As well as doing a whole lot of good, GoodGym runs never fail to throw up some surprises! Saturday's litter picking session was no exception. Throughout the morning, Andy and I came across a 200-strong horse drawn cart parade, a convention of corgis in Christmas jumpers in Hyde Park, a very rare English bulldog and a mystery package in Little Venice. We also collected two huge bin bags of plastic bottles and other waste, made friends with some German tourists and spotted the parakeets in the park. A morning well spent!

Helping set up for a driving theory workshop at North Paddington Youth Club.

I helped set up for a driving theory workshop at North Paddington Youth Club.

I'm aware that Maida Vale isn't really that far west in the overall scheme of London, but for someone who's normally out East, it made a pleasant change of scene- and as I'd been near Paddington, today's shop for Mr R proved an easy and pleasant walk and explore of a new 'hood.

As per last time his list was detailed and easy to follow, and even in these inflationary times, Mr R has the prices right as we still got change from his crisp £20 note. Overall a very pleasant way to spend a damp Monday afternoon, and Mr R was very grateful for this week's assistance.

Unfortunately all the moving parts of this particular mission didn't align this afternoon - as Ms S is bed bound, the drop off of her medicines was timed to coincide with her carer being there at 1330...however, as I discovered when standing outside Ms S's door and speaking to her on the phone, the carer had arrived early at 1300, and had already departed.

So all I could do was explain to Ms S that I'd return the medicines back to the pharmacy and that another volunteer would deliver them to her (hopefully this week) when the carer is in her flat and able to open the door for them.

A return visit to Ms H to build more of her IKEA furniture, but when I arrived it was clear she'd managed to get some additional assistance, as various wardrobe shells were now in her living room, and there were a couple of other people (hard at work) assembling various items.

She quickly put me to work upstairs building a hanging unit and a small storage unit that sat below it - "these are the easy ones" she said, and on the whole she wasn't wrong, albeit it was a precursor of things to come....as once I'd completed these and asked what was next, she indicated she had a bunk bed that needed building downstairs in her living room, and being the ambitious sort and up for a challenge on a rainy Saturday afternoon I agreed to do this - fortunately I hadn't made dinner plans...

I'm a flat pack fan, and remain amazed that something like a bunk bed can be built using two different sized Allen keys (and a hammer), and after judicious following of the step by step guide, the frame and slats were in place, and it was starting to look like a (double) bed - the issue now was the lack of space to get round each side to finish it off, so much breathing in was required...and eventually it was all done.

Ms H was delighted and commented (positively...) on my building skills and diligence - "Adult Lego" she called it - albeit you certainly don't ache as much after building the Death Star or Apollo 11 out of hundreds of plastic bricks...