Everytime a major football tournament comes along, I somehow get swept along with the hype, and start to believe that we may have a chance etc. Yet every time we seem to flatter to deceive, and fall flat on our face. And so, in time honoured tradition, England failed to deliver today. In fact they were taken apart. Sure there was the goal that wasn’t – but should have been, and sure it may have changed the match in some way if it had been given, but we were still hopelessly disjointed for the main part. We have now had two highly touted foreign coaches, in Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello… but they have made little difference. I would rather have an Englishman like Harry Redknapp, or Roy Hodgson in charge. In the words of the West Ham song, ‘bubbles’, ‘like my dreams they fade and die’. Oh well… even my lucky Bobby Moore t-shirt could not help.

As always it has been a busy weekend. Tricia was off competing for Aylesbury AC in Swindon on Sat, Nikki was in London competing for Milton Keynes AC. Nikki is back in Hatfield working today and for the next few days. Robbie was working yesterday, played cricket for the village today (and got a wicket). Rob had has final exam on Friday, so all his A Levels are done and dusted. Ellie was at the orthodontist earlier this week, and she has been told she will need 4 teeth taken out and braces.. so she is not best pleased. Yesterday Ellie and I went along to the MADS (the local acting group) midsummer social. This was something I organised for the group, where all those who act in the group came along with their families for a picnic, and we entertained each other – performing parts of plays, singing, etc… Ellie read a Pam Ayres poem called ‘The Dentist’, and played the clarinet. 4 of us did the part of Midsummer Nights Dream we performed recently, and I re-wrote the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet for Rene and Edith from ‘allo ‘allo which we performed. It was all geat fun and very well received. Today, Ellie was in the school choir performing at Waddesdon manor. During the week Ellie also had her school sports day. I think we could all do with a rest… Couple of pictures of Ellie, one at her sports day, and one in the school choir today at Waddesdon.

Tricia turned 21 yet again today (45). A beuatiful sunny day, started with a cup of tea in bed, and cards and pressies. I disappeared to work then. During the day she went out for a coffee with some friends, and then this afternoon she was taken for tea at Waddesdon Manor by Robbie, who also bought her some plants for the garden. When I got home this evening, Nikki had cooked her a birthday tea, and made her a cake. A bottle of bubbly was opened and we all sang her happy birthday.

Some other celebrations….

Happy Birthday Mark & Happy Birthday Deb for the 17th

Happy Wedding Anniversary to Steve and Justine, and Les and Lesley.

Last week Robbie had his school artwork on display. 

A disappointing World Cup so far, too many games where teams are frightened of losing. Unfortunately Germany look the best team so far, but it is early days. England were a little lame on Saturday, I hope they pick up the tempo Friday evening, or it could be a sulky weekend. I saw a documentary on Bobby Moore last week, my schoolboy hero. It almost bought a tear to my eye, England could do with someone of his class right now.

Tricia and Ellie returned home on Friday, both very weary from the Brownie Pack Holiday. On Saturday Tricia had to do 3 birthday cakes, and some party food for one of the parties we were going to in the village on Sat evening. A friend of ours was 40, and having a party at the top of the village, meanwhile Jade, a good friend of Nikki’s was having her 21st party in the viallage hall.

It was a long slog for Tricia to get it all done, and I helped out with prepping some of the party food. We managed to get to both parties. Ellie was conked out around 11:15, so Robbie took her home. Tricia and I followed around midnight… Nikki went back to Jades house and came home about 4:30 am !

A slowish Sunday, I took Ellie to church as she was doing a reading, and then cooked lunch. Tricia had a stall at the village hall this afternoon (Open Gardens in the village), whilst the three herberts sat and watched Britains got talent.

Next week Ellie is away for the week, on a school trip, which she is rather excited about. Nikki is off to Hatfield Tuesday morning and is then working the rest of the week there. Robbie is off to a friends for a few days later on. So, it will be a quiet house this week. Tricia could do with a rest so that is probably a good thing.

We have all the world cup build up reaching a crescendo this week, and the first game on Saturday. As usual the press will talk up our chances, and as usual we will most likely fail to live up to the hype. I reckon we will get through our group and into the knockout stages, where we will face either Germany or Serbia and that might be it. But I am hoping to be proved wrong, and hopefully they will go further.

When I was blogging last weekend, I felt I had forgotten something. It wasn’t until I saw this weeks Eightlem News that I remembered. Last Thursday, the overflow pipe was running constantly, and so Tricia went into the loft for a looksee. She lifted the lidof the main tank, and discovered that the ball cock had eroded and broken off, and water was starting to overflow in the loft. Well it seems there was much frenzy, which involved getting Robbie into the loft, and holding the end of the ball cock that remained. Tricia got hold of a local plumber who came and replaced the ball cock, and the panic was over.

Tricia and Ellie are on Brownie camp this week. Nikki was around till Thursday, she is now in Hatfield for a few days working at Homebase. She is a little bit down as her car has a problem, that may well be terminal. Robbie is at home, he was working this evening. I walked up to the pub and had a guinness with some friends there. Rob joined us for a cider when he finished working.

Yesterday I was at a BUPA clinic for a full health assessment – this was part of my package for working at BP. I weigh 14st 2lb presently and they suggest my range should be between 12st 10 and 13 st 6, so I intend to work hard and get just over half a stone off and get down to the level they suggest. One of the tests was a lung capacity test, and the report suggested I have the lungs of a 25 year old ! Not bad for a 49 year old… all that swimming paying off. I get the results of the blood tests next week.

Oh well, it is a busy schedule at work tomorrow, so I had better go to bed.