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Monday 31 August 2015

My big day arrives and it is raining



Yes my big day is finally here and I am super excited, what is my big day?

well hopefully all will be revealed tomorrow but I can tell you what is isn't

1. It isn't my wedding day, been there done that  got the divorce and dress now in the charity shop window.

2. It isn't my birthday because believe me you would have been hearing about THAT for the last two months.

3. It isn't a cricket day which is a good job as it is chuffing well pouring down

4. It isn't widely known,which is amazing for me to be able to keep this a secret!!!

Ok, hopefully if all goes to plan my secret will be sorted by 3pm today and you will all read about it tomorrow, if it doesn't go to plan you will be reading a blog full of swear words ( and I don't mean flip, chuffing, and blinking either).

I also need to get a wriggle on as I  have a lot to do and want to set of by 9.30am so that I have a nice little drive down the A1.

Yesterday was a quiet day in the Chateau with a spot of baking taking place and some tidying up ( the blinking cleaning fairies completely bypass my house), however the window cleaning boys did come and finally when I open the blinds I no longer think that it is foggy outside.
They did an excellent job and I can not rate them highly enough.
Gosh I must be getting old when the highlight of my day is getting the windows washed!

I did a spot of work in the garden and was followed round by 'Pete the Pigeon', Pete is actually so fat that he waddles everywhere and the fence ( which is huge chunks of timber) groans when he lands on it.
I think it was when I burnt the 'Mars bar' brownies and put them out for the birds that his weight problems really began.

He now follows me around obviously hoping for a chocolaty  treat.

Right this is not getting me any further forward towards leaving the house, so I am signing off.

But before I go today, just to remember that today is the 18th Anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Until tomorrow





Sunday 30 August 2015

Closer to unveiling my 'surprise







Well T20 finals day has been and gone, with  Lancashire being victorious. Remind me never to put into print my predictions. I backed Hampshire and they fell at the first hurdle!!! yes I know the wrong sport but you get the gist.
So in a nutshell. Northants tore through Birmingham Bears to go through to the final, Then Lancs destroyed my Hampshire boys and the final was set between Lancs and Northants.

Soon to be new boy in the Tyke camp David Willey was bowling brilliantly yesterday and I can see why Gillespie the Gallant  was keen to get him.

I put my money on Northamptonshire which I knew would be kiss of death and it was!

I am never voicing my predictions again. I am less Mystic Meg and more Psycho Sue!

In between all the cricket I managed to  so some cooking and produced the best Tarka Dhal ever!! ( my opinion).
I also did a spot of knitting and some housework before heading back to the sofa for more cricket.

The hi light of the day was the mascot race which is what I look forward to every year.

it did not fail in having me laughing so hard that I was crying. However Vinny the Viking ( Yorkshire) won!!!! and Chester the Lion ( Durham) came in  3rd and got a spot on the podium.

Last years winner Stumps the Dragon ( Somerset) took a tumble in the final straight and then couldn't get up. No matter how many times they showed it I couldn't stop laughing.

First silverware of the season for Yorkshire, well done Vinny, the best break dancing mascot ever!

Black Knight of the Ferrari had said he would take me out to dinner after the final, but as that was a late finish he decided we would  have take away, we had both agreed no  drinking after yesterday mornings headaches, however he produced some more of his 'raffle' champagne and we set too.
By the time the final had finished we were both tired and  tipsy so he phoned his cousin and asked him to come and drive him home!!!!

He had played cricket at school but never really went to watch. He sat watching it and was cheering on Lancashire ( this could be the end of a beautiful friendship!), Then said , it really is great isn't it. I think I might have converted him...............

One more final to go before the end of the season..................arrgghhhhh I hate the thought of that as it signals all the things that I don't like, dark mornings, cold and sometimes even SNOW!!!

However we have another month before I have to think about that and so I am cramming in as much as I can before then,
Starting tomorrow when I will be hotfooting it down to Headingley for a couple of days. I am back there next weekend and at the end of the month, in between that who knows where I will be!

Right I am off to re-orange my hair, tidy the dining room, pack my bag............yes lots to do

until tomorrow when I will be getting very excited!


Saturday 29 August 2015

It's Finals Day



yes  it is T20 finals day and I am getting organised for a full on cricket day, but headache is  not helping!

I was getting ready for bed last night when I head the roar of the Ferrari as Black Knight decided to call in on his way from a business dinner in Newcastle, he was brandishing a bottle of  Veuve Clicquot , he had won a case in the raffle. Well for starters this is not the kind of raffle I am used to I usually win a dusty bottle of  Harveys Bristol Cream!!. And I although I love champers I am not a huge fan of  'The Widow' but hey any port in a storm.

We had a chat about his last weeks in Europe, he even went to Benidorm!!! That really made me laugh!. So he had two glasses of champers and then fell asleep on the sofa, I was watching 'cricketing yorkshire ' (again) and then I fell asleep and woke up at 3am with a stiff neck.

 I threw a blanky over the snoring knight  and headed off to my bed. I  have just waved him off this morning, looking a lot more dishevelled than he did last night. Sleeping in a dinner suit is never a good idea!

He is a great friend and like the brother that I never had.................................and the way my eldest sibling is behaving  he could well be welcomed into the Wikinson/Walker/Robinson family as I am on the verge of excommunicating her!!!!


Anyhooo enough about that, its a cricket day, I need to get lawns mown, lunch and dinner prepared, before the mascot race which is really my favourite thing about finals day!

I am backing Hampshire,  it was my old stomping ground when I lived 'darn sarf' and many fun times were had there. So come on you Hampshire boys and do me proud.

There now, that is kiss of death for them.

other crickety type news.

England woman lose the Ashes.

Ian Bell is retiring......wooohooo...... from international ODI............boooooooo

Brendon Taylor was found asleep in a car in Nottingham. I  will be leaving my car open in future just in case, however any cricketers wishing to sleep in it will have to break into the garage first!

Botheration!!!!! I have just looked out  of the windows of Chateau de Champions and it is only flipping well raining!!!! So think the lawns  being sorted is out!!!

well at least the plants are getting a water!!!

Oh well off to have some brekky and take some headache tablets!!!!







Friday 28 August 2015

It's a fantastic F(ryan)day






Well it is F(ryan)day and it is  sunny and it is a Bank Holiday weekend.....................................and my boys only chuffing well got into the One day Cup semis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

not without giving my dodgy ticker a bit of a scary time though. OMG I was running round the Chateau with my Yorkshire shirt over my head singing 'On Ilkley Moor Bah Tat'.
 So that's another weekend speeding down the A1 , not that I care, it's another weekend of cricket and better than that , Yorkshire cricket.


So Yorkshire were put in to bat and Lyth and Lees set out well, but their partner ship was not to be as Lees went  at 33 runs on the board.  Jack Leaning,( all round good egg the night that Mrs on the Mount and I were a tad tipsy, and yes that was the night of the hotel key incident!!!) took to the field and hit a very composed 72.
The bowlers also stepped up and Liam Plunkett hit 49 off 32 balls  whilst 'little' Matty Fisher supported him to the end of the innings and hit 5 along the way.
252 was the score to beat.

So I settled down with my dinner to watch the Essex innings. well Liam Plunkett had obviously had his 'weetabix' yesterday morning as he took 3-58.

At times it was looking quite fraught and even Gillespie the Gallant was looking a tad nervous when ever they panned in on him.

It was 'little' Timmy Bresnan who took the final wicket which had I' Lady Lainey doing a victory lap of the Chateau.

It took me quite a while to compose myself, by which time my texts and 'Whats app' messages were going mad. I switched my phone off and went to bed.

When I opened my eyes this morning at 5 am I was thinking about the day ahead and then suddenly remembered Yorkshire had won!!!!!

BONUS for  a F(ryan)day.

Other news

Australia beat Ireland
Surrey beat Kent ( without KP non the less!)
I am about to be late for work.


Not sure what I have been doing this morning but it is not 7.21am and I am still not dressed.....................



Best go and get sorted as it is is only 'Job the Jolly' and I today, well that will make for a peaceful day!

Thursday 27 August 2015

COYT!!!!!!!!!




Well its quarter finals day for my boys today, we were here last year in the One Day Cup, and I tripped over to Headingley, today however sees my boys in Essex ( no spray tan or white stilettos for them though), it all kicks off ( so to speak ) at 2.00pm.

I am recording it and will race home like a mad thing to cheer them on !


Yesterday saw the battle between Hampshire and Gloucestershire, I sort of thought that Hampshire would go through, but no it was not to be and they were lost by 4 wickets.

Results were coming in of a PCA survey into the amount of cricket played during the season.(some) Players said  they wanted a reduction in the amount of cricket played, it was said that the schedule was ridiculous, one unnamed respondent said that they felt like a zombie at times either waking up to play or waking up in a car travelling ( I think I have seen him play!!! not much better!!!).

Hmmmmmmmm this is the career that they have chosen, I wake up like that every flipping morning of the week and mine is all year round. Flipping man up!!!! in reality they only 'work' six months of the year unless they go abroad, the winters sees them training etc, which may not be fun but they are at home.

50 over cricket was  seen as less important which I do agree with as the County Championship is the pinnacle of the cricket season.

T20 was suggested to be played in a block which if it was done during the summer holidays would make more sense, as clubs are trying to engage with 'little people'.

for me the outcome is, cricket boys whine as much about work as us lesser mortals do, they want to work less, as us lesser mortals do. They do get to travel around the country in the summer and usually stay in flipping swanky hotels, which not a lot of us lesser mortals do.

Time for  the PCA to interview me and get my views on it all.

 I fear a rant is coming on, and on quarter finals day tooooooooo!!!!

Off to the office to vent my spleen on the two remaining office boys.



#COYT

#TeamYorkshire

Wednesday 26 August 2015

We have WiFi!!!!!!!



Yeah we have WiFi and I am finally typing this on't  l'ordinator ( that's computer if you are English).

Yesterday , I Lady Lainey, was full on from the moment that I got up. I had to head off to do some important 'stuff' in the morning and then I went back to the office, where I worked through all the build up left by the 'boys' in the two days that I had been away.
then home to wait for 'Paul the WiFi' man who fixed my problem in two minutes. Then I headed out into the extensive grounds of the Chateau and did a tad more digging. yes it was all go for me.

Then I sat down to watch cricket......................and yes it was late, infact it was dark outside. Durham were down at Trent Bridge and Notts had gone into bat, building up runs before rain came down and hardly let up until late. A reduced over rate was put in place via the Jack and aVera ( Duckworht/Lewis). Notts hit 170-4.
Durham the champions were set 193 to win, but sadly they fell 49 runs short and  will not be lifting any silverware this season!.

Well done to Notts and lets hope that Luke fletcher gets a look out onto the field soon.

My Tykes woke up in Hove yesterday and then had a little drive to Chelmsford  were they were getting 'acclimatised' ahead of their semi final tomorrow.


ooohh its all going off now!

I am looking to see if I can get a day off 'just in case' they get to the Semi's which they will play at home! If they do I bet they are up against Hampshire!!!!!

I have arranged to got to Dame Didi's on Saturday and then remembered that it is 'Finals Day'!! So I will have to record everything especially the mascot race which is the hi light of my T20  viewing.
Then I need to get organised to go to  Headingley, where have put the final touches to my 'big surprise' and am going to watch Tykes v Worzels.

However I have a lot to do before then and so I guess I need to hot foot it to Ladylaineyworkville now and get on with things.

It will soon be the weekend!

Have a great Wednesday!





Tuesday 25 August 2015

Middlesex's day


I headed off to Chestrr le Street yesterday morning and went to join El Presidenti and the First Lady in their 'box". We all sort of knew we would be on our way home after lunch. As it turned out it was dead onunch time as we said our goodbyes


Before we left we saw the news that Yorkshires game had been abandoned due to weather and they had picked up 11 points. El Presiddnfi and I then sat dosn to work out what Middx had got ( they lost 2points).  Next week we thnk if they pick up 18 points min we can all shout the 'C' word.  OMG feeling a little bit sick.

I headed back to the Chateau and had a couple of hours digging and then planted out my 'boule de neige'  and a couple of white hydrangeas. Yes the borders are taking shape and I am turning into Charlie Dimmock!!!!!

However the way my back feel at the moment I ghink I will be walking round looking mire like Quasimodo!!!

So today Durham are in One Day quarter final action against  Nottinghamshire.

I hsve set record and will catch up when I get home and after yhe WiFi man has been. He called last night but had brought ghe wronv 'thing' and didnt have the rught 'thing'  in yhe van.
And so I am still typing this on my phone and it will be fu of typos as it is chuffing hard to edit it.

So with that I am off to hop in the shower and then go and maybe change my day to day life.
 Hopefully tomorrow we will be fully on lind and I will not be cross eyed trying to get tjis done!


Monday 24 August 2015

sunny Sunday

Yesterday was very hot and sunny before 10am and frocks were the order of the day ( except for Pauly Paul and Mr Funky) and we headed off to The Riverside Ground.

We were expecting the match to be over before tea but they all dug in and so after much debate I am back there agsin today. Just to see my the arch enemies of my Tykes beat former besty home county of Durham.

We were once again visited by El Presidenti who had everyone in fits of laughter with tales of cricket, cricket tours and most things that I was involved in!!!

We saw lots of wickets fall which sadly for my Tykes was not happening as rain delayed the start of their match against Sussex. However once they got into it they  no stopping them until close. Michael Yardy was playing his last match and after His Royal Ryanness took his wicket  all my boys shook his hand. Once again confrming that cricket is the game of gentlemen.

It also meant that HRR added one more to his FC total. I am getting a bit excited now.

So I am lying in bed typing this on my mobile again as  my wifi will hopefully be repaired tonight.
I hadn't realised how much I use the internet or how much I rely on my WiFi!!!!  And that is quite worrying.

I really should get up...........but at the moment I am just basking in the thought of another cricket day.

ok need to put some washing on as I havent done any all weekend!!!!!


Sunday 23 August 2015

cricket Saturday with friends

Yesterday started off rainy and ended with biblical type rain, so much so that at midnight I thought I may have to rip up the flootboards here at the chateau and make an ark!!! I had a few 'animals' on my list that wouldn't be saved!!!.

However the inbetween the rain, bits of the day were brilliant. Not so much cricket wise but because I spent more time with El Presidentu and The First Lady of Middx CCC.

I picked up Pauly Paul and headed off to The Riverside. We settled in to coffee and bikkies. Before we knew it wickets were tumbling  and we were having lunch.
El Presidenti was being hosted by a former Durham player and were swilling champers. I toyed with going but as I was driving thought best not to. Champagne is my real weakness and I knew one would lead to ten and Pauly Paul would have to drive hime. And he doesn't drive.!!!!!

After lunch the President and First Lady and I went and had a walk around the ground. Chatting to Middx folk as we wandered on.
The Pres is stunned by the size of the ground which as I explained is nearly the same size as Captain Colleywobbles ego!!!!

The match was swinging  more wildly than the ball and we are all thinking it will ve over begore tea today.
Listening to the high scores around the counties and yhen yhe just over 100's at Chester Le Street makes you realise the wicket is not the best.

Anyhoo after tea El Presidenti came down in the cheap seats and had us all in stitches as we talked about 'the old days' down in Middlesex.

By close of play our sides were aching as we wandered off home.

Today looks to be my last with My friends for a while  luckily the sun is shining. So lets hope we make it to tea.

Finally My Tyke put on a brilliant batting performancd and Adil Rashid was the pick of the biwlers. Come on boys!!!.
Sorry for any typos I am  currently  writing this on my mobile from my bed as I had a little accident with my internet lead!!!!! All wi be repaired I hope tomorrow evening.

Now I need to get a wriggle on and get ready for another day with The Latchmans.


Saturday 22 August 2015

larking with the Latchmans



Well what a day I had yesterday with El Presidenti and The First Lady ( see above). Apart from rain which was  a pain  there was lots of hilarity and El Presidenti being  a little monkey, making  it  very strained for the Durham  lot to make small talk to a  'long standing Durham member, fanatical Yorskhire supporter,  talks Yorks all the time but is an all round good egg'

I think he was talking about me.

Blossom and I spent a good couple of hours discussing the shopping in Durham and also the fact that she had picked up some great pressies for her daughter in law in the UAE within 3 hours of stepping onto Northern soil!Top girl she has always been on my shopping partner list.

Yes I remember the days when 'Blossom does Bicester', not to mention 'Blossom does Boulogne (and most of the Pas de Calais) Oh yes I had fair forgotten the great shopping times we had, both  here and abroad.

And El Presidenti is not  immune to my shopping exploits except with him it was always food and drink shopping ( mainly drink and usually in Spain).

But all of those are other stories.

The Middx boys went out to bat and had no sooner made their mark at the crease then they were back in the hutch again . However when they did go out they probably wished that they had been back in the dressing room watching 'cash in the attic' and playing dominoes.
Graham Onions ran through the top order like a knife through butter and it took Nick Compton to steady the ship, he hit 71 before being  dismissed by John Hastings. El Presidenti said that of late Nick couldn't get out of the 70's and he didn't mean platform boots and flares!.

The weather was totally against both teams and tea was taken early. Just about  5pm the umpires decided that a stroll on the golf course would be better than sitting in their room and called the match off.

It has rained all night and the sky looks less that welcoming, typical really.

My Tykes were in action against Sussex and after a few stumbles at the start , Gary Ballance showed that he was returning to form hitting an unbeaten 98 as they reached 346-6. My little secret crush Jack Leaning was sadly dismissed for a duck,.
The scourge of the Yorkshire team in the Sussex bowling attack was none other than former Tyke Oliver Robinson, who had been on top form this season.

Hoping that Yorks pick up maximum batting points today!

OK I am off to throw myself in the shower and then will be hitting the road.




Friday 21 August 2015

It's F(ryan)day !!!




Well it is finally F(ryan)day and today we the  picture of His Royal Ryanness and Liam Plunkett that always makes me chuckle, I can only guess what they are talking about!!!

However today I am off to cricket, yeay!!! Yippooo!!! flipping great and all that!!!

A long weekend of cricket followed by a short week and same the week after!!!

I am living the dream............................well sort of!

Right so it was the start of the Test yesterday and things were not going in the same way as last time, i.e Australia  were only three men down at the close of play.
What did make me very proud was the 'Guard of Honour' given to Michael Clarke by the England team,as he went into bat in what will be his last test.
You see temper tantrums aside, it really is the 'Game of Gentlemen'.
Australian are back at the crease today.

Blinking great news for 'My Tykes' as Aaron Finch returned to the team for the remainder of the season, that made me smile a lot. Yorkshire are 38 points ahead in the table but it is still all to play for and having Finch back is all the better.

Meanwhile  the team had headed off on the long journey to Sussex and that game all kicks off at 11.00am.
You can see that I may not be concentrating too hard on the Durham v Middx match as I scan Twitter for news updates!

I am still working on house and garden and last night I went to tackle the lawns in the extensive rear gardens of the Chateau. Having put 'weed and feed' on last week, I spent the early part of the evening raking moss out of the lawn, which now has bald patches!!! Who would have thought that getting lawns into shape would be so much hard work! I just keep thinking 'This time next year', now I need to sort out some paving slabs and I can start to do the new patio area!!!!

So my barnet has been trimmed into some kind of 'crazy ' order although it has not been re oranged and is now a bleached out orangey/blonde which is never a good look!!!
I have no time this weekend to sort it out so this is how it will stay.

I am now off to empty  the wardrobes as I doubt that I have anything to wear!!!!

Unitl tomorrow......................



Thursday 20 August 2015

It is nearly my cricket weekend


and I am now getting very excited about seeing besty friends El Presidenti and First lady of Middx CCC.

What I am not getting too excited about is the fact that it is getting very close to the end of August which then signals nearly the end of the cricket season. That does not make me very excited at all.

However before that there is the little matter of the County Championship to be won and a One day Cup final!

Yesterday Twitter was alight with the news that David Willey had signed for Yorkshire, which didn't come as much of a shock to me as it was rumoured last week and Yorkshire didn't deny it!. so he will be in place next season and will be there for three years. Good luck to you David.

Notts and Hants were to have battled it out for  quarter finals place yesterday. Notts got into bat  and were doing brilliantly but then the rain came down. 'Big' Luke Fletcher had been doing a bit in the commentary box  ( possible new career?).

The rain was relentless and another day of cricket was washed out , and gave Hampshire  a ticket in to the  quarter finals

 Nottinghamshire  will take on Durham at Trent Bridge so hopefully a better result for them then!

However shock news for Birmingham Bears as they were washed out of the One Day Cup in Kent. the weather has been kind to some and not to others!!

Things had also been going slightly pear shaped for South Africa as their bowling plans for New Zealand were apparently posted under the wrong hotel door and then leaked onto Facebook

Moral of that story, knock on the flipping door and hand over to the correct person.

Or better still don't write anything down, talk about it!!!!

And what about today, well I have t'wireless in t'bag as it is the start of the last test with Australia. Yes it is  all won, but I see the Australians fighting back this time........................tune in tomorrow to see if I was wrong!!!!


Rightio, off I go, I have to go and do 'shopping' for the office which means that I fancy a look to Sainsbury's.


OOOhh and  Happy Birthday to my super besty ex Hampshire playing friend who is more than 21 today ( he is 48!!)
See you tomorrow!

Wednesday 19 August 2015

Midweek already!!!!



Its midweek already and I am now only 2.5 days away from a great cricketing weekend.

yesterday should have been a great cricket day , but rain blighted my poor Tykes. I was listening to Radio 5 live sport at my desk. as the commentators tried to fill in some time in the morning they were discussing  various Yorkshire players. They got to His Royal Ryanness and said that Gillespie the Gallant had described him as the 'Rolls Royce' of the Yorkshire team. They were actually discussing the fact that HRR does not play short form cricket anymore. And it was said that he is 'like a Rolls Royce' that you bring out for the big show.
Well I can't disagree with that. I hardly see him as 'suped up' Vauxhall Nova doing 'donuts' at Teesside Park!!

As said there was no play at Headingley yesterday and the result saw both Yorkshire and Durham through to the last 8. To be honest I have little interest my sights are set on much bigger things!

And then at 6.50am this morning  a bigger thing did happen!!! It was announced after much speculation that David Willey has signed for Yorkshire, well now that makes for some interest next season, I however would have been happier with  Jack 'Commando boy ' Shantry. You can't win them all I suppose!

Durham also look to have been dealt a blow as it is reported that Mark Wood may need to undergo surgery on his ankle. Oh dear into the England team and crocked already............................sounds about right!!!

Things are taking great shape for my 'big surprise' and  to be honest although I am writing  about it I am actually shaking in my 'Jimmy Choo's now. I know that I will be fine its just the thought and as all but a couple of you reading have no idea what i am talking about I will shut up!


The week is actually dragging in the office without Job the jolly , who rarely makes a contribution to the office antics but is conspicuous by his absence which leads me to believe that he is the instigator of all the shenanigans that go on!!! Hmmmmmmm I might have hit on something here.

I went round to besty friend Francesca's for hypnotherapy last night, and also got a lot of  'doggy loves' from Orson, Mia and Lucky. Poor Lucky being the smallest of the bunch was being whipped to death by the tails of  the other two. Never doubt the power of a 'doggy love'!!!


Right off to sort them out now.

Thought for the day

When life knocks you down.
Roll over and look at the stars!

Tuesday 18 August 2015

One day down !


Well Monday is done and dusted and I am ready for Tuesday although in reality I would rather have Tuesday at Headingley cheering on my boys in their One Day match.

I  was very busy yesterday trying to get my head in gear  for my 'big surprise' and scribbling notes every 10 seconds or so it appeared. I was trying to get things written down before I forgot them. I know I can't tell yet but I am determined that I am going  to make  it great!!! #superflippingexcited

Mr Funky the chauffeur is off to footy on Saturday ( WTF!! Football in the cricket season) and so I arranged with Pauly Paul that I would pick him up and  deliver him to The Riverside.  And so just about everything is in place for my fab weekend catching up with El Presidenti and a the First Lady of Middlesex.

I also have some work to do on other things too as the next two weeks are going to be 'huge' for more than one reason.
Sometimes life is strange, you try for years to do something to push your life forward and nothing happens and then lots of opportunities come along at the same time!!

well today I have remembered to pack the  radio so that I can keep up with all things Tyke as  they take on Northamptonshire at home. I would have liked to have been there but I have a lot of work to sort out before Friday and the boys need to be kept in check too.

And today in the One Day Cup it is all to play for as the outcome of today will decide who goes to the Quarter Finals.

COME ON YOU TYKES.

This weekend we are back to  County Championship action and as you are probably all aware I will be at The Riverside cheering on Middlesex,  as they take on Durham.

My Tykes are off to Brighton on Thursday ( maybe even Wednesday) to take on Sussex.

It's all to play for now and I still have everything crossed..

Actually at the moment I don;t as I am typing and also about to sign off as I need to get a wriggle on.

Tonight I am going for hypnotherapy, hoping that the results of this will start to show soon.

OK off to do what I do best, drink coffee shout at boys and look pretty for 7 hours.

Until tomorrow......





Monday 17 August 2015

Perfect Sunday


Yesterday was a perfect Sunday, I pottered around at home in the morning and then Mr Funky came  to pick me up and we headed of the The Riverside ground to see a Durham Select XI take on Lashings XI.

The first thing I saw were the swings and Mr Funky said that I couldn't go on them, to be honest if  my backside had fit the seat it would have been a miracle. We didn't see the bouncy castle which was a huge shame as I wanted to go on, but due to the low cut dress I was wearing  it was probably better that I hadn't, there might have been some serious 'fall out' if I had
We headed off to our seats and were having a rare old time, 'busting some moves' to the music that was playing,Mr Funky was getting right into it.

Anyhoo we settled down to watch Lashings take to the field and see His Royal Ryanness  take the first wicket. But better than HRR ( yes really) was the brilliant Tino Best. The last time I saw Tino at The Riverside he was a teeny Tyke and took an amazing  catch in the T20 match , only to be branded a cheat by Durham fans!!! Booo  to them he was brilliant .

Lashings went into bat and seriously looked  as if they could beat the Durham XI, but sadly it was not to be, they lost by 1 run.

It was brilliant to see some of the 'older' players back on the circuit and doing great things for charity.

A great fun filled afternoon, so good that Mr Funky was doing his Beastie Boys impersonations on the way home in the big blue tank Funky bus!!!

And then home to get things sorted for the week....................and get prepared for my big surprise, which is now only a couple of weeks away and for which I need to do some serious preparations.


Not long now until I meet up again with the President and First Lady of Middx CCC..............I cannot wait!!!

this week also sees One day matches taking place, so I am taking my radio to work and can tune out of the hideous whaling that pretends to be singing and tune into leather on willow.

After the thrilling T20 match on Saturday  were Lancs beat Kent, there appears to have been some trouble when Lancashire went out to celebrate. It appears that one of their players, and press are suggesting  Liam Livingstone, sustained a head injury after an incident in a bar in Ashford.

Sounds a tad nasty!

But now  I have to head off to the 'orifice' and it is Trill Boy and Pony Paul and I this week, Job the Jolly is on his jollies.

Should be a fun packed week!!!!




Sunday 16 August 2015

Sunday funday?






I would like to say that today I have a lot to do and am not getting anywhere quickly.
Why?  I hear you all shouting!
Well yesterday I was going to do a spot of tiling, but instead decided to do a spot of border digging. As you know this has been ongoing for a number of weeks, digging a little bit in the evenings. Yesterday though I began digging like a woman possesed and  managed to get the whole width of the top of the garden dug ( as well as hoeing the areas that I had already had a go at).

Then I loaded the car and toddled off to the charity shop with a lot of things, and then came back and started to tidy up the patio/ paved area of the extensive grounds.

I then decided to dig a bit more and turn to start digging the length of the 'grounds'.

By this point my back was very hurty painy and I decided to go in and have a shower ( wanted a bath but don't have one!).

I collapsed on the sofa and watched the  cricket.
Kent v Lancs.
From the start both teams showed determination and Lancs bowled Kent out for 142 which was not a great score.
However Lancashire did not fair any better against the Kent bowlers including Mitch Claydon the man with the most unnaturally white teeth. Theses are always a talking point when ever he is playing both on TV and on the radio.
Imagine being known more for our teeth than your job ( Janet Street Porter comes to mind!).

Anyhooo I digress the outcome came from the last over and resulted in a tie, and Lancashire winning on the fact that they had lost least wickets.
Disappointing for Kent but Lancs through to finals day.

The semi final draw was also made and  Birmingham Bears will face Northants, which means that Hampshire will face Lancashire.

Could be exciting.


After the match I tried to get off said sofa only to find that the easiest way to move around was crawling on the floor, any attempt to stand upright resulted in a string of swear words being emitted ( yes really!!! and stronger than flipping and chuffing).
I took some pain killers and fell asleep, woke up felt no better, made some calls including  the First Lady of Middlesex CCC,  Tzarina Katerina and Dame Didi, then managed to crawl up to bed.
This morning  I am not better but I am at least upright!

And now I am off to make myself a big cooked brekkie and then take some more pain killers!

I have some super flipping fabby news too but I cannot tell yet.

All will be revealed in a couple of weeks and I am super bouncy  about it all.

 Right coffee a hoy!!!!





Saturday 15 August 2015

A day of peace and quiet....




..................and quite a few jobs that need to be done.

I have a list and I intend to stick to it!!! it has already started as due to other things tomorrow I have stripped the beds and all bedding is in the washing machine as we speak.

I also had a little lie in this morning due to being jolly flipping tired. Last night besty friend Francesca came for dinner and I whipped up a recipe that I haven't made since I was in London ( a million years ago it seams). And it was gorgeous, we scoffed the lot and washed it down with some fantastic German wine that had just been brought back. A very pleasant evening all round........................


............................except for the T20 match that was taking place at Worcester. it was a tough one for me as Former besty home county in the south (Hampshire )  were taking on my  new reserve besty county Worcestershire ( confused???? you should be in my Jimmy Choos). I was listening on't wireless in the kitchen as I was cooking and had the TV on  so that I could run through and see ( I don't hold with a TV in the kitchen!).
Well Hampshire went into and carberry ( eye candy for the Dame) and Vince set off at a great pace. Carbs was eventually out for 42 but Vince went on to make a century. Ervine was run out by the Jack  'Commando boy' Shantry  which made me smile a lot.
Hampshire were 194-4 at the end of their innings.
 However the evening was dark and gloomy due to the horrendous weather we have been having and North Road does not have flood lights ( hence the match starting early). And once the gloom set in it was the death knell for Worcesteshire. Hampshire won on the Jack and Vera ( Duckworth /lewis) by 17 runs.

I was happy and sad all in  one go, Hampshire have now made finals day for the 6th year in a row.

Today 2.30 we have Kent v Lancashire, as neither of them are on my radar I will go for Kent as they wear nice T20 shirts !

I am about to throw myself in the shower and then  head out into the garden along with 'Pete' the pigeon who has become my new best friend and follows me every where when I am 'pottering' about. He is'nt stupid, he knows I am the supplier of burnt brownies and stale bread!!! typical man!!! read him like a book!!!!

Right this won't get the washing hung out to dry.

The sun is shining so best get on with it.




Friday 14 August 2015

F(ryan)day finally




Hurrah!!!!!! Hussar!!!!!! Hip hip!!!!! and all that malarkey, thank flip it is F(ryan) day.
I am 7 hours away from two whole days of peace and freedom from all that is Super swanky Lady Lainey office.

Well yesterday as I got to my desk  ( 7.32am) I was greeted by the tuneless monotone of 'sing-a-long-a Trill boy'. If he could draw with the same gusto that he puts into the 'whaling' he emits , we would have every project finished and be sitting waiting for the next one to drop through my  'inbox'.
Sadly it is not to be and now we are all having the 'Trill Boy' countdown to his package trip to Mexico. It just cannot come quickly enough!!

Anyhow yesterday did pass quite quickly at work and then I came home and met the new window cleaner, yeay finally when I open the blinds I will not think that it is always foggy, and he  also  does a spot of gardening!!! I may even get the patio area finished!!!

And talking about the garden, I have managed to dig more of the borders and I am planting as I go. Hopefully next year it will all be looking a little better than at the moment, and as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day.
And the weed and feed is on the lawns too!!!

So I settled down to watch some of the T20 cricket, well you just knew that it would never be as good as the Northants game. well sadly Essex lost to Birmingham Bears who go through to finals day ( again).

Steve Harmison has been  yakking on 'like ya nar' about Mason Crane the amazing upcoming talent at former besty home county in the south, Hamsphire. He says that Crane should be selected for the Pakistan tour over the winter.
 OK one sure fire way of destroying this 18 year olds talent is to  move him into the 'big time' too early. Let Mason have another trip out with England under 19's and then have a couple of seasons playing for this county AND then look and see how he is doing. #justsaying #notanexpert

And another thing that I am not an expert at is plumbing, but last night after the bathroom sink completely blocking I took matters into my own hands and decided to sort out the three year old problem ( since the tenants were in).

Well I donned my rubber gloves and unscrewed the U bend .............................only to find 12 very matted cotton buds jammed in it!!!!!
I am guessing the the tenant children thought this was a good game. like swinging on the blinds and door handles and painting in acrylics on a wool carpet.
Oh well that is sorted now so I can now move onto the next DIY job.

yes tomorrow I am doing a spot of tiling.

Right I am gone!!!!


Thursday 13 August 2015

Ooohh nearly the weekend!!




Well nearer than yesterday!!!!!

And its been a funny couple of days since getting back from Scarbados. Things have been happening that are making me think that there is light at the end of the tunnel, the next couple of weeks will be the decider on this score.

I will tell more when or if things take shape. Mysterious??????? not really just not putting all my eggs in one 'cricnic' hamper!

Right on to yesterday.

I had to 'suffer' another day of singing in the office, it wouldn't be so bad if Trill Boy can sing, but the flat monotone that comes out of his cake hole is enough to send a sane Lady loopy!!!! That and the fact that he doesn't know the words to half the songs he is 'singing' add to my frustration.

Never to be forgotten lyrics, from yesterday,  the classic 'Ziggy Stardust' by David Bowie
* sung at full monotone volume*

      'Making love to his eagle'

wooooooo forgive me for saying this, but if they had been the lyrics I doubt that this song would ever had had an airing on Radio One!!!!!!!!!


The day did not go quickly enough though and I found that the only way to get through it was to lock myself away in my office and do some archiving................................yes I do some work now and again!!!

However the prospect of T20 cricket on TV was a bonus when I got home and I had dinner made in a jiffy ready to sat down and watch.

It was Sussex v Northants, neither being teams that raise an eyebrow usually in the chateau, but last night was very different.

Northants took to the field and David Willey  had a great bowling spell with figures of 3-27. Sussex were 165-7 after their 20 overs.

Willey then came in to bat and sort of took over. At one stage hitting Michael Yardy for 34 in one over, he was in unbelievable form, he brought up his century with 10 sixes and 7 fours, and then was out to Tymal Mills.

It was great T20 cricket and saw Northamptonshire through to the Finals day!!!!

And on the commentary they were talking about His Royal Ryanness..................making comment about his age and being 'an old war horse' and ' he is still going too'....................how very dare they?????

He may be a tad older than some of the players on the circuit but he is still fit and can bowl like a demon and has lovely hair ( hahahaha)

There is more cricket tonight........................so any work needing to be done here will be sorted between 5.00pm and 6.30pm.

OOOhhhhhh and I think that I finally have found a window cleaner...............he is supposed to be coming tonight to give me a quote.

Now that's quite exciting.

Right I am off and away.

Until tomorrow...........................






Wednesday 12 August 2015

Blluurrrggghhhhh I don't like work!




OMG  who invented work?????

Who made it that you have to go to work during the cricket season?

Who made it that I Lady Lainey have to suffer  'eeddjitts'?

Who will give me a well paid job for the winter where I will work super doubly hard and then get all the summer off ( and if there are some odd weeks/days when  there is no cricket, I will come to work too)?

What are the chances of the above happening?

Flipping well about as much chance as me going down the curry house with my two favourite Australians ( see above) so that is a big fat NIL!!!!!!!

So you can see that my first day back in Super Swanky Lady Lainey office went 'OK' (not)!!!!

Well it did for the 'Office Boys' as they all went home in one piece at the end of the day!!!

I spent the best part of the morning trying to sort out the logistics of the remainder of the cricket season.

I am thinking that I might be getting myself down to Headingley a couple of more times and possible to Lords however on this I have been slightly thwarted transport wise. I am still working on it.
I don't mind driving the Lady Lainey  limo down to Lords ( used to be there nearly every week when I lived 'darn sarf') its just driving back home that I don't like!.
The upside of driving myself is that I can take 32 pairs of shoes and 12 handbags as well as, as many outfits as I can fit in the cases. As I am only going for one day it might be a tad excessive!!!!

Anyhooooo this is how it looks at the moment,

Tuesday September 1st  0500hrs Lady Lainey wakes up looking gorgeous, writes blog and heads off to Headingley for start of LVCC match against Somerset. Added bonus get to see Peter Trego whom she named the garden pigeon after.

Wed or Thurs or Fri  9/10/11th September hopefully at Lords to see the LVCC match against Middlesex

Tuesday  or Wed or Thurs 22/26/24th September  go to Headingley to see some  of the last match of the season against Sussex.

This is the basic plan, now I have to start to get it put into action.

There has been a bit of 'chat;' about the Australian team bringing their wives and families to England during the Ashes, They said it is part of their support network. I personally see nothing wrong with them having their other half with them, however if it had been me and my crazy married life, being a hemisphere apart from my husband would have been flipping marvellous!!!!


Right best go and crack the whip in the office.


Thought for the day

Don't make excuses,
make improvements!!!

Tuesday 11 August 2015

Well the fun is over.



Yes for another year the fun is over and I now realise that I have only a handful of matches to attend. After the fun filled weekend today seems like an anti climax. More so as I am going back to a desk strewn with papers and mess ( after leaving boys alone for 2 working days).

However yesterday morning I woke up in Scarbados for the last time for this year and made the most of it. i.e had a bath. This also could be for the last time this year.  And before you jump to the wrong conclusion, I only have a shower in The Chateau, however I hope that this will all change next year, when I will have a super swanky bath tub installed.

However I digress, after having a long soak in the  gorgeous bathroom, I packed up my things and headed off to hand in my key, only to nearly bump into Glenn Maxwell, well after the  'little incident' with my key at Headingley I hung onto it very tightly.

I decided to have one last coffee before heading over to see Dame Didi.

Sipping my coffee and thinking miserably about the week ahead, I glanced up to and saw Gillespie the Gallant,  he came over to talk and was as charming as ever. Neither of us mentioned  the 'c' word and I am holding fire with it for another week or two.

I wandered up to my car and set off to head to Chateau Saltburn, where the Dame had prepared lunch for us both.

I got back to the my château, early afternoon and unpacked, did washing, got it dried, put weed and feed on the lawns and then by 8pm when total boredom had sunk in, I went to bed. The children across the road were still out playing!!.

Other news, Middlesex are creeping up on points again in the championship table so it could be a thriller when Yorkshire go to Lords ( and  I am hoping to be there too).

Hampshire, former besty home county in the South have signed South African all rounder Ryan McLaren for the remainder of the season. He will be replacing Jackson Bird ( great name) and may make his debut in the match against Durham in early  September.


Well time is hurrying along and I DO NOT want to go to work. However just to recap on the weekend.

The wonderful people that I have met, especially the amazing hosts of The Atlanta Guest House, so close to the cricket ground you can hear every roar, and the most amazing breakfast I have had in a long time. Well worth checking them out and checking in!!!!!

A weekend of scorching weather ( I have a proper 'cric tan' to prove it) and great cricket.

What more could a Lady want............................................well I would like to be able to go and watch all season long but that is  another story!!


Right off to face the mess, drink copious amounts of coffee and shout at boys for no other reason than I can!!!!




Monday 10 August 2015

I love Yorkshire

I am writing this and still cannot believe what a fabulous weekend I have had in Scarbados.

I have had more highs and lows than  a fairground ride and as I am putting my thoughts down for the blog..........................................well I am finally close to saying the 'c' word. Although I am not quite close enough to writing it in full.

Ok lets start at the beginning of yesterday.

11.00am and His Royal Ryanness and Steve Patterson came out and put on even more runs, before Patto lost his bails to Onions and there was a very quick turn around for My Tykes to come out onto the field

The gentleman sat next to me said ' Right love 'ere we go,  think  I might be on the way home by 5pm'

Durham came out and started to play well, it was in the 12th over that  Stoneman went. Durham steadied but then it started again as Clark and Borthwick went.
The blip on the Durham lanscape was the very unsportsman like behaviour of Richardson who was lbw to Timmy Bresnan. There was much bat punching as he headed back to the dressing room, lots of grass kicking as well banging  and noise when he got there. Not cricket and not needed.


It was only a mater of time until the Yorskhire got them all out,and it took a catch by Captain Gale off a Plunkett ball to dismiss new Durham boy Burnham and bring the crowd to their feet.

I have to say that new Durham boy Burnham scored  his first 1st classs half centruy and looked good. Its about time that they started to bring in some new blood.

However nothing can take away the brilliant cricket played by Yorkshire and for those who knock them,have digs at them and generally do what they can to try to rub me up the worng way. Who cares the results this season speak for themselves!!!!


I was back in the hotel and in the bath before you could pop a cork on a bottle of Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque.

And felt a lot more human after that!!.

So a spot of dinner and an early night resulted in a long lie in this monring and now I am about to have another soak in the bath and then wend my way to see besty sister in the whole world Dame Didi, before heading back to the Chateau and

Sunday 9 August 2015

Sunday in Scarbados

Good morning from grey and windy Scarbados,which  after the last two scorchio days is a bit of a relief. I am now sporting a serious 'cric tan' which now means that the chances of me wearing  a frock for the rest of the summer is nil.
I am not complaining though as I have had the best weekend.......

So I know you are all dying to know what happened.......
well it is going to be pint sized again as I now have no WiFi in the hotel despite their promises it would be sorted. So I am now trying to get this out via my mobile and if you spot the typos....well sorry!!!.

Before I went to the ground yesterday I had a detour to meet my great Twitter pals at The Atlanta on Columbus Ravine. I went for tea and toast and was actually treated to a 'Yorkshire Breakfast', which was amazing!!!!!!  Check them out a great place and the nicest people. I will be booking to stay there next cricket season thats for sure.


Ok enough stalling. Yorkshire were in batting and I was hoping for no 'heart in mouth' stuff because to be honest I was not sure that my virus battered heart Could take much more.......but it had to. Lees went,Gale Leaning &Hodd went and we were looking in trouble. Then Glenn Maxwell & Adil Rashid stepped up. They were level pegging on runs  and the Glenn changed gear and hit his half century then his century and went on 140. Adil then decided he wanted a standing ovation and he sure got that. The pair also made a 200 run stand.
And so it continued, after looking like the innings could be over by lunch, by close of play with His Royal Ryanness at the crease we are back at it today.

Other cricket news.
England won the Ashes. Which is brilluant news a huge boost for English cricket. Have theyfinally found the 'ideal' team?. Well only time will tell.

I am now debating whether or not to wash the orange birdsnest,  what to wear and which shoes to put on ( the shoe
 tan on my feet  Is not changing from day to day as I change my sandals).
Right got lots to do but only one place to go.........North Marine Road I am on my way

See some of you there


Saturday 8 August 2015

693




Well, in all my cricketing life  ( that's all my life),I really do not think that I have ever seen a first day like I saw yesterday.


Who needed the test match....
My Tykes went in to bat and to say that it all went bandy, is an understatement, this was the worst collapse I had seen by them in ....like ....forever!!!!!

The top order folded like a  paper napkin , even 'my hotel key' hero Glenn Maxwell couldn't pull it back,and it was left to Timmy Bresnan and His Royal Ryanness to do the business and with a last wicket stand of  67, to see the  first  innings with 162 runs on the board.

I have to mention here that  the weather was flipping scorchio and I was fair tanning like a mad thing, with the tan lines to prove it.!!!

As the weather got hotter, the tension was building. I had to have a G & T to steady my nerves!!! ( well that's my excuse).

Durham went into bat and then it all started again, wickets tumbling Steve Patterson was on fire and then...............well then His Royal Ryanness changed gears and only flipping well took three wickets. OMG I was fair dancing in my seat.
As you will already guess this is yesterday in a nutshell.
Seriously it was much more exciting than I have just typed, 20 wickets falling in a day!!! what can you say!!! 

I, Lady Lainey was in my element and I had the pleasure of the company of Madelaine who for her sins is a fan of former besty home county of Durham, but  is jolly good company. 

Also managed to meet up with the lovely Rich, who also said that I am the ultimate Yorkshire cricket badger.................................I think it was a compliment!!!!

And so today I am slapping on the lard ...........................OK factor 30 and preparing for another day. It is expected to be another 'scorchio' day.

OMG I am not sure that my ticker can take this much excitement, but I am going   back for more today, I wouldn't miss this for the world

I am now about to set off to meet my lovely Twitter friends at The Atlanta Guest House for a spot of tea and toast.

And then, well its cricket.

a tout a l'heure

Friday 7 August 2015

Woooo I'm going to Scarbados


Wooo I'm going to Scarbados
Wooo land of candy floss
Wooo I'm going to see my Tykes
And hope its not a loss




Which of course it won't be!!!!

And of course it is also F(ryan)day and I should be able to get some more pictures of HRR to add to my collection. I haven't had any of him this year as he has not really played when I have been at matches.

My as yet unpublished book 'Cricketers Posteriors'needs updating!! !! so I will be getting out my Box Brownie and snapping like crazy to make up for it!!! I was hoping to have a publishing deal by now and that the book could be out fo Christmas, but alas it is not to be.
More reason to keep snapping. LOL

I stayed at Chateau Saltburn last night and we went out for dinner to The Ship, the Dame however was not 'playing' at going beach combing  and looking for 'jewels' so  after a quick trip to see the monster children nephews and ex brother in law, we went back to the Chateau where after a couple of glasses of wine and some 'chevre,I promptly  fell asleep. Hey I am great company!!.......except at 1.30am, 3.00am, 4.10am when I was woken up by the German Shepherds that live up the road........hmmmmm I could be in  danger of nodding off this afternoon at this rate.



Over at Trent Bridge yesterday strange things were afoot. England bowled the Australians out in 111 balls!!!
Oh yes they did!!!!
Yes Australia were back out on the field after scoring 60 runs.  The bulk of the wickets being taken by Broad who is this tests Ashes Hero and the one who brought the Urn home,after it being Steve Finn last test.
Regardless of whom did what, they are a team and no one man is bigger than that, no not even 'he who must not be named in the blog'.

Anyhoooo Enlgand were 274-4 at close, the 'Yorkland' pair Little Joey Root and Jonny Bairtstow did well well with  124 NO for Joey and 74 for Jonny.


I am now heading off over the Moors with all my essentials, for the next four days ( and probably a case full of non essentials), the Lady Lainey Limo is fair weighed down!!!!!
The most important thing though is my Yorkshire badge which will be pinned to my jacket/cardigan/dress/tshirt.

I can shout clap and cheer to my hearts content, and do you know what .........................I flipping well will!!!!!

COME ON YOU TYKES!!!!!!!!


I am off..........................................Scarbados here I come!!!!



Thursday 6 August 2015

Off we go........................










well nearly!! As you can see my luggage for my long weekend is ready!!!!! yes really!!!! OK not really but very close.

I have a slight detour ce soir, at Chateau Saltburn, where Dame Didi is back in residence and taking me out for dinner ( she doesn't know this yet......well she does now), and then bright and early inthe morning I am heading over the Moors and off to Scarbados.

My Tykes were in action yesterday against Somerset. Yorkshire were batting and within 10 minutes they had lost 2 wickets...........i was not sure what was happening but it was not looking good. It took a last wicket stand form the youngsters Karl Carver and Matthew Fisher to bring the total up to something that looked decent and their 67 run stand earned ten, quite rightly a standing ovation.

Peter Trego took 4-29 and seemed to have had an enjoyable day at the seaside.
Somerset cruised home with 6 wickets in hand an 11 overs to spare.

However news was circulating that Captain Gale was standing down as Captain in short forms of the game.................I am surmising that although the team already knew this , it may have knocked them a little.

Never mind you cannot win them all and if you did it would be boring and were would the thrill be in that!

It does put pressure on them in one day action to get to the quarter finals..

However the  'biggy'  in my books is this weekend.......................and I am so super excited that I could hardly sleep.

Still have lots to do and not getting anywhere fast.

I just have to managed to get through 7 hours of drinking copious amounts of coffee, shouting at two boys as other boy is in 'Larndon mate', and tidy my desk, and then I am on the A66.


OOOOhhhhhhhh this time tomorrow i will be yup dressed and pacing the floor ready for the off.

Today also sees the start of the 4th Ashes Test and all eyes are on England, will they be able to stroll through to a win?

All starts at 11.00am


Right I am off now, see you later!




Wednesday 5 August 2015

Mid week and only more day...................





in the office and then I am off to Scarbados. To say that I am excited is an understatement ..................I am super flipping excited.

Last night I went to  see my besty friend and hypnotherapist Francesca, she being the one that stopped me eating chocolate by the factory full. It was very interesting to say the least and I slept so well last night that I am now running late.

I am also running late on the packing for my 'grand tour' to Scarbados!!!

I have not even got my 'smalls' in my bag. I can see it tonight as I empty the wardrobes in the spare room into cases and the wardrobe in another room into a case.............. yes the Lady Lainey Limo will have everything but the kitchen sink in it tomorrow.

And yes I know that I am not off to Scarbados until Friday but I am going to visit Dame Didi to go out for dinner tomorrow, so I need to be organised.

Yesterday was not a good day for Durham as they lost to Gloucestershire in the One Day Cup once again due to rain and the 'Jack  & Vera'. ( Duckworth/Lewis to the uninitiated)

Today however my Tykes are in action for the start of the Scarborough Cricket Festival, taking on Somerset. 
Yesterday the legend that is Somerset's Peter Trego posted a pick of a seagull when he was having his fish and chips. It has been quite recently documented  about his 'ornithological'  leanings ( his  'Sky' commentary with the pigeon was the funniest thing I have seen in ages). 

However  hope he is used to the seagulls as they tend to swoop in around tea time at Scarbados and the noise is deafening.

Good luck to my boys and lets see the festival start off brilliantly.

OOOhhhhh I am super flipping late............................do I care...........................do I chuffers.


see you tomorrow when I will be bouncing with excitement!!!!!







Tuesday 4 August 2015

Big life clear out continues




Yes some more junk treasures have left the Chateau and I am getting closer to actually seeing the spare bedroom carpet!. The office is now a shadow of it's former over stuffed self and I think that the clear out has been very beneficial to me in general.


There is however a lot of 'paper sorting' and tidying up to be done, but that is all cosmetic

The one thing that I have to learn from this is to NEVER EVER EVER fill the house up again!

And I hope that I can do this!

And taking about 'doing it', My Tykes were off to another victory yesterday as they beat Leics by 31 runs. this is steering them on a course to a quarter final place for the One Day Cup. However I am trying not to get too excited as we were there last year, only to have it snatched away by former besty home county of Durham.

Yesterday opener Alex Lees scored  75, whilst young Matthew Fisher took 3-32. I have to say that Matthew is having a bit of a dream of a season at the moment.

Yorkshire are sitting second in the One Day cup table  but have played one game more than the others at the moment.

My boys are now having a little rest day before they take on Somerset at Scarborough tomorrow. I am wondering if the wonderful Mr Trego is doing a spot of seagull spotting over pigeon fancying????!!!!

The war of words is starting to build again as we get nearer to the start of the fourth test ( Thursday). Lets see how we get on.


Today is cold grey and blowy, so it can start to get it s act together and bring in some heat for the weekend. Actually I have just checked the weather forecast and they appears at this moment to be little or no chance of water falling out of the sky.

The Dame is packing her bags in preparation of returning to the UK to take me out for dinner on Thursday evening, she is yet to know that after travelling back here for the sole purpose of eating dinner with moi, she is paying!!!!!
hope she doesn't get stopped at the airport, her case is full of white stuff, which by the way is sea salt that I requested her to bring back for me.


So now time to head off to the office and I have about as much desire to do that as I have to poke sticks in my eyes....................although the stick thing is sounding more appealing at the moment.

See you tomorrow when i will be a day closer to my 'holidays'.





Monday 3 August 2015

Monday..............not a funday



Well yesterday started cold and wet and ended much the same, with a slight dry interlude in between. However did this make any difference to  a  super excited Lady Lainey? not a chuffing chance!!!!

I was ready to collect 'der lads' aka Pauly Paul and Dynamo Dom who  were  waiting in the usual spot and off we went.

it was evident as we drove up that play would be delayed as it rained steadily, however when they announced that play would start at 11.45 there were a few groans and not just from where we were sitting.

Yorkshire won the toss and elected to bowl, Plunkett and Bresanan took the bulk of the wickets with Rashid and Patterson taking the others as Durham finished their reduced overs innings on 224-7.

We had a spot of lunch whilst basking in sunshine one minute and dodging  spots of rain the next.

Yorkshire went into bat and I went to deliver cake for My Tykes. I had made a 'vegan' carrot cake for Dynamo Dom who normally has to munch on fruit whilst we chuck chocolate cake down our necks. As Gillespie the gallant is  vegan too I made sure that he got some too.

A short while later one of the 'spare Tykes' came down with the cake container....................and a note from Dizzy himself!!!!
Oh my dog!!!!!! I went a very impressive shade of red, which didn't get any lesser when Paul and Dom realised that I was blushing.
Very kind  of him to send a thank you note and also to let me into the fact that we have a lot more in common that  I previously thought.

Well that would have made my day complete........................except that Glenn Maxwell was going brilliantly and then the rain came, luckily 'Lady Laineys Lot' were ahead on the ( Jack and Vera) Duckworth/Lewis scale, and as the match was abandoned, We were triumphant!!!!

That should have been a great end to the day.........................but after sitting in the car park for 40 minutes, waiting for the security to let people out, my ,mood  was less than  happy.

Funny part of the day was that a 'young man' who had been partaking of too many shandies, decided to go swimming on the field after they put the covers on.
Everyone, players included were  cheering him on as 10 security ( yes 10!!!)  tried to 'take him down'.

A tad excessive I thought and obviously after all the chasing of the said man they all had to have a cup of tea and oxygen, which might explain the car park debacle!!!!

Durham CCC need to sort themselves out.

So after nearly starting the week on a rant, I am off to Super Swanky Lady Lainey office!!!





Sunday 2 August 2015

It's a cricket Sunday



Yeay!!!! it is cricket Sunday and I am all ready.............well apart from the newly coloured blondie/ orange curls which will have a quick dunk before I head off to pick up Pauly Paul and Dynamo Dom.

I was super busy yesterday doing 'stuff' in the garden and being a domestic goddess and entertaining the eldest sister Tzarina Katerina ( Kiki).

I managed to get some washing done and dried  as well as making a lemon cake and a vegan carrot cake ( specially sourced vegan margarine too!)

So now I am all packed up, flasks are made and it looks as if we will need some warm drinks  as it is rainy and a tad chilly. Note to self, pack a jumper!.

The  14 man squad for the 4th test was announced yesterday which included Liam Plunkett, luckily Adam Lyth has been given another chance. Its looking even more like 'Yorkland' !!!

Whilst I was entertaining Tzarina Katerina on yesterday I had  t'wireless on in the kitchen and was listening to them match at Southampton where Hants were taking on Middx.
 Holy mackerel!!!! before I even had time to boil the kettle Middx were 22-5! And it looked as if it would all be over by lunch!

They did however rally towards the end and  closed their innings on a very low 117.
Michael Carberry ( eye candy for The Dame) and Jimmy Adams opened and closed the Hampshire  innings reaching 121 and  being very calm about it.

Go on you Hampshire boys.


Also after an afternoon with eldest sister who is retired and does nothing but shop all day, I was asked to regularly make her my special coleslaw.........................because I am going to do that!!!!
I am now also the car insurance guru, as she now has her insurance nearly £200 cheaper.
Flipping heck I truly am a wonder woman!!!!!
 
Now I am about to go and pick up the 'Durham Boys' and give them a lift to the ground, no not the team silly!,


Hope you Sunday is fun filled


Saturday 1 August 2015

Happy Yorkshire Day






HAPPY YORKSHIRE DAY

I am up and drinking my first cup of Yorkshire tea, I also have some fab stickers that Taylors of Harrogate sent me and later,  'The Gentlemen of Tykshire' and I will be having our photographs taken to upload onto Twitter.

And it is going to be a bit of a Yorkshire weekend for me as tomorrow my Tykes are at Chester le Street in One Day action. But that is another day.

I am hoping to get the tiling around the  wicket sorted today too if the weather improves, as it has been raining here. The sun is trying to break through though so that's a relief..

There was a big sigh of relief yesterday as England won the 3rd Test. And they sort of did it in Style. They are now 2-1 up with  two more games to play.
I sort of think that the Aussies will take the next one and it will go to the wire.

That should make for a very exciting series.

What I don't like is the minute that England win, the 'armchair selectors' start to rehash the team and slate some of the players whilst stating that ' if it wasn't for  XXXX we wouldn't have won'. Well as I say often enough one man is not a team.

Also for all the lovers of 'he who must not be named in the blog', we sort of didn't need him.

Also for all those lovers, I would like to know why he is at 'SeaWorld' with his family and not playing cricket when he is contracted to a county. Just wondering............



Today I have a million things to do AND somehow I have been forced into making lunch for Tzarina Katerina.................I have no idea how she managed to swing that. For the love of dogs, I am up to my eyes in my junk, cake making and 'cricnic' making too as we have to leave jolly early tomorrow to get to the ground.

I am actually a tad cross because she thinks that  she will be here all day when in fact she will be here an hour and then can toddle off back to her village!
Right I am off to drop things at the charity shop and get a wriggle on with the other things that I need to get done which includes retrieving a box from the recycling bin......................yuk!!


News from Dame Didi in La Belle France, she has been watching cricket!!!!!! check her out!!!!

Happy Yorkshire Day !