Mark is bronzed

Hello Bloggettes,

Well its been another busy 'un... I was lucky enough to compete in the Transplant Games in Sheffield (which ran from Thursday to Monday)- and won a bronze in the table tennis..

I am still recovering from the sport and the finishing ball (Louisa - my former colleague from Sydney) - and I got through way too much wine - but it would have been rude not to....

The saga started on the Thursday when I hit the pool before driving across the Snake Pass to Sheffield - via JJB to buy a snooker stick! (Stick - see how common I am!)

Got to the posh Novotel and they hadn't got my booking down - so rushed off to the snooker (which I am very poor at) and then to register at the Don Valley (picking up my gear)..

I met my lovely team mates (and my other team mates!) and we went to the opening ceremony (I got to carry the flag being a debutante) then hit Cafe Rouge with some of my new friends...

The Friday saw me meeting up with Louisa and we headed for the English Institute of Sport and the table tennis... The first round was in the form of a league, then the others were knock-out.

Having a low lung function I was at a severe disadvantage - so had to do what I had been coached to do - make the other guys do the running..

Luckily every match was 2:0.... So didn't get too shattered and had plenty of rest...

That night Louisa did reiki on me and we went to a lovely Italian Restaurant in town...I think my room mate Jamie was annoyed I didn't stay out all night any night as he wanted the room to himself - I think he was going to entertain a lady...

On the Saturday I took it easy, swam in the hotel pool (well it is too small to swim) with Jamie, Susan, and Craig.... and just chilled around town with the others..

That night I was going to see Kate in Barnsley but things didn't happen as they were meant to... so I didn't... Long story.... Boring story...No scandal...

On Sunday morning Darren from Doncaster (former college matey) came over and we went to support the athletics team....

The evening was the ball. Louisa's hubbie dropped her off about 6ish and we started at the hotel bar before wandering to Ponds Forge...

It was a great night - but too much politics. The same old people got the same old awards apparently. The most-well people who got their reward with medals anyway..

Freeman (as we were mostly people with heart or lung or both transplants) didn't get a sniff in, despite some remarkable achievements by people who were very disadvantaged...

I know the sacrifices some of the people on my team had made.... But as you can see from the pics - a good time was had by all...

Back to Widnes on Monday.... tired tired tired..... Took my medal into work.. Too right I did. Who knows healthwise what will happen. It cold be my last - I will savour it...

Big thanks to Graham Marsh who did all the organising on behalf of Newcastle...

For my day job see the news at HALTON

xx