Dear Diary...

This is my diary. How things are. Or something. Please note that the diary is archived month by month, so feel free to click the links for the archives (which now will go back five years maximum):

2025
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2020


Sunday 2nd November - Haaland The Robot

It was nice to have had another good night's sleep as well tonight, so that did mean that we both were able to just enjoy the fact that Brian the cat also wanted to rest, and was happily snuggled up to his Mummy wanting lots of fussing and attention. That did not surprise me really, and so with that in mind, once we did get up and have a coffee, Brian wanted a little play out on the patio, spotted the local squirrel (who we call Sammy the Squirrel so it entertains the little ones somewhat) as well as take in some fresh air, as thankfully any threatened rain was not forthcoming which was a positive.

The Love did get something nice during the morning - a message to invite her to join Little Miss E, Little Miss O and their Mummy for a carvery later, with the plan being to go when the Manchester City game was on (which I would be going to) and then be back before the final whistle. I was tempted to join them but may see them after the game if they are waiting for the traffic to die down, but we shall see. In any case, I was looking forward to the game and seeing if Erling Haaland can resume his rich vein of scoring form that he has been doing for both Manchester City and his country Norway all season.

It was off to the Etihad then for me and off to my season ticket seat in Block 302. I must admit I am getting used to it up there, with the food and drink concessions being good (went for the chicken and chips) and generally being served quick. The fans around me I've got to see each game have been a good bunch and it's just nice to be able to get used to that and chat about the game whilst watching too, so that does make me feel a little nicer that I have that. A lot of City fans were pleased that West Ham United had beaten Newcastle United in the earlier kick off, us and West Ham do have some good affinity together and we generally cheer each other on (apart from when we play each other) and that was prevalent a lot during the end of the 2022-23 season especially.

Bournemouth arrived second in the league with Antoine Semenyo in very good form, but also their whole team seemed to have a great work for each other ethic and were playing good attractive football, so definitely proved to be the case early on as they had a goal disallowed for offside. City did get themselves in the game and it was end to end stuff. The ball was chipped forward, Rayan Cherki headed it on, and Erling Haaland got it, ran through on goal, and well, there was only one outcome wasn't there? 1-0 City and the announcer's cry of "Erling!" followed by the City fans' response of "Haaland!" also saw him celebrate, Peter Crouch robot-like, after the goal.

Bournemouth were not done though and they got a corner, which Gianluigi Donnarumma could only partially punch in the air, and the ball fell to Tyler Adams to equalise. The City keeper claimed a foul but it all looked good to me, and stupidly got himself booked for dissent despite the fact other players, after some protestations, had told him to leave it. City though were not in any mood to surrender soon thankfully and another excellent through ball found Erling Haaland and he did the same again, scoring for 2-1. I was pleased and it showed that we had nous, despite the referee Anthony Taylor clearly wanting to make the game all about him and his "decisions" which had both sets of fans perplexed and the City fans singing "It's all about you, it's all about you, Anthony Taylor, it's all about you" which no doubt would have been picked up on the telly.

After half time Bournemouth had a couple of good chances and one well saved by Donnarumma, but then as City went back into their groove, the ball went to Phil Foden, he placed a lovely ball to his left which was collected by Nico O'Reilly who slotted it home superbly for 3-1. I was pleased for him and indeed for Foden making his 200th Premier League appearance, the youngest ever City player to do so which is an impressive stat to say the least. The score stayed the same and City did the business, with Supra's version of Blue Moon in my head as I left the ground (and therefore tune of the day).

Sadly, the girls had all left before I got back (as their father had been to the City game too but left before full time to try and beat the traffic) and it would have been nice to see them, but I got it. The Love and I saw most of the Strictly Come Dancing results show before she very kindly dropped me off at Manchester Piccadilly station to get the train home. It was a relatively calm journey and after what had happened yesterday on an LNER train, I was just pleased that the journey had no incidents and I got home safe.

Saturday 1st November - Flooding With A Forty

After heading up on the train to Manchester last night, it was nice to just have some a rest and a lie in, although Brian the cat was doing his best to wake myself and The Love In My Heart up - not least when he taps his paw in the gentle direction of his Mummy. I got up and he was on it, looking at me with his "please give me some more Dreamies" face. Naturally I did relent a little bit but it had transpired that he had already had two lots from his Mummy overnight. He is not daft though is he? Once up, it was time to settle in with some James Martin on the telly.

I did head out to the local Asda, but with the rain that had fell overnight, that meant that the walkway across the zebra crossing was completely flooded, so had to head around that and get there. I did manage to get a few things that were needed and the rain had at least stopped which was something. I got back, and we enjoyed some breakfast before then looking at some potential present purchases for future birthdays, and the big C word was mentioned. This is primarily because if I get some of the presents now, the prices are cheaper and therefore get more for less - not daft, me!

In the early afternoon it was off to see my Mum, as it would be her birthday on Monday and so wanted to drop off a card and present for her, as well as a card and present for one of our other relations too so they could pick it up from there. It was good to see Mum and we had a coffee and a good catch up. She had been away with her friend and was telling us that it had been a good time, but also was able to find a new good place to eat out and that if they went back on holiday, they could go there and make sure they book it. It all sounded lovely to be fair, and we told her about our lovely lunch out when we went to Gordon Ramsay's Bar and Grill the other week.

The time went by far too quickly and before we knew it, we were saying a fond farewell and heading off to Wallop (formerly Wine and Wallop) in West Didsbury, where there were some lovely beers to be tried out and a nice chilled out vibe of music as it always is in there to be fair. I did wonder if some of the Manchester bands' members would be there (as sometimes they are) but not today, but we hadn't been in for a while since they had done a refurb so was good to be in - and definitely it was a good relaxed setting to be had before we then headed back to The Love's place.

After having some lovely chicken and vegetables for tea, it was time to settle in for tonight's Strictly Come Dancing and it was the Halloween special, which meant all sorts of excellent fancy dress and make up as well as some different dances too. Lewis Cope and Katya Jones went freestyle with their couples choice to a jazz version of Radiohead's Creep, and wow, it was amazing. I knew that there would be 10s and if Craig Revel Horwood gives it a 10, you knew it was going to be a maximum 40 overall, and that just had to be the dance of the night.

There were some other excellent performances though, Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe's dance to Horny (yes, that one!) was really good fun, as was La Voix with Aljaž Skorjanec doing the paso doble to Beethoven's Fifth, albeit a more modern rendition. However for me the one dance I loved was Karen Carney and Carlos Gu, with Karen channeling her Brummie roots, dancing the Argentine Tango to Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (a song my friend and I adore, so tune of the day) and of course the theme tune to Peaky Blinders as well - so that fitted in rather well!