Day 16, Sat 17th Sept. Charlestown to Fowey

C'mon Grandad, I can even run with a broken arm

Neil, Maddie,Jack,Lucy,Alison

No prizes for guessing that today started with heavy showers which continued right into the evening. We have now lost the ridge of high pressure and September has once more stolen the clothes from another month, this time March or April.

But the main focus of attention was  Lucy’s birthday and, just like last night, her excitement was quite tangible as she opened her cards and presents. As for me, it meant a day away from my normal routine of getting up at  5 am and instead,enjoying the luxury of a lie-in until 7am. Mama mia, what joy! But there was to be no slacking and by 1130 we all went to the historic and picturesque village of Charlestown, near St Austell . (Pub quiz question: name a coastal village in Cornwall that is NOT picturesque!) After a photo call with the grandchildren and me imitating the start of the Olympic 100 metres sprint, I shot off like a bullet out of a gun to blast over the hills and far away while the kids were taken to meet some friends in Fowey, the location of Alison’s triathlon tomorrow which starts by swimming across the Fowey estuary at 9 am. (And they have the cheek to call ME mad?!!).

But what the casual onlooker did not appreciate as I disappeared into the far distance, was the fact that my Achilles was as keen for a run as a dog is for a bath. There is no doubt that my Achilles heel is now fast becoming a pain in the neck and that soon, a hunt will be organised to find another  fizzio, this time in the St Austell area: could be painful! Meanwhile all budding hypochondriacs are advised to  watch this space closely. And so to bed