7 Souvenirs of August

Last year during August the website geocaching.com had a challenge to find at least one cache on each day of the month. I did pretty well but didn't complete the challenge, sometimes because I couldn't get out and cache and sometimes because the cache I had aimed to do that day I couldn't find. 

This year the challenge is a bit easier - one 7 need to be found but each one must be of a different cache type. Traditional caches will be easy to do but for me the most challenging is an earth cache - partly because there aren't that many near where I live and partly because the requirements for each cache can sometimes be a challenge to work out.  However, knowing I was coming away to Switzerland I checked for caches near where I was going and was pleased to see that there was an earth cache at Trummelbach Falls (which I have visited before but never checked to see if there was a cache there). 

The falls are a series of 10 glacier falls drawing the  runoff from three mountains:  Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. They are definitely worth a visit if you are ever in the area. 

However, ear defenders may be helpful as it is very noisy with approximately 20,000 litres of water rushing down them each second!

I've also managed a couple of traditional caches while out here (including this genious one)

so have now earned two of the seven souvenirs. 

Loom bands

Yes I have joined in with the latest craze among the children. After seeing other people doing them and them being all over social media I decided to have a loom band evening at Guides and got the girls to teach me how to do them. FATAL!

The girls brought in a lot of their own bands so I had lots left over. I decided to see if I could do one without assistance - and haven't looked back, even managing to do a triple fishtail (which took several hours to do). 

But having mastered bracelets I decided that I needed to make something different. I still have plenty that I want to try but I decided to start with a simple strawberry (at least it looked simple). Took me several attempts but finally managed it:

Think an owl may be next on the list

Starting camp blankets for my nephews

Once my nephews decided to become Cubs one of my first thoughts was did they want a camp blanket. On checking with my sister she had had a similar thought but just hadn't got round to organising it. So with their first camp coming up I increased my favourite auntie status by getting them one each (in their favourite colours) together with some badges to start them off. 

This is George's:

And this is Will's

It's up to them now to carry on - although no doubt given my badge addiction I will by buying them more to go on there!

I have a Brownie one in progress for their sister so she doesn't feel left out!

Elephants

So number 30 on my 101 things list was to find all the Elephant Parade elephants in Bromley while they were in tour there. Finding myself with a rare day with nothing planned on Saturday - and needing to go to Toys R Us - I decided to go on a hunt!

This is the third parade I've seen. The first was in London and the second on Copenhagen and I have to admit I preferred the way they were done. I loved having a map and working out where each one was hiding. But I still enjoyed seeing these ones. Ice Creamy I think  is my favourite. 

Day Zero Project aka 101 Things to do in 1001 Days

A few years ago I started a Day Zero Project list to do 101 things in 1001 days. Some were very ambitious and some were real easy. However, I didn't manage to complete the list. So I thought I would give it another go, this time keeping it realistic (OK maybe I'll put a few things on the list that are a bit ambitious). I wanted a way to share what I am doing and have achieved so this blog was born. Unlike last time I've not filled the list up before the start date but will add to it as I think of things that I really want to do. I think this is where I went wrong before because some of the things, although fantastic ideas, just weren't practical. 

Here's the list so far. 

 1.Find 500 geocaches 

2.Learn to drive 

3.Get to my goal weight and maintain 

4.Leave an inspirational note inside a book for someone to find 

5.Collect badge for every UK Guiding county 

6.Visit 10 English Heritage sites 

 7.Renew my wedding vows 

8.Find geocaches in 5 countries (not inc UK)

 9.Complete 30 day Abs Challenge 

10.Complete 30 day Squat Challenge 

11.See the Northern Lights 

12.Complete a 365 day photo challenge 

13.Sew all the badges on my camp blanket 

14.Learn to crochet 

15.Earn my Bronze Voyage Award 

16.Earn my Silver Voyage Award 

17.Place a geocache 

18.Take a picture for each letter of the alphabet 

19.Go on a tour around Buckingham Palace (London) 

20.Learn how to make paper cranes 

21.Get back into my wedding dress 

22.Introduce someone to geocaching 

23.Start a camp blanket for my nephews 

24.Release a travel bug in the UK 

25.Release a travel bug abroad 

26.Visit Bath (England) 

27.Make a list of 50 places I would like to visit in my lifetime 

28.Start a blog and write on it regularly via: dayzeroproject.com/user/MandiG