After just 307 days into the challenge, I’m going to have to admit defeat, and call a halt to it.

With nearly all my plans for this year now up in smoke, because of the Covid-19 outbreak, it is now impossible to even do half of the challenge. This is mainly because nearly all of my big ticket items have been cancelled.

I’m deeply disappointed that I’ve had to make this decision, but with the current situation I can’t see it is possible to achieve a lot of these goals.

I’ll still look to do some of them, but outside of the time scope of this challenge.

Thank you for following me over the last 10 months.

I’m not going to lie, the last couple of days have been a mix of disappointment and frustration, but agreement with the decisions that have been taken. The spread of the COVID-19 virus has understandably put some restrictions on the way of living. There is currently no idea how long these will last, or what else will be restricted.

This has obviously had an impact on items on my 101 list. So I’ll try and list each one individually, and some of the longer implications.

With the postponement of all football, the England game is was meant to be going to has been cancelled. I have no idea when the next England match will be that I can get tickets for, so I’ll no longer mark this as in progress until I know more.

I was doubling up with the goals of doing a marathon, and event outside of London but as the Manchester Marathon has been postponed, they are now both in limbo. There isn’t currently a date for a rearranged one, although I’m hoping it will be announced soon, and have no idea if I can event make it yet. In the meantime I have planned a marathon length run, so will complete one virtually.

As for a running event outside London, again I’ll take off the “in progress” until I know more.

Even with Parkruns in the balance, I have no idea if I will now even be able to attend 50. But once I know if they are to continue, or resume if they get stopped I’ll have more of an idea.

The trip to Paris with Claire in May is also at risk with France’s restrictions. It’s some weeks off yet, but who knows if it will happen.

As well as the running my next crossbow competitions in March & April are at risk from being cancelled. Even an international one I’ve been invited to attend in Germany, at the end of May, is also at risk of not going ahead!

Also, my next two camps with the scouts, and the trip to Kenya is at risk! It’s too early to say, but we’re watching developments closely.

As you can see there is a big impact on this challenge, and the likelihood is that a large number of goals will not be achieved because of the situation. I’ll just have to see how things develop.

Until then, make sure you follow the advice from Public Health England.

And stop panic buying as there is no ******* need!

No. 91 Go on a Brewery Tour.

I have previously been on a brewery tour, and a distillery tour, but they were both a good few years, and I have always wanted to go and visit another. Well, shortly I after started this challenge a friend of mine bought me a voucher for a tour at their local brewery. The Westerham Brewery.

However, my diary being the way it is, it has taken my almost 9 months to actually book it up.

Anyway, the tour was really good, with a tutored tasting session as well. We heard about the history of the brewery, the brewing process, and how certain flavours are selected.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Four of their beers were selected for the tasting, all of which I haven’t had before, which was a bonus too. It was a fantastic and informative afternoon, and of course I picked up a few souvenirs at the tap room shop at the end.

But that is goal 91, complete!

Goal no.86 – Take Claire to an Afternoon Tea

This take sounds easy. It’s not, trust me.

Claire loves doing afternoon teas, and regularly does them with her best friend. So when I looked at booking one up for us, it had to be one that she hadn’t done. This is where it is starting to get hard.

To date she has done the big ones: Harrod’s, Park Lane, and even The Ritz is already booked up for them to do! So I really had to think outside the box.

Well, I achieved it! For her Christmas present I booked us on the Brigit’s Bakery bus tour around London, on a Red Routemaster Bus!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The food and cakes were amazing! I was so full at the end, which was surprising as I really didn’t think I would be, when I first saw the plates. But it was lovely.

It was also a great way to see London. I mean, we’ve both been Londoners all our lives, but it’s nice to did things different once in a while.

I’m really glad that we did it this way, and it was a lovely way to goal 86, completed!

Goal no. 73 – Have five more tattoo sessions

The February half term week appears to be turning into an annual road trip to Wales, as for the second year running I headed of to Carmarthen for another tattoo session with Marley.

I did promise her that my next design wouldn’t be as intense as last year’s, when she started the back piece that I documented in The Tattoo Challenge post. This time I wanted the piece on my right thigh, and sent her a picture of my idea of a bionic leg under ripped skin. As I normally say to Marley, she has free rein to improve the idea.

Well she did, and wow!

As we looked at the design she had changed the cogs mechanism I’d found a picture of, to a more robotic one with pistons. Definitely more appropriate for a thigh. Immediately I was sold, and we cracked on.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I was actually stunned at how much she managed to complete. I knew this wouldn’t be single day session job, but the fact that she got that much done wowed me again! It looks fantastic, and already so much better than my original concept.

I can’t wait for my next session to finish this piece off.

Goal no.43 – Eat at 7 different restaurants with Claire.

When I set this goal it was all about Claire and I spending quality time together. Not just sitting at home, falling asleep in front of the TV, but getting out and enjoying ourselves.

We had ticked off a lot of restaurants when we were on holiday, which is why we were quite strict as to what would qualify. But after the summer we had one more left to do. What perfect way to complete this goal, but to spend Valentines night out together.

As it was for Valentine’s night, I thought it would be perfect to go to our favourite restaurant, Da Peppino in Welling.

As usual we had a great 3 course meal, a bottle of Prosecco, and there was even live music with a great singer.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

It was a great way to complete this goal, especially being for a celebration and not just a night out. It seemed very fitting.

Goal 43. Complete!

Last weekend saw me compete in my 7th crossbow competition, for goal no. 38. The bonus was that it was also a nationals which would count for goal no. 36 too. Double bubble.

Again the day started with a long old drive down to Glevum in Gloucestershire, which was well fuelled by coffee. The competition itself was the indoor 18m, at a 40cm target. Our scores too would also count towards the World Indoor Championships, which is a postal competition.

The way the postal competition works is that only scores achieved at national federation registered competitions (at 18m – on both a 40cm, and 25m, target) count. So, two scoring shoots to do. This was my first.

The day started with great news for myself, and fellow GB team mate Graeme. As it had been finally published that I had taken the world no.1 spot for outdoor shooting, and Graeme for Indoor. My first shot in the two sighting ends however, was a miss! Out of the target rings! The settings on my scope were well off. I now only have 5 shots left to sort it out!

Thankfully I know my crossbow enough, through the 100 hours, of what felt like never ending training, to know how much adjusting the optimiser needed.

Well it worked! I scored a new PB, of 566 out of 600!!

A great result, and I retained the 3rd of my 4 titles! Very happy at that.

As a footnote to this post, the next World Championships location and dates have been announced. Goal 35 was for me to attend, which I did in June 2019. But the next championships are also within the date of this challenge, in June 2021. There are also being held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I am going!! Even if I have to sell a kidney. This may have a knock on effect with some other challenges, from financial perspective, but we’ll see what develops.

When I first set this challenge I knew things could change. That includes some of the goals that I set myself too. I have already revised one, where I suddenly had three offers of mini-golf, when I’d only set going for one. So I upped it.

But, a week ago things changed in my scouting life, in a way that I never perceived it would when I set the challenge.

Back in May there were lots of changes and possibilities on the horizon. A new International Commissioner, a new District Commissioner, and other District Commissioners’ terms due to come to an end, and then there was the possibilities that new/restructured teams would open up. Exciting times, as I’d missed being part of a senior management team, after having to step down from my Deputy County Commissioner role, a few months prior to that. Unfortunately those early possibilities didn’t materialise, but I remained hopeful.

Anyway, fast forward to last Wednesday when I was delighted to be informed that I had been successfully elected to serve as a school governor, at my youngest daughter’s school, on a four year term. This opportunity only came about at the end of October, five months after I set the challenge. The role, much like scouting is voluntary. But it meant I needed to rethink my other voluntary commitments.

I was told by one individual, back in June, that they had been told that I “wasn’t wanted on the team any longer”. Their exact words. So this made me question a lot of things. Because of the timing of their revelation, when I was at my most jubilant after the World Crossbow Championships, it also triggered a very serious episode, which I documented in the post “Not ok to ok”. It was so serious that if it hadn’t been for a close friend of mine, this challenge would’ve been cut very short. Anyway, I decided to stick it out as I really loved the role I was doing as Assistant County Commission (International), which had been my life for 9yrs [at that point].

However, the last seven months haven’t been great. One of the projects I was working on was causing a lot of stress, and the “revelation” sadly appeared to have merit. I did not feel welcome at all. But I kept with it, as I had made that role what it is today, and was passionate about it.

So combining all of these factors together I felt that with the new school governor role, it was now the right time for me to go. A decision which I know has shocked a few people, but needs must.

But, how does that effect the challenge? Well, goal no.8 was to take on a new role in scouting. That however, is no longer looking likely any time soon, and with my new volunteering commitments. Although, much like scouting it is a voluntary role.

So with that in mind, I’m going to mark goal 8 as complete. It may not be specifically a voluntary scouting role, but I have taken on a new volunteer role. Within the spirit of the challenge, I feel.

Anyway, sorry for the long ramble but I needed to give some background as to why I was revising this goal. I’m really excited to become a school governor, as this is something that is outside of my comfort zone of scouting. Really looking forward to the next four years.

January has been a really busy month, and what was meant to be regular updates, has developed into one longer one. That’s largely because my marathon training has really ramped up, and I’ve been taking part in RED January.

So here goes, with the newly completed (and some in progress) items.

44. Learn how to make 5 different Origami animals.

I have to admit I have had a lot of help with this one. One of my work colleagues gave me an origami book, when I first started this challenge, and I also got two more at Christmas with packs of folding paper.

I’m not going to lie. I really am not a craft type of person, and I found to quite tricky. But, success! Five animals made!

I’d made, in one session: a grazing cow, a fish, a butterfly, a swan and a pigeon. I was really quite chuffed how it all went.

Goal complete!

97. Make white chocolate and cranberry cookies.

I’ve never made cookies! Shock, horror! I haven’t, and these are my favourite flavour. A couple of years ago I had someone making them for me, on a regular basis, but that supply dried up.

I put this on the list as no one else in my house likes them, so when cookies are made, it’s never my favourite. So I gave it a go.

The result? They were lush!!!!! So glad I made them, and now I have the recipe, I will do them again.

Goal complete!

Now for the progress items.

56. Visit 5 new away grounds with Charlton

The first of these is now in the bag, after a weekend with friends in Preston. Shame we lost against North End, but at least I got to catch up with my friends.

I have also made some bookings for other items recently too.

So coming up is: the final restaurant for goal 43, a pasta making masterclass – goal 58, another tattoo session with Marley – goal 73, afternoon tea with Claire – goal 86, and a brewery tour at Westerham Brewery – goal 91.

Slowly getting there.

No. 71 Give up something different each month for a year.

You would think that picking something to give up for a month is easy. Well, it is. But giving up 12 different things, takes a little more planning.

I have to admit. There was a lot of items I wanted to do, such as “green items”, but these weren’t practical. For example, I looked at whether I could give up using my car for a month. A noble one, but not practical for many reasons. I could’ve just simple reduce use of it, but the goal states to give up completely. I also looked at giving up singe use plastic, and sadly this too is impossible, as I’d end up buying nothing at all.

Anyway, as I started to compile this list I had to some fiddling and swapping as some are closely linked. This would then just simply be a continuation of the previous month, and not really what I wanted to achieve.

So here is the list, and the month that I am abstaining from it.

Jan Fizzy Drinks

Feb Chocolate

Mar Animal Produced food (Go Vegan)

Apr Alcohol

May Tea

Jun Cow’s Milk

Jul Netflix

Aug Cheese

Sep Processed Meat

Oct Take Aways

Nov Fried Food

Dec Crisps

There is still a lot of crossover in some of the items, which is why I’ve tried to separate them the best I can.

I will say though that as soon as you say that you can’t have something, you bloody want it. I’m absolutely gagging for a can of Diet Coke right now!