I’ve always had things I’ve wanted to do ‘when I got older’. Many of them simple things that people do everyday without thinking twice. I always meant to get to them but life got in the way. It wasn’t until my friend and old scout leader, Dougie asked me for my bucket list, that I sat down and wrote everything down. Before I knew it, I had 45 things I wanted to do.
Looking at it 4 years on and I wish I’d done some of them sooner. Others show me how young I was when I first wrote my bucket list. It reminds me how far I’ve come and how much growing up I’ve done since being diagnosed.
1. Take my first horse riding lesson
I loved taking my first horse riding lesson. I was slightly scared and nervous at the start, but by the end I felt comfortable on the horse. Once I realised that I wasn’t going to fall off.
2. Visit Paris
I found Paris beautiful, I enjoyed doing everything touristy especially seeing the Mona Lisa. My french classes at school finally came in useful.
3. Walk/canoe the Speyside Way
Twenty one of my friends and family hiked The Speyside Way as a fundraiser. We managed to raise around ten thousand pounds for MND Scotland. It gave me the fundraising bug.
4. Raise £100,000 for MND
I wanted to do my part to help find a cure for MND. I genuinely can’t believe I hit this target 2 years into my diagnosis. Thank you to everyone who’s contributed over the years.
5. Make Pottery
I love getting my hands dirty and something always told me that pottery would be my cup of tea. I was right, I found throwing clay very therapeutic. This is one item that should be on everyones bucket list.
6. Swim with dolphins
I swam with dolphins in Dubai, personally I wouldn’t do it again in captivity but I’m so glad that I did it.
7. Swim with sharks
8. Be a bridesmaid
9. Help organise a meaningful event
I organised my 4 years diagnosed ball. I can honestly say it was the most stressful thing I have ever done. However, I’m so grateful that I pulled it off. Having family and friends around me to celebrate fighting MND for four years was incredible.
10.Visit Italy
Seeing as my favourite food is Italian visiting Italy seemed like a no brainer. The food out there is amazing.
11. Scuba Dive
I’ve been lucky enough to scuba dive in Scotland and the Great Barrier Reef. Both beautiful in there own right. The peacefulness that comes over you when your on the sea bed is like no other.
12. Organise my 21st
Being only nineteen when I was diagnosed, getting to live to my 21st birthday seemed like an accomplishment. I had a masquerade ball with my family and friends to celebrate. Looking forward now and I can’t wait to reach 30.
13. Pass my driving test
14. Meet Miranda Lambert
Country music is a big part of my life. It’s my everything. In just three minutes a song can change my mood. I love the community that comes with the music. I love that every artist is a song writer and a storyteller. Meeting one of the artists who made me fall in love with country music and everything that comes with it was surreal.
15. Ride in a hot air balloon
16. Visit McCall, Idaho
The summer before I was diagnosed I had the time of my life working as camp councillor in McCall. I made friends for life and I’m so grateful I was able to go back and see them all. McCall and my American family will always have a big part of my heart.
17. Be a zoo keeper for the day
AMAZING! The animal lover/ child in me were in their element. To be so close and to feed so many of my favourite animals was incredible.
18. Ride a Segway
Once I built up the confidence on the Segway, I could have given mall cop a run for his money.
19. Go to one more festival
20. Dye my hair
I never thought I’d dye my hair until it was grey! I just never felt the need to. Now I don’t think I’ll ever be without highlights.
21. Get a tattoo
I have the quote “Never let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game” on my ribs, to remind myself to not let my fears and doubts hold me back. I can honestly say that it was the most painful experience of my life… I cried.
22. Set off on a road trip not knowing the destination
Being the control freak I am I wanted to go somewhere that I hadn’t planned or researched. The Wiseman’s took me on a road trip to the Harry Potter train at Fort William. It was perfect.
23. Go zorbing
24. Ride a quad bike
25. Visit Stonehenge
I thoroughly enjoyed Stonehenge we got up early and did the VIP tour where you can go in the middle of the stones. It was so surreal to be somewhere that I’ve only ever seen in photos.
26. Ride in a helicopter
I managed to do this over the White Cliffs of Dover. I even got to fly it.
27. See a volcano
28. Make a difference to a person’s life (a strangers)
I realised early on that this is the most important item on my bucket list. So I’ve decided never to cross it off, but to underline it so I keep doing it.
29. Help someone complete something off their bucketlist
30. Build Olaf the snowman
Being a huge Disney fan, building Olaf was obviously something I had to do.
31. See an Opera
I went to see my first opera in London and it was incredible. The power of the singers voices where unbelievable I can’t believe they don’t use microphones.
32. See a musical
My first musical was Wicked, since then I’ve seen a lot of musicals but none of then compared to Wicked. If you go to see any musical see Wicked.
33. See a ballet production
It’s amazing how quickly time goes by when your mesmerised by someone dancing. I have so much admiration for ballet.
34. Throw a coin into the Trevi fountain
I managed to go to Italy without even thinking about checking if the fountain was open (who closes fountains?). Which meant I needed to go back to Italy to do this. I can now say I’m one of the millions who’ve seen the Trevi fountain with and without water.
35. Have my Tarot cards read
I’ve always been curious what’s said when your having your tarot cards read. I’m not 100 percent sure I believe in everything that I was told but who doesn’t like knowing that their future is good.
36. Send a message in a bottle and get a reply
I still can’t believe that my bottle made it all the way to Sweden.
37. Plant a tree
I have now planted two trees. I just wanted to know that out there, there is a tree alive and producing oxygen because I took the time to plant one.
38. Bake a soufflé
Coming from a family of chefs and cooks, I wanted to try and make one of the hardest desserts.
39. Be brave enough to sky dive
40. Become a regular at a business
Working as a waitress I’ve always loved the customers who I saw regularly and building up relationships with them, that I wanted to do that for someone else. Hitting the gym 4 times a week has allowed me to become friendly with the staff there.
41. To go back stage at a concert
42. See the white cliffs of Dover
They are just beautiful
43. Walk along the Jurassic Coast
I loved Durdle’s Door.
44. Drive in cinema
45. Take a photo after completing each item on my list