Two hectic weekends consisting of cycling and much alcohol, seperately, I might add, so the body was begging for a decent lie in and a relaxing saturday. However, there was hockey to watch and Adam was making his much awaited international debut for England vs Wales (Mixed Hockey)...in Milton Keynes...bugger!
I met Dido in Clapham Junction and we stocked up on all sorts of treats for the adventure and some beer. The journey was not arduous in the slightest and we managed a bit of conversation, but both of us were heavily engaged in our books. Two page turners do not make good conversation aids! I was beginning to feel a little drowsy, but the penultimate stop before MK, Bletchley, certainly banished any tiredness. The stench that filled my lungs was akin to having a rotten and putrid (ex)hedgehog stuffed up my tender nostrils. Not pleasant!
A short taxi ride to some obscure location, I assumed we would be visiting the National Hockey Stadium, but what do I know? We managed to find David and Liz, the proud parents, and headed for the club house for a bite to eat and find the international star - food being the optimum target, of course!
Before you could swallow a radish we were ushered pitchside to prepare ourselves for the feast of hockey. That is, before they watered the ptiches. Unfortunately for many spectators, there was not a great deal of shelter to be had and 'drowned rats' would not do the situation justice. David and I put ourselves in the way of the extensive electrical system to defend it from the torrential downpour. Successfully, but it was touch and go as to whether one of us would need CPR.
The game kicked off, after the usual lineup procession and the National Anthems. Being half English-half Welsh, I was in a bit of a pickle as to who to support. Adam was not due on until the second half, so that certainly helped me decide who to support. "Guide me, O thou great Redeemer, Pilgrim through this barren land..". As it turned out, the Welsh were looking a bit sharper and they took an earlyish lead. England managed to pull one back and then crept ahead just before the half time interval.
I accompanied David to his van to feed his.....K....V...birds of prey and he kindly gifted me a beer from the cool box, containing some sandwiches and a box of dead chicks. These Devon folk are very odd.
Adam made his bow to much raucous cheering from the four of us and some scattered applause from the other 100 or so spectators. He proved his worth with some talismanic saves and commanded his area well. Just as I was trying to work out how many Internationals had kept a clean sheet on their one and only cap (possibly more than one cap, if he tries again next year), he conceded, but England romped to an unassailable 5-2 lead and that is how it finished. David and Liz made their excuses and headed off to Cider Land (with the two birds in tow). Adam toasted his success in the clubhouse, whilst Dido and I nodded off in the car, whilst playing Yahtzee (good game!).
A thouroughly enjoyable excursion overall, but it was a joyous occasion to see Milton Keynes disappear in the rear view mirror. What a loathesome place. Concrete. Round-a-bouts. Gridline streets. To think they are intending to use the planners of MK to rebuild Basra when things settle down. Haven't we done enough damage?!
The journey back was swift and we headed towards Fulham to celebrate the 30th of a good friend, Georgie. The first of many, I guess - where did all those years go? The Mitre was the venue and the bar was drunk dry - including Brogan's Bar as well. Spinning the night away with the delectable Kate. Good times were had. Happy days.
Quote of the day: 'Work is the curse of the drinking class' - Oscar Wilde
Word of the day: Scolionn - an impromptu party song begun by one and continued by others.
Yes, yes I am back.
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