Malta, Tweddle and the PCC

Hello, Well I'm back in Cheshire after a roller-coaster (roller-Cola?) couple of weeks. Malta was gorgeous - It was lovely to get away from everyone and everything. I met some characters there too.

The temperature was 22-26c in the day and 18-20c in the evening (about 20c warmed than here in the UK - and just over 3 hours by plane)...

I came back and had to go almost straight up to Newcastle. All the results I have so far are good this time. And Prof Corris said I was an 'inspiration...

Talking of which, while I was away I won a Trinity Mirror/Scottish Power 'Sporting Champions' award - pipped for the top prize by Olympians Beth Tweddle and Jade Jones.

I wish I could have gone to the event as Denis Taylor and host of celebs were there...

It was straight into the PCC elections. I was blogging with CoverItLive direct from the count in Chester - and it proved very successful...

And after going to watch Aston Villa at Manchester City yesterday - today has involved a light gym session, a shop round ASDA (or 'The' Asda as they say here) and now - about to enter a long, hot bath.

I will add some pics of Malta in the next few days...

Remember to follow me @Widneschappy on Twitter or say 'hi' on Facebook...

Hugs x

Knees up and Dutch courage

Well folks I am  European Champion in my age group in table tennis singles - I won the gold at the European Transplant Games in Apeldoorn, Holland last week.

I almost didn't go! My knee was still stiff until the day I left.. But it eased as the tournament went on (lots of painkillers and coffee to counteract the sleepiness they caused)...

But in the end I won the gold (and a silver in the mixed ages doubles) - and had a great time (as I always do at such events)

Everything is tinged with sadness that I haven't go the lung capacity of everyone else there and I can't play  badminton and volleyball like I could when I had recently had my transplant.

But I made new friends (including Marilyn, Peter, Gemma and Gerrard - and met old ones -like Paul, Simon, Kez, Jane and and opponents like Gabor.

The hotel was lovely, in woodland. BUT it was 10 miles outside the town and not many other teams were at our hotel AND there were steep steps to the chalets and no lift!

Stupidly I didn't pull out of the athletics and limped over the line in the 100m - And by the time of the gala dinner that night I was good for nothing....

I had to have a  buggy to take me to the airplane gate (57!) at the airport...(former footballer Phil Thompson was on our plane btw)

Back to work was a struggle (I couldn't manage to get my suit  on for the first day) and I still haven't unpacked fully. But I am doing the exercises the physio (Kelsey) gave me and think it is improving every day...

I want to thank our Dutch hosts who put on a range of  event for us including a morning of petanque, traditional Dutch games evening and a BBQ x

To the next challenge my friends...

Ups and downs and Nick Clegg

Hello Blogettes - Well it has been an up and down few weeks. I had a great 'Dead Celebrity' party (Dead Famous) at The Stobart Stadium, Widnes... It was good to catch up with friends old and new.

The next day I saw Erasure in Wolverhampton - on my 40th itself...

Then I followed the torn ligaments in my ankle I got tendonitus - which put my recovery back a few weeks again.. I hope to go back to spin class next week..

My cold meant my lung fuction was down at Newcastle when I went for my check up. But because there is a reason they are not concerned.. It is still between the 20 and 25 per cent mark.

I have been back to Cannock Wood twice in two weeks (having not been back to my home village for months) and will be back at Xmas - strange how these thing happen.

Very tired these cold winter nights..

I was with Nick Clegg yesterday - we have generated more than 80 mentions of his trip so far in the media. In fact last month we got more than 250 media mentions for Halton Borough Council -not bad for a team of two!

A bientot xx