Larkfield FC presentation day.

As both Cam and Clara play for Larkfield this was a joint presentation event. Both received a small trophy for playing.  Clara's team were new this season and play up a year as their goalie,  Ilona, is a year older. They struggled this season but enjoyed themselves.  Cam joined the team half way through the season after not enjoying playing for Bearsted.  He has decided he doesn't want to play next season hoping to concentrate instead on his running.

Chessington world of adventures

Lovely day at Chessington, started really cold, absolutely poured at lunch time, lovely, sunny and warm in the afternoon. Best activity - Hocus Pocus Hall first thing. Worst ride - Cam on the Rameses Revenge.

Happy birthday x

For Dad's birthday we decided to take him to see Billy Elliot. We travelled to the O2, parked and got a tube.  We stopped at the cafe for lunch on the way. Lovely cheese cake for Clara, Cam's first try of this particular delight.  Mum had a scone and jam while Dad went for a rather delicious eggs Benedict.  Cam had an egg wrap

We then spent the afternoon in Harrods before tea at Zizzi in Victoria station.  Then it was time for the theatre.  Billy Elliot was great fun; brilliant singing and dancing. We really enjoyed it.

Happy birthday Dad.

Westminster Mile

We left home at 10:00 for the journey to Ebsfleet, St Pancras and the Green Park.  We entered The Westminster Mile - Sweatshop wave which was due to start at 12:00.

We lined up with a lot of people in yellow SRC t shirts: Cam ran off for a 6:18 minute time (12 out of 382 in his age group), Dad, Mum and Clara completed the course in just over 9:00 minutes.  The course started in the Mall, lined with union flags, turned right into Hourse Guards Parade, right again into Bird Cage Walk, finishing in front of Buckingham Palace.  Doesn't get much better than that.

After a free lunch, courtesy of Sweatshop, we saw the end of the Olympians race, the Wheelchair race, which David Weir won, achieving a new world record but just missing the sub-3:00 mark. We also saw the elite men's and women's races before walking back to the station for the journey home.

'Not' Dad's birthday weekend!

Nice parkrun start to the weekend - Cam helped Clara to a near PB (just 9 seconds off).

Cam's follow-up toe appointment showed it is healing nicely.

A hairy moment when the clipper's slipped during Cam's haircut leaving a rather short section on the right side.

While Dad and Clara visited St Mary's islands food festival and Cremes for a touch of pudding.

Followed by a lovely meal at Whealden Hall with the Martins.

A curious incident...

A family evening at the Marlowe theatre to see the Curious Incident of the dog in the night-time.  We met Grandma, Grandpa, Jo, Diccon, Celeste and her friend Issy at the theatre at 7:00.  We were looking forward to seeing how the play had been adapted from the book, the reviews for this play have been excellent.

The play was 'nothing if not gripping' according to Issy during the interval.  This was a good summary; the play was great, a very interesting insight to the mind of a boy with autism. Good script, good acting, especially the actor playing Christopher, great choreography and stage lighting.

We really enjoyed it - and learned some A level maths!

Here toeday, gone tomorrow!

Cam had finally had his ingrowing toe nail operated on- a partial nail avulsion. After several months of trying to remove a little bit and hoping it would grow back properly, the chiropodist said that he would need an operation to sort it for good.

Cam left school early on Thursday to be at the chiropodists in Maidstone for a 1:00pm appointment.  The anaesthetic was the tricky bit as two injections are needed due to the way the nerves cross over in the toe. Also, there isn't a lot of room in the toe for the anaesthetic so it's quite uncomfortable. Once the toe was numb however the chiropodist went for it with cutting out the offending part of the toe nail before adding phenol * to kill the nail and stop it growing back.

After the toe was wrapped in several layers of bandages Cam went home to rest it.


Phenol - also used a component of industrial paint stripper and used to create Bakelite.

Larkfield 10k

Mum, Dad and Karen entered the Larkfield 10k starting at East Malling Research Centre and doing two laps of the course to end back at the start!  Just as we started the 2nd lap the winner was just finishing!!!   We did the 10k in 1:02 mins - 5 mins off our previous 10k time.  

It was a very warm morning to run but good fun.

Another exciting weekend for the Sprees

Clara went for a sleep over for Maddison's birthday, they went to Adventure Kids, followed by Dominoes and a chocolate foundation.  They had VERY little sleep as there was an unofficial competion to see who could put toothpaste on whose face while they slept, Kiana lost!

In the morning they had croissants and a quiz on the trampoline where the losers got a face full of squirty cream!

Cam had his first practice expedition for his Duke of Edinburgh award at Hope Hill Scout campsite in Meopham. He arrived at 10:00 Saturday morning with a ruck sack full of everything he needed and his share of the food for the weekend (breakfast bars and dried fruit for snacks).  His group included Sam, Lewis, Tom and Ben.

He was due to be collected at 4:00 but they finished their 13k walk early and was picked up at 3:00 - having had 6 hours worth of not very refreshing sleep. Learning points - take a pillow 😀

On a child free weekend Mum and Dad went to Sherlocks for dinner. A nice meal, exceptionally lovely wine, in an odd restaurant which felt like we were eating in someone's front room.
Owners Joan and David came out of the kitchen after cooking for a chat at the end of the evening.

Sunday morning was the Larkfield 10k from East Malling Research centre on a 2 lap circuit with Karen. Completed in 1:02  a pb for Mum 👍

Barming's B2R Woodland 5 and 10k

Jon and Chris did the 10k in 1:08 despite some monster hills (Jon could have run faster but was helping me out - thank you x). Cam ran the 5k in 24 mins which is a slow time for him but good for a new and very hilly course, coming 2nd overall! Well done Cam - proud of you.

2nd place got him a trophy (although we missed the prize giving) and a free sports massage.

Beautiful route - those hills tho!