – Bring it on! 😀

I thank each and every one of you who have supported me, not only in this whole crazy Chasing my Dreams journey…but also in my decision to tick this #145 off of my bucketlist.  It means the world to me, to have the support of others…this sure is one crazy rollercoaster ride, this whole bucketlist lifestyle….and the magic of it is, when health issues DO crop up – by looking at my list, and thinking ahead – I always have ‘something to look forward to’ (which, incidentally, was the last piece of advice my beloved Nana ever gave to me, before she passed away)

To everyone who is competing in SC Marathon 2013 – I wish you all, all the very best of luck, and fun –  I fully intend to be on those sidelines, cheering everyone over the line! 😀

Sunshine Coast Marathon 2014 – BRING IT ON! 😀

Anything is Possible…when its the right time to achieve it!  Sometimes the ‘right time’ is right in front of you…..sometimes its further down the track in life – the key is to hold onto that dream, so when the ‘right time’ does come up, its even more magic than when you attempted it the first time! 

#114 – Plant a Tree – Tick!

I recently posted a blog on wanting to ‘plant a tree’…and how once again something that I ‘put out to the universe’, magically appeared into my life not long after – and turned into something more special than I originally thought it would be.  Well the day has come and gone, and I feel so blessed to have been able to experience this 🙂

Early on Friday May 10th 2013, I headed to the Model Railway site, in Florence St, Nambour Qld – to take part in the official Launch of the ‘Namba Creek’ Planting Day/conservation project.  It was such a beautiful morning..made even more special by the partial solar eclipse that occurred that morning – almost as if ‘all the planets had aligned’ or something! 🙂

After a bit of a mingle with other people participating, and the formalities/speeches/introductions were over (this was a Unity Water/local Council-funded project), we were all set to get ready to put all these beautiful trees and plants into the ground (1300+ plants went into the ground on this day).  I was lucky enough to be allowed onto the very cute miniature train, to be taken around the site, to the area where I was doing my planting…I felt just like a big kid! haha…

Riding the miniature train…we were all big kids! 😀

Getting down onto the ground, and placing my hands on the dirt, running my fingers through it…what a magical experience this always is.  Having no feeling in my feet, and living life from my wheelchair, I have never had the experience of actually physically feeling what it would be like to run my toes through the dirt…so when opportunities like this come up, I really feel the experience, right through to inside my soul.  This wasnt just ‘putting a few plants into the ground’ for me – this was not only playing my little part in nurturing this land back to life…but it was very nurturing, personally.

After gloving up, and being shown the process of how the plants were going to be put into the ground…I picked up my trowel, and dug the hole, for my very first tree – a Tuckeroo tree – how exciting..I was planting my very first tree! 🙂  Of course, Ive planted herbs and vegies before, in my raised garden bed…but this was different…this was getting down onto the ground, and planting into the actual ground, not a raised garden bed/box.

I looked at this little baby tree, and I was so proud of this little growing piece of nature…haha…weird to feel proud, but I looked at it, and almost willed it to start growing…Im looking forward to watching it grow over time!  I planted a few more trees (not sure what these were), but they were cute – and before I knew it, my little area was all done.  I had now made my mark in this area, and helped in my small way to bring this piece of land back to life.  There is something special about helping another living being (whether that be a person, an animal, or a plant) to grow 🙂

My very first tree! How cute it is! haha…

Unfortunately I wasnt able to stay for the ‘after-planting’ BBQ, as I had to head off, to get ready to get on the road to the Poker Run…but it was still amazing to actually have the time to take part in the Planting itself before I had to head off.  At first  when I found out about the rescheduled date for the Planting Day (it had to be postponed because of rain) I was worried about the clash of the Poker Run as well as the Planting….but it all worked out perfectly.

Im looking forward to the monthly working bees, where we get to do other tasks in this park, to help it not only survive..but to thrive! 🙂  My little want to get down and ‘Plant a Tree’ has turned into something awesome –  I am so glad I took this opportunity to follow up on the leaflet I found in my mailbox a few months ago!

Thank you to Nadia from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, and Norm from the  Petrie Creek Catchment Care Group Inc. for welcoming me onto the project, and assisting me to be fully included in the Planting Day….and thank you to everyone who helped me on the day.  Looking forward to seeing ‘our little area’ grow and thrive! 🙂

Anything is Possible…when you not only nurture yourself, but your world around you!