Well the temperature has certainly risen – 10C at the moment and going up to 14C!  It’s a shame the sun isn’t out but maybe that will come later.

Not a lot to report today except the news that family maybe able to make visits to care homes and hold hands with their loved ones (under covid guidelines)  Hand holding.  A small physical gesture that has been missed by many millions of people for the last months.  The possibility that maybe four people will be able to meet outside from April is good.  April still seems a bit of a way away but holds good for the outdoor season at all our various clubs, anyway.

Australian Open Ladies’ Final on now.  Osaka is definitely the favourite and, apart from the odd blip, she has looked very strong.  Brady was unfortunate enough to arrive on a plane where there was a positive Covid case, so spent the first fortnight in her hotel room hitting balls up against the mattress on her bed!

THe men play tomorrow.  Mevedev looked in exceptional form against Tsitsipas in yesterday’s semi-final.  He will need to keep that up v Djokavic.  He made an interesting comment in that Djokavic has won many grand slams, so the pressure is on him to win rather than Mevedev.  This is true in bowls too.  You play a top player and it will rely on their mental ability to stay strong.  The underdog can relax and play their game (although of course we all hope we don’t make a complete muppet of ourselves!).

A few of us ‘youngsters’ have had side effects following the AstraZenica jab.  They state they shouldn’t last longer than a week.  We all hope that is true!  The Pfizer jab doesn’t seem to have had the same reaction.  We’re all different though so our bodies react differently.  It would be very boring if we were all the same, wouldn’t it?

The goldfinches are lining up on the feeder.  It’s good to see them.  The redwings which were chomping their way through the berries on the tree outside only seem to appear when it’s really cold.  Teh robin and wren are happy hoovering up the bits the goldfinches and tits toss out onto the ground.  Having bought a whole tub of fat balls, none of the birds seem to like them.  Doh!

Right I’m off to pound the Isleworth-Richmond loop now then to feed the baby parrot fish in the Chairman’s office.

What are you doing?

Well Kevin K was a happy boy last night!  It’s good when your team have a win be it local, county, professional or country.

Brenda D has been glued to the tennis.  There were some unbelievable shots in the Nadal match.  Tsitsipas scraped through but it could have gone either way.  Djokavic is currently on court now (9.00 am UK time) and the unseeded Karatsev is giving him a good run in the first set.

We are guaranteed one British player in the Men’s Double finals as Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares face Jo Salisbury & Ram tomorrow at 2.00 pm Australian time.  If you’re a lark up to get a very very early worm, you could watch it live!

There was some snooker on Eurosport yesterday.  It’s not a favourite of mine but I know some of you are very keen.  There must be golf and cricket on some channel from somewhere too.  Gone are the days when television started at lunchtime with Watch with Mother, then stopped, then re-started in the evening.  Who else remembers sitting there after the last programme watching the little white dot disappear with a whine?!  Did they also play the National Anthem every night or am I imagining that?

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There was a post on the Bowls Middlesex page yesterday than Vic Mould (former County Competition Secretary) had passed away.  I don’t know if any of you knew him, but condolence messages can be passed on to Andy Docker if you wish.

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If you’re thinking about going to Kew Gardens, there are some signs of spring, but it maybe better to wait another week or so when the daffodils should come into their own.  If you’re a member, make the most of your membership card and go more than once.  The entrance price is now considerably more than 1d, so if you’re paying to go in, I would wait.  There were quite a lot of children yesterday but it is half term week.  As a child, Kew was the most boring place to go.  Roll on 60 years and there are plenty of activities for children to get involved as well as burn off some energy in the fresh air.

I shall be hot-footing it to Harlequins for my jab.  I see some parts of the country are handing out badges and bags of Percy Pigs (other sweets are available).  Somehow I doubt this will happen at the Stoop.  A free ticket to a match game would be nice.  Oh, I’ve just seen pigs flying by the window!

It’s going up to 17-18 C at the weekend.  That’ll almost be shorts weather.  Probably a good time to go and survery the ravages of winter on the gardens and see what needs digging up and check on the spring flowers about to show their colours.  Really looking forward to that.

Meanwhile today it just looks wet!  Probably not the best day for going to Kew Gardens, but it’ll be a change of walking scene.

In the Australian Open, Djokavic came through after a bit of a wobble (and a smashed racquet) and both Jamie Murray with his partner and joe Salisbury and his partner are through in the pairs having played earlier today.  Both lads keeping the British hopes going.

The red scarves would have been waving last night as Liverpool managed a win which should give them a bit of a lift.  Meanwhile red and white scarves will no doubt be out tonight as Brentford play away to QPR.  Fulham are away to Burnley and Chelsea are having a rest after their win v Sheffield Wednesday on Monday and working themselves up for a trip to the coast Southampton on Saturday.  West Ham plays Spurs on Saturday – glad there’s at least one London club at home this week.

I hope most of you are not going to be caught up in the 1.7 million extra shielding group.  We need to get you all back on the green!

 

Shrove Tuesday.  How did that come round so quickly?

I made American Pancakes from “Nigella Bites”.  Sometimes, I have bacon and maple syrup on them but today it’s blueberries, raspberries and Greek yogurt (other yogurts are available).

We used to go to the dentist in Dorking (a squash plyaing friend started his practice there) and afterwards had brunch in a cafe where the pancakes were dressed with fresh orange segments and cinnamon.  Deeelicious!

As a child, we couldn’t wait until after school, and for Mum to make the pancake batter which we would take it in turns to toss them.  The first one was always rubbish and Mum used to put that to one side for herself once we’d all eaten – typical of Mum putting herself last to her family.  Dad always had the first ‘proper’ one.  We then had to take it in turns.  It was always disappointing that Pancake Day only came once a year.  When you think about it now, why could you not have pancakes every day?!

We only knew about pancakes with sugar and a squeeze of lemon.  What are your preferences?  Nutella & Banana?  Peanut Butter & Banana?  Chocolate?  Bacon?  Sausages?

Do you still make and toss pancakes even if you live on your own?  There’s nothing wrong with that (and no one else can see if  you make a dreadful mess and it goes on the floor!)

 

PS  Vaccine booked for Thursday morning at Harlequins.

 

Not that I particularly fancy going anywhere where I have to cook but a chance of seeing someone else’s four walls could be the opening we’ve all been looking for.  Good Friday is 2nd April (thank goodness it’s not 1st), so not too long to wait.

Schools opening 8th March – get the teachers vaccinated, please!

It was suggested that wearing a mask inside shops and social distancing could be in place until the end of the year.  It  wouldn’t be such a problem as we’re so used to it.  A small price to pay if we have more freedom elsewhere.

Let’s hope some more positive news comes out this week – although I belive 22nd was mooted for major updates.  We all hope that there may be a way to return to indoor bowls even if it’s just for a few weeks before we go outdoors at the end of April.  Maybe a socially distanced BBQ to celebrate the start of the Club’s Centenary would be possible?

Vaccines are being rolled out for over 65’s this week.  Jonathan H, Ange, Lucy, Sarah and I are getting closer.  Good!

Interesting interview with Djokavic after yesterday’s win saying if it hadn’t been a Grand Slam event, he would have dropped out with his injury.  He was certainly moving considerably better and stretching which he was unable to do on Friday.  The power of mind over matter (wth a bit of help from painkillers).

Think we’d better gloss over this morning’s cricket.  What happened?  Over confidence?

Wales had a great win yesterday which will mean Ian and Luigi will be very happy today but the Scottish contingent will feel robbed. England, however, bounced back with extra verve with their 41-18 win over Italy.  Keep it up lads!

The Australian Open still going apace with Thiem, last year’s runner up, being taken out in straight sets by Dimitrov.  Looks like Djokovic is still playing and will be on later.

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Looking considerably closer to home, I came across a plea for the Park Lane Stables in Teddington from the St Margaret’s e-newsletter.

Are any of you familiar with the stables?  Have you used them or know anyone who has?

They are looking to raise £1 million to avoid the stables being sold by the landlord in May when the lease comes up for renewal.  The stables provide learning and training for Riding for the Disabled as well as others and ride in Bushy Park.

We attended the equestrian events at the London Paralympics and I spent most of the time with tears coursing down my cheeks.  The insight and confidence of the trainers to  let someone with almost no mobility on the ground be put on the back of a horse and taught to ride is absolutely unbelievable.  The faith they have in each person and of course the horse is mind blowing.  For some of the events we were not allowed to applause as the horse and rider needed complete silence.  We could only wave.  You could hear a pin drop.  Even from a distance you could see the beaming smile on the faces of the riders as they completed all the tasks.  It was extremely humbling

If you feel you can help out with a small donation towards their cause, take a look on here https://www.parklanestables.co.uk/

There’s all the information about the stables and what they are trying to achieve.

 

 

Just back from the Saturday newspaper loop and met Tricia G en route, so we socially distanced walked into Richmond before going our separate ways.  She is well, jabbed and as fed up with the restrictions as the rest of us!

Caught up with both Reg and George on the phone.  They are also looking forward to the day the club opens again and we can chat face-to-face even for those not bowling.

Brenda D is watching the tennis.  I saw some on Eurosport yesterday morning.  There aren’t any linesmen!  One point was stopped at the service because of a “software fault”.  Maybe it’s all done technically now as with the net cord?  Sad if it goes that way for all tournaments.  It was quite a palava stopping play at 11.30 pm as the stadium had to be emptied of spectators due to the restrictions being imposed from midnight.  It might have helped Djokavic as he was really suffering with an injury near his lower ribs.  When play resumed, the players’ box did their best to cheer but it wasn’t quite the same as it had been 30 minutes previously.

I saw Alex Jones’ tralier on the BBC for Headroom bbc.co.uk/headroom  It covers so many things from mental wellbeing to couch to 5k to baking to crafting to podcasts etc. etc.  Worth taking a look as there really does seem to be something for everyone to look at and investigate.  Unfortunately it won’t help Brenda who is very keen to get back in a swimming pool.

Mean while Ange says  “Gong Xi Fa Cai”!  She assures me it isn’t swearing!

Arsenal are home to Leeds, Chelsea home to Newcastle and Crystal Palace home to Burnley.  Think West Ham are playing tomorrow.

Enjoy your Saturday

Mike & Tina are moving house today.  It’s not raining and it’s not windy which is a plus but it’s not shorts weather either.  We wish them good luck today and hope they’ll be very happy in their new home – still in Middlesex, so great for bowling!

An email from Ann D yesterday confirmed that she and Archie are getting out for a walk every day.  That’s excellent and keep it up!  Ann has picked up her knitting neeedles and is making hats for newborns a friend who is a midwife in Brighton.  Plenty of lockdown babies this year.

Margaret B is knitting too but for November – poppies.  Anyone else picked up the needles again?  I’ve got two lines of a hat done in very chunky wool on very large needles.  OK, so it hasn’t grown in the last 7 years but it might just over the next few weeks …. when the weather has warmed up.

I found some good highlights of the Australian Open yesterday.  Nadal played some amazing shots to secure his victory. The reporter from the stadium said they may be down on spectator numbers but you wouldn’t believe it from the noise.  However this morning we’ve woken to news that 13 outbreaks of the virus in Victoria now means that play will go ahead behind closed doors.  Such a shame for spectators, organisers and players.  If you have Amazon Fire tv (there must be other similar), go to Amazon and scroll down to Apps and find Tennis Channel under Sports Catergory.  Follow the instructions.  You can also listen on BBC Radio 5 Live Extra.

Actually this morning’s news still isn’t great for those working the travel industry.  Thousands of jobs bordering on disappearing.  Did you watch Monica Galetti & Giles Coren’s programme on Amazing Hotels last night?   £2,700 per night but that was 5* and above and  highly sustainable.  The issue with the plastic bottled water being sorted within 6 months of when the programme was made.  I wonder how they are fairing at this time?

I have been listening to Gabby Logan’s Midpoint podcasts.  Although they are aimed at those in the 40s, they are interesting for us past midlife!  John Bishop, Michael Johnson and Andrew Cotter episodes were very good.

The other Gaby (Roslin) also has podcasts and Rob Bryden’s episode is available.  (I originally thought it was the other Gabby who had interviewed him.)  Apparently it’s hilarious – not surprising.  She also chats to Michelle Visage, another very interesting person.    Worth a listen if you’re fed up with your usual programmes.

Good to bump into Ann and Terry M this week after they’d done the Isleworth-Richmond towpath walk, looking very rosy cheeked in the icy wind!  The following day, Steve G was on the other side of the river getting his daily exercise.  Getting out and getting fresh air – all good, as long as you wrap up warm for the next three days.  We’re heading for double figures next week.   Whoopee!

 

We think it’s cold down here.  I cannot imagine what -21 C feels like and don’t think I want to know either!

How are you?  Mixed messages in the news regarding staying at home on one hand and then saying obesity is greatest killer.

Wrap up warm and get out for a walk even if it’s just to the end of the road and back!  Keep moving!  We’ll be back on the green in no time (OK for outside it’ll be a couple of months) but we need to keep our limbs moving.  Take a couple of cans of beans with you so your arms get used to carrying a weight again.

Has anyone had any experience with a mini digger?  Asking for a friend!

Spring is just around the corner and we need to look forward to that.  With the temperature going up into double figures next week, we’ll be able to see more of the snowdrops, daffodils, crocii etc coming up and staying up.

England did well on the cricket this week, the Australian Open is still on.  It looks as if there was a great 5 setter with Stefanos Tsitsipas (No 5 seed) coming though in over 4.5 hours of play.  Jamie Murray and his partner Bruno Soares won their firt round in two sets.

Perhaps Brenda D can let us have some updates?

The Alpine Ski Championships and the Australian Open are live now on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra  I’m sure they are visible on some channel.  Anyone found them?