Life!

On Wednesday 8th June I went down to Devon - to an absolute scorching hot day.  Far too hot to go walking!  The weather deteriorated thereafter and there were some heavy showers.  Jayne had been doing a lot of work on possible improvements to the house, including a wet room, new kitchen, french doors and a ramp.  She had lots of brochures and things for me to look at regarding doors, showers, units, floors etc - which I found difficult to enthuse about!!  She loves that sort of thing though and was constantly looking at websites for door handles, paint colours etc. Whilst I was down I went in to the bank and "refreshed" all my accounts and Mary's accounts. This is necessary each year to keep the best interest rates. It took an hour - and that was with the bank manager, ie someone who knew what they were doing! It would have been a nightmare online. It is so nice to go in to a local branch and talk to the manager - who recognises you. Jayne and I went to the ...

Since the beginning of the year Mike has been training hard on his handcycle in preparation for a 3-day cycle to Paris in support of The Back Up Trust and Aspire, both spinal injury charities.  He has been out at least once most weekends cycling round Richmond Park a couple of times, and in the last couple of months has been cycling to the park from home, a couple of circuits, and then back home which is about 21 miles.  He also raised a phenomenal amount of sponsorship - including about £700 from DHL Foundation - and the total was just over £7000.  He paid the costs of the trip himself (we both feel strongly about sponsorship going towards the cost of someone's "holiday") so it all went to the charities.  There were items in the local press and on the local  website  (the latter having a rather over the top reference to "heroic"). The cycle ride took place over the weekend of June 3-6.  We got up very early on the morning of June 3, loaded up the ha...