Review of 2015

Review of 2015  

January

So 2015 arrived and I Lady Lainey wondered what would be in store for me this year. I had decided not to go dry for January after last years failed attempt ( well I made it until 2.30pm on New Years Day).
His Royal Ryanness celebrated his birthday and the weather here in blighty was wet and windy, until the end of the month when snow arrived and I decided that I should be a hedgehog and go into hibernation!!
Yorkshire announced that they would have Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell for the summer and I got my tiara in a right old tizzy!!!



February
 Oh lordy  February!!!! and I was busy doing all things Lady Lainey like ( shopping for shoes and hats and handbags).
I won a copy of besty book in the whole flipping world 'A Champion Year' the inside story of the 2014 championship win by my boys.
We had more snow and Yorkshire told how they were letting Gillespie the Gallant head off to the BBL at the end of the year to coach The Adelaide Strikers............this filled me with great joy..............winter cricket and GTG too.
His Royal Ryanness signed with Yorkshire  until the end of 2016 and I was even more excited!
I headed off to Headingley for a guided tour,I got to sit on HRR's 'spot' where he had left a pile of dirty socks!( I DID NOT TOUCH THEM!!)
I walked on to the hallowed turf and got my hands on the championship trophy.
Ahhh I was in complete Cricket Tragic heaven

 I also went off to the cricket expo where I met the lovely Richard from Flicx Cricket the people who made the wicket for my garden.

March

Saw the World Cup in full swing with Ireland giving it their best shot, which was far better than England's!
I was in a tizzy as we were only a month away from the new season.
I started to sort out the 'cricnic' equipment in preparation.
I was not  feeling too great and trying very hard to stop it turning into the 'heart palpitating, temperature spiking' lurgy, I managed to avoid it and felt that I had won a great battle.
Lots of trouble brewing in Super swanky Lady Lainey office but nothing new there!!
I hit 1000 blogs, yes 1000 days of my inane ramblings!!
Went for hypnotherapy, not sure if it is helping but I get to nod off for an hour.


April

OOOh off I toddled to Headingley to see my boys and to watch them take on Leeds/Bradford Uni. His Royal Ryanness was being 'saved' for the first game of the season. I had a wonderful few days relaxing in lovely spring weather and feeling a million miles away from everything.
The first real match of the season saw HRR injured!!! Torn calf muscle and I was in bits!!! Its times like this when I am glad I got my First Aid badge in Brownies, I would have been able to assist ( not sure if he would have wanted the kiss of life).

Dame Didi put her house on the market ready to move back home to La Belle France. Wooohoooo mon vacances are resorted!
I  went off to Chester le Street  and even cheered on former besty home county of Durham. Lainey and friendy Janey spent most the time tucked up in blanky which would become a regular member of the cricket crew, due to the weather being flipping freezing

May

Saw the arrival of a new baby,and not just any baby. We saw the arrival of Princes Charlotte daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and sister of the gorgeous Prince George. I love babies.
 I was once married to one!!!!!
Mr Funky and I headed off to Marton cricket club ( former recipient of Lady Lainey tea services) to see Yorkshire thrash the Marton 1st XI. however this was not to be as it had poured with rain most of the day. So we watched GTG being interviewed instead. Then ate our packed tea and went home cold but happy ( well I was).
Rumours began that GTG would be the new England coach................WTF!!!! would he really take the worst job in the world, well sadly he seemed keen.
Dame Didi was planning to return 'home' to look for a new house and to restock Lady Laineys pantry with proper food!!!
Italy as coached by Joe Scuderi were in action in the ICC T20  and won both of their opening matches.


June

 Saw Mr Funky the chauffeur and I  head off to Chester le Street to see the ODI where I have to say the wonderful Jonny Bairstow played a blinder, and we alternated between being rained on and getting third degree sunburn.

I helped out a lady who was trying to start a new life after leaving her abusive husband. something that made me feel that I had done something to help someone in need, but also brought back some very bad memories for me.
Yorkshire played their Roses game at home and lost!!
I had 3 days at Headingley although HRR wasn't playing. I was guest of the Middlesex President none other than Harry Latchaman. I got to meet Ray Illingworth and sit beside Dickie Bird at lunch.
A wonderful 3 days and also made better as we celebrated The First Lady of Middlesex's birthday

I went off to Pontefract to visit besty friends Sam & Simon, lots of wonderful food and lots of wine.
The Australian cricket team took up camp at old work place of Merchant Taylors school and very good the old pavilion looked too.
His Royal Ryanness returned to duty fully fit whilst I started with tennis elbow which was to continue to plague me to date.


July
 started well and continued in the same vein, My boys were at Durham and played a fantastic match completely hammering them (very technical cricket lingo). I made cake for the boys and was given credit on Twitter for my efforts.
Had a  very mad night out at Headingley with Sam & Simon Gosney. Luckily all members of the Yorkshire team were great fun especially Mr Maxwell who made I Lady Lainey blush ( please never mention a hotel key to me again)!!!!

Dame Didi and I headed off down to Oxfordshire for the annual memorial service for our Uncle Joe who lost his life in the worst RAF peacetime aircrash.

As expected this did not go without incident when I got an eyeful of a naked parachute instructor in the mini bus next to the car .................yes another example of the fact that we are not fit to be let loose.

Yorks were still top of Division one!

Fun Sophie Brown also came up to Chester Le street and got to ride in the 'funky bus'. a great night was had by all

August
Ahhh August my favourite month.
My Tykes were at Chester le Street and I had  made a vegan carrot cake for GTG, he was much appreciative.
I went to stay over with Dame Didi at Chateau Saltburn before  I decamped to Scarbados, for the festival  and to live it up
And so I did. I was also a very lucky lady as I provided with complimentary tickets to the whole match, access all areas ( well not the dressing room obviously!).
Well what can I say Yorkshire gave Durham a thrashing in 3 days and I was the happiest bunny in the world!

Once again aught up again with El Presidenti and First Lady of Middlesex, this time at  Chester le Street,which rounded off the month.

September
The month began with me being given the chance to interview Gillespie the Gallant at Headingley. I was shaking like a leaf, whilst he was an absolute wonderful interviewee and great fun to boot.
He took a leaf out of Glenn Maxwell's book and made me blush ( flipping heck twice in one year!!)
Tennis elbow was getting worse and the quack was at a loss as to what to do next.
Yorskhire were still unbeaten as they headed to Lords, where I should have been with El Presidenti and 1st Lady of Middx CCC ( whilst cheering on me lads). sadly I could not make it.

The championship was won although Yorks lost their only match of the season.
 I got  to interview GTG again!!!! I have to say that he has been a very kind to the Lady allowing her to chat to him . 
I got to see my Tykes lift the trophy at Headingley for the second season running.

Not a Rugby person, I became embroiled in 'elevatorgate' after the Canadian Rugby team were in my hotel. I met them in the lift and the rest is very much top secret but some of them were on an illegal passout.
Spent the last evening of the season with Sam and Simon in Pontefract. Perfect end to a perfect cricket marathon
.
October
Well I sort of went in to a decline but work was keeping me busy. I was still struggling with tennis elbow which refused to go away and meant that I was not getting any sleep, never good in my books.
The quack then decided that the gym might be the way forward and I ventured into the world of weight lifting...........which actually  started to help
I hit 1200 blogs, that is some going..................for everyone who reads them!!!
clocks went back and so did I ........to bed. I hate the cold and dark!
Work in Super Swanky Lady Lainey office increased 10 fold which meant that I had less free time to think about the lack of cricket.


November
Dark and dreary apart from............
Yeah my birthday month, The Gosneys, Sam & Simon came to stay and a great weekend was had by all.

I finally got to clear some 'deadwood' out of my life meaning that I felt a huge sense of relief, and something that I should have done earlier in the year.
We lost out besty Auntie B which was heartbreaking, although I know that she will be setting Uncle frank straight and no doubt giving my Dad an ear bashing!!!!

went to visit besty friends Nikki and Dave and got lots of hugs from Millie whilst I imparted to her everything that I knew about men..............well that took up all of 3 seconds!!!

December
Saw Gillespie the Gallant head out to Australia to coach the besty team in the Antipodes, The Adelaide Strikers.
'Go Strikers'
Lady Lainey and one office boy took a trip to London to super swanky private club for works Christmas Do, it was flipping brilliant..................I think!!!!
We lost Great Aunt Rose who at 106 had a great innings and was a bit crotchety at times, but hell she was allowed to be, she had seen a heck of a lot happen in her lifetime.
Snow appeared and took us all by surprise but quickly disappeared.
Christmas came and I had a couple of four legged visitors, Zena warrior rottweiller and Lucky the West highland Terrier.

It was over in a flash and I prepared myself for going alcohol free for the first month of the year.

uk.virginmoneygiving.com//LaineyRobinson

And what a year it has been,
Dame Didi in remission from the hideous cancer which blighted her year in 2014.
Yorkshire doing the double
Lady Lainey getting to meet her all time idol, Gillespie the Gallant................
what will 2016 hold?

Who knows?

What I do know is that I managed to get though the review of the year with out one mention of 'he who must not be named in the blog'. OOOHHH balderdash!!! just did it!.

however I wish you all a very Happy New Year and I will see you all in 2016


love

Lady Lainey

On the up

And I am back!!!!
Yes I have woken up this morning and I feel back to normal.......................I am never sure what normal is  as everyone else's normal is very different to mine, but I feel like my old self and at least the headache and sickness have stopped.

So what has been happening..

Well although I felt not too bad yesterday I slept on and off most of it, I listened to the cricket as the thought of watching the television did not help my headache any.
Having woken up late yesterday I was listening to 'my lad' ( see Monday 21st December blog) playing brilliantly.
Yes Jonny Bairstow hit  79
South Africa went back into bat and  were not showing much of their usual flair.
Abraham Benjamin was doing OK but nothing to write home about, I was hoping that when Faf came in 'The Huguenot Brothers' might put on a show but it was not to be as Faf went for 9. Then they brought Steyn in as nightwatchman, well I didn't expect to see the fast bowler pull off a 'Dizzy'.

As I type they are  just starting the match.

OOOOh poo there goes Abraham Benjamin...............................that looks like the end of South Africa in this test.

I don't see the Proteas  pulling back now.


Yorkshire and Lancashire is still trying to pull itself together after the hideous floods which struck over Christmas.
Cricket clubs around the county have been affected and it is heartbreaking to see the  aftermath.
Yesterday the bridge at Tadcaster collapsed which is horrendous to witness. ( albeit on TV).

My heart goes out to everyone who has suffered and is suffering.


So what am I up to today?

It is blowing a hooley outside and isn't expected to get any better today.
 I may have a venture to Lady Laineyville and a poke around the shops and then get some work done here at the Chateau before it turns ( for the month of January )in Temperance Towers, yes it is getting closer to my Dry January challenge.

If you want to help me along here the link

uk.virginmoneygiving.com//LaineyRobinson

Good morning from my sick bed

Well yesterday was a lovely cricket day where I lolled around on the chaise longue and watched cricket constantly.............................even seeing my newly adopted Adelaide Strikers lose their match (  Adil Rashid couldn't pull it back). Then I watched the England v South Africa match.

I settled myself down to watch TV after stumps, and then felt a little bit 'strange'. Now lots of you that know me would say that strange is a good description of me, however I felt even 'strangerer' ( yes I know its not a real word but that's how I felt).
Long story short......I was not too well and then developed a thumping headache and then felt got very hot and cold in the space of 5 minutes so I took myself off to bed.

Where I still am, having not woken up until 8.45am  which in my books is very jolly late,so I am assuming that I was quite poorly.

I feel not too bad this morning, but I am still in bed, I am listening to the test match and I am trying to get this blog out onto 'tinterweb' before tomorrows is due.

Now back in Lady Laineys cricket land, many of you will know that I have a little crush on Abraham Benjamin and will sing his praises all day,  well over the past few weeks I have been developing a crush on Dale Steyn, I love 'that stare'. Its severe to say the least.

However how much of the stare will I be seeing in the next few games?, as he had to leave the game with a shoulder injury, scans showed that there was no muscle tear but he was still in discomfort this morning and looks to be rested until the start of the second test. Hopefully he will be fit to take the field then.

it is currently nearly lunch in South Africa and  England are standing on 249-6 with 'my lad' Jonny Bairstow at the crease.

I am going to lie in my bed for a little while longer and maybe have a bowl of porridge ( just call me  'gingilocks) and then get myself up,showered and dressed.

and watch more cricket.

Another cricket day

Well its another day and its another cricket day and I have no idea what day it is, but does it matter, I know that I don't have to go to work so that is all that matters.

More importantly I have put the recycling bin out and this will be the last one for the recycling men when they will be in danger of developing a hernia just trying to wheel it, ( believe me I know I had a sweat on this monring dragging it down the drive). At the turn of the New Year I will be going alcohol free for the whole of January,so that will considerably lighten the bin every fortnight.
A very wise man told me I should havce done Dry February as it was a much shorter month.

Right back to cricket.....

well I was not at all pleased to see the lovely Abrahanm Benjamin not make his half century yesterday especially as it was to 'No1 crock boy' Stuart Broad.
And then the poo started to hit the fan saying that AB was going to retire......................Oh my dog!!!!! I was in a bit of a tizzy ( imagine when His Royal Ryanness announces his retirement.....pass me the Prozac!!!!).
However it has now been stated  that he will be cutting back the mumber of matches he plays in all three forms,
PHEWWWW!!!! major panic halted.

However South Africa seem to be in all kinds of trouble....................it is however only the first test and it is a marathan not a sprint.

Whatever happened to The West Indies????? the great bowlers dripping in gold and putting the fear of god in the opposing team?
In Australia they are looking like the West Indies Colts XI. Australia are racking up a massive run lead and  WI do not seem to be able to do anything in reply.



I am now abandoning South Africa and heading off to Australia,( on Sky at least, after a bit of a panic as I couldn't find the remote!!) and I am donning my Adeleaide Strikers garb to be the top cheer leader as the boys head out.

I actually have things to do today ( whatever day it is) but cricket comes first and then a shower and getting dressed ( possibly)...........................


..............................and then again I might just stay on the sofa and imdulge myself in a full on cricket fest!

Ahhhhhhh I love holibobs and I love cricket

And if anyone would like to donate to my Dry January, in support of Yorkshire Cancer Research and Cricket without Boundaries then here is the link.........................and many grateful thanks in advance.



uk.virginmoneygiving.com//LaineyRobinson

Lost track of the days!!!!

I am lying in bed typing this and I am listening to the Test as I really don't want to get out of my super warm bed.

Besty friend Francesca and Lucky the Westie stayed over last night and they are snoozing in the guest room. Lucky made himself at home the minute he got here and has been having a great time.

I had the radio on all night to listen to Australia v WI. The Aussies declared on 551-3 and as it stands at the moment  WI are struggling to even get a century and I don't mean one individual WI player but the whole chuffing team, they are on 91-6!!!

This could be over by this time tomorrow!!!
Meanwhile over in South Africa the  commantary team  were singing the praises of  Ben stokes only for him to fall victim of Morkel. Well now  they have moved back to  having a Compton love in, these fellas are fickel.

We are in the throws of major problems here in the North of Blighty, as huge amounts of rain has been falling since Christmas Day , which has resulted in more flooding in the North West and flooding all over the east, with Leeds and York and Durham suffering yesterday.

Here in Ladylaineyville we are very lucky as we do not have rivers etc in the town. However the Deer Park here at the Chateau has been transformed into a paddy field!!! Well thats what it looks like!.

I have yet to check the local news or the weather forecast, but I think that it will not be good news.

Well this is relatively short as I am off to prepare breakfast for my guests and then prepare myslef for a day of lazing arounnd watching cricket!!

Ahhh I love holidays..................................byut like cricket holidays best.

Don't forget that we are now only days away from the start of my 'Dry January' challenge.

I will be giving the run down on this tomorrow.

Have a great day.

It's Boxing day and it's cricket

Well it's Boxing Day and I have been listening to the Australia V West Indies match on t'wireless all night................well I say listening, I have heard some of it in between  naps!!!
Australia were 345-3 at the close.

I however woke up thinking that I was in bed with Geoff Boycott and after my experience at the Headingley Lodge sleeping in the Geoff Boycott suite with his picture on the wall ( which I had to cover with a towel), that is a scary thought. I sat bolt upright and then realised that  he was on t'wireless starting the commentary on the Test between England and South Africa.

'Time to get up then!!!!' then I thought.

So Christmas came and went in a haze  of Sloe Gin Martinis, lots of Yorkshire themed pressies, bottles of my favourite perfume and  well everything that I could wish for............................except the Yorkshire team, what with TLJL, Jack Brooks and Gillespie he Gallant being in Australia, it would have been a low show...............and then Captain Gale only became a dad again yesterday. Yes a little boy on Christmas Day, how lovely, I love babies!!!!


Meanwhile back in South Africa England have got to 12-1 as Captain Cook goes for a duck and rain has stopped play!!!.
Oh well the Captain can continue his birthday celebrations from yesterday now that he is back in the bar  dressing room.

I am once again making bread and doing a buffet as besty friend Francesca and Lucky the Westie are arriving any time.....................

I think that a Sloe Gin Martini may be in order! and then we are trying several ( read as  A LOT) of real ales as we plough our way through a mound of leftovers.

I hope that you all had a good Christmas and that Boxing day is a quiet and peaceful one for you.

Until tomorrow when hopefully I will be able to relay better news from South Africa.

Joyeux Noel tout le monde

Joyeux Noel tout le monde,  Despite getting the certificate to say that I was on the naughty list, Pere Noel has left my pressies under l'arbre de Noel and I have been up since 4.30am deciding if I should open them.
I will finish this and then dive in!

Even PH has his pile of pressies to open , new jumpers I would guess!!!

It was a full on busy day yesterday and I finally got sat down at about 7.30pm, today I am going to relax and watch rubbish TV and also have the lovely Zena warrior Rottweiller over for the afternoon. Now that's civilised, Zena and I can snore the afternoon away ( well she will be snoring).

I have all the veg prepared, stuffing made, meats to go in the oven and am even organised for tomorrow.............................not sure I have ever been this sorted at Christmas, I am guessing that at noon I will realise that I have forgotten something.

Crickety news is a bit low on the ground but it has been confirmed that James Anderson is out of the test and Alex Hales is looking to make his test debut.

Also Brendon Mc Cullum has signed for Middlesex to play in the short form matches in the upcoming season.

And before any feathers ( or curls) are ruffled  of course I haven't forgotten that it is F(ryan)day

I have now got to go and put the Baby Jesus out in the nativity scene in the Great Hall of the Chateau.


Merry Christmas everybody, have a peaceful day.

Christmas eve and quite a lot to do.

Yes it is Christmas Eve birthday of Tzarina katerina ( Kiki), and friends Joe Scuderi ( Italian National cricket coach)  and John Pallant ( former England rugby player), so there's the name dropping out of the way................I hope that they all have a great birthday.

I went to have my elbow prodded and poked yesterday and was left in considerable pain, but bravely managed to get to the hairdressers to have the ginger/auburn/grey curls cut and coloured.................and I have woken up this morning looking a complete birdsnest.
Its mornings like this that I am  glad that I am not married to Sir Sean of Bean, imagine him waking up to that!!!!


Now I have just read an article ( although I already knew it was happening) that made me both jolly flipping cross and ever hopeful.
Boyd Rankin the most over rated bowler in the history of overration ( if that is even a word!!), has decided to swap back to playing for Ireland.
Now Rankin played for Ireland originally and then set his sights on an England cap.
He 'played' for England and in my honest opinion was total pants.
However he obviously realised how pants he was so decided that he would swap back to Ireland.
England much relieved said 'OK off you toddle, you never know in 2017 you could be playing for Scotland' ( the last bit I made up but it might have happened!!!!).


I cannot believe that someone can just change countries when they feel like it ( Eoin Morgan and He who must not be named in the blog!!). However it has made me ever hopeful that both of these will be welcomed into the fold of another country soon.
Ahhh yes I am full of the Christmas spirit as you can tell, I hope I don't have a visitation tonight from the ghost of cricket!!

I will however be having a visitation from the ghost of 'get your housework done' if I don't get a wriggle on.

So its a swift farewell, and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas because the next time you are reading my latest blog, Pere Noel will have been and the baby Jesus will be out in the nativity scene in the Great Hall of the Chateau.

Merry Christmas.

Mon vacances

Hahahahaha  That's my boy!!!!!

 

Zut alors,  c'est mon vacances..........................flipping yippee!!!!

I am so tired and so ready for two weeks rest that I came home from Super swanky Lady Lainey office yesterday and..................fell asleep. Yes doing the bog ZZZ thing on the chaise longue.
Having had to endure two hours of the 'Trill Boy' show in the pub yesterday afternoon with our soon to be new boy 'Tommy Gun', I was worn out and losing the will to live.
I imagine that I will have an email on January 4th from 'Tommy Gun' saying that he regrets to inform me.............


Now you know how I can foretell the injury list to the England team, well my  crystal ball must have fogged up because I did not see an injury to James Anderson on the horizon!!! What this does mean is that

A. we still cannot find 'uncrocked' players.

B. Finn, Broad and Stokes will soon be on the injury list ( its true mark my words)

C.  We are not looking so hot for a whitewash against South Africa ( if we ever were!)


Steve Smith  the Australian captain has been given two awards, as he was named  Cricketer of the year, and Test Cricketer of the Year by the ICC. Jolly well done to him, but I have still not forgiven him for taking the record held by Gillespie the Gallant, of an Australian taking a double century on foreign soil ( which Smith did at Lords this summer).
However Gillespie the Gallant still holds the highest score for a nightwatchman with his 201, and he did it  in his last test (just in case I have not mentioned this before).


well I have things to do today including having the dodgy elbow poked. Hopefully I will be able to colour my hair this evening, as I look have returned to that strange colour of ginger/auburn/grey.  Never flattering in any light.

OOOOHHHHHHH only two more sleeps until Pere Noel arrives.

I will be sitting in the hall waiting for the arrival of the Yorkshire team ( minus TLJL, Jack Brooks and Adil Rashid who are all in OZ)
I am so excited!!!!

Half day Tuesday

Well it is only half a day at work today and I m super flipping excited. Then I can go home and chill out with PH who as you can see  is already getting himself all tarted up ready for Christmas.

Yesterday just got better ( after the Jonny Bairstow mummy incident). My other boys, The Adelaide Strikers, only flipping won again, 2 out of 2, Adil Rashid again in the wickets and hitting the winning run.

Go ADILAIDE!!!!!

The boys have a little break now until the 28th December when I will be glued to the TV after a work out at the gym.

Then another match on New Years Eve which means that I will be  doing very little over the Christmas break but gym and cricket...................................well that sort of makes for a perfect holiday.

I took out the last of the gifts yesterday and went off to see Auntie Norma. She is the most unbelievable woman I know, her outlook on life is amazing and her strength of faith leaves me in wonder. she is also hysterically funny and I always leave her house in very high spirits and this is nothing to do with drink. she is a truly amazing and Christian woman.

The really good news is that as yesterday was the shortest day.........................its all on the turn now and the cricket season is ever nearer. Everything will slowly be getting lighter and by the time I go back to Super swanky Lady Lainey office in the New Year I might be starting to see a tiny difference.

Over in South Africa, little Joey Root hit 117 with England leading by 243 runs on the last day of the match............................all stations go for the first test.

The Pakistan Super League ( T20 to you and I)  named the players that would be given an outing and yes the cricket whore mercenary, He who must not be named in the blog, got himself picked.
Well it keeps him out of England for a bit longer.

News from New Zealia is that Brendon McCullum is set to retire from international cricket in February.This leaves tiny Tyke Kane Williamson to captain New Zealia in the World T20 starting in March.

it's a bit of a short one today as I am flipping demob happy, I cannot wait for noon, I will be running to the Lady Lainey limo like a child hearing the end of school bell!!!!

Wooohooooo I am so close to my Christmas holidays I can almost touch them.

Welcome to Monday!!!

It's Monday and it has started off very oddly indeed.

I had decided to have an early night ( the visit to see Kiki has fair worn me out) and  fell asleep with my phone on. At some point I woke up, had tried to look at a notification couldn't see what it was and then  switched the phone off.

This morning I switched it on as soon as I woke up  and it lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree ( very apt too).  OK, I am still trying to take in that it is morning and worse still Monday morning!!! I cannot even begin to take it all the notifications on my phone.

After making a coffee I decide to see what excitement I have missed over night..............................

and to say that I was shocked to see that I was the most popular person on Facebook last night is an understatement!!!. I have over 100 friends requests and far too many messages than normal and from people I did not know!!!!

OMG I thought to  myself, I have been hacked!!!!

I read the messages and was very confused by the content, they were all along the same lines!!

So I investigated further and here is the full account.

Besty sushi friend Alan, had  mentioned me in a comment from the ECB regarding Jonny Bairstow.

Besty sushi friend Alan had called Jonny  'my lad'.

Lady Lainey is now thought of by lots of peeps out in ECB/FB land as Jonny Bairstows mum!!!!!!!

Well, flattered as I am at the thought of having the 'ginger ninja' for a son, sadly I am not.
I did have the great pleasure of spending the day at the Test many moons ago with his Mum and Dad, and also see his mum regularly at Headingley. But this does not make me related.


So I am now ignoring the  friends requests and the messages which were all along the lines of

'Ohhhhhh Jonnys mum, we love your son please friend us'.

'Ohhhhhh tell Jonny we love him'

' Can you get Jonny to friend me on FB'

I think  you get the idea!!!

I have to say Alan, that this has actually made a very rubbish Monday morning into an absolutely hilarious one.I am actually crying with laughing as I type this.

I am also  gearing myself up for Super swanky Lady Lainey office ( well only 1.5 days), but spurred on by the fact that 'my boys' ( and no I am not the Mum of Bradd Hodge, Craig Simmons or Kieron Pollard or the rest of the team for that matter) The Adelaide Strikers will be in action very soon.

And its nearly time for Pere Noel to come too......................now that is exciting.

Busy day ahead

I am back in the land of the sober  and feeling a lot better than this time yesterday, that may also have been due to having woken up at 3am and having a conversation on 'Whatsapp' which actually lasted right through until I went to bed at 9.30pm.

very good fun and brilliant to be dragged out of  the depths of a hangover.

I listened to an interview about cricket being brought to Rwanda after former exiles of the mass genocide, returned to their home country and took cricket with them. As with the charity 'cricket without boundaries',  it is great to see the game used to help children to cope and move forward with their lives, which may have been blighted by military or medical factors.
In Rwanda they are now building  what they hope will be an international cricket stadium and hoping to be able to encourage teams to visit..

You see the healing power of cricket.

England started their 2nd warm up match, they won the toss and elected to bowl. can't find a score anywhere.
But lots on BBL, which for me takes off again tomorrow when the Strikers are in action again, this time the lovely Michael Carberry is part of the opposing team. lovely smile that boy has.That aside, I am hoping ( in the most unsportsmanlike way) that he doesn't get a lot of runs.

As part of my mammoth 'whatsapp' conversation yesterday we were discussing 'negativity'. I commented on how a lot of woman were very negative about themselves  because they always are striving to look and be told that they look younger than they are. My question was why can't woman accept their age and how they look.
The answer to that lies ( as Fun Soph & I tweeted later)  in the fact that we are bombarded with 'photoshopped' models and botoxed and lifting celebrities at every turn.
This is in turn causing children to have a negative view about how they look ( and act).
The desire to be beautiful has always been around as have the changing view on beauty.
But to be honest is a motionless face and lips that look as if they have been blown up by a bicycle pump really beautiful.

Like wise if you are in your 40's embrace it, you certainly are not going to see 30 again ( even if you still feel and act as if you are 18)

Surely being a kind and compassionate person who is caring and giving far outweighs  a 'plastic' face.


Wow that sort of turned into a moralistic rant!!!

So I am now off to put on some 'slap' and head to the shops. And when I say 'slap' I will be lucky if I even can be bothered with 'lippy'.

Until tomorrow

Lots to do with .............a headache!!

OMG!!!! I have one stinker of  a hangover and I am surprised to find that I made it home from London and did not wake up in The Ritz, which I passed twice on my way in and out of Pall Mall.

yes it was the works annual bash in super swanky club in London.

However it did not start well as our train was delayed for Darlo for 45 minutes which meant that I was missing important cricket coverage as we were loitering in the cafe ( the Internet connection was so bad that I couldn't even read emails!)

A bottle of Prosecco on the train put us in a good mood for the run from Green Park to Pall Mall. I suddenly realised how very much I miss my old home. The run down St James left Pony Paul gasping as we passed the 'Yacht shops' . Yes you go in and buy your boat!, However we decided that maybe we would give it a miss.

Seeing everyone from HQ was great and in no time at all  I was running back to Green Park to get the train home, which needless to say did not go smoothly, but resulted in me being bumped up to 1st class and plied with more wine.
poor Franny collected me at the station and had to pour me out of the car at Chateau de Champions.

And talking champions................back to the cricket. it was the first match for the Adelaide Strikers ( Go Strikers). I was trying to keep up with the score on the train ( difficult when trying to quaff your fizz).

Gillespie the gallant being in charge and Adil Rashid adding a bit of extra Yorkshireness and taking 2-27 in his four overs.  including the wicket of his team mate the wonderful Glenn Maxwell,great bowling.
Captain Brad Hogg showed that age has nothing to do with your cricketing ability as he hit 56 from 41 balls.

Needless to say there was a huge amount of smiling as The Strikers won and  one in the eye for 'He who must not be named in the blog' as he went for 22. That made me very smiley indeed.

And today, well I have a trip to the sorting office, then the Landscaper is coming to give me a price on paving slabs and I have pressie wrapping to do and.........................well first I think I need to go and take some tablets to try to clear my thumping head, before reclining on the chaise longue to watch yesterdays action.

I love cricket......................I don't love hangovers!!!!

Party F(ryanday)

Yeay!!! it is F(ryan)day and also the day of the works ( other) do with my colleagues in the South.

It is also the first match for my Adelaide Strikers which I will be watching on the train courtesy of Sky Go. It does mean that I will be able to cut myself off from Pony Paul and any others undesirables on the train.................I should have flown!!!!

However that is all to come.

Yesterday in South Africa in the warm up match England had nearly four seasons in one day as they went from glorious heat to rain, hale and then thunder and lightening, which led to the match being abandoned.

Next match starts on Sunday.

It was a funny old day yesterday the weather here in the North East of Blighty being jolly strange, after two weekends of torrential rain and wind, followed by 4 inches of snow, we are now basking in temperatures way above the seasonal norm. It makes you wonder what is in store for this weekend..................well I do know that I am going to visit Kiki with Dame Didi ( safety in numbers). That should bring the temperature down to positively frosty!!!!

Once the pressies are all dropped off I can then finish at super swanky Lady Lainey office next week and concentrate on the more important things which  include , cricket, christmas pressies, cricket , sleeping, cricket, eating, cricket...................well I think that you get the gist of it.

And now I  am trying to squeezed my ample frame into  my party frock before heading off to the lights of London and party central.

I am however more looking forward to watching the cricket on the train.


GO STRIKERS!!!!!!!


I put my order in for a win!!!!

Busy lady

Well I was a super busy lady, last evening, I decided to whip up another batch of my secret recipe fruitcake, and also sort out lunch and dinner for today too.

I also iced some of the cakes that I had made previously. These are going out as gifts  so they had to be done properly and then I had to wrap them!

The house was smelling divine and I even managed to get the stairs hoovered which is a job in itself as I do still struggle as my elbow is still not back to normal ( what ever normal is).

I am feeling jolly proud of myself today having managed to do some more  'little jobs' and ticking them off my list.

I have also been shortlisting the dresses for the super posh works do in 'Larndan' and I am so far down to 6!!! You just know that this time tomorrow morning I will be in a state of panic.

Over in the warm up match in South Africa, Alex Hales is not flavour of the month with the British hacks who are slating him for only scoring 8. But with Cook and Root hardly weighing down the scoreboard I would say it's not a disaster.

Broad took 3-18 so I am now waiting for the reports of 'side strain', or hamstring problem, or back problem which we know will materialise very soon.

we will see what today brings.

Lots of excitement on Twitter in the build up to the BBL, I for one am super excited, I am now part of 'The Blue crew' and will be glued to the coverage in the morning as I head off on the train.

In other cricket news County officials  could push to change the disciplinary process after Craig Overton received a (very) lenient ban after abusing Zaidi on the field.
Senior officials at Yorkshire met on Tuesday morning to discuss this as they were not happy about the ban that captain Gale had received at the end of 2014 compared to Overtons. They are keen to see a change.
I think that they had been reading my blog!!!! as I stated this on Monday.
I bet they all had copies of Mondays tome stashed in their files!!!
If the Yorkshire board need any help I am always available!!!

Joking aside, I do believe that there should be a standardised disciplinary procedure.

Woooooooooooo there this is getting far to serious for a Thursday morning!!!

And so I head off for another day in Super Swanky Lady Lainey office where I will  be busy filing my nails and having at least one nap!

Until tomorrow.

Mid week and no motivation

This is I, Lady Lainey this morning, I have no motivation at all, any get up and go I had, has got up and gone!
I am hoping that it comes back before I head off to swanky works Xmas do  'darn sarf' on Friday. The way I feel today, I doubt that very much.
The only thing that is keeping me going is knowing that this time next week I will be fast asleep in Lady Lainey 'lit' or maybe reading a book because I will be on my holibobs!!!

However there is a lot to do before then!!

England were playing a warm up match yesterday and there were some high scores notably from James Taylor and Ben Stokes ( who has already been haled the hero of the series................which hasn't started yet).

It was also announced that Jonny Bairstow has signed a contract with Yorkshire taking him to 2018. This is super great news and now I just need to know that we will have His Royal Ryanness until end of season 2017 and everything will be hunky dory ( except if some other country or county tries to poach Gillespie the Gallant and then there will be hell to pay).


There is a little bit of trouble with South Africa and match fixing I am sad to say, as they charged someone yesterday over fixing T20 matches.

I am not too concerned re the England matches as most of our team are renowned for being crocked  and so South Africa could win on  the fact that they have more fit men.....................................AND before Mr Funky and Pauly Paul start getting their Y Fronts in a twist over my 'England bashing', as I say all the time its my blog and I write what I want, I write what I have seen previously ( Steve Finn having a nice hol in Australia last winter courtesy of the ECB! ).

I do love cricket, all cricket, I do love the whole ethos of Australian cricket. I dislike the need in English cricket to hang onto players until they are way past their sell by date ( Bell for one).  I love  the West Indians with their laid back cricket attitude.

I love cricket, whether it is club, county or international.

You can never doubt my love of the game, any game.

Right I am off to play a game of a completely different kind.........................beat the  office boy!!!!

Any publicity................

is better than no publicity, as the old adage goes!

Or in the case of 'he who must not be mentioned in the blog' If Piers isn't yakking about me then I will yak about myself'.
So he was turned away from the Qantas first class lounge for wearing inappropriate footwear.
He then complained that his footwear is an Australian institution and couldn't see why he was turned away.

OK so

1. First class lounge means decorum

2. Decorum means good taste.

3. Neither the footwear in question or the person wearing them equate to the value of the word decorum

4. He is not Australian so the footwear is not 'his' institution ( although I am sure he can find a way to be an Australian to get on the test team)

5. For a 35 year old man to publicly call an International Airline 'muppets' shows his lack of vocabulary.

6. He is becoming more tiresome by the day

7. Hope he loses in the BBL too ( sorry not sportsman like but hey I don't like him)


Oh another day another 'HWMNBNITB' rant

So lets move swiftly on

Over in the England camp, joy of joy, Steve Finn has been given the all clear and is joining the team, ahhhh yes!!! another winter holiday for him, as no doubt he will be injured in the warm up matches and forced to sit out the 'real' games.

I also predict that Stokes will not be fit for all the matches and Broad may not even make the first week.


Cynical??????

Well I think that you all know me well enough now to know that what I am writing is the truth.

Now you do know how much I loves Jonny Bairstow, I loves him lots!!!!, but he has said that he is bidding to outshine his South African wicket keeping opposite. Normally this would not even ruffle the curls of I, Lady Lainey, but as the wicket keeping opposite in question is none other that Abraham Benjamin.................well what is a Lady to do!!!!!

I will mull this over today in Super Swanky Lady Lainey office as I do not intend to do much else other than shout a bit, drink green tea and file my nails!

Right off to do 'stuff'

Back home and back to work.

I woke up this morning to the sound of nothing, no gently snoring Rottweiler by the side of my bed, yes I am back home and my dog sitting duties are over now.
However it is fair to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my days with Zena, she is the most wonderful dog.

Today I am back to Super swanky Lady Lainey office to hear the events of  Friday night  after Big boss Simon and I both left them to it.

I have also had a chance to catch up on all things cricket now that I am back in the land of the laptop/desktop.

First up the ECB have defending their handling of the Craig Overton case, well they would wouldn't they, they are hardly likely to say that they were in the wrong.
All cases are overseen by the Cricket Disciple Commission. They were the ones that extended the ban on Andrew Gale at the end of the 2014 season.
If this is true then a major overhaul is needed and there should be a standardised  punishment for offences on the field.
Also why  can the ECB cannot make the decision themselves?

Well it would obviously intrude on their drinking and lunching and messing around with the format of the game that they do in their day to day life.

Duffers!!!!!!

I am on countdown to the first Strikers match of the BBL season, yes it is on Friday as I am sure you all know too well by now.
I may be living it up in swanky private club in London on Friday but I will hopefully be celebrating too!

There is a lot to do in Super swanky Lady Lainey office this week, including the possibility of my desk being moved.............................................WTF, this I am non too happy about and have already voiced my concerns about my 'Yorkshire Wall'.

It may be just a flipping round of my desk, but I will be working out the floor plan this week as we have to accommodate two new starters in the New Year.

And having said that I now have to head of myself to start the last full working week of 2015.

Now that sounds good!

we have snow

What a day yesterday!!!!

Zena Warrior Rottweiler and I went out for a walk and it started to rain. We were soaked to the skin but after a quick change I headed out to deliver xmas cards.
I stopped ofc at Pauly Pauls and had a coffee and chat and came out of his house to a winter scene.

Snow continued to fall until evening by which time the garden was 4in thick in places.( the pic above was taken at 1pm).

This morning it is cold but the sky does not look as threatening as yesterday.

I am about to head out whilst Zena goes out with the dog walker.

Cricket saw the end of the South African T20 season and saw the Titans  beat the Dolphins. I have watched bits of this but was totally bored by the fact that most commentary  referred to 'he who must not be named in the blog'.
Well he lost yesterday so I guess his head will not be too sore this morning but will be a little deflated.

I am now on countdown for the BBL and when I get home today will set the timer to record the whole series.
Friday the day of the Strikers first game I will be on the train to London so will watch it on skygo.

I apologise again for any typos  I am still doing this on my phone as I didnt go home to get my laptop.

Normal service will resume tomorrow

sleepy Saturday

Its Saturday and I am writing this from the comfort of the spsre bedroom at  my friend Lorraines house. Where I am on dog sitting duties.

The dog is none other than Zena warrior rottweiler who is happily snoring on her bed on my bedroom floor. She is a beauty.

Busy day yesterday. As big boss Simon came up from London  to spread some Xmas cheer.
We had lunch at Bannatynes Hotel where I have to say, the food was once again exceptional.

We then had drinks at a few estanlishments in town. My tipple being coffee as I was driving.

Zena and I then had a lazy night in front of the TV.

I awoke this morning to the news that Australia had beaten the West Indies by an innings snd 212 runs. Well thats not a test!!!!! Thats tip and run!!!!.

You know how much I love my Aussie boys but I also like to see them pushed to their limitsand that didnt happen.


Today I am nipping over to see Eldest Robbo cousin, he who is El Presidenti of Shildon BR CC. And then quick trip to Homebase before chillaxing with the dog.

Sorru for lack of content and cricket news but Zena and I are off for walkies.
Sorry for typos but doing this on my phone but forgot my laptop.

Have a super Saturday see you tomorrow.

fun time F(ryan)day

Well it should be a fun time but as the 'office boys' will have been  hardly able to sleep last night with the thought of drinking the company profits in Stella then may be not.

Ah yes last year could well be repeated, with Trill Boy drinking so much he was sick and then claiming to have had his drink spiked, before  going home and not telling anyone where he was going.

Luckily I had already gone home so as not to witness the dismal decline in behaviour.

Lets see what today brings.

We had a full on cricket night again, sort of, although rain has been the bane of the life of the two teams.
Australia declared on  583-4 and then reduced the West Indians to 152-6. They need to do something quite dramatic me thinks!


There is trouble brewing over 'Galegate', at the end of season 2014, when Captain Gale was banned for matches and also banned from picking up the championship trophy for alleged racist comments aimed at Lancashires Prince.
The ECB took a very firm stand and wanted to inflict heavier banning on Gale.

Somerset's Craig Overton has been given a two match ban for remarks made to Ashar Zaidi.
Gillespie the Gallant has stated that Yorkshire will be seeking clarification as to why Gale was given a longer ban.
Overton who was picked for the England Performance programme will travel overseas this winter, and the ECB have denied that they have shown favour because of this.

My take on it.............................

Well I do think that their has been some favouritism, and that any remarks said by any player should incur the same ban.

Right, got that off my chest and now off to don a dress and head off to the office....................

let the fun and merriment begin.

It's been a cricket night!

yes indeedy doody, it has been a full on cricket night as I have been listening to coverage of Australia v West Indies, we are now less than an hour before close of play and my Aussie boys are not doing too badly, currently standing at 404-3.

It is a great score but also shows that the West Indian team are not back on form, lots of trouble in the ranks still I think!

At least they have coach Phil back!

In Australia, Adelaide Strikers ( Go Strikers), have announced that they have signed Mahela Jayawardene for their BBL season.
Its all going on over there.and just over a week until their first game....................there is excitement mounting here in the Chateau ( or Abode de Adelaide as it may well be renamed for a short time).


There is excitement mounting in Super swanky Lady Lainey office as Trill Boy continues to bore me stiff with his constant prattling about 'so looking forward to his soup starter on Friday'. Obviously he doesn't get out much!!!!!
The non stop conversation is how many pints they can consume, yes really 3  40year old men still behaving like 15 year olds!!!!

The arrangements have now been made for the collecting of everyone although I can only imagine the state of them when they are going home, I will by that time be snuggled up with Zena Warrior Rottweiler and watching TV.

There is major trouble afoot at the office as work on the job overseas ( well Jersey) hits a crisis as the estimator had not figured in cost of transport to the island. I am considering putting myself forward to train to do estimating ( I do every flipping thing else) as I am sure I could do a better job!

I have quite a lot to do this morning before I head off down the A1 so I am signing off and apologise for the shortness this morning.

Busy busy.

Still blowing a gale outside

It's still blowing a gale and I think that the trusty 'hunters will be staying in the boot of the car for yet another day as I head off down the A1 to Lady Lainey workville.
Yesterday we even had some snowy/sleety type stuff falling out of the sky, I thought it was the apocalypse as it turned pitch black at 2.30pm!!!! Luckily it wasn't ,as you all know how scaredy I am of horses and I tell you if 4 horsemen had come cantering down Coniscliffe Road I would have been under my desk.
I woke up this morning convinced that it was Thursday it took a while to get my head round that it was Wednesday....................well at least we are halfway through the working week!

cricket news must be scarce as we have been granted an insight into 'Fatty' Flintoffs life, yes he has been known to have to take the tube!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and even done some washing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am sure that this will boost many men to now turn to the large white appliance that lurks in the corner of the kitchen,  goof grief if Flintoff can do washing..........................well any man can!

I also read that when the England team received MBE's for winning the Ashes one member of the team managed to do this having only scored 17 runs in the series, I know you can't be selective! In that case  I should petition for Gillespie the Gallant to get a knighthood, went in to bat as night watchman in his final test appearance and scored 201! Flipping heck that was in one game. Makes 17 runs look silly!

Talking Gillespie the Gallant, The Adelaide Strikers are certainly making him work for his pennies. They had him clambering over the roof of the stadium yesterday!!!! Luckily he was firmly secured. No chance of anyone doing that in the UK at the moment!!!


We are still being told that there will be more rain and our thoughts go out to the people of the North West who are  still wading through water.
 As I said yesterday this is a complete tragedy as we are only 2 weeks from Christmas. I have noticed that lots of local businesses are giving their time for free to help, and this truly  restores your faith in people.

All small acts can help in a big way.

Keep safe warm and dry today.

It's getting a little festive

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Especially in the Chateau, even 'The Gentlemen of Tykeshire' have been getting themselves geared for the day when Pere Noel arrives.
The boys are all ready in their hats with the exception of Ryan gnome who can't get one on due to his abundance of curls!

And talking about the curly haired one, he has been snapped up to play in the UAE next year ( Jan & Feb) in the MCL tournament. His Royal Ryanness is playing for Libra Legends ( so I guess  you know who I will be following).
The teams are made up of players who have retired from international cricket, and the surprise I got was that 'He who must not be named in the blog' did not shout out his intention to never try to play international cricket again in the hopes of making some more money now that he is a T20 'PRO'

There are some great names in the squads and I am hoping the HRR keeps himself fit!

Things in Super swanky Lady Lainey office are gearing themselves for Friday when 'big boss Simon arrives from 'darn sarf' and we all head off to Bannatynes Hotel for a massive gut bash and in the case of the boys drink the company profits.
 I predict that Trill Boy will be home in bed before 5pm and Pony Paul will only keep himself going so that he can  get as much info out of the boss to use at a later date, and Job the Jolly  will be drunk before he even eats his lunch and then sit in the corner egging Trill on and grinning inanely.
As for me I will be stone cold sober as I am dog sitting all weekend and have to go home to Zena warrior rottweiler!

We are expecting more wind and rain today although luckily here in Lady Laineyville serious flooding is not a problem, however we are all thinking about the people over in Cumbria and Lancashire who are once again driven out of their homes due to flooding.

This is terrible at any time, but just before Xmas!!!!!. I cannot even begin to think how these people are coping.
The PM visited yesterday and promised to look into flood defences......................to be honest  that is a very important but the priority is getting these people rehomed and then back in their homes asap. maybe some of the money frittered away on entertaining in the House of Commons and Lords this Christmas could be donated to the people in need.

Just saying!

And now I am heading off

See you all tomorrow!
.

It's Monday again

Where does the weekend go, I get in the Lady Lainey limo and wend my weary way home on Friday evenings and in the blink of an eye it is Monday and I am wending my way back to Super swanky Lady lainey office!!!

I was indeed very busy yesterday, I put up the new Xmas curtains in the sitting room ( cricket ball red of course). Then I finished the Christmas tree ( decorated in cricket balls and mini jumpers) and  found time to go for a walk as the wind and rain had stopped.

N ow I am showered and hair washed and getting myself ready to  spend the day napping and filing my nails, and probably losing my temper with office boys, but that is just 'normal'.

I dare not go and put on the cricket this morning as yesterday I nearly fell asleep watching it.  I would never have thought that I would say Abraham Benjamin and paint drying in the same sentence!
72 runs came off 72 overs and to be honest I am surprised that the batsmen didn't have cramp from standing in the same position for ages.

I appreciate that they are hoping to play for a draw but it was painful to watch. even AB's smile did little to stop my eyelids from closing!

I have a super busy week ahead with lots going on.
I have some more junk treasures to put on ebay as I am ever hopeful of getting rid of some more things that are cluttering up the Chateau.
I seem to open a cupboard and be confronted by things that I no longer need, I seem to be needing less and less these days.

What I do need though is an electrician and a gas fitter and once I find them I will have plenty of little jobs for them to do! including fitting my new fire!

I have just checked the score and AB is now on 26 with Faf on 2...............................paint drying!!!!


So I am off to package up some things for the post and hope that tomorrow I have lots of crickety news for you or I will have to start making it up..................................it would probably be a lot more interesting than the Ind v SA test I can tell you!

Until tomorrow, have a great Monday

still blowing a gale

Oh for the heady days of summer when the temperature is usually  a balmy 10c ( well I do live in the icy wastes of the north) rather than the  freezing rain lashed gale blowing hooley we are having at the moment.

When I eventually ventured out into the extensive grounds at the rear of the chateau I seem to have faired better than some people and managed to get the mess cleared in a short time.

However walking around Ladylaineyville was a different matter as I nearly got blown over a few times and was rather windswept by the time I got home.

I was going to have the grand unveiling of the Christmas Chateau last night, but a surprise visit from besty friend Francesca put paid to that and we consumed two bags of kettle chips and a bottle of Chenin Blanc instead..............how very civilised!!!!!


 Gillespie the Gallant flew out to Oz yesterday and I am guessing that he will have been making great time with that wind blowing.

The Chateau is about to go 'Strikers' mad.


Over in India the South African fans will have very little to cheer about as India built a commanding  lead over the visitors. South Africa only managed over 120 runs and Lady Lainey's SA fave, Abraham Benjamin put 42 of those on!!!

I can see the England team now all smiling, but remember when you meet them they are on their home turf!

Today is going to be about getting the final things in place for Xmas and getting the last of the pressies wrapped ready to send off to various corners of the UK.

I also have some things that I am dropping off at the Domestic Abuse  Refuge. Christmas is a bad time for violence in the home and some woman and children may be there without any pressies, so just a few things to help out those in need.


And as I am lazing in bed writing this, I think that first stop is the shower and then get onto the jobs in hand.

I hope that you are not too wind battered where ever you are 

Stay warm.

Stormy Saturday

holy macaroni!!!!! it is flipping windy outside and has been all night, not that I knew anything about that as  I slept right through until 6.30am this morning!!!
I do know that it is blowing a gale now and I dread to see the extensive grounds of the chateau when it finally gets ( if it finally gets) light.

 I am thinking that there may be a bit of tidying up to do out there this afternoon!. I think that if it rains the garden incinerator will be busy!

They have been tidying things up over at Yorkshire ready for Xmas and also as Gillespie the Gallant departs today for Australia today, where he will be coaching The Adelaide Strikers. They announced yesterday that young Alex Lees would be the new captain of the one day side, a great chance for the 22 year old.
I think that he will be great and that bringing the 'youth' forward is a positive step.
It's a shame that other counties don't look to this.

 It is only two weeks ( there and there abouts) until the start of the BBL in Australia, I am going to make sure that I see as much of this as I can.

#team Strikers

today I am heading off to Richmond for a jaunt and then home to do some 'stuff'.

I have actually got the Christmas tree out of the box, which is a huge progression on the last 6 years, when the box would come out of the garage, sit in the dining room for a few days to a week, and then get put back into the garage.

This year it is going to be Christmas in the château.

And now as there is daylight poking through I think that I had better go and see what damage has occurred in the grounds. The Deer Park looks OK a bit wind battered, it is the back that is my main concern.

Right I am off to sort it out.

Back tomorrow