How's Your Christmas Planning?

It's just over a week to go before the "spirit" of Christmas hits the world with some gusto. Some love it, some hate it, complain about it, dread it. Some have been saving up for the last twelve months (and I mean energy!) some are going to just wing it! And that just Santa's elves, Rudolf and his pals. Human mood will, I am sure, copy these emotions. For some it will be very special, many are going to be having their first Christmas since being diagnosed with breast cancer, many counting the number of Christmases since being given the "All clear." All will be different. I for one will see Sarah have her first since getting the all clear in March. This is thanks to supporters of breast cancer charities such as Breakthrough, enabling the scientists do their stuff. Supporters who have run marathons, climbed mountains, worn pink at school and work, put their hands in their pockets in these tough times and those who have given time and effort. Thank you.
There may be time to catch the post and get a couple of goodies from the Breakthrough Shop. They also have free  E-Cards.


Besides running on the snow trying not to break every bone in my body, I am looking forward to playing MUD2's only UK Christmas show this year. Click the poster to the right for details and tickets. Don't forget to wear a silly red hat! I have had contact from around the country and I know of some people who are travelling quite a way to join in the fun.

Joydens Wood. Swanley

Sunday I went for a run from Swanley Park. I was meant to take part in their "Christmas Capers" 5km fun run. You know the score, Santa costume and all the trimmings. Thanks to the snow and ice the event was very wisely called off. However, Mike, my very patient coach, invited me to still go and train with his club. After dragging my sorry self out of my pit extra early in the morning, I made the 20 minute drive to Swanley. There is a shopping centre in Kent called Bluewater. People were queuing to get in already! Come on chaps! You get a year's notice about Christmas. Swanley Park is really nice. It looked like a Christmas card. Frozen lake and everything! After meeting some very friendly members of the Swanley and District Athletics Club,  I "sort of" confidently set off with Chris Barnet, Paul and Kate.  I know Chris from the open mic' nights. Nice bloke, good guitar player and a voice just perfect for amazing renditions of all things James Taylor.  We set off on a 5 mile off road course set to take us through the lovely Joydens Woods and along side Burchwood Golf Club. (Listening out for yells of "FORE" and looking out for bright orange golf balls flying towards us at a hundred miles an hour out of the early morning mist.) We had only been out for about ten minutes and Chris felt something go "twang" in his heel. A twist that he thinks will keep him out for a couple of weeks. He bid a "positive farewell" (Mystery shopping in-joke!) and limped off for an early cup of tea. We carried on past the golf club and headed for  the woods. It was stunning! Misty, snow still on the floor, very still apart from squirrels running about digging up stored nuts. It was amazing and a fantastic place to bloody well fall over! And fall over I did. It was a real Keystone Cops special. Legs shot out in front of me and went higher than my head. I went down, in black and white with a piano playing Dixie faster than the speed of sound and a thump shaking all the snow off of the surrounding trees while cracking the ice that I had slipped on. Here I noticed Newtons theory of motion coming into play. "To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction." Drummer falls flat on his arse, eyes try to depart their sockets! What small amount of air was left in my seemingly collapsed lungs was acting as a carrier wave for a stream of expletives departing my grimacing face. I was mortified at the language in front of everyone, let alone Kate. I just couldn't take a breath to carry on the onslaught of none BBC words, (Frankie Boyle excluded) never mind wanting to stay alive. It was like my chest was being sat on by a Sumo Wrestler holding his twin!
I think we had made it just over half way round. It took about five minutes for me to "sort my self out. I had to stop a couple of times due to dizzyness but I was ok. Paul and Kate were very gracious and I made it back for cake and a "nice cup of tea."
I have a really impressive bruise (Sorry Sloat.. no photos) and I have been advised to ease up on the running for a couple of days. (That will stop Carter, our erstwhile agent driving down to Kent and wrapping me in cotton wool to prevent me doing something nasty pror to the Milton Keynes gig at the weekend.


Next week's blog will be a tad later than this one. I am going to Worcester on Thursday then on to visit the super star who is Hayley Mitchall. She had a double mastectomy a couple of weeks back and is in true Christmas spirit. One of the tumours was the size of a healthy plum! She has gone from countless numbers of the things to ZERO! The current news is that she has issues with her blood picking up cells. She has a 60% chance of it all returing but to Hayley that means 40% chance of it NOT! Her glass is always half full. We should all take a leaf out of her book. There is a photo of Hayley and I in a previous blog below. Having a photo taken with Hayley is a real privilege. 
After that the Mud2 boys have a gig in Milton Keynes and I'll be in the brilliant Stony Stratford. More pubs than houses!

Photo and Copyright LeighAnn Monaghan USA
LeighAnn 's web site

On Sunday I telephoned friend and fellow breast cancer campaigner Dusty Showers in the States. (Yes for all the Brits reading this, I know  someone called Dusty Showers), By far the best name in the fight against breast cancer. He was off chasing raccoons when I spoke to him!! (It's his job, not a strange lifestyle choice!) Now it's not every day you have a phone call like that either! I was after a couple of photos. I also think that Dusty is the only man on God's earth who could carry the look, to the right, off. I, on the other hand, would look like a pantomime dame. Dusty just looks "good!" As well as my hoping for a place on the Vodafone World of Difference program, Dusty is taking breast cancer full on. (As usual) He  is going for the Timberland gig. He's entered his pecs 'n'chaps into a photo competition. Be a star and vote for him. If he gets the result he will take the fight and awareness to yet a another level. Remember, breast cancer knows no borders.
Click here to vote for the big man!
Thanks guys.
See you all again next week.