As august ended and september began, we had 2 paralympic days with my mum 
I have to say, when i booked them a year ago they were consolation prizes for not getting in the velodrome, aqatic centre or olympic arena with the main olympics. I am still wishing i had just paid more or tried for more tickets originally for the olympics, but hey ho! However, by the time we got near to going, I was ashamed with my original rationale, and excited to be going to the paralympics rather than having them as a commiseration prize. I have loved the olympics and paralympics vastly more than I had anticipated – indeed initially went to both ‘for the children’! i loved the perpetual summer feel of halycon days, the good temperedness, happy mood and the olympic park was a fantastic venue and i loved meeting up with mum somewhere and having fun together. I must make sure that some of my wednesdays are spent in london meeting her at a museum or art gallery and ‘doing lunch’ in the future.
ANyway, back to the paralympics, we trooped in for the early morning start, got that ‘buzz’ as we got to the stratford gate sign – after a minor panic when i set of alarms – migraine tablet in foil packaging in my pocket – won’t do that again!! Had the irresistable urge to ‘bolt’ – ell, some of us obliged 
Met up with mum by the Orbit and blue umbrellas and had some more breakfast before walking to the aquatics centre. There were lots [and lots!] of stairs to climb as we were v near the top. I can see why the ‘poor’ seats were no good for diving, as you would only have seen as ppl hit the water. However, we got a good enough view of pool, and were near a v big screen [which bb elected to watch] and saw loads of the big names in heats. It was v moving to see people with such limited mobility out of the water swimming so well, and loads of cheering. One thing about the olympics and paralympics is that everyone is cheering everyone. A real celebration of sport and achievement. the other moving thing was a v elderly lady being helped up by prob grandchildren as my age taking her time and finally viewing the swimming from on high – felt she deserved a cheer to for indomnitability!
After the swimming session ended we had our packed lunch and watched more action on the big screen in the park for a chilled afternoon. the weather was glorious, and we found a bit that was dappled shade so I was happy perfect
the following week we were back to see the athletics. there was a bit of trepidation, as we were 20 rows higher and how many stairs would this equate too? however, similar start of perfect weather day. pain au chocolate and brioche on the tube, met mum by the orbit [bb had some of her lunch!] and a lazy wander to the olympic arena. when we got in, expecting to climb about 6 million flights of stairs! I obviously got the sympathetic venue person, who directed us to the lift . Mum was v happy however, since the venue is ‘buried’ i think there are less stairs than aquatics anyway. we wandered around the verandah taking pics of the view and then settled into our seats. mum and i thought them perfect. we were v central, had a perfect view of the medal podium, the day was glorious, but we were shaded. We cheered and clapped until we were hoarse and our hands hurt. even BB didn’t fall asleep! we sang god save the queen for david weir, and the russian national anthem and watched a variety of track and field including partialy sighted relay – where we could only cheer at the end. Utterly loved it. It was really hard walking out to know this was the last event we were going to.
we came out and had a packed lunch on a table and bench for a change by the eating venues, and umbrella [well, we did buy tea ] right near the megastore. BB suddenly realised there was a shop [kerching] and so we went in, with mum giving them shopping money, and we did too. SB v quickly sorted herself out with writing set and notebook with DH, but I had the more onerous task of enabling BB to make a choice on the mascots that wouldn’t beat her budget. SOme negotiation and deliberation later [it did take quite a while!] and she settled on a union jack mandeville and orange wenlock [i perfered the gold ones!] . we did tease her, and for a while she thought they were wendeville and manlock – naughty mummy! . she was v v happy with her purchase and remained so. my phone ran out of charge – so no more pics of the day. we had a lovely drink at a table and soaked in the atmosphere before finally making her way home. i wish now we had stayed until late eve, but it was a horrendously busy working week, and i had worked the weekend, and I wasn’t sure that i would be able to make it to the end of the week if we had a late night. sense prevailed over sensibility.
I miss the olympics, and had a huge feeling of the party is over. someho just being in the park was a fantastic feeling. the olympics and paralympics may well have cost more than the country had to spend, and i will pay in taxes and wage cuts for that etc etc, but TBH, it was brill. If we are going to doom and gloom for years in recession, at least there has been a bright light for a bit