Running with Freaky Running Dog is more difficult than just running. If I tread on a stick she squeaks so I have to watch where my feet are, if she treads on a drain cover she leaps sideways, so I have to watch where her feet are, and if she sees something she doesn't like she just stops and my arm nearly comes out of its socket as I'm hanging on to the lead and still moving. Yesterday morning I also had to lift her over 3 stiles, pick her up once when she was attacked by a nasty spaniel (I was NOT reassured by the portly owner's 'Yer alright luv he's just playing' and muttered something about muzzles and out of control dogs as I lugged a large Freaky Running Dog past him) and stop while she investigated the tail of a much nicer spaniel later on. And we met our neighbour Tristan running with his completely bonkers boxer dog too - we agreed it was more difficult than just running. As he looked calm and unflustered and I was by this time completely puce in the face (as usual) I think I actually bore this out better than he did...
Then the Melodeon Master and I had a really relaxing day planned - watching England play cricket in Cardiff! We got there at 10, had a coffee (him), hot chocolate (me), Danish (me) and a double chocolate with chocolate chip muffin (him) and settled in our seats for the 10.30 start. We saw the teams come out, listened nicely to the national anthems and then watched the rain get heavier and heavier. After about half an hour of getting soggy we headed for the area under the stands. And had another coffee and hot chocolate. Then we wandered round a bit and had another coffee and hot chocolate in a different place. Then we had chips for lunch. Then we thought about heading home, but decided we'd been there so long we may as well hang on for the eventual abandonment. Finally, at about 3 o'clock, just as we were finding car keys and planning our exit, the rain stopped, the covers came off and play was destined to start at 3.45. So we had another coffee and hot chocolate. And a croissant.
We had excellent seats with a fabulous view:
We were very near the 'players going in and out bit' (technical term) and luckily everybody moved when play got underway. And we were sat just behind the non-playing squad members (Chris Woakes, Steven Finn and Jonny Bairstow) who were next to various New Zealand players (Southee included) which led to excellent banter...
What should have been a nice relaxing 50 overs game became a rather frantic 24:24 game. And England won! Somewhere around 8pm last night.... By the time we got home and reassured the dogs (who thought we'd left home) and fed them, fed the cats and fed us, it was a bit late and we'd been on the go for over 12 hours...
Or 15 if you count the running...
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