Go, Go . . .

. . . Auntie Jo Jo.

This photo has been pinned to the board by my computer for a long time - lots of bits and pieces get pinned on there and then left. I had not realised just how long this photo had been up there until . . . 

Joanne has just told us that she is taking part in the London Marathon next April. As usual, she did not get through on the ballot, but has been offered a place by the PDSA. It will mean a lot of fund-raising but she is quite willing to do that as this is something they will do in memory of their dog Coopers whom they lost to cancer just a few months ago. Coopers was so much a part of their lives, and of ours, that she has left a big hole, as is the case with a much loved dog. So this seems to be a positive thing to work towards in her memory.

Joanne did remind us that the last time she did the Marathon was fifteen years ago and this is a photo taken as we met up with her in the park after the race. The little two year old I am holding is the sixteen year old we took to the Prom last week. The baby is the champion netball player we saw playing with her sister (who hadn’t been born at this point) last week. On the day of the Marathon we had all gathered in London and then hurtled round to different locations, by various means of transport, in order to sight Joanne, which we managed a few times. This was not easy with the two young ones and all the crowds. And we managed to carry the banner around with us too. The funny thing was that, as we saw Joanne and held up the banner, all the people around us would shout “Go, Go, Auntie Jo, Jo” - much to Joanne’s astonishment. Alice says she remembers the day, I wonder just how much of it she does remember. 

So, next April hopefully we will do it all again.