The Best Volunteer Job

I spent Wed and Thu lying in bed in a good cause. Brookes nursing school has volunteers come in for the day to act as patients so the students can be tested on their skills. I have had my blood pressure taken about 50 times. It actually got down to 116/62 by the end of Wednesday. It usually runs high normal so this was good. I have a natural slow respiration rate so when one of the students seemed concerned I told her I do meditation and can easily go into a trance and hardly breathe at all so she mustn't worry but she said she would report it to her mentor. They gave us coffee and tea breaks and lunch. Lots of nice people too.

Be sure to check Jane's blog for a picture of the Marathon Man.

Three weeks is too long

I know, I have been very remiss with my blogging. It is partly due to not feeling very well and partly because I seem to go first to the WLC blog that I'm doing with my largish friends and relations. Anyway, here I am and I will start with a copy of the email I had this morning from Daniel. He ran the LA marathon on Sunday in pouring rain, gales and cold weather. What happened to LA? They should have come to Oxford. We had a beautiful day.


Hi Mum,
Thanks for the phone call yesterday. What a day! A rainstorm of Biblical proportions. I have never been so wet, so tired, and so cold as after I finished. But I feel pretty good today. There was a great moment when this Latino family was cheering at the road side. I think between Silver Lake and Hollywood. I had just run up two horrible hills downtown and was feeling pretty sorry for myself with 15 miles still to go. I had my name on my bib so I hear the Dad yelling, "Go Daniel, You Can Do It!" What an LA multicultural moment. Brought a tear to my eye and new resolve to my effort. The male cheerleaders and go-go dancers in West Hollywood didn't hurt either. Over 6,000 people didn't even finish so I am feeling pretty proud of my accomplishment, finishing a respectable 12,048. Not bad for a 46 year old geezer.
Talk to you soon.
Love,
Daniel

CONGRATULATIONS, WONDER BOY.

Illness strikes

I seem to have a cold with heavy viral influence. I'm going to have a home day today except for one trip to the Acupuncturist. I have been visiting her every three weeks and she has done a power of good with my arthritic knee joint. She also made diet and exercise suggestions - the usual less fat and more walk. Went to the book club last night but I wasn't well enough to enjoy it.

The Ballerina

Chloe danced in her ballet school production. I went with camera. I took pictures - small sample below. It was a wonderful show and she was excellent. I hadn't seen her for some time in full flower and up en pointe. What a beauty. She and her friends are off to Paris today for a three day holiday sans parents!

Brighton

I went down to Brighton on Friday to see the baby who is now almost three weeks old and to do some family bonding. I picked Harry up from his nursery school and we went home together to see the little brother. Harry is doing very well with the interloper. See picture below for a big brother kiss. After tea, we put the boys to bed and had a delicious supper and a bottle of wine. We topped off the fun with a double bill of Corrie. I did my Grandma bit this morning and got up at six to spend quality time with Harry.

Thomas John at his best


I'm 19 Days old and they expect me to read the back of brochures

The Boys

The Williams' Brothers

Family Bonding

Thomas and Eastbourne Grandma
(sorry to be late with this one)


Thomas and Oxford Grandma



Mummy Sian and Harry



Alison and the boys



Thomas John Williams