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Apr. 24th, 2007 10:15 pmOff this evening to an office block on a roundabout between Fareham and Southampton, just round the corner from my beloved place of work, to attend a reception in honour of Dee Caffari's running the London Marathon.
There were just about 20 people there, all either personal contacts of Dee's (hence the reason me ma and I were invited while the poor old Mayor and Mayoress of Fareham weren't) or connected with Sail 4 Cancer, the charity she supports. It was an informal, friendly affair, with glasses of wine freely flowing, a simple but nice buffet of samosas, onion bhajis, tasty Indian chicken pieces and chocolate cake, and everybody happy to talk. I had quite a long chat with Jo, one of Dee's support team; she told me how Dee had had a terrible time on Sunday, throwing up after 10 miles, but the thought of the people her charity supports kept her going right to the end. I got to have a quick talk to Dee, till she was peeled away from me because 'someone really wanted a word' with her.
Got into conversation with a lady from the office block's host company by the wine table. Remarking on her admiration for Dee, she said how Dee was the only person in the room who's run the London Marathon.
"Well, as far as we know she is," I concurred.
"Coming here to support her, it's like we're associated in her doing it," the lady smiled. I told her I'd sponsored Michelle Dewberry to do this year's.
"Ooooh!" Her lips pursed. "You're the opposition, then! I'm sure in your heart you were sponsoring Dee," she grinned. I turned the conversation onto Dee's visit to the Parlour a few months ago.
After Dee had made her brief speech thanking us all to a round of applause, Connie from Sail 4 Cancer took over, said "You're not getting off that lightly" and started an auction. The lots included a London Marathon T-shirt signed by Dee - when bidding stalled at £30, someone called out "By the way, Sally Gunnell has touched this T-shirt. And Steve Cram, and Nell McAndrew - there, I thought that'd get the fellas interested." As my mother had a Gosporteers meeting, we had to leave just as Connie began to auction the actual vest Dee wore for the Marathon.
So for me, it was home to watch Sky Sports News for any word of the Hawks' fortunes. Some hope. I soon learned that, midweek, you're as likely to get news from the Turkish Topless Bowls League as you are the Conference South. When their 10 pm news bulletin came round with still absolutely nothing about Conference South, I fired up the PC and logged on to Sky Sports' online Scores Centre.
Hawks only drew 1-1, but that really wasn't bad away to Salisbury. And Bishop's Stortford only drew and Newport County lost, so we'll certainly be in the play-offs if Newport don't win at Weston on Thursday - and if we beat Fisher on Saturday, we'll be second or third regardless. I'll take that.
There were just about 20 people there, all either personal contacts of Dee's (hence the reason me ma and I were invited while the poor old Mayor and Mayoress of Fareham weren't) or connected with Sail 4 Cancer, the charity she supports. It was an informal, friendly affair, with glasses of wine freely flowing, a simple but nice buffet of samosas, onion bhajis, tasty Indian chicken pieces and chocolate cake, and everybody happy to talk. I had quite a long chat with Jo, one of Dee's support team; she told me how Dee had had a terrible time on Sunday, throwing up after 10 miles, but the thought of the people her charity supports kept her going right to the end. I got to have a quick talk to Dee, till she was peeled away from me because 'someone really wanted a word' with her.
Got into conversation with a lady from the office block's host company by the wine table. Remarking on her admiration for Dee, she said how Dee was the only person in the room who's run the London Marathon.
"Well, as far as we know she is," I concurred.
"Coming here to support her, it's like we're associated in her doing it," the lady smiled. I told her I'd sponsored Michelle Dewberry to do this year's.
"Ooooh!" Her lips pursed. "You're the opposition, then! I'm sure in your heart you were sponsoring Dee," she grinned. I turned the conversation onto Dee's visit to the Parlour a few months ago.
After Dee had made her brief speech thanking us all to a round of applause, Connie from Sail 4 Cancer took over, said "You're not getting off that lightly" and started an auction. The lots included a London Marathon T-shirt signed by Dee - when bidding stalled at £30, someone called out "By the way, Sally Gunnell has touched this T-shirt. And Steve Cram, and Nell McAndrew - there, I thought that'd get the fellas interested." As my mother had a Gosporteers meeting, we had to leave just as Connie began to auction the actual vest Dee wore for the Marathon.
So for me, it was home to watch Sky Sports News for any word of the Hawks' fortunes. Some hope. I soon learned that, midweek, you're as likely to get news from the Turkish Topless Bowls League as you are the Conference South. When their 10 pm news bulletin came round with still absolutely nothing about Conference South, I fired up the PC and logged on to Sky Sports' online Scores Centre.
Hawks only drew 1-1, but that really wasn't bad away to Salisbury. And Bishop's Stortford only drew and Newport County lost, so we'll certainly be in the play-offs if Newport don't win at Weston on Thursday - and if we beat Fisher on Saturday, we'll be second or third regardless. I'll take that.
