Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 40 Throw a big bash

That’s it, number 40!  We did it folks, we got to the end of the list… thank you for sharing my adventures with me.

The last one, number 40 - was to throw a big 40th birthday bash.  On my actual birthday - that’s what we did!  I had the most amazing help from family and friends, I decorated to within an inch of my life and we re-created the 90’s!  Complete with a 90’s tuck shop, a fabulous DJ, and more 90’s tat than you can shake a stick at.

We danced and sang all night, partied hard, laughed harder and spent a great time with my nearest and dearest.

I’ve felt so much love, I’ve had the best time and I’m so ready for my 40’s.  Thank you all for being fabulous.

Lots of love, Sammy xx

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 2 Watch the sun rise at the beach

Challenge 39, the one that’s been a non starter a few times!

2 - watch the sunrise at the beach.

This has been planned a few times, but with the British weather as it has been, and the stupid water company pumping raw sewage in to our sea at every given opportunity, it’s been a challenge definitely!

I wanted to get my list done by 40, no pressure on me massively, but what I wanted, so my birthday it was!  On the day of my 40th birthday, we got up at 4am, picked up my step daughter at 4.45am and met my best friend and her husband at the beach at 5am and what a way to start the day.

Lauren and I went for a dip, we debated long and hard whether we do it before sunrise or after, and we came to the conclusion it was that cold we needed to take our clothes off and get in immediately!

So a quick dip and out to see the sun rise!

I even got new bathers for the occasion and Mr. B bought me a new swim turban from the lovely 
Anita Ocean Flora

We popped the Prosecco and watched the sun rise (sort of) and we’ll and truly toasted and hosted in my 40th spin round the sun.  I loved every minute ❤️

Back to bed after a bacon roll and up to party the day away!

TTFN, Sammy xx

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 15 Hit a golf ball at the driving range

38…. 2 to go!

15 - hit a golf ball at the driving range.

Now this one was a late contender, having swapped out ‘write a will’.  Now that one I was going to do with my husband, but it felt too boring and grown up, so we’ll do that when I’m 40 instead!

My husband is a big golfer and so were my Nan and Grandad.  I’ve never been interested, even though grandad made me my own clubs and my Nan thought I’d love it.  I don’t like walking particularly and my eyesight is so poor, once the ball is hit - I’d never see it again!

I’ve been to the driving range before, usually when Barney is buying new clubs (doesn’t happen very often!) and I’ve always wanted to have a go!  So Barney came home today and off we went!

I was rubbish as predicted, but it was great fun!

TTFN, Sammy xx

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 5 Go away with my Mum and Sister

37…. Getting there!

5 - go away with my mum and sister.

And away we went, to a lovely spa over night!

We originally tried to book Old Thorns, and after the experience I had with their spa manager, I would never recommend there again!  They had a special offer on their website, I called to book it and they couldn’t find it and we’re unwilling to honour it.  They discounted what we wanted, but still not to what I could book it for on line.  I asked if it would be better if I booked it online, to be told if I did they would cancel my booking!   I conceded and we were booking at a much higher rather than the price offered online, but then she told me I couldn’t book a triple room, we needed two separate ones.  I explained we’d booked a triple room before and it was for my 40th birthday - she told me I’d ruined my birthday for myself and hung up on me!  Honestly, the worst service ever and I was incredibly polite to her, so completely dumbfounded! 

Little did I know, actually it was the best thing ever, as the Solent Hotel and Spa was a million times better!  The pool and spa area was light and airy, free drinks served at the pool, amazing changing areas, the chill out space was just amazing and the treatments so much better!  

The robes were proper fluffy robes, none of the scratchy towel ones AND they were lovely and large and wrapped all the way around me!  Slippers were complimentary too, and no deposit for either required. There was also complimentary flapjacks in the chill out space, honestly you could not fault the service here.

We got an overnight deal with dinner and breakfast and it was a similar cost to Old Thorns, and not more expensive.  The restaurant was lovely with great food you chose off menu, rather than a carvery and again breakfast was table service and not a buffet - winner!  The staff were all lovely, in the spa, pool, restaurant and bar.  The service exemplary. 

We had a great time, chatting, eating, drinking and enjoying each others company.  I absolutely loved it and loved the company, it’s so special I get to do things with the people I love.  And get to celebrate my birthday early!

TTFN, Sammy xx

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 25 Gift flowers to a stranger

Challenge 36

25 - Gift flowers to a stranger

Now I thought this was going to be super easy, but I chickened out so many times!

I love having fresh flowers, it’s something I’ve grown in to for sure.  All through lockdown it was a compromise I wasn’t willing to make and always bought myself fresh flowers.  Nowadays the habit has petered off a bit, and as with everything, the price has gone up and I guess it’s a luxury isn’t it. 

But it always feels special to have flowers, especially on my alter. 

Being given flowers is quite special isn’t it, so I wanted to commit a random act of kindness on my list, but who knew I’d find it so difficult!  In the end, I opted for leaving a bunch with a note on a random persons car.  

I hope they found them, I hope it brightened their day and I hope it made them smile.

TTFN, Sammy xx

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 31 Make my own candle

Challenge number 34

31 - Make my own candle

I blumming love a candle and I burn them all the time, so this was quite an easy want to do.

Rebecca and I bought a kit from Hobbycraft, because, not going to lie - I had no idea where to start!  The kit was simple, wax, jars, bits and bobs and some vague instructions, so away we went!

And I know this was supposed to be my challenge, but Rebecca loved it and had a great time!  We used an extra glass and made 4, so we had two each to keep.

It was a great activity, but I won’t be starting my new business venture anytime soon, I’ll leave that to the professionals!

TTFN, Sammy

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 14 Angel Board Reading

Challenge 35

14 - Angel Board reading

I’ve always been intrigued and never taken the plunge, so thought I’d pop it on the list!  

We’ve all heard of ouiji boards, we’ve all been warned, we’ve all heard horror stories and to be honest it’s why it’s always out me off.  My mum has had positive experiences, when used with her Nan, but I’ve never really had anyone to guide me.  Now, I know I don’t need fancy tools to speak to spirit, but my skills need honing to say the least! 

My friend Dawn facilitates Angel Board readings, and I’ve been tempted for a long time, but she’s also started training others.  My friend and old work colleague Marie completed the training and had now started running her own sessions, so we booked in and went along.

My two friends and I were welcomed in to Marie’s home, made to feel safe and secure, Marie explained the whole process to us and was just brilliant.  Marie explained the difference with an Angel board, the protection used, the spirits invited to communicate and really put us at ease. 

We had the most amazing reading, there were tears, laughter, love and healing.  I won’t talk about the reading because they are personal, but we all connected with a spirit each from our family. We had proof given via the board and it was just beautiful. 

You can find Marie here to book in for yourself, I really really recommend it! 

Marie’s Facebook page

TTFN, Sammy xx

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 6 Ghost Hunt

Challenge 31 done and dusted!

6 - Go on a ghost hunt

I had no idea how this one was going to pan out, me being a scaredy pants and all!  We booked with 

ParaSpirit Events for a seance at Merchistoun Hall for the end of March.  We got ourselves ready and it was cancelled last minute!  They had an alarm going off they couldn’t deal with.  I thought that was it - these guys do ghost tours etc all over and none of the rest were local to us, so had kind of given up.  But a few weeks later, the same seance was listed at Merchistoun again! 

Kat and I have known Merchistoun Hall for many years and knew of it’s haunting history.  I went to play school there, we had our joint 30th birthday there, we attended yoga classes there - and everything in between.  We knew we wanted to go there and experience this, so we booked again. 

On the night, we turned up and had a hot drink.  Even while chatting to the other guests, there was knocking and banging and all sorts - proper hand stand up business!  We went through to the main hall for the seance.  We sat in a semi circle, the guys introduced themselves, some humour, explained about energy and lifting it up and away we went!  Angel boards, table tipping, visits to cellars and everything in between!  It was a great night, the caretaker knew all the inhabitants of the building and their history and this made it super special.  Getting confirmation of things we were told.

I can’t tell you I wasn’t frightened, because I so am at times.  But setting myself free, using my intuition and hearing - I loved it!

TTFN, Sammy xx

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 7 Natural History Museum

Challenge 30 ticked off!

Challenge 7 - Visit the Natural History Museum

I have wanted to visit since I was a child! My grandad and Marie, generously took us to London when I was little, but they decided we were too young to appreciate the natural history museum and took us to Madam Tussards, the Planetarium and a few other places.  

Now I avoid London like the plague, I hate it! But we’ve done a few bits there, including the London Dungeons, but never the NHM.

I have my Niece every Sunday, and recently visited the Portsmouth History Museum and she loved it! So we knew London would be fab!

We popped the puppy to my Dad for a ‘day-over’ and off we went.  We drove to Southfields and grabbed the tube and had a great day!  We joined as a years member and we can’t wait to go back!

TTFN, Sammy

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 32 - Singing Lesson

Challenge number 29

32 - Have a singing lesson

So yesterday I went along to my lovely friends house and had a singing lesson!  I met Jen in lockdown while she was hosting some beautiful zoom chanting sessions, one of the things that really kept me going in lockdown.  Jen is now hosting these in person once a month in Southsea, you can find the details (and more about Jen) 

here and I absolutely love them!

I have played music and sung from an early age.  I learned the piano and flute through school, I sang in the choir and played parts in school musical performances - but since school ended, the only musical things I’ve done is sing in the car along to the radio!  I do love singing though, I’ve used it while practising CBT, I used to sing karaoke at any given chance and all sorts, but as I’ve got older I’ve got more conscious of singing in public and I know this stems from childhood. 

As a junior school child, I was in a choir and we performed at the local village Carol concert at Christmas, in front of quite a large crowd.  While singing ‘Little Drummer Boy’ I came in a bar too early and sang the line loud and proud by myself to silence.  I don’t think I was told off or anything like that, but the embarrassment of getting it so wrong has stayed with me forever.  Even as a teen or young twenties, when I did karaoke I always wanted to do it with someone else, even though I can hold a tune and am more than capable of singing on my own - the fear has always been strong!

Last year on holiday, they had karaoke around the pool and I declined the first time, but listened to everyone else.  The second time I declined but sat on my sun bed wishing I could have a go, it took a while of inner dialogue but I had a serious talk to myself and up I went just in time before they closed - I was so happy with myself!

When we came back from our holiday, I saw a ‘Love to sing’ course advertised on social media with our local Ladies Barbershop Chorus. It was a 6 week free course to learn a sing, learn more about the mechanics of singing, learn about breathing and have some fun.  I dragged my best friend along with me and we both loved it!  We loved it so lunch we joined the Christmas chorus - we learned and practised together weekly and even took part in some sing outs! 

The Christmas Chorus together!

After Christmas we had the chance to join, and we are now both fully fledged Pitch Pipers! You can find the chorus

here if you are interested in knowing more.

So after joining the chorus and having the singing lesson on my list for a while, I contacted Jen and asked to book in.  The booking process was super easy, the prices really reasonable for a 1 to 1 session and Jen is just a brilliant teacher.  Jen teaches all ages and abilities, made me feel super at ease and is very professional.  Jen pushed me out of my comfort zone a little, and that was great.  We worked on part of a song that we’re doing in chorus as well, so it was great to combine the two.  I can’t wait for the next one!!

TTFN, Sammy xx

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 12 Arty Potz

Challenge 32.

My lovely friend knew this was on my list, so gifted me a session!  Along we went on the allotted Saturday morning, and wow - what a great idea for a shop!

You get to choose what you paint/decorate and that’s what you pay for.  The paints and brushes are provided, along with other materials and tools such as sponges and pens etc.

We both choose a spoon rest, yes we are nearly 40! And started the day with a cuppa and no ideas!

Of course I went for a moon theme, and I got well into dot work!

A quick three weeks and we were back to collect the fired article.  Now looking super at home in my kitchen!

TTFN, Sammy xx

Mrs. B Challenge 40 - 39 Visit a Gin Distillery

Challenge 27

39 - Visit a gin distillery

Now it’s no surprise that my list has changed and developed a few times over the last few years.  The premise has remained the same - but there have been a few tweaks and this was one of them.

While in Scotland we were literally around the corner from this gin distillery and having tasted the gin in a local pub in Pit Lochry, we definitely wanted to visit!  It’s a family run small batch distillery and so worth the visit.  They were super friendly, we didn’t just have a tour, we also had tasters and we of course came away with some bottles too.  They raise money for their local animal charity and are an all round great bunch!  If you’re in the area, visit - if not, order online!

TTFN, Sammy xx