Monday 27 November 2006

Stumped?

I am a bit of a cricket fan. In September 2005, I was at the Oval (with Doug) for the final day of the Fifth Test when England won the Ashes back from Australia after one of the most exciting series of the modern age.

And now it has come round again, this time at their place. After a terrible start to the First Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, England eventually remembered what they were supposed to be doing there and put up some decent resistance in the second innings, but ultimately the Aussies' first innings score of 602-9 declared was just too much and we were defeated by 277 runs. Bah. 1-0 down and here come the told-you-so crew...

Saturday 25 November 2006

Six Million Dollar,er, Knee

At last, I have a new knee. OK, it's actually the old one with some scraggly bits of cartilage removed but still, I should be back for GRACC (and calling risky quick singles to short leg) by the start of the 2007 season.
If you do require such an operation (keyhole ~45mins) I can heartily recommend the Blackheath BMI Hospital (helps if you have BUPA, or deep pockets...). They were fantastic from start to finish, consultant and anaesthetist were brilliant, after-care was superb. Pity they had to shave some of my knee:

Update: I've had the dressings off, looks even odder with the nice blue stitches:

I can hear you laughing, you know.

Wednesday 15 November 2006

Tempus fugit

Good lord, how time flies. Over a month since I last posted. Admittedly, it was a fairly quiet month - or so I thought until I started writing this.

  • There was the work curry night at Bengal Village in Brick Lane which was great fun and ended somewhat drunkenly in the Big Chill Bar (the suits looking somewhat incongruous amongst the asymmetric hair and day-glo legwarmers)
  • There was Antonia's mini baby shower followed by Antonia's mini baby arriving. Woot. Well done you (and Ian, of course - welcome to sad Dad land...)
  • There was my knee going pop* (again) which meant an MRI scan and a jolly nice BUPA consultant advising keyhole surgery on the flappy bit of cartilage causing all the trouble
  • There was a quantity of beer with Doug in a splendid little bar tucked away near King's Cross (no, not that type of bar)
  • There was my first visit to the fantastic Emirates Stadium for the disappointing 0-0 draw with CSKA Moscow where, despite an astonishing 24 (twenty four!) shots at goal, we failed to hit the target. Cow, arse & banjo...
  • There was a 70s party at Alex & Kat's excellent new house in the WestCrystalGipsyNorwoodHillPalace area where despite wearing that shirt, I was trumped in the fashion stakes by Alex's brother Pete (or is it Nick :)

And suddenly it's November...

* in fact it was more of a craaaskeeeuurrrgle sound but you get the idea...