Not your average week...

This has surely not been an average week, not for streetgrowers nor for Great Britain as a whole.  The Olympic viewing schedule has caused us planning issues of our own, making sure that when booking in business meetings we don't clash with anything important like the heptathlon javelin competition. But it's also tried to catch us out when popping out to the garden to prune a few spent roses or throw a drop of water around in the greenhouse, we couldn't just pop out on a whim or we might risk missing a lightweight rowing fours gold medal being hard fought and won.  We have of course visited the Olympic park, just across the river and enjoyed a superb day in the park, watching GB take 2 golds at Eton Dorney from the 'Park Live' screen in the middle of the park on the river Lea.

The landscaping of the park is truly beautiful and adds colour scent and texture to the surroundings which have been designed to the highest standards leaving us feeling so very proud to be British, not just for the amazing medal collection we are gathering as a nation but because unlike our concerned anticipation of the possible failings of the organising committee they have in fact done a top job and created a wonderful set of venues to complement the amazing opening ceremony which we still haven't stopped talking about.

The atmosphere in the park was friendly and well informed with sporting trivia which gave us a positive boost just when it is needed most as this week has had more than it's average number of negatives too.  We heard earlier in the week that a good friend and previous work colleague had tragically collapsed and died from a huge brain haemorrhage.  Gill was a constant source of humour and happiness even on days when nothing seemed very funny and to think of her as gone has been hard, really hard but it has been a timely reminder that we have to make the most of every day, they are all so valuable in their finite existence.  When there have been odd moments of worry that leaving the security of a rat race job might not have been a safe decision, it will always stay with me that life is for living and we must take some risks in order to truly have adventures.  Our adventures are for us but a little part of them is also in loving memory of friends we have lost along the way in a tiny attempt to make up in some small way for their lost time.

Not only had this sad news dampened our week we also heard that a proposal we had made to establish a fresh produce cafe in the local town has been rejected by the board.  We had great plans and heaps of excitement for this project but it is obviously not meant to be.  Yet in this far from average week we have been surrounded by images and sound bites of athletes who have failed to reach their goal telling us how they will regroup, bounce back, train harder and continue trying for future successes.  So leaf out of their very wise book and we have done just the same, revisited our business plan and plunged more efforts into other projects and opportunities.

So yes a not very average week, but yes another exciting adventure in the life of streetgrowers in all it's many and varied forms. On the up side of all of this we now have a week ahead of us that is full of promise, ideas and adventure.