June 7 - Day 68 - 'Take my hand, I need you when the day is through Why don't you take my dreams and make them all come true.' Tom Jones

Today is Tom Jones’ 81st birthday. It’s not unusual, I know, that at this point we all think we would like to be able to keep going endlessly like he does and never slow down. Once upon a time during the 24 hours of June 7 1940 he was born in Pontypridd, South Wales. Little by little, as we try to remember his history, but these things we don’t forget, he quit school at 15, did various manual jobs, was on the road singing in clubs at night and he married at 17. It’s just a matter of time before Decca Records decided it was what the world needed now. He has sold over 100 million records and gone through various changes of album style creating a wonderful sound. I won’t lie, I don’t play his music very often but when you hit the road with one of his albums even if only once while on holiday, you need to get ready for great lyrics which include things that matter most to me and sentiments like, it never hurts to be nice to somebody.

Looking out of my window now and the busy situation on Queens’ Road, life’s too short to get to the end of the road any day now and for once in my life not keeping on going till I get it right, dreaming the impossible dream, strive for the realisation of my elusive dreams and get peace of mind so that one day soon amongst this and that, we do whatever it takes at St Wilfrid’s to create a better world. There is no guarantee but without you and all your support, it won’t be possible. I’m counting on you - so if I promise at this moment to stop using titles of Tom Jones songs, will you give me a chance to move closer to the sponsorship target. After all, remember I’ve been rained on too. So do what you gotta do, but hopefully this is sponsoring me Til I can’t take it anymore or at least reach 4500 miles, cycling past fields of yellow daisies and cool water. If not, at least count how many titles I’ve managed to get in and donate out of sympathy for the fact that it’s been a long long time with strange things I have to do. I can see clearly now, or at least think, there are 54 song titles but you might get a different number. I Thank you (oops that’s 55)

'The longer one stays here the more does the spirit of the moor sink into one’s soul, its vastness, and also its grim charm.' Arthur Conan Doyle