Right on it – In the name of Thiago – Day 229

 

It’s a right good thing this being off work malarkey. I didn’t get up until 7.30 this morning, having slept like a log last night. It felt like a right treat. According to this fancy app I’ve got on my phone, I only slept deeply for two hours and forty five minutes but I felt suitably refreshed when I pulled myself out my pit to greet the builders.

 

 

But before I crack on with today – I want to mention yesterday’s evening out at the Blue Tiffin. It’s a strange old place for a curry house as the entrance for it is the BP garage, so certainly not the most salubrious of surroundings to be having a bit of nosebag. But the company was good – thank you to the Pasta family – and it was nice for Elisa to be able to socialise, which she’s actually very good at. Just a quick congratulations to Caio the young man on the right. He's managed to get all 9s for his GCSEs today so I hope you're letting him celebrate however he wants to tonight Leo!

 

 

And this is her ladyship stood with me for a very rare photo just before we went out last night. My word, how she’s grown. Well I suppose she will be 12 next month but just in case I thought she was still a little girl, well this picture just makes clear that she’s about to power her way through adolescence. I’ll miss the little girl she was but I’m quite looking forward to seeing her realising her full potential. She’s got plenty of it that’s for sure.

 

 

Having bought my trail backpack earlier in the week, I’ve treated myself to a couple of pairs of shorts for the walk as well. My instinct is to travel as light as possible but there’s still a part of me that wants to make sure I’ve got everything I might possibly need, which is frankly ridiculous. It’s not as if I won’t be able to get stuff en route should I need it after all.

 

In the interests of travelling light I’ve started stocking up with miniatures. Like any self-respecting traveller worth their salt, I already had scotch, gin and cognac covered but today I really pushed the boat out with sun cream and deodorant. Not sure I’ll bother taking the last two neat though.

 

 

Elisa has been entertaining her friend Bella today while Bella’s mum Sarah has been occupied with GCSE results day. Bella really is a star, a handy counterbalance to Elisa’s looniness. They are such good friends and will be going to high school together – they start in a couple of weeks, I can hardly believe I’m saying that. I probably ought not to leave it much longer before I start encouraging her ladyship out of bed before lunchtime.

 

Sarah and Angélica had a nice relaxing hour or so in the garden with the girls also making the most of the good weather and I’ve been out and about today as well, so all in all it’s been a day I’d gladly have on loop for a bit.

 

 

I had a double whammy over at Draycott with the tennis tonight. First up, I had a group coaching session with these fellas. Last week, I made a few bad shots and let my partner down a few times. Tonight, I just had a laugh and because I relaxed a lot, I played pretty solidly. Then I had a play off for the paper plate against my mate Rich for the tennis tournament we both lost in the first round of. I carried on my good form to win 6-2, 6-2.

 

Yawn yawn, I know a lot of that will mean nothing to a lot of you. The main thing is I got another couple of hours exercise in, which is also building up my strength and conditioning for the walk next month, which is why I’m writing this and you’re reading it. The fundraising still needs your help, so as I’ve said before, please share on your social channels and maybe email colleagues at your workplaces if you can. Essentially, whatever you haven’t yet tried, try! It’s all for two incredibly two causes!