Having known Penny for a few months and having been embraced by her whole heartedly I was dying of curiosity to meet this amazing man she kept talking about so lovingly - he sounded like a super man but also with a heart of gold such that he could capture our darling Penny... I met Paul for the first time as he came charging in from London to Mull (in his purple jumper) having come up by the sleeper. To say that he is a whirlwind of energy is like say a hurricane is a small gust of wind!!! He has this amazing air about him - like a cartoon with swirls of dust in his wake from the speed he has been going at - and was 100 questions a second from the minute he met me. As I was the 'newbie' in the house he insisted I sit next to him at dinner so he could quiz me no end. What he didn't bargain for is that I can give as good as I get and much to Penny and everyone else's amusement I kept him on his toes for most of the dinner - and most of the long weekend I was there!!! On day 1 I managed to tear a muscle in my thigh and was bed or couch bound (with nurse Penny being my lifesaver) for the balance of my stay. Paul was having none of this insisting that I climb back on the boat and get off my lazy bottom - the idea of any injury hampering a good day out in winds and rain to go to the local show was incomprehensible to him!!! He never let up on me for the rest of the stay... The dinner on the Saturday (picture above) was enormous fun with Paul being the most fabulous host - taking time for everyone young and old (er) and ensuring the drinks and merriment were flowing. The end of the evening saw dancing on trestle tables and loud 80's music - all led by Paul!! He must have spent an hour dancing on those trestle tables - almost sliding off one more than a few times... In my almost 3 years in England I have never felt as welcome as I did with Paul, Penny, Charlotte and William during my stay in Mull - they were all extraordinarily hospitable but the best part was they treated me like family and that was what I had missed most since moving here.
Paul's fight will be hard but if anyone has the energy and the drive in him then it's Paul Hilton with the help of Super Penny!!! Love and prayers from London and from my mother in Australia - making St Anthony work overtime for his recovery.
With love, Simone
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