Coming back to me
Hello. I’m back. I flew in overnight from Dakar via Paris with a fair bit of hassle. Less than twenty-four hours ago I was in one of the the driest, dustiest and most remote places I’ve ever set foot, and now I am pounding along the M1 towards Sheffield (that’s right, itinerary fans, I haven’t even been home) for reasons not worth going into, but to do with supporting my excellent wife, who has single-handedly parented the boy so that I could go and meet other people’s kids in West Africa.
The trip was, perhaps as you might expect, pretty mindblowing. I won’t blog about it now but I’ll write it up in the next few days.
Checking the internet at Paris Charles de Gaulle with some trepidation – four days away from the internet, in our generation, feels like having been banished to Siberia – I had the odd experience of going onto my own website to see what ‘I’ had been saying. Of course it wasn’t me but the emergency blogging team, who kept things up admirably in my absence, ensuring that the reckless and probably unsustainable dream of a ten-year blog survives for now.
I’ve only skim-speed-read the excellent and varied collection of blogs by our temps, because of time and fatigue, but I’ll be getting to grips with them later today. Particular mention should be made of Corry, whose entry, yesterday, I DID read properly. She wasn’t even meant to be doing a blog, but filled in because I had entrusted her with the task of running the show while I was away. It’s a great blog and worth reading Andy’s Comment, regarding Cystic Fibrosis, too. I’ll come back to that specific subject, but massive thanks to Corry as well as Megan, Elizabeth and Madeleine for stepping in.
I will probably need a bit of time to get back into proper, waffly, organising-silly-competitions blogging mode, because of the backlog of work created by my insane trip, but something like normal service has now, at least, been resumed…
Posted by Knox on May 23, 2011
It is lovely to have you back once again (I’m not even sure which time I mean!) – always nice to know you’re in the same continent… not sure why, though, as it makes no practical difference in terms of blogging. Most of the time. The emergency bloggers have all been brilliant, though, so no worries that we’ll ever be left without a blog to enjoy if you’re not able to (grammar is atrocious throughout this comment – please ignore)
Posted by fuzzy_ducky (Laura) on May 19, 2010
I’m going to get a bit soppy here – I’ve missed you. I haven’t realised I’ve missed you – Mark Watson actually writing these blogs until today, where you say you’re back.
Clicking into your bookmark to enter your blog page and seeing, first thing, Mark Watson is away sent me to click the X button.
But you’re back!! And I’ll look forward to tomorrows blog.
Posted by Alex on May 19, 2010
Hi, are you doing another series of your radio show?
Posted by TimRS on May 19, 2010
Hey Mark,
Really gutted to be missing Sunday evening’s footie extravaganza (always nice to be able to use that word). Any chance you will be repeating the show? Somewhere wheelchair accessible? My front room’s free, and conveniently located between the front door and the kitchen. This means refreshments can be made available at no extra cost, but should you wish to avoid a particular condiment, say, you can go straight to the venue (my front room) without issue.
I’ll even let you eat crumbly snacks on the sofa, but don’t tell my daughter. She’ll be livid, as she’s not allowed to.
Tim
Posted by Helen on May 19, 2010
Glad to see you back and to hear the trip went well – looking forward to reading about it. Emergency Blogs were indeed brilliant and insightful, but I, like Cathy, also missed your pearls of wisdom and the other not-so-wisdomy-but-extremely-enjoyable-and-fun things that you blog about.
To sum up: Welcome Back.
Posted by Natalie-Helen on May 19, 2010
Welcome back! I’m glad you had a good trip ( relative to what you were actually doing there) Can’t wait to hear more on the topic.
Agreed, the guest bloggers all did stirling work so thanks to them for filling in!
By the way I’ve read “Eleven” all the way through, just finished it last night! It’s amazing, and incredible, and fantastic! I really enjoyed it, both the story line and the characters. The writing is so slick, it is kind of strange to imagine Mark in his comedian hat to have written it! But it was fab. Highly highly recommended to everyone! If anyone who regularly reads the blog and is yet to be convinced by the all round wonderfulness of Mark and wasn’t definately going to buy the book anyway, I urge you to get on to Amazon now and pre-order it, for you and everyone you know.
^_^
Posted by amycool on May 19, 2010
Welcome home! I’m sure you will agree that your emergency bloggers did an amazing job – all four were brilliant. I’m looking forward to hearing how your trip went.
Oh and a big massive thank you for finally getting my Mum to relax and read a book. Okay so it took a celebrity to send one to her letterbox but I think it was worth it.
Can’t wait to read it for myself (if only to give me a break from Ulysses). xxx
Posted by Sarah on May 19, 2010
Glad you had a safe trip! I look forward to your next post talking all about Senegal.
Four days away from the internet is (sadly) a long time (especially in todays world). Glad you didn’t suffer from massive withdrawals like those kids in Korea (or was it China?). Best advise, don’t try to catch up on tweets. They’re pretty pointless unless you’re bored and a compulsive internet checker.
Posted by Madeleine on May 19, 2010
Welcome back Mark, relived you made it back safe and were not hampered by Iceland volcano 2: The re-ashening. Enjoy being back to your family, I was glad to be part of the team to deliver the blog back to your safe hands.
Posted by Terry on May 19, 2010
Good to have you back Mark, hope you had a good time, well not a good time but I’m sure you understand what I mean.
A quick update from me, I entered the MP3 competition saying I couldn’t find my Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobious Pip album, and the good news is yesterday I found it under my, and I’m not ashamed to say, Rolf Harris Greatest Hits cd’s.
Posted by Anji on May 18, 2010
Glad you managed to get back – hope by now you have managed to pause and take stock of at least a few things!
Bet it was great seeing baby Watson again, how many changes did you notice? Of course lovely seeing the lady and possibly the cat – if you’ve made it home yet!
Looking forward to hearing about the trip. And a big thumbs up to your stand ins. All very good.
Posted by LisaD on May 18, 2010
Not only am I glad you’re back, I’m relieved and even more impressed with you than before. Doing ONE blog for this site made me rather stressed out so your ability to be engaging every day is mind-boggling to me. Glad you’re back and glad to be going back to my sporadic blog with it’s teeny reader list.
Posted by Catherine on May 18, 2010
Yea! You’re back. Blogs were outstanding, but missed your pearls of wisdom.
Cathy (not in America, in Spain)
Posted by Misha on May 18, 2010
Glad you made it back safe. Also makes me feel better that if there are still volcano problems that my Dad might manage to find a way home. (works trip)
4 days is a long time in the internet. I’m afraid to inform you the world as we know it ended, but this new one looks exactly the same.
Posted by Someone on May 18, 2010
Morrrrrnin’! :]
Posted by Rachael on May 18, 2010
Good to see you back on duty Mark, look forward to hearing more about the trip.
Posted by Maddie on May 18, 2010
Welcome back Mark!
As others have already mentioned, do remember to have a rest.
Posted by lisa brunders on May 18, 2010
Good to have you back. But as you have seen we were well looked after while you were away.
Have a rest, you deserve it
Posted by Carl on May 18, 2010
As tweeted earlier: welcome back!
I also wanted to thank you. Several weeks ago you tweeted about your 442 blog, and I responded saying something along the lines of: “Lucky chap, 442 never got back to me”. Subsequently they got in touch with me and I shall now be 442′s League One blogger after a few details gets worked out. Whoop whoop. So, yeah, thank you!
Posted by A lot of Rach[a]els on May 18, 2010
Good to see you back.
Rest up a lot and we look forward to hearing about the trip.
Posted by rachel (pandora) on May 18, 2010
looking forward to hearing all about it Mark. please have a nice rest first though!