Down on the farm ....May half term

Tom and the whole family are away, so have asked farmer George to look after the animals while they are away: ducks, geese, bantams, hens, guinea fowl, piglets, ferrets, and lambs, including Barley, who was rejected as a new-born and is still getting a bottle feed a couple of times a day.

I have to be back for work for most of the week but I do get one lovely swim in the pond on Sat 1st June, after a very wet walk around Faversham.                          250m

May 13th another 500m

back in the pool again, for another 500m

May Bank Holiday: Minehead Beach and Butlin's!

6 Dads and I take George's football team to Minehead Youth Hostel for a weekend of footie. We mostly play well but still lose. The weather is dry and bright, but there's a cold wind, so I'm the only one whobraves the beach on our Sunday afternoon off; all the kids go to Butlins' Splashworld.

The sea is not too cold, and it is good to escape the wind on the beach. I don't stay in for long but probably swim 250m.

Once out of the sea I head straight for Butlins where I have a deliciously hot shower before joining the boys in the indoor world of splash! It is actually great fun riding the tubes and the raft slide, battling the machine driven waves and swimming round and round the island along the 'river'. I think I can claim another 250m

May Morning - Madrigals not mad wriggles floating over the water

Am invited to sing Madrigals from the top of a folly on Folly Bridge. We start at 7am rather than 6am, so keen May morningers can hear the choristers sing from the top of Tom Tower in Magdalen College, then stroll up to Carfax and down the Abingdon road to Folly Bridge. Although I don't get to swim I sing surrounded by water, atop a tower on a little island in the Thames. The early morning mists clears and it is the most beautiful morning. We have breakfast in the delightful restaurant just beneath the bridge, as if floating on the water. One of the singers I meet is a jeweller who makes lovely pieces from sea glass. I collect bits of sea glass when beachcombing, and love the way they reflect water and the sea. I'm captivated by her beautiful collection from beaches all over the world.

Mon 29th April

Back in class: 650m

Sat 20th April

Sat afternoon open swim session in the Ferry Pool.  500m

15th April Monday in the Pool

500m