Rewinding The Spring

After that spate of interviews a while back things have gone a bit quiet on the job chase front so I was actually quite glad to be heading off to Prospects today for an improve-your-job-hunt seminar. Whilst the agenda - application letters, CVs, etc - might not sound too much like rocket science only a half-wit fails to learn *something* of use at this sort of event, IMHO. As it turns out, it was indeed very well worthwhile. The galling thing was that there should have been 27 attendees at this free event, on the day only four of us turned up. 23 people managed to find work in the week since this was arranged? Somehow I rather doubt it. It's people like that that get us unemployed types a bad name, I tell you. It does make you seethe a bit...

Another welcome win in last night's CL clash. Momentum is, as it is wont so to do, slowly building and with any luck we can add to it with a win at home to Blackburn in Sunday's early kick-off.

Right, on with the search...

Gi's A Job

Tuesday's here and Monday's enthusiasm has given way to the weekly slog to the weekend. More job applications, more rejections, more ****ing leaflets. Still, I'm not complaining, there are way way too many people who are far worse off.

It looks like the US are serious about finally dealing with the wretched Roman Polanski, even if they so far haven't formally requested extradition. "We have an agreement with the US to apprehend those wanted for offences," says Switzerland's Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, "when we knew Mr Polanski was here and the US asked us to act, it was our duty to do so." Good.

Tonight sees us in action in the Champions League again, this time at home to Olympiakos. We'll be missing NB52 who somehow managed to drive his Aston Martin off the road in an incident where "no other vehicle was involved". Twat. SuperVito continues in goal as MA1's still suffering with his chest infection, TW14 is back and D15 is out for a couple of months with a fracture in his back. The match is on Sky Sports Extra, so I won't be watching it. A touch of Radio 5 Live may be in order, with a tinny or two.

Off to Lidl's shortly as the Boss requires a giant wurst thing.

DoubleStandardTastic!

Apparently the Film World is up in arms about Roman Polanski's arrest in Switzerland and the possibility that he might be extradited to the US to face justice for his admitted statutory rape of a 13-year old girl back in 1977. That this odious man should have continued in the intervening decades to be feted by his fellow luvvies says nothing good about them at all, IMHO.

If you're not familiar with the case you'll find details at The Smoking Gun. Some people will find the victim's testimony a tad harrowing, I suspect.

It's Another New Week!

Another new week is here, let's all try to make it a very fine one indeed! Arsenal's win at the weekend set us up for a good start, of course, and doing the tourist bit round Bristol (including a very welcome visit to the fabulous Myrtle Tree) did no harm at all, either.


A proper touch of Brizzle: multi-coloured terraced houses overlooking the floating harbour.

Bristol on a sunny Sunday can be a really nice place for a day's sightseeing, provided of course that you don't mind hills and traffic jams. To be fair, the bus service is great but using it isn't hugely groovy fun if one of your number is in a wheelchair. We opted for the car/"what a great traffic jam" option. And as luck would have it, the Myrtle Tree has a disabled parking space right outside.


Obligatory postcard view of the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Build something properly and it's likely to last. Mr Brown, please take note.

I'm shortly off to the Yellow Box Company to buy some cardboard for a bit of EBay action and then will be spending the rest of the day tending to the Boss who is still a tad Tom and Dick.

Update: Well it's just taken me more than three-quarters of an hour to fabricate a box to mail a guitar in. I've used a whole giant packing box, most of Saturday's Telegraph and an entire roll of packing tape. And people have the gall to moan about EBay packing costs!

Sunday Morning

Well it ended 1-0 to us, and it wasn't particularly pretty. But it does mean that, after our much touted "disastrous start", we're six points off the top with a game in hand. I can live with that at this stage in the season. Right, it's Sunday and therefore beer is on the menu.

Pictures may follow...

Let's Make It Interesting

I've never understood this "betting makes it better" thing. If you need to bet on sport to make it worth watching, perhaps you should be watching or doing something else? Nonetheless, I've offered some predictions on other games this season so I'll continue with today's away trip to Fulham.

This is never, well certainly not in recent years, going to be an easy game and we wouldn't be the first to come unstuck there. It's also a 17.30 kick-off, which I don't think seems to help us much. We've got AA23 and TW14 back though, which can only help. MA1 is still out. Come on you Vito! My reckoning? 2-1 to us, but it won't be pretty. Interestingly (or not, you may not be as sad about this sort of thing as me) this is also Lawro's prediction. I have no idea whether this is a good or a bad thing, but he's been getting quite a few of the results right of late (if not the actual scores).

The Kilburn Krew are up this weekend for a few beers, a bit of sightseeing and no doubt some more beers. A visit to the Myrtle Tree might well be in order, Andrew being a real ale man. Hangover prediction? Moderate to darkened room, I think.

Enjoy your weekend!

Update: We've got Liverpool in the next round of the Carling Cup. Bring it on!

Full draw:

Blackburn v Peterborough
Manchester City v Scunthorpe
Tottenham v Everton
Barnsley v Manchester United
Chelsea v Bolton
Sunderland v Aston Villa
Arsenal v Liverpool
Portsmouth v Stoke

Crikey, there aren't too many games in there you'd pay to see!

Watch That Man

That MouseMan will have your cactus before you've even turned your back, trust me on this.

Friday. At long last!

What started as a nice bright autumn day has gone grey and rather sad. A bit like my mood at the end of what seems to have been a very very long week. Something to do with the leaflets, maybe? More likely to do with the fact that "Funemployment" is as much a myth as the economic recovery Gordon has promised will prove to be. Maybe some toast will provide a lift. Dare I eat a slice of toast?

I'll give it a shot.

'Twas On The Thursday Morning...

That Virgin came to call and install TV/Broadband/Phone. Fine job they did too, all done in an hour including our old BT number transferred over. Brilliant stuff. I'd recommend 'em, guv'nor, that I would.

No surprises in last night's football, so the usual suspects will all be in the draw for the last 16. No news of any substance ahead of the weekend's games yet, the only news of any real football sort is that the Government has lamblasted the FA over its failure to implement promised reforms - a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black if ever there was one.

Beautiful weather here in Brizzle today - the sun is out and there's just the odd decorative whisp of cloud in an otherwise clear blue sky. A gorgeous autumn day, there to be enjoyed. And enjoy it I shall, despite the leaflets. Try to enjoy your day, too.

Mad Dave's Online!

You lucky people! You can now read Mad Dave's daily rantings on his new blog Gordon's Gang Of Despair. Drop on by and give it a look.

More tea vicar?

Unemployed Man Confesses Leaflet Hell

I think they must be breeding. Everytime I come downstairs the mountain of boxes by the front door appears to have grown. It doesn't seem to matter how many of the things I deliver, the pile continues to grow. It's like trying to bail out a sinking ship with a teaspoon. But I must prevail. I *will* prevail.

With the Internationals banished for the moment there are at last things going on in the real World Of Football. A very young and pretty inexperienced Arsenal side overcame Championship high-fliers West Brom 2-0 at the Grove, helped in no small part by the early dismissal of the Baggies' former Gunner Jerome Thomas. Any win is good good good, this one particularly so as I (as I suspect do most Gooners) really enjoy watching the kids' outings in the Carling Cup.

Elsewhere, Sol Cambell has quit Notts County after one game. Will we see him playing again, at any level? I rather think perhaps not. Good luck to the fellow in whatever he does choose to do, he was truly a giant of the game at his peak.

Tea next, I think. And then leaflets...

The Rain Is Back

It's only drizzling atm, but it looks ominously like there'll be some heavy stuff before long. That will really make the leafleting fun. Well, that and learning another exciting new part of the BS5 postcode area.

Tonight sees the return of the Carling Cup, with us in a home third-round tie with West Brom. That'll be the West Brom that won 5-0 at the weekend, so no pressure on the youngersters who'll feature tonight. Come on you Gunners!

Right, I need to get some leaflets delivered as having had an interview this morning I've not got any of the little lovelies through letterboxes so far today. There are many, many of them. Many, many.

And Around It Comes

Another Monday. Good stuff. This cyclicality manifests itself in the football world, too. Last week saw the re-emergence of "lucky Arsenal".This weekend has brought us the return of Old Trafford's famed "keep playing 'til the home team win" time-keeping, Michael Owen downing the upstart Citeh Mancs with a winner in the 6th minute of added time. Splendid stuff. I really expect the start of a Citeh slide now, and if Given were to be injured or lose form then that slide could take them a very long way down indeed.

Yesterday we moved and set up a pig arc. How very rural. A lot of fun, too, as it happens. Today it's back to the streets with the leaflets. I am starting to develop a bit of a dislike for the leaflets. There's something accusing about that stack of boxes.

Tea. Post Office. Ebay. Such a whirl!

I Always *Knew* Tesco's Were From The Dark Side

So there we have it. Evidence that no one can ignore: Tesco have banned a Jedi knight from one of their stores for wearing the hood his religion requires him to wear in public. And they *laughed* at him when he explained about it, and then they threw him out. Give Morrison's a shot.

Pleasingly the sun has once again put in a glorious appearance as there are a few hours leafleting in store for me today. I'm actually rather enjoying it: obviously I needed to get out more! After that it'll be putting (what I sincerely hope are) the finishing touches to the MouseMan's website and then it'll officially be THE WEEKEND!

Well, except for the leafleting, that is. I've got an awful lot of the things still.

Update: West Ham's Callum Davenport - seriously injured in a stabbing last month - is being released from hospital. He's unlikely to play again, though at least he won't be losing his leg, which had been a real risk. Good luck to you, young man.

Err, Yup, A Win

Well we won 3-2 in the end, having been 2-0 down in 5 minutes. There is considerable suspicion over the validity of our second goal, too, so the "lucky Arsenal" jibes will be back with a vengeance. Who cares? A win is a win, and, whilst we should never have put ourselves in a postion where we needed to score three away, we did score the three we needed. If this is the beginning of a run of fluky wins that'll be more than fine by me.

A win for Liverpool too, so Les will be similing. Mind you, to be fair he usually is.

The MouseMan is coming up today for some help with his website, so no doubt the beer will be flowing. This does mean I've had to fit everything else I need to do today into the morning, so it's an early start and a whole load of pre-lunch leaflet action. Looks like it's going to be a nice day so the walking should be quite pleasant.

Tea is needed. And then more tea.

Update: He's here. Work for me. Beer for him.


The MouseMan drinketh

A Street-Walking Day

As I survey the mountain of heavy cardboard boxes leaning against the wall in the hallway I reflect on the wisdom of taking Mr Fisher's advice. "Try leafleting", he said, "it pays quite well". Actually, it pays minimum wage which few people would describe as "well" but that's the way it is under Big Decision Gordon so it's got to be worth a crack. It'd be kind of nice if it can avoid raining for a few days though!

1-0 wins for both Chelsea and United last night. We start our CL campaign proper tonight with an away game at Belgium's Standard Liege. We do this with a *lot* of players missing, most notably both Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski meaning we'll have either Vito Mannone or Wojciech Szczesny in goal. I suspect it'll be the former of the two, who's looked OKish when I've seen him play, but I have to say that's not really often enough to have a good picture of the chap. Good luck to whichever of them gets to wear the gloves tonight.

Other players out: RVP11, D15, SN8, AA23, JD20, CV12, TW14. Just as well Eduardo's now able to make the game, then.

Stupid amounts to do today, so let's get the tea flowing and stuff done!

PS: Loads of new stuff on the West Country Pubs site, so take a look. You'll shortly (quite possibly now, if Mr Fisher's got his magic code doing its thing) be able to upload your own reviews!

As You Were, Then

Eduardo's two-match ban has been overturned in a largely-expected U-turn in the direction of common sense. He'll now be available for tomorrow's CL game away at Standard Liege, which is excellent news for us. That game could seriously do with being the start of a winning roll.

Elsewhere the Adebayor bitch-fest continues, with Kolo Toure now claiming Adebayor was pushed out of the Emirates to bring in some cash. "I know it because I was present" he says. Perhaps he's Adebayor's financial advisor or something. My once-considerable respect for Mr Toure is diminishing at a rate of knots, I have to say.

Tonight's champions league matches involving English teams both look like they might be worth taking a peek at: Chelsea are at home to Porto and the Manchester Red Devils travel to Besiktas. Oh, and there are a quite extraordinary number of replays on in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup.

It's a tad muggy today and I'm finding it an effort to get motivated. More tea is probably the answer, so I'll give it a go.

The Week Starts With An Ouch...

Today started with an osteopathy session so I'm feeling a tad twanged as I try to get into the new week. It's positively autumnal here today with that lovely clarity to the air that the first of those chilly September days brings.

In football news it would appear the TogoTosser is going to be charged for his assault on CF4 in addition to the charge for the one on RVP11 and that run down the pitch. A ban of more than five games is being mooted. And then he'll be off to the ACN so Citeh types might be starting to wonder just how good an investment he actually was.

Lots to do today. Busy busy busy.

New Harleys Revealed!

We're back from the Thornbury run. Very nice it was too, great weather, a really nice road and some fantastic scenery. We came back via Yate and Iron Acton, so got to explore some quaint countryside and all. Very fine.

Off, then, to Riders for the lauch of this year's (or is it next year's?) new Harley models. Decent rock band, burgers, tea and acres of shiny metal. Lots of hairy types gazing quizically at the various shapes of Harleys trying to figure out which are the new ones. You've guessed it: they look extraordinarily like the old ones...


Pigirontastic!
Now I think it's time for a beer. Weather's still really good, so I guess it'll be in the concrete beer garden. Fair play.

Good Morning All

Here we are at Sunday morning. Eggs and bacon eaten, second cup of tea brewing, I'm ready for the day. Predictable stuff in the footy pages this morning: calls from "angry fans" for AW to go, Rooney the greatest thing since toast and so on. It's still way too early in a badly interupted season to form sensible opinions about anything other than John Terry being a complele ****, IMHO.

Off up to Thornbury today, I understand: not far but very fine scenery. If I remember to take the camera I'll post piccies later.

Again?

The local news tells us that a 17-year-old kid has been stabbed to death just up the road from here. Part of an argument outside the World's End pub, they say.

It's beyond pathetic.

Give a moment's thought to the victim when you're breaking bread tonight.

What a ****ing mess.

Let It Flow

There'll be doom-mongers saying that's it for the Arsenal, lost two games in a row and to both sets of Mancs to boot. I have to say I'm not worried. If you'd looked at the fixture list before the season kicked off you'd probably have taken both of those games as home wins and the fact that we were unlucky not to win in both games is I think something we should view as a definite plus.

We're getting the crap games out of the way early. We *will* move on from here, I'm sure. The team is certainly playing well enough.

The Boss is doing the hubble-bubble thing in the kitchen at the moment, and I have to say I'm falling under the spell of the odour.

Saturday! Proper Football! Beer!

Just back from today's interview (very sensible day for them, IMHO, certainly makes travel easier) and have the rest of the day spread before me like an inviting banquet. So...

Off to the pub to watch football. Then, if my eyes are still focusing, I'll deal with my emails and that "stacked jury of correspondence".

Have a great day!

PS: Bristolians might want to remember it's the launch of the new Harley range up at Riders both today and tomorrow. Live music and BBQ, apparently.

It's Friday. Keep Telling Me It's Friday...

I had an interview this morning, a follow on from the session in Bristol last Friday. How did it go? How can I tell? I did the best I could, I really hope it was enough. Anyway, I've another tomorrow, so it's time to prepare for that.

After the interview I came home/went back into town for a tour of the agencies with Mad Dave, who's once again one of Gordon's Happy Clan. There are a couple fewer agencies than the last time we did the round and those that remain are largely hanging on by the skin of their teeth or by the sheer good nature of their staff. One of our fave places in the former category ("that's the job, there, in the window") is still just about there, but (like a lot of the others) is relying on the "outbound charity calls" stuff. It's awfully sad that that should be the sort of work that survives a Gordon Browning: it really does seem tasteless in the extreme to be pulling the "you may think you're badly off, but look at this lot" trick when you're only doing it for profit.


Don't let those other cards deceive you, this is "The Job".
But Mr Sun had us putting our hats on and surely it did shine on Mad Dave. We revisited one of the better agencies that we went to when he was last looking for work (one that doesn't deal with the likes of me) and they pretty much signed him up on the spot. There *are* openings out there, and indeed more than there were only a few weeks ago, but you've got to be the right shape to get through the holes, as it were. Limber up, dudes.


Dave'll be pleased, then.
I'm now about to start work cooking the most awesome burritos since time began, or at least since the last time I made them. Then an early night, I guess. For the rest of you, the weekend starts here. Enjoy. Make it count.

Here We Go!

Cool. With an emphatic 5-1 win over Croatia at Wembley England have secured their place in next summer's World Cup with a couple of games to spare. Even Don Fabio Capello is getting a tad carried away, claiming "we have one of the best teams in the world". Calm will descend when it dawns that even if this is true it's hardly the same as our name being on the trophy. Still, let's enjoy the moment.

Scotland are out now. Not much of a surprise there, sadly. Northern Ireland have now made it very difficult for themselves, but not impossible: let's hope they make it.

Elsewhere CF4 scored the opener for Spain in their 3-0 win over Estonia - that's their eighth succesive qualifying group win, too. Now Spain really *do* look to be "one of the best teams in the world"... NB52 scored for Denmark in a 1-1 draw away to Albania of all people (though any country whose national hero is Norman Wisdom is OK by me) and TR7 actually played for the Czeck Republic in their 7-0 stuffing of San Marino.

All good then? Of course not. AA23 is out for three games after picking up another injury whilst playing for Russia (3-1 winners away to Wales). Get well quickly, Andrey.

Lovely weather here today, I even enjoyed the drive up the A38 for this morning's interview. I dropped in at Curry's on the way back to see if they'd got a 3.5mm jack to 3.5mm jack lead. They had indeed, for £13.99! Are they mad? Maplin's next time I'm passing, then.

Food now. And tea.

Let's Be 'Avin' You!

England vs Croatia tonight. England will qualify for next year's World Cup with a win; a draw would do if Ukraine don't beat Belarus in their game in Minsk. There's a lot riding on England's qualification, IMHO. England in South Africa could be the final push we need to get us out of the mess in which more than a decade of Mr Brown's economic ineptitude has left us. Imagine: a new Government, England at the World Cup Finals, the pubs full of people shouting the lads on, the flags everywhere. Come on England, get us there.

On the team front there don't look to be any surprises likely to be sprung. This game won't be a walkover, but England *should* win it. Perhaps I'll wear my lucky magic pants.

Elsewhere, things carry on as usual. I've got interviews to prepare for and the Boss is ill, so I'm playing nurse, too. Sadly I don't get to wear the uniform. This afternoon sees the fortnightly visit to Gordon's House of Grey Despair. No joy there.

Don't Bogart That Vick's Vapour Rub, Dude

Sheffield United goalie Paddy Kenny has been banned for nine months for a drugs offence. His crime? He "knowingly ingested an over-the-counter medicine above the prescribed dosage without reading the accompanying package or leaflet". It appears no one disputes that all he was seeking was relief from a cold, not a competitive advantage of any sort. To some extent the current economic crisis is beginning to force the idocy of the New Labour "box ticking" mentality from our lives, but clearly it's hanging on in the anti-doping world.

This sort of decision does nothing to further the notion we are getting "drug free" sport as we really care about it - i.e. a sport free of performance enhancing drugs and "artificial" sportsmen and women. Are cases like Kenny's merely brought because they can't catch any "real" cheats? Or perhaps there aren't actually any "real" cheats and poor Paddy is suffering just so the anti-doping people can keep in work? Use some common sense, chaps, and don't deny a man his chance to work just because he caught a cold.

Not much else going on yet today. It would seem Don Fabio is starting with Hesky and not Defoe, but that he'll replace Wright-Philips with Lennon. Personally I think it would be rather amusing if the match ends up as a Rooney vs Eduardo dive-off, but I do actually want England to get to the World Cup so I will be rooting for a good 'un from the Three Lions. But that's tomorrow, after a tour of the agencies with Mad Dave and a visit to that awful place.

Happy Birthday To You! Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you, Bridget The Midget The Queen Of The Blues!


Have a great one and thanks for the cake things! The Boss has now started on her round of "I haven't had a drink, honest" phone calls. I may have to tell the victims who to blame ;)

The Goats Are Facing North

A Norfolk native once tried to persuade me you can predict the weather by seeing which way the goats are facing. The only goat around here lives on a railway embankment and can only face in two directions parallel to the line of the bank or he'd fall over. I don't know if this has any bearing on the fact it's always raining here, but I don't rely on the goat method.

Living as we do on a hill in the east of Bristol I can look out across the city in the morning and see the weather fronts moving in from the sea. By around 10.00 am what's coming in tends to be what's set for the day. It's a tad early atm, and quite a lot could happen in the next half hour as they used to say on Stingray, but it's not looking good. The lawn won't be getting mown today, that's for sure.

There's quite a lot going on here this week, I've got a number of interviews lined up and the band are joined by a bass player on Thursday. Wednesday, however, sees another trip to Gordon's House of Grey Despair, which is *not* good, not good at all.

Also not good is news that Johan Djourou is out for six months following knee surgery on a an injury sustained whilst on international duty. Here's hoping he makes a speedy and full recovery.

Right, the new week is here, let's make it a great one!

Back From Avebury, Now For Beer

So Sunday morning and afternoon were spent out in the wilds of Wiltshire, and a fine time was had by all. Today's destination: Avebury and its stone circle.


Ben's on time for once.
Avebury was OK. Stones all over the place, and you can actually get up to the things. In many ways a more interesting place to visit than Stonehenge, I'd have said. And at least there's a pub, which Stonehenge lacks. Mind you, the pub charges £5 to park in its decidedly undersized car park.


Steve considers the car park charges.
They give you £2 back if you spend more than a fiver at the bar, but given that the place must get the huge majority of its custom from visitors to the hamlet it sits in this seems a bit of a swiz, frankly.

Have beer in fridge and will be taking a sip once the feeling returns to my extremities :)

Off To A Ring Of Stone

Avebury today apparently. Home of a rather splendid stone circle and a pub dedicated to UFOs. Sounds great. Weather looks OK, too - cloudy but no rain. I'll try to remember to take my camera.

An unconvincing win for England - who don't dive of course - in a pretty much meaningless match last night. Defoe was good off the bench and is looking like he's really trying to make it hard for Don Fabio to leave him out of the starting line-up come Wednesday. The defence, on the other hand, played with an arrogant laziness that somehow always seems to blight teams with John Terry in them when they're winning. This needs stamping on IMHO.

Weird sausages for breakfast today - giant Lidl's ones but I'd bought rendered turkey rather than rendered bovine and I have to say they leave a strange taste in the mouth. Still, there's only five of them left now. Perhaps Tig will drop round, I'm sure she'll eat them.

When Saturday Comes

Saturdays in a nascent football season should be about sitting in smoky pubs with a foaming pint of ale debating the important football issues of the day with your mates before wandering off together down to the match. But not any more. Mr Brown has taken away the delights (and bear in mind I don't smoke) of the smoky pub and has removed from a substantial number of us the ability to afford modern-day football tickets. FIFA and the FA have now conspired to add insult to injury by replacing a day's top-flight football with an international friendly after 4 games of the season. Pooh and more pooh, I say.

About the only excitement I can detect in today's match is figuring out how the goalkeeping pecking order might be affected by the game, James being injured and Foster quite possibly having deselected himself by a not-unreasonable trip home to be at the birth of his child. England really aren't too well-endowed in the GK department, hence the calls for MA1 to be get a call once he has his residency through. Seems a good idea to me (couldn't we have called up Friedel by now??), I can't see what all the fuss is about, have we forgotten Zola Budd or, indeed, half the England cricket team?

I could murder a beer right now, it's hot and muggy and it's been a busy morning, but I've a load more to do so it may have to wait until after biking tomorrow.

Really? United Too?

So I wasn't dreaming it. FIFA really have imposed a transfer ban on Chelsea. Good. Rumour (well, the Soaraway Sun) has it that the Manchester Red Devils may now face a similar charge. Let's hope they do: as I suggested yesterday, there will be no shortage of people round here to goad.

I've an interview this morning, so now need to go and get ready. Wish me luck. Have a really great day.

Gosh! Excitement!

Chelsea have been banned from signing any new players in either of the next two transfer windows - meaning no new signings until 2011 - following Lens' complaint to FIFA over the signing of Gael Kakuta in 2007. Terrific stuff!

Unfortunately, down here in Bristol most people are Manchester Red Devils followers, but I'm sure I'll be able to find a Blue Shirt somewhere to goad!

School's Not Out Any More

Schools are back, apparently. Oh joy. Once again for substantial parts of the daylight hours - diminishing as they are now - it'll be nigh-on impossible to drive around Bristol. But the sun is out. How perverse it that? A whole summer holiday of rain, then baking sunshine when they're back stuck in the classroom. It makes you wonder whether Gordon Brown has somehow taken control of the weather.

Arseblog has some excellent comment today about Man U's AW song and the growing reaction to it. Well worth a read if you've a couple of spare moments.

More later, much to get done this morning.



PS: Does anyone know of any good sites for selling old comics online? The ones I've put on EBay don't seem to be attracting a whole lot of interest, and I'd like to know that that's because they're not wanted and not because no one's looking there.

Oh Good Grief

It's even quieter today than it was yesterday, and threatening to be wetter too (and that'll take some doing). I suppose there are the joys of England vs Slovenia at the weekend to look forward to, but it's a meaningless match at a stupid time of day and I for one am unlikely to be watching it. If they'd put the thing on at 15.00, or even earlier, it'd be a different matter.

Today's challenges are (1) Focus for some drill bits and (2) EBay, the latter not being helped by Royal Mail once again being on strike.

Dare I eat a slice of toast?

Too Soon, It Would Seem

My bad. Transfer deadline day is today, it seems. How very silly. Never mind, no doubt there'll be absolutely loads to talk about later.

So, until then, time for tea.

UPDATE: It's 15.52 and precisely nothing has happened so far of any note...

FURTHER UPDATE: Well there you have it, the transfer window is now closed. No new players for us and a two match ban for Eduardo.