Strange colour outside...

So, where's all this global warming then?  

Here we were expecting good old England to be as balmy as the Med in a few years - you know, brown slopes and olive groves - long warm autumns....RIGHT!!!

but..according to the The Telegraph, it's good for us...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3281540/Why-snow-in-October-is-reason-to-rejoice.html

funnies...

Not one to post pics from other blogs, but...I like this one:-

Been planning...

As mother has already ordered the chicken and mixed the cake, we're in Chesham for Christmas then...

BUT, we are legging it for New Year and abondoning Neicey and co this year, we've booked 3 nights here

It's the Best Western in Brugges...looking forward to it!!

Daily Pic..

Well it can't be called daily as I haven't posted one since .....  :-)

Again, I've delved into my 'archive' to find one, in fact 5...Five  generations...

.        

In no particular order :-

Grandma, Mother, daughter, grand-daughter, great grand-daughter!!

It's just gone Friday....

So here's my Friday Fill In...

1. Right now, I'm feeling relaxed but a little bit thoughtful, sat watching the Air New Zealand Cup Final from Wellington - just memories that's all. 

2. I am where  I want to be.

3. How does one juggle?

4. Getting on a bit (and SUzie!!) keeps me on track.

5. Please don't assume you know me.

6. Happy people without agendas fills me with joy.

7. And as for the weekend, today I'm looking forward to a gentle afternoon of football watching at Hertford Town,  my plans also include a wander around the town and Sunday, I want to to go fishing here!

LIfe, football and all of that.

So, how have my chosen teams been getting on in my absence from these boards?  Those who have followed these ramblings (HELLO DEBS!!) will possibly know I follow these teams through either a lifetime of struggle, having lived there or some other tenuous link ...

Watford FC.  We're doing ok...19th in The 

Championship BUT the football is much more fun than last years dross. A club I've supported from 

childhood.

(Recall supporting Leeds Utd for some reason (probably the Yorkshire link and the fact that my 

cousin Christine's other half followed them)). 

We moved from Eaglescliff when I was a 5 something and I grew up in Chesham, a few miles from the ground. My best mates brother was  fan and led me down the demon path when WFC were a spot in the lower leagues.  Find their history here.

Moved here just over three years ago to be with Suzie :) Decided 

to watch the local non-league team when I could and have gradually become more involved!! Going to watch them today over at Watford (Oxhey Jets) with our new manger - Ossie Ardilles' son

Then there's this lot -  The Mooloo's !!!  Otherwise known as Waikato Rugby Club in Hamilton New Zealand. 

Now, when we were planning  trip last year I look

ed up which club was closest to Tauranga, and it was The Steamers. BUT when I was unpacking at Jack and Denice's paradise, they noticed my Watford scarf and suggested that I had come pre-pared!! Just look at the colours and you'll see why... So now I'm  fully committed Mooloo supporter ( they lost their last game of the season last week to Hawks Bay in the Air New Zealand Cup).  

By proxy, I'm also a follower of this lot as well - the regional kiwi team that plays in the Super 14 cup... Go Chiefs!!

That just leaves Yorkshire Cricket Club, England in all sports, Andy Murray and school!!

64 Days..not that Suzie's counting...

Seem to have lost the habit of posting regularly - too much other 'stuff' going on, mainly the usual football message board surfing and general browsing.  Haven't even been reading or fishing lately so not much to catch up with either.!!  

A quick recap of our life recently then....

Went here and lost (that's not true - I didn't even get the chance to feel the fish on the line I cocked it up so much) my biggest ever fish...

Went to Hertford last weekend and watched this game with Stephen R, then a chilled evening watching England in the pub and a curry afterwards.

Thursday Suzie took me to Castle Hall to watch 'Kiss Me Kate' by our local amdram HD & OS - good fun.

SO, now I'm back, let's get posting.....

Well, now we ARE Mr & Mrs Fazey-Wood, what happened...

Spent the past few weeks filling up various personal diaries and seem to have run out of words to describe the build up, the wedding and the honeymoon!!

So, let's just simply say that the wedding was great - nice and gentle, grown up even!!

I can't vouch for the Hen Night though...

Went to Rhodes - lovely hotel, some yummy Tavernas AND Manuel....

Well, we're now Mr and Mrs....

Thanks everybody - more to come later.

Our Wedding...

Well, it's nearly here!!!

That is all....

Excited little bunny...

That's me!!

The poor old Fiat rather disconcertingly died on Tuesday on the way home from work - disconcertingly because it happened right in front of Luton Hitchin Road cemetary!! Loss of power then clonging noises and rattles and stopping stuff - engine gone for a burton.

SO, we've been out and gone and got ourselves a cracker in replacement...

It's a Ford Focus, 1.8 TDCi Sport, Hatchback .

Friday fill-in

Friday Fill-In

Questions courtesy of One Knutty Knitter;

1. Idle hands are probably throwing a rubber at someone in my classroom right now!!.

2. I love to be woken up in the shower.

3. My favorite time of the day is when it's all gone right and I can relax with a glass of something nice.

4. The last tea I drank was about 3 minutes ago and was bulk standard Typhoo - milk, no sugar and medium strength.

5. I like to enjoy the warmth in the Summer.

6. My mother always said wash behind your ears young man.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to some gentle fishing for a couple of hours, tomorrow my plans include setting up our wedding list at John Lewis, then watching the start of Euro 2008 and Sunday, I want to finish my class summer reports!

Daily Pic

When we were scanning photo's for mother's 80th birthday we came across this one - it's my mother holding her dad's hand with my nan pushing my Uncle David in the push chair along the front at Brighton pre-war. (Her dad died of TB when she was not much older and the person I called grandad was her step father).

Friday Fill - In.

Questions courtesy of MindFul Mimi who had some thought- provoking ones this week; thank you, Mimi!

1. For me mind dumingly boring 'real life' TV soap drama is the opposite of creativity.

2. Depends on the genre, but
The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom was the last excellent book I read.

3. I like fill-ins because they make me think a bit about who I am.....

4. In nature I like looking at the changes through the seasons.

5. After you lot voted for Bush a second time, nothing would surprise me.... should win the US elections.

6. The last time I laughed with all my belly was listening to Stephen Fry.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to cooking a feast, tomorrow my plans include as little as possible and Sunday, I want to enjoy some good weather, go to the gym and find loads of bargains at a car boot sale!

A good weekend...(except for the rain...)...

Whilst the rest of Dorset cowered inside away from the rain on Saturday - we at West Bay were treated to a few lovely hours of refreshing heat...but it did catch up with us on Sunday night with a vengeance!!!

I went fishing...didn't catch anything, but the view was magnificent - 185 Million years of rock formation in front of me...

Think all had a good time, I know these did!!!

And I feel the need to embarrass these two!!!

Off for some R & R

It's been a long half term at school and we're (kids and us) bushed... So we're off camping in West Bay in Dorset for some well earned rest, (if that's the right word), with the kids and grandchildren!! Should be fun.

I'm hoping for :-

• fun...


• chill out time with a book and a glass of wine or two...


• to catch a fish from West Bay harbour...

Friday Fill - In.

1. On my laziest day I like to lay and look at the sky moving around over my head!
2. Rushing around moving 'things' makes me feel like I'm being productive.
3. I love little quick moving birds, like the Wren and big pizzas!!
4. This summer I want to enjoy the peace of our courtyard (oh - and get married...)
5. James Boswell made me start my blog.
6. Red radishes and orange walls.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to camping with the family in Dorset, tomorrow my plans include not getting wet when we put the tents up and Sunday, I want to read!

Daily Pic

Spent the weekend at mother's (hence no Friday stuff - no Internet)...went fishing seriously for the first time in what must be 10 years. A bit of a pilgrimage really, went to Tring on the Grand Union Canal. Earliest memories of fishing here are with dad. We used to tie the rods to our bikes and peddle the 10 or so miles there. Flask of tea and cheese sandwiches (because you could use the bread or the cheese as bait!!). Remember breaking the ice at times. A different era - there were still working canal barges around then.

Anyway - I think I found the only part of the canal that was in total shade, so when the sun came out, I was still shivering in the wind,but I caught a beautiful roach with gorgeous red fins. For warmth I moved to a place called Buckland along the Aylesbury Arm of the canal.

Warmer, but a tad noisier than I remembered it as they've built a great big by pass through the quiet fields - *****'s.

Anyway - I caught my personal best Perch in this beautiful spot...

.

daily pic...

Going back in time again - here's Mother from 1944...

pic of the day...

For all (any?) of you football (soccer) fans of a bygone era, when you could actually tackle and the opposition player wouldn't just fall over and die....Ron 'Chopper' Harris, who played nearly 800 games for Chelsea from 1961 till the 1980's, at Hertford Town's end of season awards night.

daily pic...

Our courtyard in the evening sun...

daily pic...

Going to keep a blog of these little things - my FIRST EVER attempt to grow trailing tomatoes, looking forward to trying the produce.

Potted them Wednesday - a couple of little yellow buds already appearing - things look good!!

Friday Fill - In.

1. The tea this morning had an extra secret ingredient; it was calcium via our exceedingly hard water!
2. Look - the bloody cat's trying to climb in through my window.
3. Right now, I need a hay fever tablet.
4.Badminton with friends is where I went Thursday night; it was fun, but knackering.
5. Why does deep thought hurt so much?
6. All I can think of is the sun on our faces this week - it's been really energising.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a warm spring evening, sat in our chairs outside sipping cold Marlborough Chardonnay, tomorrow my plans includean end-of-season awards evening with Hertford Town and Sunday, I want to watch The Hornets win our first leg play game against Hull City!

Pic of the day....

going back again.....

A lovely sandy beach in the Orkney's taken a couple of summers ago - a FIVE THOUSAND YEAR OLD SCENE - Skara Brae...WOW

Another Bank Holiday Goes By(e)...Get it!!!

Had a lazy day yesterday, wandered down to our first Car Boot of the spring. Nice wander around, picked up a couple of CD's. Then, back home for an afternoon in the sun!!

Finished off the anti cat pots and even got out the tool kit to hammer a couple of nails in....DIY yuk.

Plus Watford manages to SCRAPE into the football league play offs by a goal difference of 1!! So it's home and away against Hull for the chance to play at Wembley and a crack at the Premiership again...

Daily Pic

It's early again...must be my age!! Sat watching a Fishing program on TV, been getting the itch to fish again lately and took first steps yesterday by looking at this place, which is literally a couple of fields away from us.

Just got to check out the tackle situation, i.e. get some rods and off we go!!

Anyway, today's pic is very normal - our handy work in the WAR against the cats in the courtyard crapping in our little plot.

Friday Fill-In

1. Two of my favorite ingredients in a drink are grapes and errr more grapes!

2. Living in a civilised society often amazes me.

3. You can keep doing that forever, the dog is rapidly becoming a sleek, mean eating machine.

4. Grab a twirl, add a twist and an earthquake, mix it all together and voila! You have me, the other Friday after our wine and quiz night!.

5. If I had a yard with a garden, I would love to grow proper radishes!

6. Water is best au naturel.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the gym, a wine or two and food, tomorrow my plans include nothing more interesting than a haircut and Sunday, I want to pray for a Watford win away at Blackpool!


and for my daily pic I'm going back a bit....


My dad in the Royal Navy 1944....

Today's photo...up the swanney....

Kids just adore this in the play area....

Friday Fill- In (I know it's Wednesday, don't be picky...)

Haven't done this for a while....

1. When I fell in love she sat on my lap...!

2. Can't wait for.... when the flowers bloom and it heats up outside!

3. Oh no! The Internet connection is down, I'll have to read a book, something.

4. Q (Spike Milligan) is the craziest TV show ever.

5. Cheese and piccalilli in fresh baked white bread make a great meal!

6. The cat's have been ***** in (our) a garden.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____! I;ll skip this one and wait till Friday - but tonight I'm looking forward to the gym and then Chelsea v Liverpool on TV

Blossom

Here's the first photo-blog pic then -

It's a tree that's just come alive outside our classes - makes the day a bit brighter in this drab spring weather.

Good morning all.

For some reason awake bloody early, so wash, shave and a cup of tea and sat here surfing away through other peoples lives on the random blog changer!!

Haven't been to this one for a while, but it's quite reassuring that there really are some quite normal people in the 'Good Old USA' !! http://livelaughlove-millville.blogspot.com/

I'm going to blatantly steal the idea stolen by http://angelsonnn.blogspot.com/ of a daily photo blog - especially as I now have ANEWPHONE !!

Been going the gym regularly again since January - definitely feeling the benefit now; weight slowly going down, tummy still very visible though, a few aches and pains as the creaking bones creak a bit more!! Started to go again as my lower back was aching far too much - still does, but in twinges, rather than the constant ache that was there. Suzie is coming as well now - aiming to get that size smaller wedding dress!!

Ah, well, better finish cup of tea, put on tie and wander off to school - I like today, it's my every other Wednesday when I have non-contact time ALL morning, which usually means nothing much done of my own as I'm grabbed to do the boysie tech stuff around the school - like yesterday; 'my projector won't work' - it did when I turned the plug on....

Been a busy boy...

Our anti cat campaign carries on at speed!!! Must have spent a small fortune last year on pills, spray and potions - now it's gravel and pots!!!

Who's been a dirty girl then?

Had a good day - Suzie's been a busy bee trying to outwit all the cats around here, and I've a new phone... This one!!

It's been a while....again, but there and then, no one reads this anyway...

It's Friday, it's nearly May and at last we've had a modicum of reasonable weather (with some dirty showers thrown in of course, can't expect anything else!!).

So, what's gone down in the world of the Fazey-Wood since I last spoke?

Work wise, Suzie's been on the up after her mid life crisis of the winter!! We've had an OFSTED at school that's left everyone with a very deflated feeling - not that we were bad, but just they came, sauntered around and vanished after finding the most irritating of points to score against us with what has appeared to me (being just a minion) little or no explanation!!

Never mind, we finished the week with a wine and quiz party to raise funds for the Friends of the school .... which meant last Saturday was a bit of a fuzz!!

I've started wearing a suit and other 'smart' attire - just to confuse everybody and get them to believe I might be good at my job:-)

Family wise we're all doing fine, aren't you Debs and Claire?

Had a good Easter - went to West Fleet for our now traditional camping visit with Suzie's wonderful nephew Aaron ...

fun fishing....(no WE didn't catch anything)

- brrrrrr and windy! Quite comfortable - although we did have to buy a smaller tent as our usual one decided it wanted to be a parachute in the wind...(the sleeping bag AND quilt kept us warm. What a new toilet block there - underfloor heating in FULL bathrooms!

Sunset at West Fleet - Suzie's work...

I'm going to make the effort to fill in this at least weekly...just read a book by a Tory (rich geezer!) politician from late 19th early 20th century - Herbert Maxwell. Whilst very bland in itself , he makes the point that we can all leave a footprint in the sand for those who follow can look at. (A bit deep for this time of the day - It's 6 something here in sunny Bengeo).

Must get back to the Friday stuff as well...

Hello again...(to quote Lionel Ritchie)

HIYA DEBS, we're back!

What have we done since the last post?

• Had a great Christmas in Whitby....yummy kippers, crap beer!!



• Didn't go to poland....money needed for a wedding.



• Saw a grand birthday party for a roaring 3 year old.



• Saw a young lady ride her bike by herslef for the first time - NO STABALISERS...bet we can all remember that event in our own lives. Here I am

One grand day I had out during Feb was a walk around 'Pepys's City' - lot's of sights, food and ale!!

Look here for details - cracking little wander around. I'm going to do the Westminster walk over the Easter holiday - seems to blend in well with my Boswell fixation as well, so it'll be more food and beer then (The Cheshire Cheese begs another visit ....)

We're off for an evening out - staying at the Hilton, Watford, and going to a BBC Big Band dance.

Need to chill....

After Watford's game against Plymouth yesterday, (and it was rubbish) I met a portly chap who was incensed - cursing and swearing about our manager and all and sundry. In my foolish attempt to be positive that tirade came my way.... Ok, as I've said, we were very poor, BUT, and it's a big but, a few years ago we were heading in a downward spiral that was leading to administration and lower league football ( again!)... and personally right now I'd be happier being the underdogs we have nearly always been, not the team to beat, the team that can't play good football because other teams come to stifle our play... I JUST KNOW that when Boothroyd manages a change of playing style and we're back on a winning run, that bloke will be crooning over him.

However, what this tirade of abuse has made me think is - do I need watford THAT much? It was real heart attack stuff!! So, WFC is going to take a bit of a back seat for a while. I'll still go to games, but I intend to go to Hertford more, watch more continental footy on the box and generally ween my self off the message boards and mailing lists...so it's not a divorce, just a trial separation!!!

At last December.....

What a crap month November was for any fan of Watford FC!!! Played 5, won 1, drew 1 and lost 3!! 9 point lead down to 1 at one stage....then we went 2 goals down last tuesday away at colchester BUT brought it back and won 2-3 phew....

Anyway, i've missed a couple of Fridays so lets catch up....

Friday, December 7, 2007

Friday Fill-In #49
1. I have been over excited over the years about Christmas.
2. Yellow/red is/are my favorite color(s) for the Christmas tree lights.
3. The candles in the window have a solitary bulb.
4. A Christmas carol - (any version, even the Bill Murray one) is one of my most favorite Christmas movies.
5. My favorite Christmas lyric(s) is/are White Christmas.
6.I'm dreaming of a relaxed week in Whitby for this festive season...(and 6 points!!).
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a sleep, tomorrow my plans include the usual options of domesticity and Sunday, I want to stay dry and warm indoors!


Friday Fiver


Sweet you rock
[07 Dec 200705:26am]
1. Are you married? Have been twice - and will be again, getting it absoloutely right this time.

2. When do your claws come out? When I'm feeling stressed...

3. Have you ever been in a car accident? Twice, once my fault, once not.

4. Who is the last person you held? See number 1!!

5. Describe a time you've gone overboard: Over a cup of tea, my small minded outlook at that time of my life led me to really castigate this poor person for putting teabag and milk in together first before the water.....now I prefer it this way, and I still don't feel good about my actions.

December 7, 2007

Friday 5 for December 7: Used to Be My Playground


What playground game do you remember most fondly?
British Bulldog
What playground game did you just hate?
Anyone where teams were picked...always felt it was never going to be me!!
Which playground apparatus did you most enjoy?
Bars
Which playground apparatus did you generally avoid or not care much for?
None
What playground game might be really fun if grownups played it with adult rules?
What's the time Mr Wolf...

It's Friday again....

Friday Fill-In #45
1. Plans and schedules having been informed I have a class assembly next Friday, guess that's what i'll be planning!1 .
2. I'm happy when things are smooth .
3. The last thing I drank was a rather sharp Cypriot dry white .
4. One of the most valuable things in my life is - financially my car, otherwise Suzie!!.
5. I like anything spicy on my pizza.
6. Dear November,bring on the winds and chill evenings.7.
And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing with a book, tomorrow my plans include collecting wedding invites, football (Watford are playing Colchester) and Sunday, I want to go for a walk along the river and eat at the greatly named 'Eel and Fish' pub!

It's amazing, but there are some Americans who follow Watford FC !!! Try here

Friday 4 for November 9: Just Hanging

What’s something that’s hanging from your ceiling?
itsy bitsy spider....and her cobwebs - you made me look up!
What’s something that’s hanging on your wall?
An 'Ode to a Watford Fan' - given by a thoughtful parent years ago.
What’s something that’s hanging in your closet?
My suit - not often used, how do people wear them everyday?
What’s hanging from your rear-view mirror? (for those without cars, what’s something hanging from the rear-view mirror of a car you’ve recently ridden in?)
Nothing - minimilist me.
What have you been hanging onto for too long?
Nothing....well, i'm trying to hang on to my hair!!

So, how's life then?

It's a glorious Autumn Sunday morning and I'm sat in my daughters kitchen contemplating life...and generally it's good.

Big blip yesterday when Watford were stuffed 3-0 ( http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10400~37755,00.html ) but that was always going to happen after Aidy recieved Manager of the Month award (it's jinxed and ALL football fans know that!!). Hertford won again, moving back up the SSML ladder and a really great result for Great Britain v New Zealand in the second Rugby League test.... beat them 44-0!! Check out the Kiwi reaction !!





It was this young ladies birthday

Happy Birthday to you...

late again...

Friday 5 for November 2: Lifelines


1. If you were on a game show and could phone a friend for help, who would your lifelines be for sports, arts & music, literature, history and geography, and science? Stephen (and now Debs for the science side of life...)
2. When you need someone with muscles to help you with a task, who’s the first one you call? Yoo hoo - anyone there?
3. When you need some creative help with ideas for a project, who’s the first person you call? Suzie
4. When you have a moral dilemma and need advice, on whom do you rely most? Suzie
5. When you need to know the best way to get somewhere, which of your directionally-gifted friends do you call upon first? Probably myself as I tend to get directions pretty much right, unlike the rest of my life!!!


Friday Fill-In #44

1Relaxing with a book and a glass of red is my favorite form of therapy.
2. If you get my voice mail you'll hear me.
3. My favorite product EVER is the expresso machine.
4. I see something beautiful in the autumn trees .
5. When I'm grumpy I growl.
6. _______ is my strangest habit.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to bingo with my mum and Suzie, tomorrow my plans include my grandaughter’s birthday and Sunday, I want to eat food someone else has cooked!

Friday Fiver

Eye of newt, and toe of frog...

1. Did you celebrate Halloween?NO.....and being a traditional Brit - I hate all those places just making a quick dollar out of encouraging all these little kids to begg on the streets with the crass american idea of trick or treat....rant over.
2. Do you like to dress in costume? As a must only....
3. Favorite chocolate? Friut and Nut
4. Best scary movie? Not greatly into these, but any old Hammer Horror for pure comic genius of them.
5. Friday fill-in:just about anything i can't control scares me.