The lists are made and bags packed; its holiday time and I can’t wait for the chance to spend some one-on-one time with my family.  I know that with the economy as it is, getting away may not be as financially viable as it once was, but where there’s a will. This time last year, we rented a friends house, whilst the builders invaded ours.  When in conversation we mentioned we were looking for a three-month rental, Ali decided the income would offer her the perfect opportunity to take time away with her boys before they started school.  And so it was, Ali spent three months in Australia and we stayed in her stylish home just around the corner from ours.  Here are some photographs of Ali’s home.

When asked by a friend recently how I would spend my days if time and money were no object, I replied I would write, read and create.  I am blessed to be able to do these things but as your emails suggest, more than once a month would be good!   From now on, you will see frequent updates, rather than catch-up’s, but for now, a catch up is needed, as I want to tell you about the 10k run I did last weekend, in the hope that you too, will take up a challenge, because if I can do it, anyone can.

I recently met Alison of Best Beginning and within moments, this force of nature had signed me up for the London 10k run in aid of her charity.  I did little in the way of training other than a few laps around my local park and a trip to Camden to buy myself a pair of fancy trainers.  The Friday before the run, I went to a drinks party, the Saturday was spent at an all day picnic with girlfriends and when Sunday morning came, I felt awful, but something in me knew it would all be fine.

It was only 8.00am, but already the train to Charing Cross was packed with runners and just the company of these strangers boosed my energy no end.  The mood around the starting line at Hyde Park Corner was electric and it carried me to the finish, in one hour, ten minutes.  Whilst I was suitabily pleased, my children seemed rather dissapointed I had not come first, but rather somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000.  I remained on a natural high as I contemplated how, with self belief, one can achieve their goals with least effort and how when people work together for a common good, miricles happen. It was so easy and enjoyable raising money in this way.  What could you do?