Knowle Fun Run

What a busy couple of weeks we've had!! Trevor and I have been bombing up and down the motorway, facilitating role-playing training workshops for the NHS. We've spent much of our time in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire. The beauty of where we live in Warwickshire means that nowhere is a million miles away.

Speaking of high numbers, Trevor was on Cloud Nine Million yesterday. His beloved Manchester United became the Premiership champions for the 10th time in 16 seasons, under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson. I'm still trying to bring Trevor back down to earth!

Trevor and I had our own small achievement to celebrate as we participated, for the 3rd year, erm.. running, in the 5-mile Knowle Fun Run in Solihull. With a steep hill (run twice in the 2-lap course) and temperatures higher than in Spain, it wasn't the easiest of races. Still, we did it!

Me before the race. Oh look, a balloon is sticking out of my head!

Trevor looks longingly at the sausages...

...and I'm tempted by the ice cream van but manage to resist

after the run...

...sweaty but smiling with relief!

The Fabulous Lampshade Boys

Our dogs, Bertie and Rusty, were castrated on Friday. I feel so TERRIBLE, making them endure the discomfort but Trevor and I took the advice of experts that dogs live longer and happier lives when they are without...... According to my dog training manual, only expert breeders should leave their dogs intact.

I feel humbled by how incredibly loving they are to us still. I am reminded of John Steinbeck's "Of Mice & Men" when one of the migrant workers, George, explains that his friend Lennie, who has learning difficulties, thanks George profusely for rescuing him from drowning in a river when it was in fact, George who made him jump in the first place!

The 'lampshades' prevent the boys from interfering with their stitches

Aw.. this photo was taken on the first day after their 'op'. A recommended dinner of lightly scrambled egg is served.

Race For Life

It's almost that time of year folks, when thousands of pairs of breasts will be bouncing their way along the women's Race For Life in aid of Cancer Research UK.

This will be my 4th consecutive year of running in the RACE FOR LIFE. Unlike my previous years in Birmingham, I shall be racing around around the medieval Coombe Abbey in Coventry, Warwickshire on 9th July 2008. My running number this year, 1348, is not a particularly lucky number, at least it wasn't for the Black Death victims in 1348.

However, let us not brood over plagues and pestilence. Let us ponder on our pockets and purses and on how many pennies pounds and ppp.. I mean dollars, euros, and ruPees we can donate to this worthwhile cause.

Please pop along to my fund-raising page (click here).

I'm dedicating this years' race to my friend Margaret Griffiths, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. Following surgery, radio therapy and chemo therapy, she is here to tell the tale. She recently released a CD, 'The Essential Spirit of Edith Piaf' and the CD is available from Margaret's website, http://www.troikaproductions.co.uk/

It started with a click........

It is 4 years today since Trevor and I met ‘virtually’. Our first 'actual' encounter was on 11th July 2004 …in Tesco Supermarket just off the M42 in Solihull!

4 years… crikey. 4 years and one day ago, neither of us had any idea of each other’s existence. At the time we were both unhappy with our lives and by the love and grace of God, we were brought together by one fleeting moment in cyberspace that could so easily have been missed. Amazing!

How our lives have changed in the past 4 years! Trevor gave up his 35-year career with the National Health Service and moved from Devon to the Midlands. He became a grandad to 2 boys, now aged 3 and 6 months. We set up a business, married, moved house twice and last but not least, we adopted 2 puppies.

We haven’t had a crossed word in 4 years, not one. I can honestly say that there is nothing about Trevor that annoys me, other than the fact that he’s a Manchester United supporter but that’s nothing a frontal lobotomy won’t cure :-)

I love my husband deeply and will be eternally grateful for the happiness he has brought into my life.

2004

2005
2006

2007

2008

What a load of balls.........

......and this picture just proves that 55-year-old grandads aren't too old to be big kids again (even though Trevor was reprimanded by an attendant and sent to the naughty corner).

Soft play area at Torquay Zoo

Phew, it's been a busy week. We've travelled all over the place, on our Workshop World Tour ..... Milton Keynes (twice) and Nottingham (twice).... where else? Er.. that's it actually. Today I'm at home manning the office while Trevor is at a meeting in Huddersfield (what's that poem? "There was a cow from Huddersfield, whose udders simply would not yield. The reason that they would not yield? She didn't like her udders feeled" - or something like that!)

The highlight of our week was spending 2 days in Torquay, where we visited Trevor's family. Trev's daughter, son-in-law and 2 grandsons took us to the zoo. 'Twas lovely.


This is Trevor and young Seb wearing a very large space helmet. Actually I'm not sure what you call it but it's a perspex semi-sphere for observing small animals.

Birds and Bugs

Easter Sunday was fabulous.

Trevor and I drove down to London's O2 Arena to see the Eagles perform 30 brilliant songs. Around 20,000 people were in the audience... not bad for a bunch of nearly 60-year-olds eh? (the band that is, not the audience, though we did spot quite a lot of silver hair!)

It was not our first Eagles concert as we saw them in June 2006 at the NIA (National Indoor Arena) in Birmingham.

Pure magic.

Trevor at the O2 Arena

The O2 Arena - formerly the Millennium Dome

Before the London trip, in the morning, Trevor and I performed an Easter drama sketch at church. We played 2 Cockney (appropriately, seeing as we went to London later that day) caterpillars and you probably think that we are extremely eccentric! The message was that we were green, fat and ugly but that we were going to shed our skins and transform into something beautiful, ie. be 'born again', which is exactly why Jesus died for us on the cross. It is the essence of Easter and the foundation of the Christian faith.

So, from caterpillars to Eagles, Easter Sunday was a very good day for us.

How was YOUR Easter?

Trevor and Annie as caterpillars

(This pic was taken from a previous performance in 2006)

Tony Benn: Birmingham Town Hall

Trevor and I attended 'An Evening with Tony Benn' at the Birmingham Town Hall on Thursday.

The retired Labour politician talked about his life in politics and his thoughts on changes in the Labour party.

He held the captivated audience of approximately 900 people for 90 minutes. At the age of almost 83, Tony Benn is a remarkable man.

The evening was spent giving frank responses to questions from the audience and also entertaining us with political anecdotes.

I didn't take a photo on Thursday but below is a picture taken when we saw him at the Birmingham Conservatoire in October 2007.

Trevor meets Tony Benn - October 2007

Going to the Town Hall was also a big wow! for me. It is my first visit since before it's closure more than a decade ago. It has been beautifully and tastefully revamped (at a cost of £35m!) and it re-opened last October.

The Birmingham Town Hall as it is today

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6487867.stm