Friday 16 March 2018

Hot chocolate and rugby




So I went to the rugby. The rain was of biblical proportions. You can see in the third photo the steam rising off of the scrum. It was a bit of a last minute idea to entertain the  French exchange student, who is a rugby fan. It rained all of the way there in the car, on the walk to the ground, in the queue to pick up the tickets, for the whole of the match and all the way home. I could hardly see going over the hill on the drive back. The biggest boy pointed out that it was the Full English Experience.

While we were waiting for the tickets I did the whole tour guide thing. Look, there's Pulteney Bridge, it's really famous. Look, there's the Abbey, it's really old. There is a lot of water going over the weir today, it is really wet. I ran out of interesting things to point out after that.

For those who might be a bit vague as to what rugby actually is, it's, oh goodness, I have no idea to be honest. I was going to sum it up in a couple of pithy sentences, but I only have a very tenuous grasp of what it is and I run the risk of enraging those of you who actually know what's going on. I was no doubt the most annoying person at the ground, continually asking what was happening. It's all very stop-start, not like football, which I can just about follow, and even explain the off-side rule if you'd like me to.

Anyway, Bath, the home team whom we had gone to see, won, so it was all good. And by only one point, so it must have been quite thrilling, although it was rather wasted on me, see not knowing what was going on above. I was also very disappointed by the amount of shiny flags they had given out to everyone. Not at all environmentally friendly. Otherwise it was all excellent. At half time we got chips, coke and hot chocolate for me (it was cold as well as wet) and tried to avoid the downspouts of water pouring through the stands above us.

The French student was absolutely lovely, and got on so well with the biggest boy. They were chattering away in a mixture of French and English the whole week and hopefully he had a great time. He ate everything and said I was a very good cook for an English which I am taking as a compliment and that the biggest boy was very lucky, which I am having printed out and laminated.

He arrived here at 2 o'clock in the morning which upset the dog no end. He was beside himself that a stranger had come to the house in the middle of the night and gone upstairs. He made his concerns known to one and all for quite some considerable time. Safe to say that five-sixths of the household were wide awake. By the end of the week it was all forgiven though and the new person was admitted to his pack. Here he is waiting at the bottom of the stairs for me. He's not allowed up, but he always likes to be as close to me as possible, so he tends to wait with his head on the bottom step.


The littlest boy and I took him for a wander and went to a dog-friendly cafe for ginger beer, hot chocolate and a toasted teacake. It was like being in an Enid Blyton book. Bertie laid on the floor perfectly aligned like a compass so that his whole body, ending at the tip of his nose, was pointing directly to the kitchens.


We are all a little tired here after a week of rushing round to events and squeezing things in. Alas the weekend won't be particularly relaxing, there are more Things to be done. A friend said she had nothing planned, and I was a tiny bit envious. There is cricket to fit in alongside football now, a party for someone and the dog has been promised a gallop over a hill somewhere. I've been feeling rather frazzled lately, that feeling when there's never enough time and I'm not sure what to do next. I know it's the same for many, I'm not complaining, it's just left me feeling rather disorganised. I think I need more lists. And maybe a new notebook. I really have a yearning to do some calligraphy, but I always feel I shouldn't while there are so many other work-related things to do. But the pens and the nibs and the ink are calling me. Maybe I'll try and sneak in a little over the weekend. Any plans your end? Wishing you a little of what you fancy, and a ginger beer or a hot chocolate too. Enjoy.

20 comments:

  1. You made me laugh out loud more than once in this post :-) Thank you! I would love to see a rugby game in person. Two of my sons-in-law have played competitively, and one still does, in India!! That one showed me lots of rugby on video one night, my first lesson... which means I am still fairly ignorant.

    Your photos very effectively convey the cold and damp and the need for that magnificent mug of cocoa. I hope it was as comforting as it looked. I'm sure your student will go home with the warmest of connections and memories.

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  2. It seems that our weather is determined to make any plans that we make irrelevant! I thought it was bad enough that rugby matches keep invading our TV screen but at least it is dry and warm.

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  3. You understand the offside rule? I'm very impressed! I quite like rugby (my Dad was a fan), although, I'm a bit hazy on the rules. I like the fact that it's a 'real man's game' - in football, they always seem to fall over and clutch something if anyone comes near, whereas in rugby they can have an ear hanging off and they carry on regardless. I saw one game recently where one chap had to change his shirt as there was too much of his blood on it! You don't get that with football! I'm so glad that all went well with your French student. I love the idea of Bertie welcoming him into the pack and that photo on the stairs is adorable. Here's to a quiet calligraphy moment for you this weekend. xx

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  4. A most enjoyable read, which had me smiling. I like the picture of Bertie. Surely it's much too early for cricket!
    Thanks, and you too. It's cold, damp and snowing here so I'll be mostly armchair gardening. xx

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  5. So glad there was such 'entente cordiale' during the visit. And two major compliments for you! I've no idea about rugby either, but I'm very impressed at your devotion to duty in sticking out the whole game. Have a lovely weekend and don't feel guilty about getting out those pens and ink x

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  6. To me, rugby is a bit like a bunch of little kids wrangling for a toy and run away with it once pulled out of the pile of bodies. Add a bit of mud and it is a dream come true for the kid inside the player. Glad your exchange student and your family had a good time. Make sure to hang the laminated compliment about the big boy in a prominent place in case any of your boys has doubts at any point in the future. I am impressed that Bertie stays downstairs, you must be an excellent dog tamer. Jack is the king of the castle. The other day he sneaked into Sam's bedroom, where he found a hidden secret box of jam doughnuts, which he ate in about 40 seconds flat. It was not hidden well enough I guess. Jack was not impressed when he was denied dinner. Have a good weekend, you should definitely do some beautiful writing, it is good for the soul and will be a calming balance in a crazy weekend. xx

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    1. We have a baby gate on the stairs! Drives me bananas, but otherwise he would be upstairs causing mayhem. Boys do like a good stash of food about the place don't they. CJ xx

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  7. So glad having the exchange student to stay went well. Poppy sits on the last from top stair waiting for me. Live rugby is exciting to watch and noisy I always think. Well done xx

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    1. REALLY noisy. We were in the loud corner as it turned out, with a group of drummers and some chanting. CJ xx

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  8. I have a feeling a notebook and calligraphy is the perfect antidote to your full on week. Sounds like a very successful one and a perfect way for your son to learn French. What a fabulous shot of Bertie on the stairs..oh to be so loved. Enjoy your weekend and stay warm. B x

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  9. I'm glad your french exchange went well and he enjoyed the food and your rugby. Poor Bertie being confused by the change in routine, most of you must have been shattered in the morning! Sarah x

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  10. Rugby? It all looks so dangerous doesn't it? I mean it is like our football without all the helmets and pads. Glad the French Student had a wonderful week. You are the best to have cooked for him so well and of course sat outside in the rain for a match you didn't even care about. You are the best!

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  11. ah, the Full English...well, you really did deliver! Glad it all went well....it's a daunting thought, having to entertain and imagine what the guest might find interesting. I'm tired just imagining it.

    All's fairly quiet here. Managed to get some seeds started and got the most distressing part of the garage scrubbed. I think chicken poo must be a bit like what i'm told bat guano is like...nevertheless, it made me feel very accomplished. I'm trying not to think about what's still left to do.

    i hope you manage to squeeze in some calligraphy. xoxo

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  12. I would do some calligraphy and then the rest. I cannot concentrate on what I am supposed to do while what I want to do is calling me all the time. I have come to realise that it's better to get the 'want to' seen to so that I can concentrate on the 'need to'. Good luck! Love your blog!

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  13. I hope you managed a little relaxation over the weekend. It sounds as though your French student had a wonderful time although I did laugh at Bertie's antics at letting a stranger in his house. Hector sits with his head on the bottom of the stairs like that too because he's not allowed up... except he sneaks up if he thinks we're not around! I don't understand rugby either!

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  14. I hope your thoughts found their way to your pens this past weekend, but if not, hot chocolate and rugby sound like the perfect combination. I have a feeling you will be able to describe rugby just fine soon enough.

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  15. Goodness that was a very packed week. I hope you did get a bit of R & R over the weekend and time to spend with your pens and nibs.
    Mitzi

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  16. hot chocolate and a cure for being frazzled sounds excellent. hope it's been a calmer week x

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  17. Hi CJ, I'm just catching up. I seem to have missed a whole chunk of posts back there while I was waiting for life to let up a little bit. I hope you were able to get some rest since this post and that you're enjoying a slower period now too.

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  18. The French student sounds delightful and good to hear his visit went so well. Hope you've managed to spend some time honing your penmanship skills. I imagine it's a good antidote to all the busy.

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