The majority of people in my generation who grew up in the town where I did can not swim.
Why ?
Because there was no swimming pool in the town.
My inability to propel myself through water is making it likely that I will soon drown !
When I come to write my blog each morning I am never short of things to tell you. Things that have happened over the past twenty-four hours on the Wave of Love. Yesterday that wave was so big, it was so strong and SO FULL OF LOVE I thought I would fall off and drown !
Let's put the metaphor aside and now move fact and to all that happened yesterday, the love which came not only to myself but to EVERYONE here in OurRebekah for us to pass to families in Ronald McDonald Housed.
An e-mail popped in. I read it then decided not to reply but to pick up the phone and call the sender.
Could I possibly speak to Linny Rosseau please ?
Seconds later we were talking and I knew immediately I was in conversation with a special person.
Lilly co-ordinates events and support for Ronald McDonald House in Bristol.
She had found our FIRE A ROCKET project and wanted to talk to me.
We had a lovely chat, a long telephone call full of fun and packed with love for the work done in Ronald McDonald House in Bristol.
This house works independently of Ronald McDonald House Charities central administration in a similar way to houses in other parts of the world. The Bristol House lovingly cares for families with a child sick in Bristol Childrens' Hospital.
As we chatted I could feel love surfing down the telephone line. Our FIRE A ROCKET project is not happening until February but Lilly inspired me to do more for Bristol. I need to now inspire yiou.
YES, there is a star named Rebekah Deer. The kind friend who paid for the registration has become the first to sign up for one of our thirty-five rockets.
Our friends at Bristol University's Astro Physics Department want me to go back to chat more about their radio telescope which can see for 140 MILLION light years into the sky.
You don't need a powerful radio telescope to see Star Rebekah, you can't miss it, it is the star that is smiling.
When I put the phone down I was clinging hard to my surfboard as I tried to avoid falling off. Falling off the board was highly likely as I skipped about - LITERALLY - singing that Jeff Beck Song.
Sorry about this but I can not resist playing it. 4.19am and I am singing the words as I type.
With the song still singing in my ears I set off to meet Tony and Susan. Tony is OurRebekah's radio presenter friend.
If you have not yet listened to Tony's show on the radio it's about tome you did.
STOP MESSING ABOUT !
Tony and I had a lot of things to chat about, it was a long lunch - he he ! Good food and excellent company.
The first thing was to plan the presentation gift we are putting together for our friends at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club.
We have the original 7" singles of the two songs the club has adopted as it's anthems. Jeff Beck's Hi Ho Silver Lining and Singling The Blues from Guy Mitchell.
Next week I will take the singles to the professional framing company we have engaged to build the gift.
On Saturday 18th November Tony and his wife Susan will come with me to Sheffield to make the presentation.
On that day it just so happens that Sheffield Wednesday will be playing - wait for it - BRISTOL City.
For those who do not know what a BRUMMIE OWL is we are a group within OurRebekah that sponsor the goals Sheffield Wednesday score for Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham.
It costs £2 per goal to become a BRUMMIE OWL. Visit the Sheffield Wednesday pages on our website and find out what this is all about. www.or-sheffieldwednesday.com
What we do I do not yet know but some how at that game on Saturday 18th November we have to do something for Bristol City to tell them about Ronald McDonald House in Bristol. What we do I don't have a clue right now but I will think of something I promise you.
Lilly, I think this is something we need to chat about.
These Sheffield Wednesday YouTube videos have been put on-line by OurRebekah's great friend Sheffield's Club Director Trevor. What ever your ideas of a football club director are, I can assure you they are wrong. Trevor is a down to earth, special man who has been such a friend to OurRebekah and what we are trying ti do for Ronald McDionald Houses.
Moonpig has produced a Brummie Owl card which I want as many people as are involved with OurRebekah as possible to sign. It's a big card, needs to be, there are so many of you.
Yesterday over lunch Tony and Susan were the first to sign. Today I am taking it round Beck's family to collect signatures.
Next week I will pop to see Ro at Wrigglies Exotic Pets, David and Susan Hopkins - Mayor and Mayoress of Milton Keynes and Iain Stewart our friend and member of parliament, to get them to sign the card.
Here's Mayor David presenting Ro with OurRebekah's Smile of the Month. And here's Iain spinning some coins for Ronald McDonald House. Iain is a great guy who helped us set up OurRebekah.
Yesterday I posted invitations to all of these friends, invitations to something Tony and I chatted about over lunch. I have not yet written the web pages for this yet, will do so on Monday, but for now the links do not work.
Some people have Gala Dinners, we don't need that - Tony, Susan and I had a gala dinner yesterday at the Toby Carvery. OurRebekah is going to have a Gala Disco Party.
Just look at the building The National Trust has put up for the event ! Next week we will be drawing up the licence but I think we will be able to invite four hundred people. I am sure more than four hundred people are going to want to come along.
It will be a retro disco with music from the 1960's, 70's and 80's. Yesterday we chatted about some of the songs we would play and the silly games we would build round them.
One is to dance The Lambeth Walk. Yes, The Lambeth Walk does date from way before the era of the disco play list BUT Ronald McDonald House Evelina in London is a couple of hundred yards away from The Lambeth Walk.
The disco is to be held in the National Trust's Stowe property near Buckingham. I am absolutely determined that the member of parliament for Buckingham will lead the dance.
Who is Buckingham's MP ?
You may recognise him.
Oh YES he has had his invitation and OH YES he will be there. We plan to announce dancing The Lambeth Walk with the words Order Order !
The book THE BRIDGE HOUSE will be published the week after the Gala Disco with all royalties going to Ronald McDonald House Birmingham. The Lambeth walk features in the book.
May 13th is indeed a way off yet but I know for certain places at this event will be taken up faster than Sheffield Wednesday selling tickets for a Steel City Derby against Sheffield United ! Tickets are FREE but we hope people will make donations via our just giving website and send £5,000 to Ronald McDonald House Birmingham.
Do you remember young Tyler from last week's Frog Challenge ? Here's Tyler with our fantastic Mayor, David.
After The Frog Challenge Tyler got his Mum and Dad to add him into the fun run we are having on Sunday 15th May. This week he has been busy collecting sponsors. I've just checked the website and see that he had collected an amazing £155. Well done Tyler.
Driving home from lunch with Tony and Susan my phone rang. I was yards away from a 'bus stop so I was able to pull in and take the call. I was already surfing high on the wave from speaking with Lilly then with Tony and Susan but that call from Gregg threw me off and into the surf. Gregg I can not thank you enough for what you said, I could tell within thirty seconds of the call that you are a special guy. Thank you for sponsoring Tyler and for such amazing generosity. THANK YOU.
One person who will not be taking part in the fun run, one person who WILL NOT be invited to the Gala Disco is that damn frog from last Saturday. No I am not holding a model, that is a REAL frog.
Mayor David will you be bringing the python with you ?
We do have another fun run in the diary. What are you doing between 20th and 24th April next year ?
Fancy joining us ?
If you have never been to the magical City By The Bay then come with us and run, jog, walk or crawl across The Golden Gate Bridge.
We have a great group of guys going, there is still room for more but be quick, availability in the hotel is filling up.
I hope I do not fall off my surfboard, I am told there are sharks in San Francisco Bay !
To find out more visit www.or-sanfrancisco.com
Are you old enough to remember the Summer of Love ? We are going to have our own special hippy party after the run in Golden Gate Park.
People who know me know that I talk too much. My wife is always telling me to shut up but how can I shut up when there is so much love around me ?
All of this love is not for me, it is not for Beck's friends nor is it for her family.
It is not for OurRebekah.
It is for the families in every single Ronald McDonald house all the way round the world. Families who have a child sick in hospital.
Come and have fun with us, come and be a bit silly, smile and make others smile. Bring your surfboard and hop up on to the Wave of Love. If you fall of into the water I'll throw you a lifebelt.
Hey Tony we MUST play this song at the Gala Disco !
No comments:
Post a Comment