My friend Claire (not her real name) is disabled. Not disabled in mind, her brain is as sharp as a tack and she is determined to make the best of what life she has, but physically.
Claire often uses a motorised wheelchair to get about and there are days when she cannot raise the energy to get out of bed.
Claire loves books, partly because there are days when she can do little else but read - or, rather, listen. That's how we met, at one of the audiobook groups at our local library.

It was as I checked Ceefax for the last time before getting into the taxi on my way to Birmingham Airport and a week in Fuerteventura that I discovered that Gareth "I really need Champions League football" Barry had signed for............Manchester City.

Clive Tyldesley doesn't get a lot right, but ITV's oh-so-pleased-with-himself football commentator was right on the money during the European Cup final.

Last weekend, I did something I don't do very often and probably haven't done for 12 months.
I enjoyed it so much that I'm intending to do it again tomorrow.

I discovered pretty early on in life that I'd never make a golfer. Actually, I discovered pretty early on in life that I'd never make an active sportsman of any sort but that's another story.

I've moaned enough times on here about the money-obsessed nature of football these days, from the Premier League right down to the Conference National and below. But something happened this week to remind me of the game's everlasting ability to touch the hearts and stir the emotions of people of every age, of every nation, of every lifestyle.

I'm grateful to my colleague Rob Tanner, for bringing readers' attention to the thrilling end to the non-league football season, in particular the battles involving Burton Albion and Tamworth.
Burton can look after themselves (or maybe they can't, as they sit on the verge of blowing a 17-point lead) but as you may have seen by now, Tamworth clinched the Blue Square North title this week, courtesy of a fist-gnawingly tense 1-0 win over Hinckley Town at The Lamb.

This is truly the business end of the season when the fates of football clubs up and down the land in so many divisions of the football pyramid are decided after a long, hard season.
Wolves are back in the Premier League and Blues are on the cusp of joining them.
Albion's fate was all but sealed last weekend, while Villa still face a fight to maintain their UEFA Cup spot.
But it is further down the pyramid that has grabbed my attention recently. In the spit and sawdust, and real ale realm of non-league football.
Burton Albion are desperately clawing their way to the finish line to book their place in the Football League for the first time in the club's history having picked up a case of the promotion jitters in recent weeks.
If they manage to hang on, what an amazing feat that would be and credit to everyone associated with the club.
Just a few years ago, the Brewers were competing alongside my hometown club of Tamworth in the Conference, but while the Lambs were left behind, the Brewers went from strength to strength, thanks mainly to the move to the Pirelli Stadium.
Their new facility gave them the foundation to build upon, to generate their own off-the-field income and build a club capable of sustaining itself at a higher level.
Tamworth tried to do exactly the same but have been met with barrier after barrier, mainly due to local politics and a lack of support from various entities.
As a result, when Tamworth were surviving in the Conference but looking to push on to secure their future, they were left in limbo and left behind.
They were relegated and have been through a process of rebuilding. Tonight, their recovery could be complete because if they beat Hinckley United at The Lamb, they will be promoted back to the Conference Premier. It would be an achievement on a par with Burton's.
If Burton are promoted what a boost that would be to the town and I am sure everyone would want to share in the celebrations, and deservedly so. Would the name of the town be in the national spotlight more for anything else but football? I doubt it.
If Tamworth do it, on their own terms but with the help of their fantastically loyal band of supporters, I am sure many around the town, including local dignitaries, would also want a taste of the bubbly.
But I wonder how many outside the club truly deserve it.

Of all the sports to have sold their souls to television and money, I think cricket has suffered the worst.
Did you know there is still one match to go in England's interminable tour of the West Indies? Actually, if the dispute between the West Indies players and authorities over (guess what?), money, is not resolved, it may have finished already.

I have been fortunate enough to watch rugby for a living for more than five years now and I've seen some wonderful matches and individual performances in that time.

And I've always said that Birmingham & Solihull's victory over London Wasps in February 2004 was the highlight of that period.

How the world marvelled as the butchers, bakers and candlestick makers dumped the biggest names in the sport on their illustrious backsides.

Saturday was another such occasion. Moseley's National Trophy semi final upset was cast from the same mould.

No, that's not quite right, rather it was the same cocktail of manic motivation and condescending complacency that left Exeter comatose in the gutter and Moseley intoxicated with their own success.