Book Challenge: 26 Books to Read in 2015 - Part 2

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Back in April I chose to pursue a challenge: 26 books to read in 2015.

From the beginning I knew, that it would be impossible to do nr. 19 on the list: "A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t" - I loved books, so I always read the books we were told to read and we did not have a list of suggested reading (most schools here do not make such a list - even though I like the idea) - but I have completed the remaining 26 requirements :o)

1.    A book you own but haven’t read: From a Buick 8 – Stephen King

2.    A book that was made into a movie: The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemmingway

3.    A book you pick solely because of the cover: Murder of a Needled Knitter – Denise Swanson

4.    A book your friend loves: The Rose Labyrinth – Titania Hardie

5.    A book published this year: A Vintage Wedding – Katie Fforde

6.    A book by an author you’ve never read before: Becoming Dickens - Robert Douglas-Fairhurst

7.    A book by an author you love: Peter Pan Must Die – John Verdon

8.    A book at the bottom at your “to be read” pile: The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared - Jonas Jonasson

9.    A book with a color in the title: Hvidsten Gruppen - Axel Holm – hvid is white in Danish

10.  A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit: The Perfect Match – Katie Fforde - Cotswold, UK

11.  A book you started but never finished: Always Looking Up – Michael J Fox - started February 2013

12.  A book a lion, a witch or a wardrobe: Brobyggerne – Jan Guillou - lion

13.  A book with a female heroine: The Fire – Katherine Neville 

14.  A book set in the summer: Purl Up and Die - Maggie Sefton

15.  A book of poems: Stik - Stine Dige & Marie Ladefoged

16.  A book you learned about because of this challenge: The Boston Girl - Anita Diamant

17.  A book that will make you smarter: Vælg Fra - Birgitte Sally

18.  A book with a blue cover: Always Looking Up – Michael J Fox

19.  A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t: **DOES NOT EXIST**

20.  A book “everyone” but you have read: All the Light we Cannot See - Anthony Doerr

21.  A book with a great first line: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen - "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife"

22.  A book with pictures :11 meter frihed – Christian Liebergreen

23.  A book from the library: Library of Souls - Random Riggs

24.  A book you loved…read it again: Le Petit Price – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

25.  A book that is more than 10 years old: Hallo'ween - Agatha Christie

26.  A book based on a true story: Team Tvilling – Peder & Steen Mondrup

I could have mentioned several books next to some of the 25 requirements completed, but having read 102 books throughout the entire year I have chosen only to list one book

Fall Colors

Fall this year is not was it used to be - seems like we are heading for the 3rd warmest October since they started recording weather temperatures 100+ years ago - in fact I am not yet using my winter coat, which I usually would have been using 2-3 weeks already. Fall colors are everywhere and the days are getting shorter and yet the trees are holding on to more leafs than usual.

CCEE Stampers' challenge theme this week is Fall Colors - CCEE1443- used a freebie digi stamp (deleted it by mistake from my computer so do not remember where it is from) and colored the leafs with COPICs - found some fuzzy yarn in fall colors and crocheted a border..... the fuzzy yarn reminds me of falling leaves in the wind.

Bon Voyage!!

Today was a happy and emotional day. Lots of tears were shed today - those out of joy and excitement - at the Copenhagen Harbor. It is a dream come true, a boat that has MS crew members on board and will sail with changing MS crew members around the world. A dream that originated in an MS doctor's idea to spread the joy of sailing amongst MSers - an idea he pursued and could witness coming true today as he, the boat and crew left Copenhagen today.

Oceans of Hope - fitting name for the boat who is going to be greeted by MSers around the world and hopefully inspire them to go sailing too - perhaps not on a tour around the world, but hopefully they will connect/reconnect with the joy on being on a sailboat just feeling alive and get wind in the hair.

Seven spectators to this departure (including myself) were filled with a different kind of joy than the remaining of the spectators. We have all been selected to sail with this boat in the near future, so all of us are counting down to an experience/adventure that started as a wish/dream 1½ year ago..... knowing that lots of other MSers will get the opportunity to sail with this boat the next 1½ year makes the feeling even stronger.

I Start Believing Now

It has been on my mind for a very long time, and now it is really getting closer

 

 

For me, it is seeing is believing.... and today I saw the tour boat for the very first time with my own eyes - even worked on her for several hours as it takes a bit more sweat to get her ready for the tour. I am exhausted but so are some other MSers that like me wanted to give our hands and time to make her perfect.

We are not finished yet, but we still have 3 more weeks until she starts this big adventure around the world... until today this was meetings, emails and various info posted on the web... and now truly a reality when seeing the boat.

It is a huge part on my life at the moment and you will hear more about the tour and the boat the next two months..... that is because I consider this an adventure of a lifetime - a chance that I had to pursue.

What is happening?

Do not know what made me  look up and see this particular window - or rather what is nn display in that window - but instinctively took my phone and took a photo.

It reflects the thoughts that have been in my head lately: Is it really happening? Did I really get a spot on the sailboat this summer?

Schedule have been changed slightly due to delivery time on a needed spare part to get the boat ready for the big trip but have a schedule for my part of the world tour that I absolutely love - believe it will become the experience of my lifetime :o)

Annette Fredskov

Why would somebody run 366 marathons in 365 days? I heard about the project before it took off in 2012 and was a bit awed by the idea. WHY?! would somebody ask again..... well because this Danish lady decided after down-period, that the MS diagnosis was a bump in her path that still had things to offer. Well with the support of her family she actually did it. 

The MS relates to me and I once had the dream to complete a marathon in my running shoes only to get stopped by a bad injury at a time where I could almost smell the finishing line in a marathon. Since that injury I have been an official at the Copenhagen Marathon a few times... if I can not run it, I can still be a part of it by giving a helping hand to the event.

She published a book about the challenge just 3 months after she ran the 366th marathon. I recently bought it and read it in just two days. Being an ex-runner I was so curious to find out, how she managed to have faith in her own project and accomplish her goal. Even though I knew the ending I was still fascinated by the book.

Yesterday I went to a lecture organized by the Danish MS Society. Maybe I should not have done it seen with practical eyes, as it was a little outside Copenhagen and knew I would be home late only having to get up early again this morning as work would be calling, but I am glad that I took the time to go anyway. 

She oozes with positive thinking and is  ready to find herself a new challenge - already having a long list of possible challenges that she might pursue. Her project inspired a lot of people to pursue their individual goals by participating in the marathons she hosted and it is awesome to read some of their words about the project in her book. Her project might be extreme, but the message is clear: follow your dream even though it might seem impossible. She also acknowledges that somethings might be in the way of reaching that goal besides your own will and ability so it is not all black/white. If you set a goal, divide that into sub-goals making it "closer" to you than the real goal that might seem very far away.

Some people turn to self-help books when they meet obstacles in their lives, but I believe that they should rather read a few books by people, that have done the impossible to get some positive energy and find out how they themselves could find/use their positive energy. 

Me I am just glad that I could read a book about an accomplishment like that :o)

Something Usefull and Returning to a Challenge

The past year had it's up and downs, and looking at the first 27 days of 2014 it has been a bit of a bumper ride already draining me from energy. Need to turn the clock back to mid December, where I saw a collection add from the Danish chapter of Red Cross that led to a decision, that I pursued some weeks ago.

Back in December I supported the Give-A-Heart (Giv et hjerte) campaign, with a text message (SMS) donating 50 DKK (little less than 10$) collected for a Christmas box to Danish families in need for help to afford just a little extra for Christmas. It was also supported by the pattern of a ...... weaved heart... with the Red Cross logo.

Already back then I saw the opportunity to pursue my own personal challenge of weaving 366 hearts - my goal of doing it in 366 days is much overdo, but I need to do it for me. So here you have it, the first heart of almost 50 more to come, and a few more also await publishing on my weaved heart blog that will get back into action again.

2013 was much about the Sailing Sclerosis project, but I also need to focus on other things in case I do not get a spot on the boat. The Red Cross heart has also lead to another thing: A couple of weeks ago I was at a introducion meeting for future/possible volunteers. If I get accepted to the support group, that I want to join it actually involves some crafty thing, that I am sort of already doing.... and I have previous supported various caused doing a little crafty work, so why not go further. If I get accepted I will reveal later how I am supporting the Red Cross.

Scream and Spooky

Second post today - well Saturday was not only about sailing this week but also making cards :o) Usually I am soo exhaused from sailing and goes directly home to nap, but not so much this week - guess that body is adjusting more to the work on the boat.

 

Beccy's Place October Challenge - an anything goes challenge with the requirement of using a digital image from Beccy's Place.

 

 

Well I used two instead of one, as I think they are meant to be together - and everything around here is dressed up for Halloween despite it not being a Danish tradition, but an imported one. We are not a pumkin country by tradition, though a couple of pumpkin farms have made a nice living since Tivoli Garden needs at least 40.000+ pumpkins every year for the Halloween theme during fall + the pumkins needed for making a smiling Jack.

 

Made two identical cards which are now enroute overseas to receivers that have grown up with the tradition - digis are colored with COPICs, the purple paper is actually cut out from a paper table runner so a soft touch and the pumpkin design paper is "Plenty of Pumpkins" from Panduro Hobby.

 

A Little Late....

Some say "Better late than never".... I hope this is the case, as privately my mind still seems to be in July, where at work the calendar is adjusted. Maybe it is due to the weather lately: when you get outside it is just warmer than we are used to, and then the humidity plus no wind at all .... work place is better due to the cooling system.

 

Whipped up this card in an hour using paper from Mat Stacks (by DieCuts with a View), stamp I drew a year or so back, a Chinese font (computer) and washi tape.... on a roll today as actually 5 cards are almost finished - all with individual themes. Feels good to be crafting.

 

Entering it into the following challenges:

Crafty Calender Challenge - Anything Goes

One Stop Craft Challege - Keep It Simple