Mutterings for the Minority An insight into the world of DDWT

21Nov/070

Memories

I decided to go a bit further for my lunchtime ride today and as a result headed off up to Gowerton along cycle route 4. I didn't do the usual 'loop' at the end of it, opting to cut it short ('cos I was knackered!) instead. Still I managed 12.73 miles in 50 minutes 5 seconds at an average of 15.2 mph (my top speed was 22.5 mph) so it was a useful workout.

It's quite funny really as everytime I do the Gowerton ride, I pass Dunvant rugby club and with that comes memories of playing rugby there years ago - in the days of the Heineken leagues (remember them?). One occasion sticks in my mind to this day - scoring the solitary try for Tenby United in a 40 odd point drubbing and then reading about it in the South Wales Evening Post on the Monday! Not that it was a great try or anything (it was a merely a case of crashing over from a line-out 2 yards out) but it was just weird seeing it in there.

Whilst I was getting plastered with muddy spray from the bike, DDWT Junior et al were dining in Frankie & Benny's down the Morfa. From what Mrs DDWT tells me they all (Nanny Brown included) had a nice time wondering around B&Q checking out the Christmas decorations and dancing/musical Christmas toys. Wish I'd have been there rather than in work!

Filed under: Cycling, Family, Rugby No Comments
29Sep/070

Swans v Brighton

Another home game for the Swans today and yet another very disappointing performance. Despite the Swans gaining a point in a dour goaless game, it was the manner in which they played which perhaps is the most frustrating aspect, especially against a Brighton side (without an away point all season) which offered very little in any part of the field.

The now customary slow start and poor first half performance continued and it's quickly becoming a worrying trend. It really was dire and for the first time in a VERY long time I wished I hadn't even bothered going - such is my frustration at the moment.

So as usual here is a bullet-point summary of the day's events:

  • The atmosphere was as flat as a pancake (again) but it's little wonder with what's on offer at the moment;
  • Notable contributions of the afternoon came from Chuckles (Angel Rangel), Orlandi and Dorus - who earned us the point with several fine saves;
  • The referee - Michael Jones - made a poor game worse and really needed to take the Brighton time wasters to task;
  • Tom Butler is obviously taking tips from Andy Robinson on how to look dis-interested in both the ball and the game on occasions;
  • Darren Pratley - has obviously still got the crabs and he is certainly living up to his surname!

As you can imagine I can hardly contain myself for the visit of Swindon to the Liberty on Tuesday evening, it should be a real cracker (not).

As if the football wasn't bad enough, I also had the misfortunate to watch Wales capitulate against Fiji - well part of it anyway (thankfully). What the hell is it with the Welsh team? If only they could have played the whole game as they did for the first 10 minutes of the second half. Surely, Gareth Jenkins has now got to go - along with some of the players in the squad. We can't have turned into a 2nd rate rugby nation since the Grand Slam of 2005 - can we?

So it's been a sh*t day really (on the sporting front anyway) and it's put a real downer on my weekend. Sport does some funny things to us fella's and it's a good job we don't have a cat that's all I can say, otherwise it might have had its first flying lesson*.

* I can assure everyone reading this blog that no cat was harmed in the writing of this entry.

Filed under: Football, Rugby No Comments
20Sep/070

* NEW * England rugby jersey

Being an avid rugby fan and a proud Welshman - I just had to share this little gem with you. So may I present to you, the all NEW England rugby union shirt :)

It's available from all good sports shops and some rubbish ones too. Oh and it's also priced at the bargain price of £36 as well :)

If you don't know what the hell I'm on about then read this story on the BBC website.

Filed under: Jokes, Rugby No Comments
3Sep/070

Rugby challenge

With me starting my 2nd week of annual leave today, it's a mighty shame my planning couldn't have been better - as then I could have been off the same time as the rugby world cup is in full swing.

Still with Wales playing on Sunday, at least I'll be home to see that one. God how I hope they put in a convincing performance and win. Talking of rugby, I came across a somewhat bizarre but bloody addictive flash game on the Lidl site (yes cheapskate I know) earlier. Get this - the purpose of the game is to drop kick a rugby ball over the posts and hit the passing food items!! The more food you hit the more points you get and there's even a league table.

You can check it out here - http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c.service.g.index - my best score to-date is 110 (as you can tell I was never an outside half).

Filed under: Rugby, Technology No Comments
4Aug/070

Twickenham humiliation

Oh dear what a pasting our boys took at Twickenham today. 62 points to 5 against the old enemy is unacceptable to say the least - second string or not. It also couldn't have been worse preparation for the world cup and there's little doubt that it has posed Gareth Jenkins with more questions about who should be in his final squad than before the game. This was the last thing he or the faithful Welsh public wanted at this stage.

Now isn't the time I know, but I still question the wisdom in appointing Gareth Jenkins to the role of national coach. For me he has always been the nearly man of Welsh rugby - how many times were Llanelli so close to European glory under his belt - yet they seemingly always fell at the last hurdle. I have no doubt that in terms of passion, commitment and loyalty he is up there with the best - but I'm not so sure he has the rugby experience at such an intense level as international rugby to succeed. Still, whatever I think - I hope he proves me wrong come September.

Thankfully with the bushes in the garden in need of a trim, I was able to exact my rugby-induced frustration out on them with the aid of some garden shears. One full wheelie bin later and both the bushes and I were in much better form. Oh if only I could say the same about our national rugby team!

With Nana DDWT returning from a 2 week jaunt to Center Parcs Eleveden, it was time to do some visiting and with that came the customary gift for DDWT Junior (who was spoilt rotten as usual). Perhaps unsurprisingly, we have yet another dinosaur to add to the already vast collection. This time is was a large Stegosaurus - or steggy as DDWT Junior calls it (after the Stegosaurus in 'Harry and His Bucketful of Dinosaurs').

After having a successful day in work yesterday putting together an Ubuntu 7.04 LAMP server - complete with Nagios installation and tried my luck at home with the desktop version. Once again my efforts proved in vain as my Cisco Aironet 350 series wireless card simply refuses to talk to my Netgear DG834N router with any form of encryption switched on - yet works fine with it off. Grrrrrrr

Filed under: Family, Gardening, Rugby, Technology No Comments
17Mar/070

No wooden spoon

Despite our usual jaunt to the shops - standard practice for most households on a Saturday I'm sure - I spent a considerable amount of time in front of the TV, which is rather unusual for me it must be said.

With Wales taking on the old enemy England in our final Six Nations match of the season and at the same time trying to avoid the wooden spoon, I decided to watch the game more in anticipation than expectation. Much to my surprise (but pleasure) Wales turned in a great performance - by this season's standards - and won 27-18. The house of DDWT was so excited we even managed to get DDWT Junior into the spirit of things - which resulted in "C'mon Whales" for the rest of the evening! As an ex-semi professional rugby player myself, it was a good day and to beat England made it all the more sweeter.

After the excitement of the early evening had subsided a little, we settled down to watch the play-off for the UK's Eurovision song contest entry. Bemused, mortified, dumbfounded were just some of the words I would use to describe the crap I witnessed - huh music my arse!

Despite Lee Trundle's missus - Liz McClarnon - being involved in the play-off, I still couldn't bring myself to call it "music". But hey we are talking about Eurovision aren't we, so what should I expect other than a load of crap EU propaganda pop. Even the stalwart of eurovision Terry Wogan made a complete cock-up when announcing the winner (or not as the case maybe be). 'Scooch' were the eventual winners (after the confusion) - need I say more with a name like that? So Terry, I think you were right the first time mate!

Filed under: Media, Rugby No Comments
   

Follow ddwt on Twitter

Recent Comments

Categories

Archives

RSS Voucher Codes and Discount Deals

Links

Pages