In the home straight

Well, I think we're almost there! I've started the London Loop (disastrously by going in a circle around Cockfosters), am doing my third training run for the 5k race with Mum tomorrow - and am looking forward to my trip to Berlin with Dad!

Last Saturday, we had my bowling party in Bayswater (there's a picture of Sasha enjoying herself!) and it was great. I drank so many cokes and had tons of birthday chocolate cake - although I did have to make a speech...

My first driving lesson!

What a day - Top Gear here I come! I spent an hour with John being taught the basics of driving - although when I took Dad for a drive, I don't think I've ever seen him so nervous. I can't wait till I'm 17.

Following several chats with Mum and Dad, we've now totally changed the reamaining three projects - although I'd already started two of them!

I've begun a 5km running project with Mum (with regular training and a charity race at the end); Dad and I are now going to walk the London Loop (a mere 150 mile circuit of London) starting next week - and Dad is taking me to Berlin in the Spring to see the 2nd World War memoriaals and the Berlin Wall..... Quite a change!

PS I've got to admit that Dad has written...

I'll soon be 13.....

....and the invitations are soon going out to my friends for our bowling party - with this blog address on! So, it's probably best to say what we've been doing for the last year - and still have yet to do...

I've been doing 13 projects of different sizes as a 'Coming of Age' programme (lots of them with Dad) to give me new experiences and opportunities(!) Many are covered in the monthly postings below - but to summarise:

I've ‘experienced’ a walk around London on the 78-mile ‘Capital Ring’; organised a Dinner Party for some real adults; 13 new Sports including deep-sea fishing, archery, golf and clay-pigeon shooting; a private driving lesson (tomorrow); 13 new areas of London – including Chelsea, South Ken, Olympic Site and St. Pancras; ‘Roots’ - visited birth / work / social / education places - of my mum, dad & grandparents; 13 Arty Experiences - art galleries, theatres, exhibitions, castles and museums; a Scouts Camping trip to Portugal – including a 40k ‘hike’; a few achievements – inc. the Jack Petchey Award and playing Mrs Thatcher in my school’s 150th anniversary play!; ‘Life Kills / Crisis Management’ (still to finish this one - but sounds interesting); starting a new business with my dad – watch this space; a secret project with Mum - something to do with line dancing (I think they ran out of ideas!) and finally; a Community Care project weekly.

I can't wait till Julius does his!

A great December

Wow - what a great month! Firstly I went clay pigeon shooting with Grandpa and dad - and I got the best score!!!!!

Then I did the last two sections of my walk around London - the first was with John, Sue and Freddie Smithers and that was a really glorious day, while the second was a bit emotional (or so Dad said) when we walked the last 5 miles to where we strarted in Hendon Park - and dad gave me a PSP 3000! Brilliant.

I also did some more Community Care and started a new project. Life Skills / Management - whatever that is - and has so far included erecting our new Conservatory shelving and getting a duvet into its cover. He's also threatening to drop me off and make me find my own way home with just £5.

The bad news is that Mum's secret project turns out to be a course in line-dancing - but the good news is that I've got my driving lesson tomorrow with John Smithers (one of my godfathers).

Almost There(ish!)

I did one of the most exciting things in my life this month when Dad took me to Hoddesdon for some karting. All dressed up in the right gear and rolling round the circuit! I was on there for an hour but really loved it. That and a Mcdonalds on the way home - heaven.

Reuben, my dad's friend, and his son Aaron joined us on Stage 13 of our walk. They came down from Manchester and Milton Keynes respectively - and I'm really grateful. It was from beautiful Osterley Lock to downtown Greenford - except he insisted we make it a 'dawn walk'. So we caught the 05.45 train from Golders Green...I won't bore you, but we were finished by 9.30 and had a great breakfast. I ate a big plate of chips!

I'v been doing my 'community care' every Monday this month - I'm really enjoying it - and we all braved Westfield, the new shopping mall. Didn't do much for me.

What I'm really looking forward to is my firsdt proper driving lesson on New Years Eve. John Smithers guarantees me I'll be able to drive like Lewis Hamilton after it!

An Easy October

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Our walk this month was the easiest so far - from Richmond to Boston Manor via Isleworth (really beautiful) lasting only 4 miles. Syon Park is great, although all the planes flying over....

I carried on with my 'community care' - this time helping with (amongst other things) an exercise programme. I also helped a little bit more with designing dad's new office.

I went to the Battle of Hastings (seriously!). We met one of my godfather's there - and saw a full re-enactment at Battle Castle. While I was there, I did some archery - and it was a beautiful day! Also, while we were in Southwold for half-term I did some rowing (and more kayaking and crabbing).

There's still nearly four more months to go - and I'm looking forward to the clay-pigeon shooting, karting day at Hoddesdon and a secret project with mum - while carrying on with the regulars.

Don't worry, it will be party time soon!

September....

We certainly got back into the swing of things. We did a family trip to Portobello Road Market and Notting Hill - can't see what all the fuss is about.

We did our 11th Walk (out of 15) from Wimbledon Common to Richmond Park. On the way, we passed this golf club where every golfer has to wear a red top. Cool. In spite of that, it was probably the 'prettiest' walk so far although it was 8 and a half miles all-in.

Two other interesting projects were also started. I am helping in a regular 'Community Care' project at our synagogue - this basically involves talking to and helping older people who have various mental / physical problems. It was a good experience (my Dad says).

Also, Dad (on mum's 'suggestion') is moving his office to an outdoor garden building (yet to be built) and I have drawn two possible designs for him - one internal and one external. I'm not sure whether I should put a bed in there!

October looks even busier!

August adventures

A funny month because although I was away a lot we got quite a few projects done.

We did our 'monthly' walk from Streatham to Wimbledon Park - which was very unexciting (apart from the above sign outside Wandsworth Cemetry) and which Dad felt was our 'marathon' wall (whatever that is). It might be something to do with the picture of me outside Wordsworth!

I also went to see the Cezanne Exhibition at the Courtaulds Institute - and took the chance to see Somerset House at the same time.

However, the highlight of the month was the Scouts Camp in Portugal which was probably the best thing I've ever done - and also gave me the chance to do SO MANY new sports including catamaran, kayaking and windsurfing - as well as a 40 kilometre walk with army-weight backpacks. It was all fantastic.

Dad says we're now going to get more serious and intensive. Oh dear.

That's more like it...

I'm really getting the hang of this now! Highlight of the month was my 'Roots' trip (or rather Dad revisiting his youth!).

We - together with Julius - went to Stamford Hill, Clapton, Hackney and Whitechapel (and even had time to check on the progress of the Olympic build!). We saw his old schools, home, workplaces and even a school he taught at for 6 months - it was, I suppose, quite interesting but perked up when we found a Macdonalds.

I saw Romeo & Juliet at the Regents Park Open Air Theatre - lots of kissing, violence and Dad drinking wine! - and did another walk, this time from Crystal Palace to Streatham (a mere 4 miles) .

Now, I'm told it really hots up! After August, when we're away a lot, we get into more 'stuff' - including my Community Care project, training for a 5km run with Mum and, possibly, some clay pigeon shooting! Pip Pip.

Mid-summer hiatus!

It's been a funny month! We did the longest walk of the Capital Ring, over 8 miles, to Crystal Palace with two of my Godfathers (John and Libs) - but not much else apart from lots of planning. Let's call it a mid-term hiatus!

Mum is now orgainising a 5k run for us to do together (for which we'll have to do training!), while Dad has promised we'll actually do the East End / Roots day in July.

He's also quite hot on getting some culture - and while he's given up on making me read HG Wells, we're going to see Romeo and Juliet at the Regents Park Open Air Theatre. Also, our trip to France is taking shape and he's now thinking of taking me to where he and Mum met - near Perpignan - and combining it with a walk across the Pyrennes

A Funny Month

It's been a funny month because a lot of my time has been taken up with appearing in School's 150th Anniversary production - in which one of my roles was as Mrs Thatcher - and getting a Merit in Grade 1 Oboe!

However, we did manage to do three walks!. The first - which turned into a family day - included going under the flight path at London City Airport (very noisy), walking under the Thames and catching the River Cruiser back to Charing Cross. The second had us visiting Charlton and Woolwich - meeting the same bus inspector twice at different locations - and then me 'collapsing' at Shooters Hill due to acting fatigue!

Finally, we did a mammoth 7 miles by completing the second walk - and then seeing beautiful Eltham Palace and Grove Park's 'interesting' neighbourhood. We were both shattered!

I also explored some new parts of London - including South Kensington. While I could take or leave the Royal College of Art, I thought Harrods was great - what donuts and plasma tv's! We also went to Chelsea - and saw Sloane Square, the Royal Army Hospital and the pagoda in Battersea Park.

I haven't quite made the East End yet, but have arranged to do some community work with old people in September, go sea-fishing on our holiday in France and sailing in Salcombe with one of my godfathers - and have been struggling through HG Wells 'The First Men on the Moon'.

Dad's so tired, he's gone for a lie-down!

A busy week-end

This month I've had two activities in one week-end!

The first was my Dinner Party for friends of my parents - John & Marilyn and Libs and Carol. I invited them round some time ago and decided on a menu. After some discussion with Mum, I settled on a starter of an unusual salad, salmon with stirfry vegetables and a desert of double layer chocolate cake with fresh summer fruit. It went really well and I was complemented on my cooking!

Then Sunday, we did stage 4 of the Walk - from Hackney Wick to Beckton. We walked past the Olympic building site - it was fascinating - and then had a really nice 5 mile stroll on some sewage pipes during which I told Dad the Facts of Life. Surprising how little he knows! The only drawback was that when we got to the end, we discovered that Royal Albert DLR Station (and the whole DLR network) was closed and so we ended up in East Ham.

I'm now thinking about May - and on top of another walk, may try to explore the East End and start a 'Care in The Community' project

We're On Our Way

Dad and I have already walked two stages of 'The Capital Ring' - our walk around London.

The first was from Hendon Park to Highgate on a beautiful sunny day - while we did the second last week from Highgate Station to Stoke Newington. The weather wasn't brilliant but Dad was still getting quite emotional towards the end. Something to do with his old stomping ground - whatever that is! Lord help us on Stage 3 which goes through Springfield Park.

I've also started on my 'London Football Grounds Tour' and have been to Wembley (Great win Spurs!) and Barnet (to see Rory as a mascot).

I've finished 'Lord of the Flies' and also read 'Animal Farm' - and failed to get past page 7 of 'Of Mice and Men' (Steinbeck).

Getting Started....

My first adventure was an operation on my ear - but I'm not sure that counts as it wasn't much fun!

After that I arranged a dinner party for some of my Godparents for April! They're coming round on a Saturday night and I (poosibly with my friend Oz) will be picking the menu, buying the food and cooking it! I'll probably get my younger siblings to do the menial tasks like laying the table and washing up(!) - but I hope I don't get too drunk!

Also, I've started reading 'Lord of the Flies' - which is very good - and I had my first golf lesson from Grandpa and managed to hit a ball 125 yards!

The other thing I've done is a bit cultural!!! I went with Dad to Borough Market (very crowded and very cheesy!), The Globe Theatre, Tate Modern (what a crack in the floor!) and over the Millennium - wobbly - bridge. I was shattered at the end of the day

My first blog

I am starting a 'Year of Adventure' (instead of a barmitzvah!) - and will be doing some really exciting things. And I've just learned that I've got the Jack Petchey Award from the scouts - so that's a good start! (I've no idea what it is, but Mum and Dad seem pleased),

These include learning to play golf, walking around London, going fishing, holding a dinner party (which I've already arranged!) and visiting all the football grounds in London! I'll give you more detail as we go along.

It will take me a year to do all these - and I'll keep you posted with my progress reports and pictures!