The sun is shining and it's still possible to ignore how sapping 28 degrees will be by 5 o'clock.

The Olympics have, other considerations aside, managed to create a sense of there having been a close season.

I'm leaving the house in quarter of an hour to allow for a couple of lager and limes en route to the Cottage.

Sometimes life is just grand.

Half hour to go and in a state of mild excitement for the journey to Port Talbot to see the lads take on Llanelli in the first live S4C game of the season. A finish higher than last season would suffice if not a finish above Afan Lido would do

I was going to see 2 games today, but fell asleep on the sofa after lunch, so I'm skipping Atlético Clube de Portugal v Leixões (I owe Atlético €45 in unpaid membership fees), which is due to kick off at 16:15.

But, I will be going to Benfica v Braga at 20:15 tonight.

I've just been to see The Can-Cans.

Even grander now I'd imagine ben. Enjoy that post-match lager & lime.

Absolutely glorious day in Amsterdam. I was supposed to go to Haarlem for the free Jazz Festival (as in gratis, not Ornette Coleman et al.) but it is just too bloody hot to do anything.

I am alternating between Newcastle and Spurs getting streamed into my (relatively cool) living room, and chain-smoking on the roof terrace.

The only cloud on my horizon is the game is really pretty boring, and Newcastle aren't doing much at all.

But still, what a delightful opening day. Liverpool play like an abject rabble, and there's nuff goals in the other games to make me look forward to MOTD.

Went to see Gillingham beat Bradford, pretty poor but fucking hot.

Had a great day. On beers from 12pm to 12am, 1-0 Forest win playing some really nice stuff. Doesn't get much better from my perspective. Only problem was I wish i'd worn shorts rather than jeans. I've never sweated so much.

I'm a little envious, having spent a (not terribly warm) Saturday trolling round the DIY and plumbers' stores of Northern Sydney looking for the correct replacement toilet seat. Unsuccessfully.

I've spent it indoors mostly, since the weather's absolutely shit here in BA at the moment, and have so far watched Boca 3 - 1 All Boys and Colón 2 - 2 Belgrano. Now 27 mins into San Lorenzo v Estudiantes, which is currently 0-0, then off out for a drink or two...

I went to Marine v. Eastwood Town, and was able to have a fondle of this little bronze beauty.

RobM wrote:


Cheers, RobM - it's safe to say that I'm not in danger of contracting scurvy for the foreseeable future.

With Bangor City having played on Friday night I went to watch Rangers v East Stirlingshire.

I spent the pre-match period looking at stalls that sold flags and scarves celebrating a 322 year old battle.

I spent the match listening to Rule Britannia and looking at flags that told people how LOYAL the owner was.

I spent the journey home listening to the unexpurgated adventures of a gang of geezers from Coventry. The pinnacle was; "Oh yeah, U2 are all protestants you know".

Luckily it was Race Day in Chester so the last leg of my journey was a mixture of skinny ties, visible cellulite and ear-splitting bovine chuntering.

Leicester 2-0 Peterborough

Dull game. Fairly flat atmosphere. I think I'm stepping off planet football for a while. It compares badly with recent events for me.

SJP....sun was shining crowd was capacity Hatem Ben Arfa was skipping past opposition players for fun and the woodwork was acting as 12th man when required...

it was great to be back...