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The final update, sent 26th April, 2007...

 

 

 

 

My last London marathon update – promise. J

 

Given that I’ve been training for that ruddy race for the better part of 6 months & have been in your ear about sponsorship for at least 4, I think it’s only fair that you get your pound of flesh in the form of some unflattering photos, a couple of vids & maybe, if you can handle the tension, the truth behind my momentous battle with that pesky pooch, Scooby Doo.

 

Before we go on though, I really do have to once again say thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has supported me & sponsored me for this race. With your kindness & donations we have now raised just under £5,000 (A$12,000) & I know it sounds cornier than a very corny thing, but I really could feel all of youse out there with me. As Bette Midler might have said, you were the wind beneath my shoes. Or something. Anyway – obligatory plug for those of you still keen to chip in – the site will be open for the next couple of weeks as we do the final wrap-up & send the dosh off to the very grateful campers at Kidney Research UK – www.justgiving.com/thebob.

 

My time was officially registered as 4:09.17, meaning not only did I beat experienced marathoner Gordon Ramsay (that man has THE biggest head – saw it up close & personal as we raced, nay, staggered along Embankment), but I also got past former English rugby player Matt Dawson. Not bad for Fat Bob & something to cherish. Everyone I’ve spoken to said it was hard given temperatures of up to 27 degrees (might not sound hot for the Ozwegians amongst you, but when you’ve been training for months in 5-10 degrees, 27 is hot indeed).

 

Okay, enough of the updates & onto the real meat of this email – the truth behind my Battle with Scooby Doo.

 

I first saw Scoobs at around the 2 mile mark. I’d stopped for a widdle (as one does) & upon rejoining the pack I saw his bouncy brown head about 100 yards in front. “Okay Bob, there’s your marker” I says to myself. So off I trot to catch him up, passing him easily & settling into my race.

 

Miles roll by, I’m taking it slow, conserving energy, enjoying my time, slapping hands with the kiddies along the side of the road & generally having fun when up ahead I see Scooby again! What the hell, how did he get past me? Was I really going that slow? I know I was pacing myself & that there’s 36,000 people in this race but how did I miss a 7 foot brown dog overtaking me? So, off I run again to catch him up – this time however, throwing a nasty glance back over my shoulder to say “not again pal, not in my race”.

 

Okay, so we’re at 15 miles now, deep in the Docklands, sun beating down & only 11 miles to go. Starting to get tired, legs are weak, I’m sore all over but still up for the run of my life, when coming around the corner from Canary Wharf I see that feisty canine ahead of me again.

 

No. This is not happening.

 

After the near miss of the Reading Half Marathon Chicken Emergency I can NOT be beaten by a guy dressed up like a dog. And yet he had passed me again. Had I blacked out whilst running? Was I so busy concentrating on pounding the pavement that I missed his unmistakeable “hurro Shaggy, hehehe” laugh as he ran by? I was pretty sure no – but there he was ahead, running happily, tail wagging, ears bouncing. Bugger!

 

Now at this point I’d like to say I gallantly ran to catch him up again & once for all put his sorry doggy butt behind me. But no. I was a broken man. 16 miles into the London Marathon & I’d hit the wall, caused in no small part by knowing that not only did I still have 10miles to go, but a guy dressed up as a cartoon character was doing it easy. Every dog has his day & this was his – still, it’s kinda hard to take when you’re down & out.

 

So I struggled on, running, walking, limping, stopping to get my bearings & trying not to fall over. Running past Linda & co cheering at the 23mile mark, past Tower Hill, past Big Ben, past Gordon & Matt & finally onto Buckingham Palace & the finish. At last – done. Collect my medal, smile for the photo & almost collapse in sheer relief that I’d done it. I’d been beaten by a dog but I’d finished & I was happy.

 

End of story? Not quite. Hours later, I related my Battle with Scooby Doo to Linda & co over a couple pints, when with a smile she says “Oh Scooby Doo? We saw at least four of them running past, all spaced out along the course...”

 

Sigh.  And that, as they say, is that.

 

Finally – to the lovely Linda – thank you SO much for putting up with me, loading me up with pasta & rice & generally being the star you always are. I really couldn’t have done it without you. J

 

Cheers to all & thank you one last time - you’ve made this a very special event for me & for that – you have my heart.

 

Your friend,

 

Robbie

Post race update - send 23rd April.

 

 

 

 

 

Morning all,

 

I had 4 hours, 9 minutes & and 17 seconds yesterday to think about things & I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m really not cut out to be a marathon runner.

 

But, I did it. I finished. In the hottest London Marathon ever, in which the world record holder Paul Tergat pulled out, the great Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie pulled out, over 5,000 people were treated by St Johns on the side of the road & a further 70 were taken to casualty in a serious condition, I finished. A big tick in my life’s book of achievements & something that I’ll remember (mostly) forever. There were some very wobbly moments around mile 16 & my ongoing battle with Scooby Doo is something I’ll cherish for years to come (I think I got him in the end) – but for all that, I’m glad I did it.

 

A proper update with pictures will be coming in the next couple of days, but I just wanted to say: thank you for your support. I could really feel each & every one of you there with me on the course yesterday & when I hit a wobbly, it was the thought of you cheering for me that helped me carry on.

 

To Matty, Katy & Kristie & the lovely, lovely Linda -  thanks so much for coming down to support me! You rock – you have no idea how good it was to see you at 23miles & how your smiling faces got me through to the end.

 

Cheers all & thanks again,

 

Robbie

 

PS – Sponsorship update: now up to £4,850 (around A$11,700 J) & there’s still time if you’d like to make a last minute donation – www.justgiving.com/thebob. To everyone who’s already chipped in – thank you again!

 

Update #4 - sent 20th April 2007

 

 

 

 

 

So this is it – the deep breath before the plunge.

 

Only 3 sleeps to go before the London Marathon & you know what? I think I’m ready.

 

I had my final run last night, a nice & easy 10k (couldn’t have even said that 12 months ago) in my full marathon kit & it all worked a treat. For those of you coming down on Sunday, I’ll be the one in the green & purple with a big BOB written on the front, number 40360.  Linda & I drove part of the course on Sunday afternoon, checking out the start line in Greenwich, going past kiwi Matty’s at Surrey Quays (where Linda, Creany, Katy & others will be watching around the 9 mile mark) & onto the Embankment for the final stretch up to Buckingham Palace. Great for visualing the run (thanks Magdalena!) & so I say – enough training, bring it on!

                                                                                      

Thanks again to all who have sponsored me so far – I’m now up to over £4,030 (including Microsoft’s contribution) – which converts to nearly $10,000 Pacific Pesos! All for the very worthy cause of Kidney Research UK. I personally cannot wait to deliver them the funds after the race as its by far the biggest thing like this I’ve ever done. Still time to donate as well if you haven’t had a chance: www.justgiving.com/thebob.

 

 

Best of luck as well to my friends, colleagues & fellow charity fund-raisers Susanne & Nicola – its been great bouncing training ideas & tips on how/where to apply vaseline with you & so all the best. Just think how good that beer is going to taste at the end!

 

So, cheers to all, wish me luck & I’ll be back to you next week for the post-race report.

 

Robbie

 

PS – if anyone’s coming down to the course on Sunday & wants to catch-up for a pint afterwards, then call the lovely Linda during the morning on 07737 265 414 to find out where we’ll be.

PPS – in true Upcroft tradition, I’ve crafted a little song to celebrate the occasion. With apologies to Kenny Rogers...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sung to the tune of Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler”...

 

On a warm April’s morning, in a park east of London,

I met up with a runner, let’s say his name was Dan.

As we stood there slowly stretching, waiting for the starters whistle,

He said “don’t worry bout the blisters, just do the best you can”.

 

“You see son I’ve made my life, outta pounding on these pavements,

Never caring what the time was, just as long as I crossed the line”

“Cause if you don’t mind me saying, the best thing about this marathon,

Is drinking that cold Guinness, at the end, so you’ll be fine”.

 

Chorus

You’ve gotta get past the old ones, get past the cold ones,

Know when to walk the race & know when to run,

But you never count your beers, whilst you’re still out on the course,

There’ll be time enough for drinking, when the running’s done.

 

Now every runner knows, that the secret to survival,

Is using lots of Vaseline, in the place the sun don’t shine.

So I handed him my bottle, & he took care of everything,

Then he gave it back to me, & I took care of mine.

 

And then when we’d finished greasing, we headed to the startline,

Took in one final breath & waited for the gun.

And sometime later that morning, the runner he broke records,

And with his final words I knew this race was mine to run.

 

Chorus

You’ve gotta get past the old ones, get past the cold ones,

Know when to walk the race & know when to run,

But you never count your beers, whilst you’re still out on the course,

There’ll be time enough for drinking, when the running’s done.

 

 

 

 

 

3rd update, sent 12th April...

 

 

 

 

Afternoon all,

 

With only 10 days to go until the London Marathon (yikes!), I thought I’d share with you 10 interesting facts that you may not have known about this amazing race.

 

Before I do though, a big thank you once again to those who have sponsored me so far!  I’m now up to £1,882.20, which turns into £3,764.40 with Microsoft’s matching donation – cheers Bill J. For those of you in Oz, this is around A$9,035 – all for the very worthy cause of Kidney Research UK. For anyone who would like to chip in to help me get up to A$10,000 there’s still time right up until 9.45am on Sunday, April 22^nd & all you need to do is go to www.justgiving.com/thebob.

 

So, on with the facts & I’ll be back just before the big day with my final thoughts.

 

Cheers,

 

Robbie

 

PS – this is me finishing the Reading Half Marathon a couple of weeks ago, in a not so bad 1.41:14. Note the arms flailing, legs pumping, sheer determination of my run to the finish line – all because for the last mile or so I was being paced by a guy dressed like a chicken & I was NOT going to be in the same photo as him. So thank you chicken man, wherever you are...

 

 

 

Ten interesting (or maybe not) facts about the Marathon

1.       Legend tells of the ancient Greek messenger Eucles who ran the 25miles from Marathon to Athens to bring news of their victory in war. He announced “Rejoice, we conquer!” before keeling over & dying. This is known as hitting the wall.

 

2.       The official length of the modern course is exactly 26 miles, 385 yards. Or 42.195km. I’ve been told that rounding past Buckingham Palace & running these last 195 metres up The Mall in London can be one of the hardest, but also most exhilarating things you ever do.

 

3.       This length was set at the 1908 London Olympic games. Prior to this, it was always just around 25miles, give or take & it was going to be this length for those games as well. That is however until the Queen at the time decided that wouldn’t it be nice for the runners to start exactly in front of her balcony in Windsor & finish right in front of her daughter’s pavilion in London. Quite.

 

4.       The first Olympic marathon in Athens was famously won by local boy Spiridon Louis, their first & only gold medal of the games. Not to pour cold water on this, however most historians now agree that Spiridon perhaps didn’t stick to the spirit of the games (ie, getting a lift on his father’s bicycle for some 6km) & so the real winner should have been the amazing Edwin Flack of Australia, who had already won gold in the 800m & 1,500m & was third in the doubles tennis. Flack was way out in front in the marathon with mere miles to go, knew from messages passed on that no-one was in within a bulls-roar of him, when all of a sudden, up pops Spiro from behind a corner looking fresh as a daisy. Flack, feeling rightfully gutted & heartbroken, dropped out.

 

5.       The current men’s world record is 2 hours, 4mins & 55 seconds, set by Paul Tergat of Kenya in 2003. The women’s record is held by piddling Paula Radcliffe of the UK at 2 hours, 15mins & 25 seconds. The Bob will be aiming for 3hrs & 36mins, but would of course just be happy to finish the ruddy thing & certainly won’t be stopping by the side of the road to do his business like Paula! Or maybe he will – every second counts if he’s to beat UK colleague David Rosser’s time!

 

6.       On average, anyone who runs a marathon can expect to lose around 2-3 kilos of weight in sweat alone (probably more for The Bob me thinks so bring on the lucozade!)

 

7.       Kudos for most amazing marathoner must go to leukaemia survivor Lloyd Scott. In recent years, he has run a marathon every day for 26 days leading up to the launch, ran one underwater in Loch Ness & finally, completed the London Marathon in 2002 in a 120lb, 19^th century cast iron & vulcanized rubber diving suit. It took 5 days, 8 hours, 29 mins & 46 seconds – all for charity.

 

8.       London’s marathon is the UK’s single largest annual charity fund-raising event, contributing around £70million much needed funds every year.

 

9.       Think you’re too old to run? The oldest person to finish a marathon was 98 & in London last year, there were over 6,000 runners aged 50+, 1,000 past 60, 200 more over 70 & a remarkable 16 runners older than eighty.

 

10.   There’ll be around 33,000 people running in this year’s London Marathon, with nearly all of them running for a charity of their choice. So if you’re in London & get a chance on the 22nd, come down to the course, give a cheer & a word of encouragement & let them know you’re there! Here’s a link to the course – look out for me in my bright green shirt, purple Kidney Research vest & puffing red face: http://www.london-marathon.co.uk/site/images/course_map.pdf

2nd update - sent 23rd March.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh. My. God.

 

Yesterday marked 1 month to go before I set off for the London Marathon on April 22^nd – 26.1 miles or 42.2 km of hard slog! Yikes!

 

I think I’m ready, or at least getting close to being ready. Okay, I’ll settle for getting close to thinking about being ready because after I completed the Silverstone Half Marathon last Sunday (around the Formula 1 race-track whilst making vroom vroom noises, that’s me crossing the finishing line on the left), there really was no possible way that I could have run that distance again. So, a lot of work to do.

 

That being said, they were wretched, wretched conditions with gale force winds, a crazy 7 degrees (but felt even icier because of the wind), sleet, snow & then finally hail! Have you ever tried to run whilst hail is being blown horizontally into your face? Easy it was not. So the way I figure it, if I can run in that for 21km without stopping, and do it in an okay 1.46:16 (finishing 1,528^th out of 6,000+ runners), then the marathon should be a breeze! And, if I can keep that pace up for the full course, I’ll finish somewhere around 3.30hr meaning I get to beat my good friend Mr Rosser’s 3.37hr that he posted last year. The challenge has been set.

 

Training’s been going well in general & I’ve got another big run this weekend, the Reading Half Marathon. So if you live in the area & are absolutely bored crazy on Sunday, why not pop-on down to the course & yell obscenities or something funny as I run past – every little bit of support helps!

 

Thanks again to everyone who’s sponsored me so far – I’ve now raised a respectable £1,486 & with Microsoft matching every penny, that’s a whopping £2,982! Convert that into the South Pacific Peso & it becomes over $7,300 – nothing to sneeze at & all for a good cause, Kidney Research UK. If you haven’t yet donated & would like to, then simply hop on over to www.justgiving.com/thebob & take it from there. J

 

Lastly, & this is for you analytical types, I’ve been keeping a track of my training since January 2005 (when I finally decided that against all evidence, flabby is not a good look) & the results show some interesting stats. Like, since Jan, I’ve run a total of 684km with 422km of these in the last 6 months alone! And as I’m running longer, my average time is coming down meaning hopefully, for probably the first time in my life, I’m actually getting fit. Anyway – it made me smile if nothing else. J

 

Cheers to all & I’ll send you an update just before the big day,

 

Robbie

1st update - sent February 26th, 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Howdy all,

 

Yesterday was the 8-weeks to go mark in the lead-up to my marathon on April 22^nd & so I thought I’d just give you a quick update on what’s happening.

 

To the 54 lovely friends, family & colleagues who have already sponsored me – THANK YOU! I’m only £48 away from my goal of £1,225 & with Microsoft matching every penny that I raise, that’s already close to £2,500 (or nearly A$6,000 & all for the worthy cause of kidney research.)

 

To anyone else who may be thinking of sponsoring – thank you in advance! All the details are here – www.justgiving.com/thebob - & whilst I can’t say that I’ll run a super-fast time, I can promise that I’ll finish the bleeding thing, even if I have to crawl hand-over-hand past Bucky Palace & up the final stretch along The Mall. As my old pappy used to say “Do or do not. There is no try”.

 

Anyways, the training is coming along nicely. I did 12km in under an hour tonight & have mapped out a nice 15km run around our village that works up a nice sweat – though tis hard running past the two 14^th century pubs in our area without ducking in for a quick pint of Old Toby. Mmmmm, beer. Oh – I’ve also given up alcohol for the two months before the race & those that know me well will attest to the enormity of this supreme feat of endurance (he says smugly, having now gone a whopping 48hrs without a drink!) I’ve also got a couple of half-marathons in March in Silverstone & Reading to give me a taste of what’s to come. My friend Susanne (completed the marathon last year) will be doing Silverstone & the Big One with me & so if you feel like it, you can always sponsor her as well – www.justgiving.com/susanne.

 

Right – that’s it from me, I’ll update you again after I do the Silverstone Half on Sunday, March 18^th. I then have the Reading half on the 25^th & then a couple of weeks to “taper” (think Thorpey in the lead-up to the Olympics) & we’ll be set for a glorious, nay, truly historical run. Below are a couple of links that you may find interesting.

 

Cheerio & chat soon,

 

The Bob

 

PS – please feel free to forward this onto anyone who you think would be good for a quid or two. J

 

 

 

 

My regular 15km training run around the rural & Royal County of Berkshire:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=714002.   You can zoom in & out & all around to see the area where we live – our house (Lilac Cottage) is marked by the red marker without a number, with the long front drive & green backyard. And before I get bombarded by all my colleagues as to why I’m using a competitor’s product for my training, we can have that conversation at work. J

 

The London Marathon course:

http://www.london-marathon.co.uk/site/images/course_map.pdf.   Starting at Greenwich & winding its way through blah blah blah – JeeZUS its a long way when you look at it like this! Who’s up for me giving them their sponsorship money back & just calling it done? No? You mean I actually have to run that far? Yikes.

 

First announcement that Bob was going to run the London Marathon - sent January 23rd, 2007.

 

 

 

 

That’s right boys & girls, something finally snapped in my brain & I signed up for the London Marathon – all 42.2 glorious kilometres of it (or just over 26miles for those of you not yet conversant with the metric system).

 

Anyway, I digress. Come Sunday April 22^nd (less than 3 months away), me & 40,000 of my new best buddies will be setting off from Greenwich & running, nay, dashing like mad things through the streets of London & on our way past all the sights, stopping not until we reach Buckingham Palace. You name a London tourist attraction & I’ll be sweating as I run past it.

 

Anyway, digressing again. The reason for this mail is to let you know that I’ll actually be running for a very good cause – Kidney Research UK – and am asking you as one of my friends to sponsor me. Only 1 in 4 people receive the kidney they so desperately need, meaning that over 13,000 people die every year in the UK alone. This is a very personal cause for me, given that someone very dear to my heart is suffering from kidney disease, and so any money you can donate will definitely be going to the right place.

 

I’ve set-up a sponsorship page, http://www.justgiving.com/thebob & will update it every couple of weeks with details on my training & other tasty tidbits of marathon preparation (like, did you know that apparently you can lose up to 3 kilos in weight over the duration of the race? Yikes!)

 

Thanks to those of you who have already sponsored me & for those thinking about it – thank you as well! I will certainly do my best on your behalf & gratefully accept any amount that you can offer.

 

Cheers all & wish me luck for the big day – April 22^nd, 2007.

 

Robbie

 

 

6 months to go.

 

It's May 28th today, raining, cold & oh so British (meaning whatever you feel like taking that to mean) & so a young man's thoughts turn to just incredibly how slack he has been these past 22 months in keeping this site up to date.

 

Not the daily, weekly or even monthly updates of a life lived out loud for this little black duck, no sir ree. Instead, those of you who have been waiting up, night after night, for the smallest tidbit of information, have suffered for far too long now & in the words of the great Julius Caeser have rightfully said "sod that for a laugh". I don't blame you. No pics, no updates, no rhyming couplets to keep you warm on a winter's night & so what do I have to say for myself that could possibly excuse this tardation? (look it up - its a word):

 

a) Couldn't think of any more rhymes

b) Have been busy lately doing, um, stuff

c) Was waiting for a signal from Grish-nak that we could proceed with our plans for world domination

d) Am a slack ass tit

 

So - take your pic of the above for at least two of them are correct & hopefully I'll start to pull many a digit out from a place best left unmentioned & actually start to con.trib.ute.

 

6 months to go.

 

Roberto

No rhymes this time - just wanted to show some pics of the boys at THE game.

 

Enjoy...

 

R

You read this note, you think he's back,

You comment that he's been very slack,

You feel there's something this blog does lack,

But are glad to see its back on track.

 

Unfortunately, and this bit will grate,

There's quite a bit thats on his plate,

And seeing as though the hours late,

Now's not the time for a blog update.

 

Now let me get right to the point, let's not beat 'round the bush,

For the past couple of months I've just sat on my tush.

Not a word I have written, not a sentence created,

Which is a crime worse than anything for those who have waited.

 

A blog, it is true, must be kept up to date,

Not left out to linger just like last season's mate.

And so, my dear friends, though its time for my bed,

I'll share some quick thoughts as they pass through my head.

 

Our Christmas did come & our Christmas did go,

With a kiss for sweet Linda underneath mistletoe.

And although whilst in London we've been spending the plastic,

We headed off for New Years to the great Club Fantastic!

 

Jan'ry was cold, and it even started to snow,

A surreal site for us but very sweet even so.

But bugger the chill, we needed fun warm & hearty,

So invited our friends round for a nice Summer Party.

 

With cocktails & coconuts & a skirt made of grass,

Twas a night to remember & a night full of class.

Because the puppies, it seems, were on full display,

And not a eye in the house could be drawn away.

 

We then went to Ireland, for Kern's Tirty-Turd,

Such a city is Dublin, just like we had heard.

With one thousand pubs & Guinness galore,

We didn't see much so will be back to see more.

 

Much more we have done, and some sites we have seen,

We feel settled in London but are caught in-between,

The wish to see more of this very fine city,

Or head over to Europe because Paris is pretty.

 

And so we will choose our time off with great care,

To bring back some memories which we all then can share.

So keep watching this space, for words & pics on the right,

And with that, my dear friends, I'll say nighty-night.

 

 

Never let it be said, that this blog is the bomb,

This entry, I agree, has taken too long,

So now that I'm here, its time for some verse,

Rhyming couplets again, oh what could be worse!

 

We left our great hero, in the vast Scottish highlands,

He's been to Bristol & Oxford & even to Ireland,

A Christmas was feasted, with puddiing & turkey,

But now, the poor soul, has gone back to workey.

 

So much that has happened, the places we've been,

From a gorge named of Cheddar, & the house of the Queen,

A visit to Bath along with Tawnie & Troy,

And a lunch full of dim sum that we covered in soy.

 

We saw a Kevin on stage, his last name was Spacey,

And the time I saw Coldplay was so freakin' acey,

It feels like we know this big city so well,

And yet there's so much to see, that we really can't dwell.

 

On the fact that we've been here for 5 months already,

The time, its is flying, likes it's on Ever-ready,

So much still to do, lots of London to visit,

And Europe of course because France is exquisite.

 

So keep coming back, to this blog of mine,

To check up on us, and reflect on our time,

We do hope to see you, hope to see you real soon,

For a visit from you would send us over the moon.

 

 

The sky was blue & the grass so green,

When I first landed in Aberdeen,

T'was the furthest north I'd ever been,

A sunny slice of Scotland, dying to be seen.

 

After breakfast the next day I was awful keen,

To stop in at Balmoral and visit the Queen,

But away she was, like a petulant teen,

Which as far as I felt was rather mean.

 

So south I surried down the inland road,

To that infamous city, the grand Glasgow,

With its faded glory and an afternoon glow,

Shining in the light of Scottish rainbow.

 

I left that place without trace and so,

Headed up to Stirling which is where they show,

The monument to Wallace who did overthrow,

The English army along with Robert the Bruce & co.

 

So after three fine days on caledonian soil,

On a big business trip that wasn't just hard toil,

I headed off to Edinburgh to see the castle royal,

(and to claim in the name of a Scottish loyal!)

 

And thus ends my poem, t'was as smooth as oil,

I just hope on your bum that you don't have a boil,

From sitting too long reading rhymes that coil,

Around your tongue like a piece of aluminum foil! :-)

For some fun yesterday, we both made our way,

Past Big Ben to the great London Eye.

All the city we saw, from the wheel big and tall,

Standing massive way up in the sky.

 

For some beers and some grub, we then went to a pub,

Which was built on the banks of the Thames.

In 1520 it sprung and some pirates were hung,

From a rope that was noosed at one end.

 

Being not in a hurry we all went for a curry,

In the district that's known as Brick Lane.

And then after we ate, was back to Notting Hill Gate,

For some dessert, where Scotch was the main.

 

Quite a weekend we had and we both are so glad,

To be settled in London once more.

But with so much to do, its now off to bed for us two,

To sleep, and perchance to snore.

 

 

 

This tale, dear friends, is ripe for the telling,

With a swag of ideas my poor brain is swelling,

So I'll unleash on the world all these stories compelling,

And give life to words as they fall from my mind.

 

Oh the tales to be told from the places we've been,

With a whole host of photos that just wait to be seen,

And maybe some stories that fall in between,

Showing a life lived in London for this limited time.

 

So come back to this space if you want to know more,

I do try my hardest and so will try not to bore,

The pants off my friends, all of whom I adore,

So farewell for now as I get back to my wine.