Tennis..not so good.
Baking, very good!! Tried a new recipe out, after Sherlock said he wanted banoffee pie, and this was the result...
Not that there's that much left now! And rightfully so, all that fresh cream...anyway, it has fruit in it, so it's healthy, right?
Work's been busy, and I've got some time off at the end of this week - Thurs-Sunday, so I can spend some time with John, and be around for Mycroft's return!
I managed to get to the gym in my 'lunchbreak' today - we've got one at the yard. Of course, the result of that was just being completely starving for the rest of the afternoon, so...well, that wasn't the intention.
Last night Maf was pouncing on one of her toys and attached herself to the carpet - she does that often enough, but this time she struggled free and ripped a claw. She then shot off, limping, to hide under the kitchen cupboards. John, being cat-extractor in chief, went into action.
I gave helpful advice. Like 'grab her!'.
He managed to get her out, and I tried to hold her while he had a look at her paw, but she's like a greasy eel, and in the end we had to cocoon her in a towel. She didn't take kindly to it, and bit me. But John did finally manage to get most of her in the towel, with the paw in question out of the towel, and removed a scraggly bit of nail, stopped the bleeding and then taped one of Sherlock's socks to her leg (not to her fur, obviously) so she couldn't lick it. Anyway, she seems okay today, just limping about, but John says there's no swelling or infection, so we're just going to try and keep her claws a bit shorter to stop it happening again. She generally doesn't mind being held and stuff.
184 comments:
That looks like delicious baking, very pretty as well :-)
the way you wrote 'lunchbreak' makes me suspect that is was either at 10 am or at 5pm but I'm glad you managed to make the gym whatever time you got your break.
She seems to be doing okay. And I think we both got off lightly. All limbs and eyes intact.
I agree! After her start in life I'm not surprised she doesn't like us grabbing her when she's hurt.
She did look funny trying to remove the sock though :)
First the cone, now the sock... I hope she's not planning vengeance.
I'll get her a cravat and maybe a nice titfer ;)
Ha. I'm sure she'll appreciate it.
We'll both wake up stuffed in a giant sock.
We really should get her that collar though.
With the skulls?
If you think she'll like it?
I'd be very sad to lose her now, she's part of the family.
I shall feel most welcome if that cake is there to greet me.
I have finished all my exams now, and just have the usual 'leaving' things to attend.
I shall be sad to say goodbye to some of my classmates.
What a delicious looking cake, that will provide a warm welcome home indeed. Well done on finishing your exams, Mycroft, and have fun with all your leaving things.
Lots of points out of these 4 games today with the majority of people going for the favourites and 8 people getting perfect scores.
The table today is as follows:
REReader - 24
Lestrade, anonybob - 23
Sherlock, Paula - 22
Z, Nameless - 21
Joolz - 20
MT88, Desert Wanderer, mag, ro - 19
Small Hobbit - 18
kholly, graham22 - 17
Lancs Anon - 15
KT - 12
John - 11
Piplover - 8
Sally - 6
The fixtures for tomorrow are as follows:
Greece v Ivory Coast
Joolz 2-0, Lestrade 0-1, Lancs Anon 0-0, Small Hobbit 1-2, MT88 0-0, Desert Wanderer 0-1, kholly 1-2, Z 2-1, anonybob 1-0, graham22 1-0, mag 3-1, Paula 1-0, Nameless 0-0, Sherlock 1-1, REReader 1-0, ro 1-0, KT 4-0, Piplover 2-1, John 0-0, Sally 1-2
Japan v Colombia
Joolz 0-2, Lestrade 1-1, Lancs Anon 1-3, Small Hobbit 0-1, MT88 2-2, Desert Wanderer 1-2, kholly 1-2, Z 1-3, anonybob 0-0, graham22 0-1, mag 2-3, Paula 1-1, Nameless 0-1, Sherlock 2-3, REReader 0-1, ro 0-2, KT 3-3, Piplover 2-1, John 1-2, Sally 1-1
Costa Rica v England
Joolz 0-2, Lestrade 0-2, Lancs Anon 1-3, Small Hobbit 2-0, MT88 3-1, Desert Wanderer 3-1, kholly 1-1, Z 1-2, anonybob 0-3, graham22 2-3, mag 1-4, Paula 0-2, Nameless 1-2, Sherlock 2-1, REReader 0-1, ro 0-1, KT 0-4, Piplover 1-3, John 2-3, Sally 2-1
Italy v Uruguay
Joolz 1-1, Lestrade 1-1, Lancs Anon 2-1, Small Hobbit 3-2, MT88 2-1, Desert Wanderer 1-2, kholly 2-1, Z 1-1, anonybob 2-1, graham22 0-1, mag 4-2, Paula 1-0, Nameless 3-1, Sherlock 2-2, REReader 1-0, ro 1-1, KT 3-1, Piplover 3-1, John 2-2, Sally 2-1
Good luck to all. :)
once again, thank you, Joolz. It really is making the footy a hundred times more interesting, having someone to root for in every match. (Although slightly confusing for others, when you've predicted a certain score and one side has done their bit and the other is failing - suddenly switching allegiances and cheering for that team to score!)
That cake looks aMAZing.
Congrats Mycroft! It's good to hear that you have made real friends you'll miss - I hope some of you will stay in touch. As an old person, I can say that it can be wonderful to see a real friend, even after decades without contact - which is the way it sometimes happens.
Onwards, all.
fA
I have to credit your pancake in a rice cooker, Ella, for inspiring me this weekend to make what I call crepes but are perhaps closer to British pancakes ( very thin batter of egg, milk, flour, salt, melted butter, very thin when cooked?) to go with the delicious ripe, local peaches that are briefly available now. The troops cheered. (Well, not literally. They did eat quite a lot and thanked me, though.)
fA
Mmmmm....local peaches. I love peaches more than any other fruit, but it's so hard to get them to ripen at different times. I either have to buy one peach a day or have a bunch go rotten. It's the eternal dilemma of peaches. Of course, I could get a bunch and then make peach cobbler. That's a thought.
I have memories of staying up half the night making peach cobbler after buying peaches at a farm stand and two days later realizing at bed time that they were ALL on the verge of too ripe and that by the time I got home the next day it would be Too Late.
fA
Thanks Greg, it does make things a lot more fun, doesn't it, I've been doing the same & it makes you want to watch every game not just your own teams. I'm just glad they've stopped the late games , I was getting exhausted staying up til the end every night. ;) Plus now we have tennis too. Good fun. :)
Have a great day everyone. :)
I'm glad your exams are finished Mycroft and I hope the leaving stuff is as enjoyable as possible :-)
Nosy question this but when you say you'll be sad to say goodbye to classmates does that mean you have other plans for next year? As ever please feel free to tell me to mind my own business ;-)
I hope everyone is having the best day they can manage :-)
I'm learning about FaceBook today. And Twitter. And...other ones.
Terrifying what people choose to share!
PandaBob, I do not mind.
It is they who have other plans. One of my friends is returning to Hong Kong with his family, another is going to attend a different school for sixth form, and some other boys from my year are also leaving to go to different countries or schools.
I have decided I would like to stay, given my current position with taking some exams early.
That sounds like a good plan with regard to the exams Mycroft. I'm sure friends in other countries will give you lots of places to run off on holiday to ;-)
I should think the police side of Facebook and Twitter is a terrifying thing to learn about Greg!
(Federer won. I thought you'd all like to know. Although I assume no one chose against him this early on. If you did, you only got what you deserve for lack of faith in the greatest tennis player of all time.)
Terrifying what people choose to share!
Given what's been shared on this blog, I'm now a little terrified at the possibility that you've apparently been holding back... ;)
Ella
Ah, you a happy little Federicorn fan now, Danger?
Ella - I'm very restrained on here!
I was more amazed by the people who admitted to their crimes, really.
That cake looks absolutely heavenly!
I was more amazed by the people who admitted to their crimes, really.
I'd've thought it was more people boasting of their crimes.
John, I have to admit that I picked Federer to go one round farther than my gut said, just because I want it to be so. Sentiment!
(Ella, I think I've led too sheltered a life to encounter unfiltered Lestrade - or John, either, without needing to brace myself. Just based on the work they've each done.)
fA
Its all an admission to us, RR, no matter what their intention.
Rounding off the day with a very odourous body, in the lovely sunshine...
fA - I picked him to win...though I don't think he will. Had to do it. And you never know.
I picked him to win too. He's had good results against Djokovic this year, it gives me faith.
I have him losing to Djokovic in the final. My gut says he goes down a round earlier, but then comes back to win his final Wimbledon next year amidst a frenzy of international sentiment and then makes a retirement announcement. (My gut is not sure whether he stays retired, though.)
fA
I have him down to win, it may be the triumph of sentiment over rationality, but to do otherwise would have felt somehow disloyal.
Also, Mycroft, it show some sense not swapping schools, it's very difficult to match curricula when you've done exams early.
I presume you are sulking now, L.
Not sulking. Just staring despondently into space.
And wondering if my husband will give me a leg massage later.
Of course I will.
gym yesterday and a run today and my legs feel like they'll fall off.
Can't believe Suarez got away with biting someone AGAIN!
...Maf has got in before you, Danger. She is currently walking around on my lap, massaging my thighs, clearly trying to decide precisely which direction she needs to face right now.
That often seems to be a momentous decision for her.
Scores for Wimbledon Day 2!
Highlights include Federer and Nadal winning, along with Sharapova and Serena Williams. Notable upsets include Jankovic and Pavlyuchenkova.
We all did better today, I think.
ATP:
fA: 42
John: 41
Greg: 39
Joolz and Anonybob: 37
Becca: 36
Small Hobbit and Ro: 34
REReader: 33
DW: 32
Lancs. Anon: 31
Nameless: 29
WTA:
Joolz: 31
Ro, Greg, and fA: 29
Becca and DW: 27
Nameless, REReader and Anonybob: 26
John - to be fair, it's one of the bigger decisions she has to make in her day. The others being 'sleep in the sun patch in the lounge/sleep in the sun patch in the bedroom?' 'purr/don't purr' 'Which item of clothing shall I cover in fur today?'
Is she magnetic? Some termites build their mounds pointing North/South because of something to do with being magnetic.
I don't think she's magnetic, but then I didn't know termites were, so...
Shall we try and stick something steel to her?
You try, I'll watch.
I'm going to try to stick her to the fridge instead.
Note to all readers - Maf doesn't stick to the fridge.
I'm shocked--SHOCKED--to hear that...
Am lying on the floor, watching footy while John gives my legs a rub down.
Maf has just decided to sit on my back. She does just treat me like the dogs.
Dogs apparently poop on the north/south axis. It's why they circle before squatting.
Ella
Ah, Ella, I sense a fellow No Such Thing as a Fish listener.
Greece!!!!!
...sorry Maf.
Only 3 people got perfect scores today and only 3 people got points in the first two games so it was a great shame that both England and Italy are now out against the popular vote (and what was with that bite!)
The scores today are:
REReader - 26
Z, anonybob - 24
Sherlock, Lestrade, Paula - 23
Joolz, Nameless - 22
Desert Wanderer, graham22, mag, ro - 21
Small Hobbit, MT88, kholly - 19
Lancs Anon - 16
KT - 13
John - 12
Piplover - 10
Sally - 6
The fixtures for Wednesday are as follows:
Ecuador v France
Joolz 0-2, Lestrade 0-1, Lancs Anon 0-3, Small Hobbit 0-2, MT88 3-1, Desert Wanderer 4-1, kholly 2-1, Z 1-2, anonybob 0-2, graham22 1-2, mag 1-3, Paula 1-0, Nameless 1-2, Sherlock 2-0, REReader 1-0, ro 0-1, KT 3-3, Piplover 1-3, John 2-2, Sally 2-1
Honduras v Switzerland
Joolz 0-1, Lestrade 0-2, Lancs Anon 3-3, Small Hobbit 0-1, MT88 2-0, Desert Wanderer 3-0, kholly 1-1, Z 0-2, anonybob 0-0, graham22 1-3, mag 1-4, Paula 0-0, Nameless 0-0, Sherlock 1-1, REReader 1-0, ro 0-2, KT 3-1, Piplover 2-3, John 0-3, Sally 0-2
Bosnia Herzegovina v Iran
Joolz 1-0, Lestrade 2-1, Lancs Anon 3-1, Small Hobbit 1-0, MT88 1-1, Desert Wanderer 1-1, kholly 2-1, Z 2-0, anonybob 2-2, graham22 1-2, mag 4-1, Paula 2-1, Nameless 1-2, Sherlock 2-1, REReader 1-0, ro 2-1, KT 2-3, Piplover 2-1, John 5-1, Sally 3-0
Nigeria v Argentina
Joolz 0-2, Lestrade 0-2, Lancs Anon 2-2, Small Hobbit 1-2, MT88 1-2, Desert Wanderer 2-1, kholly 1-2, Z 1-3, anonybob 1-2, graham22 1-2, mag 2-3, Paula 0-3, Nameless 1-1, Sherlock 1-2, REReader 0-1, ro 0-3, KT 0-4, Piplover 2-3, John 0-4, Sally 1-2
Good luck everyone :)
Well done everyone in both sports!
Big day for us today.
Big day? In a good way, I hope.
Murray seems to be taking care of business. Wish I could figure out some way to watch matches from work. Not, um, that I'm not giving the job my all. Oh no. Dedicated. That's me. Ask anyone.
fA
In a good way, yes. The whole Met do ops sometimes, called 'big wing ops' - today we're having one for knife crime. We're getting quite a few 'customers' out ofit :)
John, i've got to do a job in a bit that Ieed to talk to you about, remind me after the small one has gone to bed, will you? I forgot last night.
Do me best, if we're both still conscious at that point.
my
Thanks. Don't think I can run tonight. Maybe go for a walk? Otherwise my legs may fall off.
Walk would be nice. I can rub them again afterwards too. I'll trade you for one of those banana coffee things. I've had a craving all day.
I looked up banofee pie, and it looks delicious, but rather different from the photo at the top there. So I take it what you made is a variation including... some kind of cake? still looks amazing.
I think you are lucky to have a kitty that wants to sleep on you. Mine will sleep next to me, but not on me.
S
S - yes, that's not a banoffee pie. Because the one way to improve on a pie is to make it with a cake, right?
Danger - you definitely have a deal!! Maybe we can run tomorrow when I'm off? Perhaps first thing before its as hot as it is now.
John tell your husband that If he doesn't stop going on about Iran doing so badly I'll chop him up and sell him for spare parts. And his bike, too.
Darn it. Gulbis going down is going to mess that line up for the next two rounds. Ferrer also disappoints. Thank goodness Anderson & Dimitrov are doing their part. Maybe Berdych will hold on.
I'm afraid to look at the women's side. I exercised a lot more wishful thinking filling that one out.
(Why no, I'm not over-investing at all, what do you mean?)
fA
You'd probably cause more suffering by dismembering the bike for parts & leaving him alive to mourn, Sally.
fA
I'm happier with the tennis than the footy! Although the Federicorn fan is too of the class, curse him!
...It looks very much as though I'm better at picking soccer winners (a sport to which I've gotten no closer than "Bend It Like Beckham") than tennis (a sport I followed closely for a number of years, a number of years ago).
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!
Top of the class? I'm sure he'd say something like "Not doing terribly badly, at least not yet."
fA
It appears that I am equally poor at both football and tennis. Oh well!
I just picked the tennis on the names I thought sounded like they'd be good - dead scientific.
An d yes, we English do try to show a little bit of restraint when it comes to tooting our own trumpets. It is so gauche to celebrate one's acheivements.
(Of course, I've got a healthy dose of Italian to counter it...)
And I'm on the way home!! :)
Someone tell me why Djokovic didn't win that easily and why there are loads of scores in brackets??
Djokovic didn't win that easily because Stepanek is sneaky and threw the kitchen sink at him. Go Stepanek!
The scores in brackets (I assume you mean parentheses, like this) indicate that a tiebreaker took place. It'll be 7-6 (4) which indicates that the lower score in the tiebreak was 4. Tiebreaks must go to 7, win by 2 points, but can go beyond 7 (such as 12-10) to assure the win by 2 points is adhered to. At Wimbledon, tiebreaks may be used in all sets once a score of 6 games all has been achieved, except in the final set, where the player must win by 2 games.
I can't say too much, for fear of divorce...but I sort of need Djokovic to stay in!!
I do mean parenthesis, yes. The score looks like this: 6-4 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5) so...what happens in a tiebreak? I should just ask Federicorn Lover this, shouldn't I? Does it need explaining with the use of props, like the offside rule?
If Djokovic had gone out today, you're not the only one whose tournament would become a hollow shell, L.
I need Tsonga to pull his match off or nearly half of my draw is crippled henceforth. My women's side is crumbling. Jankovic let me down already and today Azarenka failed to live up to my theory she was in it till the quarter finals. Ah well.
(Tennis rules are simple once one gets over the unique jargon. It's the way the players mentally and physically push each other around within the rules that is fascinating at this level of play.)
fA
In a tiebreak, the players switch off serving so as to make things fair (ish). Player 1 serves once, then player 2 serves twice, player 1 serves twice, player 2 serves twice, etc. The first player to get to 7 points (we give up the 0, 15, 30, 40 scoring here) by 2 points, wins. If no one has a two point advantage by 7 points, play continues until one player has a 2 point advantage. For example, the 5-7 or 7-5 tie break you saw in brackets is typical. Less typical is a tiebreak the other day that went to 14-12.
Some guy called 'Ferrer' is the only one to really mess up my predictions so far. (That's what you get though, for assuming someone who sounds a bit like a good player might do well...)
And yeah, Jankovic, I had my money on her too.
I was just looking up tennis stuff, and got distracted by a video about the hawk that keeps the pigeons off the courts, instead...
Ferrer is a good player, he just was sick last week and doesn't seem to have recovered yet.
Tennis Day 3:
ATP:
Still leading! John: 62
fA: 59
Greg: 58
Joolz: 57
Becca: 54
Anonybob: 52
Ro: 50
Nameless: 47
REReader: 46
Lancs Anon: 44
Small Hobbit: 43
DW: 39
WTA:
Joolz: 53
Ro and Greg: 52
Becca and fA: 49
DW and Anonybob: 45
REReader: 44
Nameless: 42
Um, so. Tennis is clearly not my thing. I've assuaged my pain with the following recipe for key lime cake, which I can highly recommend. Apologies to those who don't read in American measurements.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/key-lime-cake-recipe.html
I had meant to tie that recipe in to pies that do even better as cakes. Sorry, head's not all there tonight! :)
It's killing me. Tsonga & Querrey are apparently dueling it out in a tie break and i have NO WHERE to watch. Maybe it's a good thing I can just see the scores.
fA
Still leading! John: 62
Think he didn't enter the Women's side just to give the rest of us mortals a chance?
DW - sounds delicious. But...lime gelatin. Does that mean you make lime jelly and stir it in? Or...well, help! I don't understand.
(but I do own measuring cups. Because...it's a baking implement, and I love buying those...)
Yeah, I think we know who the expert is!
And they suspended play. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to watch. Don't know why my workplace doesn't just stream Wimbledon live. AND provide a kitchen for baking. We'd all be much happier to be here.
(They mean the gelatin powdered dessert mix. Here it comes in boxes, sugar, gelatin & flavoring to which one adds hot water to make what we refer to as jello - strictly speaking a brand name.)
fA
Don't know if that was clear - you put the powdered stuff in the cake batter.
fA
I don't know if we have powdered jelly.
Any jelly officionados reading?
What fA said--just take the powdered lime jelly mix and add it to the cake batter. I also put some lime juice into the frosting, but it might have been a bit much.
L - I would've picked Jankovic too.
You do. I've seen it. Just have to stop hobnobbing in Waitrose and M&S all the time and hit up an Aldi or Asda or something. :P
Lime juice in the frosting sounds delicious to me, DW.
Now I want to bake and I'd planned to mow the yard when I get home.
Suppose I should get back to work so that I eventually get to go home.
fA
Ha! It's John who picks up all the yummy mummies (or nannies...or daddies....) in the posh supermarket aisles! I just get in, grab the essentials and get out (possibly with a short browse past the baking aisle).
Jelly to me is the stuff you buy in cubes and, if you can be bothered, make with boiling water (and if you can't, just eat the cubes...)
I had Ferrer and Jankovic too, it's amazing how it spoils so much just by one wrong result, isn't it. How come only some of the names have moved across into the third round box, eg Djokovic doesn't show but Murray does but both have won their matches, or is mine just not showing up correctly.
Yes, jelly comes in cubes and you make it with boiling water, if you don't open the pack and then discover that someone's eaten half the cubes, in which case you make a very small jelly crossly.
Joolz, mine shows the same. Maybe they got bored and went home before updating that match?
SH - how can anyone eat half the cubes?? I'd never be able to stop at half!
4 perfect scores today, one of them for John who was also the only person to score in every game so well done. :)
Here is the table for today:
REReader - 28
Z - 27
Lestrade - 26
Sherlock, Joolz, anonybob, mag, Paula - 25
ro - 24
graham22 - 23
Small Hobbit, Nameless - 22
Desert Wanderer, kholly - 21
MT88 - 20
Lancs Anon - 18
John - 17
KT - 15
Piplover - 14
Sally - 9
The final predictions for this round of the competition are as follows:
Portugal v Ghana
Joolz 2-0, Lestrade 2-1, Lancs Anon 1-2, Small Hobbit 2-2, MT88 2-3, Desert Wanderer 1-1, kholly 2-1, Z 3-0, anonybob 2-0, graham22 1-3, mag 3-3, Paula 2-0, Nameless 2-0, Sherlock 2-0, REReader 1-0, ro 2-0, KT 2-3, Piplover 2-1, John 2-0, Sally 2-0
USA v Germany
Joolz 0-2, Lestrade 1-2, Lancs Anon 1-3, Small Hobbit 0-3, MT88 0-3, Desert Wanderer 2-1, kholly 1-3, Z 1-2, anonybob 1-3, graham22 4-3, mag 0-4, Paula 1-3, Nameless 1-2, Sherlock 0-2, REReader 1-0, ro 0-3, KT 3-3, Piplover 2-3, John 1-4, Sally 1-2
Algeria v Russia
Joolz 0-2, Lestrade 0-2, Lancs Anon 2-1, Small Hobbit 2-1, MT88 1-1, Desert Wanderer 2-1, kholly 2-3, Z 1-2, anonybob 1-1, graham22 2-3, mag 0-1, Paula 0-2, Nameless 0-0, Sherlock 2-0, REReader 0-1, ro 2-2, KT 3-1, Piplover 1-3, John 1-3, Sally 1-3
South Korea v Belgium
Joolz 1-2, Lestrade 2-1, Lancs Anon 2-2, Small Hobbit 0-0, MT88 1-2, Desert Wanderer 2-2, kholly 2-1, Z 0-2, anonybob 0-0, graham22 3-2, mag 1-3, Paula 1-2, Nameless 0-1, Sherlock 1-2, REReader 0-1, ro 0-2, KT 2-2, Piplover 2-1, John 0-3, Sally 1-3
Please check tomorrow night and as soon as the last game is played and we know which teams are going through I will post a link to a new entry form for the next stage of the competition.
Good luck for the Thursday matches. :)
*sitting on floor laughing*
(Perhaps I'd've done better in the tennis one if I'd watched Match Point instead of watching tennis matches....)
RR, perhaps, unknowingly, you have some spiritual affinity with football!
fA
The good thing about the World Cup is that anything can happen. Much like the tennis, except the agony is strung out more :)
Although I wish I'd had a bet on Suarez having a nibble, someone won £7,500 on that!!
ooh, DW, the lime cake looks yummy too! one of these days I'll have to put proper ingredients on the shopping list... the lime thing, I might actually make that. the banoffee thing looks so much more complicated. and it's summer, so I can't imagine boiling something for three hours. But I could bake a bit in the evening if I had my act together.
S
I just got home and the stray cat who has adopted my house (have I mentioned him here yet?) was sitting on my front porch, looking at me quite accusingly because the door was shut and he couldn't get in on his own. It's nice to be missed, even if what he really misses is the fact that I put food down for him.
Ella
That's cats for you Ella. You're the best thing in the world for ever and ever, until they've been fed.
That's Sherlocks for you too ;) (and husbands, sometimes! :) )
Ah, Monfils, Monfils. You are not fully supporting my random tennis picks.
Arranging half my day so that I can watch at least a little bit today. And see how the U.S. football plays out, painful as I imagine it will be.
fA
Looks like the Italian Bolelli may pull off an upset. I imagine he's one of your picks, L.!
Too bad I've got to go to work. I could waste all day on this.
fA
You're giving me too much credit if you think I have the first idea what nationality anyone is! I didn't even have him to win his first match.
Thank-you Mr. Tsonga.
fA
It's Pride on Saturday, if Mycroft is home in time :)
Whoa. US held it at 0-0 to the half. Darn this work thing. However, I will get to watch a little on my lunch break.
fA
So glad the Germans scored on us during my lunch break so I could see it. I think?
fA
Somebody's gonna get [more than usually] hurt sliding around in the rain.
(Says the woman who lives where rain is a longed-for occasional event. Guess it's different if you play in it all the time.)
Shit. Maybe its happening as I type.
fA
There's certainly been some painful-looking collisions, fA, but none of them look like they've been caused by the rain... Looks like this might work out well for USA though, if they can hold on through the stoppage time.
Pffffftt.
Ah well. We did better than I expected going into the Cup.
fA
Ha! I just got accused of being a sore loser because I am more bummed that Germany beat us than I am happy that we advanced.
fA
L - I was in a custody suite this evening, and a courtroom. But only briefly.
And they weren't real, although lifesize. We took the Brownies to the local Skillzone, which also has a lifesize house (complete with bedroom gutted by fire), a bus, a dark alley (which I didn't get to go down, being attached to a scared Brownies at the time) and a road to practise crossing.
SH - what is a Skillzone? Is it a government sponsored learning experience or a nonprofit or for-profit private enterprise?
I'm fascinated, it sounds like a useful place.
fA
I'm going to hazard a guess, SH, that it was a far more pristine custody suite than you'd get in a real nick!
Sounds like a great idea though.
Tennis Day 4:
Highlights include rain, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and the Federicorn. Also Rafa Nadal beating his nemesis from a few years ago, Rosol.
WTA:
Greg: 80
Joolz: 77
Ro: 76
fA: 75
Becca: 73
REReader: 68
DW: 67
Nameless: 60
Anonybob: 59
ATP:
John (we can't get rid of him): 82
Greg (catching up): 78
fA: 77
Becca: 74
Joolz: 73
Ro: 72
Nameless:69
Anonybob: 68
ReReader: 66
Small Hobbit: 61
Lancs Anon: 60
DW: 55
Becca - do you have a link to the website again? All I can get to the is the sign up bit. I feel more than slightly foolish but I think in some cases I forgot who I picked...
I'm catching you, Danger!
If you go to the website there's a nice little graph thing in red and green, it's good!
If you go here I think you can click on anyone's name and see who they picked? Or your own name, obviously.
http://www.tourneytopia.com/RacquetBracketWimbledonATP/becca/Default.aspx
Oh excellent, thank you!
My pleasure. I had a nose around last night, to see what everyone was up to ;)
SkillZone is a learning centre run in partnership between Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue and Gloucestershire County Council. It is really good, educational but in a practical sense, not just a "don't do that" sort of way and with lots of positive actions.
I'm sure the custody suite was much cleaner than the real thing, although there was a bit of a smell about it, and one of our Brownies started getting very stressed being in there.
Heh, what I am up to in the tennis is down!
I have spent the day arguing with air conditioner sellers and installers. It has not been a profitable exercise, but I will persist, because my mom is having foot surgery in a few weeks, and the a.c. in her room is broken, and she's not going to have to try to sleep through a New York summer with a cast and no air conditioning if I can help it. *militant*
REReader: It might be worth it to see if she can get a cast cooler in her splint - assuming you can't get the AC fixed. It basically pumps cold water into the splint (in plastic, of course) and cools everything down. She'd have to talk to her surgeon about getting one.
You are a good daughter :) I was hot in my cast and it was winter!
tell meeeeee about the case you keep talking to John about it isn't fair!
Becca--There's no point in fixing her a.c. unit, it costs almost as much as getting a new one, but it's hard getting an installer to agree to put it at the top of the window (otherwise it blows right on her bed and she can't sleep), and also that narrows the model choices. But I had hand surgery one summer, and even being not a full cast--more like heavy splinting--it was really very hot, so I am determined!
How much longer are you in school, Sherlock?
I finish on the 22nd of July which is ages because Mycroft is finished already.
That is ages--but I bet Mrs N has some good things planned for the end of the year, just like last year.
Won't Mycroft be working? So he wouldn't be home while you are in school anyway.
Mycroft will be, yes. And Sherlocks need to go and brush their teeth and sadly no, I won't be telling you about the case.
It is possible I could come home tomorrow night.
Some of the boys have already left, to attend Glastonbury. I would not be missing anything on Saturday morning.
Ok here is the link for the next round of the competition. 16 teams have gone through so there are only 8 matches to predict this time so it shouldn't take so long. ;)
http://www.carryon.org.uk/worldcup2014/index.php/965474/lang-en
Now that we're into the second round the scores tend to be a bit closer and there may be quite a few draws. As it is a knock out stage though there has to be a winner for every game so if there is a draw there will first be extra time and if necessary there will also be penalties. To make sure we are covered for the eventuality of penalties as well as typing in the score this time can you also put in the name of the team you have picked to win the match please. This means you can get up to 3 points for every game instead of 2 like last time. So each entry should look like this please, eg Brazil v Chile --- 2-1 Brazil
The first game of this next round starts on Saturday at 5 pm GMT so if you can fill in your entry forms before that please that will be brilliant, thanks.
If any new people want to join at this stage then please feel free. I know you probably won't be able to match the scores of the leaders but you can enjoy predicting scores and seeing if your teams go through and it really does make the whole World Cup a bit more fun. :)
I just had to re-do mine when I tried to enter so try this link instead please.
http://www.carryon.org.uk/worldcup2014/index.php/survey/index/sid/965474/newtest/Y/lang/en
Okay, I've posted mine. Which has probably ruined the chances of many of the favourites knowing how good I've been so far!
Thank you Joolz for all your hard work.
Joolz, is the scoreline we're predicting the 90mins score? Or potentially the 120min score? Just want to check!
Thanks for doing all this :)
It will potentially be the 120 minute score line as the game could end after extra time and that would be the final score.
Thank you. I'm glad everyone is enjoying it, I'm certainly having great fun with the whole competition. :)
Thanks! Just checking, the bookies always use the 90min scoreline ;) (John is frowning at me and asking if it really matters.)
Joolz, I've resubmitted mine, and the resubmission is probably totally different from my first one. Can I go for the second unless the first selection looks better?
Greg - It seems to make more sense to me to include the full playing time as the main result and then if it is a draw and goes to penalties the team name you have chosen will be the one you think will score most penalties. (If anyone disagrees I'm happy to change it though. As long as we're consistent I think it should be fair to everyone)
SH - Ok, I'll delete the first entry for you. You have chosen all the same teams to go through and just changed some of the scores.
Yeah, I've no problem with including the full 120, if it comes to that - just wanted to be sure before picking. Because, despite my husband's expressive eyebrow movements trying to persuade me to the contrary, it does matter!!
You should have mine, and, I think, John's (Please tell us if he's put a score of 6-7 4-6 4-6, or 40-love, won't you?)
Oh dear, is his tennis obsession sneaking through. ;)
I've got both your results and luckily they are all football scores. :)
Ok we'll keep the score counting right to the end of play at a possible 120 minutes then it will be the same for everyone.
We'll get Sherlock to do his tomorrow, once he's able to sit still for 5 minutes - which usually isn't until the evening ;) He will be very excited though, he's really enjoyed it so far.
Ok here is the table for the end of the group stage of the competition. I have also included the bonus points everyone has scored for selecting which teams would go through from each group. (This is the number in brackets after each name so you can see how many you got.)
REReader(11) - 42
Z(10) - 40
Joolz(11), Lestrade(10), anonybob(10) - 39
mag(11), ro(10) - 38
Paula(8) - 36
Sherlock(7) - 35
kholly(10), Nameless(7) - 34
Small Hobbit(10), MT88(9) - 33
graham22(8) - 31
Desert Wanderer(9) - 30
John(9) - 29
Lancs Anon(8) - 27
Piplover(7) - 24
Sally(10) - 22
KT(5) - 20
So congratulations to RR at this stage but there's still a long way to go and with 3 points now up for grabs in each game there is still everything to play for. :)
RR - others' scores may rise and fall, but your accidental(?) football dominance continues! (Maybe a past life?)
I'd say one DI is, at the moment, the overall King of Sport: 1st & 2nd in the tennis and tied for 3rd in football! I do think the good Doctor subconsciously, if not consciously, left himself out of the women's side to avoid rubbing our faces in his superior predictions.
And Sherlock's quite respectably in the top half of the field.
If Mycroft can come home Friday night, it'll start the weekend off right. Good sleep to all.
fA
Heh, Joolz--I couldn't avoid hearing just a bit about the World Cup this week, so I probably will do far worse in this next round, but I submitted my form nonetheless. :D
Coming home a day early sounds excellent, Mycroft, like a sneaky extra vacation day--I hope you manage it!
Oh and RR: Every aging parent should have a child like you. At a certain age it takes too much energy to do everything and to fight all the fights. Good job.
fA
fA, I like the past life hypothesis! (I'm sure my luck won't last, but it's been fun!) ...And thank you. :)
SH - thanks for the info on the Skillzone. It seems like a brilliant idea, but I've never heard of anything like it before. Some of the fire departments here will take a mobile home/trailer home around to educate - they simulate a home gradually filling with smoke, tell different groups when to "wake up" depending on whether there is a smoke alarm, and time the exits. Very young kids have to go in with an adult, as it can be scary & disorienting.
fA
fA - I've not come across it before either. It's an excellent idea. Although a lot of it is aimed at children, they also cater for adults with learning disabilities, who can be vulnerable not only in practical situations but also dealing with strangers, and the elderly.
Ive always wanted to be a king :)
Weve been jogging. In the drizzle. And there were no kids in the park so we had a go on the swings. John rolls his eyes when I suggest such things, but never refuses to go along with my schemes! ;) just one more way he's a perfect husband.
Some of us are smart or lucky enough to choose friends or partners who drag us into things if that's what we need, or drag us back from things if we need that. Makes for a better life for sure.
Been trying to listen to the tennis on the BBC radio. I cannot imagine caring about sport before there was film. It is soo uninteresting when I can't see the bodies in motion.
Hope everyone's days are good, or at least somewhat productive.
fA
We still don't know when we're getting Mycroft back. But he's an adult, pretty much, he can make his own choices. There wille cake waiting for him whenever he returns :)
I hope everyone is having a good (if busy) Friday!
I shall come back in the morning - our astronomy master has offered to have a final night in the observatory, as the skies are unexpectedly clear.
Just give us a shout if you want us to come up, Mycroft. Although I know you'll be bringing back enough stuff to sink a ship ;)
Definitely give me enough notice to get the cream on the cake - can't do it now, or Sherlock and John will have eaten it all by the time you're here!
I thought it was a bit unlikely when you said there would be cake ready whenever Mycroft arrived, Greg. If there was any kind of cake in your house it would be gone in two seconds. ;)
Hope you have a good night with the stars, Mycroft. :)
My cake intake has been sadly reduced owing to being the sort of silly wanker who signs up for half marathons.
Running or cake? Running or cake?....cake. I mean running! (towards cake.)
Joolz - two minds, one thought! I had the same idea about rash promises concerning cake.
I'm weak in the face of cake. But there's a birthday Monday I'm baking for . . . hope he picks some other dessert!
A final night in the observatory with a clear sky sounds like a really excellent cap to the school year!
Now to check on today's tennis results.
fA
Well, I just hope you all had Na Li too, because she's rather let me down!
I don't think I have anyone still left in Greg so don't worry you won't be last ;-)
I don't mind coming last - and John's even tried to explain some of the rules to me today, when we watched a bit earlier! ;)
Trying to explain the scoring to my 7 year old made me realise just how little I know about tennis!! I quite like watching it but I think its more from the calming repetitiveness of it rather than any form of understanding ;-)
I can safely say that if a cake like the photo up top was anywhere near my apartment, there would definitely be none left for anyone. :D
(I had to go look it up, but yep, I had Na Li too. I am not doing at all well in tennis!)
Tennis Day 5!
Upsets include Li Na, sort of Venus Williams, Batista Agut getting dive bombed by a pigeon and then losing (not an upset), and possibly Djokovic's shoulder.
WTA:
Greg: 80
Joolz: 77
Ro: 76
fA: 75
Becca: 73
REReader: 68
DW: 67
Nameless: 60
Anonybob: 59
ATP:
Tied for first! fA and John: 98
Greg: 96
Ro: 93
Joolz and Nameless: 91
Becca and REReader: 84
Anonybob: 81
Small Hobbit: 74
Lancs. Anon: 71
DW: 68
We're all doing better on the men's side. *shakes fist at the women*
AnonyBob - as far as I can tell, you take it in turns hitting a ball at each other within little white lines until one of you misses. Grunting is optional, but adds to the entertainment. A man (or sometimes woman) sits on a big chair and lots of other men and women, who generally bend over slightly suggestively, shout things at him/her. Sometimes people get angry and throw things or shout a bit. None of them like rain.
There's a very cool hawk called Rufus who runs the whole place.
What an excellent description, that's exactly how I see it, too. ;)
I had Na Li as well, all the way to the final so she's messed up my whole track. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. And Venus Williams and Tomas Berdych - honestly it's just inconsiderate of them all to spoil things, isn't it. ;)
Na Li, Jankovic and Azarenka are the ones who've done me serious damage. :( women, eh? ;)
Woot! I can die happy! I tied the Doc! (yeah. Not English.)
I had Li Na also. My women's picks are slowly collapsing in on themselves, with players I picked to go far, losing. (Azarenka, you broke my heart.) But that's o.k. It's adding a dimension of fun to the tournament. If Djokovik's shoulder is really going to bother him, my inevitable slide down the ranks on the men's side will be more like a plummet!
Thanks Becca, for setting it up and Joolz for setting the example!
fA
I can assure you the Doc isn't really into being tied ;)
What's Djokovic done? I need him!!
..lots :) and even more, if he was on apprentice wages!!
Yeah, Jankovic. She's another one. It's great for the players who upset a favorite, though. Exciting.
I don't know the fine points of the rules, even though I watched my kids play juniors tennis for seven or eight years. At this level, I just enjoy watching what the players can do with their bodies, and the way they try to put psychological pressure on each other. Of course you get sucked into who's going to make the point and rooting for your favorites, but for me that's secondary.
Djokovik fell and might have jammed his shoulder. But he finished the match o.k.
John is, I'm sure, not at all bothered about temporarily sharing his spot in our internet game - maybe you're confusing his reactions when he's playing games with you? That, I'm sure, is an entirely different thing. At least, I certainly hope so! ;-)
fA
Blimey, Lestrade, I just saw your comment on the WTA site - your smuttiness knows no bounds!
I must admit, I have't been keeping up with any of the tennis, I'm amazed I'm scoring any points at all.
BTW - thought you might like this Lestrade - Jimmy Somerville singing Smalltown Boy, with just a piano accompaniment, thirty years after the original.
That's brilliant, Nameless, thanks for linking to it. Not ashamed to say it's bought tears to my eyes!
As for my smuttiness, I obviously wouldn't know what you were talking about there. Can't see any comments. Blinded by the light of my halo, me.
Morning all, hope you are once again a completed happy family - with cake (or is Mycroft not back til later). Have fun if you head down to Pride this afternoon, will you be getting all made up again if you go?
Thank you everyone for all the entries so far. We just have 3 people left to fill in the form please - kholly, mag and Sally. If anyone else wants to join at this stage then you still can so feel free to join in. Thanks. :)
With the rain and a few other reasons, didn't really feel like doing Pride. But did venture to the allotment earlier and get loads of lettuce and things :)
I hope the "few other reasons" aren't having too much of an impact. My twitter feed has included photos of a group called the Gay Gooners :-) Looks like everyone was having a good time, despite the rain.
I presume you've got Mycroft back now, and you're all full of cake?
Sorry, it completely crept up on me there and the first game is nearly finished. I still need entries for kholly, mag and Sally and I'll add you back in for the next game after I get the form.
The fixtures for today are as follows:
Brazil v Chile
Joolz 3-1 Brazil, Lestrade 3-1 Brazil, Lancs Anon 4-1 Brazil, Small Hobbit 2-1 Brazil, MT88 2-1 Brazil, Desert Wanderer 2-1 Brazil, kholly , Z 3-2 Brazil, anonybob 2-0 Brazil, graham22 2-1 Brazil, mag , Paula 1-2 Chile, Nameless 2-1 Brazil, Sherlock 2-2 Brazil, REReader 2-1 Brazil, ro 2-1 Brazil, KT 0-2 Chile, Piplover 1-1 Brazil, John 2-1 Brazil, Sally
Colombia v Uruguay
Joolz 2-1 Colombia, Lestrade 1-2 Uruguay, Lancs Anon 2-2 Uruguay, Small Hobbit 1-0 Colombia, MT88 3-1 Colombia, Desert Wanderer 1-1 Colombia, kholly , Z 2-1 Uruguay, anonybob 1-0 Colombia, graham22 2-0 Colombia, mag , Paula 2-0 Colombia, Nameless 1-1 Colombia, Sherlock 2-2 Colombia, REReader 1-0 Colombia, ro 2-2 Colombia, KT 2-2 Uruguay, Piplover 2-0 Colombia, John 2-1 Colombia, Sally
Good luck everyone. :)
I've got an op coming up, Nameless. It's making me...uneasy.
Good luck, L. If you have to think about it, think about the expertise on your side.
How many of us will meditate with me on the continued collapse of my women's side predictions as Serena Williams is upset by Cornet?
Welcome home, Mycroft.
fA
Hope it's nothing too serious, Greg, I'm sure everything will go just as it should and you'll soon be fighting fit again plus you have the best Doc there to give you some TLC.
That's my line completely messed too, fA, I had her to win so I don't think I'll be getting many more points. :(
Well done to Brazil and unlucky Chile, it's always harsh to go out on penalties. (3 points to Piplover though and 2 to Sherlock so they're both off to a good start for this next stage)
Just did my entry for the footie. And I haven't been following the tennis at all, which makes me very sad.
I just finished my first week at a new job in a new town, so things have been fairly crazy with moving and settling in and stuff. But we have no internet at the house - yet? maybe ever? We're trying to save money because new roomie and I are both working at the same place, and it's a really fun place to work, but the pay is awful. And there's free internet at work, but I'm trying to be good about what I look at because I have 2 young kids working for me and I'm trying to set a good example. And there's free internet at the cafe next door, but I haven't decided how much of a fixture I'm willing to be there. I feel like I'm missing stuff. It's been a while since I've had a 9-5 job between being a student for the last 2 years and before that freelancing for several years. I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a responsible adult.
It's not a anything terrible, just...something that will be difficult, on a number of levels. I don't know. It's an odd one.
Tennis Day 6!
Notable things include 4 1/2 hours of rain, Serena Williams upset and lots of matches cancelled due to darkness.
WTA:
Ro: 95
Greg: 94
fA: 91
Joolz: 88
Becca: 80
REReader: 79
DW: 78
Anonybob: 75
Nameless: 71
ATP scores didn't really update for some reason, not sure if maybe not enough matches were completed or what. So I will update that on Monday. No tennis on Sunday this week.
And welcome home Mycroft!
Well Piplover has managed to do the double and get a perfect 3 points in both games so well done. graham22 and Paula both got a perfect on the Colombia game too so plenty of points to start us off again.
The table today is as follows:
REReader - 44
Joolz, anonybob - 42
Z - 41
Lestrade, ro - 40
Paula - 39
Sherlock, mag - 38
Small Hobbit, MT88, Nameless - 36
graham22 - 35
kholly - 34
Desert Wanderer, John - 32
Piplover - 30
Lancs Anon - 28
Sally - 22
KT - 20
The fixtures for tomorrow are:
Netherlands v Mexico
Joolz 3-1 Netherlands, Lestrade 3-1 Netherlands, Lancs Anon 4-1 Netherlands, Small Hobbit 3-1 Netherlands, MT88 3-1 Netherlands, Desert Wanderer 2-0 Netherlands, kholly 1-2 Mexico, Z 4-2 Netherlands, anonybob 3-2 Netherlands, graham22 1-0 Netherlands, mag , Paula 3-1 Netherlands, Nameless 3-1 Netherlands, Sherlock 3-1 Netherlands, REReader 2-1 Netherlands, ro 2-1 Netherlands, KT 1-3 Mexico, Piplover 1-2 Mexico, John 2-1 Netherlands, Sally
Costa Rica v Greece
Joolz 1-1 Costa Rica, Lestrade 2-2 Costa Rica, Lancs Anon 0-0 Costa Rica, Small Hobbit 1-1 Costa Rica, MT88 1-0 Costa Rica, Desert Wanderer 1-0 Costa Rica, kholly 1-1 Costa Rica, Z 3-0 Costa Rica, anonybob 0-0 Greece, graham22 0-1 Greece, mag , Paula 0-1 Greece, Nameless 1-1 Costa Rica, Sherlock 1-1 Costa Rica, REReader 0-1 Greece, ro 1-2 Greece, KT 2-4 Greece, Piplover 2-2 Costa Rica, John 1-1 Costa Rica, Sally
kholly is now in so just waiting for mag and Sally. I'll add your fixtures in as soon as I get your forms.
Good luck tomorrow everyone. :)
Sorry, I've been busy and some git didn't remind me. I've done my scores now.
I find it hilarious that my method of basically closing my eyes and pointing has worked out so well! I hope everyone is having a good day.
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