Crossing the finishing line!

My husband Chris, 15 year old son Joe and his friend Isaac (left to right) crossed the finishing line this afternoon for the Orchid Cancer charity bike ride in the New Forest today. The boys were shattered but triumphant and, despite making the decision to race only as late as this Wednesday, they raised over £1,000 for male cancer. It's still not too late to donate at Just Giving.

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far and for the messages of encouragement. I am chuffed to have a 15 year old fundraiser in the family, he's such a super chap. Chris and Joe want you to know that the above shot is of them crossing the finishing line, despite it saying 'start' above them. At this point they had completed their 50 miles in 5 hours 15 minutes, with a few chocolate stops along the way. Oh and the odd beer.

In the meantime Katie and I created a victors' meal with the allotment produce. We made the usual beetroot brownies, Katie's epic apple and walnut loaf, some roasted vegetables with my parsnips and carrots and a chicken roasted with home-grown tarragon. We added Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Dauphinoise potatoes that we got excited about having listened to Woman's Hour on Radio 4 and some runner beans, roasted beetroot and homemade crabapple jelly. It is now, I can report, all gone, and although some of us were rather hungry, it all went down well with rave reviews.