Signed Off?

She may have managed the Derby 10k but L confesses that her back is actually rather bad. Oh dear. She cancels at of this week's exercise classes and books a doctor's appointment. Oh dear. Worrying but sensible. I tell her that if she’s lucky she might get signed off for a fortnight. She’s not happy at that thought.

The dog club has a committee meeting tonight from which some key people are missing. This means that some decisions which were taken last year are overturned but may well get overturned again once they are back. The joys of committees.

My first birthday card arrives, a week early. from L’s well organised sister who is abroad all week. What it actually means is she doesn’t trust anyone else to post it on her behalf. 

(Monday 20^th April)

Drubbing Down

It was odd having a night back at home without the dogs but on Friday morning the peace is shattered as we pick them up from kennels and bring them home. They seem to be pleased to see us, as long as no one mentions the takeaway they missed last night.

While we’re home for the day, re-bonding with the dogs, we get a chap in to service the boiler and I go to the doctors to finally get the drubbing down I deserve over my D minus on my health check report card.

Only instead I get praised. My figures may not have been perfect but apparently they are far better than everyone else’s. So that’s something at least. Double bonus is apparently both my liver and kidneys have all passed with flying colours. 

‘Cut back on the cheese’ the nurse tells me ‘but generally carry on with what you’re doing’.

That’s a dangerous thing to say... 

(Friday 21^st February)

Waiting For Extra Time

I hobble to work on the bus. The bike’s at the doctors and I don’t think another run would be a good idea (I had planned one). L offers to try and get me into physio tonight. I decline. Must get the foam roller out though.

No dog class tonight, so it’s a night in with the boys. Football, football and more football. Blimey MD never gives up.

While MD’s still outside, waiting for extra time I think, I get the foam roller out. Which immediately results in Doggo climbing on top of me in an attempt, I think, to stop me self harming myself. Bless him but please mate, go away.

(Wednesday 23^rd October)

They Don’t Have Rain In Spain

Before I ask... apparently he was almost a saint. That means MD’s walk went well. I must admit I was surprised when he hadn’t been returned home by the time I left for work.

Perhaps he and L have bonded or perhaps he’s just couldn’t be bothered today. Very little barking and no hurling himself at cars apparently. He didn't even shout abuse at the dog with no knees, which is an open goal really that he declines to take this morning.

I collect my bike from the doctors. It’s been fixed, serviced and is looking good. The price also wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. I didn’t need a new wheel after all.

L asks when I think I'll be fit enough to bike to work. Well the cough is subsiding nicely but my leg is still painful and I’m finding standing up easier than sitting, which is quite a dynamic way of working. So perhaps April? I think L might have to trade me in.

Then again, cough wise, Wednesday should be possible... I’ve just got to shake this knee injury.

L suggests I should cancel squash. That’s a bit rash.

It’s a tricky game in the FA Cup tonight for Derby away to Crawley Town, who are flying at the top of the Blue Square Premier. They’ve also thrown a lot of money at their squad in an effort to get into the Football League. Which means they've probably spent more highly on their squad than we have this season and they’re in form, which we certainly aren’t.

Anyway like most ‘big’ clubs I imagine we have dismissed the game as being an irrelevance, as finishing 15th in the league is clearly of more importance than a cup run. Not.

So assuming the worst, that Derby wouldn’t cause a shock and win, I arrange to go out rather than listen to it on the radio. I have no idea how you get ESPN to watch it on TV.

Defeat is as a good as confirmed before kick off with Derby not only repeating recent mistakes by playing the best right back in the division at centre half and a midfielder at right back but by bringing a centre half into centre midfield and pushing a central midfielder up behind the striker, a position he hasn’t played before. Then just to make sure of defeat, we leave our second best player, our on loan Spanish striker, on the bench all evening... I suppose it was raining, I understand they don’t have rain in Spain. Well ‘mainly on the plain’ so I'm told, not that that’s likely to be true either.

So we lose, although it’s closer than I expected and I don’t find out until later we even missed a penalty. No one from the club would speak to the press afterwards. I imagine the manager is still trying to understand his own team selection.

Mind you, I had a good night out. Glad I didn’t ruin it with football.

(Monday 10th January)