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March 2010
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Chesham Strides U15 on the march

Back to winning ways in a keenly contested game against Widmer End.  After taking a lead somewhat against the run of play after 10 mins played, the first half ended with Strdies 2-1 down. An end to end game with both sides playing competitively.

The second half saw Chesham conceded a goal against the general direction of play.  Not to be deterred, CHesham game back gamely to score a second goal fromEric’s corner.  As the minutes ticked by and with ten minutes left Eric scored only his second goal of the season with a swerving drive from the edge of the box, 3-3- and game on.  With only miutes left, the ball dropped to Eric on the edge of the box who shot unerringly into the net from 20 yards, the ball was parried on to the crossbar and over the line.  Eric has been consistently one of our top players all season.Chesham Strides U15s

The last minute wasn’t without its drama with Tom, clearing a ball dropping over the line for a corner after Toby had been lobbed by the Widmer number 9.

We march on……….

Graveside at a bleak Wingerworth church

Emily and Greg

14th January - a year on

Is it really a year ago my father died, seems so long ago, but alas the events of the day won’t be forgotten by Brenda, his nephew Robin, Isabelle or indeed me.  We loved him to the end. Here are a few photo’s, but not the ones I was looking for….. IN their youthIn the alps

Here is the man looking out from Curbar/Froggat Edge, Derbyshire. Derbyshire was really his favourite place.

Looking out

Greg walks on Water (very naughty)

Canal

On to the iceoooh be carefulJust testing

dog on guard

Ivinghoe - Brrr it was cold

Went out on my travels again, the roads were very dicey, even in town, had to dig the car out first.

Obviously I upset Emily again, about looking at these postings on the web, childish, but not much to ask for? can’t help but nag unnecessarily ie take some interest in what her Dad does. Am trying my level best to get more interaction from her, but if she’s not willing to at least have a surf even when a link is sent…. then I have no answer.  I know facebook, social networks and friends are far more important, but why do I have to live at the bottom of the pecking order?  Also Telegraph leads today on A level tariff’s going up at the Universities, I hope Emily takes heed.

Looking to Ivinghoe Beacon, from the Ridgeway

The view towards Ivinghoe

The path ahead

The way ahead

Snowy Baxterbaxter on IvinghoeFrom the beacon

Another day, another freezing yer butt off day

Out and about, it is great for photography…

On the canalRussell

Picture postcard

Style by the canal

Style in the snowVirgin’s in the snow

Bridge over untroubled water

Bridge over untroubled water

Nature and the elements

Fenced offWinter Blossom

Winter willows

Weeping Willows in the park, love thelight on thes branches

SNOW…………and even more snow

This is a view of the world around us in Herts/Bucks today

The Car…

Moses the Mercedes

Cat in the snow

On the roads…

Out on the Streets

The Grand Union canal

canal

Grand Union, Berkhamsted

Swans Port of Berkhamsted

Here is Baxter…

BaxterBaxter’s big stick

Baxter poses

Christmas Eve

Ice Skating Natural History Museum, London.  Happy holidays!

Natural History Museum

Emily & Greg

Close up

The Rink, Natural History Museum, 24/12/09

Deep & Crisp & Uneven

‘Let it Snow…Let is snow..’ is the line from the song and boy did it snow Monday afternoon.

Emily, Greg and I had a lovely shopping day in Milton Keynes, all under cover, no worries of the weather, we left to get a frame from IKEA about 4ish.  leaving IKEA an hour later, a few snow flurries appeared, and thought nothing of it since travelling at rush hour, plenty of traffic, no worries………….

By the time we reached Dunstable, it was settling and it was a slower pace of 20mph.  And we ploughed on up the hills to Tring, which we liked so much, we decided to take it steady and take in the Christmas snowscape.  We waited patiently, and moved and waited all the while the snow lay deep and crisp and uneven.  Wilst we slewed to the Total petrol station in Tring, one kind gentleman asked me to pull over so he could park outside his house, queues of traffic in each direction, numpty! we had already crashed into a kerb by this stage in Dunstable.

Well we waited and waited (hour and a half later) then we made our move, being kindness itself we let a Vauxhall (front wheel drive) out from the petrol station, bloody numpty number 2, he came to a standstill at the r-about, when we we cruising nicely…20 mins later after pushing him up the hill to Tesco’s it was my turn.

Out Emily & Greg went into the snowstrom, push and push with others, and I was off, I ain’t stopping - see ya! Santa’s sleigh ain’t seen anything like it - Emily and Greg chasing after me…once on the flat I went back to help others, but once we were on the flat, we saw a huge queue of cars in the opposite direction, amazing for a slight incline in normal conditions suddenly becomes the North Face of the Eiger.  Cars all over the place.  We stopped to help a car up the hill, the next car in line to tackle the hill (well more like anthill) was a Z4, uhm I knew he wasn’t going to make it, my rear wheel drive was suffering, so I knew what was in store for him.  Oh dear!

We abandoned the Merc on the high street and walked 5 mins to the sanctuary of tv and jacket potatoes. 3 hours later, for a journey of 50 mins
Sadly there was one person who I know would have loved it, my Dad.  He and I have great memories of snowy escapades, Wingerworth 1967, Lavender Hill, handbrake turns in a van, Chesterfield to Manchester 1981, such fun…where are you Dad? I hope you are smiling up there!

Mercedes USA, courtest Telegraph picsWeather for Penguins

London Buses

Well I never, I make contact with Sir Geoff Cathey, only to be shortly contacted afterwards by another old tutor Steve Hodgson (Sports Tutor, Tupton Hall). When it rains it pours.  What wonderful surprise number 2. He is well and he too is looking to retirement, I canna believe it.  He is still in the Nottinghamshire area working in sports.  However, this set of communication is not without sadness.  Jenny Irwin (form tutor 6th form and Tupton Hall tutor) has sadly died, she only retired Summer 2008.  I wrote her a letter upon her retirment addressed to her at Tupton, however, it never crossed my mind she had moved on to another School.

On a personal note, she was my form tutor in the 6th form and was a good cookie, she also passed a few secrets on to me about my status in the school amongst the females! lah de dah.  She also organised trips to see the Harlem Globetrotters, which myself and friends had the plaeasure of going to see.  As we left Wembley, we were racially attacked by a set f black lads, all hell kicked off in the car park, in her calm manner Jenny went to confront the troublemakers.   Sadly she will be missed by all who came into contact with her, my only disappontment I should have had another go to contact her, so readers do not put off today - you may miss an opportunity, and of course the funeral had to be Friday at Bretby Crematorium, Burton on Trent, when we had 6″ of snow.

I am still housebound, packed ice on the roads and I can’t move the car…it is very slippy untilyou can get to the main highway.

Christmas Scenes:

Northchurch Parish churchVillage Christmas tree

Grand Union CanalChristmas tree