This is Me

I think it's fair to say that this has been a pretty awesome weekend.

Yesterday we headed up to Taunton for our game against Sussex, which was on Sky. We don't always do so well on Sky or against Sussex, so we weren't expecting an easy game. And when Sussex posted a score of 291, we really thought we were up against it. We didn't get off to the best start - we were 23-1 and then 23-2, but Marcus batted really well and made a half century before getting out, which left us 87-3 and well behind the required rate. And when Zander got out long long after, we were in trouble. But after that, it was the Jos and Hildy show. They were just so awesome. They put on a total of 158 between them and Jos ended up getting 69 off 53, while Hildy made 100 from just 66 balls. I was using my phone to check the required run rate (because I'm sad like that) and with about 10 overs to go, we needed 8.5. Then, it was down to 7.5. Then, just below 7. Then, 6. Then 5, and so on and so on. Hildy was in the high 90s for a while and I'm sure the reason Pete got out was that he was trying so hard not to score a boundary because it would have meant the end of the game and he wanted him to get a century, and then Damien Wright blocked a few shots so that Hildy had the strike again, and he ended up 100 not out and we won by 4 wickets. That's all 4 of our one day games we've won now - fantastic! We're at Bath against Worcestershire next weekend - I'm just trying to find a hotel in central Bath that allows dogs and has parking so that we can go!

The only downside of yesterday's game was that it was Damien Wright's last game. He's been with us while we were waiting for Murali Kartik to join, and he's done a really good job with the ball and has scored handy runs down the order. And he seems a really nice bloke, as well. So I'm sorry to see him go, but Murali Kartik is now here, and hopefully he'll do a good job for us. I'd love to see Wright back at some point, though.

The weather was kind yesterday as well. We sat in the Marcus Trescothick stand and although it was cool when the sun went around behind the apartments, when we were in the sun it was really pleasant and half of my face is a bit sunburnt because we didn't put any lotion on - whoops!

We had a good trip back from Taunton and then had something of an indoor picnic consisting of cheese sarnies, crisps, chocolate, beer and wine whilst catching up on some stuff on Sky+. Good times!

Anyway, that was yesterday...

This morning I had a proper lie-in. I woke briefly at around 7.00am but then went back to sleep until gone 9.00am and I didn't actually climb out of bed until just gone 11.00am! Shocking!

After walking Teh Dogge (in the rain - boo) I had to face the madness that is Tesco on a Sunday morning, and then I watched a bit of Leicestershire v Scotland before the T20 World Cup Final started.

We won the toss and bowled first and started off so well, but then the Aussies came back into it and Cameron White and David Hussey got them right back into it. If someone had said to me before the game that we'd be chasing 148 to win I'd have taken that, but having had them at 8-3 and 45-4, I was wondering if we'd let it slip a little. I shouldn't have worried though. Lumb went quite cheaply but then Craig and KP put on an awesome partnership and even though they both got out, England won with relative ease. (I can say that now - I wasn't relaxed at the time, though!). Craig top scored with 63 and was man of the match, and we won by 7 wickets with 3 overs to spare. Awesome stuff. Seriously, just awesome! I am so, so chuffed and so proud of how Craig has performed for England in this tournament. Great things await him, of that I'm sure!

With apologies in advance to the Aussies on my f-list, I must just say this. When Australia beat Pakistan in the semi-final on Friday I was really disappointed but now I'm glad we had them in the final because it makes the win that much more satisfying!

So that was my weekend. I am now going to spend the rest of the evening drinking wine, eating a chocolate tart and watching Junior Apprentice.

All together now... HUZZAH!!!!!!

Level 15 of Angry Birds is doing my head in. I can get the outer towers to fall down and I've been able to squish the pigs on the right and the left, but I can't get to that big bugger in the middle and it's so incredibly annoying!

Also incredibly annoying was the cricket last night. England posted a stonking total but due to some poor bowling in the first two overs, a lot of rain and those bastards Duckworth and Lewis, the West Indies actually won by eight wickets. Just ridiculous. Hopefully we'll beat Ireland fair and square tonight and go through anyway. But even so... Tsk.

In other news, I'm going back to work tomorrow - huzzah!

And I'm going to endeavour to be productive and spend this morning writing. Re-doing this fic is a mammoth project and I need to get cracking!

I've had a lovely weekend!

Yesterday, I had a really nice lie-in whilst watching the cricket and doing some writing, and then I went into town where we had lunch at Positano, and then I went over to The Hair Priory and got my hair cut and coloured.  I'm glad Kate's moved there - they offer you wine and proper fancy coffees, none of the muck mixed with Coffeemate that you used to get at Vaughan's!  Apparently, he'd said to them all that he was putting the prices up by £1 but wanted to keep that extra £1 (on top of the 60% of the takings he was already taking), and was planning on putting them up by another £1 in April and doing the same thing.  When Kate asked during the staff meeting he'd called to tell them all this what he would do if they all said no, he said, "Well, you can all fuck off."  Lovely.  So she took him at his word and switched salons, and it's so much nicer there, even if they don't have vibrating chairs by the basins.  And it was a tenner cheaper!  Good stuff!  So I saved myself £10 there and I also saved myself money by resisting the temptation to buy the new books by Linwood Barclay and Dorothy Koomson.  Hopefully they'll be out in paperback before I go to Mallorca in SIXTEEN WEEKS' TIME.  Yesterday evening was spent in front of the telly with some lovely food, a couple of bottles of Italian lager off of Marksies, and then some Petit Chablis, whilst watching old episodes of UK Border Force (I am addicted to this, btw).

Today, I had another nice lie-in and then got up and watched the end of play from Bangladesh before walking Teh Dogge.  I then spent the rest of the day writing (I did over 5,000 words today) and watching the IPL, the second game of which ended up in a super over, which was really good fun.  I don't actually know the names of the teams because I'm rubbish like that, but I wanted the yellow team with Mattie Hayden and his mongoose to win, but the red team in the Arsenal type shirts won, which was a shame.  It was an awesome match, though.

I had planned on cooking chicken wrapped in parma ham and stuffed with Quark and parsley for dinner, but I got as far as getting the ingredients out and lighting the oven before deciding I simply could not be arsed, and ordering in a pizza instead.  Total diet fail.  Dominoes appear to be right on form, though.  The order was only placed 15 minutes ago, and already it's on the road.  Stonking!

Right, I must go and put my clean bedding on before the pizza arrives.  I'll never manage it once I've had a beer - it's tricky enough at the best of times!

We're just watching the mogul thing. It hurts my knees just to look at it! I haven't seen anything else yet today, though. Does anyone know when the men's downhill is now due to take place? I'm really hoping I'll be able to watch that one!

I see Vernon Kay's been a naughty boy. Tut, tut, tut...

Young Mr Kieswetter continues to impress for the England Lions - he was 40 not out today (the top score) and made a couple of stumpings. It's going to be really interesting to see how he does if he's selected for the game against England during the week!

I meant to mention this yesterday but Kate and the family went up to Stamford Bridge yesterday to watch Chelsea -v- Cardiff. And for some reason she was shocked by all the crowd violence and aggro that went on afterwards. It's Chelsea -v- Cardiff - surely anyone could have seen that that was a recipe for fisticuffs? I think it scared her a little because they had the girls with them but still nearly got caught up in a fight. I honestly don't know why she takes the kids there, you know...

I'm looking forward to watching Dancing on Ice this evening. And I'm hoping the Delectable Daniel doesn't make another error because that was far too scary last week!

There appears to be a film out that I may want to go and see. Actually, two! One is the film which me_unabridged saw yesterday and which made her cry, and the other is the film of Shutter Island. I read the novel that it's based on a few years ago and really loved it, so I'm actually quite keen to go and see it in the cinema. *faints*

I haven't done much today. I finished the book I was reading (Divine Evil by Nora Roberts - good, but I wish she'd change her basic story format occasionally) and am now waiting to start The Spire by Richard North Patterson, which I picked up at the library yesterday. I'm the first person to borrow it. I love that! [/geek]

And that's my news, I think. Oh, except to say this (once again)... Valentine, Schmalentine...

So, England are 5 wickets down with one session remaining and there's a (very slim) outside chance of a draw after all.

It won't happen, though. I just know it won't. There'll be a massive batting collapse any minute now and we'll be left with Swann and Bunny Onions trying to bat out the last 30-odd overs or however long is left in the day.

I wouldn't mind so much if we just went and lost it. I can cope with losing. It's the hope I can't stand!

I've been feeling slightly delicate today after far too many boozes yesterday. I didn't get up out of my bed until around 11.00am, and have been taking it easy since then, apart from having to go out and walk Teh Dogge. I've mostly enjoyed watching the cricket - Smith and Kallis were going far too well for a while but then Swann got Kallis and Smith got out soon after in a comedy run-out, and Duminy has gone as well. Tomorrow should be interesting!

Christmas Day was lovely! I got up at around half 8 and then we had smoked salmon mousse for breakfast, washed down with some Moet, before starting the present opening. I got loads of really brilliant presents - huge thanks to me_unabridged and composim for the gifts, I'm really chuffed with everything! *hugs*

After opening the presents it was almost time for lunch, which turned out very well indeed. We then went for a short walk down into Widewell Woods, but we didn't dare venture any further because there was still quite a lot of ice around (but not quite as much as Christmas Eve).

We then vegged out on the sofa and I rang Chen for a chat and also spoke to Kate, Martyn and Megan on the phone. And then I cooked far too much food for the evening and we ate quite a lot of that while drinking lots of beer and wine and gin and tonic before finally falling into bed close to midnight.

Apart from lounging around and feeling ropey whilst watching the cricket, today I have been given a huge shock by Plymouth Argyle who, having not scored so much as a single goal since 7th November, went and won away at Cardiff. Unbelievable, Geoff!

I don't go back to work until Tuesday so I still have another couple of days off after today. I haven't got anything planned though - it depends really on what the weather's doing. Hopefully I'll manage to get out for at least one nice walk though, and I'm also hoping to do some writing - huzzah!

I haven't done much today, apart from watch England give South Africa a bit of a pasting.  Which was nice.

However, I do have news.  And that news is that I've pretty much got next summer's holiday sorted.  And you'll never guess where we're going... ;-) 

Yup, we're off back to Cala d'Or again for a fortnight.  We go on 10th July because going a week later meant we'd only miss one game as opposed to two or three if we'd gone the weekend before.  And we're staying in the exact same apartment as last year, so it'll be like going home!  I'm just going to nip upstairs and grab my credit card, and then I can book the flights and the airport hotel.  Huzzah!

Oh no!

That's sad news... :-(

Also, in other (less sad and more crickety) news, Monty Panesar has gone to Sussex, and Justin Langer has gone off to do some coaching thing or other.

What else, what else...?

Nope, there's nothing else. So I'm going to wash up my lunch dishes and then go back to my desk and do some actual writing, even though I really can't be arsed...