As we crawl out of the pandemic on our hands and knees, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Or perhaps it's just the sun, making the occasional appearance.
Readers may recall that sometime around May 2020, I tried to take up running. A few of my friends who are enthusiastic about running to being evangelical urged me to continue. They suggested that if I only developed a 'can-do attitude, I'd see all that I'd been missing for the best part of my life. I never did get to that point back then. After Bob decided it wasn't doing his knees much good, we both gave up.
Then, about four months back, friends of mine who I had known for their aversion to exercise started raving about Couch to 5K, a nine-week running programme. I've never thought of myself as being particularly competitive, but they triggered something inside of me. Next week I'll be entering Week 8 of the programme, moving from running 25 to 30 minutes without a break. It's nearly killing me, but I'm actually doing it, and I even bought expensive running shoes intending to continue. Who would have thought it?? Me! A runner! This experience has taught me that I like a challenge while I may not like running. Googling fitness challenges, I can see plenty of options for choosing, including the Plank Challenge (hold a plank for 5 mins), the Pull Up Challenge, the Handstand Challenge, and the Yoga 500 Bodyweight Challenge. But all of that can wait. For now. First, I've committed, starting from today, to jogging one mile per day in July for Cancer Research.
I would welcome your support and your donation here on Facebook.
Winning Awards & Grants
My proficiency in writing applications seems to be bearing fruit.
nestful won the Impact Shakers award for Housing, inspired by the doughnut model to recognise and celebrate pioneering impact businesses in Europe!
And Advantages of Age won a grant to put on a jazz concert on Kilburn High Road as part of the Festival of Ideas London, for which I applied for and received a busking license. I now have permission from Camden to perform at specific locations within the Borough 12 pm- 1 pm for a WHOLE YEAR. If you'd have told me in my twenties when I first started singing semi-professionally, I'd have a busking license at 60, I wouldn't have believed you. It's never too late for firsts!
We're now two-thirds of the way through Startup School for Seniors, and we have another great group of diverse participants who are making significant progress with their ideas. We’ll be kicking off the next one in mid-September if you know anyone who would welcome being part of our group of soon-to-be business owners. They can pre-register here.
Summer Parties & Gigs
It wouldn't be post-lockdown summer without a few parties, outdoor & indoor concerts.
Here's a few for you to consider and put in your diary:
Advantages of Age Summer Party/Suzanne's Belated 60th:
31st July at Vout-o-Reenees, Aldgate 8 pm - Late
Tickets & more info available here.
Dirty Blues & Jazz Show
5th August at Green Note, Camden, 7.30 pm - 10 pm
Tickets & more info available here.
Suzanne Noble Jazz Quartet
28th August at Broadwalk Gazebo by the Boardwalk Cafe, Regents Park
2-4 pm. FREE
A Small Favour
nestful was all going well until the pandemic struck and flattened the business. Many of our customers identified as vulnerable and weren't too keen to let out their spare room.
My colleague and I slashed our running costs down to virtually nothing to keep our head above water and, now that (hopefully) lockdown is over, we're revving up again.
We're running an almost-out-of-the-pandemic Summer Special until 30th September at nestful, removing ALL our fees, making it completely FREE to use the site. It takes 3 minutes to sign up.
If you have a room to let or know someone else who could be interested, please share our website with them. That’s nestful.io.
Thanks for reading. Stay safe and I hope to see you soon,
Suzanne