Adrenaline Junkie...

Hi Folks! Hope you had a good Christmas?
Did Santa bring you something special??

Well he brought me a fabulous gift from my hubbie John... a triple whammy adrenaline day out!

Starting with a 250ft zip wire which will have me travelling at 30mph ... followed by an abseil down a 150ft drop ... and finished off with a parachute jump from 150ft!

I can't wait!

It is all indoors so no jumping out of aeroplanes or anything but still enough to give me a real adrenaline rush and cross off three things from my 'to do' list :-)

The zip wire will be fab - I think I'll have a harness too - just in case my hands slip off whilst travelling at 30mph!

The abseil will be a challenge - I chickened out of a much smaller one when I was younger and have regretted it ever since and so I am really looking forward to pushing myself into doing it...

The parachute jump is indoors and so doesn't have the dangers associated with jumping from a plane ... but 150ft is still very high and still a big rush :-)

It'll all be happening at the Magna Centre in Rotherham - date to be booked by me and so I shall keep you posted when I get a booking!

I am hoping that it's OK to bring spectators - I'll have the kids and John watching with cameras and camcorders!

Should be Fab!
I can't wait :-)

Leg or Breast?

Christmas is about the only time you can ask this question without a funny look or a clout over the head with someones handbag ...

... so, vote now in my seasonal quiz - do you prefer Leg or Breast?

There might be another saucy photo in it for you ;-)

Sons ... and Daughters!

As I write this I am wrestling with my conscience - dare I admit that I have a problem with my son?

I have been reassured that most lads go through this 'phase' (thanks buddy - you know who you are!) and so I know that I must persist but sometimes it's just so hard...

As a parent you want to give your child every opportunity but sometimes you know that they just don't deserve it - so what do you do?

Well today I denied my son the chance to go on a skating trip - skateboarding is his passion and he loves it - he has improved immensely since the summer when he started and he would have loved to go today but...

He has just been such a selfish, stubborn lad this last few weeks and I have had enough of giving and not receiving!

He gets his meals cooked without even having to wash pots afterwards, his clothes are washed and pressed and he can't be bothered to put them away, I asked him to wash the car but he refused, even saying that no amount of money would make him say yes! I asked him to sweep the leaves in the back garden but again he refused! He also gets regular lifts to skating trips... need I go on?

There is a new movie on at the cinema which we would all like to see and we agreed to go this afternoon - except that his refusal to help at home made me feel that he should not go. So we have all missed out!

My daughter has cottoned on to the 'just do it - you get less hassle' way of thinking and she is great - she even does stuff without being asked!!

Why don't boys work the same way??

So, when the skating invitation came I refused it and said he couldn't go!

I did feel bad - I hate depriving them of such oportunities - but he really has to start pulling his weight! Keeping a family home running is alot of work and it is not fair that he should have such high expectations without putting something back!

Anyway...

... tonight he came to me and said that he had thought about what I had said earlier and was sorry - he hugged me! I melted and then thanked him for his apology (quietly wondering how long it would last!).

10 minutes later he asked if we could all go to the cinema now?

Where's that wall...I may as well bang my head!!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

Today is officially the start of Christmas in our house :-)

I love putting up Christmas decorations and my favourite is my Christmas Tree! It's a beauty and its branches are all fitted singly into it's trunk so that I can leave out the few lower branches at the back and push it closer to the window.


The baubles are all sorts of shapes and sizes and colours. Some are handmade from when the children were small!

I try to buy at least a couple of new decorations each year and usually look for them whilst on holiday - you'd be surprised what you can find in Scotland in August - I have a beautiful pair of miniature bagpipes which came from Cawdor Castle.

I also have a Guardsman from the Tower of London and two wooden, jointed millenium teddy bears! The list is endless and each year my daughter tells me that we have no more room - but each year we find space for just a few more...

I love Christmas!

Happy Christmas Everyone x

Request for more photos ...

I have received an anonymous request for 'more photos' following the 'OMG They've Arrived!' post in November.

The problem is that I do like to know who is asking ...

...should I insist on a name...?
...or perhaps a clue...?

Or should I just be a complete flirt and put up another photo anyway :-)

Flirty at Forty...

Woah - what happened??

I just joined Facebook and suddenly I've lost three days out of my life!!

I've been exchanging photos, had a snowball fight, been given e-hugs and now I'm finding myself involved in wall-to-wall flirting sessions ... it's all good fun, I'm loving it (can I still say that or do MacDonalds have carte blanche?) :-)

But seriously - (sorry folks, just for a moment - promise!)

Flirting has to be a dying art hasn't it? I've been with John since I was 17 and so didn't get as much 'activity' on the singles scene as some may have had - am I at a disadvantage??

Facebook here I come - any excuse :-)

MySpace? My Face? Oh ... Facebook!!

Well everyone keeps going on about it and so I thought I had better see what all the fuss is about!

MySpace or Facebook? Well I have decided on Facebook because it seems to be the one which comes up the most!

I have done the important bits - now all I have to do is learn how to use it!!!!

If you find me there and know me then do invite me to be your friend - I have sent out some invites already but I do like a big party don't you :-)

Silly & Soft!

It was sooo cold last night!
We did have the heating on but I just couldn't get warm!

I was sitting at the computer stiffly typing in my search requests when John came up behind me and draped my shoulders with a hot duvet cover, straight from the tumble dryer!

It was gorgeous!

I just pulled it tightly round me and absorbed all the warmth and softness and it was just the best feeling!!

I haven't done that in years and heaven knows I have told off the kids before today for doing the very same thing but never again!

Try it yourself!
It's fab!

OMG They've Arrived!!

Oh My God!
My 'Naked Photo Album' has arrived!
It was delivered by courier this morning!

Aaaahhh! I can't believe it!!

It feels so good looking through the album - I can't believe it's me!

Leigh you did a great job!
The photos are stunning!
I am sooo pleased!
Thank you so much xx

...and now I just want to run around and show everyone!!! Arrrggghhh!

I feel like a kid with the best toy in the world!

Hey Karen - you said you wanted a look - ring me - we got a date to make :-)

Fantastic Sex!!

Ah-Ha! I thought that would get your attention!

Abba Night was fab, Abb-Fab in fact :-)

Since I got even votes on the wear it or not question I decided to 'wear it'. I felt fantastic! My Gorgeous 4 inch heel, white Go-Go boots were amazing and made me feel like a million dollars!

Friends were dressed up too and their outfits were superb - Lisa looked brilliant as Agneatha with a sequined, long, burgundy kaftan and her long blond wig! Lian looked great as Annifrid and really suited her wild dark hair! Russ came as Bjorn but unfortunately his moustache just wouldn't stay in place and so after trying it in different places - eyebrows worked pretty well I thought! - he finally gave in and it laid abandoned for most of the evening!

Everyone looked really good and had put careful thought into what to wear but Gary, however, deserves a special mention!

He was dressed as an Abba girl with tight trousers, a crop top and a long black wig! He had make-up too but the bright red nails were the finishing touch!

What I should explain at this point is that Gary was responsible for doing the disco - now, imagine wearing that costume whilst keeping the music going AND maintaining a chatty banter with the audience AND at the same time, trying to control a statically charged black nylon wig which was clinging wildly to his face ... well now you know why I think he should get a medal!

... and on top of that he was dancing - giving it rock all I'd say!

The disco was fab - everyone having a good time and dancing the night away! Lisa was in there - go girl! She had a go at the karaoke too - but then again we all would if we had her voice :-)

I danced loads! I don't get to dance very often and the last time I did was May 2007!! I had a whale of a time! I do dance pretty much the same to every song though - except the Macarena - but everyone knows that don't they?!

It was great - I loved it!

Unfortunately babysitting curfew kicked in and we had to go about 11.30pm. The disco was still going strong and so was the party! We went back to Lisa's and after a quick cuppa we finally made our way home...

I loved my outfit - I had a few nice comments too which was a real boost :-) When I went to the loo I was quizzed about my 'fabulous' boots - Did I buy or hire them? Where from? How much? Aren't they amazing!

Well - yes they are - not only do they have the power to make the wearer feel fantastic but they have an incredible effect on those around too - John loved them so much that once we got home he wouldn't let me take them off for ages ... ;-)

I soooo need a reason to wear them again :-)

Abb-Fab (or not?)

Well - I suppose every girl has a time in her life when she gets invited to an Abba party - and so my time has come!

The trouble is that they had such awful taste in clothes in the 70's and I'm not exactly cut to show off clingy lycra flares!!

And so I have scoured the charity shops and found this little number - so what do you think?

You may ADMIRE the Fabulous Go-Go Boots which are brand new and all mine - I love them - and they are surprisingly comfy!! You may OVERLOOK the really bad hair (been trying different things with gel, hairspray etc but it didn't work - as you can tell!)

As usual I have opened myself up to your opinion and need you to vote on whether to wear the black cardi - or not?

Comments will be moderated and so anything about tree trunk legs will not make it to the blog - sorry folks but I have to draw the line somewhere!

Deadline is Saturday night so ... ready ... steady... VOTE!

Silly Buggar!

I have recently told another friend about my blog - I'm ashamed to say that not everyone knows about it yet! I've been asking myself what is stopping me from telling everyone - and the answer came to light as I was emailing my friend ... everything just came pouring out!

I thought I'd share the contents of my email......

Hiya :-)

So glad you're still speaking to me! I never know how people will react when they find out what I've done! I must say though that the people who know have all been brilliant - really pleased for me (and some have even been jealous!).

I'm a really insecure soul at heart and I am still scared that there are people who will refuse to speak to me after finding out what I did!

I didn't tell anyone that I was going for the shoot - not until afterwards - and even then it was the 'face to face' bit that was hardest - hence the blog - somehow it seems much easier to say things in the blog than in person!

Once I'd had the photos done I felt absolutely amazing! I got alot of male attention at the service station we stopped at on the way home so perhaps I was giving out 'vibes' - John thought this was quite amusing but I felt like I had a huge Neon sign saying 'I JUST DID A NAKED PHOTO SHOOT' - I did enjoy the attention though!!

Once I got back to 'real life' I still felt fab and I wanted to tell everyone about my naked photo shoot but I was never one to shout for the limelight!! I found the blog the easiest way to tell people!

It's really strange because I am really proud of the photos and it is by far the bravest thing I have EVER done - remember John is - or was - the only man to have ever seen me naked!

There are a few people who I think know about my blog but who haven't mentioned anything about it - I'm afraid to talk about it with them in case they DO know and think me rude ... or alternatively in case they DON'T know in which case I'm afraid that they will disown me!!

I haven't even dared to tell Mum or Dad!!!!!

Am I a silly buggar or what?

Anyway, I should be getting the photos back soon in an album and so if you would like to see them (in an artistic way of course!) then I would be really proud to show you :-)

With Love,
Diane :-)

And so to my PoshPinkArmy... if you know me and you read my blog then you will find out when my photos arrive. If YOU would like to see the album then I would be most proud to show it to you :-)

Crisis of Confidence!!

Well I did say that this would be a record of my 'trials and tribulations' so you can't expect only the good stuff!!

Today we were invited to go swimming with friends. Two families in the pool, swimming, splashing, having fun ... all the usual stuff!

'Yes' I said 'that would be great!' ... and then I had this flippin' great wobbler over what would I look like in my cossie!!!!! How MAD is that?????

Now I know I did the photo shoot but somehow that wasn't as bad as I suddenly felt at being seen in public in my swimsuit!

Now it's pretty horny having this guy spray your naked, oiled body with cold water (to get the right effect for the camera of course!) but that is a million miles away from feeling self-conscious on a 'fat-day' at the local pool!

What a twit!

Anyway, I gave myself a pep talk, put on my best, most confident smile and got in the water as quick as I could :-)

I love swimming - and we had a great time - and now I can't help wondering what all the fuss was about!!

As Promised!

I am a woman of my word and so for those of you who said 'yes please' to another 'Mighty' photo - here you are! (As nobody said 'no' then I can hardley deny you can I?)

As for the choice of photo - well you have Gumbo to thank for that! I've heard he is a 'hip' man and so in thanks for his sponsorship for Amsterdam - here you go!

Boo Hoo! Wingwalking is a no-no!!

Wingwalking is something which has always had a huge appeal to me! It has been on TV so many times and I would love to try it!!

At one point in my life I even considered joining the Utterly Butterly wingwalking display team for a summer - but as usual I shied away ...

So, as this is obviously my 'now' time - I emailed the only wingwalking team in the country - Team Guinot!

They have replied to say that it is possible (yippee!) and that after training I would be expected to perform a 12 minute aerobatic display in front of friends and family!!

WOW! Thinks me! Let's do it!

So - I download the application form, compare height, weight, waist measurement(!!) to the required standards ... and read the T's and C's - where I find the price ... £550 ...

Oh - I knew it wouldn't be cheap but I'm all disappointed now!

I reckon I'll have to put wingwalking to the bottom of my list and treat myself to an extra lottery ticket instead!!

Triple Congratulations!!!

This is a special entry for three very good friends who have each had their very own success this week! Good News comes very rarely and this week I have had three doses of it!

The first is for LISA - a huge CONGRATULATIONS for landing the job which you so deserve! The students of York College don't know how lucky they are!

The second is for SHARON - who has had a really awful summer and who so needed a break! CONGRATULATIONS on landing the perfect job for you at this time!!

The third is for KAREN - who also turned 40 this year and really needed a boost! CONGRATULATIONS on your fab new job in fundraising! I knew you could do it :-)

To my three good friends - well done!
You are all fantastic!

Hip-Hip-Hurrah!
Hip-Hip-Hurrah!
Hip-Hip-Hurrah!

Fumbling Around in the Dark!

It's a long time since I last fumbled around in the dark I can tell you - I tend to know where I'm going these days ;-) but anyway - here we are on a Sunday night fumbling...

So how did I end up here? Well it could be a long story but I'll try to be concise cos I know you're all dying to get to the juicy bits!!!

Well, I got a text from Lisa first thing this morning (Sunday) saying ...'how do you fancy doing a geo cache this afternoon?'. Well I didn't know what one was and not being one to accept an invitation without having at least an inkling what I was letting myself in for I thought I'd better find out!

So, Geocaching is a series of 'treasure' boxes hidden around the country. The idea is that you follow directions and find the treasure box, taking something from it and leaving something of your own in its place! Completely free and great fun!

We first did one on Skipwith Common which was a good introduction as Gary, Lisa and the boys had done it before so we knew what to do and where to look. The second one we went for was near Elvington Airfield and was entitled 'Bombs Away' - it was a bit tricky but we found it in the end!

We decided to do one last geocache on the way home and picked another close to our last location. The trouble was that it wasn't as easy as it seemed! We spent ages looking and in the end we had to split into two cars and Lisa took Emily, Isaac and her youngest boy home and Gary and Aaron came with John & I in our car and we continued looking...

Time was getting on and it was 5.30pm by the time we parked up as close as we could get. We had picked up a Travel Bug from the last cache and needed to stash it safely...

A travel bug is a token of varying description (they are all different) which carry a 'dog tag' with a registration number for you to track on the geocache website as to its travels. Many have come from foreign parts (geocache is a worldwide phenomenon) and many have already travelled around the world! The travel bug we left at Fulford came originally from Switzerland, the one we had found earlier in the day had started its journey in Ohio!

The bugs are registered on the website and you can track where they started and where they've stayed and where they are now, even who has handled them and helped them along their way :-)

Well, anyway, this walk was a bendy one and took us along unlit paths and towards Fulford Golf Course, what a route! It kept on getting darker and we found ourselves walking along an unlit footpath through a wooded area with pheasants or grouse or something flying overhead as we startled them from their roosting place!

We went over a field and passed by a huge electricity pylon... along the side of a field and onto the open golf course... we saw a shape of a man out on the course - he shouted something to us but we couldn't understand him so kept heads down, changed direction and kept walking...!

We carried on over fields and past bunkers, treading in puddles and squishing through mud until Gary's GPS device eventually had us within a few feet of the hidden cache...!

Well, all credit to Gary cos we would have given up ages ago - he was determined to find it! We read and re-read the clues and eventually decided that there was only one real location - Gary took his mobile phone in hand and used it's light to search the area!

It was pitch black and the only noise was from the nearby A64 - close enough to hear but completely useless if we had needed help!!!!!

Eventually he found it - I sha'n't say where cos it will take away the fun of anyone looking for it another time who happens across this blog as a clue!

Anyway, we filled in the log book (a record of who has visited the cache, when and what their thoughts were), left the travel bug along with a gift of our own and started back... the journey back was more straightforward (good job really - I was needing the loo and couldn't just nip behind a bush like the boys did!!).

...and so this is how I came to be fumbling around in the dark on Fulford Golf Course - with my main man and a buddy ... and his young son who was almost wishing he had never been brave enough to join us!

When was the last time you fumbled around in the dark?

Three Cheers for Wills and Harry!

What a fantastic journey Princes William and Harry will have on their latest adventure and what better way to raise awareness of Prince Harry's Charity 'Sentebale'.

If I could ride a motorbike I'd fancy having a go myself - did you see Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman on their 'Long Way Down' trip? What a superb way to travel!

Go Boys - your Mum would be so proud, I know your Dad will too :-)

They're ready!

Email from Leigh! My photos are ready for my final, final decision! (I know I already made my choices but this time I need to choose whether to have colour, black and white or sepia effect on the finished item!)

Decisions, decisions! (a sense of 'deja vu' here me thinks!)

The colour ones make me look quite tanned which is nice cos I never look that way usually but the black and white ones are really classy (am I allowed to say that about my own photos??). I quite like the sepia effect but that always make me think of old photographs and I'm trying to reverse the aging process here not the other way around!!!!!

I thought about putting up another photo here to illustrate the different styles but I'm hanging on because I've got a 'friend of a friend' thinking over whether to sponsor me or not and he's keen to see another piccie as 'encouragement' - If I do show another it should be as a reward - don't you think :-)

Anyway, I'm off now cos lots do do... busy, busy, busy!!

Looks like a few of you are keeping up with me and my antics - I'm always interested to know what you're thinking - don't be afraid to make a comment :-)

Sponsor Me?

Well folks! It's time for me to formally request your sponsorship!

PLEASE CLICK THE LINK TO THE RIGHT - just above the hit counter!

A JustGiving Page has been set up for the Amsterdam cycling trip and so I must humbly ask if you would donate something towards the total?

We are hoping to raise a total of £30,000 between 60 of us - that's about £500 each! If I get 500 people to sponsor me £1 then I should be OK :-)... or 50 people at a tenner each would be good too:-)

The link will let you donate now using plastic and you can even leave me a Good Luck message at the same time:)

But seriously ... every penny helps! Marie Curie received a donation of £37,000 from last years trip - it would be great if we could raise something close to that amount again!

Alternatively just email me and I can add you onto the paper sponsor form and I'll come and collect after the event in June next year!

a BIG THANKYOU to Matthew and Lisa who have got me off to a great start with £20.00 - Thanks folks x

Thankyou in advance - please be generous!

Mindblowing!!!!!

Have you ever re-discovered something which you had forgotten you had? and therefore taken pleasure all over again in finding it?

Whilst standing in the garden late last night, admiring the starlit sky, I made up my mind to read a little more of one of my favourite books. The book is entitled 'Skywatching - the Ultimate Guide to the Universe' by David Levy (co-discoverer of the Shoemaker-Levy Comet).

In this book is a post-it note of something I once read and which struck me as being so incredible that I had to make a note of it!

I thought I'd share it with you!

"Given the size of the galaxy there is a high chance that alien life forms are out there, so why have they never bothered to contact us? (That's the 'where is everybody?' question - known as the 'Fermi Paradox').

A Danish physicist has now come up with an answer... 'give them time'

Using a computer simulation of the Milky Way he has calculated that 8 alien probes, travelling at 1/10 the speed of light (30,000 km/second) and each being capable of launching up to 8 sub-probes, would take 10 BILLION YEARS to explore just 0.4% of the galaxy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just think about that for a minute.....
8 probes with a total of 64 sub-probes...each travelling at 30,000 km/second...would take 10 billion years just to explore 0.4% of the galaxy!!!!

I don't know about you but that blows my mind!

It is something I read ages ago in a copy of 'The Week' magazine (Issue 598 27-01-2007) and which I found quite staggering!

...and yes I have done the calculation - to explore all of the galaxy (not just 0.4% of it) would take 250 BILLION YEARS!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!M I N D B L O W I N G !!!!!!!

See what I mean??

And so now you get an idea as to how tiny the earth is, in the scheme of things!
Do you still wonder if there is life out there...?

Anyway - just thought I'd share that with you :-)

Windsurfing Video - Animoto Magic!

I finally got around to working the animoto magic on the photos from my windsurfing day at Rother Valley!

Oh Mr Darcy!

Isn't is fab to catch up with friends you don't get to see very often?

This weekend we stayed over in Chesterfield with very good friends who we just don't get to see! We arrived quite late but that didn't stop us from chatting well into the night - polishing off a gorgeous bottle of merlot along the way!

We had a good nights sleep followed by a superb breakfast - nice one Matthew :-)

Lisa had planned a very special day for us - at Chatsworth House & Gardens! Now some people don't enjoy that kind of thing but Chatsworth is in a stunning setting and even the kids have a great time! There is so much space and it is so beautifully kept - everyone was happy!

This visit was even more special because they have a sculpture exhibition in the grounds. There are some fabulous and fun pieces!

The weather was great - blue sky and sunshine (thank heavens the weatherman got it wrong!!) and we saw everything in true splendour! I was out there with my camera and often had to run to catch them up - I can't help it - I just love taking photos!

One of my favourites was called 'The American Love' by Robert Indiana. It faced the sunlight and was brilliant white (Dulux would be very proud!). It was attracting alot of attention from every angle and could be seen from many places in the grounds.

I basically spent the whole day just taking photo after photo and had a fantastic time! The exhibition is only on until 2nd November so if you fancy having a run over then best get a wiggle on :-)

Oh Mr Darcy - where does he come in then? Well of course 'Pride and Prejudice' was filmed mainly at Chatsworth and there is a scene in the film when Elizabeth Bennett arrives at Mr Darcy's home and finds a room full of marble sculptures - and amongst them is a bust of the man himself (played by Matthew Macfadyen). Well I must say that he looks very dashing in the movie and it was quite a moment stood before his image ;-)

Anyway - another fab day in the life of a new 40 year old!

Hey - guess what?

I showed my naked photos to my friends and they thought they were fab! I feel really brave but I am not ashamed of them and feel really proud that they came out so well - it has done so much for my confidence I can tell you :-) - final decision coming up - I'll let you know what I decide!

Kinky or What?

Remember the naked photo shoot I had last week - wow - can't believe it was just last week! It feels like it should have been a part of my life forever! I have felt so good since doing it and John has no complaints either ;-)

But I have a dilemma...

I have decided to get a large print of one of the shots (the one which made me do the shoot in the first place!) and a couple more framed for the bedroom but I would also like to get a few photos from the shoot to keep in an album!

The question is - which ones? Do I choose discreet? Flirty? Raunchy?
The chains ones are definitely my favourites - am I kinky or what?
Not my usual thing but hey - I'm 40 now :-)

I need to choose my final selection quite soon so as to not get caught up in the sudden influx of customers to Leighs studio after reading my blog ;-)

Hey Leigh (I know you read this!) - do I get commission ;-)

Oh well - better get back to choosing ...

Gigging It!

So, I got a text from Gary asking 'wanna come to our gig on Tuesday?'
Sure, why not sez me :-)

My diary is so full this week it's mad! (But I'm loving it!!)


Gary and Lisa sing in a band (the 'band with no name' although they hope to resolve that issue shortly!). The band plays for free at various venues to raise money for Jesses Fund, a York based charity which helps disabled children through music.

Lisa has a gorgeous voice and is accompanied by hubbie Gary on guitar and Simon on keyboard. Favourite songs include 'Ironic' by Alana Morrisett and 'In Your Care' by Tasmin Archer.

So, luckily I had a night free tonight (!) and was able to pop along to the Hole in the Wall pub in York where they were playing ... the bucket was passed around and so we hope they did well for Jesses Fund :-)

Tomorrow night is Skate Wednesday and so I had kept the evening free so as to be able to ferry No.1 son to and from his skateboarding. Now this week Skate Wednesday has been moved to Skate Thursday - good job Thursdays plans can accommodate this - otherwise No.1 son would be very upset!

Thursday is my Open House event for Phoenix cards - The new Christmnas range is out now and so I am having a 'look-see' evening for everyone to come and have a look and a cuppa and a natter .. what a good excuse I thought! Get out for a bit - leave the kids with hubbie! Fab!

Friday night is the Royal Signals Annual Dinner at the Worsley Barracks in York. This is usually a great night - a chance to catch up with good friends whom we haven't seen for ages and of course a totally fab excuse to dress up too!)

On Saturday evening we are driving over to friends for a sleepover and even though John doesn't drink we still manage to get through plenty of bottles of wine - how's that then ;-)

Sunday will probably involve a walk and a pub lunch and then back home to get ready for Monday ...

Wow! I never had a week like this when I was 39, or 38, or even 37...

I like being 40 :-)

Appropriate Lyrics!

The song is 'Roll On Rollercoaster' by Kid Rock

'Roll on, roll on rollercoaster,
We're one day older and one step closer,
Roll on there's mountains to climb,
Roll on we're on borrowed time...'

Too true - Snowdens on my list - what about you :-)

Jersey Boys!

You'll be pleased to hear that this birthday treat was undertaken fully clothed!

One of the wishes on my 'To Do' list was a London Theatre weekend and so John had arranged, without my knowledge, tickets for Jersey Boys and a hotel and even overnights for the kids at his Mums! (Well done babe! Thanks Mam!)

I had seen an interview on GMTV briefly when the production first opened and immediately decided that it would be fab to see it!

The Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and I have to say that the music was fabulous! We were all clapping and singing along and one lady bopped her way through most of the production regardless of anyone sitting around her (this wasn't me I might add!)

The show was at the Prince Edward theatre in Old Compton Street in the heart of Soho. I've never been to Soho before ... so thought I'd better have a look around!

Well you can't go somewhere like that and not explore can you??

It was fab!

It was so busy - people everywhere and everyone dressed in their own way! So many colours and styles and hats and scarves and bags and shoes on girls and guys! It was great!

I'm keen not to offend anyone but being from 'the sticks' it took a few moments to get used to being surrounded by so many openly gay guys! So many good looking blokes in one place - unbelieveable!! I've never known John to hold my hand quite so tightly!

At one point I was aiming to squeeze through a gap between some mopeds and had to hang back behind a couple of guys who paused to share a moment - then a minute later I looked sideways to check the traffic before crossing the road and caught myself blushing at a couple kissing beside me!

Shame on me - live and let live has always been my motto!

China Town wasn't far and one of the nearby streets was strung with lanterns - it looked great! The shops were full of fresh produce and we found an amazing cake shop too! The restaurants smelled fantastic - even though we had already eaten by this point (Pizza Hut - don't ask!).

Anyway, what with the shows and the shops (!) and China Town and of course the guys, what a weekend! I wish we could do it more often!

I wonder what else I can add to my list ...

Where did that idea come from?

Following one of the comments on the previous post I had better answer Vals question - where did I get the 'Naked Photo Shoot' idea from?

Well as you know I recently cut my hair - rather drastically - and gave up my specs in favour of contact lens - and as a result felt so different that I actually felt like I should have a photo done ... not a naked one at this point - just a regular portrait!

I wondered if I could get my make-up done at the same time - well, I've never been one for much make-up and I thought it would be rather fun!

That led onto thoughts of outfits and internet searches and I found Mighty Aphrodite!

The idea was firmly planted in my head and just wouldn't go away!

Don't get me wrong - I am rather timid really - but I simply couldn't shake the idea and felt that if I was really going to make a statement then I should just go for it!

They do loads of different photos, including much more modest shots and all of the images on their website are beautiful, but I just couldn't get away from one particular image ...

... a girl, naked, bound by chains, suspended in darkness ...

... that was it - the more I dared myself the more I accepted the idea - so I decided that I should be brave and have a go! John rang and did the booking for me and the rest, as they say, is history!

It was amazing and made me feel great! I get the feeling back whenever I look at the pictures - I still can't believe it's me!

Thank Gok! ( Let's get Naked! )

We all know Gok Wans fabulous TV show 'How to Look Good Naked' where he takes a woman and transforms her, giving her the foundation to build a more confident lifestyle for herself. Part of his 'therapy' is to have the lady take part in a naked photo shoot ...

I too have been feeling the need for more confidence and so I took the plunge ... today I had a NAKED Photo shoot!

It was fabulous! Totally amazing!

I never thought I would be brave enough to go through with it and kind of hoped for a few nice lingerie shots ...

... in fact I allowed myself to follow my heart ... I dared to be brave!

Yes ... I bared all and now have 135 stunning (and sexy!) photos of me! (and for someone who spends all her time behind the camera instead of before it - that makes a change!).

After careful research I chose Mighty Aphrodite in Reading. The photos on their website were amazing and nobody else even came close!

The photographer is Leigh and he was great - really down to earth and he made me feel completely at my ease! Nothing awkward or forced and it was really rather fun ;-)

The lighting was carefully done and Leigh knew exactly which shots would flatter me! I bravely told him which website image had inspired me and he agreed that it would be possible for me to have a go ... I was braver than I dared to hope ... and I am so pleased with the results!

John stayed in the studio for the whole shoot and he enjoyed himself too ;-)

Now all I have to do is decide which shots to have framed ... if I'm feeling really brave I might upload one for you to see ... ;-)

Oh go on then!
Diane :-)

Thanks Robbie!

I heard a song on the radio today and it reminded me why I feel the way I do ...

The song was 'Feel' by Robbie Williams and the line that struck me was ' ...I got too much life, running through my veins, going to waste...'

It suddenly dawned on me that this is why I suddenly have this urge to do stuff!

I have had chances and missed opportunities and now I feel the need to take these moments and run with them, make friends with them and live life through them!

40 isn't an age - it's a number and my number isn't up .. it's up for it!

Grab life with both hands and make the most of it!


Thanks Robbie x

Another birthday treat planned for tomorrow ... should I offer you a clue...?

Wow - Such day planned for tomorrow!

I barely dare tell you!

But just in case you're looking for a clue ... I bought some totally gorgeous, black, high heeled shoes today ...

True or False?

Whilst on webcam today I was asked today whether my eyelashes were false!

How random is that?

Are they really so long that they can be seen from such a distance?

I am flattered!!

(In reality I must assume that he'd simply not noticed them before - another bonus of wearing contact lens instead of glasses!)

Anyone thinking of ditching the specs - go for it!

Diane :-)

It's Official :-)

Well that's it!
It's official!
I'm on the team!

Amsterdam here I come!

12th June 2009 is D-Day and the start of a 250 mile round trip to prove something to myself and hopefully to raise money for Marie Curie along the way!

By all accounts there should be about 60 of us so there should be plenty to blog about when I get back! The last time I was in Holland was a family holiday when I was ... much younger! I don't remember much apart from buying a souvenir beer tankard in Valkenburg - and yes I do still have it!!

I am looking forward to the challenge and I am also very much aware that I need to keep a regular cycling routine! I have been out most mornings on my bike - not very far - just about 6 miles per day, but far enough to get me into good habits!

Many moons ago (when I was 16) I cycled around North Wales with my friend as qualification for the Silver Duke of Edinburghs award - it was a fabulous two weeks and we route planned (well, Helen did!) and sorted out accommodation (well, Helen did that too!) and all in all we had a fab time! We took the train from York to Chester and then cycled a circular route over the two weeks before landing back in Chester and getting the train home again!

We had two rest days and on one of them we climbed Snowden (hence the wish to repeat the climb as part of this years wishlist!). Hopefully it will not be so foggy next time!

We met so many people and learned so much! I still cannot believe that my Mum & Dad were brave enough to let us go! There were no mobile phones then and we had only Post Office books by way of access to cash (no cashcards for us!). We rang home every couple of days from a hostel payphone and kept a diary to share with everyone when we got back!

The journey will stay with me always and so will the diary - my daughter was fascinated to read it and couldn't believe that I had been allowed to do such a trip at such a young age (I can barely believe it myself!).

Helen and I made so many friends along the way and I'm hoping that this trip to Amsterdam will earn me some more friendships along the way :-)

I have another birthday wish list trip coming up on Monday but I'll have to tell you more about that later ... I've sworn to keep 'mum' til then ;-) ... suffice to say that I'm really nervous, really excited and really scared all at the same time!!

Want to know what I'm planning...?

Better log in again soon then hadn't you?

Diane x

Amsterdame 2009

Today I posted off my application form and cheque to register for Amsterdame 2009! No turning back now (unless I get a letter back saying that they're fully booked!!).

Hopefully I'll soon get confirmation back and can start badgering you all for cash - for Marie Curie Sponsorship of course :-).

The ride is 250 miles round trip - wouldn't it be fab if I could raise £250.00?

Anyone fancy sponsoring me £1/mile :-)

I'll see about setting up an on-line page at JustGiving if that's possible, it just makes it all so much easier don't you think?

More updates to follow...

Diane :-)

The Big Day!

Well - I started this list of 'Things to do when I'm 40' (and yes there is an actual list - it is quirkily typed in a variety of colours and is fastened to my kitchen cupboard!) Once I had started the list it became almost like a set of targets ... and I must say that I have never been one for targets but it just seemed like something I HAD to do!

I had thought long and hard about reaching 40 (well you do - don't you?) and had thought about a party... or a weekend away ... or a meal out ... they just didn't seem like the kind of celebration that 'fitted' me!

Don't get me wrong, parties are great fun and I love weekends away! As for the food thing - well we all like that don't we :-) but when I started thinking about things that it would be great to do for my '40th celebration' that was when I decided why stop at a one-off celebration? Why not celebrate for a whole year??

So, here I am! I just turned 40 and already I have ticked off one activity from my list! Hurrah!

Today I went to the Rother Valley Country Park and tried my hand at windsurfing! I don't know why this particular sport caught my imagination but I did once have a quick try (about 1994 I think!) but it was only quick and was curtailed by an unfortunate accident (not mine I hasten to add) and I never got the chance for another go!

Anyway, we arrived in convoy (two cars as I had hubbie John and two kids in tow and we went with friends, Gary & Lisa and their boys). The weather had been awful for the past few days and I had prepared myself for heavy rain and wind (the latter is necessary I know but I didn't want gale force!).

Surprisingly the sun was out and the lake looked grand - a few windsurfers were already out and I was as keen as ever - so we went to hire boards and wetsuits...

Now, wetsuits are a thing of dread for many and I am no different .. but Lisa and I had already decided that 'it wasn't going to be Baywatch out there' :-) but it had to be done!

No wetsuit worries for my teenage daughter - a veteran of various activity centres and school trips, even having made herself famous for capsizing a non-capsizeable dinghy!

The taming of the beast wasn't as bad as first feared and so I was soon out at the waters edge keen to get in and have a go ... good job Gary knew what he was doing and made sure that we each knew the basics - like how to get on :-) before stranding ourselves mid-lake!

Well - there was no fear of that and soon I was falling off just as much as I had guessed I would - but always with a laugh (and sometimes a gasp if I went under!!) but I soon mastered the art of getting myself up onto the board and hoisting the rig into the 'safe' position!

The trouble was that I found it very hard to move on to the next step! Whenever I was holding the boom (technical talk - are you impressed?) I seemed to end up heading for the shore and having to jump off and pull my board into deeper water in order to get back on and head off!

Eventually Gary moved onto the part about turning round and coming back into shore - which was great except that I still hadn't managed to get away from shore yet!



I did, after much practice, manage to get a (slow) move on and headed out towards the middle of the lake - and when I did eventually fall in (you knew it was inevitable!) I looked back to shore and saw that actually I was alot further out than I thought and in fact I had to worry about getting back on the board and sailing it back!

I kind of knew what I should be doing but keeping balance and 'walking the board' to turn it round just wasn't working! Sure enough I fell in again! After struggling to get back on I decided to simply swim back, pulling my board behind me ... not a simple matter but eventually I made it back and took a few minutes to catch my breath ... !!

Meanwhile Lisa had been going great guns and had mastered the art of surfing out and back again and was busy looking fab in all directions - I'm only a little jealous - honest :-)

My daughter had also got on really well and was far away from us in the middle of the lake but even as I admired her style she lost the rig and stood there with her arms out as if to say 'what should I do now?'. She tried to get it back up and was obviously struggling so Gary set of to help her get back to shore...

Lisa came in for a while so I had another short go before our time was up and we decided that lunch was calling - probably something to do with the fact that the boys had been tapping up John for coinage for the vending machines!!

Off to the changing rooms and we managed to peel off the wetsuits and get a hot shower - fab!

Lunch came in the form of a posh picnic (well - it had to be didn't it?) and we sat by the waters edge and admired the efforts of fellow windsurfers whilst munching on a variety of picnic food, all washed down with hot tea!

So, here I am, tired and happy and the first thing ticked off my 'Things to do when I'm 40' list!

I do have other things in the pipeline and will be keeping you up to date as they take place!
Want to see my list?

Well OK - here goes (now don't laugh!)...

I'd love to go on a climbing wall ... and I really want to abseil down the Humber Bridge too!

A 250 mile round trip to Amsterdam on bicycles to raise money for Marie Curie (all sponsorship greatly appreciated!) ...

A London Theatre Trip - I really love the theatre and would see everything that's on given half a chance but London shows are really special - John has helped me with this one because he has arranged a trip to see 'Jersey Boys' very soon - watch the blog for my review :-)

The Catbells Walk in the Lake District - I know that we've just had a week there but I've just seen the walk on TV this week and it looks great - so it's on my list!

My friend Caitlin and I are planing to do the Playtex Moonwalk in London next year...

I would love to walk up Snowden again - I haven't done it since I was 17 (remember that day Helen? :-)

Indoor Skydiving - yes really! There's a place you can do it - and you can use Tesco Clubcard vouchers too :-)

Attend a Rock Concert - not the kind where you all sit nicely in seats - the kind where you all get squashed and sing and dance and go mad!!

The Great Yorkshire Show - this event has been something I have wanted to do for several years but I've never made it for one reason or another! This year I want to go and spend the day with my camera taking lots of fab photos!!

Lose a stone in weight and keep it off! This target has been set for many reasons but if I keep as active as this list suggests then I may have a chance of accomplishing the weight loss without too much difficulty and I could certainly use the energy!!

So, there it is! My first PoshPinkBlog entry!

I didn't plan it to be quite so long - in fact I didn't plan it at all!

You should always have a plan - if you have a target then at least you have some chance of getting somewhere close - if you have no target then how do you know where to aim?

Why not plan your own activity just for the hell of it?
...and when you have ... do tell!!

I'd love to hear your comments or observations so please click on 'comments' and tell me what you think!

Come back soon!
Diane :-)