Postscript

14 June – I achieved my target of 50 firsts a few days ago, but in fact there were quite a few more firsts that it didn’t feel right to share in this way. This was the first time I sat in a funeral car. Once was for my lovely stepfather, who died last October, and the other time was for my dear Nana, who died on 11 February at the age of 98. I suppose it’s what happens when you reach 50 – more evidence of how short life can be, and how quickly it can pass you by. More people to miss.

Is it okay to share this? I’m not sure – a blog is that weird thing between a facebook post and a diary entry, like writing for someone looking over your shoulder. The point of this challenge was not to do big things (or brag about them) but to notice what is around me. And on reflection that did start to happen. I spent a lot of time looking up events and places where I live, and began to appreciate that York is a city where lots of small and community events are happening all over the place. I took myself out of my comfort zone a few times, and I also did most of the challenges with friends and family, which meant a lot to me. I didn’t visit John O’Groats, but I sponsored someone who did a coast to coast cycle ride and someone else who took part in the Live Below the (Poverty) Line challenge – challenge by proxy, maybe.

Anyway, it’s one year since I turned 50 so I’m putting this blog on Facebook for any friends to read – or not.
I still haven’t been to Rio, the moon or John O’Groats, read War and Peace, seen a manatee, driven a Jaguar or swum the Channel.
But there’s always next year.

First 49 and 50 – henna tattoo and manicure

5 and 11 June – It’s the first time I’ve grown all my nails – how embarrassing is that! So this was a small, rather vain, celebration of the fact – just before I reach the end of being 50.

Marks: 9/10 – I love the purple nailvarnish and now the gingeriness of the henna has gone down, am getting rather fond

Tried lots of angles but none of them flattering

of my little tattoo by my extremely talented student Mehazabin.

First 48 – ‘invested’ in a bookshop

30 May – This year I keep hearing about bookshops, pubs and other community places offering shares – what a great idea, especially during a recession. So, inspired by Lucy Mangan I went onto the website of Bookbarn in Bristol and joined crowdcube to make my investment. To be honest, I didn’t invest much at all (recession, and all that) but I rather like that feeling of being an investor/shareholder – especially in a bookshop.  Now, all I’ve got to do is visit the place and buy a book.

First 47 – became an organ donor

 Something I should have done a long time ago. Done.

First 45 – sheepshearing

I could probably do with a bit of a trim, too

21 May – At the last book group I mentioned my 50 firsts challenge. I know, they said. How about sheepshearing, with Liz’s sheep? Then Gillian could teach you how to spin the wool, and Sandra could teach you how to knit it. A huge thanks to Liz who entrusted me (under son Guy’s supervision and tutelage) with precious sheep and very sharp shears. Challenge 1: catch the sheep; challenge 2: get it on its back and gripped between your legs. Neither challenge actually met by me, but the will was there.

Marks: 10/10 I didn’t shear a whole sheep, but learned a lot on what was for a change a perfect balmy summer evening. Guy deserves a medal for his patience. I even came away with a bit of wool for spinning.

First 43 – Dawn chorus walk

First 43 – 28th May at St Nicholas Fields Nature Reserve meant getting up at 3.30 to pack breakfast – with that holiday feeling as I got into the car in the dark. Driving past fields a little before 4am I heard the first bird start. A lovely little group with Cliff, in his seventies, pointing out the different birds.  I think I can now recognise great tit, wren and chiff chaff, though noisy blackbirds blocked out black cap.

Marks: 9/10 As a bird listening novice, I couldn’t quite enter into the thrill of identifying rare birds (“Follow that whitethroat!” sounded a bit worrying to me) but thoroughly enjoyed my dawn walk. Will definitely look out for it next year.

First 42 – discovered the magic of Django Reinhardt

11 May and 7th June – This year, thanks to Gillian and Mark and their amazing guitar festival I was introduced to Django Reinhardt’s intoxicating French gypsy jazz guitar sound – the Remi Harris Quartet, who played at a tiny jazz club in Boston Spa where the audience brought along their sandwiches, and Djangologie, who performed on the first night of the Bishopthorpe Little Guitar Festival (2013 slogan: ‘not so little any more’. That hot, giddy sound gets into your bones.

Marks: 8/10 – need to hear more.

First 41 – holding baby lambs less than a day old.

So new!

21 April – What a weekend – drama, tragedy, and now a Sunday evening spent with cute little animals with wonky legs and wobbly tails who hadn’t quite worked out how to feed from their mum. Liz rang me around 6 to say that a set of twins had been born three hours before and triplets that morning, and then dropped by in the car to give me a lift out to the field so that I could see them and take photos. I don’t think she or Adam banked on me taking quite so many photos! The lambs were so new were still learning where to suck to get milk, which included trying out Adam’s bare leg and Liz’s shoes before Liz persuaded them they might get more from suckling Mum. It was a beautiful evening and we walked up the end of the field to count the sheep and then back again, as the sunset gathered and the lambs curled up by their new mothers.

Marks: 10/10 – really should have put the camera down and just revelled in the experience itself. Thanks to Liz and Adam who passed no comment at all on my embarrassing behaviour.