Mutterings for the Minority

I’ve been listening to the ‘Best of Bond …James Bond‘ CD over the last few days and I must confess that it’s a great CD to listen to in the car – despite me not being a huge Bond fan. Now I’m not saying I think my Toyota suddenly becomes a BMW Z8 as soon as the theme tune starts or that I drive like a sex-mad secret agent, but the funky tunes trotted out over the last 40 odd years of Bond movies certainly get you singing along. In fact, it’s just like being in the shower.

Training session (14) was a 3.75 mile lunchtime run in 32 minutes and 11 seconds – thanks to Razor the Racehorse for pushing me along yet again. The time was maginally down on the week before last effort by about 26 seconds, so progress is being made despite me thinking the contrary.

JR decided to join me for my lunchtime ride down to Limeslade today – well he did for part of the way anyway. In fairness it was his first time out on the saddle since October last year, so I could hardly expect him to go at the usual pace. Just for the record training session number 13 covered 10.8 miles.

Day number two of the potty training didn’t go well, with DDWT Junior having a major tantrum i.e. kicking the potty over. Not good really and Mrs DDWT’s patience was stretched to the limit. As the day wore on things began to settle down thankfully and they even managed to make some Thomas the Tank engine cakes – which were actually rather tasty!

Whilst on the subject of DDWT Junior we’ve now had to buy him a new car seat as he’s outgrown the last one – to such an extent that his head is above the head rest and he can look out the back window of the car! We’ve opted to go for the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 Rome (shown below) – which should cover us for some time, well until he’s around 36Kgs in weight anyway – he’s about 16Kgs now. Here’s another top tip for those looking for the cheapest baby stuff on the web – check out www.kiddicare.com
Remember the other day that I was banging on about changing the mobile network I was on? Well despite the threat of a 28 day wait for my Tesco ‘unlatching’ code (or unlocking to most people!) it duly arrived today via email and I am now free to use any network of my choice. So don’t be a mug and cough up for this service on the web – contact your service provider and get it done for free!

With the weather being so mild and dry, I opted to pound along the beach instead of the road for my lunchtime run today. I’m not sure how far I went, but I put in 34 minutes 40 seconds effort just to compensate for the possible lack of distance. The fact that running on sand is harder than the road just made it all the more sweet.

I got back to the office, just in time to hear the FA Cup 5th round draw. I couldn’t believe it when I saw that Ipswich (whom beat the Swans on Saturday) had been drawn away to premiership side Watford. Whilst it isn’t exactly a glamour tie, the chance to have another crack at a premiership team would have been nice – even if it would have meant being the Swans 10th consecutive away FA Cup tie.

Today was also the day that we finally started potty training DDWT Junior. It didn’t get off to the best of starts, with his refusal to use either the potty or toilet due to goblins!!! Don’t ask. However, it was rather amusing when he urinated over Mrs DDWT this evening rather than in the potty. At least we all saw the funny side of it. No doubt we’ll have a few more ‘accidents’ along the way, but heck it’s all part of the fun of being a parent *smile*

Huh, if only I was talking about the football yesterday. I’m referring to my weigh in this morning and the storming sight of me now being 16st 4lbs, the lightest I have been in 6 years!!! It certainly gave me a lift as I was feeling a wee bit down in the dumps after the Swans defeat yesterday. Mrs DDWT has now also decided to undertake the regular Sunday weighing slot – but I’m restricted by copyright to divulge any of the details (or risk getting a thick ear for my efforts!).

Been banging my head against the wall today trying to find an unlock code for my sony ericsson mobile – which is tied into the Tesco network, as I want to move over to T-Mobile without buying a new handset. I was contemplating using one of the many phone unlocking people out there in cyberspace (or on the high street for that matter) when I came across a wiki entry for mobile unlocking – which in turn lead me to the Tesco mobile T&C’s.

The result was that Tesco MUST provide me with an unlock code – either for a fee or for free if you meet certain crieria (which I do in my case). I just have to wait for the code now…..

It’s been a very long day and I’m gutted about the result – a one nil defeat – or rather the manner of defeat. You can read a full match report on the official Swans site, but I’ll give my lowdown on the day’s events here anyway!

My journey to Ipswich (in deepest Suffolk) started with a 7am departure from Swansea onboard a Kia Sedona with the Dieters Bar Jacks (my inaugural journey with this renowned motley crew). The tone for the 5 hour journey was set by GM (aka Helmet Rarch) with his detailed description of the contents of the Sunday Sport – purchased by NR (aka Hans Allover) – which is a cross between the Sun and Readers Wives for those of you not in the know. The other two members in transit (apart from moi) were AR (aka Lance) and J (aka De Engineer).

With the miles passing us by quicker than the Blubirds sliding down the Championship table, the talk on the way was of Germans, porn, buggery, toilets (one pan in particular) and sexy Sandra (who was THE voice of the SatNav system). Football wasn’t even on the radar. I won’t say anymore about the detail – but those present will know exactly what I’m referring too. One question I do have for De Engineer tho – where is THAT photo of the pan?

After a brief toilet stop in what looked like a dumping ground for 4×4′s (complete with an on-site gimp) we swiftly left the area in search of some fine food establishment which would also serve up lashings of Magners or Greene King (didn’t they sponser the Tractor boys once?). It must be said that the 4×4 area did resemble a scene out of the ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘ movie – I kid you not.

We finally stopped at a cracking pub called the ‘Saracens Head‘ in Sudbury – which was about a 30 minute drive from Portman Road. With a wide variety of food on offer we all opted for different dishes – I went for the gammon and chips (which although nice, reminded me of the premium gammon steaks you get from the supermarket – NOT the gammon steak you’d get from the butchers). Bizarrely, the young lady serving us was of Welsh descent as her mother actually came from the Townhill/Penlan area of Swansea (no jokes please). Surely this was a good omen for the game – an exciled Jack in deepest Suffolk? Anyway, having consumed 3 (or was it 4?) bottles of Magners in about an hour or so I was erm a little bleary eyed to say the least and the remaining 30 minute journey was certain to test my bladder control to the max.

We left the pub at 1:30 and headed off for the ground. I must confess to failing the bladder control test miserably and my anxious requests to fill-up an empty lucozade bottle were overwhelmingly rejected by my companions – I was close to wetting my pants (for the 1st time since…. hold on I’m not saying nowt more). Thankfully for both me and my trousers I sought sanctuary in the pay and display car park near the ground, the relief was as tangeable as the rising steam (it was that cold). We headed off to the ground in amongst all of the Tractor Boys and Girls.

The ground was very compact and you felt very much on top of the players. The 2200 or so Jacks were once again in full voice and it felt like Sheffield all over again. My video of the players coming onto the pitch can be found on YouTube.

As for the game well the first 20 minutes or so belonged to Ipswich with their pace and slick passing causing the Swans problems. After that the Swans got into the game and began to frustrate the home team with their 1-5-4 formation.

At half-time I felt that we were good value for a draw and replay at the Liberty stadium. Even the Cwmbwrla Jacks I met at half-time for a beverage (coffee) were of the same opinion.

However, this was not to be and half way through the 2nd half Mr Nigel Miller (the ref from County Durham) decided to award a very harsh penalty for shirt pulling – and with the resulting goal went the Swans FA Cup dreams.

The introduction of Mr Trundle spurred us on and we had 3 chances to pull back the goal deficit in the remaining time, but somehow failed to put them away (as usual). Still I’m proud of the team and the support – we both did our best but in the end, you simply can’t beat a team with the ref as their most influential player. Not that I’m bitter or anything like!

We eventually trudged away from the ground with the sound of some teenage tractor boys whining their way home (and trying to bait us at the same time). From what I understand some people took exception to this ‘baiting’ and gave them a slap, personally it’s more amusing to ignore it and go about my business – safe in the knowledge that the better team lost and that Ipswich will no doubt be out in Round 5 anyway.

The journey home was a pretty sedate affair and only being punctuated with a coffee/pee stop in Reading. Some of the lads enjoyed watching ‘Green Street‘ on the in-flight DVD whilst the rest of us either slept, listened to the Best of James Bond CD or counted the Swans fans buses we caught and passed on the way home!

We duly arrived
in Swansea at 23:15 tired, out of pocket and a tadge narked at the result (still) but as is the case whenever your on the wrong end of a result, you simply look forward to the next game with relish – in my case Cheltenham away next Saturday.

As for my initiation with the Dieters Bar crew, thankfully that seemed to be all forgotten by the time we got home. But I’ll still be on my guard come the next trip just in case – if they invite me along next time that is!