Harder Than I Thought

I decided today was the day I would start talking to local business',  I knew it wasn't going to be a 'Walk in the Park' and whilst it wasn't hard, I can see that after a while it could become soul destroying, I can kind of get a feel for what phone sales people and the religious door knockers of the world feel like.
  
First stop was going to by the vineyard wine shop on Lincoln Road, a great little shop with a wide selection of wines and a venue, my plan, ask them if they would like to donate a case or ten, and also discuss the possibility of using their venue for the auction (free of charge of course.)  Their carpark is usually pretty empty, but not today, cars everywhere and a wedding taking place in the gardens. There's no way I'm barging in and trying to get free stuff when they obviously have their hands full.   So onto my next stop.


A new tattoo place has opened on Lincoln Road.  They have transformed an existing property and made it look fabulous, I went in, it was a buzz with activity and tattoo guns.. it smelt as clean and sterile as a hospital, it looked like you could eat your food off the floor, it was a mix of high tech and art gallery, if I was after a tattoo this is where I would have been looking.  I spoke to a great guy, he gave me the owners name, he listened to my blurb, politely took my flyer and the letter I'm handing out business' and said to come back at 2:00pm when the owner had a free block of time... promising stuff I thought.  And went off with a spring in my step.


Stop number 3 the bike shop in the shopping area off Lincoln Road, nothing to exciting here, receptive, but not a definitive "yes" or "no."  
And so it went on in this vain, I went to an Automotive supplies shop, - Manager not in, the new gym, no entry without the swipe card to the gym, just a phone number on the window.  None of these things are hard to overcome, they just remind me, this is going to be hard work.  If I want items for my auction I'm going to have to work my ass off for them.  

“Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier.” 
― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

It Never Rains but it Pours......

And today was a downpour.....So many things in one day, tomorrow will seem slow and lifeless.  If you've checked out the fundraising page of abs-olutley you will have seen Vikki's Fantaboulous Idea to get Jacqui to Kenya and the donations of bottles of wine are pouring in (excuse the pun) It's great having friends who are so encouraging, it's just what I need, it keeps the self doubt at bay.  Today was a tough one for me, on a personal level, but on a "Getting to Kenya" level, it was amazing... You can't ask for everything, and today my luck came in the shape of aid.

#1 - The Sausage Sizzle is booked, I've got my helpers and hopefully some hungry people wanting to pop a gold coin in the box for a sausage.  Photos to come.  Once I've got this under my belt, I will feel like it's really happening. 

Mad Butcher Massey

Triangle Road Intersection

Massey

10:00 am - 1:00 pm

#2 - I stepped away from my desk for just a few minutes, only to come back to see I had missed a call.  I mentioned the stroke of luck last Friday meeting the group of guys at Bar159, well it seems they really were angles in guise of builders.  One had said he would see if he could generate some interest, that he would ask some of his suppliers if they were prepared to donate goods.  Well true to his word, he rang today asking if I would put together a letter outlining my fundraising goal and he would see what he could do.  What more can I ask for? As I keep getting told "Action creates Activity" I'm starting to believe it.  Said letter is currently being proof read by my most convincing supporter.

Links and promotion will accompany any support given 

Keep the bottle pledges rolling in, and please if you've pledged an item, follow through, I can't auction "Good Intentions" but I can auction "Simple Gestures." All items donated will go directly to the Silent Auction. All funds raised at the Silent Auction will go entirely to Getting Jacqui to Kenya. 

Jacq

x

I'm making a list, and I'm checking it twice..

Anybody that knows me, knows I'm the eternal list maker, everything worth it's salt requires a list.  Lists are my way of staying in some semblance of control.  There is nothing more satisfying than crossing things of the list... 
(I'm PA, I need to be organised, but my boss finds it hilarious, that I add things retrospectively to my lists, and then cross the added item out immediately) 

• 'To do' lists @ work 
• Housework
• Holidays 
• Groceries

So how was this was ever going to be any different?


And so the lists begin.

• Who I should contact ...
• Who can help me ...
• How much money I need to raise ...