It seems fashionable at the moment to have a bucket list. I've never given this much thought, but if I went in for bucket lists, mine would be a bit like this:
My bucket used to contain the following;
1. Become a ward sister (tick).
2. Have at least six babies (two thirds of a tick. Husband only wanted two, but I did manage to persuade him into two more. After that, he put his foot down. I'd better add that I love my "babies" just as much now they're grown up, in case B sees this).
3. Be a Relate counsellor (tick. I absolutely loved it).
4. Sell some stories (tick).
5. Have a novel published (tick).
6. Be a grandmother (tick, though not really my own achievement).
7. Have my own horse again (I had one as a child).
What's left in the bucket includes:
1. Visit South America (not much chance, for a variety of reasons).
2. Rent an enormous house somewhere warm with beautiful sea/weather/views/food etc and have my entire family to stay(no chance).
3. Read all of Trollope (Anthony, of course).
4. Have singing lessons (yes. Really).
5. Write a best-seller (hah).
6. Be invited onto Desert Island Discs (no chance at all. Sad, that, as I have my list of music all ready).
7. Gallop a horse along a long, sandy beach (I have the horse, but not the beach, so no chance).
What's in your bucket list (if you have one)?
Mine is more of a to do list and the next project is to fill a couple of shadow boxes (deep frames) with memories.
ReplyDeleteI think mine's probably more to-do than bucket, L. I like your idea.
DeleteI share the desire to ride out on a sandy beach. I'm envious when I see them galloping race horses at Redcar. It's a dirty old town but I do like the beach, the horses and it's dog friendly. I'd show you a picture but had a bit of a cuckoo whilst transferring lots of pictures. Not to worry tomorrow is the day I'll take the shot to end all shots and sell the gear.
ReplyDeleteYou have achieved a fair bit. I should have trained as a relate councillor there's not much I don't know about failed relates.
Redcar sounds like a good idea, Adrian. Now all I need is that transport (for me and horse). Plus, I'm not entirely sure where Redcar is...
DeleteIt's to the east of Middlesbrough on the Tees estuary. Next to the iron works and chemical factories. Just to add to it's appeal they have built a massive offshore windfarm.
DeleteI have access to a big horse truck but it is awkward to load. The horses have to walk up a ramp into the horse bit then turn sideways. They do get used to it. It takes three sixteen to seventeen hand high ones. There are big padded boards to put between them so they are comfy.
Watching young Carole flying behind an 'orse on the end of an'alter as it exits the lorry at mach1 is very entertaining. I have tried to get some pictures but she has threatened me with everything nasty she can think of if I so much as go within two hundred yards of the truck with a camera while she is learning them to load. Once they have got it right they just wander in good as gold. Boring wandering in is.
Number seven isn't hard to accomplish. It says "a horse" not "your horse". There are lots of ways to get that one done. I dare you!
ReplyDeleteI missed that. I know folk in the north east who would pop Frances on one. She could run it in and out of the surf. But would have to clean all the tackle. It would make a wonderful shoot.
DeleteER, I just might take you up on that (though I woud prefer my horse. He'd love it, too).
DeleteAdrian, it's called tack, not tackle. Sigh. We're not talking fishing, you know.
I always get muddled up with technical stuff. I used to ride horses over those little crossed sticks with a pole in between. Calvery I seem to recall they are called. Something to do with crucifixion. They were all placed on a sandy bit of field at very carefully measured intervals the sandy bit had a fence round to stop horses escaping and rabbits entering. For the life of me I can't think of the name...sandpit springs to mind but I know that is not right. I had to go as fast as I could and use my feet to control matters then pull hard to get the poor beasts stride right. They used to fall over sometimes then I had to get up out of the dirt quick sticks with a shattered arm and leg and sit on their necks and stroke their ears whilst the cowards. Did I say cowards? I meant experts; checked them over.... I don't know why. They always got up just fine.
DeleteI only tried it over full sized jumps a couple of times. Bloody disaster it was. I used to shout come on baby as I approached the triple jump. The wee buggers used to surge forward then stop so fast that I was the only one made it over the jump.
I got sick of being abused by horsey ladies so went motor bike racing. It's no cheaper but doesn't involve inflicting pain on daft animals.
Just daft people? One of my sons was nearly killed by a woman who drove through red lights and knocked him off his motorbike. She's well known, too but I'd better not say who she was. She never apologised or even asked how he was. Am I bitter? You bet I am.
Delete2 and 5 on your "to do" bucket list would be on mine. And learn to ride a horse properly, open an animal sanctuary, have pet goats, go star gazing in Northumberland, visit Scotland.. some of those are do-able I think. Oh and I'd like to learn to water ski x
ReplyDeleteOoh yes; stargazing in Northumberland.
DeleteAre the stars better in Northumberland? Teresa, you could certainly learn to ride. Have a go. It's wonderful.
DeleteNever say never, Frances - but you do more of these than you think. Mine would be to actually get a novel written (best seller or not!)
ReplyDeleteYep. Wrtten, then published and then (most difficult of all) widely sold. I'll let you know when I've cracked that one, Wendy!
DeleteI like your bucket list, it is realistic and you have achieved a good number of the points. I have galloped a horse along a beach as a child, that was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Terra, and welcome! Do you still ride?
DeleteWhat a great bucket list. Galloping a horse along a long, sandy beach sounds sublime. Have you ever been to Bettyhill, in Sutherland? That's your beach, Frances. Rx
ReplyDeleteI don't know Sutherland at all, Rena. I'll Google it. And the beach...
DeleteInstead of the singing lessons, why not a 'sound proof room', and just sing to your heart's content (or a very large shower cubicle).
ReplyDeleteI think sound-proof rooms are more expensive than singing lessons, CM. In fact I did have a singing lesson booked, but I chickened out. I keep meaning to re-book, but...
DeleteBelieve it or not, I used to be a chorister, so had plenty of instruction. I still sing around the house!
DeleteEnjoyed reading your list, Frances. I've never given this a thought, even though I've heard of others writing one. Think I'm lacking ambition, or I'm content with what comes along!
ReplyDeleteTBH Rosemary, I hadn't given it any thought at all, but buckets lists were on my mind. Probably my age, or somehting...
DeleteI never made a list. But on the list I never wrote I guess there are both some things I did and some I have to mark as never happened and now too late. (Like having children...)
ReplyDeleteYes - it's the too late ones that are so sad, isn't it, DT. All those doors slamming shut!
DeleteIts not too late for the singing lessons Frances. Are you in a choir? Lots of my friends are, but the inevitable performing in public is a turn off. At the moment I would like to put the house up for sale and move to a village in the country. Failing that I need a serious de-clutter.
ReplyDeleteIn a choir, Maggie, and I love it. But I want/need to improve my breathing etc.
DeleteAnd surely it you were to move house, you'd have to de-clutter anyway/
I am sorry for using your forum to pass on the time. I've plants in the fridge waiting for time lapse and it's raining and not time for Formula 1 qualifying.
ReplyDeleteI think we're all blogging to pass time and delay doing things we ought to do. Formula1 used to interest me as son worked for Ferrari for several years. I rather miss that. He still designs cars, but is now freelance.
ReplyDeleteI'm becoming boring now, and it's all your fault, Adrian...
Ps what exactly do you expect the plants to do in the fridge?
DeleteRename it an Action List and see what transpires...
ReplyDeleteHmm. Might work...?
DeleteNo list for me so far, although of course like nearly everybody else I, too, have things in mind I'd like to do "one day" but know quite well that possibly, that "one day" may never come unless I really get into gear to make those things happen.
ReplyDeleteMost of the time, I think about something I would like to do, and then go ahead and do it. That was the case, for instance, when in 2009 I ran my first 10k race here in town, and have done every year since then.
Right now, I am determined to pass the exam at the end of my Data Protection & IT Security Officer course; it is hard work but I do enjoy it and want the certificate so that I can impress current and future customers with my greatness.
As for travelling, I used to be much more adventurous; nowadays, I look forward to spending time with my Yorkshire family every year and don't plan on going anywhere else this year.
Ankor Vat would be a great place to visit, as would be Macchu Picchu (spelling?), but I doubt I'll ever really undertake those long trips.
Learning Russian and Arabic; possibly (but improbably) something I'll do in my retirement years.
Russian and Arabic...well, good luck, Meike!
DeleteThere is something absolutely fascinating about other people's lists - of any sort. I've never been able to make up my mind about bucket lists. Things to do before you die? Would the list be the same if you were told that you might only have a year to live? I rather like the idea of waking up in the morning (actually I could stop the sentence right there!) and deciding how to live the day as though it were to be my last. One day it will be for all of us. We may or may not get advance notice to that effect.
ReplyDeleteAs for horse riding on a beach there's miles of beach up[ here and plenty of horses although getting Fairfax here might well be a problem. At least Bettyhill is on the mainland although rather a long and windy way to take a horse.
If I bring the horse, will you put us up, GB?
ReplyDeleteOf course, Frances.
DeleteYou never know Frances - maybe one day.
ReplyDelete