This and that

It was the day of the big race today but let’s leave that until the end of this blog.

On Friday I finished work at 3 and drove down to Spex’s place in pompey, Bob had gone to another Stag do and so it was just little me making the journey in my trusty tram. It didn’t take long considering it was Friday. I got to Colonel Specklingtons and met his lady Hannah for the first time, (am I aloud to say that now?). We went and played car chess in the car park and then went out to get some supplies. Slowly the others arrived Neil and KP next in their paddle steamer followed by May_z who had himself delivered by carrier pigeon. We ate Pizza, listened (and argued) to tunes and drank quite a bit. I can’t remember how the subject came about but we started to compare body parts. I insisted that I had bigger thighs than May-Z but he was having none of it. Then Spex and May-Z compared nipples, I wasn’t drunk enough to join in.

Next day we shuffled around for a bit in a post drunken haze before nipping over to Spex’s parents to erect a gazebo for the afternoon’s activities. Never try to erect a big gazebo in a high wind. It was interesting to say the least. Hannah arrived back from work and after some more car chess we went back to Spex’s parents where Ebby and the boys joined us as well as some other guests. I was feeling very contemplative, I think it was the race being the next day and the reasons for me doing it ringing truer than ever. I had been attempting to Hereford Half Marathon for some time but it always seemed to clash with other stuff. The last 2 years it clashed with the bi-annual surfing trip. This year I decided that was it I was going to do it. It was to be my first half and there is no other place I wanted to do it more than my home town coupled with it being in aid of St-Michael’s Hospice. Well obviously when I decided all this we didn’t realise what fate had kept up its sleeve for my family. Since then my mum has been diagnosed with a brain tumour and has been given 6 months to live, I’m sure she will end up in the care of St-Michaels just like my brother and uncle before. Anyway this meant I wasn’t very chatty, I was enjoying the distraction of the witty banter and Ebby’s boys trying to hurt each other but I wasn’t able to contribute much to the party itself. Soz dude. Anyway it was lovely and we ate loads of really nice food before I had to drive home.

Sunday dawned and it was raining. On the drive to the race it absolutely chucked it down, proper full on torrential rain. I began to dread it. It stopped raining just as I got to the leisure centre. I went and registered bumping into my cousin S who was hung-over as hell but still doing the race, marvellous prep my dear!! We started and the sun came out and shone brightly for a while before disappearing behind a cloud. The support was immense considering the awful weather. I ran the first 9 miles comfortably and even got shouted at by a marshall for looking to fresh, tee hee. Things started to hurt at about mile 10 but just then I was running down a pretty rural lane where I saw an old couple cheering people on whilst stood by their car. Inside the car a lovely little old lady was sat in the passenger seat going absolutely nuts, clapping, waving and cheering everyone. Bless her, that spurred me on for another mile or so. At mile 11 the heavens opened once again and it chuked it down. I quickened my pace as much as my aching legs would allow. We turned onto the race course and ran towards the finish line. I finished in 2 hours 6 minutes and 42 seconds. Come on!!! I walked straight to my car and drove off. I wasn’t hanging around in that weather. My parents made me some lunch and I collected some more sponsorship before driving back home. So here I am sat telling you because Bob isn’t here. I’ll have to make do with rubbing badger balm onto my own legs tonight as he won’t be back until tomorrow.

Thanks for the sponsorship guys, it really means a lot to me. St-Michaels is a very special place. I just hope nobody I know ever has need for their services to find this out for themselves.

London in the Spring

I needed to get away so on Friday I left work early, (I’m loving flexi time!!) and caught the train down to London village. After much horrible tube travel I managed to get on the same train as Sarah to Romford but on different carriages. We met up on the platform just like brief encounter but in colour and wandered to her place via Pizza Express. Mmm.
Lisa got back a while later having had a bad day at work and found us curled up watching TV and drinking vino. The new Reggie Perrin is excellent I must say.

Next day we were greeted by a lovely sunny day and lounged around on the patio for ages reading the paper and drinking tea. We decided that a BBQ was in order and I would make Bob’s Burgers. Sarah and I disappeared off to the shops to buy meat and stuff leaving Lisa bustling around cleaning things. We wandered around Romford in shorts and vest tops through the busy market, to the butchers and various other places. When we got back I made the burger mix and we settled down for some more sunshine and tea, (or maybe a spot of vino). Mer arrived and I set to work BBQing, Sarah’s neighbours were also having a barbie, they were hilarious. Typical Essex dwellers, very friendly and like a few drinks. too. As the evening wore on we ended up in the neighbours garden polishing off their nibbles and booze. Sarah went to bed but the hard core stayed up, well actually I went to bed about 1am leaving Mer and Lisa.

Next day I sprung out of bed and starting clearing up. Sarah turne dup and informed me that Lisa wasn’t very well, I thought for a brief second I had given her food poisoning but it turns out she was hammered and had gone upstairs at about 2am, informed Sarah she smelled of horse manure before wrestling th bed covers off her and taking them downstairs for Mer, (Mer didn’t know this is where he covers came from). So Sarah had to sleep under a sheet.

I suggested all my hangover cures to Lisa but she wasn’t having it and ended up going back to bed. We sat and watched TV and read the papers before deciding to go for an expedition into London. Sarah drove and I navigated. We went to the Thames barrier and Tower Bridge before having some lunch at a busy restaurant in St-Katherine’s Quay. I reluctantly left to catch the tube back to the train station. Reluctantly as I was worried about the chicks navigating their way back to Romford but I needn’t have stressed as they got back fine. I on the other hand had a bit of a nightmare tube journey as the circle line had engineering work so therefore the district was well busy, the tube I needed had been held up by something or other so after 10 mins of waiting I got the tube in the opposite direction to link back onto a different line. I made it to the train station with about 5 minutes to spare very hot and very bothered. Bob picked me up for the station and took me home.

Next day we went to visit my folks but let’s not talk about that now.