TEAM PUPPY POWER AND THE SUCATA RUN

Day Two of the painting!

2009-07-27T10:33:00.001-07:00

25.07.09 - Well no Mat today so just little old me. Here are the results of a 3rd coat on the green and the first coat on the blue. Silly me decided to go for a paint brush instead of a roller today. But i didnt have the intelligence to use the biggest 2inch size paint brush. Oh no there i was with a 1inch paintbrush....... no wonder it took hours!!! Also managed to make a bit of a mess and get myself covered in paint.......

Anyway here's the pics. Enjoy!!

Big Burthas sexy behind

Blue on!!! With the masking tape still on

Little whoopsie!

Masking tape is off!

I havent finished the blue admittedly and there are still more coats of the green needed. Also need to do the wheel trims and of course add the orange flowers along the side. Now sure exactly when that will happen yet!

The facelift begins!

2009-07-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

24.07.09 - Mat came down from Nottingham for the day so that we could get and start the paint job on Burtha. We only had a few hours due to the traffic on the way down and me going out early evening!

First things first - the fuel behind team Puppy Power. Bacon butties, jaffa cakes and a good cuppa

How good does that look?! Mmmmmmm

Time for some team bonding between Mat and Quinny.

Quinny showing Mat some love

Dont they make a lovely couple?!

Now getting down to business, Burtha prior to masking

Mats masking efforts

My masking efforts

The green paint!

Mat and me messing about.
Sexy Mat in his overalls. Whoarh!

Wicked!! Aiiiiiii!

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

First coat goes on

A quick tea break and a boogie before the second coat

Second coat goes on (notice the threateningly dark sky!)

Doesnt look so good close up!

Then it rained!!! Nooooooo! Here's the results of the rain. Some very pock marked paint. Dagnammit! But too late to do anything by then cos it had already rained.

Its the end of the long day and bless him, poor Mat is shattered. Here he is passed out on the sofa. No one knows why he is holding himself rofl maybe he was having fun dreams about sexy Burtha?!

GET IN!!!!! Life is good again!

2009-07-23T15:49:00.001-07:00

23.07.09 - Oh yes people. Gemma is back in with a little help from myself and Nobhead. Am totally over excited about it all now! Well happy! Over the moon! Super cheerful! Whoop whoop whooooooooooooop!!!!! Probably too excited to sleep now as hopefully dare i say it....... Burtha will be painted tomorrow providing the weather is kind to us (please please please!!!) x

Could this be the end..........?

2009-07-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

23.07.09 - We cant find a fourth person who can afford to go (plenty of people saying they would love to do it but they are either all skint or already away elsewhere on the dates). It pretty clear there is a 'Make or Break' decision due very very shortly. Especially as it has already been arranged for Burtha to be painted tomorrow. Will the ill fated team Puppy Power bite the dust once and for all? Only time will tell..............

"I've got some good news and some bad news......."

2009-07-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

18.07.09 - The lovely Mat rings me up late on Saturday afternoon and says 'I've got some good news and some bad news. Which do you want first?'. Give me the bad news first i say, thinking he would then cheers me up with whatever the good news is...... 'Gemma cant afford to do the rally so she's dropped out!!' He says. Not exactly what i was expecting! So we are a team member down yet again!! We start desperately thinking who we know who might like to come and who might be able to afford to do it. Many texts, emails and phone calls later and I cant even remember what the good news was or even if he told me it!

Frazer is in QUARANTINE!!!! (i kid you not)

2009-07-16T01:21:00.000-07:00

14.07.09 - I have been informed that Frazer has contracted SWINE FLU and has been quarantined for 2 weeks!! We are hoping to all get together and finally give Burtha her make-over soon so fingers crossed poor Frazer has recovered and is fighting fit again!!
Now come on people, feel sorry for poor Frazer and sponsor us! I know it would make him feel SOOOOO much happier and would cheer him up LOADS while he is stuck inside and poorly.

A comedy of Errors?!

2009-07-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

Well today i discovered that our V5 licensening document is incorrect (and therefore any insurance is technically invalid). Well i say today, Mat spotted it when he looked at it the other week but i hadnt really had chance to look into it. Basically the log book says Burtha is a 1995cc engine..... thats fine. Except Toyota only ever made Previas with a 2438cc engine!!! So I phone up DVLA who very helpfully tell me that they dont know what engine sizes Toyota made them in and whatever is on the V5 is right. How helpful! So i call up Toyota and after about 50mins on the phone i eventually get someone who can actually help me! So i am now awaiting a letter (on headed paper as DVLA will accept nothing less!) to tell me what i already know - Burtha is a 2.4L engine as it cannot be anything else. Cant you just see me rolling my eyes?!

I also had a chat with them about our intention to paint her up. I was under the impression that as long as the V5 states the majority colour of the vehicle that is fine. I was thinking that perhaps we could get away with leaving the colour on the V5 as 'blue' seeing as we are only painting half of her green. Well no, DVLA say thats not good enough and they will put up to 3 colours on the V5. So when i get the letter from Toyota and send of the V5 i will also change her colour. Oh i do hate paperwork!!

I also had a little panic that perhaps my passport might have run out!!! But i hunted it out and phew its got until 2012 on it hehe. But my god do i look a plank in the photo

On a brighter note, Mat, Gemma and Fraser had a meeting tonight (not practical for me to drive over 200 miles for a meeting lol so i left it in Mats capable hands) and i am informed that everyone is happy to go ahead. I've emailed Mat my home-made sponsorship forms and various other bits, he has got everyones details to send to me so i can book up the ferry and insurance! Its finally starting to fall into place! Yay! Also we are only £5 off reaching £200 so come on someone donate us a fiver PLEASE!!!

Dream or premonition?

2009-07-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

Well last night i had a very odd dream!!! Our very own Burtha starred in it along with a very fit tall, dark and handsome man!!!!! Yum yum!! Although the rest of the team were not in my dream (sorry guys!), Quinny featured slightly. This mystery hunk had huskies i know that much and i know we had a conversation about using the Halti to walk them on. I also remember my nan being in the dream??! Then there was just lots of driving in Burtha with the fittie through all manner of stranger places and loads of flirting!!

So is this strange dream telling me that through Burtha i will meet a very very nice man??! Or am i just more insane than you thought? Who knows!! Watch this space and time will tell.........

Our confirmed route! The MAP!

2009-07-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

Well fingers crossed this works ok! Below should be the route we have decided on including all the stops as follows.......

The official rally!
UK - Calais - Rouen - La Rochelle - San Sebastian - Salamanca - Cabo Da Roca & The Finish Line!!!!
Then the unofficial tour home!
Cabo Da Roca - Lisbon - Madrid - Valencia - Barcelona - Lyon - Calais - UK

View Larger Map

Sponsor us via www.justgiving.com/puppypower all donations very much appreciated!

The Team is complete once again!

2009-07-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

03.07.09 - Well today i got a call from Nobhead Mat to tell me that Gemma and Fraser have booked their time off work for the run and had it confirmed.

YIPPPEEEEEEEEEE!

Mat has complained that his nickname is a bit disrespectful to the RAF and therefore will now be known henseforth simply as 'Nobhead'. Suits me cos i call him that anyway HAHAHA. Gemma i am informed is known as 'Madam Big Boobs' or something similar but Fraser is sadly lacking in a nickname. Well i am sure we can some up with something suitably amusing soon enough!

Well we should be booking up the ferry and insurance shortly so watch this space!! Now the route has been decided i have emailed all the campsites near the towns we will be staying at to see who accepts dogs and who we need to book with!

Sponsor us via www.justgiving.com/puppypower all donations very much appreciated!

Like a phoenix from the flames......

2009-06-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

23.06.09 to 26.06.09 - Mat and Kris formulate plans, agree on window decal designs, get a signwriter on board for our advertising, figure out all our costings, decide on our rough route there and back, and contact a few people to try and get corporate sponsorship. Quinn, Vienna, Remus and Hera check out Big Burtha. They seem pretty impressed!

Quinny wants to drive!

22.06.09 - Mat and Kris get together to formulate a plan........

20.06.09 - Burtha, Kris, Quinn and Vienna make the trip to Nottingham for Jems birthday and some work on Sucata plans. Im very pleased to report that Burtha was a star and we had no problems getting there, despite traffic jams and hot weather.

Mum and Dad check out Burtha before we set off!

Me and Burtha ready for the off!

Quinny in his crate

16.06.09 - Mat decides he wants in on the Sucata adventure and may have a couple of friends also interested!! Team Puppy Power is alive again and has risen from the dead!!!!

June

2009-06-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

15.06.09 - Fiona and Steve decide they cant really afford to do it this year due to other committments and time restraints. You may see them on a Sucata or Split soon! It looks like team Puppy Power has bitten the dust, at least for now.......

14.06.09 - Big Burtha was due to get her new colours today but it all got a bit confused.... Tempers flared and things are not looking rosy......

07.06.09 - Ok so a team member down again. But we stay positive and set up a team meeting at Canterbury Starbucks. It goes swimmingly and is a great meeting! Full of enthusiasm and positivity once again. Plans are made! Poor Starbucks staff were unimpressed by our holding them up from closing and going home. Do they not realise we have important team stuff going on?!

May

2009-06-28T06:07:00.001-07:00

21.05.09 - Disaster strikes again! Mark has dropped out of the team because he feels he cannot afford to go! On the hunt for a fouth member once again.....

01.05.09 - We get ourselves into one of the local newspapers! Here's a link if you want to check it out http://ww.mongeham.co.uk/newsletter/2009/200905.shtml

April

2009-06-28T06:06:00.001-07:00

Lots of emails flying back and forth between the team but nothing actually gets done...... Oh dear!

March 2009

2009-06-28T05:58:00.000-07:00

29.03.09 - Mark removes the rear seats from Burtha and stores them safely in my loft. Quinn has his crate fitted in the vehicle and was a star for getting straight into the car and into his crate. I begin to suspect he may well be the best behaved male on this rally...... But then again!!!

13.03.09 - A week later and our Sucata pack arrives!! Everyone is super keen to find out what is in the huge parcel. Mark picks the parcel up from the Post office but also delivers some troubling news about Burtha.... He's worried that the cam belt and fan belt migh be on their way out. With her being a mid engine car they are not easy to get to!

03.03.09 - We finally get round to registering! So exciting! And we set up our justgiving page. We have a team name, a full team, nicknames and a vehicle. Banging!

We have a 4th member on board! Mark, nicknamed Special Spandex, after his dream of fundraising in Sainsburys dressed from head to toe in Spandex.... He's onto cars and has rebuilt and raced Caterhams so again someone with a bit of mechanical knowledge! WooHoo!

February 15th the moment of truth!

2009-06-28T05:43:00.000-07:00

The date of collection of the ebay prize! Kris has insurance on the purchase ready to drive it home again. Steve is driving us up to collect it from Nottingham. Well it didnt really start off great.... i was late (oops) so running around like a blue arsed fly while Fi and Steve have a cuppa! But eventually we set off in Steves golf. Some way down the road I realise i have forgotten my mobile. Clever Slinky!

Boredom soon set in and so began 'Yellow Car Game' and the 'Your husband/wife Game'. After much hilarity and tears of laugher we arrive! It is decided that a trip to Ikea for meatballs is in order. We get there and find a ton of traffic! Clearly everyone is after meatballs today! Bored in the traffic, some toilet roll appears from somewhere and more hilarity ensues. Pics to follow!! Steve looks decidedly good in a toilet roll turban and the other car drivers clearly think we are mental. They are probably not far wrong!

After a delicious lunch of meatballs and chips we pop in to see Mat, Remus and Hera. The dogs are overjoyed to see me and i am almost loved to death. Another cuppa and its off to find the dude we bought from! The bloke for whom we have no name!!! We find his place and follow him in the car to where the vehicle is. Some really dodgey Nottingham estate! We were worried for our lives and safety! Eeeeek!

So Steve takes a look. If you could call it that! But it starts first time and so we hand over the cash. Fi and I climb aboard and off we go!!! Well after much noise and fun with the clutch control....... (well i have only driven an automatic for the last year and a half!!). We get to some traffic lights and i put on the handbreak. One problem, when the lights turn green i cant get the damn thing off! So Fiona is running round the inside of the car trying to release the handbreak while im driving! Oh so safe!! Eventually we get it off and head to the nearest fuel station.

After 10 minutes of all 3 of us looking I evenutally find the fuel cap release switch. Yes we all look rather sheepish! Well you know we never said we knew anything about cars!!!!! I hope this is not a case of starting as we mean to go on!

Anyways, on the road we go! Music up loud and lots of dancing in our seats! Fiona manages to get carpet burns from dancing in her seat and poor Steve gets a good view of Fiona flashing her Puppy Power!! Much more laughter and fun! But then she realises she cant find her phone...... We are now some 30 miles away from the fuel station where she is sure she left it...... Oh and its starting to snow too!

We decide to push on home and will find the number for the garage and ring them later. Through the snow, wind and rain we make it home. Minus a mobile and with aching sides from too much laughing. The car is named Big Burtha and in the words of Fiona 'shes got an ass u can rest a pint on each cheek and be used as a bike stand'.

You'll be pleased to hear that Fionas phone was eventually found under a seat in Burtha. Figures!

Febuary

2009-06-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

And so it continues with 3 of us. Fiona, nicknamed Captain pain. Kristina, nicknamed Slinky and Steve, nicknamed The Northerner.

Ebay nearly collapses with the amount of time we spent on it looking for a suitable vehicle for our mammoth adventure. Eventually we manage to secure a decent car for £250. Thank you ebay!

For our £250 we have bought a 1995 Toyota Previa 2.4L petrol 8 seater mpv. With no tax and no MOT...... could there be trouble ahead?!

Ebay pics

Team Puppy Power - History. The Beginnings

2009-06-28T05:34:00.000-07:00

January 2009

Fiona and Kris were single, bored and wanting more from life. Fi introduces a plan.... 'Lets do the Sucata Run' she says. 'What can i do with the dogs?' i say. 'Bring them with us!' she replies!! And so it started!!

Quickly the team name PUPPY POWER is born. Partly for Quinn the Northern Inuit dog and our team mascot. Partly for our personal assets ;)

Ok so who can we recruit to our cause?? Fiona comes up with Scott and Dom. They are up for it and say they want in! Whoop whooop we have a team of 4!!

Scott decided he wanted to do it with his mate so he's out of the team and setting up his own team..... Down to 3......

Dom decides to back out! Oh no! Back to just us 2 girls. Never fear says Fi! She persuades Steve to get onboard. With his banger racing skills and ability to break and fix cars he should be a great addition to the team!

kristina ledger is fundraising for Gemin-i.org - JustGiving

2009-06-28T05:09:00.001-07:00

kristina ledger is fundraising for Gemin-i.org - JustGiving

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