The torch came through Harrow

And it was a very exciting day too. It also happened to be my birthday.

London, and Harrow, is going to feel very flat when the Games are over.

Opening Ceremony - Technical Rehearsal

I went to this as a result of a ballot for Gamesmakers. I suspect all applicants were lucky though. 2 tickets would have been better. I was sent 2 but one was withdrawn as it was an error. Bad luck sis.

It is hard work getting to the stadium from the station if you are a bit disabled like me. I made the error of taking the free shuttle bus which took an age to get through the security (I'm sure one of the soldiers on the round was Prince Harry)! After all that it only seemed to take you about 100 metres nearer. No sign of any buggies to catch so I walked and I was very tired when I got to my seat.

Everyone was very friendly which was just as well because the whole thing took ages to get going and seemed very disjointed at first. I think this is because you don't get the full picture (like on the telly) when you are a spectator.

I loved it!  From the cows, the Chelsea Pensioners, Frank Turner, Rowan Atkinson, the cheesy announcer, the NCO, NYO and LSO and Simon Rattle, to the glorious pyrotechnics. Fab. Well done Danny Boyle.

And I left early because of getting back to the train. Lovely atmosphere, lovely company both in and out of the stadium and on the ride home.

Cannot wait for the real thing. And we have the Olympic torch tomorrow!!

"Save the surprise" was last night's plea from LOCOG. Good job my photos were rubbish. I'll leave you with a couple that don't give too much away.



Venue training - nearly there!

Two weeks to go until the Olympic Games, London 2012 or whatever you want to call it, begins. Those of us based at Lord's were summoned to one of 3 Venue Training sessions at the weekend. I chose Saturday. Like the summer so far it was wet. Very wet. The wettest July on record in fact, close on the heels of the wettest June. Surely it must buck up for the Olympics?

There is much in the press about the security of the event being a fiasco. Be that as it may there were loads of G4S guards on duty at the East Gate entrance. One of them directed me to the furthest corner of the ground, God knows why. Fortunately I sussed something was wrong before I got too far. In fact the Portakabin I should have been sent to was to the left of his signing-in table. Doesn't really inspire one with confidence does it? I'm sorry for any Forces personnel missing their leave but I for one am glad they are going to be there.

We began by having our accreditation checked and being given a cereal bar from one of our sponsors. We then foregathered in the Thomas Lord Suite, watched from the walls by Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan, for a briefing and intro to our Team managers.All very straightforward. This was followed by a tour of the important parts of the ground from our point of view.

The hallowed Long Room.

Alas I was told off by a Member for taking pictures inside so that's all I can add.

Our meal area is on top of the Mound Stand where we get a splendid view of the ground but not necessarily of the archery which is confined to the section in front of the pavilion. All sorts of structures have been erected and you have to wonder what state the cricket playing area will be in once the archery is completed.

Finally we repaired to one of the Corporate Hospitality boxes which are being used as offices for the Games. Here we were told that we are in teams of 6, there won't be any mobility scooters (!) and that as 3000 per show is a relatively small crowd we will proably be on General Information and pushing wheelchair duties. I didn't like to point out that a lot of the time I could do with a wheelchair myself, as it was fairly obvious from the way I had to keep using the only lift that was in operation on Saturday. This could be a problem. We shall see.

We are all apparently going to get walkie-talkies so I must busy myself learning the jargon. I think it was something like Z Victor 1. Or was that an another life?

I have the uniform

Another interesting day out involving the DLR. This time to a station called Star Lane. In my childhood this particular stop would probably have been called a halt so tiny and insignificant is its location. In the distance I could see the Emirates Cable Car that is being constructed over Greenwich. It seemed to be working!

And I collected my uniform. All very efficiently done by LOCOG. So what do you think?

I quite like it! Trousers are a size 20 although I could just about fit into the 18. The top is an 18. Trainers are size 9 . . . .

And so to Hackney

I am on a maintaining spree at the moment with SW. My head is there, but only just, and there is too much chocolate about.

Yesterday we took the Role-specific part of our training, at Hackney Community College. Very professionally done and I now feel a bit more prepared. The sad thing is that there are to be no electric buggies at Lord's. The venue is too small. Instead we are charged with mobility scooters and wheelchairs. I thought I would mind but, to be honest, if Lord's isn't big enough then I am quite sure I won't have the stamina for any of the larger venues. It has amused me that I achieved qualifications that can be set towards NVQs and City and Guilds certificates. No doubt this will come in handy when I am made redundant by the Music Service. What did we learn? Well nothing I hope that we don't do already in our lives. Be friendly, helpful, alert and caring. Welcome the rest of the World to this wonderful event. Can I work a Mobility scooter yet? Probably not. Can I open and shut a folded wheelchair? Yes. Can I guide a partially sighted visitor to his or her seat? Hopefully. One worry. There were a couple of volunteers there who still hadn't done anything about where to stay and who thought that if all else failed they would go to a hostel. It doesn't seem to have occurred to them that there just might be a million or so spectators with exactly the same idea. It is of course very likely that if you don't live in London you haven't quite grasped the scale of this. I do live in London and I'm not sure I have!!

One year on

It is a year since my lovely Italian lady doctor broke the news to me that I was very overweight and that the amount of alcohol I was drinking was showing up as a near-death experience on my blood tests. None of this was of course news. I have been in denial for years.

I haven't been a very good Fat Clubber for the last couple of weeks. I've worked hard and I've needed comfort (chocolate), so I don't think my SW result tonight is going to be anything other than a couple of pounds on. I can live with that.

The good news however is that I went to see the lovely doctor again today and I have lost 14 kilos since she last weighed me. She was absolutely delighted. Words cannot express how chuffed I am either. I still haven't made my 2 stone award at the meeting but I have lost that, and a couple of pounds more, in a year.

If that doesn't spur me on then nothing will.

I have another Olympic training session this Saturday. In Hoxton. Wish me luck.

Club 10

It has been a close-run thing but tonight I reached Club 10. That means that since starting Slimming World I have lost 10% of my body weight. It shows, despite my still being fat. In fact there was a girl there last night who won a Biggest Loser award, 4 and a half stone off since July. Amazing. But she still looks large.

Am pleased though, and the dreaded Image Therapy or whatever it's called was quite motivating for once. Although I had to sit next to the resident mad woman. It was also buffet night. There was some seriously good stuff there. And one or two weirder offerings. I now know why I don't make SW frittata!


Hey ho.