A Quirky Underdog

Today’s ‘dogging’ extravaganza is up in sunny Scunthorpe, which indeed it is today. Doggo starts well with a clear and keeps that up throughout his three runs. Although the speed of his last run, late in the day, takes slow and steady to new heights. Speed wise, he doesn't do afternoons. By contrast MD does most things in a rush, a habit I don’t wish to knock out of him. So although he runs really well today, in fact the best he has run, smoother and quicker than before, he still doesn’t go clear. Next week... didn’t I say that last week?

Daughter texts to ask if Armenia are in World Cup. It’s good to see she’s taking an interest but unfortunately they’re not.



When I tell her this she switches her allegiance to Benin. Asking me if they’re any good? Well no... not really, and more to the point they’re not in the World Cup either.

I think she’s after a quirky underdog to support. So just who are the underdogs?

According to the bookmakers, the country with the longest odds are New Zealand but they’re hardly quirky. Then come North Korea, un-Democratic People's Republic of Korea, who could possibly be described as quirky... but would most likely be labelled as a secretive Stalinist dictatorship who may be inclined to nuke anyone who beats them. So to Honduras who might fit the bill as might Algeria, who are the weakest of the African nations to have qualified.

Back in Nottingham we have the best curry we’ve had for a long time. Full praise to the Laguna Tandoori Restaurant. In fact all of the dishes that the four of us have are excellent, well I can vouch for three of them anyway. I’m too full and not that much of a pig to sample all four. Well, I'm too full anyway.

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.