Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Celebrating and succeeding
Today we celebrated birthdays - mine, once again and one of my oldest friends.
Marion's birthday is actually in March, but there you go.
I feel strange calling Marion an oldest friend....we have known each other for a very long time. But she is also older than me by 12 years - so pretty old!
I remember once commenting to one of our mutual friends, also a teacher, that I was amazed to be counting a 32 year old amongst my friends; I was only 21 at the time and 32 seemed so much older.
Now I am amazed to have people over 80 amongst my friends.
We went to Brighton. Marion had once said she had never been to a Wetherspoon's. I took her to one of the nicest we know at Brighton Marina - yes, she was impressed.
We indulged ourselves.
After a long lunch of chat and much eating, we caught the bus and went into Brighton centre.
Marion had never been into the museum close to The Royal Pavilion.
The main hall is devoted to 20th century design. If I have a field of expertise this is it and I love the display there.
I took some pictures. But this one is not mine.
I'll sort mine some time tomorrow.
Having got the bus back to The Marina, I was thirsty and we went back into The West Quay for a drink.
It was a good way to finish the day.
Then back home to prepare for an evening at the track.....oh no, the rains began to fall.
We were timing a club race - a 5,000 metre club championship.
But we allowed 3 young runners to do a 3K within the main race.
We had 33 runners of very different standards doing 2 different distances in one race.
Help!!!!
I organised our volunteer track judges who had never done it before and gave them a method, I hoped, of not getting things wrong.
Last year there was almost a total cock up.
I put Bill on to the timing of the 3 doing the shorter distance - with their coach.
Gerry and I sorted out the main race.....the rain was pouring down, everybody's papers were sodden, the numbers on the vests of the runners fell off.
Surely this year it would be an actual cock up?
But no. Gerry and I are a good team.
We got a correct time for all the runners and the right number of finishers in the right order.
That was quite thrilling!
And the winner broke the club record.
Marion's birthday is actually in March, but there you go.
I feel strange calling Marion an oldest friend....we have known each other for a very long time. But she is also older than me by 12 years - so pretty old!
I remember once commenting to one of our mutual friends, also a teacher, that I was amazed to be counting a 32 year old amongst my friends; I was only 21 at the time and 32 seemed so much older.
Now I am amazed to have people over 80 amongst my friends.
We went to Brighton. Marion had once said she had never been to a Wetherspoon's. I took her to one of the nicest we know at Brighton Marina - yes, she was impressed.
We indulged ourselves.
After a long lunch of chat and much eating, we caught the bus and went into Brighton centre.
Marion had never been into the museum close to The Royal Pavilion.
The main hall is devoted to 20th century design. If I have a field of expertise this is it and I love the display there.
I took some pictures. But this one is not mine.
I'll sort mine some time tomorrow.
Having got the bus back to The Marina, I was thirsty and we went back into The West Quay for a drink.
It was a good way to finish the day.
Then back home to prepare for an evening at the track.....oh no, the rains began to fall.
We were timing a club race - a 5,000 metre club championship.
But we allowed 3 young runners to do a 3K within the main race.
We had 33 runners of very different standards doing 2 different distances in one race.
Help!!!!
I organised our volunteer track judges who had never done it before and gave them a method, I hoped, of not getting things wrong.
Last year there was almost a total cock up.
I put Bill on to the timing of the 3 doing the shorter distance - with their coach.
Gerry and I sorted out the main race.....the rain was pouring down, everybody's papers were sodden, the numbers on the vests of the runners fell off.
Surely this year it would be an actual cock up?
But no. Gerry and I are a good team.
We got a correct time for all the runners and the right number of finishers in the right order.
That was quite thrilling!
And the winner broke the club record.
