Caring and Sharing

It’s my fourth early morning call in a row! I’m on a roll, baby! I’ve decided a change is as good as a rest, so pass up the run, and make a comeback at Basic Training instead! It is so totally awesome! It’s great to be back! At the end, I bump into a girl who goes to the Nike Running Club. She’s on to me now, which is a good thing, because now I can’t get out of going! Also, there’s a lady who’s a real regular at the gym, and I hardly recognise her, she has literally halved  in size since I last saw her before I went away! A total transformation! I have to tell her how absolutely amazing she looks! I’m pleased I tell her because she looks super chuffed, as well she should be! I think that’s my good deed for the day!

Training has me wired and I can’t wait to get this Friday started! I do my daily run round facebook and am intrigued by my friend Nina’s status. She’s making a speech at some charity gig at the weekend and I am gagging for  a sneak peek! When she sends me the document, I am knocked for six. We went to high school together and I had no idea what she had been through in the years that have passed. I read the speech and am moved to tears. I bring a whole new meaning to the term “red eye!” The long and short of it is, that in 1998 Nina lost her mom and her husband in the space of 2 weeks. Her mum was 57 and her husband, 29. Nina was 28,  a widow, with no parents and a 5 month old baby. It’s a tragic tale. Once again, I think, who cares for the people who care for the people with cancer? Nina was lucky. Her local hospice had her back, and took care of her mum, her husband, and most importantly, gave her the support she needed. That’s such a plus. This woman is made of strong stuff, mentally and physically. Hell, she’s just run the London Marathon and raised over five thousand pounds for St Helena’s Hospice.  Nina’s story is so sad, but it reminds me how lucky I am, and I  marvel at her triumph over adversity. The strength of the human spirit never fails to amaze me.

It turns out to be quite a fantastic Friday. The sun has got his hat on, work is great and in the afternoon the Feeder Programme rockets into orbit when we ram some candles into the Cherry and Almond Cake for Jim and Aaron’s birthday. The cake receives rave reviews and is quickly consumed. Always a good sign!

I just have time for a quick birthday beer with Jim before I meet David for a spot of retail therapy. Tonight we splash out on a kitchenware colour explosion. We buy some spotty, dotty and very colourful plates and bakeware which will jazz up our kitchen creations to infinity and beyond!

I’m far too tired to cook and it is Friday after all, so we celebrate the end of a busy working week with a feast fit for a King at our local Thai. What a fantastic Friday!