I have had a very important phone call

This morning, little Duncan called me to inform me that he had been playing helicopters. Some ducks and a man were involved in some way. The ducks, I was reliably informed, went "Quack quack quack". He then announced that they were all going on a train to Glasgow. He said "Bye bye see you later Uncle John" several times. breezle acted as translator and facilitator.

I'm still grinning. I can't think of a better way to start the day.

I want one

Today, I held in my hands a genuine Olympic medal.

After shooting on the field this morning and working (rather successfully) on using my drawing shoulder more efficiently I popped over to the Lilleshall National Sports Centre. Harry, my coach, was there with a junior from my club he coaches, as today was the county junior squad training day. Also, Alison Williamson, a top GB archer for many years, was due to be there to help the kids, so I thought I might have a chance to watch her shoot.

As it happens I turned up a bit late. Everyone except the junior, his Mum, my coach and Alison had gone, and they were just finishing up. While Alison was chatting to the junior, Harry reached down to Alison's kit bag and said, "Here, look at this," before putting the bronze medal she won in Athens into my hands.

It was beautiful. The goddess Nike on one side, an inscription in Greek on the other. I was transfixed.

Harry turned to Alison and joked that he'd managed to find a buyer for her medal. Alison chatted with me for a bit about bows and so on, and then it was time to lock up the hall.

I drove home in something of a daze. I know the odds that I'll ever have one of my own are vanishingly small, but I also know that I want one of my own. And there's only one way to get one.