18/04/08.

Following a chance encounter with a fellow exhibitor at a local show some 2 weeks ago, the decision has been tentatively made that some physically, mentally and psychologically challenging adventure was needed to bring to a close the hardship and trauma of last year.
Jayne’s physical condition is so weakened that training should have to start with immediate effect.
After discussions, and no small amount of arguing, our choice of trek was made. We had initially hoped for a horse ride over the Andes mountain range, but there was a real doubt about Jayne’s conditioning requirement.
It was therefore decided that a trek, wherever taken place, should be a little shorter. Our Costa Rica trek was born.

20/04/08.

Contact was made with Breast Cancer Care, our chosen charity and it felt just correct to choose this with the hardship we had encountered.
The relevant form was dispatched, signed and all of a sudden, it was too late. We were off to Costa Rica in January 2009.

22/04/08.

Our first tanche of sponsorship was received, a cheque from our accountant and it then hit home, there was going to be real hardship achieving our goal if our accountant could only muster £25.00!!

29/04/08.

Our first major outdoor show of the year, Badminton Horse Trials, was the first opportunity to test the ground for external sponsorship. We were met by a long standing friend Jackie Davies, a ladies clothes designer and manufacturer, and being unable to resist temptation to spill the beans about our exciting adventure, we were discussing things in detail.
Jackie is a larger than life character and had been on a health and fitness drive for sometime having already lost some 5 stones in weight.

All of a sudden, Jackie had forced herself on us and our group was now either 3 or 4 strong with her daughter, Jasmine. Watch out Costa Rica, here come the Crafter Gang. The addition of Jackie and Jasmine seemed to lift the atmosphere and it felt as though it should be fun as well.

04/05/08.

Jayne’s physicality was put to the test after the rigours of Badminton, but it was soon obvious to me that if we were going to enjoy our adventure, training must be stepped up. Without flinching, we both went to the gym to stretch our muscles.
After more lengthy and heated discussions, it was decided that I should take overall control of the training schedule, being more aware of Jayne’s weakened state.
It was at this point that, although a trek like this would have been a piece of cake some 25 years ago, I realised I was going to have to train as well. Jayne would not be able to carry her ruck sack, so I was going to have to do it for her.

07/05/08.

Our first full day of training proved fruitful if only to show the great cavern between our desires and the requirements to fulfil. In a humid environment, I was more likely to be the one that threw toys out of the cot.
Training would have to organised and orderly. Oh dear!!

10/05/08.

Trying to step up the training to ensure ease of passage has now taken over my every waking minute. Do I allow her to rest? Just another 20 minutes? Has she had enough fluid? Am I being too harsh?
If I smile, will all this worry go away?
No, what the hell, just keep on going!!

11/05/08.

A practice river-crossing Jayne Style.

12/05/08.

Frantic thoughts provided another train of thought for further fund raising.
The feasibility of a charitable ball in August is feverishly being pursued and is falling into place very well. Ideas and concepts are bouncing off each other well and many people have offered their services free of charge. Much more to follow on this subject.

17/05/08.

Venue, costings, catering, format, aides and most of the entertainment all chosen and in situ. A Grand Charity Gala Ball is now alive and taking every spare moment I have.
We now have to choose 200 guests and each one will need to be aware that a deep pocket is essential on the formal attire to be worn.
200 hundred people, willing to give time, money effort and a donation over and above the run-of-the-mill raffles and auctions.
It could do well!

20/05/08.

A promising meeting with the Federation Of Small Businesses and a chance conversation with the bank proved to be fruitful. Local press are now on board and only one thing lacks, a guest speaker. It has been put to the FSB & it may work. I’m still searching though. Training really is hitting Jayne hard. At the end of each walk, she can only sleep. She manages to keep the pace whilst out walking, but hurts so bad after. We have started to warm down and stretch after every session now. We need to hope this helps. I sometimes feel she may not be able to complete the task, even though I know how to get the best from her. Oh sod it, lets just press on.

26/05/08.

The busy season has now hit and we must squeeze training into an already bulging schedule. The last week or so, with Suffolk and its ensuing problems have left a very bitter taste in our mouths.
We shall succeed in this quest despite and not because. Although very upsetting at the time, a renewed vigour has steeled our hearts.
I do, however struggle with the thought that has invaded my mind. Jayne in combat fatigues as a Royal Marine!!
Training is now more time consuming because we are walking longer and further. Maths never was my strong subject. How do I make a 2.5 hour training schedule last just 2 hours.

08/06/08.

Entertainment has been confirmed and we now have someone to help Ron. I hope Ron is aware of the responsibility he has on his shoulders. Perhaps someone should consider telling him. NOT ME!!

09/06/08.

A long walk in extreme heat (it was a full 24 degrees today!) really hit home the gulf between perceived fitness levels and actual.
Jackie has intimated she is very busy and has no time to train. I hope the feeling I have of Jackie getting cold feet is just excited anticipation building up. Jackie will need to try to find some time to raise her bar to ensure she is in shape for this trek.
We shall see.

16/06/08.

A long and particularly tiresome Gardeners World Show produced some delightful new names to the guest list of the Gala Ball. A small amount of sponsorship skidded into the bank. The ball is now 130 confirmed names with Dr. Hannigan only too pleased to put his name to the list.
No training at all last week and none for a further two weeks what with 3 shows back to back.

30/06/08.

After a particularly tiring run of shows, sleeping only when not at work, driving through the night and setting up and trading the next day, Jayne is showing signs of extreme exhaustion.
Our first outing for some three weeks showed the need to maintain the pace of training regardless of the level of fatigue.
A two and a half hour walk along the canal was all that was managed today.
Many tickets were sold over the last few shows. Only now is it real. The gala evening is snowballing into something quite special, I feel.
I have pressed ganged a posse of girls to hold a meeting to delegate duties, share responsibilities, and usher the catering along. The only thing I am concerned about is Jayne’s inability not to spend all of our money.
I may have to interject here.
An insertion into this months FSB bulliten has produced a small ripple of interest, sufficient to sell a couple of tickets to local business people.

01/07/08.

A friendly meeting with the Express and Star has produced good interest, with insertions due in the local press.

What a delightful coup we have picked up. Our mystery guest has managed to remain a mystery even to me at this stage. My contacts in the rugby world had gone decidedly cold and I had been unable to secure a name for perhaps the most prominent position of the night. But no longer.
The named person is now secured for the night and a massive pressure has been lifted. In the efforts to secure a name, another concept has been covered and many dignitaries are now looking good.

13/07/08.

Training has now moved to the next level and although we can’t replicate the heat and humidity, we can replicate the terrain, (well almost!)
3.5 hours of constant pulling of Jayne is producing biceps like Arnold Swarzanegger.

11/08/08.

With a very busy stretch of shows behind us, tiresome in the extreme, primarily because of the weather, hot and humid then cold and rainy. It was good to get back to the training. With Tatton being so arduous for Jayne, training slipped back to just 3 hours.
Over the previous weekend at the Lowther Show, great pains were taken to cover the manning levels, responsibilities duties etc of the gala evening and it was reassuring the level of interest from all concerned.

13/08/08.

Specialist hiking equipment is next on the agenda. An opportunity for Jayne to shop for clothes again!!

Stop moaning and keep walking!!

25/08/08.

With a busy Southport Flower Show behind us, we steeled for the melee that is Chatsworth.
A brisk march carrying our packs, albeit empty, was a delightful break from the scrum of the shows.
We will spend 2 days in the rain forest whilst in Costa Rica and after Lowther, followed immediately by Southport, we should hardly notice the rain!!
A delightful young lady by the name of Miss Wright, at Southport, has spurned both Jayne and I into the next gear of training.

01/09/08.

Even more rain at Chatsworth has drained the last reserves of strength from Jayne. With a quick turn around to Burghley there is just no time to stretch legs and we must now turn our focus to our Gala Evening.
One does wonder why training must occur when the body seems so very tired.

10/9/08. The Grand Charity Gala Evening

Somewhat bleary eyed, the Grand Charity Gala Evening is now but a memory.
But what a memory it is. There was left not a dry eye nor a sober mind. 150 close family and friends making the effort to travel and don their glad rags, parading shamelessly in front of each other in an environment free from the confines of work. This all done in an effort to support our cause.

Everyone, without exception, looked and behaved impeccably. Men became gentlemen and ladies brightened an already colourful room. The scene was set, all that was needed was for it to work!!!
Within the group there was only one professional, the guest speaker. Everyone else just rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in. The catering, decorating, prizes, music, entertainment was all done in house.
The sucess of the evening, & an undoubted one it was, came about not from my months of worry, searching & scrounging. Begging for assistance. Not from Jayne's relentless encouraging of the catering personel.
Not even from friends arriving early and mopping the floor and washing up! No the sucess came about from everyone fitting the evening into a tight scedule of work and being hell-bent on ensuring they had an enjoyable time.

A staggering 11 thousand pounds was raised for our charity.
It shows that if an effort is  made to ensure all have fun, then sucess is assured. My powers of oration can not do justice to the fun that was had that evening. I am truly humbled by the level of support we received.
A long lasting standing ovation is something that surely remains with you for life.
There are two negatives to our first attempt at Grand Charity Gala Evenings. The first is it had to end, albeit not until the early hours of the morning. The second is some dear friends were unable to make the event. My heart goes out to them for their loss.
Likewise I am permanently indebted to all in that room for their support and friendship. The evening was theirs, not ours. Thank you to you, one and all.

06/10/08.

The Grand Charity Gala Evening has now moved to the dark recesses of ones memory. There are more photos on this to follow.

I do believe that in years to come, people will be saying;
What were you doing on Jayne’s big night out?

16/10/08.

After a well deserved and much needed extended break, training has been rushed to the next level and is now an integral part of our daily lives.
Aggressive in its intensity, we are now training specific muscle groups to perform specific tasks, for a definitive length of time.
We are now training for the trek in Costa Rica and not just training for the sake of fitness. The mind is being honed at the same time for the rigours of what lies ahead. The uncertainty that makes it very exciting and still very daunting is our fuel to go one step further.
A call to Jackie has confirmed she has caught up with her training and is also in full swing. I do believe she is as excited as we are.

26/10/08.

My fears for Jackie and her conditioning are now uppermost in my mind.
Training must now become more intense for Jackie to ensure the event is as enjoyable as possible.
More muscle stretching and cardio-vascular work are all that Jackie needs.

Just keep going, Jackie!!

The Grand Charity Gala Evening (Continued)
All that was need was for it to work!!!!
Prizes, music entertainment was all done in house.
A staggering 11 thousand pounds was raised for our charity.
A long lasting standing ovation is surely something that stays with you for life.

To Be Continued...