"for the happy, the sad, I don't want to be, another page in your diary"

Wednesday, 27 December 2017

Freak Show

I am back at work on Wednesday, just for two days, but it’s cold and a bit too icy to bike. However it is great driving in which takes just 20 minutes rather than the usual one hour plus. Which means more time snuggling up to L, who isn’t going into work at all this week.


In the evening, we see the Greatest Showman or rather PT Barnum reinvented. To cut a not very well explained story short, Barnum (Hugh Jackman) launches a museum of curiosities with the support of his wife and long time sweetheart Charity (Michelle Williams). This is just the latest in a long list of money making schemes he’s tried. It bombs and even their two daughters point out how dull it is.

.

Hence he turns it in a circus of ‘freaks’ or rather not so elaborate hoaxes. In which he is aided by the financial clout of Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron) who invests in Barnum’s venture for reasons that aren’t made very clear.

Their circus causes an uproar but a popular one with it’s dwarves, giants, bearded ladies etc. Barnum though soon moves on as promoter to Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson), a famous Swedish singer, whom he persuades to tour America.


His ‘freaks’ freak out when he sidelines them for Lind, as does his wife, but before long Lind has walked out on him too. At this point, in a decidedly modern day twist, the film turns things on it’s head and Barnum becomes a sort of social justice warrior giving jobs and a voice to the world’s minorities.

Carlyle meanwhile is falling in love with Anne (Zendaya) who is one half of a brother and sister trapeze act who happen, not very sensationally, to be black. For our sins they treat us to a dreadful duet.

Yes, the music isn’t great. It’s like being stuck inside a long pop video of an artist you (possibly) hate.

You do feel, as with most musicals, that there is a coherent plot in there somewhere trying to get out but I couldn’t find it. I do like having to google the facts behind a film after having seen it. Just to clarify a few points you know but to have to find out the whole story, that's stretching it a touch and there does appear to have been a cracking story about Barnum but this isn't it.

Sadly it seems the world has learnt little from the success of La La Land and musicals have returned to square one. So I’m with the films own critic (Paul Sparks), who didn’t like Barnum’s show either.

They do say that musicals are escapism and yes, I wanted to escape.

(Wednesday 27th December)

Tuesday, 26 December 2017

Christmas Round Up

I work almost all day on the Friday, finally finishing a little early at 3.30pm. L is off all day and we arrange to meet up at the Derby Arena for a joint festive gym session. Then, because I’m in the car, I can drive us both home.

She is a little late, or I’m a little early, and I do face the prospect of doing anything up to 100k killing time on the Watt Bike while I wait for her. After which I’d probably need mouth to mouth resuscitation but it doesn’t come to that. I'm a little disappointed.

On the Saturday we parkrun at Long Eaton but without Daughter, who has been told to rest more and only run once a week due to the injury she’s currently got. Something to do with her gluteal muscles apparently which sounds like a proper athletes injury.

Sunday, which is Christmas Eve, we meet up with L’s folks for a late breakfast at the Cosy Club. This was once the Royal gig venue and it’s odd sitting there with the ghost of Glasvegas, and other bands we saw there, loitering behind us. Son and his gf come over from Leamington for the occasion, armed with presents. The meal is decent, if not spectacular but a definite upgrade on rowdy old Spoons where we went last year and what had become the tradition.

Then it’s Christmas Day and I get my new cog for my track bike as well as a bike computer to see how slow I’m going. Along with loads of beer, wine, whiskey and chocolate. Not a bad haul all be told.

L and Daughter seem equally thrilled and appalled with their dual gifts of a 10k race entry and a taster session at the Velodrome. Along with the usual boots and trainers for L of course. Daughter seems pleased with her new GPS watch, so that she too will be able to see how fast she is going.

Christmas Day drinkies are at the Horse and Jockey again and then we go for our curry at the Haveli in Chilwell. It’s great to do something different even if the menu is a little basic and the price a little steep. I think the 10% service charge was a bit naughty on top of what we thought was an all in price. I'd certainly do it again though, it not there then somewhere else.

On Boxing Day we do the traditional run at the Furnace but this time ending up afterwards at the Nag's Head in Mickleover for post-run drinks as we drop Daughter near her Father’s. Then we head back home where we have my parents around for roast lamb.

Then, that’s it, Christmas over.

(Tuesday 26th December)

Thursday, 21 December 2017

Dark And Creepy

L and MD have spent the last few mornings arguing (nothing new there). He'd much rather be playing ball in the garden than being dragged round the streets on a walk. So this morning L decides to take him on the park which is dark and creepy, although she does have MD to protect her. They also keep losing the ball in the gloom because he’s hopeless, his eyesight is worse than mine. These are all the reasons why they haven’t been going on the park recently but at least MD seemed happier.

A lot of people seem to be already on their Christmas break because I drive to the post office to pick up a parcel this morning and I’m still mega early for work. There’s very little traffic on the roads. It’s a big box that I collect, I think rather conveniently all my presents have come in one parcel. It’s just a shame I can’t hand them out like that.

At lunch time L sends me to Sainsbury’s for a new meat pan because ours is ancient and we don’t want to poison my Mum and Dad on Boxing Day. She also sends me for my choice of green veg. Veg that isn’t green would be my choice and as it turns out L’s own personal choice would be broccoli and cauliflower. Yes, cauliflower isn’t even green.

In the evening the dogs and I go sit in the Dispensary where we wait for L to turn up, she’s running there. 

(Thursday 21st December)

Wednesday, 20 December 2017

Railroaded

On the bike! Blimey! It’s been a while and it’s only my second ride in December.

It’s also the pub today and festive venison casserole. L is not so lucky. Half a ham roll (white), half a mini scotch egg and a slice of manky pizza as she gets railroaded into yet another fuddle she wasn't expecting. Christmas is guaranteed to bring out the best in slag food.

She was looking forward to her own homemade soup for lunch. Bah humbug etc etc. She’s says her New Year's Resolution is to cheer up.

Well at least they didn’t expect her to fuddle her soup and there’s no need to cheer up. I have a proud record of never having partaken in a fuddle that I don’t intend to relapse on.

Daughter decides not to come round for tea tonight having exhausted herself Christmas shopping, I just hope she hasn’t exhausted her bank account too. So she’s dipped out of one of my meals again, I could get a complex about this.

L says as compensation I could take her to the pub if I wanted. But if we go to the pub today, then what will we do tomorrow? Go to the pub again I suppose.

In the end we stay in and admire our new candle bridge which is just like next door’s. Don't you just hate people who copy. It was an expensive acquisition from B & M Bargains, the go to place.

(Wednesday 20th December)

Tuesday, 19 December 2017

Dog Alarm Failure

I have a second day in London today which is for a meeting at a different site and where we agree to lots of extra work which will extend the project to mid-2018 at least.

Without me to wake her, L oversleeps. Seems the dog alarm didn’t work either.

My colleagues and I are scheduled on a nice early 13:58 train back from London, so I’m home in plenty of time for Honeyblood.
 

Honeyblood are a band I’ve wanted to see for ages and who I finally saw last year at the Handmade Festival in Leicester. However that was a very short set cut even shorter due to the whole festival running behind schedule. I’m hopefully for more than just six songs tonight.

First though are Nottingham’s Super Furniture who openly confess that they don’t have any music to sell us but they are very keen for us to buy a t-shirt. They are also back in July. I think the lead singer mentioned that... several times.

They are a fairly bog standard indie four piece guitar band, pleasant enough but not of the required level to buy the t-shirt.

Honeyblood are still at that nice stage where they set up their own instruments while trying to pretend that they aren’t the band before sneaking off stage to make a grand entrance and everyone’s supposed to go ‘oh, you ARE the band’. Problem is that’s not working any more because they’re becoming too well know. As is shown by the fact that this gig, originally scheduled for the Bodega, got upgraded.


It is their second album ‘Babes Never Die’ that has got them the recognition and it is from that they open with acerbic ‘Justine, Misery Queen’. Understandably it is that album, slightly more polished that their first, that provides the majority of tonight’s set.

However, their first album ‘Honeyblood’ is arguably as good as shown by the more rift-ful ‘Choker’ which is up next and which sets the tone for a night of good noisy fun with the odd
reflective moment thrown in such as on the excellent ‘Cruel’.

The band of Stina Tweeddale on guitar and Cat Myers on drums are one of just many two-piece bands around at the moment. It must be quite a feat for two people to create the sound that is usually associated with a full band but these two manage it and think of the lower overheads that must bring. It makes you wonder why everyone isn't doing it.

There’s also less chance of your band members falling out but then if you do it's probably terminal or perhaps not because, although Honeyblood were formed in Glasgow back in 2012, Myers has only been on board since 2014.


The only misstep is when Stina says ‘Thank you Bristol’ after one track, oops, but after a bout of booing, mainly orchestrated by herself she is forgiven.

After three of their big numbers ‘Sea Hearts’, oldie ‘Killer Bangs’ and album title track ‘Babes Never Die’ end the set we find out that a band who, apparently, didn’t believe in encores now do.

They come back for two more, another oldie ‘Super Rat’ and one of their recent big singles ‘Ready for the Magic’.

Excellent stuff and, oh, Honeyblood have t-shirts on sale too.


(Tuesday 19th December)

Monday, 18 December 2017

In The Swing Of Things

It's not the best way to start the week, with two days in London, but for once we go down on the train which is handy because my colleague’s car is off the road at the moment. So we head to Derby train station in mine.

Our journey to the industrial depths of Edmonton take us from St. Pancras station to Tottenham Hale underground station on the Victoria line before covering the final three miles by taxi.

After a miserable time in the Edmonton Premier Inn last time, this time we head back to Tottenham to stay in a Premier Inn there. The area is much less dire then Edmonton but still hardly full of places to eat, so we again eat in the hotel. Doom Bar is the only beer available and that is in bottle.

After which my colleague, who is full of cold, goes to bed early and I head out for a walk. Following guidance from the Good Beer Guide, I find a nice little pub called the Beehive and settle in with a pint of Sambrooks Rye Ale. It’s a quirky pub but the supplied entertainment is even quirkier. 

There's a band playing swing versions of various punk classics. We get ‘Ever Fallen In Love’, ‘God Save The Queen’, ‘My Perfect Cousin’, ‘No More Heroes’, ‘Sheena Is A Punk Rocker’ and many more. Quite a night really.

Back home, L informs me she is in her new toasty PJs and all prepared for a night downstairs. Although apparently MD keeps trying to go upstairs. He wants his bed, e.g. our bed, but they’re all staying downstairs because of Doggo.

(Monday 18th December)

Sunday, 17 December 2017

In The Yard

After a king sized lie-in we eventually emerge and head to the Gym at Derby Arena.

L did have grand plans to treat me to a showing of Elf at Broadway but sadly (perhaps) it’s sold out.

After the gym, we try out Derby County’s new bar/restaurant which is called The Yard. The name comes from the train yards which originally stood on that spot before the stadium was built.

It is basically yet another glorified burger joint but they do have a few other dishes and we have what turns out to be a very average Sunday lunch.

To be fair they serve us beatifically cooked ‘pink’ roast beef but then leave it loitering on a wooden board to go cold before serving it to us. It is accompanied by vegetables which are wonderfully fresh but potatoes that are so hard I fear they’ve been hanging around all day.

Sadly the beer choice is out of the last century. No real ales, no craft ales. Of their two keg beers, the pale ale is off which leaves just keg Marston’s Pedigree which is a pale imitation of the cask version which itself is pale imitation of its former self.

Glad we’ve tried it but doubt we’ll be back.

(Sunday 17th December)

Saturday, 16 December 2017

Vanilla Gorilla

L doubts that I’ll be up for a parkrun this morning but she is wrong. I’ve not really had that much to drink and as the curries were so benign, I don’t have any pressing lavatorial commitments.

In any case we’re off to Sherwood Pines, in search of a nice crisp woodland run, where there’s plenty of trees to hide behind if some reason their facilities aren’t open. We even manage to find the right entrance this time without getting lost.

Afterwards L heads off another, probably doomed, shopping trip and, yes, she fails to get the decorations she was looking for. While I head off to the Blue Monkey shop at Giltbrook. Yet again they have sold out of the triple packs of Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Mint and Chocolate Coffee Gorilla Stout. The only way to get hold of any of them is to buy a mini-keg and that's only available in Chocolate Mint. It’ll be a challenge getting through that.

There’s a match in the afternoon and then in the evening we’re first in the Borlase and then Blue Monkey’s Organ Grinder. Where I am informed that they had Chocolate Orange on draught but it ran out at lunchtime. They do have Chocolate Coffee in the cellar but it’s not coming on until Monday. 

So it’s just plain vanilla Gorilla tonight, not that it tastes of vanilla of course. Perhaps they could do that one for next year?

(Saturday 16th December)

Friday, 15 December 2017

Curry For Beginners

L gets her first Christmas present of the year when a friend gives her snowman socks. Which, if she wears them today, is a way of (sort of) getting in the spirit of Christmas Jumper Day without actually participating.

Today is also my work’s night out which this year is a curry at Anoki in Derby which in my opinion is a serious upgrade on our normal Christmas Party night at the Roundhouse. The best bit of the evening is usually the pre-meal pub trip but this year everyone has decided to scrap that and stay in the office for drinks instead, with the company supplying plenty of bottles. It’s fun but its not the same.

During this the Secret Santa takes place and I get a miniature bottle of Baileys despite not actually contributing. 

Then it’s Anoki which many of us are really looking forward to as they have a very exciting menu. Only to be told when we get there that it’s a set menu. Oh. Which they only tell us about after they’ve sold everyone at least two drinks. Worst than that it’s a 'curry for beginners' set menu, so there's nothing remotely spicy. They do say we can add a few dishes, so I add a Jalfrezi. When this comes it is quite simply the hottest variation I’ve ever seen presumably to shut me up for being awkward.

So not a perfect night but still much better than the Roundhouse. We roll out of the restaurant quite late and for some reason end up in a bar called Seymours. Which, as it happens, is the bar in which I once seduced a young girl called L. Ah, sweet memories.

I believe the rest of our crowd then went clubbing but I get 12:15 bus home. L did offer to pick me up but I didn’t want to come between her and a glass of wine. She also threatened to turn up in her new fleecy PJs, although that sort of thing, e.g. driving around in PJs, is very in vogue at the moment.

They’re all in bed when I get home apart from Doggo who is waiting downstairs for me or perhaps he's just waiting for someone to give him a hand getting up the stairs.

(Friday 15th December)

Thursday, 14 December 2017

New Christmas Tree

Our new fibre optic Christmas tree arrives at work today. Which is a relief as I can take it home in the car today rather than having to lug it around town on our work’s night out tomorrow.

It's squash tonight, the last of the year, and then drinks afterwards in the Dispensary.

(Thursday 14th December)

Wednesday, 13 December 2017

Gearing Up

I’m in London again today and, as is often the case, it takes four hours to drive down there but at least it’s a successful day for once. Even the weather behaved, there were a few showers but I think we missed the worst of it.

While I’m down there an email goes round from work asking for our ‘preference for the annual Christmas bottle’. Yay. These most certainly haven’t been annual for the past two years, they’ve been discontinued. It’s good to have them back.

After being wiped all over the velodrome by assorted veteran cyclists last night, it is even more vital that I ‘gear up’ my track bike so that I can get my own back in the New Year. To those ends, L is cog shopping for my Christmas present.

(Wednesday 13th December)

Tuesday, 12 December 2017

The Full Breakfast Buffet

In an endeavour to stop Doggo losing weight he is now basically being offered full choice from the entire breakfast buffet. He does a pretty good ‘all you can eat’ this morning, at least for an old dog.

I’m in the car today, so L sends me to Sainsbury’s for Brussels sprouts and Mackeson, among other things. I just hope she’s not doing the sprouts for tea, not even if they’re curried.

The reason I’m in the car is so that I can return home quickly, chuck a few balls, then head back over to Derby with my track bike for a session on the Velodrome at 8pm. Due to the pantomime being held there throughout December, options to ride the track are severely limited but tonight they have the first ever (to my knowledge) Vets session that isn’t during work hours. This is aimed at those over 40, so I qualify. What isn’t made clear is that there are no make weights in this session and no newbies. Unless you class me as a newbie in my first Vets session.

It could well be my last too. Honestly it was easier in the Sunday night all-comers session where the young legs of the serious racers and GB squad members are balanced out by a supply of fresh meat from the Accreditation system. Not so in the Vets.

L is back at book club tonight, after a few months off and mainly out of guilt. Unfortunately she re-joins just when it’s fuddle time. Ho ho bloody ho, as she would say.

(Tuesday 12th December)

Monday, 11 December 2017

The Morning Slither

The snow may have gone but now we have ice. Doggo and I go out for a gentle morning slither while L and MD go out for their own probably more frenetic and therefore more treacherous one.

In the evening L heads off to running club while I depart to the dog club’s Christmas meal which is again at the Chinese restaurant opposite where we train.

L says she’ll see me about midnight but I won’t be that late. It’s committee meetings that take forever not the Christmas meal. Then again, last year the service was incredibly slow but this year... it is even slower, despite us being the only people there. Yes there are 20 of us but the place can easily accommodate twice that. I’m back before midnight but not by a lot.

(Monday 11th December)

Sunday, 10 December 2017

Snow Envy

Today we head over to see Son and his girlfriend in Leamington Spa, as a sort of a backup plan in case they can’t fit us in over Christmas.

It has snowed impressively in Nottingham this morning but by mid-afternoon a major thaw has set in and the roads to Leamington are fine. However, we have a touch of snow envy when we arrive as they’d had far more than us and they’re hanging onto it.

We have booked the White Horse and it’s a good job we did as they are not accepting any more bookings due to the weather!

After a decent evening with them, L suggests that rather than take them out for a meal next time we challenge them to a game of squash or badminton instead. This may have something to do with the fact that Son’s expanding waistline looks like it could do with a damn good squash match or three.  

(Sunday 10th December)

Saturday, 9 December 2017

Vertically Challenged Dogs

MD, Doggo and I are at a dog show at Oakridge Arena near Newark today. We have a decent day, MD has some good runs but only one clear round. I was delighted when I thought we’d finished 3rd with his clear round but then they lowered the jump height for the supposedly vertically challenged dogs. Three of which beat us and we dropped three places to 6th. I’m not happy with that rule at all and thankfully plans are afoot to scrap it.

L and Daughter parkrun at Forest Rec and report afterwards that there are ‘not many injuries’, which implies there are some. Then they head off to the cinema to get in the festive spirit with a spot of Scrooge.

(Saturday 9th December)

Friday, 8 December 2017

Milking The Moose

I’m back in London today and L is worried I’m going to stay over to do a London Parkrun without her and MD. As if. It’s just a day trip and anyway, MD and I have a dog show tomorrow. L would desperately like to tour London in Parkruns.

We head off down at 6am again but manage to leave around 3pm, so we don’t get back mega late. The trip goes well, mostly. Some more issues have arisen but these are things our customer needs to sort out. 

It’s a bit of a stormy trip down, thanks to sweet Storm Caroline. Together we can rock ‘n’ roll.

L gets a bottle of Moose Milk from her boss. The recipe we’ve seen mentions six parts Jack Daniels to two parts Bacardi plus milk, eggs and seasoning then it's fermented for four weeks but I think he’s souped it up a bit. It's deadly.

My contribution is a bag of Twix cookies on expenses from London.

(Friday 8th December)

Thursday, 7 December 2017

Gargantuan Misselling

It’s wet and windy, so I’m in car. The roads are hell.

Daughter’s laptop is having problems installing the latest gargantuan Windows 10 update, which seems to need almost as much space as the operating system itself. Her modestly sized laptop just can’t handle it, even after having deleted everything but the operating system off it. 

I reckon this counts as a case of misselling but Acer, who made it, don’t agree but only because they didn’t sell it to us. Tesco did. Talk about ducking the bullets. Now I just need to try and find the receipt from Tesco.

Talking of misselling, L goes out and buys some Mellow Birds. I warned her not but she still went ahead and got some. This is the product that they missold as coffee back in the 1970s. The advertising campaign promised that it would make us smile but it was more of a grimace really. It was what you served guests when you don’t want them to visit again.


L says it was hidden down on a bottom shelf with the Camp. Which says it all, they can’t put either of those with the coffee because neither of them have ever been anywhere near a coffee bean. Rumour has it that they are still selling off old stock from the 70s. Bet she can’t drink a whole mug of it.

Squash tonight, L and MD walk there. Then both dogs join us in the pub afterwards.

(Thursday 7th December)

Wednesday, 6 December 2017

Anyone Confused?

I’m in the car today because I have another opticians appointment back in Nottingham after work as they continue their quest to improve my long range sight without worsening my near sight. There are some signs of success tonight but I won’t get too excited yet.

While I’m doing that Daughter and L are getting in some miles running from home.

In Derby it is announced that the shopping centre that most people knew as the Eagle Centre but was then redeveloped as the Westfield Centre before being sold and becoming the Intu Centre has been sold again. It will now be the Hammerson Centre. Anyone confused? It’s like the constant renaming of football stadia, what’s the point? How can you build a reputation for something you’re renaming every week. Give it a name and then stick to it. You know, like the old days. 

(Wednesday 6th December)

Tuesday, 5 December 2017

That Extra Touch Of Luxury

On the bike today, after I've walked Doggo. L walks MD, and while our walk is tranquil theirs is disrupted by two cats and two imaginary dogs. Although, if they were imaginary, then I’m not sure how L knew they were dogs?

Doggo then eats most of his breakfast despite having cheese and pate last night. He now also gets his duvet laid out in the hall for him for that extra touch of luxury while we’re at work.

Despite, as always, telling me not to get her anything L sends through her Christmas  wishlist. Previously, just myself under the tree had been fine. Not that we have a tree. Now it turns out that I am allowed to get her some more of what she already has plenty of, e.g. books and boots. As it’s Christmas, I will oblige and the boots are just as much a present for me anyway.

Dog training tonight and L is at her folks'. Afterwards in the Masons it’s the same old beer, so no Christmas cheer there then.

(Tuesday 5th December)

Monday, 4 December 2017

Not Unsurprising News

Today I get the not unsurprising news that my outdoor Monday dog training is now suspended until February at the earliest. It’s actually a relief because now I can plan things in advance for Mondays. Luckily I’d already anticipated this Monday's cancellation and I'm all set to ruin my day in the gym after work.

L is out tonight, having a Christmas Curry with friends in Borrowash. We rendezvous later in Beeston Tesco so that she can top up her storage box collection which may soon be rivalling the size of her book collection. This means once again running the gauntlet of ‘Now That’s What I Call Christmas’ on their PA system which surely everyone is already sick of, despite is only being the 4th of December. I’ve already been through it once today at Sainsbury’s.

Back home I sit sharing my cheese and pate with Doggo, slipping him chunks of bread covered in the stuff in an attempt to fatten him up. That is until MD rumbled what was going on and I had to stop. 

(Monday 4th December)

Sunday, 3 December 2017

Position Unopposed

It’s the dog club AGM today in Etwall and it goes well. Not a great turn out, as is usual, but enough to not make us look like a dictatorship.

I am re-elected as Secretary unopposed. Which would be nice but just means that nobody else wants the job and there is much relief around the room that someone else is prepared to take it on again.

I come how to roast chicken, which L always thinks I’m opposed to particularly if it’s not a Sunday. Well it is a Sunday, so no worries there but she still goes above and beyond the call of duty and serves an Indian spiced Sunday roast and it’s awesome.

(Sunday 3rd December)

Saturday, 2 December 2017

Book Speak

This morning L and I run at Bestwood Parkrun, Daughter was out on the lash in Leicester last night and stays over in multi-starred accommodation. Bestwood is rather hilly and rather potholed, as I find out when I fall down one, turn my ankle and limp home in a rather pedestrian time.

The cafe at Bestwood doesn't open until 10am, so instead we try out a nice little cafe in Radford.

Then it’s the match, where Derby grind out a rather un-pretty 1-0 win against an obdurate Burton Albion.

In the evening we are meeting some friends in Derby, for an early meal at Pepitos. L heads over on the bus intending to get a stint of browsing in at Waterstones before I have walked over from the match. ‘Browsing’ is of course book speak for purchasing. She thinks with my freshly acquired dodgy ankle she’ll have plenty of time. She is wrong. I meet her off the Red Arrow and escort her personally to Waterstones, which is very thoughtful of me.

After a pleasant meal, our friends go home and we go for a few drinks in the Brunswick. Well I have a few drinks, L has a nap. Such is the level of my company.

(Saturday 2nd December)

Friday, 1 December 2017

Too Good To Turn Down

I’m on the bus as its cold and icy again. In fact the pavements are so icy it could be hard work for Doggo on his walk. L is off work today and she delays their trip out to give things time to thaw out.

After work L comes over to join me in Derby Arena’s gym.

It’s the World Cup draw tonight and England find out that they will face Belgium, Panama and Tunisia. That’s us out then, although it couldn’t really be any easier. Not that it matters, it’s in Russia so you know who’s going to win.

One of FIFA's greatest critics, Gary Lineker, is in Moscow helping with the draw. Presumably the money was just too good to turn down. Come to think of it, why is anyone in the land of state sponsored doping working for an organisation that is on trial in New York on corruption charges. As yes, the money was just too good to turn down. 

(Friday 1st December)

Thursday, 30 November 2017

Noel Edmonds Day

L and I are both grumbling about Christmas cards. She's getting as bah humbug as me. Is it too early to be bah humbug? What with it not even being December yet.

Does anyone ever read them? We haven’t even got room to put ours up. Not that I send many these days as most people feel like I do, that they’re a waste of time. I have my cards down to just five now, which isn’t too arduous but it's still arduous enough.

Work are also attempting to nag me into the Secret Santa but I’m holding firm as I am as regards Christmas Jumper Day. I believe even Noel Edmonds is over such things.

In the evening, L runs in Sherwood where there’s snow on the ground. Yes, it’s grim up north. While I’m playing Squash. She says go easy on the patient. I'm not sure if she means my forever ill/injured opponent or Doggo.

There is a real treat afterwards when Tiny Rebel’s Stay Puft Chocolate Marshmallow Porter pops up on draft in the Dispensary. That rather out brags L who is trying to seduce me over to the Doctors Orders where she says she’ll have a Market Harborough Dry Stout waiting for me and she’ll drive me home. She knows how to sweet talk me.

She’s in there with Daughter, who has now had official confirmation that she's passed the police interrogation with flying colours and she now heads on to the next stage of the recruitment.

(Thursday 30th November)

Wednesday, 29 November 2017

Out Of Desperation

It’s a little bit cold and icy this morning but out of desperation I risk the bike anyway and I make it to work unscathed. As it turns out the roads are not slippery.

L is in the gym where they have introduced yet another points card. L says she isn’t bothered about first or second prize and is only going for third prize, which is chocolates. I assume, purely so that she can gift them to me. She’s nice like that.

The Great North Run is giving the option of paying a £60 fee to guarantee entry for the next three years. On one hand, they have a bit of a nerve but on the other hand... it isn’t too bad. That is assuming we’re both interested in doing it again? And indeed for the next three years.

I try to find out whether the Sunday Times will be running a ballot again because that worked well for us this year but I can’t see any indication that they are. If they don’t, we’ll have to join in the main ballot with the great unwashed and we may struggle to get in. We decide to sign up.

I’m at dog training tonight. L is at home and in bed early to keep herself out of the fridge which I thought I’d emptied earlier but apparently I missed some cheese... deliberately though, I was saving that for my supper.

(Wednesday 29th November)

Tuesday, 28 November 2017

All Is Well With The World

Doggo ate his breakfast, L made it to the pool. All is well with the world.

I’m the car, doing the shopping and then going to the match where Derby suffer a rare defeat 1-0 to Ipswich. They should have won but their opponents scored early and then sat on it all game. My Dad and I drown our sorrows in the Harrington afterwards.

Back home it’s a DIDS night. Dogs In Door Shut. I believe there was some opposition to that suggestion which got him locked out. All I’m hoping for is no dramatics from Doggo this week.

(Tuesday 28th November)

Monday, 27 November 2017

Mama Cass

Doggo seems to have got his appetite back and more or less ate all of his breakfast, despite there being no mop in it.

I’m assuming that dog training will be off tonight, but stranger things have happened, so I’m on the bus with shopping deferred to Tuesday. 

There is excitement on the way home when the Red Arrow breaks down just as it's leaving the bus station. Well, not broken down exactly but the warning lights and sirens suggesting that something was wrong would not have made for a pleasant trip home.

The bus returns to it’s bay and we all pile on to the next one. Once back home, I have my orders. I collect L from the running club at the Portland Centre and then drive back to Derby because L wants a weights session in the Arena. She says she needs to stop fannying about or she'll look like Mama Cass.

I do a 20k Watt Bike session.

(Monday 27th November)

Sunday, 26 November 2017

Easy Isn’t Really An Option

I’m at the velodrome tonight but L decides to stay in Nottingham. She hopes to do Tennis Centre gym and then go in the sauna but she aborts the sauna idea. She says she can hear the testosterone in there from the changing room.

She should be here. The cycle track is positively swimming in testosterone and that’s just the girls. L tells me to take it easy but easy isn’t really an option. Even the GB Team are here with their fancy ipads giving out lap times to their riders. There's been a full turn out with all 28 places taken tonight for what is the last Sunday night session of the year before the pantomime season starts. It’s so wrong that the pantomime stops play in the velodrome.

My Dad and I go for a pint afterwards in the Exeter while L gets home to find that Doggo has eaten the new mop. 

(Sunday 26th November)

Saturday, 25 November 2017

Love Thy Hairdresser

L is in town again today, non-shopping, and I go to assist, just in case she wants me to. On the way I pass the massive queues outside the Gin Festival at Trent Uni. Possibly the biggest women only drinking event to have ever hit Nottingham and it’s only 12 noon.

I meet L and Daughter in John Lewis where L is trying on dresses. I attempt to block all exits to stop her escaping without buying something. In the end I talk her L in to one dress and out of another. Not literally but maybe later.

The Battle of the Sexes is primarily about the exhibition tennis match in 1973 between possibly the best female tennis player at that time Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and three time Wimbledon men’s champion 55-year-old Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell).


However the film is much more than that, focusing on the off court drama as well. It tries to cover the formation of WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) and King also falling in love with another woman at the same time. In a way it’s a mini biography of her life but it has to shuffle the timeline and some facts to do so. 

King was indeed instrumental in the formation of the WTA after she became annoyed that the male players were receiving cash prizes up to eight times that of the women, despite the fact they attracted just as many spectators. So in 1970, King and seven other women started to set up their own breakaway tournaments which led eventually to the formation of the WTA in 1973. The WTA went on to be hugely successful and is still going strong today.
 

1973 was also the year that Riggs, a self-proclaimed male chauvinist pig who was clearly missing the limelight, challenged the then world number one Margaret Court to a match. In his eyes this would prove that men are better than women at tennis and well better, full stop. He easily beat a poorly prepared Court on what became known as the Mother’s Day Massacre.


When he subsequently challenged King she also accepted, despite previously saying that she wouldn’t but now feeling that she needed to fly the flag for womankind to make up for Court's failings. Riggs wasted no time in ramping up the acrimony by going on TV to proclaim that women only belong in the kitchen and the bedroom.

King seems to take the latter bit of advice on board, although not in a way that Riggs would have appreciated, when she takes her hairdresser Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough) back to her hotel room. It is also not greatly appreciated by King’s husband Larry (Austin Stowell). 


In reality Barnett was actually King’s secretary and the affair had already been going for two years but the film alters this point despite the reality being possibly even more fascinating. Along with the fact it was Barnett who outed her secret superstar girlfriend eight years later. 


Their relationship, as well as disrupting her marriage, doesn’t do a lot for her concentration on the tennis court but she bounces back to beat Riggs in rather exaggerated movie style in their game at the Houston Astrodome.


Despite my initial reservations the film is surprisingly entertaining, smart and well-acted. It also has the potential to educate, inspire and make you 'google', in a time when not enough films attempt to do so. 

Stone is once again excellent, among other things making her relationship with Riseborough very believable. If anything the film attempts to cover too much and spreads itself a bit thin to do so. It does actually make me want to see a full biopic of BJK. 

Afterwards, yet again we struggle to get served in the Old Angel and this time give up, despite the fact their selling Tiny Rebel’s Stay Puft on draft. Instead we go to the Peacock where the OP is off, so its not a great beer night so far. They do have Fuller’s Damson Porter instead. 


(Saturday 25th November)