Actually

when I inferred I wasn't lucky that is not really true. As previously mentioned the trip to Lapland was all paid for by a VERY good friend of mine. Last March my sister took me to Dubrovnik and this time next week I shall be in Marrakesh with my sister paying for me to go with her. This has to be considered lucky by any one's standards, unless of course you are the man on my train the other day who considers being sent to Cyprus rather a bind.

Marrakesh sounds amazing. I will be there from Saturday to Wednesday. If anyone knows the city at all any tips on places to go would be much appreciated.



I have never been to Africa before. This makes it all the more incredible that there is a chance I will go twice this year.I was waiting for the football to start the other day - about three minutes to kick off when my phone rang. It was my friend who paid for the 13 of us to go to Lapland. Whilst hearing what she was saying above the noise around me was tricky I definitely did hear the words 'October' and 'Safari' and 'South Africa.' This wonderful wonderful woman wants to take the same 13 who went to Lapland on safari in the October half term. I have been in a state of disbelief ever since. What she subsequently said to me was that this year - the year following the divorce which she had not wanted - was the year when she intended to do what ever she wanted without anyone there to rein her in - and that seems to include taking friends places they could never dream of going to otherwise. So how can I possibly suggest I am not an incredibly lucky woman?

There was also was my luck in meeting Reidski, via blogging of all the ridiculous ways to meet someone. What were the chances of me meeting another blogger who I had a crush on, and not only falling in love with him, but having him fall in love with me too? Slim I'd say. On Friday night he cooked me a really special meal which he later confessed was a 'kind of' Valentines meal because I will be travelling on Valentine's Day itself and won't see him. Normally I would dismiss Valentines stuff as a load of sentimental rubbish promoted as a commercial opportunity by anyone with something red and vaguely heart shaped to flog, but in this case I have to say - it was so romantic! Obviously being in love with someone turns one's brains to mush.

As Friday was in fact Groundhog Day (February 2nd) I will hereby declare that I would be more than happen to repeat my Groundhog Day over and over again.


Not so lucky one might think with my choice of football team. Falling in love aged 10 with a bunch of perpetual under achievers wasn't smart, but even yesterday, watching them lose 2-1 to a Crewe side who had 2 chances and took them both (very well I have to admit - Luke Varney who got them both will definitely be playing at a higher level very soon - not with Crewe though)I thought how there is something good about supporting a poorly supported side. I see so many other fellow sufferers down there who have become friends. We have a moan and we have a laugh, and we know that no matter what the side put us through, we will all be there next season - it's strangely comforting.

And we played some great football yesterday - I really do believe it is coming right for us.

Everyone but Steve can stop reading here as what follows is of rather minority interest in that it is of interest to me and hopefully to Man City supporting Steve as we have one of his players on loan. Minority interest as in - of interest to 2 of us!

For Steve then - The Marc Laird Watch - he played the second half and made a change for the better in our midfield - and made a fabulous pass which led to our goal so so far - we like Marc Laird and the message boards this morning are full of people calling for him to start the next match.