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10 July Day 35 - Newcastle to Darlington

I am smothered in a cold and was forced to miss the relay today - but I kept up with reports by pressing the red button on my television during the ´óÏó´«Ã½ regional news, watching the ´óÏó´«Ã½ breakfast weather girls and going to . I missed our friend PC Dave Lee - one of the National Escort Group (NEG) that has been escorting the Baton Relay as he carried the baton across Tyne Bridge. He even got his picture on ´óÏó´«Ã½ North West Tonight's countdown to the Games. With tissues and tinctures I plan to meet up with the relay again in Leeds for a massive event to celebrate the baton's arrival in Temple Newsam Park – I can’t miss that one – the Queen’s coming!

9 July Day 34 - Berwick Upon Tweed to Newcastle

The sun shines on the righteous and here in the North East we seem to be getting the best of it - what a miserable July. I hope the weather picks up for the 25th. Athlete Jonathan Edwards brought the baton over the Millennium Bridge to the evening celebration on Newcastle's trendy quayside area which included a mix of chinese dragons, bhangra and samba music. The convoy's thoughts are already turning towards the end of the week; the big one in Leeds with a visit from the Queen and then another long trek down to London for three days in the capital.

8 July Day 33 - Washington to Berwick Upon Tweed

I met my friends in Cullercoats to witness the relay from the viewpoint of a local resident. Schoolkids cheered and waved their flags as the motorbike riders flashed their sirens followed by buses, motorhomes and vans in convoy.......and the baton runner. A moment in history which passed all too quickly leaving the children chanting "CAD-BREE CAD-BREE CAD-BREE"!

7 July Day 32 - Middlesbrough to Washington

The QJBR stage was a visiting attraction at the annual international kite festival. GMTV agony aunt Denise Robertson brought the baton on to the stage as thousands cheered, the sky littered with shapes of all sizes and colours.

6 July Day 31 - York to Middlesbrough

An unexpectedly beautiful sunny morning so sneaked ahead of the convoy to enjoy a coffee and hunt round the fossil shops at Robin Hood's Bay. The baton received a blessing from the Archbishop on the steps of the Minster before travelling on to Middlesborough via Whitby and Scarborough where we bumped into Sir Jimmy Saville. Now then now then.

4/5 July Day 29/30 - Sheffield to York

Convoy swooped into the city over the North Yorkshire Moors past the tourists in Skipton and Harrogate and fields of poppies. Snooker's Peter Ebdon brought the baton home.

3 July Day 28 - Grimsby to Sheffield

Opera Singer, Lesley Garrett ran in Doncaster today. She had got the wardrobe department to alter her shorts so they looked a tad more glam.

2 July Day 27- Lincoln to Grimsby

Driving through peaceful Lincolnshire with its low population - it was almost like the scene from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when the child catcher arrives - everywhere deserted! Perhaps they are all in watching the tennis. It can be warm and sunny one minute and grey and rainy the next - as I discovered enjoying the best polysterene cup of tea ever in the beach cafe in Mablethorpe.