Day 221 - Rainy Sunday

My friends left reasonably early this morning - they had things to get to and I was going to meet my mate Jim before the first home football match of the season. I was up really early (about 8am after reading for a while - on a Sunday!) probably because I was so childishly excited about the footie.

So got up and did loads of (quiet) kitchen chores while the other 2 lay-in. Cleaned the fridge, the oven and cleared various cupboards out! It was very refreshing and a nice feeling to have a v spruce kitchen again. I think because I haven't been cooking, I haven't noticed that it had got a little, erm, grubby shall we say! D cleans and wipes but not to one's own standards I find. Anyway - it's lovely and sparkley now, ready for me to restock and start cooking in a few weeks time!!

We took the dog for a shortish walk and got caught about 200m from the house in a downpour and then said our goodbyes. It's been lovely seeing them and we're all at turning points in our lives so we had lots to talk about. Angela left with a massive stack of my larger clothes so I have some room in my wardrobe too which is a bonus!

Met Jim in the pub as usual and he was full of shock at the transformation - he last saw me in May at the cricket in Headingley and I suppose I've dropped a couple of sizes since then. He said my face was the most different thing - that it had changed a lot although I don't really see that.

What was funny was all the other football regulars. We sort of know each other after years of meeting at the same pub before the game every other Saturday during the season but not names or anything - quite a few came up and made comments about "where had I gone?" etc and the bar staff as well. It was really good fun. I'm sure the guys on the table next to us thought we were mad though as Jim was commenting on my disappearing bust and asking about saggy skin etc etc - he's very in touch with his feminine side is Jim (although not gay or anything - he'd want me to assure you!!).

Onto the game itself and, as I'd hoped the people who sit round us made a big fuss of me - Roy gave me a big hug and a kiss, the blind bloke's Mum asked me all about it and then had to explain to her son what everyone was going on about! Even the young lads (@19 or 20) who sit in front of us withdrew from their youthful self-absorbtion to mutter a comment. It's a nice little community and everyone was really sweet.

I appreciated the game more too - no worrying about squashing my neighbour's leg or panting while climbing the stairs to the top of the Kop. I bounced down to the Ladies, missed our only goal while I was in there and then ran back up. A totally different experience.

For the record - Wednesday played reasonably well but lost 1-3 in a pretty bad tempered and poorly refereed match against Wolves. It's going to be a long old season and I don't think we're going to get much joy out of it!

One other thing to report - anticipating my evening weakness before we left the house, I insisted that my friends threw away the milk and bread I'd bought in for them and took away any cold meat and houmous left over from last night. I was so happy that I did when I was strong this morning as I'm sure I would have succumbed when got back in tired and hungry after the game. So - planning is all.

Now I'm heading out for a run - wonder if the dog will come with me??! Doubt it - traitorous little bitch...