Friday 31 December 2010

RIP Dad

25 Sept 1926 - 29 Dec 2010



















25 Sept 1926 - 29 Dec 2010

Sunday 19 December 2010

Wednesday 8 December 2010

"on a cold and frosty morning"


The trees displayed their own beautiful works of art,




and the cobwebs resembled pieces of string,





and branches held onto frozen droplets of water,



but while we admired the beauty of nature's cold and frosty mornings

we were freezing in the spin studio

and could actually see our own breath as we pedalled...

so Andy bought in his own personal heater.


Tuesday 7 December 2010

Aqua baked potato party

We had the annual, traditional, usual, casual, informal aqua baked potato party today which once again was a huge success and just what we needed on a cold, frosty morning after a leapabout in luke warm water (to be fair the water was very pleasant, it was the music box that let me down, refusing to play my specially selected Christmas carols (perhaps the lifeguards jinxed it on purpose???!!)

Anyhow we didn't let that spoil our lunch...

...which naturally included a game of heads and tails whoop whoop

I tossed and Jo caught (most of the time!)







Dot and Franneeeeeeeee



Val, Espe, She and Char



I obviously deserved a very big clap!



And I was apparently totally hilarious?



Good ol Dot, somehow she didn't get a cracker... how did that happen??




A fantastic turn out (40 potatoes!!) (OMG) and a lot of fun!

Monday 6 December 2010

Claire and Tom

No sooner had I returned home from the Ricoh and I was out again, a quick change into my gladrags and I was off to the hotel to help Claire and Tom celebrate their wedding day. Aah Ceri, she was such good company that night, we had a lovely evening positively dancing our heads off till our feet got too hot.




Claire was radiant and looked very slim, people kept coming up to me to acknowledge MY part in the process... I think Claire had told everyone it was aerobics that had shifted the pounds.





Everyone was admiring the cake, it looked delicious!




It even had lights on it...all twinkles and roses...lovely.



It was one of the best weddings I've been to, the buffet was nice (I said I wouldn't eat anything but couldn't resist 6 sandwiches (whoopsie!) the band were fantastic, the bubble machine was fun and the dancefloor was permanently full...CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM BOTH!




They are honeymooning in Singapore (SINGAPORE!!!!! SOOOZE!!!) and Borneo where Claire will undoubtably adopt an orangutan... so I burned them a bread board featuring the Singapore merlion and an orangutan.


Sunday 5 December 2010

Cov v Boro (PUSB!!)

Hats off the the groundsmen at the Ricoh Arena for ensuring no game has ever been postponed! They worked hard to maintain this proud record and on a very snowy Saturday 4th Dec the Sky Blues welcomed the mighty Boro to the Ricoh. Phil and I made our way down the M6 to watch our respective teams, clad in several layers (whoever would have thought that Chester College gymnastics tights would last 33 years??) (33!! remember him??!) and each wearing an appropriately coloured scarf. On the way we passed this magnificent meerkat sculpture made entirely of


haybales

click the above for full story




We met up with Brownie who, as corporate member of the Ricoh, invited us into the Jaguar lounge for a very tasty pre-match fish and chips, with the promise of a soft padded seat on the halfway line, unlimited tea and coffee and a good chance of a nil nil draw.



Amy, a female linesman was running the line, she has been called on to ref the last 20 mins of the game here v Forest last season.



We enjoyed the first half....it was a bit scrappy but it was end to end with City having a couple of shots and then some great excitement on 28 minutes when Boro were awarded a penalty. 28 minutes. 28. Phil had had the time of the first goalscorer as 29 mins 29 seconds so was already spending what would surely be some generous winnings. Leroy put ball on the spot on 29 mins (OMG surely he would make Phil some money) and then proceeded to faff about for a minute and a half ("GET ON WITH IT!!!" "JUST KICK THE BALL!!!" in my right ear) and what happened next was both genius and comedy as Leroy blasted the ball down the centre (after a very dodgy run up) and Kieran made a superb save, sending the ball straight back to Leroy who then smashed it straight back to Kieran from... how many yards???? Fantastic goalkeeping (MOM deservedly) Wotahoot.

Half time NIL NIL

So back inside for my 4th cuppa (OMG what a brilliant afternoon)




We had spotted the current Blades Boss taking his seat at the start of the game and I really NEEDED a photo of him (I like Mr Speed) so we tried a few tactical (childish??) strategic standing positions with Gary in the background...





...until in the end I asked him outright for a photo and he duly obliged and now I like him even more. (OMG what a totally brilliant afternoon)




Ths sky was changing all the time, looking lovely in all different shades of blue and purple...




...the fact that I photographed it indicates how well(?) we were playing... Boro definitely came right back into the game in the 2nd half though never really looked like scoring. Their play in the final third let them down although they did hit the woodwork again.

It was Marlon King who broke the deadlock by scoring the penalty from the same penalty spot that Leroy Lita missed from and for the first time in 4 years City kept a clean sheet for 3 games in a row...

PUSB PUSB ONE NIL final score.


Brownie and I were happy, Phil was understandably disappointed as Boro weren't totally clueless and had made us work hard.



...and we weren't merely happy with the score but also with our £1 bet on Cov to win ONE NIL at 6-1, (Brownie always finds a parking spot with the numbers of the predicted score...we didn't realise and had parked in number 32....3-2? ...a bit ambitious!! but OMG he did it again! WHOOP WHOOP!!)



Another 3 points!! We left the Ricoh with the rest of the 15768 crowd very happy, it was a brilliant afternoon, and Brownie... you do realise I am going to want to do it again don't you.... THANKS FOR HAVING US.