The ups and downs of a Worcester Warrior!

Well the last ten days have taken me on a roller coaster of rugby emotion. I am a huge rugby fan. I love the game, and its highs and lows. This last ten days has shown me both of those! Last Friday night I went to the Twickenham Stoop, home of NEC Harlequins. I met up with my sister and James came too. It had been raining all day. The rain had been horizontal at times! Clever me, with a desperate desire not to be cold had taken several layers and my cosy down jacket to work to wear. Shame wet feathers hold water to make you damp! Even so I went with hope and expectation in my heart. Live rugby brings out the passion in me. I shout and scream and sing. I wave my arms. I love it. I also had a naive feeling that Worcester could start their season turn around by beating fellow bottom of the leaguers Quins. I was sorely disappointed. The rugby matched the weather - it was awful! Worcester looked like a bunch of strangers who had been rounded up and told to play rugby. Now I don't mind it when Worcester lose, or in fact any team I support. But only if they have played at 100%. In the case of these guys they get PAID to play rugby. It is their JOB. Now as you know there are times I don't like my job, and I am sure we all have says when staying under the duvet seems like the preferable option but I go to work and I try to do my best. Anyway Worcester lost, they weren't beaten, they lost because they were poor, down trodden and lacked passion or flair. They trudged off the pitch staring down the barrel of the first division with 8 defeats out of 8 in the league. The supporters were angry. The Quins fans were SO ANTISOCIAL. Never have I been to a less welcoming rugby ground, win or lose its usually a good laugh in the bar chatting with the other team's fans. Not at the Stoop. Before the game Alice and I walked past a couple of men in their forties chatting. I overheard one say to the other in suitably plummy tones: "Well I've been to internationals you know, but nothing like this." Like what?? Oh an actual game of club rugby! Yick. And the journey home was long, and cold. On Monday afternoon Worcester sacked their head coach. Supporters started to talk. This is what they had wanted. It an odd feeling knowing that someone has lost their job, and this makes you happy. I struggle with that, but I also acknowledge that something had to change. A rising sense of optimism filled the message boards. Could we turn our season around, or even just win a league game! Sunday afternoon. Vicarage Road. Watford. Home of Saracens, and the biggest white elephant in rugby union - Andy Farrell. I find it hard knowing that my ticket money goes to paying his wages. Flippin RFU. I settled down on my sofa, Sky showing the game (live Rugby is why I pay my subscription!!) Nervous was not the word and I only had my geriatric cat to keep me company. The first half was DIRE. It was wet and windy and Worcester lost ball and opportunities. They went into half time 17-3 down and I resigned myself to another bad loss, and next season in the 1st Division. The second half saw the arrival of Tony 'Reg' Windo and Shane Drahm to the pitch, followed by Gavin THE Quinnell. It was a different team on that pitch. I screamed at the TV, I shouted encouragement, wondering how loud I would have to shout for it to be heard in Watford. The forwards scored a try. Then THE QUINNELL scored an awesome crash ball try. 17 - 17. Oh my life. We might not get beaten. 77 minutes SHINE DRAHM boots a perfect kick towards the uprights. I stopped breathing. It went over. I was hysterical. The cat ran away! The scariest 4 minutes for a long time followed and Worcester tried hard to throw it away! But they held on. The relief was written on the players faces. They thanked their fans, I called my sister. A ray of hope shone on the Warriors and all who follow them. We're still bottom. But we played like we meant it. If we can keep on doing that then even life in the first division won't be too bad!! Hannah x

Dear Diary

Yesterday I undertook one of my favourite annual rituals.
No not Christmas shopping, but buying my diary for next year.
Every year I go to Paperchase and peruse the diary selection. I want something that will last me the whole year and will become my friend! I want something practical, in size and layout, as well as something fun and funky!
Next year's diary is an a6 size dark pink leather affair. Classy but cool I hope.
I think the excitement of a new diary is more than just looks though. There is something intensely appealing to me about the smooth, crisp blank pages stretching out before me. It represents a new year, blank pages waiting to be filled. There is something about the not knowing what the year will bring.
Of course the first thing I wrote in my diary was my wedding day. I have a feeling that once we're through the festive season time will begin to gallop and May 5th will be upon us sooner than we expect! It seems so far away at the moment and still unreal in many ways.
As I get older time gets faster. Does this happen to anyone else? I have to remind myself sometimes to stop, breathe, listen, see and live. H x

Where I Live

I live in South Croydon. By my estimate I live just on the 'R' of Croydon on this map. London is a huge and all consuming place and most of the time I don't really consider myself to live in London. I work in Brixton, further up the A23, which is the red road running north from Croydon. Brixton looks and feels VERY different to Croydon, and is most definitely part of the metropolis that is London. If you get the angle right, on the right floor of my building you can see Big Ben!
Anyway, at the moment I really love where I live. I've been in Croydon three and a half years, and in my wonderful rented flat for just over two. I am lucky that I, along with James, rent a really nice two bedroom flat from some people at church. The rent is very good, council tax is reasonable and I have room to swing a whole cattery's worth of cats should I wish to. They lived in it before we did, so it feels homely. It has a great location: you can walk to the train station, its 5 minutes to church, you can walk to several pubs selling real ale, a slightly longer walk takes you to South End, FULL of bars and restaurants, and if you're feeling energetic a few more minutes in the same direction takes you to Croydon itself. Failing that it's on four bus routes. James parents live a mile and a half up the road, and there are two supermarkets within a ten minute drive. On top of that it takes 25 minutes to get to London Bridge or Victoria, or equally if you drive for 25 minutes the other way you are in countryside, another 25 minutes and Brighton beckons.
The main reason why I like where I live is because most of the time I feel like its home. It has taken me a while to get to this point. Church is a major part of this. Whilst I wouldn't say I am part of the furniture there I feel less and less like a stranger every time I walk through the doors. I have friends at church, some close, some not so close. But a good group of people about my age. We have recently compounded this informal group into something called MINT, giving newcomers and others between 18-30 something a chance to get involved in something social every week after evening church. James' friends are finally becoming my friends too. On top of that I have a rugby team to play for (which I did on Sunday shhhhhhhhhhh don't tell anyone!), a WeightWatchers group, and involvement in Scouts.
I fit in. Life isn't too fast paced, and escape routes exist.
James came home from a night out with his friend last night and declared that we should move closer to London. We've had this discussion before and I have expressed my fear, worries and dislike about it. James friend has been in London about 6 months. He loves it. They had a conversation that ended in the suggestion that James should move closer towards the river. I disagree. I don't see any point in moving for the sake of it. 'London Life' does not appeal in its traditional sense. Anyway the conversation we had upset me. In fact I was still in a bad mood when I woke up. Perhaps James' whimsy nature, his grass is always greener thinking, is the personality trait of his I most dislike. Sometimes it's fun and frivolous, and other times it messes with my head. Last night was one of those times.
To me my home needs to be a place I feel settled, a place where I have a support network, friends and I can be part of the fabric. 'London' in its traditional sense does not really have those things for me. South Croydon, for me at the moment, is a great place to call my home.
Hannah

Wedding catch up blog

Hello.
Been busy - what's new there then!!
On the wedding front its is now less than 6 months to go!! I am quite excited.
I have booked a florist - not as scary as I thought it might be. If anyone asks me what I'm having I can tell them 'flowers!'
My cake situation has progressed from plain M&S iced to Alice's amazing friend Lou making me an awesome creation.
Oh yeah I ordered a dress. I don't think I ever shared that. Its lovely. That's all I can tell you.
I've booked a hairdresser, and arranged for someone to do my make up on the day.
James, Doug and James Snr are off to be measured for their suits on Friday.
We've registered somewhere to be our wedding list, although we haven't started putting it together. It was so nice to do something wedding related that isn't costing us money.
Oh yeah and I have created this, to be used as an information point for our guests. Have a look and see what you think: Gordon Wedding
H x