Where's the plumber?

The house is a tip, with bits of new bathroom everywhere. Shower cubicle, shower tray, shower, tiles, basin, taps, blinds .... and new towels are neatly 'rolled' into a basket and they're getting dusty! The plumber got married on 30th September and then went on honeymoon to South Africa and Mauritius. It seems he got lost.

This is how the bathroom looks now. Shocking!!!! Actually, it no longer does look like this, as the wallpaper was stripped yesterday! I just can't wait to get rid of
those horrible tiles, which have been there for 20 years ...


Yuck!

Yawn ....

This was my 'blog' for the National Trust. They certainly struck lucky with my interesting day!!!

"Woke late. Drab day (what's new?). Received a postcard from the Philippines this morning - a Postcrossing one - showing a picture of a Ming vase. (Postcrossing is a current worldwide activity, whereby we sent out postcards and receive cards back, from anywhere in the world - it's supposed to get people back to 'writing' and sending stuff by mail, rather than by text or email). Had a discussion, re global warming (there are people who actually believe we can cure it ...) on the FC conference (an online conference provided by the Open University (a distance learning university). Downloaded my OU S330 (oceanography) exam paper, from last week. Worked out that I have failed (again!). Had lunch (beans on toast). Spent the afternoon doing a new home page. Don't like it much. Hub at work all afternoon and evening (he is an Asda delivery man). Son at work all day (he works at the garden centre). I ate a chicken and mushroom pie and a chocolate (Weightwatchers!) cheescake. Gross. Other exciting things which happened today - I fed the goldfish (twice) and the rabbit - watched 'Bargain Hunt' with my lunch - and 'Eastenders' with my supper. (Jake is in trouble, Ruby is a silly sot and Sonia was crying again. Pauline wouldn't be happy if she saw her little boy kissing her (Sonia, that is!)) Now it is nearly time (10:00pm) for hub to come home from work and we will share a bottle of wine together (Italian) - although I water mine down as it doesn't agree with me!"

Reminiscing ...

Went for a stroll down memory lane, late yesterday afternoon - to Mount Wise swimming pools, overlooking Plymouth Sound.



It wasn't like that in my day!! Aged about 11 or 12, I used to come here, with the school, for swimming lessons. There was no wall to protect you from the harsh sea winds then - and it was always winter-time - generally, it was snowing. We used to stand, up to our necks in this freeeeezing cold water (heated pool? don't be silly!) - and were dragged along by ropes and poles. I remember when Susan Mitchell's regulation black nylon swimsuit took in too much water and the top fell down under the weight. A bunch of pre-pubescent girls, giggling at the sight of the first flushes of mammary buds, was about as cheery as these outings got! When we eventually escaped from this frozen water, of course still non-swimmers - an even worse ordeal followed, as we had to attempt to dry ourselves with towels from home (generally thin, 2 foot square ones). Pulling knickers and socks over cold, wet skin is about as miserable as it gets. Before returning to the bus, and back to school for lessons, undoubtedly in scripture or latin, those of us fortunate enough to have a couple pence in our pockets, would drag our trembling little bodies, over to the refreshment hut where we would purchase a cup of hot oxo (yes, an Oxo cube dissolved in boiling water ...) and huddle together on the steps. Today's kids don't know they're born!

Blog for a day

The National Trust would like us all to do a blog of our lives on 17th October. The duller the better, they said! I won't disappoint!

Today I bought our flights for Portugal next year. We're flying from Exeter to Faro, via Flybe - whether that's wise or not!

Do I deserve this?

(scuse out of focus pic).



Little Gem gift box from Lush (gawd, it stinks!) Ring of Roses Butter Cream, Honey I Washed the Kids Soap, Big Calm Shower Jelly, Rock Star Soap and Honey Trap Lip Balm. Paul bought it for me. "A present for you, for doing the exam." "But I'm pretty sure I've failed it" "Doesn't matter, you worked hard and tried". It brought home to me what were the REALLY important things. At last I have some time to spend with those important things - my family.

First thing we must do is to buy a new toilet!! I think the bathroom man might be starting next week - oh heck!!!

I b*llsed it up!!

I was really poorly on Tuesday - gastric stuff. And I haven't eaten anything for a couple of days, so wasn't feeling too grand this morning, for the dreaded thing. But, otherwise, I was as prepared as I could've hoped for (I didn't know all that much, but that's beside the point). Anyway. I read (quickly) through the paper and thought 'I can pass this'. I eagerly set into the 10 short questions (worth 40%) and was pleased that I reckoned I'd done enough for 20% on that. So then, just 10% each on the 2 longer question (of choice out of 5) and there was my unexpected pass! I was feeling rather bubbly. I chose a question I thought I could do quite well. The biological one; not because it was biological - I hate biology, but because I knew the answers! Or so I thought ... I wrote about 4 pages and then, when I got to the last part, I realised I'd done the WHOLE THING WRONG!!! When is a --> not a --> - when it's a <-- - that's when!! But I did it WRONG! That is a cardinal and unforgiveable error! The trouble is because I didn't know my -->s from my <--s, the rest of my answers which followed were completely WRONG too! I panicked. I should've done the thing again, but I only had 30 minutes left - and still had to do another question. I picked the wrong 'other question' and could only answer a very small part of it. In retrospect, I should've redone the question I'd b*llsed up, because then I would've passed; I'm pretty sure. But I haven't....

Very CROSS with myself. I wouldn't be cross with myself to fail - but I am cross with myself for letting myself down so badly.

READ THROUGH THE PAPER THOROUGHLY!

READ THE QUESTION!!

Exams! (If only this had been an assignment!)

Oh, bother! To make matters worse, still upset, I went around to see my Dad and had a row with him!

Well, I can, at least, look forward to doing SXN390 next year now (probably on nuclear waste) - and finish off my honours next year, as I had originally planned. Yeah, the oceanography was a 'bonus', but I COULD'VE passed it!!

Off now to open up the S194 book - what joy not to have to do any more revision!

Nodules!

'Below the thunders of the upper deep;
Far, far beneath the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep,
The Kraken sleepeth ..."

Thank you to Alfred, Lord Tennyson for this introduction to the chapter, "Biogeochemical Activity in Deep-Sea Sediments", which, amongst other things, tells us all about manganese nodules. They are formed by authigenesis. At least the top bits are, as they take iron and cobalt from the sea-water (somehow). And the bottom bits (below the sediment) are formed by taking manganese, nickel (?, what is Ni?) and copper from the pore waters. So that is diagenesis. The Indians are exploiting these. Churning up the sediments with enormous suckers and dredgers - all for a few handfuls of metals in a ball.

I'm just about ready to drop. So much to try to take in - but no sooner does it go in, than it slips out again. It's all quite hopeless, I'm afraid! I think I will do a quick wiz through trophic levels and 'Laws' and then wait and see what the fates have in store.

I am determined that, if nothing else, I shall write neatly.

Retail therapy!

I had a break from the revi*ion today - and we braved a visit to the new shopping centre, which opened today! They estimate that 100 000 went through the gates - and it felt like it! I wasn't sure what to expect - as the outside of the place is an absolute monstrosity - but the inside is very COOL and I was pretty impressed!



M&S, Boots, Next, Primart and Waterstones are HUGE and very spacious and light - much like the stores in an American mall. Lush and Hotel Chocolat could've been a bit bigger though! Oh, and ...


OK!


Caffe Mocha (decaff).


We were pretty worn out by the time we escaped - but it was a most welcome break from the other. It seems as though a lot of people are feeling like I am - the more we study; the less we appear to know. And I knew very little in the first place! Oh, well, head down tomorrow and the next day and the next - how I shall celebrate when it's all OVER!

Malcolm has a friend!

Welcome, Bubbles ....


Unfortunately, Malcolm doesn't appear to want a friend - and is terribly territorial, butting poor Bubbles up the bum and shoving him out of the way constantly! They appear to be a little more peaceful today ...

I also added a stone sucker (that's what they called it in the shop) to the tank - it's meant to deal with the algae. It's a bit like a spotted slug, which suctions itself onto the pump. We named it Thing.

Where's this then?!

I was feeling pretty low, the day before yesterday - and the postie put this through my letterbox!


Which cheered me up no end! Ah, my mountain! The card even shows the hotel we stayed in, by Lake Union!

Thank you, Sarah - and good luck with your studies!

This was a Postcrossing card, of course - and I've now got 66! My history map looks like this!

Not long now!

The wierdest thing is that I am no longer worried!! After some fraught encounters with past exam papers, I got myself seriously stressed and I had a half mind to cancel my exam (what hope is there?), but then decided I wasn't a quitter. However, in the process of telling myself it doesn't matter too much, and looking forward to what I might do next year, I'm actually now rather looking forward to FAILING!! But I'll do what I can, and, if by some major miracle, I were to pass, then I can re-examine my options - depending on how I've also done on SXG390.

I've hidden all my past S330 exam papers away, and am sticking to my revision list only. This is the short version - there is a much longer, more specific one, but this is the gist list!

UNCLOS
Amphidromic systems (practise diagrams etc)
Geostrophic flow, divergences, convergences etc
Energy transfers
T-S diagrams
Estuaries, deltas and beaches
Hydrothermal plumes etc (look at those equations!)
UPWELLING
Sedimentation
Hydrothermal vents, esp Mg
Things like thickness of thermocline etc
Check up on seismic measuring thingies
¹³C
delta¹⁸O
Total carbon
Turbidity currents
Med, Black Sea, Gulf Stream, Juan de Fica

and a few more. If I spent less time making lists and getting on with it, I might do better!

The ballet tickets have arrived - our new shopping centre opens this Thursday (Starbucks, Hotel Chocolat, Build-a-Bear, Lush ... ) and Malcolm Dumpling-Smith has a new tank, with amazing bubbles. Do you think he looks lonely?


Life doesn't get much more exciting than this!

We're going to the ballet!

I bought tickets for Prokofiev's Cinderella, being performed at the Prague State Opera! Whoo! The problem is, what to wear! They suggest that smart casual will be OK on one page - and then, on another, they tell you to wear suits and evening gowns! Heck!

Our seats are in one of those little boxes!:)



How exciting! Of course, I've had to buy the CD from Amazon - and, of course, I've had to make up the order so that I get free delivery - so have also bought a Czech phrasebook and another guidebook.

Revision is BORING!

and I'm eating and eating and eating ....

Last week I was full of total despair - this week the total despair has turned to THIS IS SO IMPORTANT - WORK!! I keep trying to tell myself that it's not important - but, of course, it IS important. (Though not that important ..) I feel ever so slightly less panicked since I got TMA04 back. 74% for that, which is genius standard! So I must be understanding something, although I can hardly find any correct answers amongst the masses of red writing! But, mainly, the past exam paper questions are still a mystery to me.

I've been through all the books and all the summaries etc for those blocks. I know, from those, which topics to leave as hopeless (they include - surprise, surprise - waves)and I have made another list which are topics which keep coming up in the exams and which I might be able to do something about (ie READ stuff and LEARN stuff). So, onwards .... I shall be SO glad when this is all over ....

I'm getting worse!!

Despite putting in hours and hours of work, I looked at some past exam papers this afternoon, and, questions (I swear) I could've done before, I can't do now!!

(Last year's exam).

"Explain why physical weathering is more important than chemical weathering for supplying dissolved salts to the ocean at high latitudes."

I wouldn't know ...

"Sketch the likely annual cycle of phytoplankton productivity in the North Atlantic at ~45 deg N. Explain why the pattern of productivity at this location is different from that in the Scotia Sea."

Where's the Scotia Sea?

The thing is, I might *know* some things - or I might *understand* some things - but I can't put it all together, sideways. My head hurts if I try! These two questions (above) are actually easy ones ... there are much, much worse!

I felt like phoning the OU and cancelling my exam. But I guess I must plod on. It's not really that important (I'm looking forward to doing SXN390 next year, as I know I won't pass this thing!) - but I should give it a go (preferably without going completely off my head).

I want to pick up S194 and get on with that (Introducing Astronomy). I'm doing this short course, so that I can pick up a Certificate in Contemporary Science, for which you need to have completed 6 short level 1 science courses. But I cannot pick it up until this monster is out of the way!

Isn't life grand!

The weather has improved dramatically over the past week - and the sunshine has not only cleared the spots from my forehead, but also eased those stress levels (a bit!)

This was down by the river Tamar on Thursday evening.


That's Brunel's famous rail bridge - and that's Cornwall 'over there'.

I hardly seem to be home though, so the revi*ion is not actually undergoing leaps and bounds or anything like that. I went to an S330 tutorial this morning though. That really only managed to tell me that I know even less than the little I thought I might know! The highlight of the morning was when the tutor slid the whiteboard out of the way and wrote an equation (in big red letters) onto the WALL!!

EVERTON beat Liverpool 3-0! And spent a couple of hours TOP OF THE LEAGUE!

And I cancelled the Algarve villa booking. I found a much nicer villa, out in the countryside (though still very close to the beaches), with fabulous views and a karaoke machine! :)


It's the "Casa Dos Choupos", which translates to "House of the Poplar Trees".



Can't wait!

Spots on my forehead

My daughter-in-law tells me it's a sign of stress. Stress? Why would I be stressed?

I HATE REVISING. LOATHE IT. Friday, I sorted out my papers and got ready. Saturday, I went into Staples and bought a Pukka pad and some highligher pens. Sunday, was my birthday, so we went to Newton Abbot Rock 'n' Gem show and then to Exeter. Monday, I did an hour's proper revision and then became depressed (6 weeks of this?) Today, I did a couple of hours (when Tuesday is my big free day and I should've done hours) - but I'm still missing out the bits which I didn't understand the first time!! It's boring. So, so boring ...

I booked a villa in the Algarve for June next year! Well, I was just drifting around here and there - and found a really cheap one! As it was practically all booked up for next summer, I thought I'd better get in quickly - so put down a deposit. Villa Marachino (cherry?) Albufeira. It's nothing special. But it is CHEAP!



3 bedrooms, private pool and a high roof. Never been to Portugal.

And look! Blueberries!!


It only took 2 years to grow this amazing crop!!

Crystal mush. What the heck is that? Mumble, mumble ....

Interflora called!

I've never had flowers delivered by Interflora before - other florists, yes - but never Interflora!


Beautiful roses from Heather! (It's my birthday on Sunday - OMG, another one!) She most certainly brightened up my day enormously!

The house is full of towels - red ones and turquoise ones (no, not together, I don't think) - which arrived today. Still haven't bought the shower enclosure, as we're quibbling over the height of the blasted tray! The house is also full of boots. Best not to mention them. Boots, that is. There are so many! (I ordered several for fit - and they all fit!)

Well, this will be my oceanography revision diary for the next 6 weeks. It will be even more boring than normal, but I found keeping a diary helped to motivate me when revising for S260, so maybe it'll work this time. Goodness knows I need all the help I can get! Today I just had a read through some past exam papers and half frightened myself to death. No idea on most. I doubt I would have much idea even with the books in front of me. This course is a DEMON!

I was thinking of doing an MSc after this (if I could get some help with the fees!) - but I'm pretty sure that I will have another year to get the honours. Probably the most sensible thing to do would be to give up now. But quitting's not really a good idea - you'd always wonder if the questions were on things you actually knew! I will get stuck into it proper tomorrow. I think I've got transform faults and fracture zones worked out - that's a start! (I just wish I understood all the chemistry stuff!)

September's calender picture is of Grand Teton, btw. Been there (although only very briefly).

Nearly time to turn over the calender!

I get really excited about this! The calander behind this PC is a US National Parks one - August has been Crater Lake NP (not been there) - no idea what September's will be (I really haven't looked! :))

So, almost September. Let's hope the weather will be better than August's was! And 1st September means that I get to post my SXG390 Mt Rainier project report - hooray, will really be glad to see it go tomorrow, as I keep finding things wrong!


It's really heavy. The Post Office now have a new way of charging - they charge by SIZE rather than by weight. However, this is both large and heavy, so they will charge a fortune, no doubt.

Also ready to go tomorrow, is S330 TMA04. So now, with SXG390 and all the S330 assignments out of the way, I can settle back to revise ... WHERE TO START!! A warning to anybody contemplating studying S330 - it's MOUNTAINS of VERY DIFFICULT material - and all for only 30 points!


4 and a half inches of books!!



Still trying to sort out the bathroom. The basin and stand arrived today - it's very nice indeed! But we've been agonising over whether to get a rectangular shower enclosure or an off-set quadrant. Finally, we decided on the rectangular, only to then discover that the flippin' shower tray is 6.5 inches high - WHY? That's no use, because we need a 4 inch plinth underneath, to take our pipes. Would need a stepladder!

Father is still very unwell. He doesn't eat. We buy him food - we cook him food - but he doesn't eat it. So, he doesn't exercise at all because he feels faint when he stands up. And he won't take his pills (the diuretics) because they make him pee and he's too weak to go upstairs. Otherwise, he is well .... I am angry at the NHS actually - they appear to have just dumped him. He's an 83 year old, frail man who's just had by-pass surgery, but NOBODY (other than the woman who comes in for half an hour each morning and writes down things like, "William was up and dressed" - but she's not medically trained), has been in to see him. A stand-in for his GP popped in the day after he came home from hospital, but that's been it! He was wheezy and had a cough on Monday night. He called for a doctor and they said to GO UP TO ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY!! So, my hub had to fetch him and take him up there! They were up there until gone midnight! We just don't ever know if what we try to do or suggest ("EAT" "EXERCISE" "TAKE YOU PILLS") are the right things to do. He needs reassurance - and not from us.

Coming up in the world!

We now have a couple of solar powered garden lights! They could do with being a little brighter though, as I just stepped on a slug and burst him ....

Took father home from hospital this morning (he had asked to go home). He is not too bad - but he is very weak and it would've been a good idea for him to have at least got beyond 'soft mash', before discharging himself. He lays down to sleep and then doesn't have the strength to get back up again.

I've finished my Mt Rainier project - oh frabjous day!! Need to do part 2 of the ECA yet - and also need to print out copies of the project and have them spiral bound. But then I shall sent it all off and forget about it (until December). I'm satisfied with it. Mostly.

I'm in the process of booking a short trip to Prague, for the end of November (when the Christmas markets are open). We're going to stay in a rather nice apartment, just off Wenceslas Square.


Everybody will be getting Kafka, wooden puppets and cabbage patties in their stockings this year!!

Greetings from Devon!

Actually, it's not really that bad. There aren't that many of the things - and those that do exist, rarely turn!!

Father is much better. Still poorly, but at least back 'with us'. I wish somebody would make me better! :)

56 545 rockets in 5 seconds

Went off last night, over Plymouth Sound; a record, they hope.


I imagine that this did the atmosphere a whole heap of good!!

Meantime, my father continues not to improve. Physically he is fine and has been moved out of intensive care. But he is not 'with us'. Very worrying.

Witch's Coven II

After reading on Bill's blog that there was a new FC conference up and running for 2 weeks, to ask suggestions for the future running of OUSA conferences, I had a look. Why on Earth they didn't keep this particular conference in the (very exclusive) moderators' conference (aka Coven I), I do not know. It is swamped with moderators who just wish to tighten already tight rules, introduce more and ask for 'more protection'. If anybody suggests that less moderation and less rules might attract (or keep) more students, they are laughed out of court. It's bordering on a totalitarian state!!! Now then, I love OUSA FC conferences and have utilised them fully since I started with the OU - but why can't arguments be allowed to run their course? We are all grown-ups, for goodness sake! Over-zealous moderation stifles debate. When I was a moderator, I tried to keep out of the way - the reason I am no longer a moderator is because I didn't want to become like others in the 'coven', who see their role as moderator almost like a 'career' and a very high-flying one at that! They seem to love control and do not understand that the conferences are a place where students should feel relaxed and that they don't need big brother looking over them.

I would've written this (or something like it) onto the conference, but it would've been moderated and deleted! The conference is being run exactly as a conference shouldn't be run. In only 2 days, the number of "Urgent, moderator warning" type thingies is ridiculous!

Shocked!

Visited father this afternoon. Heck, he was barely coherent! I have since been told that the hospital should've prepared us for this first visit. But they didn't even ask who we were when we arrived! One young nurse did suggest that we could ask questions if we wished, but there was no privacy! She did nod in answer to my obviously concerned question, "is it the morphine?" Otherwise, we felt as though we were in the way and were ignored. We didn't even have anywhere to sit!! My youngest brother visited later and only lasted 10 minutes. Hopefully he (father) will be improved tomorrow, though I doubt that he will be ready yet for the fruit, lucozade, hobnob biccies and NEW SCIENTIST I took him in today! :)

What's a thrustle?

Is it a thrush?

No, I think that it's a river, here in the south-west (somewhere!), which Thrustle Ward is named after. That's the Cardiac Intensive Care unit, where my father, just in the last hour, has returned from surgery. They say he is fine.

Last night, I found myself counting grasshoppers! You know, you'd hear them making their grasshopper noises all over the garden and there'd be one here and one there and one behind the bird bath. I think there were 3, but there could've been 4.

I need a holiday! :) As it is, I'm deep into lahars at the moment - and things are actually getting written, much to my relief!

Emotions high; pressure lowered

It's been a highly emotionally charged week - one which has witnessed painful arguments and some inner searching. It is difficult to listen to your father saying that he will be on a mortuary slab next Tuesday.... GOT TO BE POSITIVE! Think of that trip to Oz, you promised yourself! I also visited my brother. The brother, who hasn't spoken to me for 8 years (for reasons only he is aware of). Whether the effort will turn out to have been worth it, only time will tell.

On the studying front, pressure has slightly lifted, due to my having worked my socks off last week, and managing to finish reading through the oceanography texts. I didn't understand most of what I read - but I did read it! I also received my TMA03 back from my tutor. 50%. Better than I'd hoped! Hardly a mark to be proud of - but, in all honesty, it fairly reflects my understanding of the plot!! So, if my calculator is right, that means that my average coursework now stands at 45.75%, which means I've PASSED THE OCEANOGRAPHY COURSEWORK - without need of completing the 4th assignment - hoorah - that's an achievement in itself! (I shall attempt the 4th assignment though, if time permits, as I've already done the first question and the rest of it *looks* a lot simpler than the previous assignments!)

So now I have put the S330 books away, and am concentrating on my project. I have bits in my head and bits all over the place. I have gathered poems and quotes and images and comments from various and helpful persons, over email. IF I put my mind to it, I could have it completed in a week or so - but I have other things to put my mind to right now.

I bought the rocking-chair. The bathroom plans are sort of undecided, I think. And I am horrified that there is no mention of allowing Nicorette inhalers onto aeroplanes.

Back to normal?

I don't think so! I'm way behind on everything! I did finish TMA03 for S330 - but it's so bad, I'm embarrassed by it. I'm hoping that it'll get me 26%, so that I will have passed the coursework, without actual need to send in TMA04 (thus more time for REVISION!), but I don't even think it's worth that! So I despair of S330. SXG390 I'm similarly behind on. Well, not behind - but behind where I'd like to be. My tutor wrote yesterday (he'd been ill) to give me my mark for TMA03 - a very healthy 91%, so I can (and MUST!) get on with the project now.

My Dad has had his operation put back a week - so it'll now be 14th August. That extra week could make a difference to whether I finish either of these courses or not!

We're planning a new bathroom. Well, we're trying to plan a new bathroom. So far, we've planned to knock the wall down and have a bath and a shower (but too expensive) - we've planned in install a walk in shower (and no bath) - we've planned to install a shower bath (and no shower) - and the latest plan is to install a regular rectangular (smallish, out of necessity) shower (and no bath). But what colour do we paint the walls? And do we keep our electric shower, or do we have a shower mixer? Who will fit all this stuff? When do (can) we do the tiling? How long will our loo be out of action?

I have seen a rocking chair that I simply must have ....

AWESOME!

Back from our long trip - and very jetlagged. Didn't know where I was in the night, or where the bathroom was!! Everywhere we went was AWESOME! Particularly Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens, Yellowstone and the Canadian Rockies. But then, you wouldn't expect them to be anything other than AWESOME!! Cody was great - 4th July and all that - and both Seattle and Vancouver are wonderful cities. Fabulous to meet my friend, Heather - and her two daughters, of whom she should be justly proud as they are lovely girls.


Alana, Karen and Heather

All in all, a great time had by all! Might add to this another time - but right now, laundry, laundry, laundry ....

Here's me slumped outside the Heathrow Marriott yesterday morning. Was it yesterday?
I've lost touch with time and space!!

Lucky, lucky England!

They drew with Sweden 2-2, so finish top of the group and avoid Germany in the next round. (Germany strolled past Ecuador 3-0 this afternoon). Lucky, lucky England to draw with Sweden even - as I thought the Swedes did enough to win. Lucky, lucky England to be in a relatively easy group!! Because, actually, they played poorly again - they have no strikers (Michael Owen did in his knee - I feel sorry for him); Rooney was poor and acted like the spoilt brat he is, when he was subbed. Crouch is Crouch. Here's a possible replacement!? He has knock-knees and little coordination, so should be ideal!



Also, today, Poland beat Costa Rica 2-1 and Paraguay beat Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 - but I saw neither game, which meant I didn't get any glimpses of Santa Cruz ...

No response from Leo to my email yet. :) But I have a new hat!!

Never any doubt .... ahem

Togo 0 Switzerland 2 - didn't watch this game; just caught the end and the Swiss second goal. Didn't look like I'd missed much.

Saudi Arabia 0 Ukraine 4 - again, didn't really watch this game - though I heard most of it. A walkover, I suppose.

Spain 3 Tunisia 1 - nobody was expecting Tunisia to take the lead, very early in the first half. Certainly flummoxed the Spanish players - they were panting, panicking, rushing and getting absolutely nowhere. Second half was a different story - Raul scoring Spain's first - and Torres the other two (one a pen) to make him leader in the Golden Boot campaign. Nice football again, but, at times, rather naive.


Aragones apparently had a nervous breakdown, when managing Barcelona (according to Gary L) - one day he was chalking up the team line-ups, when he suddenly burst into tears and spent 2 weeks in a clinic. Perfect to manage Espana!!! Roger The Mare has a new jacket - with a hood.



Today I sent an email to Leo. Well, you have to, don't you?

Mon dieu!!

Japan 0 Croatia 0 - didn't really watch this game, but I saw Croatia miss their penalty (or was it a good save?) Croatia are not the team of old - Boban, Suker et al. Pity.

Brazil 2 Australia 0 - Brazil were little better than in their first game. The Aussies squandered good chances. Ronaldo blobbed around until he was finally subbed. Fred scored Brazil's second. (Fred?!)

France 1 S Korea 1 - Finalement, after huit ans, the Frenchies scored un WC goal. Mais, then they decided to seulement stroll around et the Koreans got 'em!! Maintenant, they might ne qualify pas! Hilarious!

Kaiserslaughter!

Portugal 2 Iran 0 - didn't see this game - just caught Leo's comments at the end - he said it was boring, so it must've been! :)

Czech Republic 0 Ghana 2 - how disappointing the Czechs were! Certainly they have no forwards - and those they have won't be playing the next game, due to yellow cards - but where was their heart?

Italy 1 USA 1 - 1 off for the Azure (terrible elbow on McBride) - 2 off for the US! You'd have thought the Italians would've finished them off, wouldn't you? Nope - the US were the best team on the pitch and deserved their draw! A great Saturday evening drama! Still no Pips.

It's unbearably warm today - and the forecast for next weekend, London - is very warm indeed - might have to rethink my flying clothes! The forecast for Seattle is very good (though I don't trust weather.com) - just hope we might catch a glimpse of The Mountain!

Amazing!

Argentina 6 Serbia & Montenegro 0 - what a truly stunning footballing performance! I watched this on my own, drooling, clapping and wowing. I read somewhere 'perfect' football - can't be far off that. Maybe they were right not to bring Potchettino after all!

Holland 2 Ivory Coast 1 - after watching Argentina this was just plain boring.

Mexico 0 Angola 0 - delighted that the Angolans have got themselves a point! Their life expectancy is, apparently (and staggeringly), only 38 - so these were really old men! Where were Mexico?

Yawn ....

Ecuador 3 Costa Rica 0 - didn't see this game, as I went out. As did Costa Rica.

England 2 Trinidad and Tobago 0 - atrocious. What I find the most disturbing is that they keep saying that "England must play better". I don't think they can! So are people so really that patriotic that they don't care about how their team plays - or do they just not like football?

Sweden 1 Paraguay 0 - the game, which was played in what looked like a bowl of custard, was marginally better than the England tripe - but not much. Sweden could even top the group now if they beat England (surely not too difficult). Has somebody been reading my blog? There were many close-ups of Santa Cruz this evening...

The poppy's out!

Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole!

Spain 4 Ukraine 0 - SUBLIME!

Tunisia 2 Saudi Arabia 2 - both teams missed an opportunity to possibly progress. Roger the Mare looked on pensively - goals were something he just didn't see with France ...

Germany 1 Poland 0 - it was only a matter of time before they scored, but they left it until very late! Looks like Germany qualify nearly already, while Poland go home very soon. Ballack is one helluva player.

Frazil!

South Korea 2 Togo 1 - embarrassingly, the Germans played the South Korean anthem twice ... A Togo got sent off. And Suzie Wong (Ahn) scored the winner for the Koreans. I don't like the Togos - they're fighting over money - they should feel privileged to play. I don't like the S Koreans - they cheated over Spain the last time.

France 0 Switzerland 0 - ah, les bleues - chronic as they've always been! This was completely dire. The Swiss should've won - it was the best chance of winning they'll probably get! Allez 'ome 'enri!

Brazil 1 Croatia 0 - completely overrated (imho) the Brazilians - and they proved that tonight. Ronaldo was shocking - and it was fitting that he entered the pitch accompanied by a pudding-shaped little German mascot!! Leo told it how it was "very, very, very bad", he said! The Croats deserved a draw at least. It's a pity they don't appear to have brought strikers, alas.

Is it sad to take a photo of your TV?


Leo was the only one on the panel who talked any sense! When asked by Gary, who had impressed most so far (remembering that we haven't seen the Spanish yet!), Hanson and Wright came up with the predictable "England" (ha!), while Leo picked Czech Republic - of course, I agree!

It's a hard life

Another busy day kicking a ball about ...

Australia 3 Japan 1 - Japan (sporting their usual assortment of red hair and blond stripes, with the addition, this time, of kind of poking out fringes at the back) went ahead with a cheaty goal (one of theirs pushed over the others goalie). Then Cahill (EVERTON) came on and scored a beauty. Then he should've been sent off for giving away a penalty up the other end - but the ref didn't spot it, so no pen and no sending off - then he scored again. Then another Aussie scored the third. OK game - nothing wonderful though.

USA 0 Czech Republic 3 - how I love the Czechs. The anthem is full of pain and brings back memories of poor Patrik crying on the grass after the Euro '96 defeat by Germany. They were great today. Nedved and that bloke Arsenal have just bought. Sorry USA - you've lost your touch.

Ghana 0 Italy 2 - strange with no Maldini - and Fabio doesn't really exude the same 'I'm the boss' spirit. I prefer Buffon in pink. The Ghaneans (sp?) were rough. Why didn't Lippi put on Pips?


D'oh!

Leo's a pundit!!

Great joy to discover the lovely Leonardo working as a panellist for the BBC!!

Serbia and Montenegro 0 Holland 1 - missed all but the last few minutes of this game, although listened to snips on the car radio as we went into town to spend more money. I don't like Holland.

Mexico 3 Iran 1 the Iranians presented a small carpet, rather than a pennant!! This game was a bit of a run-around - not exactly good football; certainly not edge of the seat. The Mexicans were happy enough though.

Angola 0 Portugal 1 I thought Figo had retired - and very pleased that he's not - a pleasure to watch! The Angolan 'officials' all look a bit like Idi Amin, while the players wore shorts which clung to their buttocks. Portugal were a little disappointing.

Rule Britannia? I think not!

England 1 Paraguay 0. Dire game - two very poor teams. England strolled around like they only had to turn up; Paraguay strolled around not bothering. And there were too few close-ups of Santa Cruz!

Trinidad and Tobago 0 Sweden 0. This was more like it! But the Swedes left the pitch red-faced after T&T put up a valiant struggle!

Argentina 2 Ivory Coast 1. Even more like it! Argentina are CLASS. Ivory Coast are certainly not walk-overs. Nice football.

Two more postcards this morning! One from Finland and one from Wisconsin. I've now put scans of my Postcrossing cards on here.

Big shock of the day - the return of S330 TMA02 - so quick - I hadn't expected it yet. And 70%. I'm pleased with that! It means I only need to scrape up another 27% from somewhere, to pass the coursework! Tutor thinks I should aim 'beyond a bare pass', as I've shown I can do that by this TMA. He hasn't seen my so far efforts at TMA03 ....

WC kicks off!

Germany 4 Costa Rica 2. Goals, but like watching paint dry.

Poland 0 Ecuador 2. Poland have changed slightly since last time - the baggy shorts have gone. They're still big, though are pale and weak and have legs like logs. Ecuador, on the other hand, were stylish.

The Budweisser ads are hilarious - I wish more games were on ITV!

Looking forward to tomorrow's game with Paraguay. Roque Santa Cruz! :)

The world's gone mad!

Well, 6-6-6 passed well enough - in fact, it was a wonderful day and I spent it mainly grinning to myself and very much in love with the sage in flower. And I got my (Geohazards) TMA back, filled with superlatives, like SUPER STUFF! AND I managed to finish off TMA03 - worked like blazes, but was happy that, at last, I could sit back and relax a little. Perhaps read a *proper* book in the sunshine or something. Then I did my roots. And I got a rash. So now I don't know whether to ever use that dye again or not! Would everybody still love me if I turned into the old crone I actually am underneath that colouring????? This is a real NUISANCE when going away in only 2 weeks time! And, this morning - I woke up to find that my PC wasn't playing with me! Couldn't find SYSTEM32 or something. Anyway, I found the remedy - but I MESSED IT UP and ended up having to reinstall darned WINDOWS - so lost everything! I don't even have an FTP client right now!

But, we went out this afternoon, because it was a glorious day!


And we went to Cockington, Torquay, for cream teas!



Spent some time in the stocks!


And then we spent some time on the beach!

I've sent loads more postcards - to all over the place - the latest one is to be sent to Croatia! I've also received 4 more. 2 from Finland, one from Australia and one from Brazil! I'll scan them when I have time - don't have any right now.

HEATHER - if you read this - please send me an email - as I've lost your address!!

And the winner is ....

New York, New York!

I thought it would be Finland - but, nope, my first Postcrossing postie, arrived yesterday morning, from 'J'in NY. A great one too - home-made, with subway tickets stuck on the card!


And my second one arrived this morning - from Barbara, in beautiful Venezia!



I've sent 12 (!) postcards now! The ones to Finland, Arizona, Brazil and Australia have all been received - and others have gone to Italy, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Portugal.

Good game! :)

My map looks like a spider!!

Heart to heart!

This morning (having had mild chest pains for 2 days), I took me a taxi to the A&E department. I took my ticket, sat down and then read a notice on the wall saying that if you had chest pains you were to see the receptionist. So I did that and was immediately whisked in for an ECG! That (and my BP) was fine, so I thought that was it - but, no, next stop was a small cubicle, a glam paper gown and a student nurse. "Do you know where you are?" "Who is the prime-minister?" And she then proceeded to write down that 'valuables' on my person were 3 rings, 2 necklaces and a pair of earrings. Then I had to count the money in my purse, and the number of credit cards! Did I have diarrhoea? Did any of my family have diarrhoea?? After she'd gone (she did my pulse and BP again and I *nearly* had another ECG), I laid there and wondered what I was doing there! Finally, a very nice Indian doctor examined my heart and lungs (oh please not an X-ray - I don't want to know!), palpated my buddha stomach, felt my ankles for swelling and my neck for bumps - and then sent me on my way! It seems that it is, as I had thought (and rather hoped!), a muscular thing -probably caused by exercising arm muscles with a can of beans and a tin of veggie soup!! They didn't mind in the least though that I had wasted their time. God bless our NHS! Not perfect - but wonderful, none-the-less!