Friday 6 February 2009

The verdict

I'm back. Exhausted. The roads were hideous. But the children went off without a fuss, my friend was a life saver and despite horrid roads, I managed to get to the sailing interview without incident. I passed the first test. Tick! I earned my 'Getting there despite all odds' badge.

We then got in-depth insight into what living on a boat for five weeks was like including the charm of having to poo with an audience and the fact that you'll burn up to 5000 calories a day. We braced the icy rain to go onboard one of the boats. Luxury probably isn't a term you'd use to describe the living quarters. But it was great just to be on a boat and it made me want to do it even more, rather than put me off.

Then I had the interview. It was a very informal affair. I think I might have rambled a bit - or maybe it was just enthusiastic chatting. But when I asked what the next steps were, my interviewer explained that next week interviewees would either be sent a 'fat envelope' that had a contract inviting them onto the race or a 'thin envelope' saying thanks but no thanks. Then he said: "You'll DEFINITELY be getting a Fat Envelope." I also got an email from him since returning home that said: "We'd love to have you on the race."

So while I'm not going to do any hula dances or make any whoop whoop noises until the fat envelope arrives, it sounds pretty much like I've got a place. (If my blog had audio, this is where you'd hear a loud gulp.)

Assuming the fat envelope does arrive, I need to ensure that it is for the leg that I want and I still need to pass the training. Apparently they have a 15% drop out rate after the first week of training - both on the part of the people doing the training and the organisers who feel you don't cut it.

I didn't get a clear steer as to what I can do about getting sponsors/setting up blogs but it is now something I need to put my mind to. And there's the small issue of logistics like childcare and managing my workload. Phase 1 of my barking mad plan was getting my application in. Phase 2 was today. Phase 3, assuming the fat envelope arrives, will be getting the first week of training done. I've suggested Feb half term given I have childcare that week. Of course it would be high seas in snow blizzards, but what the heck. I seem to have stumbled onto a roller-coaster ride and there's no getting off now!

Am off to collapse.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Woohoo!!! Well done - your £100 will be in the post once you pass the training :-)

katyboo1 said...

That's bloody brilliant. Anything I can do to help just let me know. I will even consider baby sitting. Although Oscar's fat lip you will probably run screaming from that idea, but you get the gist.

Fantastic. Just fantastic.

Anonymous said...

Oh Wow - that is A-MAZING!
Well done mama - can't wait to see how this all pans out for you.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful news!!! Well DONE!

Helen said...

Congrats!! I had the gut feeling that you would manage - woohoo!!! See you in Rio! Don't forget to post the dates...

Iota said...

Woohoo, congrats to you!

Codeword: "The fat envelope"

Home Office Mum said...

Thanks Anon - I'll be setting up a blog with a donation button soon. Just need to figure out all the ins and outs. But thanks for your kind offer.

Katyboo - that's a very kind offer too. Although if you knew what my children would like, you'd be the one running screaming.

Thanks to Tara, More than, Helen and Iota for supporting me - honestly, it's you blogging mummies out there that have been my encouragement so that I can't back out now!

Anonymous said...

Wow, you go HOM! That's so fabulous. It's going to be amazing!

Welsh Girl said...

Holy Cow! Well done. It's amazing to think how you have changed your life (or possibly anyway) in just a fortnight or so. Hurrah for you I say!

justme said...

Wow!!!! That is SOOOOOO exciting! Will they let you take a laptop and internet connection so you can blog from the high seas??? Surely that must be possible...

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog after my first 11 months of also being a home office mum. Its made my (home alone - husband a longhaul pilot) saturday night. Esp the sailing thing (being a close love of mine too). You are an inspiration - once I can work out how we can afford to have a bookkeeper and STILL pay my share of the mortgage, thats what I want to do too. Thank you.

Coding Mamma (Tasha) said...

Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!

Congratulations! That is incredibly exciting. Well done.

Home Office Mum said...

Thanks ALi and Welsh. I know, it's happened kinda fast. Got a bit of vertigo as a result.

Justme - apparently there is email from the boat but am not sure about internet but am sure I could email blog posts home and someone else could upload them for me.

Suze - Hi and nice to meet you. Thanks for stopping by.

Tasha - thanks. It is wow. And scary. And then wow some more.

I watched the DVD last night of the last race. It looks amazing!

Anonymous said...

Wow, that's great news. Well done!

I'm not sure I could poo with an audience. I get stage fright trying to wee in front of my sis or my fiance (although not my child). I'm loving the bit about burning up to 5000 calories a day though...

Great news that you can keep blogging on the high seas. We'd miss you otherwise.