Saturday 31 October 2015

Week 44 - Project 365

Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest and recuperation after a busy weekend collecting and processing 900 christmas gifts for Santa Shoebox, however it started around 6am packing and pledging boxes for this weekend's collection of 7000 boxes. I then spent the afternoon with friends for sunday lunch and a catch up after being in Dubai for the past 10 months.

Day 298 #onedailypositive #Uisfor #fmsphotoaday #shadow #snaphappybritmums #project365 my feet were getting hot under the South African sun


Monday I went to SABC to finally sort the TV licence, however I am stillwating for confirmation that it has been cancelled. i then drove north of Pretoria to supervise Laser Logisitics collecting the cartons for Santa Shoebox. I then went to Menlyn Mall for a bit of shopping, before going to physio.
Today's blog post was the gentle art of persuasion with teens.


Day 299 #onedailypositive #Visfor #fmsphotoaday#autumn #snaphappybritmums #project365 well it's spring in the Southern Hemisphere and the violet blossom of the Jacaranda trees in Pretoria are falling to the ground



Tuesday morning took me to Reitvlei nature reserve again and on this visit for #TimeTraveller I photographed the birds. I spent the evening in the bar with my friend, eating and drinking.


Day 300 #onedailypositive #Wisfor #fmsphotoaday#boots #snaphappybritmums #project365 finally some rain in South Africa now if we could just arrange some for when I return to Dubai




Wednesday was spent shopping in preparation for this weekends drop off, sorting and packing the van and collecting the last few donations from store_age


Day 301 #onedailypositive #Xisfor #fmsphotoaday #SelfPortrait #snaphappybritmums #project365 messing about with the camera apps on my MacBook Air




Thursday was D day, the start of collecting and processing 7000 santa shoeboxes. I was baking cakes and gluten and dairy free brownies at 6am and then I arrived early for drop off to find a pile of boxes at the door. By 7pm we had collected and processed 1347 boxes.
This weeks #HDYGG showcases Halloween in the UK.

Day 302 #onedailypositive #Yisfor #fmsphotoaday#writing #snaphappybritmums #project365 it has to be YOUR turn to write by now . I send far more letters and cards than I receive (@catherine_alwaysaredheadyou're excluded from this rant as is my mum and Louise) everyone loves to hear from The Chicken on her travels. The Chicken would love to hear from everyone else.



Friday was stressful, i'll not lie there was some tension between 'us' as the full time committee volunteers and 'them' the volunteers who come for a couple of hours, who we couldn't do without, well we could do without a few of them, telling us how to do things, which in their opinion can be done much better. I spent Friday night carving squashes ready for halloween tomorrow.

Day 303 #onedailypositive #Zisfor #fmsphotoaday#scarf #snaphappybritmums #project365 I was looking for a zebra print scarf, but thought this was better



Saturday and the last day for most people with the drop off, I'll have to tell you more about today in My Sunday Photo as we will be working from 8am till maybe midnight, using donations to make up whole boxes that either a) haven't been pledged or b) people have failed to drop off. I'll also add my photo prompt later on today.



Day 304 #onedailypositive #one #fmsphotoaday #trickortreat #snaphappybritmums #project365 I can't decide which ONE is my favourite and that green was difficult to cut so I had to abandon don the design and go simple



It's when I have weeks like this that I wish I wasn't doing the daily photo prompts and that I could instead use a PAD based on what I've actually been doing, so i've added a few more pictures to show you what drop off, processing and collection of Santa Shoeboxes actually involves.













11 comments:

  1. What a week you've had! What you've achieved is incredible and I'm impressed with how hard you work. What a shame that people turn up for a couple of hours and start trying to take over.

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    1. thank you Sarah, it's certainly hard work, but worth it to get to a celebration and see the kids faces

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  2. There's always someone who thinks they know better. Sometimes of course it's a good idea, but often when you have done something for a few years you've already worked out the best way.

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    1. we welcome all ideas, i just get irked when people go off half cock and then leave with me having no idea what they were doing

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  3. It is lovely to see where the shoe boxes go. We are doing some for the childrens school and are paying online so that we can follow it. Hope you have a good week x #project365

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    1. it is great to be involved with the whole process from start to finish

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  4. You do an amazing job! Glad you added more photos to show the full scope of your great task. What a shame some people don't know better than to start bossing around.
    Great squash carving too.

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  5. loved the carved squash. well done on getting such a huge job done, and yes some volunteers can be a pain but as you say you need ( most of) them.
    How wonderful to see the zebras and other wildlife on your doorstep.
    Wonderful to read you brining so much joy to these children, nice to see how our boxes work through the system and get to where they are going. We tracked ours the other year. Do they open them now or keep them for Christmas?
    Love the extra photos. You are an amazing woman and I have great admiration for you

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    1. i really haven't had enough time to appreciate the wildlife and countryside on this visit, i've been far busier than i'd thought

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  6. ooh the tension is still going on....lol less than hopeful that the postcards will arrive as the south african postal system is dire

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