I suppose I should get the football out the way first. I really haven't got much to say.
We were beaten by a better side. Prior to the competition, the pundits were saying that this was the team with the best chance in years to win the World Cup. I never agreed with that. I thought we were a mediocre team at best.
Yesterday, I watched England suffer their biggest defeat ever at a World Cup Finals, at the hands of Germany. England were outclassed and the game finished 4-1. Yes, Lampard had an obvious goal disallowed, as neither the ref or linesman saw it cross the line, but I doubt that would have made much of a difference to the over all result. However, FIFA really do need to review their policy on goal line technology. It is becoming ridiculous.
On the plus side, our cricketers put on another good performance to go 3-0 up in the ODI series against Australia. Although, in the final few overs, they made hard work of it! Bollinger bowled a great over. Taking 2 England wickets and giving away no runs. In the end it was left to Tim Bresnan to notch up the required 8 runs off the last 8 balls. A tense but thoroughly enjoyable end.
The Big Brother eviction on Friday night saw Govan evicted. He had 72% of the public vote. Very high. He deserved to go as he didn't come across well, a bit of a stirrer by all accounts.
So with the TV stuff out the way, what else have I been up to? Well, on Saturday I went to Birmingham Rep. Not for a show but for a sale! It is due a refurb and they were selling off costumes and props. I came away empty handed but there were some fantastic things on offer! There was quality furniture being sold for £5. Clothes and costumes were selling for between 1 - 5 pounds. There were a lot of am dram people buying all sorts of weird and wonderful things. It was like the most interesting jumble sale you have ever been to. Have a rummage and who know what you will find!
After the sale we headed to Moseley where we bought fresh bread, cheese and olives and headed for Highbury Park. We sat under a tree and ate our food. After, we wandered the park and found a beekeeper looking at her bees. As we watched the secretary of Birmingham Bee Keepers Association came over for a chat. A very nice fellow. Did you know that there are up to 16 exams to be taken to become a qualified bee keeper?!
Having walked the park Clare went for a drink at Kitchen Garden Cafe while I nipped off to a friend's daughter's birthday party. I met Clare at the Kitchen Garden a couple of hours later when, after a quick drink, headed home.
Yesterday, was a trip to Solihull Nature Reserve, just to get out for a few hours as the afternoon would be spent in front of the TV watching the football. We walked for a couple of hours but ,as it was the hottest day of the year so far, was shattered by the end.
Finally, Glastonbury weekend has sort of passed me by. I have recorded a lot of the coverage but haven't watched it yet. It was nice that they got good weather for their 40 year anniversary.
Here are Muse covering U2's Where The Streets Have No Name. Complete with The Edge on guitar.
So, England upped their game yesterday and managed to make it through to the next round. They played well, especially in the first half and at times, looked like a World Class team. It still worries me that we only managed the one goal (Defoe 23mins) and that we never topped what was a relatively easy group.
What I did enjoy about yesterday was the vibe. From lunchtime onwards, there were people on the street. Walking to the pub or popping to the shops to stock up on supplies. Others on their way home from work early. You could feel the excitement in the air, or should that be tension? The weather was great. The sun was shining which added an extra element to things. I think the time of day helped as well. There were the lucky ones who were not at work, others leaving early or just skiving off. Some were stuck in their offices with it on the radio (Clare) or were watching it on their PC. It all added to the sense of occasion.
So Germany in the next round. Tough game. If we manage to beat them then our next game would more than likely be Argentina. We don't make it easy for ourselves!
With all the drama of the World Cup I have neglected other things. Yesterday was National Cricket Day. When the stars and coaches go into schools and organise competitions to help develop children's education through cricket. I'm not entirely sure how that works but it has been going since 2005 and so must have some benefits.
Today, England take on Australia in the second One Day International. On Tuesday, a great display by Eoin Morgan helped England to victory, winning by 4 wickets.
Finally, there have been stories in the news lately about foxes attacking people. There has even been talk of a cull! Yesterday I was lucky to find one asleep in my garden. He's welcome back any time!
Wimbledon started yesterday. What with all the football I nearly forgot. Not that I am big on tennis. I sort of keep an eye on it but very rarely will I sit and watch it. I'll stick to football and cricket.
I will, however, be listening to this. Tennis are a band from Denver. They are a married couple that saved money for years, bought a sailboat, and sailed around the East Coast for eight months. The band was started from there, and their songs document their experiences on the water.
They will release their debut 7", "South Carolina", via Fire Talk on July 27; until then, enjoy this sweet little pop ditty. (via Delicious Scopitone)
A poor performance by England on Friday night. I was dubious as to whether we'd do well but thought we could have at least managed a 1-0 win. 0-0 against Algeria is not a good result and leaves us needing a win against Slovenia to qualify. Even if we do, I don't fancy our chances in the next round!
After the football it was time to turn over for Big Brother. The first eviction! 3 up for it, Rachel, Shabby and Sunshine. Despite the crowd chanting "Get Sunshine Out" it was Rachel who was evicted. I can't say I was expecting that!
Saturday meant a trip to Shropshire with friends. The day started well with a veggie breakfast at Morrison's. We picked up some food for the picnic and headed back to meet the others. Then it was off to Haughmond Woods just outside of Shrewsbury. I'd not been there before. There are some amazing views from the top of the hill. There is also a viewing platform overlooking a working quarry. Having walked around the woods for a few hours we drove to Monkmoor Fishery for a picnic beside the River Severn. Again some great views. We found a great spot on the curve of the river. It was a lovely way to spend a few hours on a sunny Saturday afternoon and I am sure we will do it again before the summer is over.
Driving home we saw this. I'm sure I must have seen this before but I can't remember. I still found it very impressive! I looked it up when I got in. It is called The Lord Hills Column. It is the world's largest Doric column. It is 133ft and 6inches tall (13 feet higher and 2 feet wider than Nelson's Column). It was built between the years of 1814 and 1816.
We got home early evening and watched Sunshine Cleaning. An odd little film but I enjoyed it. Apparently it came out a couple of years ago but have to admit it passed me by. It's about two sisters who start up a crime scene clean up business. It stars Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin and is worth a look.
After the film I managed to catch the last 30 minutes of Cameroon vs Denmark. It was a shame to see Cameroon go out of the competition having lost 2-1. I hope I'm not writing something similar about England later in the week!
Sunday, and a meal with the family. We drove out to The Falcon in Hatton. The food wasn't cheap and even though I enjoyed mine, a couple of people were not impressed with the standard. It has, however, got the poshest smoking shelter I have been in. Made of perspex and canvas. It has a wide screen TV. Tables and chairs and corner sofas for lounging on. In the corner was a jazz musician playing a saxophone and clarinet. This is where we ate our meal. It's a great idea.
In the evening watched the football, Brazil versus Ivory Coast. Brazil won 3-1. A good game but the referee has some questions to answer. Firstly, Brazil's second goal shouldn't have been allowed due 2 hand ball. Fabiano, the goal scorer, handled it twice. The ref missed it and the goal stood but minutes later the camera focused on the ref asking Fabiano if he had used his hand. Obviously he said no. The second thing was Kaka's sending off. It was an off the ball incident that the ref did not see. Kaka raised an arm to stop Lannoy running into him. Lannoy then hit the ground clutching his face even though Kaka had not made contact with his head. Kaka was shown a second yellow card and was therefore dismissed. It's a shame as ruined a perfectly good game and Kaka will now be suspended despite his innocence
Lanterns on the Lake are hard to describe. Words such as lush, atmospheric and cinematic have been used along with comparisons to Sigor Ros, Cocteau Twins and even Bjork.
Lungs Quicken was released on Monday on 7" vinyl. It comes in a hand made sleeve and can be purchased from their Myspace page.
I believe they are touring this summer and will be appearing at Glastonbury and End of the Road in Dorset. Apparently they are really good live. Sadly, they are not coming to the Midlands and so I'll have to wait that bit longer before seeing them.
So, the football fixtures have been released today. I always look forward to them coming out. The first thing I do is look at the last game of the season. Are we home or away? I prefer to be away as it is more of an occasion. The next thing I look for is our opening game. I prefer one of the big clubs because, if I'm honest, it means we get them out of the way. Finally I look to see when we play Aston Villa. I'm sure I've mentioned I support Birmingham. Villa are our biggest rivals.
Our last game of the coming season is Tottenham away. As much as I like the away trips, I just hope that we don't need the points at that stage of the season because I don't think we'll get anything there.
This year I have another couple of games to look out for, West Bromwich Albion. Another local derby and also, Clare's team.
Last season saw us finish 9th in the Premiership. Our best finish for 51 years. Here's hoping we capitalise on that this year.
It's been quiet of late. As the weather was fairly nice, at the weekend we decided to walk the tow path again. Each time we do, we go a little further. We made it to Knowle. Roughly 7 miles. No kingfishers this time but plenty of herons and some lovely scenery.
If I'm not walking then I am watching the World Cup. Slow starter this one. There haven't been many stand out performances. Germany's 4-0 win over Australia is the best result so far. North Korea played well against Brazil, despite them losing 2-1, they can hold their heads up high. The Dutch also look good but didn't really set the world on fire against Denmark. I'm hoping that, after today, when everyone has at least one game under their belts, that things will kick into life.
Something else I have been watching is Big Brother. This is something that, over the years, I have dipped in and out of. In the ten years it has been going I have watched some series and some have past me by completely. As this is the last one I thought I'd give it a go. It's been about a week now and it has been quite good so far. Already, the housemates seemed to have ganged up against one particular person (Sunshine) and, there are allegations of bullying! I haven't got a favourite yet but as there is another 3 months to go I'm sure someone will stand out eventually.
Another uninspiring performance from England then. I had hoped, that despite the last couple of matches, we would have stepped it up a gear when the tournament started. Sadly, it was not to be.
Green's mistake will appear on countless footballing gaffe DVDs in the future and I haven't really got much to say about it, except I hope Joe Hart gets a chance against Algeria.
Heskey's work rate was very good but how he has the nerve to call himself a striker is beyond me.
Why is Ledley King even in South Africa? He is already ruled out for the next match!
Why wasn't Joe Cole playing?
Rooney was very quiet as was Lampard. A couple of long range efforts between them but nothing to write home about.
On the plus side Gerrard led by example. Good goal and some great tackles when tracking back.
Here's hoping for a much improved performance on Friday!
It's here! The World Cup 2010 starts today. I can't believe how quickly it has come round.
The opening ceremony starts at 1pm BST and is followed by South Africa vs Mexico and later, Uruguay vs France. England face USA tomorrow and despite England's unconvincing performances of late I can't wait.
I'm hoping for a good tournament. My social life for the next month or so will revolve around this and any plans I make will only be after I have consulted the fixtures.
I didn't watch The World Cup Concert last night, it just wasn't for me. Alicia Keys, Shakira, Black Eyed Peas are not really my sort of thing but from 1pm today I will be in front of the TV.
I'm not going to make any predictions as to who will win the tournament. In all honesty, if it's not England, I don't care but I am looking forward to some great matches and some great football.
It seems, when it comes to books and films I'm always behind. Too many to see and read that I never get the chance. For example, it's only this year that I've got around to reading Salmon Fishing in The Yemen by Paul Torday, despite owning it for some time. Thoroughly enjoyed it too.
It's the same with films. I went to the cinema quite a lot at the start of last year and saw some good films but one which I missed despite being aware of it was Public Enemies. I finally got round to seeing it yesterday.
Directed by Michael Mann and starring Johnny Depp, James Russo and Christian Bale, it tells the story of John Dillinger. The film looks great and the cast turn in strong performances. Two and half hours flew by. I'm no expert in Depression Era bank robbers but do know that some of the facts have been changed. Mainly time lines and the demise of some of the characters, although all the exploits I believe are true. To be honest, this doesn't take anything away from the film. My only criticism comes with the last scene. I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil it for people, who like me, are behind with their films.
I don't know anything about this tune other than this, taken from The Line Of Best Fit -
Owing a vast debt to the array of 1980’s / early 90’s indie-pop bands currently in vogue, Wild Nothing is more than a homage or a cheap cash-in on the current trend of lo-fi indie guitar slingers – Jack Tatum simply writes and records the music that has flowed through his veins since he was a kid. The result is everything you’d expect it to be. Taking cues from pre-Screamadelica Primal Scream (the guitar jangle of ‘All Fall Down’ springs to mind) and early Teenage Fanclub with a dose of US slacker rock – ‘Summer Holiday’ is a neon fused daydream; texturally perfect and insanely romantic – Tatum’s deft touch and humane songcraft make this one of the standout tracks of the year so far.
Yesterday, we were to have a picnic with friends but before we headed off to the proposed spot we stopped off at Akamba. It's a garden centre that specialises in African plants. It's actually much more than that.
As you walk around, through the palms, you come across little thatched platforms with tables and chairs. Here, you can sit and have a bite to eat or a drink. Dotted around is the odd bar. They serve tea and coffee but also African beer. I assume they stock local drinks as well but I opted for a Tusker. A beer made in Kenya and named after the elephant that killed one of the brewery's founders. It was very enjoyable.
Whilst sitting, drinking my beer it started to rain quite heavily. There was something quite cosy about sitting in the hut amongst the trees whilst the rain came down. It showed no sign of stopping so once we had finished our drinks we headed off to have our picnic.
Having driven around we came across a picnic area and sat in the car as the food was passed round. An English picnic in all it's glory.
Not long after arriving home the sun came out. Oh well, still a good day.
Another sunny day and another walk along the towpath. This was the best walk yet as we got to see kingfishers!! 2 of them.
We came across them toward the end of our walk. I had been trying to take photos of a heron who we found sitting on the path underneath a motorway bridge. Each time I got closer it would fly a bit further down water. Having followed for a bit, we decided to turn round and head back.
As I turned I saw a flash of blue, low over the water. We watched it swoop twice before turning and heading away with a fish. As we watched another appeared. I tried to take a photograph but they were too quick. We waited and within a few minutes they were back. Again, I tried to take a photo but again no joy. After about 15 minutes they disappeared. We waited for a few minutes and when they never returned we decided it was time to head home.
Here are a couple pictures of something that wasn't as quick as a kingfisher. In fact it just stood there.
Just a quick one as I want to get out into the sunshine. The Drums' Forever and Ever Amen remixed by Saint Etienne. It's a lovely tune on a sunny morning and you can get it here.
As the weekend is here once again, it's time for a tune. I thought I'd pick up from my last post and give you a song that you can do your own Morris Dancing to. You can get it here.
A few years ago I seemed to be stalked by Morris Dancers. Everywhere I went there they were. A country pub - Morris Dancers. A trip to the seaside - Morris Dancers. A day out in Oxford - Morris Dancers. I'm sure that they were not the same ones but even so I became a little worried.
The day the smoking ban in England came into force I was at a country pub for lunch. Having eaten, I needed a cigarette and so, for the first time headed outdoors. Although it was the height of summer it was a cold and wet day. I stood in the temporary shelter that had been provided and tried in vain to find a corner that would protect me from the pouring rain. The wind was up and was driving the rain straight through. As I stood there cursing the government for such a stupid idea, a couple of cars pulled up on to the car park and out sprang a group of Morris Dancers. Despite the weather they proceeded to dance. I stood and watched whilst I finished my cigarette. I then realised I was surrounded! I couldn't get past them to get back to the pub. As one dance ended the next would start. I must have stood there for 15 minutes, getting cold and wet. I wandered why men would want to do this in their free time. I did not understand. I still don't but have to say I have warmed to them. Old traditions and dances kept alive, there's a lot to be said for that.
I mention this because the other day I finally got round to watching Morris: A Life With Bells On and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The film follows the fortunes of an avant garde Morris team in their struggle to evolve Morris Dancing. It was written by Charles Thomas Oldham who also stars as the lead character Derecq Twist. Directed by Lucy Ackhurst, the film looks great, has a great cast and is very funny. I won't spoil the plot in case you decide to watch it. A good, gentle English comedy and one of the best films I've watched this year. Apparently it was well received by the Morris Dancing community.
Had a quiet Bank Holiday weekend. Enjoyed it though. Saturday was spent trawling charity shops in Moseley, Kings Heath and Shirley. Clare and I do this from time to time. She looks for books and I go looking for CDs. It was a successful trip with 9 CDs and 5 books between us. We stopped at the French Cafe in Moseley. I don't know what it is called but it's a bigger version of the one up the road in Kings Heath, Maison Macy’s. The weather was grey and wet which is typical for a Bank Holiday Weekend.
We spent the evening watching Eurovision. Belgium should have won hands down but Germany came out on top. The United Kingdom came last! Why we never put forward and established artist is beyond me. We have some of the greatest artists in the world and yet we insist on putting forward unknown rubbish. Still, the public gets what the public wants.
Sunday brought blue skies and sunshine, so we went for a walk along the canal tow path. We saw a half submerged branch in the water and lined up along it were 9 ducklings with their mother. All asleep with their heads tucked away. I tried to take a picture but as is usually the case it didn't come out very well. We walked for a couple of hours but headed back to watch the football.
England were playing in their last match prior to The World Cup. Another unconvincing display against Japan. We won 2-1 but if we are to beat USA in our opening World Cup match we need to play much better than that!
We watched the football with friends who had invited us over for a BBQ. After we'd eaten we went for a walk in a local park where we found an ancient oak tree that was quite unusual in as much as it stood in the centre of a ring of smaller oaks which has grown from it. The circle is a perfect ring and is quite rare. Apparently it is in danger of being built upon by a supermarket chain. It would be a great shame were that to happen.
Yesterday was a quiet day. Watched the cricket and Terry Pratchett's Going Postal. I enjoyed both. Bangladesh put up a bit of a fight but England won by 8 wickets and had it all wrapped up by tea. Going Postal was really good. I've never read a Terry Pratchett book and probably never will but as a 2 part TV special I thought it was great. Had it been a series I probably wouldn't have watched it all but over 2 nights it was perfect. All in all a quiet, lazy but enjoyable few days.
Saturday meant a trip to Shropshire with friends. The day started well with a veggie breakfast at Morrison's. We picked up some food for the picnic and headed back to meet the others. Then it was off to Haughmond Woods just outside of Shrewsbury. I'd not been there before. There are some amazing views from the top of the hill. There is also a viewing platform overlooking a working quarry. Having walked around the woods for a few hours we drove to Monkmoor Fishery for a picnic beside the River Severn. Again some great views. We found a great spot on the curve of the river. It was a lovely way to spend a few hours on a sunny Saturday afternoon and I am sure we will do it again before the summer is over.
In the evening watched the football, Brazil versus Ivory Coast. Brazil won 3-1. A good game but the referee has some questions to answer. Firstly, Brazil's second goal shouldn't have been allowed due 2 hand ball. Fabiano, the goal scorer, handled it twice. The ref missed it and the goal stood but minutes later the camera focused on the ref asking Fabiano if he had used his hand. Obviously he said no. The second thing was Kaka's sending off. It was an off the ball incident that the ref did not see. Kaka raised an arm to stop Lannoy running into him. Lannoy then hit the ground clutching his face even though Kaka had not made contact with his head. Kaka was shown a second yellow card and was therefore dismissed. It's a shame as ruined a perfectly good game and Kaka will now be suspended despite his innocence
Something else I have been watching is Big Brother. This is something that, over the years, I have dipped in and out of. In the ten years it has been going I have watched some series and some have past me by completely. As this is the last one I thought I'd give it a go. It's been about a week now and it has been quite good so far. Already, the housemates seemed to have ganged up against one particular person (Sunshine) and, there are allegations of bullying! I haven't got a favourite yet but as there is another 3 months to go I'm sure someone will stand out eventually.
It's here! The World Cup 2010 starts today. I can't believe how quickly it has come round. 
Having driven around we came across a picnic area and sat in the car as the food was passed round. An English picnic in all it's glory.
