Two dogs and a man - Good to be back!!

Supporter Number One - Bertie - The Ahhhh factor dog!

Supporter Number Two - Rusty - known by his friends as 'The Boss!'

Annie - The star of tonights Race!

After what has been probably the busiest three weeks of my career it is wonderful to be relaxing at home today with my fabulous wife Annie.

At last I’m able to start to catch up on Simplicity Blogging. Apologies for infrequent postings in the last three weeks – I’ve missed the discussions - but I’m back and raring to go!

As I write this on an overcast wet Wednesday morning (England is still wonderful in spite of the weather) in Shakespeare’s County, there is about 8 hours to go before Annie runs the 5k ‘Race for Life’ for the fourth consecutive year

No pressure of course but it’s not too late to sponsor Annie’s fund raising efforts for Cancer by clicking here.

Our two dogs Rusty and Bertie and me will be providing moral support this evening (complete with umbrella) at Coombe Abbey near Coventry ....

So best of luck darling – hope the sun shines!

Lucy Johnson

In the words of Lucy's parents;

''Buried under bandages, wires and tubes galore,

lies a fighter of unmatched strength'

Through my Simplicity Blog today I am asking anyone who reads this to remember in your prayers a little girl fighting for her life in the US.

I’ve got to know Dick Field in the last couple of years through my writing and through Simplicity Blog. Dick works in healthcare in the US military and so we have things in common, not least we are both Grandfathers. Dick’s Grand daughter Lucy Johnson is currently fighting to survive a double lung transplant. Little Lucy is 8 months old and been awaiting a double lung transplant since December.

After the diagnosis of Lucy’s rare lung disease her family were informed shortly after her premature birth that Lucy’s only hope of survival is bilateral lung transplant, and this was performed at St. Louis Children's Hospital just a few days ago. Lucy continues her battle and as Dick says ‘I believe this little girl is being saved for something special.’

There are many people throughout the US and beyond who are now praying for Lucy. Regardless of religious beliefs I ask all readers of Simplicity to find some time to pray for this little girl and ask your friends to do the same.

You can read more about Lucy at this link http://www.carepages.com/AboutCarePage?id=125313 where you can register for updates on Lucy’s condition. Once you have your registration you can search for LucyGwendolynJohnson and you will then be able to access a message board and updates as well as many photos of her short life that has been spent entirely in hospital.

We may not be able to offer hands on practical help for Lucy at this time but we can all pray - and God of course hears us.

Fun at the Zoo

Annie and I had a trip to Devon last week to see my three children and two Grandsons Sebastian and Reece. We went to the Zoo and I was able to generally act in a very immature way. This included playing in the ball pit with Sebastian and getting told off that adults are not supposed to climb on the apparatus! .... I hope I never grow up. Annie took lots of great pictures .... A few are shown here.