The Big Day

Seems a relief not to be anywhere near a train. Church this morning was rather sombre. It was a Eucharist service which meant lots of recitation. Agnus Dei. Very high stuff. Not many carols. It was for the high hards. The church was cold but that's not the point. The point is to go along and hear a tiny bit about the big day.

Certainly did that. Usual Christmas fare and then the snooze. At least these days I've got a three-year-old to cosy up to for the siesta.

And then there's the viewing. Dr Who the two part special which culminates on New Year's Day. So that was a non-starter as we won't be here on New Year's Day. But then again with Eurostar......

It Is Coming

So the trains are running again. And there's a chance to go to London. You just have to take it really. So Wednesday is the day. Only five days after we were supposed to travel. And precisely one day after I had psyched myself up to staying in Paris. But the children ought to see their grandparents. But I am sad since this is the first Christmas for a while that I won't be having it with my dad. I cry from time to time. Actually the strangest things set me off. But this, I guess, is normal. Having a blocked nose doesn't help.

Not sure if my current state is really travel worthy. But you just have to try.

The Non Christmas

Even though I may have been neglecting my blog duties of late, it seems that one of the planks of my lifestyle has gone into retro mode.

Eurostar has been crippled over the past few days due to the wrong kind of snow getting into the electrics of the locomotives. Services have been cancelled between Paris and London since Saturday - the day we were supposed to be heading over the England.

I have informed the bosses in London that I cannot come and do my duty as I am at the mercy of a train that cannot do snow.

It was a shame then that I finished editing and writing this for the radio station's website as I had a few extra days. But perhaps the deadline was a good thing. I got it done.

I also got a second passport done so I could travel to England. The first passport is with the Angolan consulate getting the visa inserted for the big trip in January to the Africa Cup of Nations.

There'll be no snow in Angola. But they do have mines.

Those definitely aren't good for trains.

The Picture

Quite a palaver getting a picture taken. An old friend was visiting with her two children and I decided to take them to Le Grand Corona for a coffee. I thought there would be a photo booth at Alma Marceau. No. I asked at the ticket office and the lady said go to St Philippe du Roule or Franklin Roosevelt. Off I went to St Phil and sat in the booth. It swallowed my euro and then refused to work.

So back I went to Franklin. To abridge: it took me ages to get a picture. The pose that I managed to muster was remarkably calm given the trauma of the prelude.

The picture is now in the Angola visa dossier and I await the next step. We will fly out on January 5 on Ethiopian Airways. The radio station has not paid the broadcast rights.

I am still unsure as to whether I will be able to get into mixed zones and the like to interview the players.

If that doesn't happen, then it will be a very tough competition to cover.

The Experiment

And just as I thought it was safe to avoid the joys of Paris....


Thought I would try adding a bit of technology to the blog. The little breakfast extravaganza is available from a cafe called le Grand Corona which is just on the Place de L'Alma.

You could be macabre and say it is the perfect place to take a coffee before going to see where Princess Di and Dodi met their ends.

But I'm not like that. It is just a choice venue to watch the fashionable people and cars go by. It is also the best tartine and coffee I've had.

The Season

It's an absolute disgrace. Nothing added since the last time. But of course since then there has been abject failure on the football field which, let's face it, has been the main thrust of the blog.

The season in the top flight is a top fright. Each weekend brings another atrocity. But at least it's not a profession.

Good job too. But how long can it go on? Not long for me as I am out this coming game. Did something rather odd to my left leg a few weeks back.

I went last Saturday to go and be the linesman but as one player could only do 45 minutes and another turned up and just about managed to warm up, I waddled around. But it was very unsatisfying. Unable to accelerate at all was frustrating.

I am gradually becoming restored. But by the time it happens I should be in Angola. Going to cover the African Cup of Nations for the radio station.

Jolly decent of them too. Will have to work ferociously hard. But oh the sun. Get those short sleeves out baby.

And of course what DVDs to take? I took the Matrix trilogy last time. And I remember waking up at various moments during the night hearing the pounding soundtrack.

It was a bit too pompous. I am thinking Die Hard or even the Rockford Files - perhaps the latter as the dialogue is good and who knows it might give me a few ideas for my reports.