Maybe things will get back to normal now .......

Today is going to be the very last day before I go back to work.

The saga of the elbow still goes on, to some extent, but I will cover that later. But, as I type this I have already seen the Hospital Consultant (Tuesday to be precise), the GP (less than an hour ago) and also the Boss (yesterday).

Bar the visit to the Physio this afternoon, I'm back at work tomorrow.

How do I feel?

Do you know - I don't really know.

I'm bored at home. There is only some much you can do, and then guard your arm. There are only so many episodes of City Hospital you can put up with.But going back to proper work?

I shouldn't feel nervous, but, to some extent, I do.

Not frightened, nervous.

---

The elbow saga continued ....

As I mentioned above, the saga (if saga is really the right description) goes on. The Consultants' House Office took this particular Clinic. He checked the operation and wound site. Move the limb. Flexed the elbow. Asked the questions.

He checked and then advised.

All was now well and the operation had been completed successfully.

I did find out, however, that the discomfort may well carry on for a few months yet. Everything has to settle back to something like normality, so the Doctor did confirm what I already suspected. The elbow will ache and "twinge" for a wee while yet.

The discomfort level will diminish over time - but we will have to see. 

---

 UPDATE - Smudger strikes again - he "saves" his draft text, thinking of coming back and completing it the same day, to find that he finishes his missive several days later (this is being finished off on Sunday Morning).

Well just a couple of quick observations:

1. It's an odd feeling going back to work - with one thing and another, it's been nearly two months since I've actually done any real work. And I felt so lost. It was almost like being on my very first day.
2. It looks like the Archery club is on the move. We have been looking for a new location for some time now, and it looks like we may well have now found it. But I will let you all know when I know something more substantial.
3. and, possibly the strangest thing of all - if I look out of our kitchen window, into the back garden, you can see at least six or eight Paper Airplanes. Where have they come from?     

Ferret in reverse - Yahoo! Video

Ferret in reverse - Yahoo! Video

An Elbow update ......

Posting Update : - this entry has (or would it be accurate to would have ???) taken  two days to complete. As I type the final section, and this note,  as I look to the left, and out of our main front room window, and then to the right, with our TV showing the Chinese Grand Prix, it would seem that it is going to be a rainy day - - - Sigh

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted anything, so I thought it would be a good idea to give everyone a bit of an update.

It's now just over two weeks since they operated on the "issues" on my elbow.

The first surprise was the lack of surprises.

Please let me explain.

Tuesday , last, was my first chance to see, physically, what the operation had actually done to me. So, in the middle of Tuesday Morning, we (that is I and Cathy) sat waiting to see the Doctor for my two week check up.

The first thing I have to say is that I really didn't know what to expect to find under the wrappings and bandages that had covered the site of the operation. Would I find a bloody, mangled mess.

Or, would I find nothing.

As with most things, your own mind then starts to invent various scenarios, usually of the worse kind.

Anyway, firstly the nurse called us down to the Consulting Room, and the then explained that she would remove the dressings, followed by a check and then a removal of the stitches. To say that I was beginning to get slightly nervous would be a bit of an understatement.

Nervous - yes. Frightened? - un-usually No.

Anyway, the removal of the dressing began. I have to admit, I was expecting at least a small sign of some bleeding, some sign of trauma. But, what became obvious as the covers retreated was that things had gone a lot better than most people had expected. There, below all those coverings was a wound approximately 2 or 3 cm's long (around an inch in "old" money), held together with six stitches. Both the Nurse carrying out the action, and my wife, both declared their appreciation of a neat, tidy, clean job. They were also both pleased that there were no obvious signs of excessive bleeding, infection, or any of the other possible side effects.

Even the stitches came out without complaint (and I have had stitches out before - and they caught and tugged on their removal)

The Doctor then came in - had a quick look, smiled, and then sent me on my way, inclusive of the "Make another appointment for six weeks, and take this down the Physiotherapy" (who we are still waiting for !!). I have to say, I left that room feeling the previous few minutes had been somewhat of an anti-climax.

Cathy soon changed that feeling. As we walked she began to explain to the dummer part of my brain that the appointment was really the end of the beginning, not the beginning of the end. And how right she turned out to be. With the bandage/dressing now off, the support that this device was given had now gone. Although the past few days have been "uncomfortable" , it is a different type of discomfort from that I experienced before the operation. The pain, the discomfort is fairly difficult for me to explain. When I move my arm, at the moment, the muscles etc around my elbow feel a bit like things are "pulling", catching. I know that this is just because of the trauma suffered by the surrounding devices - and that these will work "loose" as I begin to use my arm more and more.

But I still get caught out. Human instinct came to the fore. Yesterday, a carton of grapes fell out of the fridge. Automatically, as most people would, I reached out to try and catch it.

Guess what?

Your right , I 'm right handed. Instinctively I reached out to catch the falling object - bad move. I can still feel the discomfort now, nearly 24 hours later.

As you can see - I use the term "discomfort" as opposed to pain. Because I feel that this term is the more descriptive, most accurate, most appropriate. It isn't really out an out pain. But, most certainly at times, uncomfortable.

 

---

Just a quick aside.

 

As many of you will know - I do like to take a few photo's. And,as part of that hobby, I have just coughed up the appropriate amount of cash, and updated my version of Photoshop elements (I'm certainly no where near rich enough to by Photoshop CS2).

After the same interface and layout for the last two versions (pretty much), the new version has a darker, more "childlike" interface this time round - the link icons are bolder and more colorful, and I'm not sure that I particularly like it. What I do like is the way it works - short of a few of the main menu links having moved.

All that said - I only downloaded it yesterday so we will have to give it a decent amount of use before we can say if this version is any better than its previous incarnations.

Well it's happened at last ....

here I am, typing with the fingers on my left hand.

 

At long last, Tuesday turned out to be the day I had been waiting for for the best part of two years. I finally received the operation to "repair" my right elbow.

 

Hopefully no more pain, no  more loss of feeling in my fingers.

 

I think I surprised my self. After the shock of finding out how high my blood pressure was, and then the description of the procedure its self, I arrived at Scunthorpe General, dropped off the car keys to Cathy on her Ward (she is just a few weeks into a new assignment), and calmly walked a further few hundred yards to the destination for my op.

I booked in, settled down into the chair in the corner of my room, and waited my turn (I was to be 1st call after lunch). They took my blood pressure - several times. There were visits from the Consultant (with several students in tow), the Nurses (of course), the Anesthetist and a man with a broad black marker.

A nice fella by the name of Stuart (part of the operating team) came down to take me up to the Theatre. There was a pleasant few minute conversation as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

I was home later that night - right elbow wrapped in a substantial bandage. Although the elbow was (and still is) very sore, things weren't quite as uncomfortable as my mind had expected.

So here I am, typing left handed - with my right arm supported, for the time being, by a pillow - even as I sit here at the computer desk.

I am sore - I'm sure some of the discomfort may well be in the mind, the stitches make themselves known from time to time.

 

Will update further as best I can.

Google's Coke Habit: Exclusive photos of Pepsi-less Googleplex fridges for Coke visit - Valleywag

Google's Coke Habit: Exclusive photos of Pepsi-less Googleplex fridges for Coke visit - Valleywag

Have just seen this on the internet - it did make me smile

IntelliAdmin.com: Why windows takes so long to start up.

IntelliAdmin.com: Why windows takes so long to start up.

Here we go again

hi Guys

I hope everyone is OK

As most people who have ever read any of my missives will know, there are certain commonalities to some of my entries.

1. My Family
2. My Arm/Elbow
3. My Photo's
4. My Sketching/Watercolour
5. My fascination with things computer based and new

The family, and the elbow, are pretty much as they are always were.

 

---

Laura's Archery career is,seemingly, progressing nicely. She continues to grow in confidence ( the number of collected medals and trophies certainly grows form week to week). Tomorrow (Sunday 20th Aug) is going to be a Girls day out - Laura is taking her Mum with her on a competition for once. Cathy has always been a wary of going, as she contends that she doesn't have any of the necessary skills to help Laura out if any of the archery gear fails - and I have? There are always plenty of nice, kind people at these events - they should both be OK.

 

---

The main reason for this posting is due to the interface that is being used to actually post it (least ways if you are looking at Dave ramblings, That's Life, or Smudgersworld - as these are the only weblogs I have so far had time to setup ).

And that brings us back to Missive fascination number 5 - things Computer based and new.

For the blogs listed above this whole thing has been posted using a program called Windows Live Writer (Beta). Depending on your point of view, this could be seen as:

1. At long last - Microsoft have finally supplied what the Computer Community wants from their favourite services supplier
2. Yee Gods - can't Microsoft not leave alone - yet another aspect of the computing experience that they have to interfere with

Its actually surprised me that Microsoft, through their "late to market" , Spaces weblog system, have actually taken so long to develop (or buy !!!)a weblog client.

To be honest - compared to other programs (i.e Blogjet ) it is basic. I haven't been able to find out if you can publish to multiple blogs (as BlogJet can), and, of course, the easiest type of blog to setup is the Microsoft Live Spaces Weblog. That shouldn't be a surprise I suppose.

Of the other weblogs I use? I guess I shall still use BlogJet for most of them, maybe wBlogger (but their website seems to have "gone off air"), and then i shall still have to log on to Xanga, instead to having all the hard work done for me. 

Sorry I've been away ....

Hi everyone - It's me again.

I hadn't realised how long it's actually been since I last posted anything online - although I have been keeping track of some of those bloggers that I particularly like.

I've (or should I say WE) have been carrying on with life and, as usual, haven't had that much time to worry about (if that's the right way to put it) "putting Pen to Paper" .

Work, Family life - whatever!

The last few weeks have been full of the "normal" things to do. We have had work and School. We have had shopping, household accounts - the whole kit and caboodle.

The British pre-occupation with the weather has been given full fill in the last few weeks. What should now be the build up to the warmth of summer, has been replaced by Rain, Rain, Rain. Even as I type this in the early morning sun light of a Spring Bank holiday Monday Morning - the sun maybe be out (for now!!!) but it's cold for this time of year. I have just taken Cathy to work - and I don't remember being this cold, at this time of year, for a very long time.

I have been under supervision of the Doctor for the previously reported Hypertension issues (and I still haven't heard from the local hospital when my replacement appointment will be?).

What I have had in the last few weeks that you could class as "not in the normal run of things" are:

1. Laura's continuing Archery development
   
2. Website development - or rather my website development
   
3. Microsoft Office
   
4. Washing Machines

Now we will start with the good things first.

1: Laura's Archery

As you can see from the image on the left, Laura is going from strength to strength - finishing her last competition with six arrows fired, and six arrows in the gold of the target. To top all that off it has now been confirmed by the local county authorities that she is the proud owner of three county records - pretty good eh!

2: SmudgersWorld

SmudgersWorld is again being "fiddled" with. Although the main site needs some updating, I have been trying to create a hobby site for our development in Archery. I have been to have a look at a few other sites to see how fellow archers have structured their personal homage to their favourite hobby. I have also considered several alternative website concepts and systems to build this particular function with. What have I decided? After a short "consultation" period - that is to say I tried a few different methods before deciding that I would give the Content management System available via the Drupal Site. It is a little more complicated than I'm used to - but I suspect that that is just because it is a system I have to get used to. If you are interested in seeing how we get on please feel free to have a look at SmudgersWorld Archery Page. Please be a little patient with me though. The site is in the "under construction" phase and, subject to having the old elbow done, the whole thing may take a wee while to evolve as I also have a couple of hundred family images to sort out at the same time.

3: Microsoft Office

I have been struggling with my copy of Office for several weeks now.

Initially I have Office 2003 loaded on the computer, but I have been unable to update with the latest patches for some weeks now I keep getting an "error 1402" warning.

Having trawled the internet, The Microsoft main site and, seemingly, hundreds of forum groups and newsgroups'. Having tried this and that, as suggested - all went without success. Yesterday, following an "invite" I downloaded the public beta of Office 2007 (which I'm using to type this - but more of that later). It was a good job too. I went to use Office yesterday to find that the stupid thing had failed altogether. I'm sure, from what has already been said, you can possibly work out what happened next (eventually). I spent nearly two hours trying to get the original to work, using the downloaded beta as the last option (I'm a great believer that you shouldn't upgrade software before you fixed the first set). As you can see from the image on the left, the install of the beta seems to have been more effective than trying to re-install the original.

There are, however, two provisos:

1: What happens when the beta phase finishes?

2: Some of the functions on the beta don't seem to work to well - the blog page function being one of them! I can type and type, but I still have to post this "by other means". Maybe I need some more research.

4: Washing Machines Just as a means to end the "report" I'll make a quick comment on Washing Machines. Why do they not last very long anymore? We have had just had to buy a new Machine after our, not very old, one has finally failed - again. For once, the extended warranty was worth the money, but, even though an extension of that warranty was offered, we decided the cost would be better put towards a new machine. So there quickly followed a hasty visit to the local White Goods Supplier (Currys) and, after a short delivery delay, we now have a shiny new washing machine sitting under the counter top. And even I can use it -

TechEBlog » (Video) Escher’s Waterfall

TechEBlog » (Video) Escher’s Waterfall

I do like optical illusions - and this is the modern version of one of the best

What a week !!!!

Hi All - hope everyone is OK?

It has been one of “those weeks” this week.

For any of those of you who are interested in a "wide" range of information, gained via the Internet, maybe interested in trying a visit to digg.com (some stories I found interesting can be found below) But back to the story of my week so far ............

As many of those of you who per-us my missives will already know that I have become somewhat a martyr to my elbow. Well, this week was to be the pre-assessment visit to the local hospital.

As far as I was concerned, this was a formality. We (I) were only going to a short time from having this “inconvenient” elbow pain sorted out.

It was going to be a paperwork exercise.

Your name? Your Age?. Have you had ……?.

I think you can possibly work out what's coming. It was, of course , anything but that.

The whole interview actually started that way – confirmation of all those personal details that all institutions like to take, name, age, address …….

But then …..

“Just roll your sleeve up please – so I can take your blood pressure” – a comment that must be made in the NHS thousands of times a day. The reply and reaction, however, was NOT what I expected. The following 10 minutes turned into one of the most upsetting and frightening (maybe this is too expressive a word – but it will do) that I have endured for a long time.

Far – does to the Nurse, she took my blood pressure several times, and with both electronic, and the old fashioned Mercury Measure and hand pump – but either way, nothing could be changed.

“It’s nothing to worry about – but I’m afraid your blood pressures a little bit high, so we will have to postpone the operation until it can be stabilised”

Not a problem, I thought, its only a little bit high because of worry/nervousness at coming for the appointment – and i said this to the Nurse

I wished I hadn’t. The Nurse then explained the figures (and my “Nurse” type beloved also confirmed what the figures meant). I could have been in very serious trouble if things hadn’t been found out NOW. My blood pressure wasn’t just slightly high. It was very high. So high, in fact, that it was recommended that I take a trip to the Local GP’s ASAP. Even when I got there, a couple of hours later, things hadn’t calmed down any – it was still very high (not surprisingly, I suppose).

I have included a short section of the information about Hyper-tension as a way of indicating how high my reading was: (a link to the full description of Hyper-tension click here, or follow the definition link below)

What's classed as high?

There is a natural tendency for blood pressure to rise with age due to the reduced elasticity of the arterial system. Age is therefore one of the factors that needs to be taken into account in deciding whether a person's blood pressure is too high.

In general terms, people with a systolic blood pressure consistently above 160mmHg and/or a diastolic pressure over 100mmHg need treatment to lower their blood pressure.

People with slightly lower blood pressures (140-159mmHg systolic or 90-99mmHg diastolic) may also need treatment if they have a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, eg stroke or angina (chest pains).

My average reading over five attempts was 200 over 135 – scary or what?

It was spelt out to me, in no uncertain terms. The possible causes, and potential consequences, the list seemed to be,some how, endless; although I know it was fairly short.

Head pain (greater than I have known with Migraines) – Strokes – Heart Damage – Angina – condition after condition, or so it seemed.

Hyper-tension ( definition )– as the whole thing has been termed, is not uncommon. Many people have the condition. Many people deal with it daily, and, with medication, have few issues and get on with their daily lives.

But,I have to be honest, it has scared the hell out of me. Cathys’ father had the condition. My dad had the condition – and it didn’t do any great favours for either of them.

Even though a follow up visit yesterday to the GP’s showed that the medication (and was I much calmer?)had brought my blood pressure right down to just outside the “that’s officially OK” levels, I’m still concerned. I guess that I will be for quite a while yet.I know this maybe daft to some – but if you have noticed there are no Smilies, no piccy’s, nothing to enliven the whole posting. I guess that its a subconscious way way of showing how worried I really am. Least ways now I know I have a problem, with the help of the medical services and my Family, I can sort a solution.

---

Digg News:

for the first time since Apollo, NASA will be sending its first vehicle/probe to the moon in 2008! sweet! read more digg story

After putting Half-Life, Quake 1, Doom, and other gaming classics in a browser, Necromanthus has now started work on a Quake 3 version. It is still a work in progress, so there are no weapons or bots to play against yet, but it features the first level with a similar look to the original. read more digg story

These images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, show the Galle Crater, an impact crater located on the eastern rim of the Argyre Planitia impact basin on Mars. read more digg story 

That is the view of a senior scientist working on the Cassini spacecraft, which has been studying Saturn and its moons for nearly two years. Dr. Bob Brown told a major conference in Vienna, Austria, Enceladus contains simple organic molecules, water and heat, the ingredients for life. read more digg story

Researchers at the University of California Davis have identified features in images returned by the Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover that appear to indicate the current presence of liquid water on the Martian surface. read more digg story

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | The next saucer to Shoeburyness leaves from platform 5 ...

Hi guys, hope everyone is OK?

Today is going to be one of those frantic days that Families get once in a while.

Whilst Liam maybe going to watch (but not play)Football, I’m taking Laura across to Grimsby for her second Archery Competition. Then she has a party, and also we have (possibly) a family friend for tea.

As I type this, the dull, cold, dank dawn of the latest British Dawn is breaking.

The early morning is the only time now that I get use the computer on my own – with no “Dad – can I?”, “Dad – I want to …..”. I suspect that as the kids get older, this is going to get worse.

At least I'm happy on two points this “fine” morning:

• 1. I get to see the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix , at least the first part, live, and once again, in peace and quiet – and
• 2. My own personal wait is over. When I came in from work yesterday, a letter on the mantelpiece gave my the news i had been waiting for. I now have an appointment to go into hospital to have the operation done on my elbow.

Is this going to be the start of the end of my problems. Or is it just the end of the start?

I have to admit – I’m now starting to be a little bit nervous

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Just a few links to some of the stories I’ve seen on the tours of the Internet this week.

Why do we scream "Geronimo!" when we jump?

Are there more ants or fish in the world?

Is Tweety Bird a boy or a girl?

Guardian Unlimited The Guardian The next saucer to Shoeburyness leaves from platform 5 ...

So much for that plan .....

As I sit here, glancing out of our front room window on my left, into a somewhat bright and clear late winters morning, you may have already seen in my web posting from yesterday,that I WAS (and note the term “was” has been emphasised) going to post what has happened to all of us, here, at Chez Smudger.

That “original” plan lasted just over 24hours. 

---

As you will possibly see from the date and time indices (and it will, of course vary on which of my Blog Sites you are viewing this from – but more of that later), that the latest entry is actually 24 hours “LATE”.

The entry is being placed on Sunday Morning, and with very good reason.

As many of you will be aware,I have been having few “issues” with my Right Elbow.

And, up until now, it had been more of an inconvenience than anything else.That was until yesterday morning. Saturday Morning, like Wednesday night, are Archery Practise sessions. I did, this week, miss out the Wednesday session because of the twin ills of the dodgy elbow and the lumpy left shoulder, as the elbow normally didn’t effect anything on its own – Archery wise least ways.

Yesterday morning, all felt well, so we started out (or at least the awake members of the family –  – Liam being still in bed and Cathy getting ready to take to Car for work as myself and Laura came back in through the door) 

---

Archery

We have been going to Archery sessions for over 18 months now. We have suffered all weathers, but we have always gone. Well, nearly always. I played safe on Wednesday’s session, having the additional encumbrance of having damaged my left shoulder, but was not expecting any problems on the Saturday morning session.

I should have known better.

20 Minutes is all I lasted – and it was the elbow that did it.

A new, frightening sensation spread through my lower arm and hand. 

A sensation akin to a creeping heat – the feeling of something “burning”. 

So I stopped.

That sensation took somewhat longer to stop, and my center three fingers of my right hand are still numb.

To take the strain off my hand this posting has been built up over several sessions, and , eventually there will be a conclusion – but that may take some time.

---

Park Tigers U15 Football Match – Sunday 26th Feb 2006

Man of the match – Liam ( Our Liam that is    )

Gunness 10 – Park Tigers 2

The lads were taking on, for the second time this season, the Gunness U15’s.

And they were destroyed, hammered. Earlier in the year they had got a 4 – 4 draw, but today?

The weather was dark and bitter. The air temperature was exceptionally cold and bitter. The field was very muddy and slippery.

The basic point of it was, though, that the Tigers were just plain awful. There was no heart, no commitment. Out of a team of 11, there were only 3 or 4 people making any effort at all. If it hadn’t been for our Liam, Callum, Andy and Jake the potential end score would not even be worth thinking about.

This has to have been the very worse we, as parents, had seen the lads play in a very very long time. There is really nothing more for me to say.

Chris – the manager – however had plenty to say, the heavy silence and absence of dissenting voices (bar one) said it all. I think they all knew that they had made a complete hash of this game.

I'm Back ......

Hi Guys

Sorry to be so terse (if that's the correct way to put it?), but I’m absolutely Shattered - another few terms came to mind, but I though that i would keep it within the safe bounds of polite conversation.

I know I've only posted on an "on-and-off" way, but, to be honest, that is going to be the way it is I suppose.

I thought I would try a "Weekend" entry this time, a reflection of what has happened over the weekend, and then publish the whole thing, say Sunday Afternoon. i think, seeing as the lad is playing Football Sunday Morning, I'm more likely to post the whole thing something like Sunday – Midday.

I’m not sure this is a good idea, but we’ll see how things go.

---

Friday 24th Feb - 07:07 a.m.

Winters back here, in the UK, once again.

Just when we thought the weather was improving towards the Spring, the Snow and sleet has returned.

Luckily - round here, it would appear to be the rain and sleet variety, but, having just watched the news, the southern parts of Lincolnshire seem to have been covered in a fair coating of Snow (for the UK least ways). And, the forecast for the coming week isn’t that encouraging either. Cold, Cold and Snow.

Physically, and Mentally to some extent - I'm absolutely shattered. There doesn't seem to be any time to take a major break at the moment. You take a sort of "Five Minute" break here and there, but we still at full speed, even when we get home. Work all day, taxi the kids (and ourselves) after hours.

To top all that off the "ongoing" discomfort of my Elbow is really making things a little difficult (I really hope that hospital appointment comes through soon - but, I suspect, the NHS financial year end may get in the way first), but I've now pulled a muscle in my left shoulder. The damage must have been obvious, as ,as I asked Cathy (my wife, real nurse and soul mate)to have a look, my daughter looked, did a double take, and said "what have you done?"

"I've never seen anything like that!!"

At which point, of-course, you start to wonder what she's seen that you haven't (my head's never been supple enough to look over my own shoulder - ) Cathy explained that, because the muscle had gone taut, there was now a curve in the skin standing 5 to 10 mm proud of the normal skin line.

OUCHHH

So the last few days have been a bit difficult

---

Friday 24th Feb - 12:35 p.m.

Have been out, at work, now for about 4 hours and god its really, really cold.

I'm frozen.

I've been rained on. Sleat'ed on and then Snowed on. None of which has settled - but its really really cold.

Its never something I've ever got used to.

---

Friday 24th Feb - 17:35 p.m.

Well thats today finished - as far as works concerned least ways. I'm waiting for Liam to come home with his Mum. She's taken him, straight from School, to the local Boots the Chemist in town.

To cut a long story short, he has applied to them for his work experience - but, in line with School policy, they have to go see the various "supporting" companies and apply for a position - so they get some idea of what will be required when they have to go for job interviews for "real" positions in a few years time.

I hope he's done OK.

Appendix: Liam came back not long after I typed the above comment – he got the work experience position, but not before some confusion on behalf of the Boots Staff. Cathy, who went with him as both Mum's Taxi, and a certain level of moral support, advised that the Lady Liam had asked to see was actually not on site, and the first lady he saw, even though he showed his school letter, thought he was after a "real" job.

I know he's a big lad (he's taller than I now by a good 5 inches)., and, in some situations he does look older than he is - unless you look really carefully.

Never mind - at least he's sorted.

---

Somedays I really hate football .....

Welcome to the first post of the new year.....

 

---

Sunday 22nd January 2006

Crowle Colts 3 – Park Tigers 2

“All the words below are only a simple Parents' opinion of what he sees, and how he sees it. “

---

Man of the Match – Naz

---

I’m such a lazy devil – in all honesty.

As this season has gone on, the whole thing gets worse for the Tigers, and, to some extent the less willingness I have to actually crash digits against the keyboard.

This is indicative of my malaise at the moment. The whole of the “Chez Smudger” household is “shattered” – whether that is due to infections, Colds, injurious elbows of whatever. Not only should I spend a little more time blogging (subject to guarding my “poorly” elbow), but there are photo’s to sort and the website to bring up-to date (again)

But, back to football.  

However hard the Tigers have tried in the last few weeks (and last week they were certainly the better team, play wise – but they just don’t seem to be able to score any of the required goals), that little bit of luck, that bit of an edge that you sometimes need, seems to be missing. Some of the lads, I feel, need a little bit more aggression. Nothing nasty or vicious – but they need to be a little more competitive – but I’m sure that will come.

Well, today, we are at one of this particular parents “favourite” ( I should Co-co) grounds.

To be fair to the Crowle people, they have spent a lot of time and effort doing up this ground as a community facility. The new building (they are well rid of their old PortaKabin) is pretty good, with new changing rooms, toilets and even showers – its a lovely job.

But ,Sadly, you can’t change to location. The pitches are (and have always been for the last few years) open to the elements, in a way that many ain't. With the village to one side of the filed, the main sweep of the pitch are open to the bleak expanses that become the Thorne Moors. From the bushes at the edge of the playing surface, there are few tress for the next five to ten miles.

And in Winter is is seriously bleak.

Even today, with the Sun appearing (occasionally), the fog and the ice left the whole place cold and dank. The Power Pylons in the background could be heard “humming” in the damp air.

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Comment 1

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Unlike the norm (if that the right way to put it?) I will be trying a  slightly different format of commenting on my Lads Football matches (see later) to that I have used in the last few months.

I’m not sure that I will keep it this way, but we shall have to wait and see.

 

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The Game

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It was a frustrating match for a sideline parent. As you can see for the header scoreline – we lost, they lost.

 

But,as seems to be common “practice” at the moment, it wasn’t for lack of trying.

 

All in all it was quite an entertaining match, with the play going back and forth on a regular basis.

It was a close thing as to whether our Liam ( )would be playing at all. He is still taking the anti-biotics to cure the ills of the mid week infection – but he wasn’t the only one. The coughs and splutter coming from both camps was testament to the time of year, and the state that most people were in.

 

The game was completely Crowle’s in the first half.

 

Liam got chipped for the 2nd Crowle goal – and he was foul – the Hat flew and the boots stamped the floor – he blamed himself for NOT catching the ball (even though it was quite obvious that not even the best Premiership Keeper would have stopped a ball like that)

. He normally gets upset when someone scores, even though he is the last line of defence, and, as he is often told -

“there are 10 other Tigers to get through before an attacker gets to you !!!”

But Liam, like myself I suppose, will blame himself even when he has tried his best, and there is no other option. We both have the problem of maybe setting our sights to high.

 

To top this off, the third Crowle goal was another chip shot that went on a similar path – and with the same result from “Mr Tall and Lanky”  (the hat flew and the boots stomped for a second time). This makes Liam “anger” more of a shame. Not only did he do his best to stop both balls, but, as usual, he made several really good saves, many times under the incoming missiles they call boot studs.

 

Just to show how Lady Luck had gone to another venue, little Danny M missed a penalty (although Liam, from his view point at the other end of the pitch, reckons that his run up was to steep of angle, so he only gave himself a narrow angle to shoot at??). Jackie, Naz and Callum played particularly well, with Cameron and Johnny not far behind.

 

But it just wouldn’t go our way, the ball just seemed to have a mind of it’s own.

 

                                   

 

 

 

God Bless

 

The Smudger -

 

I'M NOT WORTHY

 

Hi Guys, just a general chat

Hi Guys

as it says in the title, I have nothing major to talk about this week.

The week at work has been long and hard. The weather has been pretty bad, but that should be no real surprise – it is winter after all.

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The real text of the blog today is really going to sound like a moan, and to some extent it is. But it’s really been the main theme of the week.

As many of you will already know, I have quite an issue with my elbow.

As a quick reprise – the nerves and muscles constrict down to a small-ish area as they pass through the elbow and onto the lower arm and hand. In the case of most people, this is not a major issue. Some people have, however, various levels of what is known as either Tennis, or Golfers, elbow (the difference between the two is the pain is centred on different “sides” of the elbow). Some people suffer minor aches and pains, and then some are lucky like me.

To cut the story to the quick. My problem started as a lack of feeling in the centre fingers or my right hand.

Now, I’m waiting for an operation, and the consequence of this is the my elbow is now painful,, pretty much all of the day.

At it’s best, the best description I can give, is it’s like a dull “toothache”, at it’s worse, as it has been in the last couple of days, it is out and out painful.

But the worst of all is the lack of feeling. It is very difficult to describe the sensation to others, particularly as a text. It’s an odd sensation at best. When you touch with my right hand, my Thumb and small finger will “sense” what it touches – but, when the discomfort is at it’s worse, not only does my elbow “let me know” that it hurts, but the more disconcerting feeling is my “missing” fingers. It really is a very very odd feeling.

It is fairly uncomfortable now, as I type this – and most of this is being typed with one hand, my good hand.

The worse part, in some ways is the waiting – waiting for the letter with appointment to come.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Star Trek is 'most missed' series

This just one of those "hum" entries
*sits at the computer with a ponderous look on my face *

The BBC has commissioned a survey to see which TV porgram poeple would like to see back on thier TV screens , and, at least here in theUK, the answer would seem to be Star Trek (please click on the link for more information) - which i must admit I have watched, in ti's various incarnations, since I was a child.

BBC NEWS Entertainment Star Trek is 'most missed' series

However, what did make me laugh was the entry at number 8
At number 8, the most missed program on TV is "Stargate"

Yes - Stargate

Although it's not one of my personal fav's (and I have watched a few of them), as far as I'm aware, this is still being made.

So, why are people "missing" it?

Happy New Year - one and all

  Happy New Year to Everyone 

Well , here we are, another year gone by, and we are already half way through the first decade of the 21st century.

It has been a bit of an “odd” week for me, as I have been at work up to Friday. And this “missing” week between Christmas and New Year always feel a little strange, a little weird. Its as though some thing has passed and we are are still waiting for something else to come.

If you in the UK, you will know how the weather has been, although, as I look out our living room window to my side, you could almost believe that there hadn’t been any snow at all. I am in that lucky time in our house at the moment – I am the only one awake (As I type it is 07:30 a.m.)

As I have commented on before, once the kids are up, I have to find something else to do (You know – washing up, hoovering , dusting –  , the stuff that the Kids try not to do –    )

I should stop being so cynical, but it can be a struggle to get certain people in the house to do some chores to help everyone else out – that’s Teenagers for you !!!

As I have made mentioned of before – I already know one (or two) of the things that will happen this year already, and one of them becomes active, I believe, today.

My division within BT plc becomes a self sufficient company in its own right – OpenReach. Some people are already slating this as political manoeuvring, some parts of our Business environment are keeping eerily quiet – I have No Choice but to go along with it – I have to much of my life invested in BT (Post Office telephones as it was when I joined) to leave without something extreme happening.

We shall have to wait and see.

I’m still waiting for the letter (or call), to go into the hospital for surgery on my elbow – see if we can get that squared up and sorted – it will be nice to be able to feel my fingers all the time.

Our Liam begins the year with his very first GCSE exam – the one for ICT. I don’t really think he is to happy about that – but he will have to deal with it and then get on with the rest of the school year.

Laura is also moving towards a new phase in her school life. She is now into her last few months before moving onto Secondary School. Come May, she will be subject to the barrage of SAT tests they throw at kids of this age in the UK, to see where they sit in the structure of their new school. The only concern i have at the moment is that we are not 100% sure of which school she will be going to.

We actually fall into the catchment area for a School that is over 3Km’s away (across at least 4 nasty roads), but we would like her to go to the same school as Liam (we had the same process to go through to get him into the School of our choice) The School of choice has always had a policy of trying the “envelope” the Junior Schools around it’s boarders – but we are still waiting to be told.

Anyway – Have a Happy, and Merry, New Year, full of joy, good health and wealth, and I will see you all again, sometime in 2006