Picking up the pace – In the name of Thiago – Day 244

 

Up until yesterday, it had been a pretty slow week in more ways than one. But it seems now that with the walk only a fortnight away there is that magnificent yet dangerous concoction of me really needing to get all my shit in one sock – as my Tasmanian friend Andrew Tanner would say – along with all the other considerations of what I could be sensibly doing with my time before the big day arrives.

 

I’ve been thinking about how much effort I should be putting into getting the media involved again today for example and I’ve had an offer of support from my good friend Nigel Howle to pursue getting some coverage as I turn up at the main entrance to Royal Stoke University Hospital six weeks today. He’s a good egg is my mate Nigel. A real good ‘un.

 

Thanks to another friend Martin Broughton or Moose as he’s known to me and his main circle of friends – I never have asked why he’s called Moose though as there was also a Monkey (me), an Octopus and a Bulldog in our group it may have just been that he needed a spare animal – I may now have a solution with the card reader situation. I just need to figure what account to send the money to without it looking a bit dodge. It’ll work, I know it.

 

These are my little calling cards, which turned up today in the post. I think they look pretty ace – thanks once again to my man Olly (the Octopus) Prentice. The original plan, before I realised that getting a card reader was doable after all, was to give these to people we met that didn’t carry cash and hope that those people followed through with their promise to donate. As it turns out, it now looks I’ll have three ways to get donations in: the charity bucket and collection pots, the card reader and handing the cards out. I can sleep easily now knowing that I did everything I could, that’s for sure.

 

Another unexpected source of getting donations presented itself today as well. I have a friend Steve Roberts, who is heavily involved with Langney Wanderers Football Club. They play in the Sussex County League – the division I started reporting on in my sports journalism career back in the early 90s. On the day my walk gets underway, they will be entertaining local rivals Eastbourne United in the FA Vase and Steve has given me the wonderful news today that Wanderers are happy to do a bucket collection on derby day. Thanks mate, I really am very grateful. And thank you Langney Wanderers for your kindness.

 

 

It was Elisa’s third day at high school today and the first that she’s had when the boss has been at work. The truth is that Angélica holds a lot more sway with her ladyship in the encouraging her to get all her shit in one sock stakes – Mr Tanner will be charging royalties at this rate!

 

This morning Elisa managed to leave with the wrong trainers on, without her water bottle (two days’ running now) and somehow dropping her money for the bus on the way leaving her mate Bella to sub her 50p. When she was at school her mate Niamh, who stopped by at ours for a bit after school said that she was ten minutes late for a maths class because she was doing circuits of the school trying to find the classroom. I have no idea where she gets it from!

 

The very talented Ashley is back on the scene next week, so we should start to see some  progress in here next week. Super Steve the plumber/gas engineer has been around this week along with Snapper and Laughing Boy the sparkies, but after last week’s stop start fiasco with one aspect of the build, we should be back on track soon.

 

In the meantime, I’ll let you admire my massive bulbs just dangling down as they are, like a giant pair of goose eggs. Crikes they are big ‘uns though aren’t they. I’m not sure quite what to make of them just yet – maybe they’ll be a little incongruous. Who knows – does it actually matter? No.

 

But what does matter is the fundraising effort and the continuing support that you are all giving. It’s been quite an effort – you should all be proud of yourselves. Keep sharing, keep talking, keep going. I will.