Who's the customer?

I was part way through an 11 mile walk along the coast west of Dolgellau when I arrived at the George III Hotel in Penmaenpool. It was about 11am, so time for a coffee.

ME: Hi, do you serve coffee?

PROPRIETOR: Yes sir.

M: One coffee please.

P: Yes sir. Anything else?

M: Oooh yes please! I’d love a piece of toast.

P: We don’t do food.

M: What do you mean? You’re a hotel!

P: Yes sir. Food is at lunchtime.

M: So why ask if I wanted anything else?!

P: Kitkat? Mars Bar?

M: I’ll just have the coffee thanks.

A great walk but not sure I’ll be going back to the hotel……

Food for the Soul

Just back from a short break in Dolgellau, Wales. Just on my own- a time to reflect on changes in my life, a time to listen and a time to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Someone once described it as food for the soul. I'll let you look at the photo's and see if you agree...

Lost voices

It's 'no' to AV. With that decision, Britain has recommited itself to two-party rule. Or more likely, one and a half party rule. Years of Tory leadership with an occasional look-in for Labour.

Instead of reflecting modern day Britain, politics will continue with exaggerated statements, unaccountable politicians and the potential for extreme swings in political leadership.

Apologies to the Greens, the nationalists, the Christian parties and the independents. Britain has decided to continue ignoring you- and ignoring the hundreds of thousands of voters you represent. No change there of course. But it could have been different.

As for the moderately successful Liberal Democrats, any power they have is likely to be given them by the Tories or Labour in order to keep the main parties in power.

Britain has shown itself to be conservative with a small 'c'. Which means Conservatives with a big 'c' are the obvious winners.

I'm not sure there will be another referendum on voting in my lifetime. A lost opportunity. And a lost voice for so many in our not so democratic democracy.

The Finish

Well, it’s done. The London Marathon that is. 5 hours and 24 minutes. Not my best time, but it was a hot day!

I’m pleased to record that my only injury (other than not being able to walk the next day!) is a cut lip. I managed this at about mile 22 when my coordination went slightly awry, trying to take a drink form a water bottle!

Thank you to all those that have so selflessly given towards the Esther Homes. As I write this, we are well over £18,000, with tax money to add back in as well. We will leave the site live for a while yet for any late-comers.

www.epoh.org.uk

For those that would like to follow our progress in buying and/or building the Esther Home, the EPOH web site will also keep you up to date with this. As it stands, we are hopeful that we may be able to part buy/part rent towards owning a building of our own.

With an event like this, there is always a list of thank-you’s. So here goes…

Thank you to:

- Lisa Ryan for her hours of patience setting up the site, and putting up with my impatience! For allowing our India work to join forces with her Africa work and also for the great seat at the marathon for Roh.
- Steve Cronau for the hours of work on the site and setting up the Paypal link when it became clear that the HMRC department wasn’t going to respond in time to set up Virgin Giving.
- Liz Lavies for all the treatment on my calves. And for refusing payment so the money could go to the Esther Homes.
- Mickey Vincent and all at Chroma Sport for the free printing of the running vest.
- Adam & Karen for putting me up for the night before the marathon. And Helen for the coordination.
- Tim Hunt for accompanying me on the marathon, and not making too many corny jokes.
- All my friends at churches past and present, friends within the pensions industry, friends at TLM, those on our India team, and everyone who has helped with contributions towards the fabulous amount we were able to make.
- And of course, Roh, Nathan & Joy, Elspeth & Rob, Josh and Lois. I’ll try not to complain too much at not being able to walk!

Check

Running gear? Check.
Running number? Check
Electronic tag? Check.
Sexy looking calf compression socks? Check. (Not so sexy though)
Pedometer? Check.
Nutrition bars? Check.
Sports drinks? Check.
Ibuprofen and paracetamol? Check.
Vaseline? (!) Check.
Sun protection cream? In the UK? Yep, forecast to be a warm day. Check.
Bed at friends’ house near the start? Check.
Ready to go? Not really!
Sponsorship complete? Almost check!

If you haven’t got round to sponsoring me yet, there’s only a few day’s to go until Sunday’s race. Please help the Esther Homes children by sponsoring me here:

www.epoh.org.uk
…..and thank you!

This is why I am running on Sunday

Please help sponsor me in the London Marathon:

www.epoh.org.uk

Gremlins and glitches, fears and frustrations

The journey towards marathon day has been far from easy. It’s been a story of gremlins and glitches, fears and frustrations. Here are a few of the ‘marathon moments’:

#1: we had hoped to put the EPOH charity up on the Virgin Giving site. Virgin were very helpful but needed HMRC (the tax man to you and me) to sign off that EPOH is a charity. We are of course- we have the documents to prove it. All it needed was someone at HMRC to put a tick in a box on a form. That was eight weeks ago. We are still waiting. Sad that along with many small charities, HMRC are frustrating us all with an under resourced department.

#2: that meant a change of plan. Enter the cavalry. A big thanks to Steve Cronau and his daughter Hannah for the time and energy they took on redeveloping the EPOH site and in setting up a Paypal link so that I could start receiving personal sponsorship. Thanks too to John Watson of John Watson Design for the fabulous new EPOH logo! If only that was the end of the story….. there is a glitch on the Paypal site so that now and again, for no apparent reason, someone who thinks they have given, haven’t. If you have kindly tried to sponsor me, please do go to the site to make sure your contribution has been made!

#3: Quite rightly Paypal have rules. One of them is that if we get more then £1900 into the account in one month, we have to supply more documents. We did. They said it wasn’t enough. We said what else do you need? They didn’t seem to know. Thanks to Lisa Ryan, the Director of EPOH for the long conversations with Payal in order to get that one resolved.

#4: The other main glitch had been my calf muscles. I’ve been running for years without a problem, but the calf muscles on both legs have been giving me gyp. Thanks to Liz, our friendly physio, I’m pretty sure it will be alright on the day!

Anyway, enough of the gremlins and glitches, fears and frustrations. If you can help me towards my goal for the India Esther Homes, please go to:

www.epoh.org.uk

And thank you for your prayers, support and good wishes. 17th April is fast approaching!