Breaking News

We had a phone call from Glen's football manager this evening and he has been selected to go for a trail down at Bournemouth fr the level below their school of excellence. Hard to believe they have such a school but they do apparently.

So for the next 4 Fridays Glen will be playing down in Bournemouth with the prospect of proper coaching etc if successful. That's quite an achievement given he's only been playing a few years and is ample proof that he's inherited his Dad's genes. Except he has pace and can tackle and kick the ball properly. I think there are too many of those players in the game already. What is needed is more elderly, slow, lazy footballers. Perhaps I'm not the only one?

Potterne Park to Moors Valley

It was a beautiful day and Alison and I took Maria down to Verwood to meet up with Robin and Joy for a walk to Moors Valley. The dogs came too and it was like a flashback as I spent ages loading the car and then had to hang around while Alison fed Maria before we actually got going.

The photos show what a sunny day it was and we sat outside for coffee at the visitor centre. Maria has been asleep virtually the whole time since we got back! I found it very strange being away from school and yet able to be outside. Only off for illness so being away from work and out for a walk seemed like I was bunking off. Only another week to go!

Consumate skill

Iscape returned to action in the cup last night and produced their performance for many weeks in clinching a 4 - 2 victory. It was a happy group down at the pub afterwards with Kevin waiting patiently to talk through his stunning 'nuts' which set up the final goal. We are definitely getting harder to beat - wait till next time!


The game was played in increasingly cool conditions but Dave managed to keep his gloves in the glove compartment of his car as the temperature remained above 5C and it was our usual steady (slow) start in which we managed to avoid touching the ball for some time. However, it was Iscape who took the lead with a lovely through ball from Darren which left pacy K Trill to run free and slot home low to the keeper's left. Unfortunately we conceded a soft equalizer before the break with a corner finding a free attacker at the far post. His header crept in despite the attention of Matt and Hen on the line.

Turning round level, we took the lead again and once more there was some good football. Darren was set free on the left and produced a sweet left footed strike to the far post. We were on top and playing well when a throw out from Hen struck Matt I on the back and led to a scrambled second. Yet again there was another goal for Iscape with a long ball out of defence picked up by Dave. He beat a defender and ran along the touchline closing in goal at a tight angle. Kev was screaming for the ball but Dave chose to strike for goal and buried the ball high into the net at the neat post. This time the possession was controlled and several other chances were created with the opposition increasingly desperate and at odds without each other.

A ball from Hen was picked up wide by Kev who stopped the ball going into touch and swivelled in one movement knocking the ball forward. The defender was caught completely unaware, statue-like, as the ball passed smoothly through his legs and into the open space bringing gasps of admiration from the any onlookers. Even better followed with a cross/shot lifted across the keeper leaving Dave to tap in from close range and secure the win.

Dave managed to miss other chances to head in from the many throw ins and corners which would have given him a hat trick. Nevertheless it was a sweet win with lots of good football and, it is well worth mentioning, good refereeing. The new guy was up with play at all times and gave clear decisions which allowed the game to flow.

My mistake

I meant this video to be the post before last but that ended up as one of Maria and her cousins, Stuart and Georgina who are on a visit from Yorkshire. This does show Glen in action on the first hole at Crane Valley golf course which is just down the road from us.

We took Maria out for a walk this afternoon after Stuart put the pushchair together. It was a lovely autumn afternoon and she coped extremely well despite the uneven ground shaking her about although I thought that's what helped get them to sleep.

Golfing

Glen, Stuart and Robin played golf at Crane Valley this morning with me in attendance as man with no clubs which meant I saved face as far as my abilities are concerned.
It was funny watching Glen on the first though. He did get better - honest!

Maria's first trip

At a week old, Maria was feeling ready for a trip out when Glen went down to Verwood to get his hair cut. We went to her grandparents' house and got used to the car seat which took less than an hour to get sorted out. I'm exaggerating of course but they are so complicated some of them. It was made worse by the fact my car has gone in for repair at last after the collision last month. The replacement car, a green Ka, is pretty awful to look at and so small which prompted us to use Alison's car instead. I did mange to get the seat in place easily enough in contrast to the vibrating baby recliner in the front room which Sandra got for us. I put it together three times before the retaining lugs where in the right place. What the hell are retaining lugs? I know now but I had forgotten to research them before attempting the complex challenge of constructing an item for a baby merely days old but requiring the intellect of a quantum physicist. Maria would have done it more quickly than me.

Good to see Dougie's pleased with a football report at last. Have fun in the States and see you soon while a big hello goes to Paul in Wales with his superb big chillies.

Read about the size of his vegetables (snigger snigger) at the link below.

Petty invasion tomorrow, with Joe on Friday and Chrissie and girls coming up Saturday.
Should be fun.

http://caustic-daydreams.blogspot.com/

Rossgarth

Sadly Glen was able to play football this weekend which meant a trip to Poole with a 9 - 0 defeat his reward for a game in which he actually played well. I would genuinely say apart from Glen, Eric up front and Josh in goal, the team look desperately short at the moment. However, they do have a cushion between them and the bottom clubs and should manage to hold their own in the division.

The turnaround with the keeper is incredible. He was hopeless last year and I mean Paul Robinson like but worse. You winced in anticipation every time the ball was hit in his direction, even at a snail's pace. He has played excellently for the last three games.

More Maria

Maria had visitors from Plymouth at the weekend with Morag and Murdina coming up with Bridie. Bridie and Murdina are pictured with Maria while Morag has gone for the apple crumble and cream in a bowl rather than a little baby.

Sadly for my sisters they had persuaded me to go out for the evening to watch the rugby final and were treated to a couple of hours of me explaining why rugby was rubbish, that hardly anyone could win it like the Americans always winning the world series as well as what a hopeless game it was with both teams just booting it from end to end. That was until it was apparent England were going to lose at which point I was able to relax and begin to sympathise as we walked home. Still there's always Euro 2008. Oh! Maybe not!

Draw number 5

It's been quite an odd season for Iscape after the mediocrity of last time round with the ninth game of the season giving us a fifth draw alongside 2 wins and 2 defeats. I think that marks us down as hard to beat.

As mentioned in previous post, Simon emerges from the game with immense credit. Without him at the back the previous match we'd conceded 4 ( I did play centre of defence which explains a lot) but on his return there was a clean sheet to celebrate although we didn't manage to score. Thanks to Doug's magnificent range of passing, several chances were created but spurned but we came closest with a delicate chip over a sprawling keeper clipping the bar after a flowing move - started by Dougie of course.

There was quite a threat from the opposition but it was stifled on the rock that is Simon Scott Douglas who marshalled Dom and Matt I with the utmost calm authority. Nick, guesting in goal, was offered every protection and was grateful on several occasions to the extent that he opted for saving any shots that came his way. Who was behind him though, making sure the ball would be turned away should the keeper fail? It was that man Doug again and he even got a round in afterwards. Someone by that fella an ice cold beer!

No game this week but the cup, a new attempt at it, starts again the following week. Incredibly the world's longest running cup competition is rumoured to be starting even though the previous effort has yet to be finished! How can this be? There must be some logic in place somewhere but it's beyond me.

More photos of Maria

Thanks for your kind words, Simon. You'll get a great write up in the latest post about Iscape from Monday! It's all coming back to me now - how to hold a baby. Like most children I come into contact with at school, Maria quickly decided sleep was the best option. Very pleased in this case and I was going to say not the same at school but actually...

Auntie Sandra and Gerry came over and cooked us tea on Weds which was great as Ali and me were knackered. No football on last night so I spent the night asleep. Which of the British nations is Maria going to be able cheer on next summer in Euro 2008? My guess is Russia will bottle it in Israel and England will sneak through while Scotland are one up against Italy until the 90th minute when an equalizer from Gattuso (because he was a Rangers player once) will thwart the most deserving team. That's Scotland by the way.

What has happened to the Republic of Ireland. I used to be able to cheer them on in tournaments at least but not looking at all clever these days.

Maria again

It's felt like a very long day after so long without sleep but Maria has made a good start with no problems to report and feeding well. She and Alison have dozed on and off most of the day while I've had the pleasure of sorting out the house including my first ever use of the washing machine!

It was such a long night with Alison having had a show in the late morning and starting contractions in earnest from 11 in the evening. The labour was apparently 5 hours 40 minutes with the actual pushing stage only 3 minutes. I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that for much of the night I was watching Argentina against Venezeula in a World Cup Qualifier but we were all in the front room, Ali, myself and the midwife, and I did keep asking if it was ok having it on in the background. Great goal by Messi for the second goal by the way. Then it was highlights of Brazilian football until 4 o'clock.

I don't want it to sound as if I wasn't involved - cold towels don't fetch themselves - but Alison was fantastic. She is incredibly strong and the after pains didn't last too long. Maria is feeding well and looking about. She reminds both of us of my mum.

Sad to say I'm writing this having just watched England lose in Russia and it's tempting to say it's been a good day all round. Mind you, Scotland haven't lost yet - that is more than likely given our history of glorious or inglorious failure.

Maria

Maria arrived at 4.17 this morning after a relatively quick labour in which Alison didn't have recourse to gas or anything meaning I missed out too. Just a shade under 6lbs so quite petite.

Tracking students course

Still no news on the baby front - due on Monday officially and looking like it's going to be late, so it was off to St Marys for a training day on the use of data and tracking students. I guess there were a couple of things that might be useful from the day but in general a pretty dull way to pass the time.

The OFSTED speaker was particularly monotonous and coming after lunch I could see tohers nodding off around me - her influence, not mine I hope.

No news from the school in Cornwall which wasn't unexpected. Much more likely to see positions coming up after Christmas.

Headship?

I've been busily putting together an application for Headship at a school in Cornwall which was quite an achievement in itself. The personal statement took ages and I'm waiting to see whether I get an interview which would be next week with a view to starting in January.

The school is near Penzance, in fact to the west of Penzance so I don't think there's much prospect of me taking it even if I were successful. It's just useful practice before the serious business of applications after Christmas. Short listing takes place today so I should hear in the next couple of days if my references have been taken up.

I certainly don't want to stay here if it can be helped but you never know. I can't really say much more about that without the libel laws being invoked - it has not been very impressive fromm the new school providers to say the least.

Return to Iscape

I managed to fit a game of football into what has been hectic couple of weeks and was pleased to be teaming up with a squad still basking in the glow of a second victory of the season following last week's 2 - 1 win with Kev scoring both goals.

The team has been doing much better although draws rather than wins have featured. Last night saw our fourth draw to take us to 10 points from 8 games. The point was at times something we'd have settled for, at others disappointing after creating a host of chances.

The ref put in his traditional bizarre performance which merited some extensive criticism but he was always willing to talk to you as long as you were within two yards so he could speak without making any sense to an English speaking person.

We were 1 - 0 down early on as a left footed volley clear by me hit another player with the rebound going to a free striker who calmly slotted home. We equalised equally quickly though with a fine header from Dave from a long throw. He was at fault for their second though allowing a free header close in from a free kick. Again he scored though as we began to pass the ball around, stringing together several passes and cutting through for a free shot on goal.

Turning round at 2 - 2 we took the lead in the second half with another good goal which was confidently finished by Kev. There were further clear chances for Kev and Dave but the earlier composure went momentarily and the clear lead refused to come. Inevitably we were pegged back and again the ball broke kindly for them as a tackle in the box was followed by the ball breaking to a free shot on goal. We retook the lead though, this time from Murph hitting home from long range as the game deteriorated through poor reffing decisions.

The equaliser came from a long throw to Iscape and we (I) got caught upfield. The striker cut in from the left and sliced through the defence before lashing the ball home from close range.