Run Run as Fast as You Can...

Sorry to those that have been waiting for an update but as you can imagine life has spun out of control in the Ryde household since February!
Grant has been re-decorating and subbing, I have been trying to work full time, and all-the-while my thoughts are focussed (fuzzy but yet focussed!) on the task at hand- get money for the park! It seems this hurried pace is both my enemy and friend.
By keeping busy I can avoid thoughts of Dec 27th that creep up, or the feeling of emptiness in my gut when I think of her standing in the living room holding her blankie an trying to give Barney kisses and hugs through the TV.
Needless to say, this hurried pace, runs you down. To the point where your defences are gone, and those feelings of desperation, amputation and despair overwhelm you.
This happened yesterday, I left work early, feeling sick both physically and mentally. (Only to find my car battery dead- which is an another bonus to my day!)
Once I got on the road, I was driving up College drive, thinking how many times I travelled that stretch to get Aiden & Reece from their sitter in the city. And the emptiness took over.
Realizing I was driving not home, but to a house that was once a home, and now is just Reeceless. If you didn't know Reece, then you can't possibly imagine what that feeling is. And for those of you that knew her, I don't need to explain.

So, I really don't know if this blogging is helping at all with the grieving process. I know that I find it hard to go to the computer if that is my intention as I know I will touch sore spot that I fight around the clock to avoid.

But here's the good stuff, what everyone wants to know- what's going on, what will the park look like etc etc.
Well - it's coming!! On the weekend friends and I went to see Sandy with BlueImp and we re-designed our main play structure. I hope that within a week I can have an actual picture on here to show everyone! We still don't know the exact amount we need to fundraise but we feel the initial goal of $40,000 should be adequate, when we toss in ground prep & landscaping.
So far we have $1200 in the bank, this includes the first few personal donations and the $600 made on the Home & Gift party (thanks to Kristen Shoemaker from Martensville with Home & Gift- we'll be doing it again next catalogue! I would encourage everyone to host one of these parties as a fundraiser honestly if enough people did it we could have half the park paid for!! 30% of regular sales goes to the fundraiser.)

There are a number of personal donations that have been forwarded on to the Town Office. And we have a PubCrawl Fundraiser this Friday in partnership with the PAA program in the College of Education - BIG thanks to Rebecca & Heidi for making this happen! I hope to see lots of old friends at the Hose on Friday - be there by 8:30 at the latest tickets are $10, I would suggest you call me & get one prior!

The Dundurn School Community Council contacted Grant to give him some FANTASTIC news. They are doing a Vesey's seeds fundraiser through the school; with proceeds going to the Park Fund. It was a successful fundraiser last year, allowing them to purchase a sign for the front yard of the school.

Grant started thinking of ideas for a Golf Tournament (to be held likely late summer, as fundraising will take a break for the month of July). More details to come. But you can be sure this will be 'a go' considering this family!! We of course will be recruiting all the Rydes (they ALL golf!! - I'm sure it's a sickness of some kind) And hopefully Uncle Steve & Auntie Vanessa will be our 'co-organizers' on this one!

On our little excursion to plan the park this weekend, I mentioned to Cassy & Annette, that Grant and I jumped into this without second thought. I suppose we subconsciously knew that we would have friends and family step up. And you certainly have!! It's fantastic. Each event we have, is basically 'over seen' by a friend or family member who is in direct contact with us, and we work together in promoting the event.
I would like to thank publicly those people right now, and will do for others, as the year goes on:

BIG APPLAUSE FOR THESE VOLUNTEERS!!

Pam Lasell- Scrapbook Marathon March 29th 10-10 tickets $25 MUST pre-register
Rebecca Ryde & College of Ed PAA Program- Pub Crawl March 14th tickets $10
Cassy Lindberg-Scott & Annette Hamilton- designing the park structure!
Charlotte Hawes- 'for taking the bull by the horns AND JUST DOIN' IT!- 1950's Dance, May 3rd Dundurn Hall- tickets only $10!!
The Dundurn Lions & the band "the 3 Canadians" for workin' the dance- you rock!
Auntie Erin- for organizing a fundraiser run in Victoria!


There are of course, many others to thank and many others with 'things in the works'- there time will come!

LASTLY- Grant has a great quote on his email I want to share, it's definitely a Reeceism-

"If you want to make some one else happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy practice compassion."