As you were – In the name of Thiago – Day 240

 

Wowzers, yesterday was a bit of a bastard wasn’t it? Everything was going relatively smoothly until a request from a neonatologist blew me out the water. The truth of the matter is that even though I am feeling much calmer today, I am a very long way from feeling right. The emotion of yesterday is still tingling around my arms and making my head feel all fuzzy. If this makes no sense to you, then you’re one of the lucky ones I guess.

 

It’s been a walk-free couple of weeks but I’m fairly relaxed about that. I definitely need to get out next week at some point but I know I’m ready for my mission now. I wouldn’t say I was in peak physical condition but I reckon the only people who say that are either Olympians or people with shit for brains. I’m going to do it, and that ladies and gents is really all that matters. By hook or by crook, I’ll walk those 300 miles even if I finish the bloody thing on all fours crawling to the line!

 

Yesterday’s sudden outpouring of emotion meant that I missed out reporting back on some excellent father/son bonding yesterday. Dad and I spent a couple of hours chopping wood at the bottom of the garden taking our time having a couple of brews and just talking about everything and nothing. Inevitably in places he started to do my bloody nut in, it’s as if he seems to take some perverse pleasure in being an absolute knob sometimes. I still love him though; it kind of goes with the territory I guess.

 

Annoyingly, I’ve left the wood we chopped at the bottom of the garden for too long to use as firewood for the winter, as it will be too green, therefore wet. My father and my brother are carpenters, so they know all this shizzle. I know shit all, (repeat ad infinitum).

 

In fact, this has just reminded me of one of many memorable scenes in Blackadder Goes Forth when Blackadder is facing death by firing squad and is sent George to prepare his defence case rather than his Dad. Blackadder: So your father was a lawyer but you’re not. George: Lord no, I’m a complete duffer at this sort of thing. Well it was something like that in any case.

 

 

Wow that’s a nicely trimmed bush. Sorry couldn’t resist. While Dad and I were chopping wood like real men – in fact my mate Steve, (walking mate Steve not Super Steve) said it was the manliest task he’d ever seen me undertake, I even filled up a wheelbarrow at one point – Angélica was pruning this little fella fairly substantially.

 

With the patio now needing to move down the garden a bit, it changes the dynamics of everything else – mostly in a good way I would say. We’re getting there, though I suspect the work will never stop, as Angélica is hardly one to rest easily.

 

 

The good lady went back to work today after two weeks off and I know from messages between us that it’s been a toughie. I cannot say more here. Meanwhile I’ve been sat outside with some chips and a cup of tea. For some reason Jack doesn’t like chips – there really were way too many. I just sat in the garden for what seemed an age but was probably only half an hour gathering my thoughts, praising myself for my knack of survival.

 

I have, after all, not been suicidal or fallen in to relying on alcohol or drugs to get through days and still have a loving and supportive wife. Fucking hell I’ve even lost a few pounds through all the stress and anxiety I experience daily. Yay!  On the downside I still support Tottenham, which much like this bastard grief, is a cross I’ll probably have to bear for life. Still, you can’t have it all I s’pose.

 

 

Her ladyship has been over at her mate Livia’s in Cheadle this afternoon. Livia is the daughter of my Brazilian friend Leo, who I’ve mentioned on these pages on a few occasions before. As far as Elisa is concerned, any time spent away from me is a blessing. I was even permitted a hug for promising that I wouldn’t be back before 8pm. Charming isn’t she!

 

Lastly today, I’ve booked myself and Angélica on a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum in a couple of weeks. I’ve been encouraged and supported by the chaplaincy team at Birmingham Children’s Hospital to remember my little man by doing this. There’s no pressure. I’ve never been there before but I think it will be a nice way to remember my little hero – a hero’s remembrance. That’s nice, when I think of it like that.

 

Ok folks, I’d better skedaddle. There’s less than three weeks now until the start of the walk. I don’t need to say this but you know what I need you to do. Take care and have a calm bank holiday evening.