Short week

We had a good weekend with both Bridie and Joe home for Easter and not too much school work hanging over me. It's good to have a bank holiday off and still have the prospect of two weeks holiday at the start of April.

Yesterday was a teacher training day with coursework moderation the focus for everyone. That means checking the folders are complete and marked properly and objectively. The English Department did well with very few alterations being made and the school looks to be on course for record results by a long way which is great because that's my main responsibility in school.

With the kids back in today school has been pretty calm after a hectic few weeks as the staffing structure for the new school was published giving rise to understandable fears about roles in September. This has unsettled a lot of staff and it looks likely quite a few will be leaving in the summer. The cynical view is that the academy are quite happy for that to happen.

I have an interview next week at a school near Newbury which has a Sixth Form and which would be a good opportunity to broaden my experience in education before taking Headship on in two years or so.

Before that though there is the small matter or a return to action for Sparkshop formerly Iscape who debut in division 3 of the new league structure. That is a better scenario than not playing at all but already the Big Guy has withdrawn due to unavailability with a visit to Eurodisney a more enticing prospect than football on a cold and wet Monday evening. And him a Geordie too! Should be playing in skins although there could be human rights issues if he did.

Latest pictures of Maria

Maria is progressing onto solids now and has been having baby rice and banana, some of which has gone in her mouth and the rest spread over the high chair and kitchen.

She has got a lovely smile and wicked laugh when you play peep bo with her. Maisie and Rosie have been very good with her - don't they look lovely lying in their basket, all cuddled up.

Good Friday

It was a pretty sunny day and I decided to make the most of it by spending hours in the fresh air. First, Maria and I went for a trip to Blashford Lakes which she slept through entirely, from the moment the car started till I got her out again on the return home. There were a lot of people out and about enjoying a better than forecast day. By the afternoon it was colder and I took the dogs out for a two and a half hour walk which provided opportunities to see a heron flying overhead, 4 deer feeding oblivious to our presence, they were too far away for the dogs to notice and to chill out a bit after the stresses of school recently.

We get knocked down but we get up again!!

Disaster struck before Iscape even kicked a ball last night and I don't mean simply that Adam's lights were on the blink and he couldn't show. A minor rule present in the small print of the league rules was brought to our attention and revealed Iscape are out, out of the league and potentially out of contention for any kind of future given the recent difficulties in fielding a team. Ironic because the seeds of a new nucleus were sown with the arrival of 3 new faces. This despite some of us needing new faces even more desperately.

Super Kev had cunningly had a birthday and used the opportunity to 'pull' three lads with the promise of sublime pleasure on a Monday night as they were invited to fill the hole at the back or pull off the last man to create space. Thus it was that Matt C, he of the vomiting bug which coincided rather conveniently with a useful absence in the light of a certain 2 - 1 victory to the 'best in the west,' was covered by Chris, Mike and Matt. A different Matt obviously, and a different Matt from Matt I too. It took 3 players to replace Coombesie and they were just about up to it.

Anyway, our position of 10 games, one win, no draws, nine defeats and just 9 goals scored meant we could not catch anyone to avoid the wooden spoon and for the first time in our histry we were going to be bottom. The we hear about a rule which means we don't get to play until other teams drop out because the worst two teams in the league drop out due to a waiting list.

Despite this we competed well and managed to keep the score at nil nil until 5 minutes from time when a good header, albeit a free one, finally beat the big man who had been having a stormer in goal. At that stage we were creating clear chances as every ball from Dougie came to me and I was left unchallenged virtually every time to flick on to a rampaging forward line. It was pretty clear why we'd only scored 9 goals even after our 11th game. I think I could be top scorer with Matt C on 2 goals although the legendary Dougie will probably claim he scored 10 goals.

There were excellent debuts from the new guys and time to abuse the league organisers about their rule.

Incredibly the story took a new turn this evening with Kev triumphantly revealing the new league structure which would see 3 divisions and the reinstatement of Iscape but in a new guise and with a new name. I will leave readers in a state of suspense about the new sponsors because I think we ought to have an online poll to choose the name of the team before we ignore the results and call ourselves whatever Kev decides.

All in all a good decision by the organisers and evidence that moaning does get you somewhere now and again. We can look forward to being league winners again in the thrid division or just a bunch of whingers when we get thrown out of the league for being bottom again! Where would your money go?

I must make one final comment which modesty almost forbids but I know Kev will love to read it. One of the opposition asked Dom if the lad up front had played professionally??!! He meant the Ravanelli lookalike and showed himself to be an astute judge of pace and skill. What a loss for Scotland I must have been - 2 world cups we could have had.


Come on the new Iscape - get those names rolling in especially the foreign person who left a comment. Spanish Dave incognito?

Happy Birthday Kev and football

It was Kev's birthday yesterday and, whilst he hasn't reached a milestone year this time round, it is probably best to keep quiet about exactly how far he's got. I did hear him say he feels he's catching me up though. However, he did show great stamina in drinking plenty and remaining keen for his food at the Indian before returning for more drinks afterwards.

I was very fortunate in getting a lift from Alison at midnight and managed to walk to Furzehill before she got to me. It was good night only spoilt by the announcement from Kev that Pepper is leaving Neighbours. On the plus side he is pleased Miss Australia is joining soon.

I missed the last Iscape match report as my laptop has been off getting repaired. A new motherboard has rescued matters and I can reveal we lost again. With one game to go we are rock bottom following a two nil loss but once again it was a good performance. Ads played again but was limping within seconds and could hardly hobble off with just two minutes gone. We fought a fine rearguard action and Dom distinguished himself once again. Sadly the goal came in unfortunate fashion with Nick unsighted and beaten by a fierce shot at the near post. I can't remember the second goal but we did do well to keep the goals conceded down.

Gen played today and his team lost 2 - 1 which was fine performance given it was against the leaders of the division who had hammered them in October. This time round they were excellent except for 2 poor goals either end of the game. The first was just a terrible muddle which left an easy tap in and the second, the winner, was an own goal with Tom being hit by a free kick which flashed across the area. The ball hit his chest and ended in the far corner.

In between Dan had equalised from a corner and Rossgarth had had the better of the first half. The team have improved immensely and Glen looked comfortable at the back.