Monday 18 April 2011

Because we can...

Like all great decisions... many are made out of bravery,  some out of leadership, and in the Broadwood family a fragile few are made stoically with an empty ‘wine glass in hand’…
Of the latter the majority are mostly fool hardy,  highly questionable, nothing more than  a (classic) ’grape induced’ lapse of judgement... to put it simply (in mother-esk tongue) aka - ‘a bad idea’…
However, (bizarrely) this isn’t always the case and just sometimes that extra glass of Pinot endorses an altogether uncharacteristic highly positive flash of bravery, which without lubrication (courtesy of Lindemans)  would probably have otherwise remained hidden, unexpressed, and quite frankly silently dormant. 
So for those of you who know me best (and who are most likely currently laughing into your collective wine glasses) it will come as no surprise that a few weeks ago my daughters, SIL and I once again took the (stoic and quite frankly stupidly painful) decision to sign up for yet another 5K race for life… and yes (before you silently tut) wine had been consumed…
You may also  remember that  last year, in memory of my late FIL, my daughters and I ran Lincoln’s 5k 'Race For Life' on what (unhelpfully) turned out to be the hottest day of the year thus far.  Safe to say that at the time mild dehydration, an ongoing ankle strain and a minor case of heat enduced ‘exercise’ delirium all tried their best to phase me, however what I hadn’t expected was the collective momentum and energy  of being carried, swept along  by thousands of people, each of who were also running their hearts out for someone whom they had loved and lost or those who had fort the battle and won... it seems love and positive energy is officially contagious - catch it and you too can achieve great things… who knew?
At the end of the day and by whatever means (grape enduced or otherwise) or reason which prompted us to make the decision to initially take part, by the end of last May’s 'Race for life' adventure my daughters and I all felt that participating had been one of the greatest decisions we had ever made and (personally) when I crossed that ’sweat covered’ finish line, sadistically part of me knew that inevitably (like child birth) I’d simply have to do it all over again…
Admittedly this all sounds like brave words but (in light of yesterday’s events in London) by running standards 5k simply isn't very far and for thousands  around the world it is nothing more than  ’a walk in the park’ … ’a stretch of the legs’… ‘a modest warm up’….but for my SIL and I not so!  *cough*
Rest assured compared to those brave souls in lycra who undertake and complete marathons, half marathons - shoeless, wearing nothing but a figure hugging nylon dinosaur costume...We salute you… !!!
At the end of the day I am certainly no athlete, for me ‘channelling Paula Radcliffe’ simply means stopping regularly for toilet breaks…BUT fuelled by the memory of someone very special who was prematurely and cruelly taken from our family because of  cancer and fuelled by a few glasses of Pinot… I say ‘bring it on’… 5k - Pah!! 5k….It’s just a stroll in the park, a warm up, a gentle jog… how hard can it be?...
Mmm…..On second thoughts and from memory - please don’t answer that any time soon!!!! 
Bea (Fiona) Broadwood

Thursday 14 April 2011

A lesson learnt!

I just had to share today's events...
My eldest daughter (who is a primary school teacher) was today escorting her class on a trip to London. This morning I had a text from her, excitedly telling me that she was standing outside 10 Downing Street!...
(disbelieving her) I quickly text back: 'I dare you to knock on the door then!'
Memo to self... Never dare a daughter!!!! LOL
Bea (Fiona) Broadwood

Friday 1 April 2011

FREE AIM imag - April's edition is out now!!

In 1981, when a certain prince’s mother walked down the aisle of St. Paul’s Cathedral, despite being only nine, I sat for the duration of that historic royal wedding with my nose twelve inches from the television screen, utterly mesmerised. So you can imagine my excitement when the news was announced that there was to be another royal wedding and it seems I was not alone!

In the weeks leading up to this April issue, AIM members have also been captivated by the sense of anticipation and excitement that has been generated by the imminent Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, due to be held later this month.

However, as with any professional media publication the themes which the AIM magazine’s issues are built around are voted upon and intricately planned months in advance, but, from time to time the real world interrupts the harmonious ebb and flow of the world of miniatures and when it does it is fun to respond.  Therefore, as we are a ‘real’ time publication, the AIM editorial team decided that we must ‘seize the mood of the moment’ and transform our April issue into a veritable celebration of the forthcoming royal nuptials.

So this month the AIM imag is ‘a tale of two halves’ as alongside our Royal Wedding inspired features, we also take a closer look at ‘add on’ or additional rooms of the home.  From the history of conservatories to the quiet solitude of the humble out door loo, AIM members have provided articles, features and projects, which we hope will inspire you.

Our ‘Royal Wedding’ pages are packed with AIM member’s miniature interpretations and predictions for the big day.  So much so that I think it is fair to say that it seems deep down everyone loves a ‘love story’ and everyone loves a good wedding!  Combine that wedding with the ‘fairytale’ element and it leaves the hopeless romantics amongst us collectively reaching for the union jack bunting.

So…Where will I be on the 29th? 
The same place I was in 1981: twelve inches from the television screen, armed with a full box of tissues, quietly surrounded by copious amounts of union jack bunting.
At any age, I do love a good wedding!
Bea  Broadwood
(Editor Of The AIM imag)
On behalf of the AIM Magazine