Day 286: Smash!

I have no words for how good yesterday was, nor how tired I was at the end of it, hence no blog post. Despite how much I love writing it, I just couldn't muster it. I had to sleep and I'm very glad I did. Getting up this morning was so much easier for it. 

I had my slide back into The Challenge and I'm delighted to be back. I have been blessed with a fabulous group of young people, pleasing mentors and a fabulous support team (full of Irish Emily, Challenge Tom and Keisha back again - great stuff). I'm sure tomorrow will be fun. I like and respect these people, all of them. It's a pleasure to be working with them.

Nowhere near this dangerous

After that, the Hub Islington Summer Party. I had a ball. Most people were drinking Pimms and I swear I saw the odd bottle of champagne. There was Rounders, which I was all set not to enjoy, but I had a lovely time. Following that, the Hub Olympics. So much fun. So much playing. My involvement included a tug of war, Dangerous Twister and an egg and spoon race that culminated - thanks to me - in Egg Roulette. One of the eggs was not cooked, so we all bashed them against our foreheads. Mine was raw. There are photos. Instant karma.

I could have stayed and played with these pleasing people when they all went back to Liora's place to carry on and I wanted to - I really felt part of this group, all loved and welcomed, - but I contented myself with a wee and trucked off up Archway Road and to bed. You know the rest. For once, though, no 'oh, I'm not in it because (insert story). I chose to go home because I wanted to be on form for today. I was sorry to leave but happy too. I had a great night and I was fresh(ish) this morning to go off for another day with my delicious Challenge ninjas. 

Rob Grundel pleased me on the phone. Sounding as croaky as I do, though for different reasons. He's having a full and fabulous Edinburgh with his lovely family and the other Rob. We're in Copenhagen at the end of them month. I'm excited. A full teambuilding day. Brilliant, brilliant stuff. I get to do what I love and be playful and paid for it. How lucky am I? And it's great to have someone I can totally rely on and love working with to do it with me. It'll be a good bag of discoveries, this event. For everyone involved. That's my plan, and what they're paying us for. Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant. Grateful doesn't cover it. Joyful. Excited. Curious. 

Ruth and I arrived home at the same time and I spent a lovely evening with her, eating omelette and peas and some perfect runner beans from her garden. There are so many little things I'd forgotten - and which still remain out of my reach. I'm grateful, though, always, to the lovely bus drivers who drop me off at a station on my way home; to the people in the centres we visit, who humour us and let us spend time with their residents. I'm happy to be part of this and I'm blown away by the quality of the stuff the groups come up with and the way they switch on and bring it, most of them, when they get into that context. Watching some of them light up at different things - at a comment or an experience with an elderly person, at a success they've had, a good idea, a successful showcase or a good bit of learning - it's absolutely fabulous. God, I'm grateful. That's good, isn't it? It is.