lejog - is definitely on the cards - I just need a clear couple of months clear of meetings etc....

Country to capital .... 44 miles ..... from Wendover to Madavale near Paddington.
feet were great just shame about the groin, glutes  and ITB from mile 26 that rendered me to a shuffle ( as walking was even more painful.  with 6 miles until the end .... I wanted to pull out ... I turned to go back to the final check point ... and one passing lady uttered a couple of words of encouragement (aka you can't do that now) ...... so onward, stopping to relieve the pressure every 1/2 mile ... I got to the end before cut off.

Time to quickly recover before the next 50 miler (Thames Trot) in 3 weeks time - not a lot of recovery time ... eeeek but at least I have moved from the ' I am never going to put myself through an ultra again- especially not 44 miles' (this was whilst running) to now eager to get to the start line.

Ahh The London Sinfonia in the field ..... After a couple of failed attempts ... finally tonight I managed to get there. Stunning as always ....

Encore  was fab ... Created a golden beam .... ;o)).  Happy memories and days .... Luf

RFH - lovely performance of Richard Wagner: Prelude to Act 1 from Lohengrin

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Triple Concerto
Interval
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5

Romantic symphonic masterpieces from Wagner, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky.

When he composed his Fifth Symphony in 1888, Tchaikovsky was on the brink of emotional collapse. Hounded by a homophobic society, tortured by a loveless existence and paranoid as to the worth of his artistic abilities. He confounded all three with his Fifth Symphony, the most honest, dramatic and optimistic of his turbulent final three.

If Tchaikovsky's symphonic journey to his hoped-for redemption is music straight from the heart, Beethoven's Triple Concerto appears to be born more of the head. Here is a concerto all about balance, precision and beauty, but still making room for a lively Polish folk dance in its gregarious finale.

Performers

London Philharmonic Orchestra
Jukka-Pekka Saraste conductor
Maria João Pires piano
Augustin Dumay violin
Antonio Meneses cello

Aspgtu

Usually at this time I write reflections on the last year and roll out the bucket list with excitement.....

It is probably too raw and painful to do this at the moment so will have to return to it at a later date ..... but suffice to say:

Life is too short : but at least my father is reunited with my mother - .... but I miss them both - greatly.