Colin Croft

I recognise the name Colin Croft more from his commentaty stints on TMS on the radio rather than from his playing days (here's a photo from Spring 1981, l-r Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Colin Croft & Joel Garner). I met him on Wednesday night, as he's coaching at our pre-season cricket nets! Littlewick have joined forces with one of our rival clubs to share the cost of running nets, as both clubs had trouble getting enough people to attend in their own right. I don't know how they did it, but they arranged for Colin Croft to come and coach us! Littlewick still only contributed 6 players, and White Waltham brought 17. There were people of all ages and shapes, and I don't think any of us were expecting to be jumping around and running up and down a sports hall bouncing basketballs, but that's what he had us doing for the first 20 minutes as a warm up. We were then split into two groups, and his assistant took one group for fielding drills, and the other group went with him to do bowling and batting in the nets. By the time I got round to batting he switched roles to take the fielding drills, so he couldn't stand back and admire the cover drives, pulls and straight drives I executed with the kind of mistiming you can only achieve when you try batting for the first time in 4 months. Actually, one or two did come out of the middle of the bat, and my judgement for leaving deliveries was good too, so I'm thinking I might fill the new gap for an opening bat for the second XI this summer. Seeing as we've got a West Indian fast bowler as a coach, I might try and get over my bowling yips and give that another go too!

I Am Legend

I went to see the film I am Legend on Tuesday after work; it was pretty good, I like almost all Will Smith's films, and much like watching 28 Days Later, it was strange but fun to see the streets of a city you recognise while they are deserted. The film does well to avoid the usual Hollywood temptation of shoe-horning a love story into a plot where there doesn't need to be one, although there is one bubbling under the surface (they couldn't possibly make a film without any trace!). A couple of bits stick in the memory though, being a new-found dog lover, you couldn't help be touched by the fate of his dog, Sam (I'll not give too much away though!) and it made me think about Mishka, but then there's the car.
There are two sports cars I adore - one is the blue 1967 AC Cobra in another of Will Smith's films, Bad Boys, and the other is pretty much any Ford Mustang. I've rented two Mustangs during trips to the States, I just think they're great.
Well I am Legend has the best of both - the 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500:

The basic model starts at just $40,000... well, I can dream!

Things I've Liked and Not Liked

An update on Arriva Buses - they were in my bad books again for making me wait 25 minutes one morning this week, but then in the evening I had to run for the bus home. If I was being cynical, I would say that the bus was early, which is even more unforgivable than it being late, but seeing as I did actually catch it, and I'm not cynical, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that it was exactly on time :-)

I also can't decide if I like being so busy at work or not. I've had one of the busiest weeks I can remember this week, mostly getting ready for my trip to Oslo on Monday and Tuesday. Obviously it's good to be busy rather than have no work to do, but this has almost been too busy, given that I would have preferred to get home at 5.15 so I can play with Lara a little, rather than 7pm and then I have to bathe her straight away and put her to bed. It's interesting work, which helps, and challenging, and I'm on top of it, which makes the hard work worthwhile. But then I would prefer less work and more time at home!

I like that I can do some of this work from home, which means I don't have to go into the office at the weekend, well, not until tomorrow. Modern technology - couldn't live without it!

Football update - I like that Bury are drawing 0-0 with Southampton at half-time, and I also like that the online commentary has just left the microphone on so I can hear the half-time entertainment at the ground, as if I were there, without the hassle of getting cold or queuing for my pie! Lara & Olga are here listening too!
In a masochistic way I like that Havant are giving Liverpool a game at Anfield, it was so predictable!

Wildlife update

After the excitement of the deer last weekend, Olga spotted two foxes in our neighbour's back garden this week, and slightly less exciting was the first fly of the year last night, but at least that must mean that spring isn't far away! I've put a bird feeder out just by our patio doors and a pair of blue tits have been helping themselves this morning.

Change of plans

We were planning to go to Southampton today, but Lara had her most fractious day so far yesterday, she wasn't very happy at all while I was bathing her, and after a nine-and-a-half hour day at work without a break, and a tough evening with Lara, I didn't think any of us could face an early start this morning.
So I'm listening to the game now on BBC Radio Hampshire via the internet, it's 0-0 after 20 minutes. We've just had a lovely walk round the block, and popped into our local pub for a Guinness - having been under threat of redevelopment as flats late last year, but after a word with the dog-friendly current landlord, it seems there is a convenant on the building which has prevented this.
I have put a couple of bets on the Liverpool v Havant game, the main one I wanted to put on was that Havant would lead at some point, but I didn't fully understand the betting slip, so I didn't go through with the bet... guess what - Havant are currently leading! I've got money on Harry Kewell to score the last goal in a 4-1 win to Liverpool, I placed that bet before I saw the team line ups - Kewell isn't in the squad!

Now Havant are 1-2 up. Doh.

Today's Likes and Dislikes

So far today I like Local Radio (www.mix107.co.uk) for telling me when the Handy Cross roundabout is a car park in the morning. I log in to work from home until I hear it's cleared up.

I like Southampton FC for sending Bury 3200 tickets for Saturday's game. I called Bury today and they're not going to sell anywhere near that many, so plenty will be returned to St Mary's, so I'm going to buy my ticket on the day. Who knows, maybe Olga & Lara will want to come too!?

I don't like the drivers who park their lorries across junctions or jump red lights on Handy Cross, only making the problem worse.

Lara's "smi" and her check up

Lara's check up with the GP went well yesterday, there weren't even any tears (from mum or baby!). Her reactions are very good, and she got the OK for everything that was checked on. The Doc reckoned Lara should start smiling soon, and Olga did report that there was a smile yesterday afternoon, right on time! She's been smiling more this morning, but apparently she gets stage fright when Dad's around, I've seen the beginnings of a smile (a "smi"). I've proving tricky to get her to smile on demand when there's a camera nearby, but we'll keep trying.
Her feeding and sleeping is still quite random, but so long as she's doing enough of both, we're not bothered.

Bambi in High Wycombe

Olga managed to video our local monkjack deer this afternoon. It was almost in our garden, but what you see is the deer running off when Chris lumbers into the back garden to try and sneak up and take a photo. He'll be back, I'm sure.

Sunday uploads

There are a couple more pictures uploaded to the Web Album from the past few weeks. It's been a productive weekend, we got a few more jobs done, and Lucy came over and helped out on Sunday. We hung a few more pictures, including this collage of Honeymoon photos (can you believe I'm taking photos of my photos now!?!)

Lara set a personal best for sleeping on Saturday night, she managed to sleep from around 9pm till 4am, so we're hoping that'll become the norm from now on.
Oh well, Monday tomorrow, start of another week. Lara's seeing the GP for the first time tomorrow....