100 ABSTRACTS - NUMBER 98 - OUT & ABOUT VERY EARLY

I am determined to keep walking every day,  so I set the alarm for 6 o’clock this morning, mainly because Mr. HCB will be away at cricket all day and I wanted to make sure I saw him before he went.  

When I heard the rain on the window, I decided that it wouldn’t hurt me, so I jumped out of bed - well, as fast as I can jump (!) - and got ready to go.  I think Mr. HCB was a little bemused, because he thought the rain would stop me going - but I need to push myself and was pleased I did.

By the time I had been walking for about five minutes, the rain had stopped, so I started  taking photographs of various things on my way down to the large roundabout at the end of the road.  I suddenly heard someone shout “Maureen!” and looking around, saw my friend, Gill, who is a carer, driving past, who was obviously just going to work.  It was great to see her, albeit fleetingly, but I managed to shout back “Have a great day!” and then she was gone, having yelled the same back to me.  A lovely encounter that made me smile. :-) 

I reached the roundabout and stood on the grass on one side and probably gave a few people palpitations when they saw me taking photographs - not that it stopped any of them jumping the lights, I might add, which many do regularly.  You certainly need your wits about you on this particular roundabout.  I took most of the shots with my SlowShutter app and then just tweaked it slightly in the native iPhone app and liked this shot because it looks as if the lamp posts are tall buildings.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that I am doing this to raise awareness of the Mamie Martin Fund, which helps impoverished girls in North Malawi to obtain a good secondary school education.  This is Number 98 - so only 2 to go to reach my promised 100.  It has been great fun finding something different for each abstract and I think I have managed quite well.  If you haven’t yet sponsored me, then please  consider doing so to help this worthy cause and if you have already, then HUGE thanks.

TISAUBIRANJI  is another Mamie Martin Fund beneficiary, who attended Elangeni Secondary School.  Her home village is in the Mzimba district of North Malawi and her parents did not have the finances to pay the school fees for their daughter for her secondary school education.

The Mamie Martin Fund stepped in and helped her with the fees with the result that she obtained a good marks in her Malawi School Certificate of Education.  She then studied at Karonga Teachers’ Training College and was at Chombe Primary School for her teaching practice.  

Another young woman who is giving back to her community and being a good role model by teaching children at Primary school.

Since Mr. HCB left at 8.30, I have done a huge pile of ironing and am now going to spend the rest of the day doing some gardening and reading - and enjoying a visit from my older son at lunchtime.  

“You can never leave footprints that last 
     if you are always walking on tiptoe!”
Leymah Gbowee

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MaureenIles