And it begins again

Oh yes indeed it is Monday again and I feel like a hamster on a wheel, all that time over the weekend and still not seeming to get anywhere, apart from to 'messyville' which sums up my house after a visit to the garage and a visit under the stairs!!!!

I have so much 'stuff' that I want to get rid of and it is now in the dining room and the sitting room ( and the hall and the boot room .....) I think you get the gist.

I am hoping that by the end of the cricket season this will all have gone and I will be able to see my close season as a way to get other jobs done. ( put new flooring in the walk in pantry?).

Anyhow yesterday  after saying goodbye to the Dame, I set about doing things in the house ( see above) and then sat down to watch the test.

Well lets put yesterday in a nutshell, I messed up the Chateau in an attempt to tidy up and clear things out. England messed up and ended up losing the second test which made the Austalians very very happy. Series is 1-1.

Yorkshire were taking on Worcestershire at Scarbella and  messed up to start with until Galey and Bairstow put on an amazing show which saw Jonny get 139 and Captain Gale on 127 over night. My tykes went form being in poo early on to closing on 357-5.

And I could have been there to see Jonny do it again................however all will come right when I head off in the Lady Lainey limo  in August for sun, cricket and fish and chips.

Captain Gale went onto Twitter and said that he had a point to prove ( after 'fans' slated him and the team last week). I personally think that he has nothing to prove to anybody and should just concentrate on 'captaining' and getting runs!

It is still a long way to the end of the seaosn, but my Tykes need to stay focussed and never take their eyes off the trophy.

( flipping heck I could be in  that dressing room giving them the pep talk of their lives!!!).

I am now off to start the week with 'der boys' and hope that it can be a calm and quiet place today as I am not in the mood for 'hi jinx'.

Start the week as you mean to go on is my motto for the day!

HEADACHE

Oh no!!!! As you can tell from the picture above I am feeling less than 'Ladylike'. How did this happen I hear you all saying.....................................

Well I had decided that I wasn't going to stay at Dame Didi's last night and that I would not be going to Scarbados today, having had two very alcohol fuelled and fun packed weekends previously I did not want to start the week feeling as groggy and tired as I have done the last two Mondays. So the plan was to stay at home and do 'stuff'.
Well I was busy lying on the sofa with my eyes closed, doing 'stuff' yesterday afternoon when my sister tipped up on the drive!!!.

So we decided to go out to the local pub and have 'rubbish' dinner. Off we toddled and had burger and chips!.
By the time we got back to Chateau de Champions it was decided that the Dame would stay over and we would spend the evening watching French films.............................and polishing off as much Pimms as we could...................hence not feeling too perky this morning.

However I am about to make scrambled eggs so that should be kill or cure!!



And then there is the little matter of the Test match, Captain Cook tried to save a sinking ship before being bowled out on 96. Stokes came in and did his quick fire hitting act and was out on 87. The runs were creeping up but the Aussies were plotting the demise of England and had them all for 312. which was an amazing total considering.

Australia went into bat and stood on 108 overnight.

Today sees the start of county matches as my Tykes take on Worcestershire at Scarbella  and Hampshire ( former besty home county in the south) take on Durham ( former besty home county).

I am sad that I am not going to be cheering my crazy orange curly head off for My Tykes, but  unusually for me I am doing the sensible thing.

right got to go and feed Dame Didi before she heads off over to the North Yorkshire coast!


#COYT

Saturday!

Well I am up and about but so far there has been no sign of washing being done! Or the dishwasher going on, 'why ???', I hear you all cry, as this is the staple of the Saturday life of I. Lady Lainey. To be honest I just don't seem to have the get up and go to get up and put the things in the washing machine.

I am hoping that a walk to the post office will invigorate me and I will feel more like doing 'stuff' when I get back. Yes I will probably sit down on the sofa and fall asleep whilst England are batting...........

which brings me to yesterday and the Ashes, I was feeling slightly sick that Chris Rogers would take the record set by Gillespie the Gallant in 2006 of scoring a double century overseas ( 201). However when England eventually made a breakthrough and got him out I breathed a sigh of relief, but I had forgotten Smith!!!!!! OMG!!!! and yes he did it , before falling to little Joey Root for 215.
Gillespie the Gallant was being very gallant about the whole thing and said that the honour had gone to a 'real batsman'. Well Jason just to say you held the record for 9 years so not bad for a night watchman/bowler!!!!!

Anyhoo, Australia declared the first over after tea and England went in to bat, and poor old Adam Lyth, everyone's favourite 'eggshell blonde' was out for duck and back in the pavilion in less time that it took to strap on his pads!!.

Ballance tried to make a stand and managed  23 before he was out, Bell managed 1 which will boost his average!, and sadly so did little Joey Root. England closed on  85-4.
Well I did say the Aussies would come out fighting.


And then there was the matter of T20!!! yes indeedy doody, 'Fun Sophe' was here from Nottingham and  we were into the T20 spirit straight away as PH was reunited with his chum LL and they even had their photograph retweeted by Durham CCC.

Mr Funky was feeling out of place as we were sitting in the Nottinghamshire end.. Notts played a blinding match and although have been struggling in other forms, looked good last night as they romped home to a 42 run win.
Durham on the other hand looked as if they completely lost their way. Sad to say I have seen them like this before. John Hastings  played a blinder of an innings hitting 42, but he does look genuinely a bit tired.

Sadly missing from last night was 'big luke' who is still recovering from a hamstring injury. I don't think it will be long before he is back with Notts and knocking bails off here there and everywhere.

It was wonderful to see Sophie and hope that this is not the last time she is here in the North East ( she has roots here too, and she did her roots here too!!!).

My Tykes lost against Nothamptonshire by 6 wickets however they fell 4 runs short of victory in reality. They fielded a young team and seeing the runs on the board I think that they have some super stars of the future!

#COYT


Rightio off to the Post Office and a long walk whilst blowing the cobwebs off listening to Motorhead


Have a great Saturday

Yeay Yeay!!!! It's F(ryan)day

Woohooo it be F(ryan)day, and better than that, it is a T20  F(ryan)day, and even better than that, it is a T20 F(ryan)day with Fun Sophe!!!!!
Yes tonight Sophie is here from Nottingham to watch T20 cricket with us!!!

I am super excited as you can tell.

I forgot!!! to tell you yesterday in case you didn't know that it was the start of the second Ashes Test!
It all started well, Australia went in to bat and then England took a wicket,
wooohooo all the England fans  shouted.
And then Chris Rogers and Steve Smith settled in, and in and in until close of play when they were on 158 & 129 respectively.
'You bewdy' all the Australian fans were shouting!!!!

You just knew that the Aussies would come out fighting!


Today England will be hoping for early wickets and the Aussies will be hoping to bat through until teatime....................................see who needs a serious over botoxed Shane Warne  as pundit on Sky  when they can just tune into me?????


Other very important news is that my Tykey Vikings are in action tonight  down at Northampton. So although it will make no difference in the T20 standings, come on boys play a blinder!
They are not playing Galey lad so I am wondering who will be captain???????


oh no, lurking down the page on the BBC sport website................'Collingwood keen to prolong his career'

Oh no run for cover!!!!! Tantrum Boy is keen to  rack up some more disciplinary points on his card before hanging up his jockstrap!!!
Just retire and be done with it!
He is only hanging on to wait to see if a coaching place becomes available for him at Durham.
Well hell the amount of ex playing backroom boys that they have there I am sure there is room for another one.


I am currently sitting here with some super orange 'gunk on my hair ( not hair dye) to make the little threads of silver that keep poking through my curls, look like little threads of copper in the Durham floodlights.......................................and in the blinking real world I will be sitting under the floodlights looking like Ronald McDonalds sister!!!!!
Hey ho!!!

also the heavens opened at about 5.45am this morning and we had a torrential downpour, the weather forecast is good for the rest of the day, but I have my brolly in the car as you can not be too careful!

Oh well time to go, places to be, people to see.........................

Bon Journee

Closer to the weekend

Oooohhhh yes I can almost smell the  sea air (hopefully).

However two more work days to go and you just know that these will be the slowest ever!!!.

Today I am continuing with the grim task of sorting out super swanky builds in Woking and Golders Green, neither of these are going to be easy or straight forward jobs and to be honest with only having 2.5 draughtsmen in the office  it is going to be a tough few weeks.Trill Boy does not count as a whole draughtsman due to his inability to

1. Sit at his desk for longer than 2 minutes without getting up walking around and disturbing other people.

2. Concentrate on the job in hand  and sing made up songs to the radio. His recurring favourite being 'I know a gadgie called Paul' which he sings to any tune.

3. Actually do the work assigned to him without moaning about it loudly, or having to ask others to help him with it.

4. Grasp the concept that work is work and not a place to answer your phone, call your 'other half', have an argument with your solicitor

Do any of the above seem familiar? I think that the first 4 will take you back to your school days, there was always a child in the class like that! Sadly that 'child' is now in my office!!!!

Anyhoooo back to important things like cricket.

Well it was all going on at Durham yesterday as they lost to Warwickshire ( that was the concise version!). yes those Brums flipping well took it down to the wire and pulled the rug from under Durhams feet!
Paul Collingwood was also in trouble with the ECB over his little outburst on Sunday.   Will he do it again, probably.

And then there was T20 on the box last night, Lancashire V Nottinghamshire. oh my giddy aunt!!!!!!! If that was not a nail biter I do not know what was!!!!!.

Notts were set a target of 137  and it all looked to be over. Wicket after wicket fell and
it took tiny captain James Taylor to win with a brilliant  4 hit off the last ball. Heart in mouth stuff!!!!!

No 'Big Lukey' who is still injured, but Jack Brooks was commentating on Sky...................work experience?

Oh well time to get the day started.

Its hump day!!!!

Oh la la it is Mercredi and  that means it is demi way through the semaine and I am tres glad!!!! oh and if you are wondering about the 'Franglais' it is a due to yesterday being 'La Fete Nationale' back home.

However back to all things Anglais , most especially cricket!!!.

Strange things were happening with Durham. They bowled Warks out for  198 and then went into bat. Well to be honest  I know I wasn't there watching but as it came through on the Twitter feed it looked as if Warks were playing skittles with the Durham boys. Even Captain Collywobble couldn't make more than 1 and it is to be hoped that  he left the field in a better temper than in the first innings!

They got them all out in 50.3 overs, and they scored  148.

Warwickshire went into bat and were  125-3 at close of play. they need to put on 140 today to win.
It's dry outside so anything could happen.

So last night as I settled down with my  'Bastille Day' dinner on my knee, well there was cricket on the box and one does not have a TV in the dining room!,  I was hopeful of My Tykey Vikings playing like they did on Friday evening.
And it looked like it as Plunkett  started the wicket taking, however they sort of ' Did a Durham' and went into a tail spin towards the end,as Worcestershire's Whiteley  started clocking up the runs and put on 91 before their innings was over.
They scored 191 at the end of their 20 overs.

So as  Lees and Gale went into bat, Jack ( Commando boy) Shantry  stepped up to the crease. he may have a strange bowling action but he sure as hell can bowl.
Lees went for   27, Rhodes on  43 and then Jonny Bairstow came in, and went back to the pavilion  having scored 4.he was a tad cross and took himself out of the dug out and into the privacy of the dressing room. As did Galey lad when he came off. The rest of the boys sat looking very glum!
That was the end really of the match, although new boy Gibson put up a valiant fight at the end, only to be seen off by Shantry.

Yorkshire lost by 74 runs.
This seems to have put an end to their hopes of winning any T20 silverware.
Do I care?
Well I care enough to know that the players would be upset.
I care enough to know that 'fans' would be rubbishing the boys on Twitter and other forms of social media ( unnecessary)
I care enough to know that supporting a club is taking the losses and putting them down to experience.
I care enough to know that my boys have bigger fish to fry this season!
I just care about my Tykes!!!


So today it is onwards towards the weekend and hoping that I can make Scarbados on Sunday to see my boys in action (again) against Worcestershire.

Oh yes I have to go to the office too, because contrary to what Joe Scuderi ( former Lancs bowler) thinks. I do sometimes go to work in the summer.

It's Tueday, nothing else to say really

Yes it is Tuesday and another day in Super Swanky ( boys are manky) Lady Lainey office. I was so busy doing 'stuff' yesterday that it was nearly home time before I spied this little beauty ( see pic).......................Oh my dog that is the Cricnic basket of my dreams, it is BEAUTIFUL and I loves it, however as the cricket boys are not quite trained they get food in plastic containers and mainly plastic cutlery! So I will continue to pack everything up in  'tupperware'.

I can but dream.

Now I know that I am not dreaming that there is cricket tonight and my Tykes are taking on  Worcestershire, oh yes it could be the night of Commando Boy! and if not then I will hop over to Scarbella on Sunday to see if CB is on duty,. So I will be racing home tonight as it all starts at 6pm. I have already organised dinner and woe betide anyone who rings me when the cricket is on. ( 10-1 odds on Kiki calling).

Yesterday was a day of peace and calm in Super Swanky Lady Lainey office, I was up to my eye balls in work and also took a call with the offer of a new job. Hmmmmm decision, decisions. Lots to think about on that one.

I am having a spot of bother with my nails which normally grow at a rate of knots, however they are not  doing this at the moment and worse still they are shorter than they have been in years. I am hoping that they have a little growth spurt soon. I feel sort of 'bare' without them.

Finally today is a 'biggy' in the chateau as it is Bastille Day, or ' La Fete Nationale' as we call it back home. Yes as well as  watching cricket tonight, my dinner will be very 'French' although please note no frogs or snails will have been added to the ingredients.I will not be partaking of any 'vin' as it is a school night.

Vive La France!!!!!


Oh well its that time again..................................best go and shout at boys, drink copious amounts of  Rooibos and look pretty for 7 hours.

Back to the working week.............

and it's going to be a busy one too. There is lots of work in Super Swanky Lady Lainey office to do and also lots to be done in Chateau de Champions too. So I am putting in place a work plan.................which will not be adhered to, but will make me feel like I am going to do something!.

Yesterday morning after having very little sleep, I managed to pull together the lunch and tea for cricket and Mr Funky the Chauffeur tipped in the big blue tank thing ( AKA The Funky Bus). Off we went to pick up Pauly Paul and Dynamo Dom.

Durham were taking on Warwickshire in the start of a 4 day County championship match. and we settled ourselves down for the events of the day. Dynamo was keeping us all entertained but was in his element when Jane came with an umbrella, to say that it kept him amused for 6 hours is an understatement!
We had a couple of rain showers and the sun was shining on and off, but all in all it was a warm day.

Durham posted a good score and were all out for 314. Stoneman and  Borthwick put on a good show but the inevitable 'Durham decline' happened as expected.

Captain Collywobble had a ginger tantrum when given out. Firstly not walking and then sulking all the way to the pavilion where he took his temper out on the dressing room door  and being very vocal. not the behaviour of a Captain and not the behaviour of someone passionate about the game.

Over in Derbyshire, Yorkshire were in T20 action  and it did not fair too well for them. they  were put into bat, with a new opening pair of Gale and Rashid, which did not last too long,
Luckily my banter with Glenn Maxwell on Friday evening seems to have done some kind of trick and he scored 45, with Jack Leaning making 37.
The put on 146 in their 20 overs.

Derbyshire managed to beat my boys in 18.5 overs.

However it was the outpouring of abuse to Captain Gale and I suspect most of the other lads that shocked me the most.
And as far as I am concerned there are bigger fish to fry this season.

And I have  some 'small fry' to deal with so best head off to the office!!!!

It's cricket Sunday

I was up and about very early this morning.....................and not because I wanted to be, more of that later.

Yesterday I came home from Leeds and detoured via the shops to pick up provisions for cricket today, then back to the chateau to open every window in the house and get washing out in the line.

I had the Ashes on and was trying to take in what was happening, but tiredness overcame me and I drifted off into the land of nod. I managed  to wake myself up  about an hour and a half later to find that England had won the first test and Little Joey Root had got man of the match. Ahhhh his smile said it all!

Of course every hack in England now have England down to lift the Urn, but it is early days and  we all know what the Australians are like. My theory is that they are lulling England into a false sense of security. I am hoping that I am wrong!


Yesterday also saw Middx CCC start their match against Somerset at Merchant Taylors School. Yes El Presidenti and First Lady will have nearly been sitting in their old garden, and I was loving the pictures that were coming through.

Anyone who has been to my house will recognise the view above from the painting in my sitting room!

Hoping that Middx CCC do well on The presidents old stomping ground although with Morgan going for a duck it wasn't looking good. Middx were  283 all out in their first innings.

So at about 9pm last night tiredness took hold again and I headed off to bed, falling into a very deep sleep the minute my curls touched to pillow.....................only to be rudely awakened at just after 2am by my neighbours having a  'domestic' outside their house with their children watching and listening. This continued on and off until after 4am when the Police came and escorted the wife away from the house after the husband  locked her out.

I notice that their car is a little the worse for her throwing stones at it ( about 3am).  And their plants on the side of the house are now strewn all over the path ( about 3.30am).

Oh well weekend in the life of Lady Lainey!!!!

So off to Durham today to watch them start a four day game against Warwickshire.

 I will probably be asleep before lunch!

What an evening!

Oh what an evening..having said that,  what a flipping morning, just spent an hour doing my blog and posted it only to find that for some reason it had deleted itself!!!!!

So here is yesterday in a nutshell.

Left the Chateau and hurtled down the A1 to best hotel in the world ( Headingley Lodge), I even got a 'Welcome home' tweet from Yorkshire CCC which made my afternoon.

I had a little nap and then watched the children taking part out on the pitch inthe Drax Cup. Great to see so many little people playing.

Then the Gosneys arrived and we had a spot of dinner, Sam and I swilling Prosecco and Simon on the Rioja.

We were enjoying watching the teams warm up, Sam remarked what amazing eye sight I had, hey I can spot some derrieres at 5 miles!!!

We were onto cheese and biscuits  as our Yorky boys came out on the field and as the wickets tumbled Sam and I were getting very vocal.

We were loving Vinny the Viking who was BRILLIANT, he had some moves!!!!!

At the  end of Durhams innings they had made 191.

The start of the Yorkshire innings saw Finch and Gale going into bat and  we were all cheering and screaming our heads off. However John Hastings made short work of Finch and Galey didn't last much longer.

By the time Jonny Bairstow came into bat we were  back to full voice and did that boy do us proud. Falling short of his century but showing what a brilliant player he is.

It was Lees and Bresnan that finished the game off in 18.5 overs and meant the uncorking of the Bordeaux.

We then realised that the players were signing autographs so Sam and I dragged Simon down so that we could see the boys.

I did my best 'Del Boy' by falling through a gate onto the field after a stweard had not closed it properly.

We got to talk to Galey and then as Glenn Maxwell was approaching I drop my room key onto the field, I leaned over to try to retrieve it,but Glenn said he would get it for me. He then asked me if this was my usual ploy to giveout my room number!!!!!!  Well I never!!!! I went a little pink......and said yes hahahahaha.

We even got to speak to the hero of the hour when Jonny came over and chatted, signing autographs and then took charge of the Lady Lainey phone to take a selfie.

Top boy!!!

And today???

Well I am off for a  quick jog up  Headingley High Street and then back home to the Chateau  to do washing and prepare food for the mob for tomorrow. I am off to Chester le Street................but I know where I would rather be.

And when will the 'Tyke Trio' be meeting up again......................ASAP!!!!

It's a special F(ryan)day

Hurrah!!!! Yipppoooo!!! Jolly good show and all that jazz, it is F(ryan)day and that is just not any old F(ryan)day either.

Today I am not going into Super Swanky Lady Lainey office because I am going to Headingley....................I am going to watch T20 cricket and also meet up with great friends Simon and Samantha. We are going to be having a bit of a pre match party and it should be super fun. Then we are going to watch besty home team in the whole flipping world take on former besty home team of Durham.
Will I be sitting on the fence!!!! Will I chuffers!!!!!! I will be cheering my little heart out for my Tykey Vikings.
 There I said it,it is in print and I don't care.

Now back to yesterday!

Way back at the start of the blog you may remember ( if you read it then) that there was someone lurking on the 'outskirts' of my life called 'Would like to be Lord Lainey'. Well he is no longer in the 'inner circle' however he has been spotted mooching about at cricket. However yesterday as I sat at the traffic lights on my way to work, merrily singing along to Motorhead ( as you do). he only flew past me in his car.

Well this man had always been way to precious about his cars ( except when he was drink driving in one!!!). he totally believed that people ( ie woman) perceived him by the car that he drove.
Well yesterday I think that he finally got it right. the car that he was driving was big, cumbersome and very ugly. He finally hit the nail on the head ( except for when he had the red car as it matched his face)

Oh it is way too early to be so cruel...........................not!!!!!

Also yesterday there was the matter of the Ashes.
England played on and were all out for 430.
Australia took to the crease and were  264-5 overnight.
Captain Cook took a ball in the nether regions and collapsed on the field. I think that the picture of Joe Root with one hand on Cooks back and the other hand over his mouth stifling a smile will be as iconic as the one of Fatty Flintoff and Brett Lee.

Rightio its time to tune out, as I have curls to twirl, bags to pack and then I am on the road to Leeds.

oh yes nearly forgot  Jack Shantry ( commando boy) did really good yesterday and helped Worcestershire to a win with figures of 5-51. well done you little monkey!!!


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

1100

1100

After  celebrating three years of blogging last week, I am this week celebrating my 1100th blog.

I for one cannot believe that I have been scribbling my garbage for 1100 days ( give or take). It really is a mystery to  me as to how I have done it and more to the point how many people read it!!!!

 However 1100 blogs or not there was lots going on yesterday.

Firstly it was the first day of the first test of the Ashes. there were some seriously over excited people on Twitter ( which did not include me). And The 'opening ceremony' was just too much. The Welsh, Australian and Our National Anthem!!!!
They were delayed 15 minutes because of rain, however England went into bat. Losing 3 before I had chance to have 2 coffee's.
I have said before in here about 'the man with no lips' but seriously why is he in the team, he has scored about 58 runs in 29 innings!!!! ( well sort of) and he faired no better yesterday.
However as you know, no one man is a team, but Little Joey Root came very close yesterday with  a storming innings of 134 which sort out helped England out of the poo.
Ballance also played well and then Stokes came in. to me he is a bit of a one trick pony, he comes in and slogs the ball and is either out cheaply or manages a quick fire 50. #mythoughtsonly

Anyhoo end of day 1 England were 343-7

AND OVER AT EDGBASTON..................it was all flipping well going off!!!!. His Royal Ryanness was on fire and took 3 million wickets. OK!!!!! he took 11 wickets over the match with bowling figures of 11-76. Not bad for a 37 year old with a hamstring problem.

I am not being biased ( yes I am) when I say that he is the best bowler I have seen in a long time ( and I have seen a lot). He has bounced back from injury in the early part of the season and  I am his biggest fan! ( how many other 6ft 3in Lady's are there around the cricket circuit?).

However more importantly he contributes to the team ( I just wish he would 'contribute' like that when I am watching).
Yorkshire wrapped up the match winning by 174 runs and more importantly taking away 20 points.

I love my Tykes!!

Now I am gearing up for Day 2 at the Ashes and also need to get myself into some sort of Lady Like order as I am off to Headingley tomorrow.  Had I told you that? Did you know?

Oohhh and I have been invited to swanky dinner at Scarbella the night before the Yorksv Durham  match..............................am I going? not sure I can make it from work, get changed , put on slap, twirl curls in time, so possibly not!

It's the hump of the week

Its Wednesday and that means that it is closer to me hurtling down the A1  to watch T20 cricket.
I am so super excited that I am  spinning round in my chair here in the home office like a whirling dervish......................................oh that had better stop as I am now feeling a tad sick and I don't want my shredded wheat to reappear!!!.

So I will adjust my tiara and get on with typing.

Today is also the start of the Ashes. Now the hype and build up  to this is like that of a big boxing title fights...........................wooooooo hold on a mo, maybe that's what we should do, get the boys stripped down and have a 'weigh in', whilst they are sledging each other and if they televised this it would get more viewers than Emmerdale and Eastenders.

I guess that it would be mainly woman ( not sure men want to see Joe Root in his 'skimpies' actually not sure I want to see any of the England team in their skimpies ) but it would be something different.

Maybe I should contact Sky and see if they can introduce this to the 'Yorkshire CCC' programme to see how it goes down, although if you remember a couple of years ago at the start of the season we had something similar when 'knickergate' occurred!!!!
yes, not one of the office boys have ever forgotten Lady Lainey in a swoon after logging onto Yorks CCC website and being greeted by a picture of the players in the dressing room and His Royal Ryanness in the corner in his purple pants!!!!!!

I made this picture as small as I could for fear of coming over all unnecessary !!!!.

Anyhoooooo I digress, and am off into my own little world so best to get back to the blog in hand!!!

So today sees the start of the Ashes, however yesterday saw my Tykes in and out of the pavilion at Edgbaston like they were on elastic. Out to play..................rain.................out to play.................rain. well eventually the rain abated meaning that my Tykes could get on with batting.

Aaron Finch the tiny Aussie hit an unbeaten 73 before Yorkshire declared on 289-7.this meant that Warwickshire have to get 10000000trillion runs to win.

And after His Royal Ryanness took another wicket before the close of play, I am hoping that today they will clear the deck.

The Ashes.......................well I can not really summon up any excitement, but that is  because I am going 'home' on Friday to watch T20 cricket  and I am REALLY looking forward to that.

Oh well what I am not looking forward to is going to Super Swanky Lady Lainey office and possibly doing some.........*big gulp*  WORK!!!!!!!

Those boys had better have my coffee waiting for me or there will be BIG trouble ( in little Darlo)

See you tomorrow





Back to important things

Holy macaroni, all this partying avec mon  soeur has  knocked me all out of cricket kilter!

My Tykes had begun county championship action on Sunday and  I was so distracted with seeing  a naked airman that I fair forgot to check the flipping scores!!!!
 And when I did yesterday, I found that his Royal Ryanness had only gone and taken 2 more wickets for his FC haul. And not only that his bowling averages  for Sunday was 2-3 with 2 maiden overs. That boy is GOOD!!!!!!!

I need to get myself back in to cricket action asap!!!!!

so I spent a great deal of yesterday checking out what was happening at Edgbaston.........................well let me tell you I think that seeing HRR taking 6-34 would actually trump naked fit airman...............yes really!!!!!
and that is what HRR did he took 6-34 off 12 overs which included  6 maidens.

And he was not alone in the serious bowling attack, Jacky Brooke was outstanding taking 3-14 off 11 overs.

I was sitting in super swanky Lady Lainey office watching it all unfold on Twitter and couldn't believe what was happening in Brum!!!!

Having bowled them out for 69, Yorkshire went into their second innings and closed on  125-1

Its all to play for.

They are showing some champion form!!!!

Super swanky Lady Lainey office was quite empty yesterday as boys threw in 'holiday's '. It wasn't of any worry to me as it meant that I had less shouting to do and  could get some work done, although with the cricket on Twitter it was quite difficult to concentrate.

Today I need to get quite a lot of jobs done, so I am going to be wearing my super boss tiara toady.
And then this evening I have lots to sort out, as after having a chat with Dame Didi over the weekend I have decided to off load some furniture  and  try to minimise my home. ( because that is really going to happen).


Rightio off I go, might as well get in there early.
I will get some peace and quiet and be able to enjoy my coffee without 'boy' talk.

What a weekend

The weekend was spent in Oxford (shire) with the Dame, Oh dear you know that when we are together it spells trouble.

I knew it was going to go down hill as rapidly as the Ice Cold Guninness started to go down.

So in a nut shell.

1. Drank a lot
2. broke the shower
3. drank some more
4. Had Mountgay rum
5.Met some strange locals
6. Passed out whilst watching Patriot Games

So woke up yesterday morning just after 5.30am and made coffee for The Dame and I.

We had breakfast with a wonderful American academic who was doing research at The Bodlean Library and was really a wonderful man and great fun to boot.He was fascinated with the English and their preoccupation with weather. Holy moly he should meet Kiki, Tzarina Katerina, she could bore him to oblivion and back about the weather.
Mainly because it means that if she mentions weather SOMEONE will speak to her.


Then we set off to the Memorial Service which was the reason for the wild weekend away.

Arriving at the tiny church in Toot Baldon we noticed that instead of the tiny trickle of people as in previous years, there were soooo many people milling around..

We went into church and met Ed who is one of the children  of an airman and was born after the crash.
We squeezed into a pew and the Dame started talking to an ex RAF parachute instructor who was originally from the icy wastes of the  North.

The service was not one of the best we have been to and seeing as it was marking 50 years I would have thought it would have been  of better quality.

We exited the church in time to see a Hercules C130 ( short modal) flying over in respect of the airmen. Tears were welling up in my eyes I can tell you.

The RAF Falcons parachute team were at 2pm doing a jump, however they were as we were in Church doing the same jump over the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

We headed to the community centre for lunch. Having had something to munch Didi and I headed out to go out to the village green and meet Simon and his wife and children. Simon being another child born after his father was killed.

I went to get into the car and turned to glance into the open door of the minibus parked up beside us.....................................OK only I could come face to face with one of the parachute instructors, who had been having lunch resplendent in his RAF uniform, naked !!!!
Yes he was getting changed in the minibus with the door open.
I think I glanced momentarily, although I can tell  you he had well developed muscles in his arms, chest, abs and thighs. he also had a tribal tattoo on his arm and chest and he was over 6ft with blonde hair,see I only had a quick glance!!!!  Honestly!!!

This caused much hilarity with the other instructors who were polishing shoes and sitting around doing nothing.

It is something that I will remember to my dying day.
then we drove home and I went to bed....................well the day was rather uneventful after that!

Abingdons terrible air crash 50 years on

6th July 1965

http://www.aaahs.org.uk/crash1965.html

Today is a tale from the boundary of my family, The Robinsons and the families of the 41men killed in what was described as the worst RAF peacetime plane crash.

My uncle  M/AQM Joseph W Robinson was one of the men killed.

Every year on  the nearest Sunday to the date of the crash a service is held at the tiny church of St Lawrence  in Toot Baldon Oxfordshire. The church looks out over the field where the plane came down.

Today  my sister  Didi  and I  will once again  attend the memorial service
This year marking 50 years.

At the rising of the sun and at its going down,

We remember them.

So it's Oxford

Well its a wild weekend away for the former Wilkinson girls. Yes we are living it up and letting our hair down ( although neither of us have as much as we did last time we were in Oxford.). It is a dead cert that the weekend will not go by in an  uneventful manner

 My Tykey Vikings  were in action against arch rivels Lancashire, over at the other side........no not that other side. I had my besty Tyke tiara on to be supporting them and Pink Hippo was looking very dapper in his Yorkshire jumper, even the Dame Didi Daimler was sporting a 'Yorky Dangler; so we were all set.

well we might have been ready but my Tykes weren't. They are not doing too grand in the T20 series and as you know I do not believe that one man is a team, but with His Royal Ryanness bowing out of short form cricket I think that we are sadly lacking.

They went  onto lose by 29 runs but with the win that they had this week, I can forgive them that.

I havent really checked the other scores but have seen the headlines that Brendon Macullum set some T20 record last night with an amazing knock of  158. Flipping heck.

Now it is grey and over cast after another storm of biblical proportion, just waitng for the plague of locusts!!

I do think though that it is time to get a wriggle on.

Oohh yes I finally got to see Sir Sean of Bean talking about Waterloo in a documentary, If you didn't see this try to get it on catch up it was brilliant, And I got to see the  future 'Lord Lainey' talking very passionately about a period of history that he knew quite a lot about ( he was in the Battle of Waterloo you  know)!!!!!

Oh well off to do 'stuff'

Busy busy

 

It's the best F(ryan)day today

Yippooooooooo it is F(ryan)day and I am off straight from work to sort out the Dame ready for heading off to Oxford for a fun  packed weekend  ( and a bit of sober family business). Dread to think what will happen in the normally quiet countryside of Oxfordshire this time!!!

Things were going OK in Super swanky Lady Lainey office yesterday  apart from the extreme heat ( we have everything in extremes, cold, heat, swearing, the only thing that is not happening in extremes is drawing!). I sorted out the Kiki car ready for her return from cruising in the Baltic and then settled myself down to a bit of T20 cricket. a blissful eveningin the chateau you would think and then......

recently in my life I have made a some changes, these are to benefit me and also to make my life a little easier. However after having ( I thought) removed a toxic friend from my life she has been rearing her head in any way shape or form that she can.
After her little written rant at me yesterday I am happy to say that I for one feel so much better that she has got it all off her chest. It makes me realise what a lovely life I have ( it may not appear that way all the time), as someone is very envious of the way that I live it!.

Yesterday was also the 3 rd birthday of Tales from the Boundary,  and look how far this blog has come.

Tonight my Tykey Vikings are in action in Manchester against arch rivals Lancashire. As you know I am less bothered about my boys in T20 as I think that they need to concentrate on the county championship, but tonight..................... well go and flipping well stuff those Lancashire boys!

Meanwhile Former besty home county of Durhams's Ben Stokes has been telling the press that Australia are not an 'invincible force'. Well that's kiss of death to the England Ashes chances!!!!................

I have preset record for the T20 match tonight as I don't want to miss seeing my boys in action and also recorded Sundays clash between Worcester and Durham. this is purely for the purpose of watching Jack Shantry's strange bowling action........................................

And now I am off to throw my smalls in a bag and get myself in the shower and out the door in the shortest time possible, ooohhhhhh and I have to go and get petrol too!!!!

its all go for me this morning. and for the rest of the weekend it seems.

It is Tales from the Boundary's 3rd birthday today!!!

It is the 3rd birthday today of 'Tales from the Boundary'.

Yes indeedy and what a lot has happened in those 3 years.

I started this blog just as a couple of 'musings' and 3 years later it is now a daily ritual for me!

When I read back over the first weeks blogs I realised how much has changed in 3 years ( and for the best too).

Some 'characters' are no longer around ( 'would like to be Lord Lainey' for one, although he does still get spotted lurking around at cricket).

I had to move from LT Towers  into LT Towers II, which has had numerous name changes  in 3 years too. (   LT Towers II,Tykes Towers and now Chateau de Champions).

I have been quite poorly with a dreadful 'lurgy' on and off for the last 3 years and I intend to beat it into submission.

As a family we have had very sad times, but also lots of fun times.....................mostly involving Dame Didi and I, wine, Chateau de Champions, Chateau Saltburn or Chateau Didi Deux in France.
Although to be honest where ever we go there appears to be mayhem and merriment.

Over all just about everything in my life  personal and cricket, seems to have been documented. Sad, funny and down right hilarious ( who can forget the drunken  commando style crawling to spy on French neighbours only to see naked man in the shower!!!!)

I hope that I continue to write my blog for another 3 years...............................although I don't think that His Royal Ryanness will be featuring in it as a bowler by then.

I hope that all readers have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed punching keys at stupid o' clock every morning!!!

To the next three years!!!!!!

What to say today!

As if  I would be speechless today.............................................especially  after my amazing Tykes pulled off one blinding win against former besty home county of Durham.

I am gutted that I couldn't be there to see the conclusion of the match  especially after having seen the majority of it, however the important thing is that the Tykes won and now go top.
Even his Royal Ryanness took a couple of wickets yesterday morning. which is topping up his FC wicket haul nicely.
Wonderful news about Adil Rashid being picked for the Ashes squad, he was told by Gillespie the Gallant as he came off the field at Chester Le Street.

I have to say that at the beginning of the season for all I have great faith in my boys, I still worried about the amount of them on England duty and then losing HRR!!! Well they were 7 men short.

However the 'Big Man' is back and  although they still have players on England duty they have  done brilliantly, brought in some of the 'young guns' that they have lurking in the lower ranks  and shown that they really are a team to be proud of.

However lets not make this all about Yorkshire..............................

oh hell lets!!!! YORKSHIRE, YORKSHIRE, YORKSHIRE.

Durham should be very proud of Mark Stoneman who dug in and scored  brilliantly until he was bowled by His Royal Ryanness. Then it all seemed to go a little bandy.

I got one junction up the A1 before I turned round and came back to the office, It was all over before lunch.

And what next.....................

Well keep the momentum going!

Over at Notts a full game on there, after they hit 366 in their second innings against Worcestershire.
Jack Shantry took 5-48 and was also being eyed up by the ladies as they were trying to ascertain if the rumours about his bowling attire was true!

Good and bad news for Notts fans, 'Big Luke' came out to bat and hit 7 before Shantry bowled him. he now looks to be out for several weeks though with a hamstring injury. Which means that I will not get the chance to see the 'big unit' at the T20 match.

After soaring temperatures here in the North of Blight ( anything over -3 is deemed tropical here) we had a mahoooosive storm yesterday afternoon. Thunder, fork lightening and torrential rain ( good for the garden).

It dried very quickly and then later in the evening it threatened again, but was only thunder rumblings.
I was woken up during the night with very loud noises, I sleepily listened but heard no rain so went back to sleep. This morning all the paths at the front of the Chateau are wet, however the paths in the extensive grounds at the rear are all bone dry......................tres odd if you ask me!

Well time and tide wait for no Lady so I am off to the office to hopefully keep cool and get a couple of hours sleep!