Caravan Christmas 2017.

Happy New Year to my blogging family!

You may feel I have abandoned you as not written in a while but that is far from the reality, life has just been too much going on with “fundraising” “marathon training” “buying a house” “creating our own show-house” at a time of year when Patient Flow is at its most prominent in the health service! My poor creative brain had to have a back-seat in order to make practical headway in every area mentioned and then of course we had to remember to fit in Christmas particularly all the tradition required for a visit by the big guy in order to meet Dylan’s expectations! Joyful Pressure!

Christmas for us was in the caravan. I’m using few words just sharing our celebrations through my video clips and pictures, hope you enjoy family events both with our wider family and intermit in the caravan ending the year at a local party dancing the evening away, try and stay to the end.

Supporting Milo through one of his greatest adventures to date has been awe-inspiring to observe, as he took himself off on his Paris trip for a week. The trip was on the horizon for a good 6 months, the purpose being to attend Petit Biscuit concert. The interesting preparation Milo had worked hard to achieve was the development of the relationships with the promotional mechanisms of the music, this was specifically Electro-Pose. Through Milo’s own YouTube channel ‘PitterPatter’, Milo was getting noticed by Electro-Pose owner (Thomas) and his wider group. The Paris concert in November was the opportunity to meet up which fulfilled all Milo’s dreams and more as he was invited backstage to mingle, meeting the whole team who openly admired Milo’s work as part of his fan-base too. The recognised talent has led Milo to be invited to join forces with the Electro-Pose team to develop their music channel named ‘Escape’, improving its 45K subscribers to a viewing of 10K views per video. Milo has jumped at the opportunity as has the team with him to bring new energy and inspiration as he holds his multi-European dialogue from his campsite desk!

I have had a bit of London fun too over the past few weeks. I found ‘Borough Market’, a cosmopolitan food extravagance of multi-linked markets selling anything food, both local Londoners cuisine to fine and exquisite culinary delicacies. Turned into interesting Christmas present trips. Early December I met up with my friend Angie and we treated ourselves to a ‘Shard’ experience, enjoying a fine wine and cocktail perusing a phenomenal view of London at night. We were above Charing Cross train station, looking across at London Bridge across the Thames, what do you think?

Rather excitingly the project I am being employed to manage was entered for a national competition led by Health Service Journal and we got through to the finalists. The evening was held at an international hotel close to the O2, so just 20 mins up the road from where I stay if there had not been a collision in the Blackwall Tunnel. OMG what a traffic jam for a car full of ladies in their posh frocks. Arrived just before the compare started – Lenny Henry – he was fabulous taking the ‘Michael’ out of the very long, uninspiring names of health groups, projects etc, very funny. Our team did not win and we all lost interest in the continued proceedings, had a boogie and made the most of the drinks, Lenny was the high light!

As a family with our lifetime friends Val and Matthew we enjoyed a trip to the Royal Albert Hall to see Jools Holland. Exposed to live orchestral ‘Blues’ and ‘Boogie-Woogie’ was really quite a magnificent sound in the RAH added to the enormity of the pleasure, had us on the edge of our seats. The trip around London was good fun on a bright sunny day, took in a few sites whilst enjoying coffee one of them being snowdrops in November! Dylan was delighted to place his ‘Norfolk Stone’ at the traffic lights on Bayswater Road to find it had gone on our return, mission accomplished!

Peter Pan statue in Kensington Park.

December always brings Milo’s birthday, who turned 19yrs. A day he worked so we celebrated in a family favourite restaurant together in the evening, enjoyed his ‘Peaky Blinders’ gifts with a sweetie birthday cake and candles.

I was delighted to be invited to ORCHIDS Fighting Male Cancer Christmas reception off Oxford Street, an opportunity to meet all those assciated with the 21 yrs old charity. I spent most of the evening enjoying the company of a fellow London Marathon runner achieving self encouragement together. Training continues to be progressing although had a bit of a set back with a throat infection, but will pick up shortly. Fundraising also progressing, all donations are greatly recieved so if you would like to support me please access my London Marathon donation page, as follows,

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fightingmalecancer