Hindsight Is A Wonderful Thing

Before we leave we drive up the Kirkstone Pass, where it's been snowing overnight, to see if the pub is walkable. It isn't.



Then we finally take a look at the Langdale Valley and by now it’s practically snow free. I’m sure the race could have been on. Sunday’s especially. They could probably have staged both days’ races on the Sunday but I guess they didn’t know the thaw was going to be as quick as this. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It would be nice if they re-scheduled it for when we're next up here in January. We couldn’t be that lucky could we?

Then when head back to Nottingham for the main event of the day, Daughter’s parents evening. Which is totally surreal. I come away feeling we’re been discussing the wrong girl because nobody had a bad word to say about her. Surely she must have been crap at something? Surely she must have been a pain in the rear to somebody? Apparently not. Quite a transformation from a year ago.

Then finally, to round the day off, dog training. MD has been stuck in the car for most of the day so it gives him chance to stretch his legs and vocal chords. He doesn’t disappoint.

I get home to find that Blackburn Rovers have attempted to trump Newcastle United for the award of most ridiculous sacking by dismissing Sam Allardyce. Incredible. I don’t think anyone saw that one coming.



(Monday 13th December)

Aggression Levels

In the car today due to another busy evening, parents' evening followed by squash. At least it means I can chauffeur my colleague and I to the pub for lunch.

Naturally any time you want to make a quick escape from work the traffic is going to hell and tonight on Pride Park it’s worse than ever. At least it’s decided my transport mode for tomorrow. Bike.

I make it to parents' evenings with a few minutes to spare, although perhaps soon wish I hadn’t... Daughter problems... and more of them than we were expecting.

This probably helps get my aggression levels up for squash. Although after our first game I feel I’m going to be ill on court but that’s more to do with the huge sausage baguette I had for lunch in the pub. I recover from that and we have five really close games. I even win one of them. Which he blames on the fact that I’ve had to lend him some kit because he turned up without any. It’s a good job I had extra as I was bringing some kit home from work for washing. He’s lucky, I could have given him the smelly sweaty worn kit but I didn’t I gave him my freshly washed squash shirt instead.

A few weeks ago I praised Fulham for reaching the semi-finals of the Europa ‘Whatever It’s Called This Week’ Cup. Well more praise now as they come from a goal behind to defeat Hamburg and make the final. I always like to see the underdog do well. Liverpool though, predictably, don’t make it an all English final and Fulham will play Atletico Madrid instead.

L skips the gym, obviously still feeling ill, and goes home to cook chicken balti instead. Nice and hot I hope, to burn away her germs, with a couple of glasses of red wine at the ready, just in case any try to escape.