Date Afternoon at The Pet Sematary

Steve and I have never even thought about ‘The Date Night’. It must be a modern thing probably, we said one to other, negotiated within a marriage or partnership where one partner feels they would like a few hours where there are no distractions. They hope they will have the full attention of the one they love. I have noticed it being mentioned on social media posts these days by people I know, a few of whom seem like they are not the most likely to have thought it up within their own ‘bond’, if they even have one of those.

My husband and I have nothing like that sort of set in stone assignation. Our lives, work, training and level of exhaustion all rule out anything so solid. Our outings are not a regular thing but generally a last minute arrangement. Steve has just come to the end of a very busy work period where he worked all week long for the last week in March and then had Friday 29^th afternoon off when he came with me to Leather head for the first on my triple swimathons. Very early the next morning he flew out to Marseilles in the South of France to work the series on French Antiques fairs with a group of other transporters and shippers for the clients that they were there to take care of.

Meanwhile back at home I had two more long swims and was helped with support of friends. I was invited for brunch on the Sunday which was Mothers day, by my daughter Jacqueline and her husband Martin and their little dog Louis, who is referred to as my grandson since he knows me as ‘Nanny’, that was a happy and relaxing few hours. Apart from that I had my own company. 

On Monday I had been told on the phone from France to take a rest day by my coach/ husband. There was no choice for me since it was the day My Castle opened for the summer season.  People tell me that I shouldn’t refer to Arundel Castle as My Castle. The reason is that it actually belongs to the Duke of Norfolk. Yet I have been to visit that castle more times than most other local people and therefore I must have some Right of Way of something similar surely. I used the Earls Garden as my bolt hole when I was chief carer for Steve’s mother in her last couple of years. Our cousin Sally would come and sit with her while I hid for a while scribbling poetry notes. I would sit or wander around by Oberon’s Palace or deep in The Stumpery or the greenhouses or in the Fitzalan Chapel or the White Garden. Anyway, that was where I sent my sports rest day, in the main body of the castle and playing in the Keep and the Armory.

Back to my husband. He arrived back from France very late on Tuesday night, it was almost midnight. He was up and out early with a few more pressing days. On Thursday night he ended a twelve hour day arriving home at 8.30 pm. Meanwhile my little car, Marcus who is about seventeen years old and was owned by my daughter for his first few years, decided to throw a wobbly and would not start. He had been playing up all week, even though I talk very nicely to him, understanding of his age and delicate form due to some rust patches. “Please Marcus” or even “Pretty please Marcus pet” slowly lost their charm and by the end of the week, no amount of kind talk would stir him to life. 

On Friday at 2pm I had an appointment with my Acupuncturist Feng, at Harmony Acutherapy clinic in Chichester. I told Steve that I would take a bus but he said that he would be able to finish early and that he could take me over there and do the shopping while I had my treatment. My husband is something of a kitchen Diva and likes to select all his own wares. I only get to do shopping for washing powder, ironing water, water softener, bleach, coffee, etc.

After that he said we would get something to eat and then I could pick a movie. This is an area that he is not allowed to be involved in; he cannot pick the movie…. EVER.

So Friday afternoon I went into Feng Wang, who knows more about my body that should be mentioned in company. He knew about the three long swim days and set about calming my body down starting first with my head…. My family and friends think this is very telling. Then he worked on my poor old overworked and stretched back. Then pretty much everywhere else. If he were a fairy or a wizard and simply waved a wand and said “Soothey woothey wiggley woozy”, and it could not have worked better. But I would have missed quite a lot of the strange treatment that is heavenly. I left feeling light, calm and refreshed.

Steve had come to meet me, and we had a light lunch of salad frizzé followed by steak frites in one of our favourite chains ‘Cote’, just South of Chichester''s ancient Cross. There was time for that because the movie did not start until 4pm.

 

There was no question what we would see. I am one of the group that Stephen King calls ‘His Constant Readers’ We have both read, Pet Sematary, about six months ago and their was absolutely no hesitation when I told Steve that was what we were going to see. He said that was ok and that it was just as well that he remembered everything about it. I said we had read it but actually we had it on Audible on a long journey through Germany, and Switzerland and both thought it was one of Stephen King’s best. Not THE best as far as I am concerned; but right up there close to The Stand, Dreamcatcher, Duma Beach and the Dome.

Of course, we had discussed that it would make a very scary movie at the time that we listened to it on our three day journey in autumn last year. We both thought that we probably would not jump right out of our skins because we knew what was coming. However we both did at the first spot. Then because it had to be so re-written and compressed to squeeze into a two our film, it was blood and bodies and the newly un-dead all over the place and that for me made it less scary.

Steve and I talked afterwards about people who like to go to horror films and I don’t bunch myself in that crowd but I am an SK fan. Maybe, I put forward as an idea, that they are people who do not get enough exercise to raise their heart rate and need to be frightened to give their usual slow heart rate a kick start now and then, Steve just gave me The Look, for that remark. It is a scary movie but I also think that if you have not read on of SK’s books you have missed a lot, for he is a great writer, he is feeder of new idea’s and I like that use of good old boy expressions and the use of other peoples work and music references.

The cast are excellent. The father/husband character is superb and he was in another choice from the next film on my list, Aftermath, Jason Clark. The wife/mother was Amy Seimetz and John Lithgow as Jud the old guy across the road from the house with the Pet Sematary in its grounds. What a little star the happy darling child/super horrendous back from the dead child Ellie was, little Jeté Lawrence. So ghastly, that I had to smile a couple of times that she played it so well. There were less than a dozen people in the cinema at the  twilight showing. Date afternoon over.

Swimathon Triple Challenge April 29th-30th-31st 2019

    Olympic Gold medalist 
Duncan Goodhew

   My husband Steve and I have taken part in the annual National Swimathon event for many years. We have found it a useful part of our triathlon training because there is not often an opportunity to swim 5000 Metres in a normal public session or indeed even a club session which is only one our long. 200 lengths, does take a while.  Without intending to sound biblical; ‘In the beginning’ 1980 0r 1989 I think, it was a very serious event. I remember well that Olympic Gold medalist Duncan Goodhew came along, speaking words of encouragement on poolside the first year we took that challenge.

   It was all very strict and swimmers were set off at ten second intervals in their lane where that had been carefully placed, according to their estimated swim time. Swimmers with a rough similar swim time, swimming together up to six in a lane. That worked well and the group could benefit from swimming together. Fast swimmers in the first lane and gradually working down to slow swimmer or people who were all doing breast stroke. There were lane counters seated at the end of the pool and swimmers were given different coloured hat to make it easy for the person counting to mark them off each time that came back to the starting end.

   When a swimmer reached 50 lengths a pull buoy was held into the water for the swimmer to see and check their own counting, since most people are not very good at holding their concentration whilst swimming a long distance, it's easy to think of something else and when the mind wanders, even just a bit, you can lose count. The same thing would happen on reaching 100 metres and 150 meters and that was most helpful to the swimmers.

    Then each year, you can try to bring your 5000 metre time down, a little at a time and that is very satisfying. Of late, the system seems to have been neglected a little there is no sign of a pre-swim talk advising how to pass the swimmer in front if they tire and start to hold another swimmer up: They should tap the feet on the one in front gently and then at the end of the length the slower swimmer would give way. All very civilized.

   This year a new idea was added to the selection of what was offered to contestants to enter. As usual there was 5000, 2500 and  I think 1250 this year, a stronger event was on offer to be taken on; The Triple Challenge. This would mean doing that swim on all three days that the Swimathon takes place at swimming pools nationwide. Having said that though, most centres only host the Swimathon for two days, hours of the choice of the management.

   And so it came to pass, that my husband and head coach of our club had to drive 38 miles to find a pool where there was the option to swim on the first day.  We headed for the nearest pool we could find and that was Leatherhead Leisure centre with two time choices; 1pm-4pm and then an evening session of 4pm until 7pm.

   Our No.1 swim of the ‘Triple’, that we had entered at Leatherhead on Friday 29th was a total shambles. There appeared not to be much in the way of planning and the staff had obviously not been trained to manage this event well. In fact nobody seemed to be able to answer any questions without looking round for somebody else to provide the answer. What a shame because it is a nice centre. Faster swimmers were given a lane together. The rest were not really worried about much or so it seemed.

   I was put in a lane where there were two faster men doing Front Crwal, then two others doing breaststroke, one other lady and myself made up the six. I did FC. The other lady appeared to alternate FC /BR.  It was VERY rough, with aggressive overtaking, resulting for in some bruising. The young staff had no little or no idea how to manage the event. One staff member strode along poolside about twenty minutes after the appointed start time just shouted , "You can go now"!

   Timing should be precise, to the second, but was not because we all went off together.  So there was a sort of messy mass start. Not a ten second apart start, as there should have been. Timing was left to the swimmers really as the counting was not great but not the staff's fault. The staff did have at least, the Swimathon supplied forms and there were counters doing their best I suppose.

   I was told my time was 2 hours 6 minutes and thirty seconds. I hope it was at least sent in to Swimathon for the results. I doubled up my chances by sending my own in, along with my complaint.  My husband counted for himself and when he had finished he shouted at me how many lengths I had to go. It was sad to see the event go downhill like that. But we did not complain about the staff. Not their fault, just untrained for the task at hand, with no idea how important it might be to some of the swimmers. E.G National age group positions.

         Poolside in Littlehampton Wave, our wonderful new swimming and sports centre

   Thank God and all the angels, on the Saturday and Sunday, I swam at the brand new Littlehampton Wave centre that was run in a much better fashion.  Both days were evening swims, and some of the people who had entered were not present. One of my friends did not feel sufficiently recovered from the bug he had been suffering for a few weeks and my husband had had to go to France working.  Saturday 30th I had a lane to myself as did another friend in the fast lane, that was nice but of course slower without other swimmers to work with. 2 hours 08.

   Sunday 31^st. I swam with two other women the same speed, taking turns in the lead. One of those was only doing the half distance, so I continued swimming with a woman I know well, who was taking the 5000 metre challenge for the first time and was terrified that she would not be able to get through it . I was quite sure that she could and would. We swim roughly the same speed and are both triathletes. We did 2 hour 3 mins 00. We were well counted by another female friend and supervised by a manager also.

   My total for the triple then was 6 hours 17 minutes 30 seconds. My DOB 14 08.39.

I will be 80 in August, so was not sure if I would be in Age group 75-79 for actual age on the day or 80-84 (if age is on Dec 31^st as it is in the triathlon world). I have taken part in the Swimathon many times but really enjoyed the new triple challenge in my 80th year.

Thank you for reading my tale.

Swimathon Triple 5000 metres Challenge/ Littlehampton Wave

                                                               Littlehampton Wave

Coming up fast this weekend is the annual national swimming challenge, ‘The Swimathon’. Most town swimming pools and leisure centres will be inviting swimmers young and old to challenge themselves over a distance that suits them. There are a number of options available and they can be done within a group of friends or swimming and triathlon clubs. It can be an individual challenge or relay.

 Swimathon last year in Littlehampton: Anthony Towers, Michelle Chittenden, Kevin Pearson, Me 

My husband/coach Steve and I have done this event almost every year since it started. We do it just because it is a rare opportunity to do a swim of this length continuously because most swim sessions are an hour long and the fact that it is counted and the results are recorded at a national level add to the interest. You get to be told how you got on against other people in the same age band as yourself which is rather fun. The whole thing is put on for charity you can fund raise though it is not compulsory to do so since the entry profits go to the charity.

Same staff with the same friendly welcoming smiles will be seen in the new Littlehampton Wave

 

This year the Swimathon group presented a new option the ‘Triple Challenge’. The event goes on for three days though not all the pools offer all three days. So you may have to go to a different pool to find the three. In our case we have to drive to Leatherhead for the first day, tomorrow, Friday 29^th March but thankfully there is an earlier option on that day so we have booked in for the 1pm to 4pm section. There is another session after that but it would mean being quite late home.

Call me a mad old bat but I have taken the triple challenge on. It seemed like a good opportunity for some clear water ploughing up and down uninterrupted.

Steve will be doing the first 5000 with me or at least at the same time in the same pool. Then Saturday and Sunday will be very exciting in that it will be my first and second swim in our brand new ‘state of the art’ ultra modern and totally new, town pool and leisure centre. It is called Littlehampton Wave and it is meant to give our town something to be proud of. Once opened the old pool will be demolished and the whole area landscaped and glamorised. It will look out over the promenade to the sea on one side and will overlook the pretty Mewsbrook Park and mini lake to the side. Vending machines will be a thing of the past and instead there will be a trendy coffee lounge.

Steve and I took a tour around the breathtaking sport centre with is vast amount of new equipment only last week and were astonished that we will have one of the best leisure centres in the entire UK. Steve will not be there with me at the weekend because he has to go to France on a business work trip to the antiques fairs in the South. One of my friends has volunteered to count for me on Saturday night and for the last session I have called in extra help. Another friend will swim with bringing with her somebody to count for us both. The answer to the question is No I definitely cannot count 200 lengths whilst I swim. I would be well out, counting that myself. If fact whilst day dreaming normally I have a job counting 200 metres.

The funny thing is that the swim pal coming to help me through the last day will be swimming her first 5000 metres ever and has needed constant reassurance that it is within her capabilities. She is a regular swimmer and has been a triathlete for three years and so of course she can swim that far. So somewhere between my confidence that I am unsinkable and her absence of confidence in her own power to get through a distance that she swims within each week over her swim sets easily, there may be some measureable level of what we are capable of. Fingers legs and eyes crossed for us both then please.

The last club swim in the old pool for some of Trinity triathlon and masters swimmers members 

Please donate for the sake of The Chestnut Tree House that is a home for children with life threatening conditions. Or if you would rather, please donate to AgeUK West Sussex.

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Daphne-Belt

La Bohème: Close Up Opera

                                    All photos are taken from the website of Close Up Opera 

My training has gone well over the last month and things are looking good for a fairly well filled season ahead. Going along with that, I have been tired but have slept very well. On top of that I have been busy with the rest of life too. We still manage to get out a bit to relax but usually still with sports friends. There are several little groups with whom we love to share social outings. They are all swimmers, though not all triathletes.

We go out to dinner after the club swim sometimes and that set varies, between 6-10 of us, though not dressing up and all having goggles marks around our eyes after our swim training. Then there is a smaller group who go to the small local art house cinema when something grabs our joint attention. A smaller group generally three or four, who go on more serious theatre trips that have to be booked months in advance. I book those myself. We nearly always make an evening of it, with a nice dinner somewhere before hand. Then there is the final group that are opera lovers. We do take a little more time getting dressed for those, maybe Glyndebourne or a gala evening somewhere, again meeting up with a wider group of other athletes.

So last week when one of the ‘Opera’ crowd said that La Bohème was on in Worthing and shall we go, I left the arrangements to her thinking it was one of the, ‘Live From’ filmed live performances, usually from a West End theatre or the Royal Opera House or maybe from the New York Metropolitan Opera House. Those evenings are a big favourite because they are such amazing value. These, you get to see in your local cinema for £12-15 and you get to see the very same performance that the rich folk, in their diamonds are paying £250 each for in the Opera House proper.

That was what I thought we were going to last night. Even though the tickets were twice the usual cinema price but thought no more of it other than everything goes up in price sooner or later. However, with my busy training schedule when the time came, I had forgotten that we were going out at all until the last moment as we left the house to go to our regular Saturday evening Trinity Club Swim session. We were both dressed in jeans, a scruffy sweater and trainers without even putting any socks on. I only remembered then, because my friend had sent a text to say ‘See you in the car park or the foyer’. 

I did get my swim in, whilst Steve coached the club session. This added to the ghastly state of my appearance by finding myself with no time to attend to look in a mirror. I had wet rat’s tails hanging from my head, down to the cable jumper I had worn for two days. Steve had his work anorak over his jeans and sweat shirt.

When we parked and hurried to meet the group in the foyer we discovered that it was a live performance by Close Up Opera, who had recently won an award as Best New Opera Company. Our friend, who had excused herself from swimming that evening, was a picture of elegance, face made up prettily, feminine clothes and shoes. The only male friend, who is always nicely turned out, with his smooth silver pony tail was looking decidedly dignified. The last member of our swim group was wearing a smart bronze brocade jacket and had taken some trouble to do her hair.

 None the less they were pleased that we had even made it on time and George who describes himself as central European, stepped forward to plant two kisses charmingly on my cheeks. I hurriedly apologised to the group but Steve could not have cared less as we were given tickets for our front row seats! 

Close Up Opera, are not self named lightly and after the first act the action moved into the fully illuminated auditorium with the cast moving about the theatre continuing the well known opera in English and I felt, quite loosely translated. The one line that I questioned from the original libretto was, “She changes her mind more often than she changes her knickers”.

It was an astonishing new production of Puccini’s famous work and brought a heavyweight work like this right down to earth. My husband, who usually hates it when modern dress is used, had to admit that it worked well in this brilliant take on the original work. One of our party was a virgin opera goer and remarked that she had no idea it would be funny, at which point I told her to make the most of it because that would not last into the final act, that, would bring out the hankies.

We were all happy that we had been lucky enough for at least one of us to have spotted this little small gem of a company, who are on a national tour. They will be a household name before you can say Mimi!

Thank you Close Up Opera, for a marvellous evening with the stuffiness knocked right out of Grand Opera. My name is on their mailing list now.

Me Time

It is years ago that I found this place, yet still I visit when I need to be on my own with my own thoughts for a while in an unhurried time for lengthy consideration of life direction or planning.

The way in, is through a pair of large French interior doors that are in a wide corridor off to the left side. They could do with a coat of paint as is so often the case. Opening the first door of the pair I step inside and close the door behind me. It locks automatically. The interior is unlit but not totally dark; there is a window at the end of the small kitchen on the right hand side and as I step further inside to the main room there is a larger window in front of the desk and beyond that on the same side there are French doors that open on to a narrow stone terrace. 

The left side of the room is entirely bookshelves and there is a dado height solid panelled wooden barrier that separates the dining area from the entrance passageway bookcase. The table is old with canted corners but far from grand, the stain is wearing off and it is unpolished and has four sturdy but simple chairs around it. There is no pretence, the group is functional and that it all. There is a serving hatch to the kitchen. 

At the far end of the room there is a fireplace with a long mantle shelf over it and a painting hanging over the mantle with an unpretentious wall light on either side. Two armchairs face into the warmth with small tables at the side of them. There are no mirrors, no television and no phone.

The bedroom door is beyond the fireplace, where the wall continues a little, at a right angle to the French doors. The bedroom is uncluttered and is furnished only with basic essentials, a large double bed with tall night stands on each side, fitted cupboards are on the far side leading to the bath room.

My small apartment in carpeted throughout in a speckled rusty pink. There are floor length curtains at the windows and terrace doors in a similar soft shade.

Stepping out onto the terrace I can feast my eyes on beauty.  Directly in front of the ancient paved space, the hillside sweeps away in the luscious curve of a field of lavender, stretching out as far as the eye can see until the very top of the hill. To the right, a valley meadow gradually slopes down toward a small cove with a sandy beach meeting the sea. There is a narrow path wiggling this way and that, all the way to the waters edge.

Thus far, I have never stepped beyond the terrace in any direction as inviting as the warm air, the colour, light and perfume is. There is no need to because the reason I go there is purely to look at what is on offer but to sink gently back into the warmth, comfort and soft support that I hope will last for my forever. I have absolutely no recollection of ever leaving this place on any of the many visits to my minds-eye hidey-hole. 

 These are not my own photos I simply googled French Lavender fields.

Art and Sport: Shut up and swim.

        The photo above is my husband/triathlon coach's poolside shirt for club swim sessions.

During the early morning swim set today, my friend Bekka and I got dark looks every now and again because in between swims, during the timed rest period, we over-ran the designated time allowance on a number of occasions. Bekka is the only one of my swim friends that shares my love of movies, plays and such and so when we get together, though both keen to do the swim work, we do talk at great speed in between swims. This morning, I will admit we were guiltier of this than is usual because we were at odds about the award winning film The Favourite. She had seen it weeks ago and like most movie goers thought it the best film this year.

The Favourite had returned to our little local cinema several times before there was a showing, when everything worked for my husband and I to go to see it. First time it was a late showing, 8.45pm way too late for us to go out. We get up at 5 am in the mornings to do our training for heavens sake. Then my husband was away working in France for the next set of film times and so this, was the first time it was possible for us to fit a visit in. 3.30 pm Tuesday and with a weeks notice from the weekly email. We could and did make that a date. Bekka and her friend were already in the cinema when we got there and that is how she knew that we had seen it. Her second visit to see the movie mark you.

         Me on a spring day during one of my many visits to Hampton Court Palace. 

Steve and I don’t always agree about films but on this occasion we thought that the Kings New Clothes had been waved publicly and vigorously. We both thought it was a load of tosh, absolute twaddle as far as we were concerned. OK, Olivia Colman cannot be faulted in anything she does, so we go along there, Academy Award rightly placed. 

This seemed to be a most unpleasant film, make it up as you go along stuff as far as British history was concerned. Then the costumes looked like nothing I had ever seen in all the royal portraits in all the galleries I have wandered around in my quite long lifetime. More like the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland. I hated it. I don’t like Emma Stone anyway and liked her less in this, than I did in La-La Land and I didn’t like that either.

The sound in some of the scenes was horrendous and I didn’t like it at all and in fact as we sat there I was wondering how bad it must be for the people who did not have a bit of a hearing problem like myself. Horrid, weird repetitive groans and creaking noises like an old water pump. Then there was the jaw dropping use of a fish eye lens distorting the beauty of the magnificent interiors of Hatfield House and one of my favourite places to visit at lease once a year, Hampton Court Palace. Offense after shocking offense for me.

And so, that is why our timing on the morning swim schedule went sadly awry. There was a hurried exchange each time the schedule called for a brief rest. In the end it was not until my friend left after her normal 30 minutes exercise as opposed to my 60 minutes focused training work out that peace was restored. I think it cost about 200 metres of my set. I was glad to get home for a sweaty wheel spinning session on the turbo trainer with my husband afterwards. At least that went according to plan and helped worked out all the frustration involved in suffering that thoroughly nasty piece of art work by Director Yorgus Lanthimos who must already know that cannot please everybody in this world. 

Any Publicity is Good Publicity

                                         Photo: www.jacqueline-rackham-photgraphy.com

In the light of my coming of (very old) age, I did think it was a point where I could try to do some charity fundraising again. It is five years since I last tried to help the remarkable Chestnut Tree House, when the challenge that I dreamt up was to do a mini triathlon every day for the 75 days approaching my three quarter of a century mark my 75^th birthday. That was a lot of fun apart from the few days when it rained.

So my 80^th will be four fifths of the century. Now even I can’t believe that. How did that happen? Well anyway, this year I will devote my entire triathlon season to trying to raise as much as last times effort when we hit a sum well over £6,000.00. I hope to double that at least this year. 

My great age and the fact that I am still fit enough to get round a triathlon course has caused a bit of a stir and there have been a few articles in the newspapers. The ETC Magazine named me in the top 100 most inspirational people known to West Sussex, along with my hero, spaceman Tim Peake, and Olympian gold medallist Sally Gunnell, and a host of well known folk. That was very nice indeed and I loved that honour.

Recently The Argus was given information about me by the office of the fun Brighton event Run2Music on May 11^th when I will be doing the 10 km; it also has a 5km and a half marathon, all very noisy, dancing, singing, music blaring everywhere. It was a motivational piece and worked well as such. 

I usually submit my own stories to local newspapers and that makes sure all the facts are correct. Most people will not even notice a few little mistakes, it is the heart of the story that matters I suppose. I am a bit of a worrier if things are not totally correct. I was interviewed but still…..

I was promised that a link to the charity would be included and that credit would be given for the photo, taken by my professional photographer daughter. These were not included.

 That story was taken on by my home town weekly, naturally enough, that is how news works, and they popped me the front page. That was nice, very nice indeed and the newspaper added an extra honour by changing their Facebook profile photo to include the front page this week with me and my bike there large as life in the photo taken by Jacqueline Rackham. They used the story as it stood and nobody rang to check, in fact, the first I knew about it was when my hairdresser Helen come to cut and colour my hair when she burst in saying “You are on the front page of the Littlehampton Gazette”. Of course there was no credit for the photo or a link to the charity because they had no knowledge of that one condition.

Even so my darling daughter has said that she will do an action shoot when she gets back from her photographic holiday in Scotland. She thought we should do that to keep the photos fresh and up to date.  How kind and thoughtful of her.

This thought now to conclude this bit of blathering. I was contacted in December by Einar Tho who is editor of the Haugesunds Avis Newspaper in Norway. This is because I had entered The Ironman 70.3 Haugesund and would more than likely be the oldest woman in the event. That will be my main race this summer on June 30^th. I look forward to that tremendously. Einar sent an email with an introduction of himself and followed with nine sensible questions then followed that up with more questions and some clarification.

In the fullness of time he sent me the article to see and who knows what it says because it is of course in Norwegian. I posted it on Instagram and one of my Scandinavian friends told me it said really nice things and not to worry. There was a ripple of new Norwegian follower friends and that is really good I am tickled pink about that. I hope they will come to the race and shout loudly at me, the more the merrier because that is the only down side of races abroad, nobody knows you.

Any publicity is good publicity eh?

To Donate: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Daphne-Belt

If you prefer there is also a link to AgeUK if you google Justgiving.com/DaphneBeltAgeUK