Finally Friday

Here we are again, Friday, in what has been a short working week for me.
After snow on Monday, op and then recuperating and  yesterday heading out to Headingley for an afternoon with 'the boys'.

Train from Ladylaineyville to Burley Park, what could go wrong...………………..everything, delay meaning missed connections both ways resulting in £23  worth of taxis , hmmmmmm, Northern rail not doing too well.

However an afternoon with the team including Ben { who I knew would be back from Australia but was sworn to secrecy} made for a great afternoon.
A teeny bit of gin tasting, some afternoon tea, and a very 'posh magnum' as well a hearing Patto and David Willey giving their take on the season made up for the rail problems.

Had a great time with John who very kindly acted as my chauffeur, and chatting to Yvonne, Derek and Dave. Lovely to  catch up with other sponsors.

Great to catch up with Ben, Tom was sound asleep at home after having his shoulder looked at.

A great cricket day, not so great rail wise.

And now I am off to put in some work, clear my desk and then head off  for a fun filled weekend.

see you on Monday.

have a great weekend

back again

so after  a couple of days of rest I am back on my feet and about to have a little jolly today.

I have been punctured and prodded and all seems to be in order, it seems when I have lost 3 stone my swollen knee might deflate, however I am not holding my breath.

I also have to work hard to build up some strength in my ankle, my Achilles tendon is apparently very weak.

I am sure that it will all get sorted in its own time.

We are nearly hitting the 7 month mark, so fingers crossed.

In cricket,Australia won the T20  series in South Africa, and Steve Smith has been made Captain of the made up game for Puff the magic dragons.

Good news that Adam Lyth in his testimonial year has also signed a new deal keeping him at Yorkshire for a while longer.

I have a busy day today and I need to get a wriggle on.

I've a train too catch and some chums to meet up with.

So I might be back, but this is coming is a very short one this morning.

Have a great day and hopefully I will be back tomorrow.

Another week begins

and what a week it looks to be, I'm having my knee prodded some more, the big meeting with the future new company owners takes place and it is nearer the start of the season, and I am so proud to sponsor Ben and Tom for another year.

Yesterday South Africa beat Australia in the 2nd T20 and its all down to the last game.
And South Africa ladies aren't doing too badly either .

It was also busy day at The Wickets as I had a trip to the dechetterie and picked up my train tickets for my jolly on Thursday.
I also continued to get rid of things on eBay, this in light of yesterdays blog was very much enriching my life.

I really have got the spring clean bug, and think that next weekend I might even strip the wallpaper off the sitting room wall and paint it.
I have seen a new mirror that I like and also need to go out to look for some radiator covers {if anyone knows of any that need rehoming let me know please}.
Oh my dog! lets see how much of that I get done!!!

The lovely Roxanne, {my cleaner} is going to do a good old pulling out of everything for me, mainly because I am still struggling with the rotator cuff problem, its getting there, but I don't want to aggravate it at the moment.

I am looking into re-enamelling my bath myself...……………….as I am a huge fan of 'Return to the chateau DIY', I watched Angel do it last week, and if she can do it in a floating kimono thing, well I can do it in my Iron Maiden T shirt.

I am not sure how many days this week, I will be here due to things going on , so I will see you all soon.


Oh and Ladylaineyville is a winter wonderland this morning ass we have had snow over night!!!!
WTDD!!!!


Have a great week.

I will say this only once

In the wake of the suicide of Caroline Flack, I have read with interest the comments about 'Be Kind', it makes me wonder.

I would have thought that most normal folk would not need to be told this, they just are, I do accept that there are those who aren't and those that  hide behind a keyboard on social media etc.

I would have thought that at least 99.9%  of people are kind.

The campaign to get people to talk about how they feel, what is going on in their head and their life is an interesting one.

Sometimes its not that easy to just pour out what is happening in your life.

I read on Friday the awful account of Hannah Clarke, a mother of 3 in Australia , whose partner burnt her and her children to death in their car and then took his own life.

The sad thing about this was that this lady had suffered years of domestic abuse...…………..but did not talk to anyone as she did not think that she was being abused as her partner never hit her.

He did however mentally and financially abuse her, before the horrific events which led to 5 deaths.

I read this account about 3 times and cried.

I know exactly what it is like to be physically, mentally and financially abused.

I know how hard it is to try to talk to anyone about it, fear is a big  part of this, along with the feeling that no one will believe you.

I know the absolute  fear of going home from work, not knowing what to expect.

I know the feeling of being told every day that you are fat, ugly and stupid.

I know what it is like to have your bank account emptied,  when your wages have just gone in, to be given 'pocket money' , have your phone checked regularly and be accused of things that were not true.

Hannah Clarke went through this too.

I managed to run, albeit with injuries that healed, but memories that will never.

It is hard to write this down, and  I am hoping that it will be cathartic, and I can finally lay this ghost to rest, and that I can now try harder to help others suffering in a similar position.

I am very lucky, I am not a victim, I am a bounce back survivor.

Never judge a book by its cover as it may well be just that...……...a cover.

Hannah Clarke was not a celebrity, she was a Mum and as such her death and that of her children have just become old news. Her family  though have to live with the terrible loss.

Being kind and listening to people should be part of our general makeup, not something that we are instructed to do.

Always try be your best self.

I haven't written this down for sympathy of any kind. Its my personal story and I have deleted this about 10 times before I decided to actually publish it.

Weekend eve

Friday  has arrived and I am still trying to sort out water problems at work, too much of it, in the wrong place and causing havoc on the water in the right place, if you get my drift.

I cannot wait for  half day finish ( fingers crossed I am not still here at 7pm), I have things to do, and will get them done, I am on a bit of a roll at the moment.

However a conversation yesterday with one of the Richard Tators did not fill me with hope, as it appears that next week we are hosting a large company with plans to sell us {again, for the
'old' staff}. Not happy times ahead I think.

I have t try to put that on a back burner as I am forward thinking ready for getting my knee poked about next week.

Apparently I will be able to walk perfectly well afterwards...……………….which is bloody brilliant because I haven't been able to do that since last July! I don't think they took into account how bad my problem had been before making that statement.
No driving for a couple days means that I am off for a train ride on Thursday.

As the weather continues to be filthy, I feel for Worcester who without fail { due to their position} are flooded and if the weather forecast for this weekend is anything to go by there will be no chance of  lowering of water levels.

Lots of chat in cricket papers about the made up game, and who is looking forward to playing. Apparently Jonny Bairstow is really excited about playing for 'Puff the magic dragons' of what ever they are called. Shame on you Jonny. { yes I know he is expected to say things like that, and I suppose the money helps to soothe his qualms}

And with that I am off to buy the breakkfast for a much reduced workforce today, lots of holidays put in following the bouts of sickness.

Have a great weekend.

Hello to midweek

Here we go, its midweek already, where are the weeks going?

I've a lot on in the next couple of weeks so please be aware that blogs may be intermittent.

I'm trying to get prepared at the office as I am in hospital next week for an exploratory op, and then can't drive for a couple of days after that. 

Preparation is needed.

Well now crickety news, Yorkshire announced that Adil Rashid had signed a white ball contract.

Hmmm, is all I have to say on this.

Is it pay for play?

As the season gets nearer I am undecided as to whether to have a staycation and take 4 days off to watch the 2nds play close to Ladylaineyville.

I wanted to go and have a summer holiday …………………….but the pull of cricket is strong, October holiday is still very much on the cards and also a couple of city breaks.

I'll mull it over.

There is still  a lot of contract signing going on across the counties, as the we head towards the starting line.

Apologies for the blogs being quite short but  my days start very early with calls and emails as water levels around our sites rise with the amount of rain that has been lashing down all over the country.

I hope that you are all safe and dry.

Have a good day, we are getting closer to the weekend.

Moving on

There has been a lot going on behind the scenes at The Wickets, usual mucking out of stuff and putting on ebay/sending to charity shop. 

Also a bit of mind laundry, which is basically clearing up the negative thoughts and make room for clearer thinking ( very new age).

And it works, things that I have fretted about  and been deeply up set about, are being set to one side as I move on.

About time too.

Also never one to rest on my laurels I am signing up to do another course, this time to train in aromatherapy, which I personally love and thought it might be good  to get a better insight into.

In cricket it was definitely a black armband day yesterday as Faf du Plessis, announced that he was giving up the Captaincy of South Africa, after the initial shock I think that he is doing the right thing.

Next step the big R!!!!

There is news from the made up game and England players are being named here there and everywhere, and they say they they play too much cricket { not for their counties though}.

Ah far too early to get into a rant.

Well time to face the tail end of Dennis and see what today holds.

Have a great day.

Busy extended weekend

It's been a full on time over the last 4 days, I had a trip away and then back home to do a facial yoga class.
 I met up with some friends and sat watching cricket on Friday after the usual farce of Valentines Day, which isn't a holiday it is just a marketing mans dream.
That said I did get some champagne and a new washing up bowl and drainer out of it so I'm happy with that.


I feel rested and ready for the week ahead, which judging by emails is not a good one.
It seems that a disgruntled ex employee has anonymously tipped off a licensing agency .
Long story short, we are being fined and it has other repercussions.
To be honest if you have a gripe with an employer , tell them don't hide behind anonymous calls.
We do know who it is as the person was one of only 3 people who knew about the 'problem'.
The other 2 still work here, me being one and the other being one  of the Richard Tators, the issue was in hand. Its a little bit disappointing.

In cricket England won the T20 series with the Captain saying that Alex Hales will not be back in the team soon. Hales has not played for England since last summer after an 'off field incident'.
Double standards I think as some members of the team have more lives than the local Tom.
#myopiniononly.

England Lions are not doing too badly against Australia Xl

I have to head out now into the continuing storm that has been raging over the weekend, and straight into the storm raging in the office.

Its not going to be an easy drive to work.

Stay safe today.

Quickie

this is a really quickie as I am running late, and believe me I do not want to be late.

Well the T20 series started and what a cracking game {mainly because Dale The Stare was playing}. All down to the last ball.
Great win by South Africa.

Over in the USA, the American team posted 35 to equal the  lowest score after being defeated by Nepal.
I wonder if Liam is as keen now?


And that's it for today, not sure if I am here tomorrow it will depend on WiFi.

so if not have a great weekend and I will see you on Monday.

Halfway through

Wednesday is here and it is T20 day, Dale Steyn is in East London with the SA team and I am totally excited.

England have named their squad for Sri Lanka, and after having broken Jofra they are going to give one last push on Mark Wood, I don't think he's a good bet, but hey what do I know.
They have called him the Durham De Villiers on the BBC website which I find wrong, he's more like the Brian Robson of cricket.
Strange mix up on the team front for this tour. Old Bambi boy is back {Jennings to the uninitiated}.
Lets see how this goes.

My trip to Worcester for a big dinner in June is on track, and apparently I will be sitting with none other than me old mate Paul Smith, looking forward to a good old chat with him with the former Warwickshire boy, Richard Stemp and Min Patel are also apparently on the table, Min a name from the England past { Edgbaston  England v India I think I saw him back in mid 90's, sat next to his wife at lunch}.

Pilates tonight and hopefully I will be showing signs of making progress and not rolling around on the mat like a whale waiting to be refloated.

I am also hoping that work may have calmed down today, although the rumours of more rain at the weekend is not a good one.


I have got myself a new player at Farsley Celtic FC, as my original sponsored player has now left, so I am  the proud sponsor of Chris Atkinson.
I will be cheering him on at Darlo on 14th March...……………..me at footy, who would have thought it!!!

Norty Morty, office boy who is building his new house, told us yesterday that he is calling it, The Light House, to which Mickey Dripping replied {due to Mortys football preference}
' what you aren't calling it The Stadium of Light House'?

much laughter I can tell you!

Right I am off to the hamster wheel, another day in the land of water.

Happy Wednesday

Tired Tuesday

Where is the time going , its already nearly the middle of February and I am now where near losing the 3 stone that the physio recommended ( I haven't even lost 3lb! might have actually put that on ), I am trying very hard to do pilates ( as recommended too), and now have a great selection of DVDs to use at home.

I can do this and I will, besides, I have some very pretty summer frocks that I intend to wear, instead of being in leggings all the time.

We are also now only one day away from the start of the T20 series, which will be on when I get home tomorrow night. Will my two faves be in the line up????

Have to wait and see.

I was surprised to see David Willey get the T20 captains job, I had all my money on Tom K-C.

Well Tom has a lot of time in front of him, so maybe better to play the game without the responsibility for a while longer.

I am keeping this short as I have been chattering on't phone this morning and have had some fabulous news, which sorry to say I cannot disclose yet.

I'm late, so out the door I must run.

Have a great day.

Weekend gone in a flash

Well the weekend is over and I managed to finally get things done at The Wickets.

The chimney breast is now a cream colour rather than  horizontal stripes in shades of brown cream and teal.
Not as easy as that sounds, and hindsight being a wonderful thing, means that when I tackle the opposite wall in the same striped wallpaper I will be stripping it off and not trying to cover it with one coat paint.

I have the wallpaper for the bedroom ready to be hung { when I have stripped that wall too} and it is in my  favourite Laura Ashley paper.  I will have this done before the season starts.

I was supposed to be dog sitting Mickey the Cycleshop Border Terrier yesterday but the storm that hit { and is still raging} meant that all plans were cancelled.

In cricket England tied the series after a wash out on Friday.
Now we are down to T20, with my 2 favourites playing.


Interesting to read that Joe Root is saying that they haven't over bowled Archer. I seem to think that you have and its to be hoped that he is fit for the summer.

And I hear that there is an Aussie in the England Lions camp...………..

And with that I am off to brave the roads, parts of where I am heading are flooded so hopefully I can get through.

I do know that there will be emergencies as I've just taken a call to say that  a site is flooded and have sent out 3 engineers already.

Happy Monday

Weekend eve

Well its weekend eve and thoughts are turning to what I will be doing with the weekend, and the winner is ……..painting!

As I haven't yet decided on the wallpaper for the sitting room, I think a tub of one coat paint is called for to deal with the dreaded striped walls.

That should keep me busy for the whole of thee weekend, as I suspect that this wallpaper may beat the one coat paints coverage.

There is cricket today and there is a bit of  crickety news.

Firstly England are in ODI again today.

And it seems that they have well and truly broken Jofra, as he is now out of the Sri Lanka tour.

Hmmmmmm.

Darren Lehmann is not too well and will be having heart surgery this weekend. Will this mean that the Leeds based franchise cricket will be looking for another coach? to be honest I think that he is mad if he attempts to come to coach this season. Health is much more important...………………..watch this space!

Boring Patto has decided not to play T20 this season and so the club are looking for a white ball captain, I'm guessing on Tom K-C.

And with that I am off to take the cinnamon buns out of the oven and head off to the office for the last day of the week.
I have freshly baked goodies for the boys.

Have a great weekend.

How quickly time flies

                                                       

Do you remember,

when you were young,

A week at school was so long

Waiting for weekend fun

The summers were endless

The holidays so long

Winters were snowy

Or my memory is wrong

As the years have passed by

Its scary to see

The months flying by

so very quickly

I think of the 90's

like its yesterday

when if truth be told

Its 30 years away

I wish for the cricket

To arrive with force

In the blink of an eye

September has run its course

One thing is for certain

Through lows and through highs

We can always be sure

How quickly time flies

Midweek

Its midweek , and I am feeling very relaxed this morning, mainly due to going for a massage last night. I experienced a brilliant  massage  which used the Bowen and Emmet technique.

Interesting and very good. 

About this time last year I went off on a jolly and also had a weekend retreat at a Spa, this year I am trying to sort out a cheeky trip to Malaga in about 6 weeks, Whether this comes to fruition is any ones guess. However as there was no Spa weekend on the cards I decided to head off for a massage.

My knee has been playing up a little and I am booked in for an exploratory op, something that I don't really want. In an attempt to sort out the PFPS  ( the problem with my knee) I have even turned to the woman who was the tennis double  for Kirsten Dunst in the film Wimbledon ( as well as training her and Paul Bettany), this is not as off the wall as it seem as she is also the sister of  Jon ( who passed away  last year). She teaches a form of exercise that helps the bodies equilibrium.  

New Age?

Strange?

well I don't care, after the last 7 months I just want to feel better, so combining all of this with physio and pilates I feel that I am finally facing it all head on.

Well before I settle down to the England news, I read yesterday that Liam Plunkett was thinking of a playing for America.

I had to chuckle especially after his tweets of annoyance that he hadn't been selected for any format in the England  team this winter.

To be honest maybe if he hadn't  p***d his career up the wall at Durham he may have had more years in the England fold. He did claw it back when he went to Yorkshire, but he is no spring chicken.

My opinion only

And then there is England, ahhhh, I even get to use my favourite word.

Hubris.

The press big them up, the World Cup champions, and then they get thrashed by South Africa.

And taking nothing away from the hosts, who played a blinder, especially their captain Quinton.

Maybe we should stop resting on our laurels and just play the game.

I appreciate that this was just the first ODI, but after all the fanfare for them, well..........only one word to describe it , Hubris.

And with that I am off to the office.

thought for the day 

When you cant change the direction of the wind, adjust your sails.

Busy, busy

  I would very much like to stay in bed today but sadly it is only Tuesday and it is turning into a busy week already.

After having a full contingent yesterday, I was able to get back to doing what I normally do all day, sadly not filing my nails and looking pretty, but trying to  get a ton of paperwork off my desk and trying to perform miracles.

Failing on both counts so guess I need to go in today and try again.

I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who sent messages of congratulations on my exam pass to make me a bone fide Facial Yoga Teacher.

I have to say that I am proud of myself for getting there  despite all the obstacles that have been in my way over the last few months.

Exciting times ahead, and who knows where it might lead.

England are in one day action and much being made in the media about this being the first outing for the World Cup champions.

South Africa are under the leadership of Quinton, Faf is having a break.

I will be keeping an eye on this.

Not much else to report so best get on my way, traffic is a nightmare at the moment due to road closures. The good thing is the mornings and evenings getting lighter.

Always guaranteed to make me smile.

Thought for the day.

If life was easy where would all the adventures be?

here we go

Here we are at Monday again and its been a busy weekend.

On Saturday I headed off to Saltburn to meet up with my lovely friends Jackie and Tony and of course Spike te Border Terrier. It was a glorious day  for the beginning of February, we had a bracing walk on the beach, a spot of lunch and even went on the amusements, Spike wasn't too keen but went with it.

Before I went home Jackie and I headed down to one of the gin bars and very nice it was too.

I was even treated to a little adventure on the way home, as we were taken from Darlington to Lady Laineyville  on the train by a trainee driver.

I have to say that Jackie and Tony have on the 2 occasions that they have stayed in Saltburn found some fabulous places to stay.

Once home, I found that I could hardly keep my eyes open and was in bed before 9pm.

Rock n roll!!!!


Yesterday saw me up early as I headed off to take my Facial yoga exam. Another train trip this time to Newcastle as it meant that I could do some swatting up on the way and have a drink on the way back, however it went.
Well I passed with a distinction and a 99% pass mark.
So time to try to put this to some use.

I have 3 victims volunteers who are trying/ about to start trying  out a series of exercises  for me. so a huge shout out to these 3 for being kind enough to help me out.


There is not much to report in cricket as England were playing their last one day warm up match Root hit 91 and Jonny Bairstow hit a century.

I was interested too see the Paul Stirling is coming back to the UK to play, he will be Northants in the T20 Blast.
Stirling had played for many years for Middlesex before going back to Ireland.

And with that I am off to the office, where if my texts and emails are to be believed I will have a full contingent today.

this should make the week a lot easier than the previous one.


Have a great week

thought for the day,

Today, wherever you go, carry the intention of peace, love, and harmony in your heart.