Because of all the doom and gloom I've decided to list a few things that make me smile, but not the obvious things like my wife or my little boy.

In no particular order...

Flight of the conchords

American history, in particular the book I'm reading right now. In fact I might just go straight upstairs and read some now.

The real prospect of some sailing this year (the boats are booked, the crew is ready and the beer will be drunk)

The flaming gorgeous spring weather.

I've borrowed my dad's flash new car for a few days even though I'm not a car person I'm still happy to be driving about in a flash new car for a day or two.

Thinking about what I'll be thinking about once this painful footy season is finally over and I'll know the future and what it will hold.

Facebook has thrown up a couple of really good old uni chums, that's nice.

Acupuncture.

The mini pretend vacation we'll be on in a week or so from now (house sitting rocks!)

Stopping the world and getting off.

Which beach to visit on Sunday.

There's more...

You know why I've been quiet and you know what I'm about to say...

... It's going to happen isn't it?

A couple of moments from the last week I'd like to share.

After the 0-2 defeat at home to Reading on Monday night I overheard two blokes chatting to each other about the places they'll visit next season. "Colchester will be a local derby won't it?"

The radio guy telling us how the last time Norwich were in the Third Division was 50 years ago but hardly any Norwich fans remember 50 years ago. My dad responded "I remember 50 years ago, it was shit".

On Sunday we must beat Charlton and Barnsley must lose to Plymouth.

Not impossible but very unlikely. Light a candle for us?

Relegation (again)

I'm back in that sorry place again.

We lost 3-2 to Ipswich.



F**********************k


This could really be it.

Oh gods of sport!

Help us now, in this, our hour of need!

A G20 report

Emily Fabpants put together an account of her day at the recent G20 demonstrations in London.

She writes with a quiet passion, an eyewitness with an eye for the extraordinary in amongst the ordinary. I especially like the way she notes beauty in amidst mayhem. I also like the way she gets as annoyed with the SWP as I do.

I liked it, perhaps you will too.

Chilling on the woodpile

Gotta love rural life. Spent a good chunk of this afternoon sitting about amidst a pile of chopped wood and sawdust catching up with old friends.

I give up.

No, not the blog although it's been slow for a while here at Mondale Towers (I blame the depression) just the idea that the living room should double up as a library.

It's a big step but I have accepted the fact that we will perhaps be looking for a larger space soon and that the books should be stored in the loft until we move (could be years mind).

The boxes have been ordered and should arrive later this week.

Bullet points

It's an old concept but one that suits my needs right now.

I've been using bullet points to communicate withListmaker since the arrival of double trouble. I've also found that work pressures have been increased by waffling, waffling, waffling and a certain degree of smalltalk mixed in with a level of social anxiety and professional nervousness.

I like bullet points and, outside of genuine social engagement or courtship, we should use them more often.

* Easter is here! How I long for separation of Church and State in this funny old country. Still, two weeks off in the springtime.

* City still need to battle to stay up. Raise a glass to our heroes in yellow and green.

* It was nice to see President Obama in London town this week. Of course, the Michelle Obama/HMQ hug was a damned near thing. As a modern day republican I shall accept New England in return for the faux pas. Count yourself lucky, when that Aussie twat grabbed her arse in 1991 we almost went to war.

* We tell Henry that everybody poos, even Michelle Obama, but not the Queen.

*That's bout it, sprung is springin and there's ale to be drunk.