The Return of the Native?

So I am back..... but will I stay?

I never thought I would be one of those people who said " I don't know how I found time to work " but I found myself saying it recently. I can understand the pressure on people who have grandchildren to enjoy, family weddings, elderly parents, a garden, lots of friends to meet up with, hospital appointments, and general living to occupy their time.

Yesterday I stood for hours and applauded runners doing the Great North Run 2018; I was in the usual good company (plus a naval commander- a lady- which pleased me- in our bus shelter at the usual distance up the LONG SLOW climb up the John Reid Road; my arms ached in spite of having clappers and cow bells (everybody knows  the racket is us and where we'll be!) I wondered at the kindness of the locals who hand out hundreds of ice pops (their freezers must be absolutely stacked up for this event), hundreds of cut segments of oranges and tons of boiled sweets. This year was so warm and dry; I have never seen so many people walking- even some of the elite runners. Sadly ambulances whizzed through the runners to give help and lots of appointed health marshals ride up and down the route on their bikes monitoring the condition of the entrants.
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The Red Arrows are magnificent, the locals are kindness personified, spectators applauding along the route are many, the bands playing for hours on the road side need thanks but the runners fundraising for so many charities are just fantastic.

I wish I had entered it when I was younger- I wish that every year. People say every Northerner should do it at least once. Damn!

P.S. Who was John Reid? He can't ever have realised his name would be known all over the world.