Girls in Snow

Posted via web from robthorley's posterous

Lulu in Snow

Got to get the kids out in the snow...

Posted via web from robthorley's posterous

Snow in the Garden

The garden this morning. Guess I won't be seeding the lawn today...!

Posted via web from robthorley's posterous

Washed out by Wave

Well, I'm really cheesed off.
I was given a Google Wave account a week or so ago and felt like I was one of the chosen ones. Then I find out Wave is not compatible with normal email, the blog apps don't work, and the only people I can wave to are the ones I invite.
I know folks dig the collaborative aspect, and I know this is the USP. But Google must've known that people would want to upgrade from Gmail to Wave, and the fact that you can't integrate is a dissatisfier. v. poor Google! v. poor

Google Wave has arrived!

I received my invitation to use Google Wave last night. I was chuffed! I've been playing with it for most of the day, in between firefighting, putting the world to rights, and a spot of light childcare.
Unfortunately there are several serious drawbacks to Wave. Firstly, I have no-one to wave to. I've identified people I want to wave to, but invitations won't be sent out immediately.
Secondly, it's sooo Beta, it needs weekly updates at least. No way to empty the trash? That's just wrong-headed.
Thirdly, work has already firewalled Wave, so I shan't be accessing it during work hours or on my work laptop. This is a real shame, as I can see a lot of benefit in this. In addition, it can replace Facebook and Twitter for keeping in touch socially too.
I'm sure I'll get it eventually though - never mind...

- Posted using BlogPress on the move.

66 - The New Retirement Age?

I am aware that I will have to work until I'm 68 before I retire. I don't see what the issue is with bringing that date forward, so that older people than me will have to work longer. It's not like the Tories are saying, 'from tomorrow you must all work like dogs until you die'. They've given seven years' warning. That's enough time to make preparation. Bring it on.

Silly Season Starts - it's the Lib Dem Conference!

The Lib Dems are frustrating. They're obviously nice intelligent people, and their hearts are in the right place. But I don't know if I can vote for them.

My question is whether they believe in a larger or a smaller state. I guess I'm beginning to become conservative, but the LibDems have some interesting ideas.

1. Scrap the £250 child trust fund. This is a good idea. We don't need it, and the money can be used to improve primary education. If everyone is given £250, then everyone starts from the same position, so there is no advantage for the less well-off.

2. Income tax to start at £10k. Another good idea, as those on lower incomes pay proportionately more tax. The trouble here is that this would be funded by a tax on houses worth more than £1m. But the LibDems don't know how they will value the houses (from here). Will they use Rightmove? Maybe I should buy some shares... My deeper concern is that these £1M+ houses are assets, and just because you have an expensive asset doesn't mean you have corresponding cash flow. I've got an iPhone, but I also have an overdraft and other monthly debts. If I had a house worth £1M I would have to sell it. So this measure would discourage people from buying expensive houses.

I guess we'll have to read more to find out exactly what their plans are... But it's a good start to the conference season.

Ashes Victory!

Well, what to say that hasn't been said? I think we owe the win to Broad's blitz on the Friday afternoon, and Australia's strange decision to not play a spinner. This has been an up and down series, and as Strauss said, when England were bad, they were abysmal, and when they were good, they were good enough. I've sat and watched in amazement as wickets fell like dominos, and LBWs were not given. Some single events have decided matches, and it wasn't as cut & dried at the end as some people have suggested - I certainly wasn't confident it was all over as I left the house on Sunday morning. Still, the Ashes have changed hands again, which indicates an even contest in my opinion. My view was that if England managed to hold position at the start of the final test, we had a chance of winning. I always thought we could do it, and am pleased to have been proven right.

Now it's time to say goodbye to Sky Sports, because it costs too much and I don't get as much out of it as I would like, what with three chillun an' all...

TTFN.

Street Chat

Overheard tonight: "she may be a cunt and a dickhead, but how many times have I beaten her up? I've got respect for her."

What is the world coming to?

Taste of Ashes in my Mouth

Well. Well, well, well. I am shocked and appalled by the turn of events in Headingley over the last two days. I am expecting this horrible experience to be brought to a swift end by some appalling batting (by England) and some sublime bowling (by Australia).

We've done okay so far, we've matched Australia stride for stride: we won a match, then batted for a draw. Australia batted for a draw (which we should have denied them). And now we've just collapsed as a batting unit and bowled woefully. Shocking. It's like there's a different team out there.

Is it down to the absence of KP and Flintoff? Can that really be it?

Half-Days and Time-keeping

I took a half-day yesterday from work, with the original intention of going camping yesterday afternoon for an extended weekend. As it was, I had a call with Australia at 07:00 (after a 21:00 call the previous evening), and didn't finish in the office until 13:15. So by that point I had worked four and a half hours. Then when I got home I joined another call from 14:30 to 15:15, bring my work hours for the day to five and a quarter. There are some days I work less than this when I'm putting in a 'full day'.
Still, I got lots done, so that's okay. And you can probably guess we didn't go camping yesterday. We are planning to go today, as long as it's fine. There's no point going for two days just to get wet.

Going back to the work thing, we are so busy at the moment it is untrue. There have been two rounds of redundancies at work so far (one at end '08, one just completing), and our department wasn't impacted, so it's not like we have three people doing five people's jobs. It's just really busy. And the company have decided in order to maintain liquidity, they are going to stop paying into our pension funds for eighteen months. So we are working our socks off, having been given a pay cut. It's a crazy world.
TTFN.

Go, the Sussex

Sussex have made it through to the Friends Provident Final, the 50-over version of the game. Good work fellas. Shame the international match between West Indies and India was rained off. Gayle was out first ball, near enough.
'Twas a busy weekend of weeding. I wish I'd taken before and after photos, as the grasses were of almost biblical bulrush proportion. I took two loads of grass to the dump, and that amounted to two binloads each time. God, I sweated! Watched X2 as well, all the way through - that's a good film, but so long! I was willing it to end, eventually...
Night night.

Catch-Up

Can't believe it's been so long!
Have had Daughter #3, 'Gunk-Eye' (will probably come up with a new name soon).
Have enjoyed the weather - it's been lovely recently.
Have had my pension payments stopped by work, due to 'the economic downturn' - 'but our people are our most valuable asset'. Doesn't add up, if you ask me.
Went to see Sussex play the Australians at the end of June - a very enjoyable few days.
Went to Goodwood Festival of Speed yesterday - very noisy and hot - a good way to start the weekend.
Really busy at work. Not enough time to do what I want at home. Shouldn't really be doing this - am off to get dressed and garden. Those weeds need sorting out.
TTFN.

Slight Sadness

I'm a bit deflated at the mo, as The Company (the one I work for) has decided to only award me a 1.68% pay rise this year. I know that a lot of people have not received a payrise this year, and some 'executives' have even taken paycuts, but it's still a slap in the face, especially as I don't think I've been as busy since I joined the team. And rail prices have risen by 8% this year, which is a real kick in the teeth. Still, in 2009 rail prices will probably have to decrease, as deflation is on the cards. So actually a payrise of 1.68% may actually turn out to be more like a rise of 3%.
There you go, I'm getting more cheerful already!
TTFN.

Mistresses

So, managed to catch up with eps I & II of Mistresses series 2 last night. Very good telly. But how blimmin' far-fetched is it?
You've got the Irish bird, stuck in a loveless marriage, child by another father born into the marriage, going off and having random anonymous sex on what appears to be a nightly basis, in a posh hotel that must be costing a bomb. Firstly, if you start spending that sort of cash, you'll have none left. Then, secondly, your partner would notice. And thirdly, if your life is that rubbish, DO something. But she is fit, though.
Then you've got Sarah Parish, who is also fit. She was a star in Cutting It and is a great actress. She gets a young bit of man-meat and then is letched at by an old college boyfriend. How many people (not just sexy mature ladies) get involved in a love triangle? Surely the answer is 'v. few'.
Next up - Trudi, who is with a bloke who appears to be available at any point during the day, but still earns enough to be regularly paying out £3,000 to an unknown beneficiary. And he argues with strange & unexplained ladies in houses throughout the locale. Unfortunately Trudi appears to be on a losing streak.
And finally there's Jessica, obviously very attractive but not my pair of socks, who is now married to a randy sod who is going to break her heart - despite the fact that she wants to be seen as a free spirit, she wants the marriage to work.

It's all complete poppycock, but a great way to spend an hour a week.

Windies Part II

So, from zeroes to heroes - possibly. I missed the last part of today's play, as TW was recording ANTM and MasterChef, but it looks like Swann got 5-57. And that's after we got 566-9 declared yesterday. My fear early today was that the match would end in a draw, with the WI 1st innings incomplete. If we can bat like that, surely they can do the same? But apparently not.
If we can pull a win out of this one, that would set the series up quite nicely.
TTFN.

53 All Out - A Sad Day?

Okay, it's taken me a while to get around to this. I've read a bit, thought a bit, been a bit sad, and been quite pessimistic. Which (I feel) is unlike me.
Let's start by looking forward to the Ashes. I've watched with interest as Australia have lost to South Africa, and made life difficult for themselves against the Kiwis. In my opinion, if Australia lose on Friday, they will be stung in defeat and they will come fully-armed for the Ashes. If they don't come as a broken force, we will be in trouble. Even with a home advantage, I don't believe we will have the hunger necessary to win a test series against Australia.

Now let's look at England today. Who needs to be replaced? Mostly, the batsmen. Strauss, Cook, and Bell all need to go. Obviously Shah will replace Bell. A certain Rob Key could replace Strauss, and A.N. Other could replace A.N. Cook. But, you cry, what about the captaincy? Give it back to Pietersen, is the obvious answer. Someone in India reckons he is worth $1.55MM, and the captaincy for three weeks of a six-week season. Yet ECB have hung him out to dry. He may be an egomaniac, I don't care. What is good for Pietersen as England captain is good for the England team. KP wants to win? The team need wins. If KP drags the team dragging and screaming to winning ways, so be it. If it looks like the ECB are using KP, so be it. At this time, right now, a win is a win is a win.

Why did England lose, and get all out for 51? Several factors: working backwards:

• IPL auction - $1.55MM for KP & Freddie is going to impact on all psyches involved.
• Change of coach - Andy Flower may have been involved in the coaching team, but do the players see him as a leader
• Change of captain - I may regret this. Strauss may be a grower. However, I think KP showed he was thinking outside the box. He got Harmison back. He wanted Vaughan back for his strategic planning. He wanted to WIN. Strauss is a competent leader, but he is a fill-in, he's not inspirational. He's a care-taker captain.

I'm concerned that we are going to get mugged by the Windies here. Gayle is cited as being much matured. Sulaiman Benn has been a surprise. Taylor and Powell are on top of their game and I sweat every time Chanderpaul comes to the crease.
Can you single out English individuals in the same way? KP, as a batsman. Freddie is efficient but not killer. Monty the same. Harmison can be devastating, but not on every occasion.
Best wishes to the England team, but I'm calling a loss in the Windies.
TTFN (sadly).

More Cricket...

...up at 06:00 this morning to watch AUS vs NZ first ODI. Surprised to see Aus 50 for 5, but they improved to 180 all out. NZ aren't much better, 41 from 42 required to win. Will they do it? Quite an interesting game. No big boundaries, but evenly-balanced.
Superbowl XLIII tonight - my money's on the AZ Cardinals - quite literally. I've got colleagues who work in Phoenix, so I allowed myself a £2 wager at 5-1. Break out the Cristal!
TTFN.

Children can be a real test...

Geez. As I'm writing this, Monkey is screaming on the stairs that she wants a cuddle. I've only been reading to her for 35 minutes, and trying to get her to go to sleep for the last 20 minutes. Finally she's retired. What's it going to be like when we have three?

Scan News - Hot Off The Press !!!

Twenty week scan today - it's (most likely) a girl. "No dangly bits", said the sonographer. Thank the Lord, a lucky escape for me - no need to show an interest in soccer. And more reason to build a little batchelor pad / warm shed in the back garden.
Actually I'm very pleased. I wonder what we'll name her?
TTFN.

HNY 09

Happy New Year all. Just watching Celeb BB. The year can only get better.

Kids

Jeez, kids are tough. I can't imagine what things are going to be like when #3 turns up in May.
TTFN.

It's Nearly All Over

So the end of 2008 is almost upon us. It's been a good year. Kiddie #3 is nearly with us - well, in May, anyway. I've moved jobs, getting the payrise, and learned more about the new role. Unfortunately, I am now 37, but I got some good presents, and I have yet to experience my birthday facial.
I can't believe it's only two weeks until Christmas...
TTFN.

Dear Martin Johnson...

Any chance of a win this afternoon?
TTFN.

Oh Gee, KP

I thought your motto was "bat". And if you were in any doubt, "pause, think, and then bat". And if it looked like a bowling-friendly wicket, "pause, think, pause again, and then bat".
I hope the next six games are better.
TTFN.

Movember

So, I've agreed to grow a moustache for Movember. It's for a prostate cancer charity. TW isn't too happy - she don't like hairy upper lips. But if I can raise some cash for charidee, I will.
TTFN.

Brand & Ross

I know I'm late on this, but were resignations appropriate?
Was intervention by the PM necessary?
And how much has Voluptua's career benefitted?
If I were in any way paranoid, I'd be suggesting a conspiracy of some kind.
TTFN.

Wedding Past

So, The Wedding was excellent. Set off to perfection by my reading, natch.
TTFN.

Forthcoming Wedding

So, lil Sis is getting married this weekend. I've just had my hair cut in anticipation. I'm also going to read - from the Song of Solomon. Good work.
TTFN.

Question Time

Dominic Grieve is not coming across very well. In fact, one might label him 'objectionable'. In the vernacular, he might be called a 'c**t'. Is he the new John Redwood?
TTFN.

Bail-outs

Was watching Newsnight last night, and an interview with Alistair Darling. The interviewer asked, in light of the bail-out for the banks, where were the bail-outs for the individual?
Has she not heard of social security? There's already a system in place to deal with people win lose their jobs. And it already costs billions. D'oh!

TTFN.

England Post a Win

So, England have won the first ODI vs. South Africa. I watched it in slow motion, thanks to Sky+ (tm), and I had a sense of dread as S.A. set off at a fair gallop in pursuit of 275. Luckily, we strangled them and cut off the runs. As they had 36 to score from the last three overs, I began to feel safe. Funny how a cricket match prompts a post... Camping update will be forthcoming.
TTFN.

Big Bottoms?

So, yesterday morning I got up, had a shower & went through to the bedroom to get changed. TW was up and in the shower, and Monkey & Tiger were milling about, doing whatever it is that nippers do, when Monkey piped up: "you've got a big bot-bot, Daddy." "Thanks", I muttered. There was a big explosion of laughter from the bathroom as TW heard this exchange. "Your Daddy doesn't have a big bot-bot", she told Monkey.

It's the small things that keep me sane & smiling.

TTFN.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

So, TW is off at a carboot sale, and I'm left holding the babies. Monkey & Tiger are dressed and fed, so score one for my 'mad' parenting skillz. Ma & Pa will be by in a bit, and we'll go and see TW and MiL. It's a lovely sunny day, but a bit windy.
Was at a party last night, & had a few drinks as per usual. Feeling a bit jaded this morning, but am planning a few days off the booze - at least until Weds. Only trouble is, TW is off to Brizzle on Tuesday, so I expect I will want a drink then. J is coming to decorate the front room, and possibly staying overnight, so we might get a few beers in... Life is a constant challenge, isn't it?
TTFN.

Reporting Splogs

So, I'm quite pleased today. Back in the day, when I was more circumspect about blogging, I used to have a 'Treb1971' blog account. I moved to this one, and then found out the previous one had been taken over by a splogger promoting alopecia remedies.
I reported the splog on Thursday and find out today it's been taken down. Unfortunately it's not available for new blogs, but I shall be keeping an eye on it.
TTFN.

Dr Horrible

You've not got long, but if you want to see a web-only superhero-based musical by Joss Whedon for free, check out Dr Horrible.
It may be too late, even now - if so, I apologise...
TTFN.

Longest Lasagne Evah?!?

So, on Sunday I suggested to Monkey that we might make chocolate crispies. She was given a kids' cookery book by her great-grandmother, and the chocolate crispies recipe looked simple enough that I would be able to make it.

TW persuaded me that as she was going to be busy Sunday afternoon, it might be a good idea to make dinner for that evening, as well as chocolate crispies. I wasn't very open to this, but looked at a lasagne recipe and thought I'd be able to knock it together.

At about 11:30 a.m., Sunday morning, Monkey & I headed off to Tesco, the Great Satan, to line up our ingredients. Cue much dashing to-and-fro, as I did not shop methodically, as I had no idea where anything was. Once that was all done, I decided to get petrol as well - TW had previously obtained a 5p per litre discount, which I put to good use. However, the petrol forecourt was really busy, and we didn't get home until 13:00 - by which time I was starving, and Monkey had tried to get sweets and Cbeebies magazines off me for 1 & 1/2 hours. Luckily, TW had already cooked us pizzas, so we gorged like nation heads at a G8 summit.

I sat and watched a bit of the cricket, which was beginning to fizzle out even then, letting my pizza subside slowly, like a congealed mass of toxic carbs. Which is exactly what it was.

At 14:30, I roused myself and went to look at the recipe more closely, and start my prep. Like all good chefs, I assembled my ingredients, and read through the recipe. I chopped the onion, cut up the bacon (that took a while), crushed the garlic, and was eventually ready to start puttinmg it all together. I think the prep took about 25 minutes.

Then Monkey & I softened the onions, garlic & bacon, and browned the mince and added the tomatoes. Another 20 mins? And then we left it to simmer & reduce - 40 mins.

We didn't start making the bechamel sauce until the ragu was completed, which is where I think we went wrong. Anyway, suffice to say, I spent two hours last Sunday making lasagne.

TW said it was the best she'd ever had. So it wasn't a complete waste of time.
TTFN.

TFC (Telegraph Fantasy Cricket) - Endgame

So, for the second year, I've enrolled in Telegraph Fantasy Cricket. And, for the second year, I'm languishing at about 16,000. Which is rubbish. So I've picked this week to try to improve my position. It's the start of the Pro-40, and I'm going to change my team daily, to ensure I get double points tomorrow, Weds, & Thursday. It feels a bit 'not quite in the spirit of the game', but sod it. I'm bored with mid-table anonymity. I was up to 301 on Celebdaq the other day, for goodness' sake!
TTFN.

An Interesting Start - England vs. S.A.

Hmm. I predicted, on Friday, albeit unwillingly, that this would end in a draw. If we found it easy to bat, I reasoned, the Saffas would love a bit of it. I should have had G Smith in my fantasy team, but I think he was too expensive. Instead I plumped for Amla, because that is truly an impressive beard. He's got his 50 up now, but was out for 6 in the first innings - shame.

Still, at least we haven't lost - yet.

TTFN.

Another Test Series Win

So, England won the second test series of the year against New Zealand. Anderson came good - which was a shame for my Fantasy Cricket side. Even more gutting was Vettori's non-appearance, especially as he was my trump player - d'oh! What are the odds on NZ coming back to win the ODI series?
TTFN.

London Zoo

So, that was a busy weekend! It started on Friday night with a bottle of wine (I know...). Then, with no rest for the wicked, we were all up at 6.30 on Saturday morning to catch an eight o'clock train to London. Almost like a normal weekday - TW did a good job of marshalling the troops & preparing lunches simultaneously. At Victoria we headed for the zoo, in Regent's Park. We walked, which was pleasant but exhausting. Past Marble Arch, through Hyde Park, over Oxford Street and along Wigmore, turning left on Harley Street. We walked at pace, and got to London Zoo sweaty & blowing hard. Later (when we took a taxi back to Victoria...!), we found out that we'd walked about 3.5 miles. So of course we needed a sit down when we arrived.
I had a coffee that was so hot I had to spit it out, and my tongue still feels burnt, two days later. What is the point in superheating coffee like that? Still, TW's friend said she likes her tea 'piping', and she seemed to drink it okay.
London Zoo is really nicely laid out. A tad expensive on the entry fee (£15.50), but we paid using Tesco vouchers, so it was almost a freebie. And, looking at lions & giraffes, etc., you can forget you're in the middle of London - it was most restful.
We left at about 17:30, and got home almost 12 hrs after we left in the morning. Knackered, of course. But a brilliant day out.
TTFN.

London

So, was in The Big Smoke yesterday. I do like travelling up there - it reminds me why I don't do it every day. The extra wages wouldn't cover the inconvenience. And, in addition, I'd never see Monkey & Tiger, or spend much time with TW. I'd be exhausted all the time too. Anyway, that's it.

TTFN.

Come On, the Sussex!

Have booked tickets to see Sussex vs. Somerset at Arundel in the Pro-40 in July. Get in!
TTFN.

D+1

So, had a whisky last night. Just the one (Mrs. Wembley). I have, after all, got that Jura to finish. I slept quite well, except Tiger woke and cried at 23:15, but apart from that, the night was fine. Feeling good today and looking forward to driving to Oxfordshire to see friends.
What a shame that England are playing cricket all weekend, and it's the He'ineken Cup Final today, as well as the Challenge Cup Final tomorrow. Still, there's no way I can sit in front of the telly all weekend. TW wouldn't allow it.
TTFN.

General Richard Myers

I was reading this story in The Guardian yesterday, and one thing occurred to me. This general fella had to rely on politicos to tell him what was in the Army Handbook. He was a general, and 'chairman of the joint chiefs of staff'. Could he not have read the Army Handbook? Did he not have his own copy, what with being a general? A quick Wikipedia search shows he was in the USAF, but as the 'U.S. military's highest ranking officer', surely he would have access to such a handbook? Oh well.
TTFN.

I've Joined the Tech Generation

...with an 80gb iPod Classic. The company I work for were kind enough to give me £300 as a ten year long service award. And since Sky don't accept my credit card, I couldn't buy Sky+ there and then. But I think next month we'll probably order that as well (Credit crunch? What credit crunch?). The only problem is that I can only import CDs at 2.3x for some reason... Which means it is going to take ages to load all my CDs. I'm trying to persuade TW that we need a new laptop in order to keep up. We're currently using my BiL's Armada M300, which is apparently seven years old, a PIII with a 12gb hard drive. So an upgrade to any sort of new PC would be a vast improvement... After three days of loading iTunes, I'm only up to 740mb - still a long way to go!
TTFN.

Freddie Flintoff

On a happier note, I see Freddie might be returned to fitness. The big lad is hoping to play a part in the test series against NZ in the UK in May, which is promising. I think we have a good bowling line-up anyway, but what price Flintoff & Jones on the attack? Would there still be room for Ryan? If we've dropped Hoggy, I guess there would be...
TTFN.

English Management

Well, once again I find myself out of touch with "the common man". It looks like Johnno is going to be the next England Rugby manager, despite the fact that Brian Ashton has done a good job to date. Is it because he's not called 'Ashto'? I did read that Mike Catt might be involved, which would be good - Catt is class. I also read that Wilkinson was considering a kicking coach position, but I think that might have been an April Fool. In my humble opinion, the RFU are woefully mistaken to replace Ashto (see? it could catch on...) at this stage. I also recall reading that club rugby is very structured, whereas Ashto would like to play a looser game, and players have a hard time getting that. I don't know. It's all second-hand gubbins to me, but I'd like to see Ashto carry on.
TTFN.

PMQs

So, I've discovered that I can watch BBC Parliament on the internet at work - which is a bit of a distraction (strangely, the Sun's website is firewalled...?). I watched PMQs on Wednesday and was disappointed at such an unedifying experience.
Cameron asked irrelevant questions which Brown did not answer. As PMQs is one of the highlights of the parliamentary week, you think they'd make more of an effort. If Brown had answered the questions rather than use them as a platform to list Labour's achievements, there might have been an actual discussion.
Cameron asked which other economy was raising taxes going into a recession? Brown could have questioned:

• were we facing a recession?
  
• were taxes being raised (at a macro level)?
• why is it important what other economies are doing? How is that impacting the UK?

I'm not saying Labour or the Tories are right, I'd just like to see a real discussion...
TTFN.

It's Been a Rollercoaster...

Jaysus. I thought we were goners, and then Sidebottom pulled it out of the bag. On what was supposed to be a batter's pitch, we slumped to 4-3 and then 253 all out. NZ were coasting at 103 for 1, but then slumped to 168 all out. I am now pos. 135 in the Cricinfo fantasy league, which is gratifying. Just thought I'd mention that. England should win from here - but it's another instance where the bowlers have helped out the batsmen. Bring on the return series in the UK.
TTFN.

The Tension is Almost Unbearable...

So England could possibly win an overseas Test series. The tension is almost unbearable. It looks like Hoggard & Harmison will be left out, which is a shame for Hoggard. But our batsmen (apart from Ambrose) need to step up.
TTFN.

Six Nations - End of

So, in the end England came second despite two (one and two halves) poor performances. The second half against Wales, the second half against Italy, and the whole match against Scotland. The team performed well against France & Ireland. It's disappointing that we couldn't achieve some consistency. For me, Nick Easter & Jamie Noon were the standout players of the tournament for England (it was funny that Cipriani thought he had been named "Man of the Match" yesterday...!). Ian Balshaw gets the "most room for improvent" award, although he gets that every time - perhaps it should be changed to the "out of my league"award - very fitting for union. Ho ho.
And I hope that now the calls for Ashton's head recede. In the last two competions, (WRC 07 & RBS6 08), England have been runners-up. That's not bad going. Winning would have been nice, but you can't please all the people all the time. It's a bit of an anti-climax really.
TTFN.

Well, Alright...

Slightly disappointing that Tim Whassisname (Vincent? Naah, too tall...) got out for 102. To me, with my limited knowledge, it seems that English batsmen seem to lose concentration after achieving a milestone (e.g., a century) in a way that other batsmen don't. It's always disappointing when a good innings comes to an end.
It is disappointing that we didn't get 350, but this would have been a "nice to have" rather than a "must".
Especially in light of the fact that the Kiwis are 11-2. Ha-ha!
TTFN.

Seismic Surprises in Team Selection...

So, I advised TW this morning on the way to work, in tones of disbelief, that Ashton (England rugby coach) was in danger of being fired. In the same incredulous tones, I advised her that they were considering dropping Wilkinson. It seems that Wilko has now been dropped (in favour of Cipriani) - which I find amazing. How long now before Ashton goes? I can only hope he does not go - it is still possible for England to come a respectable 2nd in this Six Nations, after all. It is my opinion, limited and ill-informed though it might be, that the mercurial (in the literal sense) performance of the England rugby team is due to conflicts in the coachinmg team, and I think if these are resolved, the England rugby team could - and SHOULD - perform better on the field.
In my opinion (please note previous caveats above), England rugby does not have the leaders necessary to shape a cohesive side. I recall seeing a mini-rugby tournament, where a nine-year old, playing outside centre, screamed "where's my f***ing line?!?". I think there is not enough of this urgency and reminder of the basics in the international English rugby side.
I believe it will take some time to shape these leaders, or "generals", and as a result I think English rugby could be in for a deep and prolonged funk.

Compare and contrast with the English cricket side. The two 'senior' bowlers, Harmison & Hoggard, did not perform during the first test vs. New Zealand. Hoggard is worth another punt, in my opinion. However, as much respect as I have for Harmison's past achievements, I believe that he is rudderless and lacking direction at the moment. It's almost as though he's there to complete the numbers, but he has no self-belief. The interview he gave to Sky (Nasser Hussain?) was honest and truthful, but showed Harmison to be unaware of his priorities - one minute the most important thing in his life was cricket, & the next it was his family. The guy does not know where to concentrate his efforts. Mike Selvey in the Guardian today recommended ending his test career, as harsh as that sounds, and I agree that Broad should be lined up as his replacement.

If Wilko and Harmo are both retired this week, it will be the end of an era. Two men who have achieved more than was ever expected of them, both of whom have smashed previous impressive records. However, it could be that History is claiming two heroes in one week. I hope their replacements are up to the task.
TTFN.

DOOM...!

A poor weekend for the English national teams. Drubbed in the rugby & the cricket...
TTFN.

Can you smell DOOM II?

52-4. That's at least 50% better than before, but still doesn't preclude the "humiliating defeat" option...
TTFN.

Can you smell DOOM?

32-4. Jesus.
TTFN.

I'm Holding Ma Breath...

Can England do it? With a required run rate of 3.7, and an actual RR of 9 off the first over, can we see it through to a Win? I'll probably be up until Midnight...
TTFN.

Shocking

England Rugby. Other words - dismal, shapeless, unplanned, unco-ordinated, chaotic, disappointing.
TTFN.

Ryan Sidebottom is GOD.

A hat-trick. A bloody hat-trick. And I chose Hoggard as my trump player. What a fool I was. Just goes to show, stay with what you know. The grass is not always greener... So, what odds on England to win the first test, eh?
TTFN.

Matters Consulting Ltd

So we got a letter the other day, advising we had won a prize from a local business, advising we had to phone a Cheltenham number to confirm/obtain our prize. Absolutely no problem with that, it was a kosher 01242 number (from memory), so phoned them out of interest. Was told that I had won a prize of gym membership, worth £750 - contingent on a weekly payment of £3.81. And, I'd won a second prize of the same, for a friend/partner - which makes for a prize value of £1,500. Went to see the gym, which wasn't at all impressive, and was told that minimum membership was two years. TWO YEARS?!? at £3.81 a week? Times two? That's £800. So, while this is not a con, it isn't worth taking up. Apparently, I've seen written, that even if you move away, you can't cancel - you have to find a gym local to your new locale which is part of the same scheme. As any number of things can change during a two-year period, I'd recommend leaving this offer well alone. You've been warned.
TTFN.

Diet Blues

So, still going strong on the diet after five weeks. I've gone down from 14st 3lbs (90.3kg) to 13st 5lbs (84.8kg). Mostly due to reducing alcohol intake and giving up mints at work. Apart from last Saturday, where I drank so much alcohol I was sick. That was a bit of an embarrassment, especially as it was in my parents' bathroom. Still, that's one way to get rid of the calories - and I'm sure I was lighter than on Saturday morning. I must have shifted a few hard-to-get bits of food from my intestine. I was going to post a "never drinking again" entry, but as time has lapsed, it doesn't seem so important. Isn't it always the way?
TTFN.

Whoops

I let go yesterday, on Shrove Tuesday. I had pancakes, fried snacks, and five glasses of wine. Way to smash that calorie barrier! I also ordered a Nokia 6500 Slide, on "3", which I'm quite pleased about. So this week to date my units are 15. With Fri & Saturday to go. And we're going to a wedding Saturday eve. Whoops indeed.
TTFN.

Mobile Email

So, three glasses of wine and a whisky last night makes six units by my calculations. TTFN.

What a Disappointment...

We went into Brighton yesterday for lunch with the MiL and GiL (Mother-in-law & Grandmother-in-law). It was a nice day, if a bit cold. We went on the pier and had a go on the 2p machines for a while, and Monkey went on a Noddy ride.
We had a very nice lunch at Carluccio's, and afterwards I decided to put a bet on England to win the Six Nations.
That could be a wasted ten pounds. The first half of the game yesterday was good, but for the second half England were running around like headless chickens. Someone needed to step up and control the game for England. Balshaw needs to go. I don't like to criticise, usually, but Balshaw, despite the occasional flash of brilliance, is more of a liability than an asset. He makes the wrong decisions. And that passage where England just shooed the ball back! No leadership...
The only thing I can hope is that the awful second half makes them rethink and play the rest of the games like champions. They made the World Cup Final, for goodness' sake.
TTFN.

New Year's Resolutions & Diets

So, I'm managing to keep up my prolific posting in 2008 (not)...
One thing I have started doing is counting the calories. TW is on a Rosemary Conley diet, and I am also cutting down on my intake. I reckon, according to the BMI scale of things, I could do with losing a stone and a half. So mostly, apart from not eating crisps at work, this has meant less booze.
Where I would normally have a bottle of wine per night, I now have a measure of malt whisky (35ml, of course), and a bottle of wine at the weekend will last me two nights. In the first week I had 16 and 1/2 units, and this week I'm on course for 18. Which is quite a reduction from the 35 - 40 that I was getting through.
This week I only lost 1lb, but we're staying on the diet until July at least, so if I lose 1lb a week every week, I should hit my target weight. And then TW will have hit her target so we'll be trying for a third child after that.
I have a soft spot for Extra Strong Mints, normally eating a packet a day in work. I didn't realise, until yesterday, that there are 200 calories in a packet! So I'm going to have to find a calorie-free alternative.
TTFN.

Baby Training

God, Life is tough.

Not only is this my last week in this department, but at home we've decided to potty-train Monkey, as well as cot-train Tiger.
Monkey's two and a half years old now, and she goes to playgroup, so we've decided it's about time she got out of nappies. And to be honest, she's taking to it like a duck to water. She's had a couple of accidents, but TW has taken them in her stride, and she had no accidents at playgroup yesterday - result! She's really changed over the last couple of weeks, and is now a little girl rather than a toddler or a baby.
Tiger, on the other hand, has been mostly sleeping in bed with us for the last nine months. So we've decided that she needs to go into her room - otherwise, what's the point of a three-bedroomed house? Unfortunately, she had other ideas. Although, we only started on Sunday and last night she slept from 22:00 - 00:30 and then from 01:30 - 06:30, which is pretty good for three days' work.
Because I've been working hard closing off items and handing off knowledge, though, it's been quite a tiring week...
TTFN.

Happy Blogday!!!

So, it was my Blogday on Tuesday. I think I've been doing this, on & off, for three years.

I've decided that this year I am going to reduce my alcohol intake, and started on Monday with one bottle of Corona and a 35ml serving of Famous Grouse. Certainly beats a bottle of rioja!
On Tuesday I had a Corona and 2x35ml serving of Famous Grouse.
Last night, unfortunately, I had five small glasses of red wine, slightly denting my good intentions. However, TW is starting a Rosemary Conley diet tonight, so I will be a (unwilling?) participant in that, which will reduce my alcohol intake further...
I have a litre of Bowmore which I bought in Portugal, which I was looking forward to getting into, so that's a bit of a shame... Might have to wait until March or so before starting it.
TTFN

Monkey & Tiger

So I was washing up last night, with TW, when we heard Monkey & Tiger laughing like drains. We went through to the other room, and saw that Monkey (2 1/2) was shouting 'boo'! at Tiger, which Tiger (9 months yesterday) found hilariously funny. They kept at this for five or ten minutes. It made us smile...
TTFN.

All Good Intentions

Well, it's that time of year again when we make resolutions which are to be broken. Mine, unfortunately, is to post more to my blog.
How was Christmas, you ask? Very nice, thank you. Spent it with my parents, which was quiet and relaxed. Went to TW's Mum for Boxing Day, and got lots of prezzies for Monkey & Tiger.
We went to the sales yesterday, which was a good option, as we got lots of stuff in M&S for less than half price. We play a game, where we add up the full price of everything, and then compare it to the sales prices. I think yesterday we got £196 worth of goods for £78, which is nice - and the shops still make money, which is the odd thing.
So, looking forward to 2008? I start a new job on 14th Jan, which is Mum's birthday, incidentally. It should be good.
TTFN. And expect more of the same, more often...

We're in the Final

Well, I went to the bookies today. The odds on England to win weren't high enough - only 9-4. The odds weren't high enough. I knew we could beat France, but the odds weren't rewarding enough. So I've bet (at 7-1) that England are going to win the whole shooting match.
Yup, folks, you read that right. England to retain the World Cup. I only bet £3, so would win £20. It's the principle. Let's stand up fo England.
TaTa until I pick up my winnings.

England Beat Australia - Rugby Update

So, apparently the Aussies have been whinging about being beaten by a below-strength England rugby team. If England were 'below strength', what does that imply about the Aussie team?
Try again in 2011, boys.
TTFN.

Diet Day II

Only one glass of wine last night. Woo-hoo! I can feel the pounds dropping off - I shall be lithe and lissom, and I shall conquer the WORLD! And I shall succeed, too, unlike Pinky & The Brain - useless rats.
TTFN.

Diet Day I

So, TW and I are starting a diet today. Except I got drunk last night, so have had to rely on the restorative powers of Coke & Doritos. Not a good start. But I am a stone and a half overweight, so it's time to take action. I went to see the nurse last week and my cholesterol and blood pressure are both at the upper limit of normal, so if I can watch the weight a bit, and reduce my alcohol intake, I may get back to acceptable levels. Who knows?
TTFN.

O Internet! Save me!

So, Saturday evening while TW was watching an evening of Neighbours retrospectives on BBC3 I was reduced to trawling the internet in the hope of finding something interesting. Unfortunately, I found nothing.
TTFN.

Cricket Round-up: West Indies

So, the final tally:
Test Series: England won 3-0
Twenty20: Draw 1-1
ODIs: West Indies won 2-1.

Bring on the main course (I mean India, of course).

TTFN.

Waiting for the Man

Still waiting for Sky Broadband. It's not funny any more. Told them today that if they didn't get it done by the end of July, I'd be considering going back to NTL (Virgin).

England's Twenty20 Survival

Well, I am satisfied. Having beaten the Windies 3-0 in the normal form of the game, the Twenty20 side did okay. The Windies batted excellently on Thursday night, and played us out of the game. On Friday, we held them back and gave ourselves a chance, which we promptly took.
I'm looking forward to the first ODI later today - if it's not rained off...
TTFN.

Crackberry III

Sold it! Result!! For £45!!! Boo!!!!
Enuff of the exclamation marks. They're making my eyes bleed. It's odd, I rang O2 and asked if I could have a Blackberry payg sim, and they said no. I had the expensive hardware, all they had to do was charge me for calls and data transfer. But they weren't interested. I'm just not important enough to be given a company B'berry. I dream of annual bonuses and blue-sky thinking. And car allowances, and super wages. Still, there's always €uromillions tonight...
I'm on holiday for a week now. Have it!
TTFN.

Crackberry II

And now I'm trying to sell the Blackberry for £50. It won't sync with my work email without being on a Blackberry Enterprise Server, which is a bit of a shame, but will probably save me mentally from devoting my life to answering all the emails in the world, ever.
Unfortunately, no-one seems to want to buy it...
TTFN.

Crackberry

For some reason, I bought a Blackberry today. For £50. Still playing with it...
TTFN.

NTL Hell

I've finally made the switch away from NTL / Virgin Media to Sky. I reckon I'll save about £8 a month, and be able to set series reminders. And organise my reminders. And use the red 'active' button on Sky Sports. The only thing I am slightly concerned about is Sky Broadband - but I'm sure it will be okay.
TTFN.

Worthing I

So, we went for a walk in Worthing today. It was warm. We ate at the Denton Cafe, which is on Worthing Pier. It was a strange mix. Worthing Pier and Denton Cafe is frequented by old people, but in the theatre there was a web business seminar. It was drily amusing to see all these old dears sit down to eat their fish and chips and peruse 'own your website!' fliers. Hmmm.
TTFN.

Gosh! Isn't it Warm?

Well, sleeping is still a problem. I'm going back to work on Monday, and our two daughters are conspiring to deprive us of any chance of sleep. Having said that, at 12:45 now, both are asleep. Tiger sleeps until 04:00, and then feeds. Then Daughter #1 (Monkey) has been waking at 05:00 and screaming, which is fun. But this is probably due to the number of visitors we've had, and the fact that we've got a new addition (only 15 days old). Daughter #2, Tiger, has already been to hospital twice due to an infected umbilical cord, and the existence of 'group B Strep' in her umbilical swab. But apart from oral thrush and a lot of mucus (possibly a cold, but she doesn't have a runny nose...), she's okay. So, we'll see how things go.
TTFN.

Disappointing Outcome

I see England lost their Cricket World Cup match against Australia on Saturday. That's disappointing. Now they will need to win all three of their next matches. Will they rise to the challenge, or will they sag like a wet sponge? Only time will tell. Thank God I didn't choose Flintoff in the Fantasy Cricket though...

Beautiful Day I

So, for the past few days I have been acclimatising to having two daughters. It's tough. Up at all times of the night, and then Monkey normally wakes at 06:10. This morning she woke at 05:20, which was a real shock. TW got up with her and left me in bed with Tiger, who grunted and oomphed for an hour and a half until I got up. TW had been asleep downstairs for pretty much the whole time! I'm just destined not to get any sleep, I guess.
TTFN.

O Frabjous Day!

I'd just like to mention that our second daughter, hereafter known as 'Tiger', was born last Friday, 30th March, at 06:35 BST, weighing 11lbs 11oz, or 5,320g in new money.
Treb, TW and daughters are well but tired.

England - Commonwealth Bank Champions

Do you know, I am completely amazed. I am in awe. I am very nearly speechless. England have shown an amazing degree of resolve, and Australia seem to have become bored with winning.
I joked with my boss after England won the first match that all three games might not be necessary, but I was expecting a 2-1 victory for the Aussies. Admittedly, the game on Sunday was interrupted by rain regularly, not allowing the Oz to get a rhythm, but in the same breath, the English bowling and fielding was excellent.
And in the end, England have won their first major overseas one-day tournament for ten years. Just in time to go into the World Cup, with a rebuilt sense of purpose. Excellent.
TTFN.

Dry January Days - III

Well, my dry January days came to an end last night. Admittedly, this was the 30th January, so I didn't do a full month, but I did do over four weeks. I nearly buckled once or twice, but with the help and disdain of TW, I made it this far. I was planning on going out tomorrow night with a friend, but unfortunately he is otherwise engaged, so my plans fell a bit flat. And then I thought, 'why wait until Thursday?'. So two Buds later, my drought is over. I could have chosen a better way to finish.
I think I will aim for one week per month off the booze. I think this would be most beneficial. Now, where's that bottle of Jura whisky...?
TTFN!

Labour Declares War on Single Parents

Well, well, well. People always thought the Tories & Labour were amalgamating, even as far back as when Labour delinked from CND. But withdrawing benefits from lone parents because 'the quality of childcare is so good'? Tone should declare that he is 'New Tory' and be done.
TW and I have enough trouble fitting childcare for lickle Monkey into our days, and there are two of us. Christ knows how difficult, logistically, it would be for lone parents forced into work.
They should have worked out by now that the benefits pot is not bottomless, but I don't think they're focusing in the right area.
TTFN.

Well, Really...

Just when you think it couldn't get any worse.........
TTFN.

Quelle Horreur

There's only so many ways to say it. We are fucking shocking.
I am quite disappointed. The English Cricket team seem to be rudderless, drifting from humiliation in the Ashes to ignominy in the Commonwealth Bank triangular series. How inevitable is failure at the World Cup and a swift slide down the rankings?
TTFN.

We Lost Again, Boo!

Ho-hum.
Still, at one stage Australia were 4 for 48, which gave us hope. And then they were 108 for 6! Unfortunately, that was the last wicket to fall. And, in all honesty, we were kidding ourselves if we thought they weren't going to get 156 in 50 overs.
Good for Mal Loye, though, to get 36 from 36. Shame the others couldn't keep up. I can see us winning against New Zealand and ending up in the final against Australia, and getting royally humped. Just before the World Cup. Great (not!).
TTFN.

We Won, At Last, Hurrah!

FINALLY!
At last, England have won a game of cricket Down Under. It may have been against a lacklustre Kiwi side, and they may have made hard-going of it, but a win is a win - which is exactly what England needed at this point. Good work fellas!

Happy 2nd BlogDay!

Who'd have thunk it? Still, I did get rid of the first blog. This is Treb's Blog II. More to come.
TTFN.

It's Time for a New Watch

See what I did there? Here it is: the Klaus Kobec Challenger. I bought this from iBuy, a cable auction site which I find most entertaining. I am a bit disappointed with their customer service, as I will explain...
I bought the watch for £73 on 23rd December, and before they had despatched it, I found it on their website for £56. Despite the fact that the watch was still in their possession, and they had not billed me for it, they insisted on sending me the £73 watch. As far as I was concerned, at this point the transaction was not complete, and if they had any degree of flexibility, they should have sold me the watch for £56. If I had received the watch, and been billed, and then noticed the cheaper watch, I would have put that down to experience, and not even contacted iBuy. However, because (as I said) the transaction was not, in my eyes, concluded, I felt that I was being taken for a mug.
So I followed their advice and returned the watch, and then bought it a second time at the lower price of £56. As my Ma said, I wouldn't have enjoyed the watch if I had paid £73 for it. And despite the extra postage costs, I still saved five pounds - result!
I guess the moral of this story is, think twice before falling for the 'theatre' of these auction shows. The way they present these goods is very clever, though. Firstly, they show the item (watch, diamond ring, Gucci bag...) at its RRP. So it is presented as unattainable. Then they plunge the price, and all of a sudden it is within the consumer's reach. Then they stress the exclusivity of the item (iBuy tend to sell three or four of each item per sale). So the pressure is on - do you want to lose out? You'd better buy it, then! And all of a sudden, you're £70 or £599 worse off. But you do have a lovely watch/ring/bag.
TTFN.

Oh, England!

The worst defeat, then, in 85 years, looms. Oh deary me. It seems that winning the Ashes in 2005 was the worst thing that could have possibly happened. England have gone into this Ashes series woefully under-prepared, without the appetite for a win. After this, there are a couple of one-dayers against the Oz, then a triangular one-day series against the Oz and NZ. Then it'll be time for the World Cup. Only by some sort of miracle will England have any interest in playing cricket in the West Indies. By then, I expect their spirits will be broken and they will have been completely and comprehensively stuffed by the Antipodeans. I would not be surprised if England fall to Zimbabwe or Bangladesh in the first rounds and take an early bath.
It's a shame, because I think England have some good players, but they are just not functioning as a team. I think major improvements can be expected after the WC. Things can't get any worse.
TTFN.

Dry January Days - II

Well, I've made it to Thursday 3rd and am still dry. I've also dropped four pounds or so and am now pretty much exactly on 13 stone. If that's what happens after three days, think what I might achieve in 31 days! The wife reckons I spend more than £20 - £25 per week on booze, so will be even better off than I first calculated. I'm feeling quite tired, I think it must be the reduced number of calories. Even tho' booze calories are bad calories.
I'm not finding this temperance hard, but it's only been a couple of days, and I haven't got an empty weekend stretching out ahead of me (yet). Still, if I'm not drinking, I might actually get around to reading the newspapers which I buy every weekend, which then sit in a pile until the following weekend, which are then thrown out. I just don't want to be getting edgy in the early evenings. Still, if I haven't had a drink since last Sunday, I won't feel the need for more, will I?
TTFN.

Dry January Days - I

I've decided to give up alcohol for the month of January. Not such a big thing, you might think, but since I normally have a drink at least every other day, and January has 31 days in it, that's probably 20 sessions I will be missing out on. I don't get roaring drunk every night, but I am concerned that I am drinking more than is good for me. And on a couple of occasions I have gone into work the following day feeling a bit 'jaded' - especially if I've hit the whisky.
Luckily I finished all the red wine in the house last night, so that particular temptation is out of the way. There are three small stubbies in a cupboard, but they're not cold, so I'm hoping that will act as a deterrent. The trouble is that they're so small, I will think that they don't really count as alcohol, so won't have any trouble in drinking them.
One thing I am worried about is that I will become short-tempered with Mrs. Treb and Trebina, but I shall ask for some leniency. I'm planning on posting regularly to log my triumphs / failings, and to document the trip as I dry out - I guess I've had residual booze in my blood for the last ten years or so...!
Benefits I am hoping to see are:
i) an improved bank balance, as I don't spend any money on alcohol. I'd say I might save £20 - £25 per week, and
ii) an improved waistline, as the fatty deposits are eaten up. I weighed 14 stones at the beginning of last year, and while I got this down to 13, I wasn't able to make any more headway. I think a month off the booze might kickstart the diet again.
Hopefully I'll get more reading done, and feel better all round.
Let's see how it goes.
TTFN.

Celebrating an Achievement

I'd like to record for posterity the fact that my daughter slept until 07:00 today. Normally, The Little Munch (TLM) sleeps until 06:00 - or, since GMT kicked in, 05:15 - and then we bring her into our bed until we get up at 06:30. On Sunday morning, TLM awoke as usual at 05:00, and I told The Wife (TW) that it was far to early to get up, and TLM was being unreasonable. Therefore, the correct course of action was to let her cry until a) she went back to sleep, or b) it was time to get up. I went into the cot room, held TLM and comforted her, then put her back in her cot. I closed TLM's bedroom door and our bedroom door in order to reduce the impact of the banshee-like screams, and went back to bed.
After approx. 30 minutes, TW couldn't take any more, and TLM was coughing as well, The Wife was concerned she was going to be sick. So TW got up with her. That was fine, I dozed off for a bit. Then we rose at about 07:00.
Fast forward to this morning. TLM woke at 05:10m, as per usual. I went in to pick her up, comfort her, assure her that we hadn't all been destroyed in a nuclear blast during the night, or fallen victim to a gang of wandering flesh-eating zombies. Then I put her back in her cot, left the room, closed the door, and...
Before I got back into our bedroom, TLM had stopped crying. When I went to check on her at 06:10, she was asleep. Result!