15 miles down, 21 to go

I've reached Inkberrow, where kind vicar has allowed me to play with his laptop. A long walk this morning- nearly 3 hours- but it passed very pleasantly with lots of conversation and no rain. The weather has been particularly kind. My feet feel OK and my ankles seem to be holding up as well. It seems odd that by the end of the afternoon I'll be half way there. I had a lovely lunch at Inkberrow first School, where the children chattered away about where I was going and whether I would carry on walking if it got wet.I am tired though- I feel a bit in the glare, with three calls from different radio programmes this morning, and shall be glad to do nothing for an hour or two when I stop at Cookhill

Time to go

An hour to kick off. Feeling very excited and slightly sick! I feel enormously supported by all the cards, phone calls and emails I'vve had in support over the last day or two. Not to mention my facebook friends..perhaps this technology stuff is a good thing after all. Its not ACTUALLY raining at present, so who knows?

Yes, the weather forecast really is pants

but such is life. Into each pothole a little rain must fall. I seem to have spent a lot of today and yesterday on the phone to various radio and press people, and have also done two radio interviews today- one live, one recording a trail for another live interview on Sunday. There's also a possibility of some TV tomorrow- but I'm not at all convinced that will come to fruition.
I feel a bit dazed by it all really. I just want to get going now. I think. I do wish it would stop raining!

Nearly there

and feeling slightly sick- I'm as sure as I can be that I've forgotten something- and the list of tasks to be achieved by close of play tomorrow is unrealistically long. On the (very) bright side, the fundraising target is now well within reach- up to £9,100 on justgiving, and another £300 to bank from yesterday's fundraiser, and then whatever donations I get en route.
My BIG worry now is the weather. If it is as wet as some of the forecasts I am going to be in trouble. I don't know how well my feet will stand up to being wet for several days but my guess is that it won't be good. So I have everyone and their cats praying for dry conditions- my dear old atheist Dad said he would "try his local weather God"!

STICKY TOES

I don't know whether it's the humidity or the terrain, but my 8 miles today left my feet aching. Not sore, exactly, but thoroughly fed up with having been dragged round the countryside! I also (for the first time) had to walk through sticky tarmac today- as it's so warm some of the road surface had gone soft. My feet look as though I've painted them with tar, which I suppose I more or less have. Not sure how easily it will come off.

I stopped at a Farm shop in Defford and bumped into a friend from church who very generously stood me the apple juice and croissant I pretended to myself that I had earned. But then the last 3 miles of the walk seemed to take a very long time. Back home to a cheque for £50- I am now REALLY close to £6,000- so feeling very pleased. But also now only two weeks from "DAY 1"- and feeling a little daunted by all the things still to be organised.

A bit of inspiration

I met Catherine Hamlin today. Tall, and straight- and she has a presence you just want to stay in- I could have sat at her feet all day. Animated, interested, kind and engaged with everyone around her. And a delightful sense of humour. I felt curiously tongue tied- all I really wanted to say to her was how honoured I felt to meet her- a rather limited line of conversation: I felt for all those poor souls who have to make conversation with the Queen at state occasions!
She seems to be powered by the Holy Spirit in a way that you do occasionally see. Glimpses in particular people of what it is that we are actually all aiming at. Here is someone who, since 1959, has never stopped, never wavered in the service of others, and who has no intention of stopping "because its God's work, so it's really not a hardship". It makes my 36 miles seem very small beer. But not in a bad way.

The soles of my feet are fine but...

Everyone asks how my feet are- are they sore? Are the blistered? Infected? Bleeding? Covered in dog poo? Actually they're fine- I walked 9 miles today and while I AM now ready for my cup of tea, I am not in any pain. Except for my ankle. Left ankle-somewhere between an ache, a pull and a crunch. I can't really work out whether to be worried, to assume it will go away, or to carry on pushing it in the hope and expectation that it's just a gripe to get through.
Who knows? In the meantime, the General Election Hung Parliament Drama plays itself out- and gives us mere mortals bigger things than ankles to worry about.