Half day for me

Hurrah!!! It is a half day for me and then I am off to Headingley tonight to see my boys in their  T20 game.
Sadly I will not be accompanied by my Yorkshire  partner in crime tonight, but am dragging Rob along to sample Gin and beer and watch from the posh seats, should be a good night weather permitting.

I had a read of  Glenn McGrath's piece on the BBC  cricket site, he states that Australia  deserved to win at Headingley.

Well Glenn, I deserved to be married to Sean Bean but it never happened, although like the Aussies, I do still  stand a chance especially with his track record ( the 6th wife of SB???).

All we really know is that a sterling performance from Ben Stokes, including a fabulous master class in blocking got us a win, but that both teams will be totally focussed on winning.

 And this week is all about T20 and booking a QF place.

Sadly after pledging temporary allegiance to Notts last night, the game was abandoned.
Which would be about right with my luck at the moment.

Good to hear that Fidel Edwards is going to stay at Hampshire for the 2020 season. I like Edwards I think that  he is a great player. As obviously do Hampshire!

Right it is time for me to load my bag in the car, take some things down to the recycling station at Tesco and then head off to work.

Come noon I will be heading off to Headingley and a quick nap before the cricket.

Have a super Thursday and hopefully I will catch up with you tomorrow.

Hello Wednesday

Wednesday already and I have only 1.5 days left in the office this week, as I am having Thursday afternoon and Friday off.

Its a busy week and I tried yesterday to get as much done as I could on certain projects before heading off at lunchtime Thursday.

And then I can have another long weekend of cricket and housework!

Before I break into any crickety news, can I just say many thanks to all of you who contacted me after my car accident on Monday.
I am very achy as expected and still a little bit fearful on the road ( working out of town close to the A66 doesn't help either).

I know that those of you who read regularly will know that I've had a 'bit of a year'  and this has just added to the list, however in true Lady Lainey style, I refuse to let it get me down.
I am here and to me that is the most important thing.
I also have some amazing friends who have been there for me all this year through a death, a hospital stay and recovery, a house move, damaged foot and now this. To these fabulous people I say thank you so much.

As I have said often ' I'm  nowt if not a drama queen'

and now for the crickety news.

OH MY DOG!!!!!

Kent have only gone and got Faf du Plessis to play in the remainder of their T20 matches.
Can you believe it!!!!!!!!!??????, the sodding car gets mangled when this happens!!!!!
If you see an orange haired woman hitchhiking southbound, it will probably be me, please give me lift.

Lancashire got a home QF but due to a complete blunder by the powers that be, it clashes with the Test at OT, so they are having it at The Riverside!  Some very serious diary checking needed in future guys. ( or they didn't think they would get that far in the T20 comp!)

I am waiting  for the squad to be announced for tomorrow night, this will be our last T20 game so we have to go out with a win, surely??
As you can tell I am excited about going, I say I don't like T20, but any cricket is better than no cricket, and the way the ECB are going I will be the best supporter of T20 ever!!!!!

I read with disappointment the comments on Twitter and Facebook after Yorkshire published match day information. I appreciate that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but some of the things said are really quite horrible. I expect that this happens throughout the counties, it must be disheartening to read these.
Apparently we need Darren Lehmann in charge!

As I've said before  if we replace a coach we want someone who knows what goes on with his team. Anyhow Darren wouldn't get the same sort of money they are paying him for the shambles that is  the new format game next season.

Just to say that the wonderful wonderful website 'Cricket Yorkshire' have partnered with  'Shrinkbottle' , if you haven't seen these then pop over to the CY website. Just what every cricket fan needs in their life (well I do at least, quickly logging onto Amazon)

Have a great day enjoy what could be the end of the heatwave ( well its rumoured to be here in the North East of Blighty).

That was the weekend

So its been and gone and not without incident, but first to Friday evening.


Toddled off to the Riverside to watch my boys take on Durham, had a great evening, and it was made better by a catch up with Mick, one of my great Durham friends and an epicurist. I gave him some chutney to keep him going for a while.

My boys won, Tom K-C and TLJL having a great evening with the bat and then TLJL taking a wicket, but the 5 wickets taken by Jack Shutt &  3 from Adam Lyth saw a brilliant win.

I was up and about early......................only to see the news that TLJL is going to Kent.
A sad morning at The Wickets,

I busied around until it was time to head off to Nottingham.
Arrived and had a great evening with Sophie and Terry, which resulted in a slightly later night than expected.

Sunday saw us up with the larks , or baby pigeon in my case, as there was one sitting on the nest on the tree outside my bedroom window.
We watched the start of the test match and saw Root go, time to head to Trent Bridge.

Off we trotted full of the joys of cricket.
Then I was refused admission to the pavilion, apparently at T20 only Notts members are allowed in.
Twitter informed us that this happens at a lot of Southern clubs.
Well I seriously hope that Yorkshire never take this stand, I can understand that no club now gives discounted tickets to opposing team members ( although this was a great way to really encourage members to travel).
The really sad thing was that Sophie and Terry both Notts members had to either sit with me in another stand or leave me on my own.

Then I was very kindly rescued and given a players ticket which got me into the pavilion.

All good???? well it should have been until some absolutely horrible jobsworth of a steward walked over to us, and playing to an audience of Notts members saying very  loudly that he believed that one of us ( Terry had gone to the bar) was a Notts member and one of us wasn't.

I took my ticket out of my bag and shut him up.

Many years ago I was warned that TB stewards could be like this but over the years I have never ( until Sunday) encountered it.

We were keeping an eye on the test which was ( surprisingly) still ongoing.

And even more surprisingly due to a solid cricket performance from Ben Stokes we won.
We have levelled the series.

Lets see what happens as the whole thing trundles on.

Back at TB the game was equally exciting as it went down to the wire and was not to be our day.
We wont get to QF but Notts are, as are  Sussex and I am secretly thinking that they could be winners.

Early night Sunday and off on the road early Monday, which didn't help as there was some trouble on the M1/A1  which meant that I had to detour through Leeds.

This resulted in me getting squashed by a coach on the A61, and getting home much later than expected.

Well that was the weekend in a rather large nutshell, and now I am back to the office for a couple of days.

Hope that you have a good day, its a four day week!

 

And there it Is!

Well it was a sad start to the day after a great evening at Chester le Street last night.

The news this morning that TLJL is leaving us to go to Kent.


You will have had to live on the moon to not know how much I rate Jack.


Any one sitting within screaming distance of me at Finals Day 2016 will know how much I 'encouraged' him that day.

Which actually led to me meeting TLML

As most cricketers do, Jack has had ups and downs. I am just sad to see him leave us.

I'll never forget seeing him take 'that' catch against Lancashire.

This season I've seen him playing 2nd XI cricket  and playing it well.

And last night he batted and bowled brilliantly.

Sadly it doesn't change the decision to move.

I wish Jack all the very best at Kent. I know that this will be the absolute making of him.

Go well TLJL

The long weekend is upon us

Its Friday and its also nearly the Bank Holiday weekend, the last bank holiday until Christmas!!!!
So best to make it a good one.

Tonight I am off to Chester le Street to cheer my boys on in T20 action.
Then tomorrow I am off to Sophie and Terry's house so that we can go to the T20 double header at Trent Bridge on Sunday. I am really looking forward to that.
I'm also talking my 18 pint box of 'Jacks Batch' to share with my besties because, contrary to popular belief I couldn't knock back the 18 pints in the 3 days that you get to drink it after opening.
Actually I probably could but.....................drink responsibly and all that!


Shock news from Trent Bridge that their absolutely brilliant bowler ( well he was in the first innings at Scarbados) Luke Wood is leaving at the end of the season to go to Lancashire ( or Lancashite as my auto correct put up). I wonder in reality who actually saw that coming????


I am waiting for shock news to come out of Headingley and I expect that this will be coming sooner rather than later.


Yesterday was also the first day of the test at Headingley, the one that England must win to hold their heads high.

Staring early and taking 2 wickets, the rain was the problem.They got back on and Jofra Archer finished his day on 6-45.
Shane Warne compared him to my absolute fave Dale 'The Stare Steyn', I'm not seeing it myself.
Today  Australia will take to the field after being bowled out for 179


I spent most of yesterday afternoon waiting for the squad for the T20 tonight  to be announced...........and when it was I was very disappointed, I thought Ben might at least get a go.
All  I really want to night is a win against Durham.
I read with interest what Paul Grayson had to say about  developing the team, but mate I think its a bit late for this season.
And no doubt I will have to eat my words on that one!

And that's about it, time for me to head out to Big Al's and put the breakfast order in. Then get on with the half day before heading back home to do a spot of housework and packing my bag for Nottingham.


Have a fabulous Bank Holiday weekend, I will be back but not sure if it will be on Monday ( Jacks Batch' may have something to do with that).

Winners are grinners

Its good to have a winners grin today, the boys did it yesterday, I have to say commiserations to Nottingham who sort of knocked the stuffing out of the Yorkshire faithful in the first half hour of the innings on Sunday.

However I take nothing away from my  lads, that's 2/2 at Scarbados this year!
Kesh Maharaj took 6-95,spin was the winner for definite.
I have a good feeling.

Else where around the counties, Warwickshire did not do us any favours as they went down to Somerset, who also have a good feeling.
Kent who folded completely in their match against Essex all out for 40 also didn't help us.

I still think its Champo on and we have 3 matches to go for max points in these games


We move onto T20's this week with me at 3 in less than a week, I will be at CLS on Friday, TB on Sunday and at Headingley in the Emerald Stand on Thursday.
Wow its going to be a busy week.
T20 is not our best format, but I am going to cheer us on without any worries of a bun fight for Finals Day tickets.

Today is a quiet one ( I hope)in the land of waste water, which hopefully means that I can get on with some work instead of firefighting.

By 7.35am yesterday I had nearly forgotten that I had been away for 4 days!


Work eh??!!!!

Roll on retirement.

Had a chat with Tom last night and he has secured his trip down under for the winter. Just his flight to get sorted.
I'm so pleased that he is set to go  as I think that it will be a great life experience and also gaining more cricket experience.

Now just got to get Ben out there.

Well time to head out the door and start the day, quick trip to the post office en route.

Have a good day and try not to work too hard.

I'm back

Well I am back after my mini holibobs/cricket trip.
What a time its been.

Saturday

Bimbled round the house, supposedly doing constructive things, but in reality I was just waiting to head out of the door and set out to Scarborough.
I set off and in just over 2 hours I was asking a traffic warden where my apartment was.
After nearly having a cardiac arrest getting up  flights of stairs with bags ( and my poorly foot), I was in and waiting for my partner in wine, Sophie.
Never one to let me down she arrived and our 'Scarbados festival' began.

We had a fab dinner ( fabulous from Chef Sophie) lots of wine, chatted with  our favourite drunk mate and went to bed in the early hours ( just)  me fully clothed, the shame of it!

Sunday.

Up with the seagulls as two babies were squealing at their mum for food from stupid o clock.
I made us a hearty breakfast and then we set off to the ground.
Caught up with Mick Cadmore and then got ourselves sorted for the game.
Chairs set down time and relax.....................of course not by 11.30am Yokshire had lost 4 wickets I was  ready to hit the booze!

Luckily Johnny Tatts and Bressy steadied the ship and we went on to make a half way decent score of 232 all out.
Notts went in  to bat and saw the session out.
I managed to catch up with Ted and Norma Kirwan who are in their 53rd festival with the book stand.
Then I caught up with John and Moira Fuller, John was there signing copies of his fabulous book about the Scarborough Festival ( its well worth a read)


Sophie andI headed back to the apartment and the marathon of stairs
We had dinner and wandered out for a drink.....................well that was an experience.
Went to The Albert, I fought ( and I mean fought with some man ) to get to the bar, then I tried to turn round to Sophe only to find that someone was standing on my flip flop...............I turned round to give them a piece of my mind and saw there was no one there, what ever was on the floor was like glue!
Having managed to pull my flip flop off the floor, I managed to move away from the 'alpha males' and Sophie and I went out side .
One drink was enough and we headed back up the dreaded stairs and had wine (obviously).
Early night.

Monday.

Less rough this morning and after a cooked brekky we tidied the apartment and loaded the cars, then set off to the ground, arriving nice and early and having a perambulation around the ground. Stopping to chat to lots of people who know us.....................although Sophe was not so sure she knew them. guilty by association I fear!

We watched Notts try to fight back and hung on until 3pm then headed back to our cars to go home.........except that I didn't, I phoned work, took an extra days holiday, walked round the corner got a room in a non discript hotel and headed back to the ground.

Seriously it was game on!

I was lucky to have extra hols that I could fall back on.

By stumps I was totally sure that we are in for with a champo chance.


off to hotel and in bed by 7.30pm.
exhausted

Tuesday

Up with the seagulls again, bloody things, and this really was my last day, I headed to the ground and  decided to set up camp on the pavilion, last time I did this I was with Harry Latchman and the Middlesex gang.
So took my seat behind John and his mates......................and it was brilliant banter.

Yorkshire continued to put on runs......slowly.
 lunch came, I had a wander around the ground.
Chatting to people as I went, then I met a lovely gentleman called Richard.
We had a lovely conversation and I want to say that because of this man you will be bored to death for a bit longer with the blog.
I had been toying with winding it down, but thanks to one conversation you are all stuck with me for a bit longer ( and hoping I will continue to bore my  troll)

 Before I knew it, it was the witching hour and I had to go home.
as I was en route Notts came back to the crease.
Stumps saw them at 135-4

and today is another day.....................and for me it is another day in the glamorous land of waste water.

I will however be keeping an eye on the scores.

#wecandothis
#ingalewetrust
#comeonyorkshire

I love cricket, I really do!

Thank you to all the lovely people I got to chat with  Mel and Jane, Gary, Jon, Rachel, Dave Bracegirdle and Mrs Bracegirdle,Steve and Jean, Andy Mitchell at Owzat Scarborough, the wonderful Howard  to name but a few, and everybody else who made Scarborough as memorable as usual for me.

see you all soon.

From Moor to shore

I left the industrial scape behind me
And headed over the moors
Wild and vast and colourful
Scene of many bus tours

Whitby Abbey standing proud
In the distance on the East Cliff
A monastery and a sailors guide
Worth the effort for the sea air sniff

Onward over the moors
With the occasional sea view
Past Robin Hoods Bay , and onwards
Closer to meeting up with the 'crew'

Burniston is my landmark
That I am close to finishing line
Back into 'civilisation'
Watching for the 'Scarborough' sign

And there it is and theres the sea,
as I detour from North Marine Road.
I park the car and check us in
To our weekend abode

Then to the beach and a paddle in the sea
I love the feel of sand between toes
Barefoot and totally carefree
But other exciment grows

 The journey to the seaside
The reason for the trip
Isn't just sea and candy floss
But waiting for the coin flip

I love the Scarborough festival!

Its Fry up day

Well its been a long haul to get to Friday, but here I am finally. Just  a trip to Big Als, half a day in the office and then that's it until Tuesday.

I sort of think that the England wish the same after their first innings.
I had the radio on at my desk and actually turned it of, when the top scores are 53 and 52 from the cream of English cricket its a tad worrying.
They limped to 258 all out and Australia were one down at stumps, I am sure it was a huge cheer that went up when  Warner was out.

Today is another day.

My teeny Tykes were very unlucky in their friendly match at Derbyshire which was  very badly rain affected and they all got to go home early.
Managed to have a quick chat with Ben last night and we hopefully will catch up soon.

Tonight see the big lads in action against Durham. Lets hope for a win.

Surrey ended Sussex's run of wins last night although I think that its a dead cert that they are on for finals day,

And with that I am off and out the door.

Super short, but super busy.

Have a great Friday and I'll catch up with some of you over the weekend,

Another 'interesting' instalment

Thursday already, time to get the bags packed and ready for the weekend.
The weather forecast is not looking too bad so it looks as if Sophie and I will get to see 2 days of cricket , which is the main aim.


Currently though we are in full on 2nd test Ashes mode.
Or a least we should be, but rain made for a washed out day one.
Hopefully today will be better.

My teeny Tykes were trying hard to get through day 2 but rain was to be their nemesis, there are a lot of the players in the team hoping that they will be showing up at Scarbados so some play would have helped, however nature seems to have other ideas.

I passed a good part of the afternoon chatting to Ben as we looked at what remains of the season.
Getting him to Australia is the main aim for me once the season is over, this means that  he gets some great experience and some travelling too, all important for career and character building.

News that Gloucestershire have lost Benny Howell for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury, Notts all rounder Zak Chappell who is on loan at the moment will provide cover.

And in T20 Lancashire continued their march to Finals day with a win over Northants.

As the weather was pretty grim last night I had decided to just head  home and do very little for the evening, which of course was not to be as I found some curtains for the master bedroom and ended up hanging them.............................and then taking them down as I didn't like them once they were up.
I can feel that this is going to be a major problem through out the house. ( 3 windows with curtains the rest still to be sorted).

Well the maggot infestation is still casing a HUGE problem in Waste Water Central.
It does appear to be from a seagull nest which is above a skylight.
There are no local companies who can/will go up onto the roof (fragile) to investigate.
We are having to get a cherry picker in and then the problem is how to deal with the seagulls without doing anything illegal.
And I thought they were a nuisance when the 'babies' fell off the roof and wandered aimlessly in the roads of the estate!

Are well, there it is the end of another interesting instalment.

Vous ne pouvez pas plaire a tout le monde

Hello midweek

OH MY DOG!! It is midweek again and the weeks are flying by, it is now less than 20 weeks before the fat bloke with the white beard arrives. Not a thought that I really want to be having, and not that I care as I will be in sunnier climes!


So back to midweek, the joiner came out last night and gave his verdict on the cost of the jobs that I needed to have done.
*GULP* well I want rather than need, and I asked for the quote!
It does however mean that I will have the new kitchen worktops, the extra slatted shelf in the airing cupboard ( yes I have one), Better shelves in the top of the built in wardrobes and he is putting in new window sills at considerably less than Paul the window guy.
As the joiners Dad has a well known Double glazing company ( in these parts) I expected him to come in more expensive but no! and the front door will be fixed too. (new lock and some adjustment)
There were other  little jobs which he has quoted and will do over the next few months which means that before the fat guy with the white beard comes, all things should be sorted.


Anyhoo lets back to other things

Cricket last night was T20 action in fact there is T20 on  every night for the remainder of the working week. Sadly I cannot make the T20 on Friday at Headingley, I have a lot to do on Friday evening ready for getting away for the weekend, for County Championship action, which is far more important to me.

My teeny Tykes were in 'friendly' action and both Ben and Tom were playing. Tom sadly out for a duck!

Still no team news from England although lots of chat about Archer.

I'm guessing that there will be a lot more chat about it over the coming days.

Well time to head out of the door and start a new day at the saltmines, which currently have an infestation of maggots in the drawing office.
The cause of which is yet to be found.

YUK!

Non stop

It was non stop last night after I got home from work, as I  prepared dinner and then set to with the last bits of knitting that I can get in before I head off to Scarbados at the weekend, the  weather forecast does not make for good reading but hey anything can happen in a week, and I predict  that we will have a mini heatwave, if not, I think that I will entice Sophie down to Peaseholm Park and we can go on the boats.................which might actually turn into a afternoon in The Albert!


Nothing is going to dampen the weekend as I have waited all year for it.

I am also toying with new 'cricknits' which I may sell through my Etsy shop again as I did a few years ago, the mug warmers sold well. I may put some thing on in the couple of months before Christmas, I'll see how I feel next month and also see how much work is getting done in The Wickets.

and talking about that, I spent yesterday lunchtime perusing wall paper in B & Q in the hope that something would jump out at me. Nope, nothing even caught my eye. So we will remain Magnolia with brown and teal stripes for a while longer.

I have sorted out the tickets for the T20 at Chester le Street, when I will be going up with Mr Funky the Chauffeur, he will be cheering on Durham whilst I am cheering on Yorkshire and trying to catch up with Mick for the annual chutney and harissa exchange.

Over in the crickety world, Jofra Archer is still the golden child and hitting the headlines. Sadly I fear that there are too many hopes resting on this relatively inexperienced young mans shoulders. That is the way though, we have seen the press build then up and then shoot them down when they don't win the match/series.

That naughty boy,Dizzy, has been raiding the Yorkshire team to boost Sussex in the remainder of the county championship. They have taken Jared Warner again on loan until the end of the season.
Its great for Jared to get some extra match action and experience.

With so little of the season  left now, I think that we will be hearing much more about moves from county to county.

Well time to hop off and get Tuesday started.

Have a great day,

busy week begins

Another week begins and this one is a busy one for me, of course there is the non stop world of laughs and fun that is the wacky world of waste water ( and all the other types of water), but there is also the last push to get the cricket jumpys finsihed, packing for the weekend and food to get sorted.
Add to that getting the barnet chopped, as well as taking all the 'stuff' sold over the weekend on eBay  to the post office,and I can see that everyday will be full.

 This week I also have the joiner coming to put a new door on the  dining room, plus get him to quote me for boxing in some pipes and building sink units.
Tiny steps in the new house to get it more Lainey like.

I have to say that the weekend was also busy, I managed to get the curtains and new duvet cover for Sophies room, I should have the room totally complete in the next few weeks......I hope.
Went out and had breakfast with my big sister before heading home to get on with a spot of chutney making and chilling out.


In cricket news Yorkshire were blighted by rain on Friday night, and then news came through that Adil Rashid will be out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury,wethen  lost to Derbyshire yesterday which sort of rounded the weekend off.
T20 is not really our forte.

In The 100 news, Shane Warne has been named as the London based franchise  coach. Warne who had previously said that English cricket did not need another format, obviously had a change of heart when a  large carrot was dangled.

I dislike this whole set up more and more, especially as we are getting more and more Australians over as coaches.................although I sort of guess this is because no English coach wants to put his name out there.

Now its time to head out of the door and get some of the things out to the Post Office, its good to be able to continue to clear out.

Have a happy Monday/

Fryupday is here

Well praise be, it is 'Fryupday', however today I am not heading to see Big Al with the list of breakfast requirements, I am going to surprise the office with some freshly baked patisserie.

I went off to Tesco last night and bought a shed load of their frozen pastries and am currently ramming them in the oven to bake off before I head out the door.

I would not have had to do this if Lidl opened at 7.00am!!!!

The house smells of cinnamon rolls and pain au chocolat, shame I can't have any.

Blueberries and Greek yogurt for me!!!!

Once these have been 'troughed'  it should be about 8.03am and no doubt Norty Morty and Mickey Dripping will be discussing lunch.

I am looking forward to a weekend of doing very little ( so this means moving furniture, measuring up the upstairs bathroom and waiting for the bath renovation man to arrive). I will also be knitting as fast as I can to get some more jumpys done for Scarbados and sleeping a lot. That is the plan and I intend to stick to it.

There is cricket on so that makes it so much easier as I will be able to lounge around on the sofa, wearing my boot ( to keep my foot and ankle immobilised) and drinking copious amounts of coffee.

Well back to yesterday, my teeny Tykes were in action at York against Leicestershire littlies, and we won, which makes me think that I sort of jinx them when I go.

Both my Ben and TLJL were in the runs which made me smile.

More sad news coming out of South Africa, as it was announced that Hashim Amla will retire from international cricket, what has struck me this week by the two retirement announcements is that both players know they are at the point where they have to give up. All respect to them.

In T20 Abraham Benjamin continued to smash his way through for Middlesex ( and yes so did old smug mug). I sort of think that Middlesex and Sussex could be full on for finals day this year

Well I smell the last batch of pastries and guess that they are nearly ready so time out head out of the door, on a miserable wet morning.

I hope that you all have a fabulous weekend, I'll be back on Monday.

Push for the weekend

Well its Thursday and I am feeling  quite tired, which considering the amount of sleep that I have had in the last 5 weeks is amazing, however I think that I am trying to catch up on the last 7 years.
I finally got my new mattress out of the dining room and onto my bed, which may be the reason why I slept so deeply last night! The mattress is so deep I felt like the Princess and the pea.......except that there was no pea ( and no Princess either)

This aside, its Thursday and I am getting things in hand for next weekends trip to the seaside, a quick trip to Iceland to stock up the freezer ready for some cooking this weekend in preparation.

I'm also preparing to get a few of my 'Cricknits' up for sale, so keep your eyes peeled. There may be a couple of teddies and some of the other things that I knit.
I was considering knitting a set of the 'Cricmas' tree decorations but I guess these are very 'niche' items and probably not the best thing to sell.
We will see in the next few weeks after I have been to Scarborough and recovered from RSI or tennis elbow or whatever it is that is killing my arm.
I think that my next move is to the knackers yard as I am slowly falling apart!

Right back to important things, we are on countdown to the return Roses match tomorrow night,  come on lads you have to win this!

And the England team are slowly falling apart too as Olly Stone has aggravated a back injury and is sidelined for the 2nd test.
Its all starting to look like a winter trip, lots of not so fit players in the squad and then dropping like flies.

And Marcus North continues to wave bye to players  at Durham.as Ryan Pringle and George Harding leave at the end of the season. That's 3 in 2 days, I wonder how many more before the end of the season.

well I have to leave now as I have 'stuff' to do on the way to work, so have a great Thursday, the weekend is so close I can nearly smell it.

Midweek already

So after taking Monday off, its midweek already, wow  I think that I should only do a 4 day week every week.

I've lots that I need to do including heading to the sorting office and going to the post office,its all going  on  here.

I am managing to work through the last few boxes and tonight might finally get the new mattress in situ, as well as finally getting Sophies bed all sorted in her room.

Yes it is taking shape now.

The dressing room is still the dumping ground but as I have managed to put a lot of things on eBay I am hoping that this might solve the problem.
To be fair, its only nearly 5 weeks since I moved in, and 4 of those have involved the foot problem so I think that I am doing OK.

So yesterday lunchtime I was checking my emails and relaised that  I  had been invited to a T20 match later this month by Yorkshire CCC. In the new Emerald stand and with a gin and beer tastings ( dangerous). Supper is provided and then watch the game from the balcony. How very wonderful. I did of course put in some holiday at work and email my acceptance.

I am looking forward to it very much.


In cricket we are still in T20 mode as we head towards the finish line, Sussex are playing really well and look to be heading to Edgbaston , whilst my Tykey Vikings seem to be paddling the longship in the wrong direction.
I now have a few more T20 matches to see including heading down to TB  before it is all over.

Ive just caught up with some cricket news and see that Micheal Richardson has left Durham after 10 years, having read the Durham statement, Im thinking that Marcus North, Director of Cricket at the club, is going to be a breath of fresh air as he seems matter of fact and forthwright.
I hope that he is as cut throat with the abundance of backroom staff that they have, some of whom have been around since Noah landed the Arc!

Well time to head out of the door and  see what today at the saaltmines has in store.
Wishing you all a happy Wednesday.

I'm back

Here we are at Tuesday and I have had a long weekend, and what a long weekend it has been.

Friday evening saw me busy sorting things out at The Wickets and knitting, when  I get a message from TLML to say that I  had won  18 pints of  ' Jacks batch' from Old Mill Brewery.
Well now, that should make Scarbados more interesting!!!

Saturday and Sunday were a bit of a blur and by yesterday I was glad that I had taken an extra day off as I was shattered and my sore foot was badly swollen.

I set off for my last day out with the 2nds at Marske by the Sea, with my boot strapped firmly on my foot to try to reduce the swelling. It looked far more dramatic than it actually was, but by the time I got home, it had done the job and I could see my ankle bone again.

however I digress.

After the storm to end all storms on Sunday night, yesterday dawned dry and with a few low clouds, Ben and I chatted as he was on his way to the ground.
I set off and stopped in at Redcar to do a spot of shopping before I tipped up at the ground.

The sun came out and the first game began.

Whilst this was going on , the news came through that England had lost to Australia...........................hmmm I sort of said  last week not to write off the Aussies, Joe Root claimed the team were not suffering a 'World Cup hangover', well that may be true but possibly a bit of World Cup arrogance.
So on to the next test and hopefully they will have had the shock that they need to buck their ideas up.

Sadly my teeny Tykes lost the first T20, and headed for a spot of lunch, I chatted with Ben and Tom, these two have an amazing few months ahead of them and this I am sure will show next season.

And then as I was basking in the sun and enjoying the cricket, my cricket world crashed down around my ears................I got a message from Sophie to say that Dale 'The Stare' Steyn had retired from test cricket.
OMG!!!!
I appreciate that test cricket has taken its toll on his body and fully understand his retiring, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Another of my favourite bowlers hanging up his boots, however he will be playing short form and no doubt will make some money in The 100, which makes it doubly sad as I will not see him bowl again.

He is one of the greats and is in my bowling top 10.

So back to the  crickert at Marske,and despite some great batting by TLJL in the second T20 we lost again. However it was only Durham, so that doesn't really count ( JOKING!!!!).

I set off home with a fabulously tanned right foot, and as my leg doesn't match that colour ( wearing jeans) I will not be wearing a dress for work this week!!!

I'm sad that I won't be having any more days out with the 2nds this season, but I will be planning for next season as soon as the fixtures come out.

And now I am off to have my last Tuesday blood test, I should be onto once a week from now on.

 Things are heading in the right direction.

Have a great Tuesday.

Happy Friday

Oh happy day!

This is my last working day of the week and I don't go back until next Tuesday, I am so excited by this prospect that I nearly forgot that over the next few weeks, I will hardly be putting in a full week.

OHHHHH!!!! so much to look forward to as I go into cricket mode again.

And it was cricket mode full on yesterday as those who like it, were glued to the  Ashes.
I had the  radio on at my desk, its great to listen and it also drowns out the constant moaning of Richard Tator I.

Richard Tator II  parks his 'arris' in the drawing office ( luckily), so the draughtsmen and CAD technicians have the privilege of listening to that!


Australia had a bit of a mighmarish day, however all I can say is do not write them off. Especially with former captain Steve Smith hitting a century to pull them out of the manure that they found themselves in.

James Anderson is also not happy as he suffered a calf injury after bowling only 4 overs, Maybe the R word is in order, bodies can only take so much.

My Teeny tykes have not had a great week  Northants which has been blighted by rain.
Never mind, they move onto the seaside for the day next week, when I will be having a donkey ride, splodging and cheering from the boundary

Tonight my big boys take on Worcestershire at home in T20 action.

Last night despite having their World cup winner back in the side, Middx lost to Kent.

And now I am off to see Big Al and put in the order for breakfast.

Have a great day and a great weekend.

Its a cricket Thursday

Gosh! its Thursday already and I can hardly believe that I have nearly been in The Wickets 4 weeks!!!!

How the chuffing heck did that happen???!!!

I am still looking for a couple of teddy jumpys that I had knit before leaving the chateau, they could be any of the boxes that I still have to unpack, I also have lost my diary, which I suspect is in the book box, and that is in Narnia, where I am loathe to venture to at the moment due to jamming loads of things in there to clear the hallway, I think I know what my job is this weekend. ( and I need flasks and the electric cool box for next week and Scarbados).

Today is also the start of the Ashes, I set up a little wager  in the office and as none of them like cricket the fact that someone got South Africa to win, made me smile!!!
the fact that I got Australia made me frown.
'C Bomb' Bill got England

I sort of think that the Aussies will have regrouped after the World Cup and will come out fighting ( not literally), as for England, I am hoping that they hang up their 'attitude'and come out and play as they have never played before.

We will see when it begins in just a few hours.


Over in Northants my teeny Tykes have been affected by the weather, hopefully they will get some play and my Tom is batting.

In other news, the man with no lips, is now the man with a limp as he is sidelined for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, I think that the big 'R' is calling Ian!.

Steve Finn the greatest ECB tourist of all time has re signed with Middlesex until 2021, I'm guessing that there is an  injury up and coming........

And with that I am off to the saltmines.

Another day, another chance to watch the upper tier unravel.

Finally, who would have believed that we are in August already, I need to make up for lost cricket, I've hardly seen any this season.

Have a great Thursday, not  long now until the weekend.