I had a week off work back in early March - having just done the Oldham by-election stuff six weeks before (and earned a few extra bob). Went for a walk that week (here) and took new lens (my "by-election lens" - 85mm) out to play. As you can see from the pix on the walk I finished up at a local hostelry (!!) and took a pic of the handpumps. I'll be honest - I DID pass a hi-res copy of the same over to Richard at the Rising Sun saying "If it's any use ... etc" - and sure enough when the Rising Sun Beer Festival happened over August Bank Holiday - there it was on the flyers:
... and then - I spotted this in the "Around Saddleworth" magazine for October (scuse the crappy scan !):
... and then today - I was reading the local Manchester CAMRA "Opening Times" magazine and spotted this(OK - tis an advert for the "Rising Sun" but ...) :
Looks like it's one of those pictures that money could/should have been made out of !!!
... and if anyone out there has seen this same picture anywhere else - I'd love to know - because I do keep 'hard copies' of anything of mine that gets used "out there" in a portfolio sort of thing - you never know - some super-duper newspaper/publication might one day offer me a full-time snapper jobbie (a man can dream !)
(P.S. here's one of my other "Maybe I could make dosh out of this" pictures - what the hell - but it's so lo-res it's useless (?) to any thieving swines out there !!!!!!!):
Harry Noon lines one up ... ... well that didn't take long ... when the home team scores after 18 bloody seconds (still taking camera out of bag), it doesn't help much ! And I'm NEVER going to turn up at a game again with just the 85mm lens - might be better in the low light but it's SO restrictive in what you can take - think I took 33 pictures all night (hence the pauscity of snaps below) - maybe the lack of lens - maybe the lack of real action - probably a mix of both. Mossley might have took the lead but they did get pegged back (well worked effort utilising the space available - I can say no more !!) - and it finished 1-1. The 'paucity' is below - don't bust a gut ... Mossley 1 Warrington Town 1
Tomorrow - maybe the hair cut ... and maybe the new walking boots ! .
Uppermill Pie Shop - note sign on driver's door !!! ... which has come together thanks to my jobbie - delivering around various bits of Saddleworth, I'd noticed several buildings which were "once something else", so that was the basis of today's project. Armed with my trusty £5-80 Train/Bus Day Saver I headed off into the hills - Greenfield - Uppermill (had a great natter with the Librarians in Uppermill Library - they certainly know their local stuff !) - Dobcross - Diggle - Delph - then back to Uppermill and Greenfield and home. No doubt I've missed a fair few other "interesting" buildings but hey ho - a good time was had by all (OK me !). Pictures at ...
Home to do this - and quite soon off up to Seel Park with t'other camera (and JUST the 85mm lens tonight !) to see if Mossley can put Saturday's "reverse" behind them ... and with me still off work tomorrow it's possible (!) that something might get up on here tonight ... .
Ay up mi duck (that's how they talk down Derbyshire way !!)
... at Carsington Water (near Ashbourne/Wirksworth) - ended up doing the full circuit of the reservoir (about 8.5 miles) - just a few moody (boring ?) pics from same ...
Boats/Water etc - Part One
Boats/Water etc - Part Two
... from when the sun came out ...
Now - a few days' holiday - possibly starting with pumpkin soup today (if I can find a bloomin' pumpkin - Tesco Greenfield had none this morning !); football tomorrow night (Mossley v Warrington Town); obligatory haircut; shopping; bit of DIY ... and a lot of "rest feet and back" time as well !! .
... it's bloody quiet on a couple of message boards wot I normally trawl ... as in Mossley (3-0 up against Durham City - lost 4-3) and Belper Town (I guess the less said about a 5-1 home defeat the better !).
Anyroad up - work sorted in good time for me to get up to Stalybridge Celtic today - a 2-0 win for the home side who were certainly not firing on all cylinders - but that's always the sign of a good team. Some good individual performances - some great passing play - but also a lot on unforced errors (which fortunately led to nowt !) A good passing game is great to watch but they MUST be careful not to over-elaborate - it's good to have the confidence to play this way but Row Z is also an option at times - don't be scared to use it !!! Pix at
So Bridge stay top - and Hyde continue the chase after a 3-0 win at Harrogate Town ...
Maybe more later - there's an entire packet of faggots and gravy in the oven with MY name on it - tomorrow it's off to Belper (possibly a town in mourning) to pick up Mrs Smiffy - go for a walk etc etc
... and next week ... HOLIDAY !!!!!
(and RIP Jimmy Saville - sad to say that death is one thing that you cannot "Fix") .
... I'm sat at home listening to one of my favourite bands of the 1970s - as in Focus ... I'm listening to side two of "Hamburger Concerto" - the 20 minute classic - and remembering that me and Mrs Smiffy walked up the aisle all those years ago (OK 23rd April 1984) to the first couple of minutes of this track. I clearly remember playing this to the organist at the church beforehand, saying "This is what we want", and remember him saying "I know that !". However he NEVER told us how he knew that. A night alone with Google, Wikipedia and Spotify has finally sorted out this conundrum. I always knew the "Starter" (as it was called on the Focus album) was based on something classical - and tonight - after all those years - I've finally sorted it.
It's by Johannes Brahms - and it's called "Variation on a Theme by Haydn Opus 56a" - or "St Anthony's Chorale".
Now then - football tomorrow. With Mossley at home to Durham City you'd think ...
... however, Droyslden have an FA Cup tie at home to Blyth Spartans (winner gets 1st Round Proper); Curzon Ashton also at home to Cammell Laird ; Hyde away at Harrogate Town ...
... however (again) I've had an e-mail from a newspaper in the Worcester area enquiring about photographs - so it looks like I'll be heading for Bower Fold to watch Stalybridge Celtic take on (you've guessed it !) Worcester City !
(and I'll do Mossley v Warrington Town on Tuesday night - promise !) .
... as you may have guessed !! Finished work Saturday - home - bite to eat , pack bag - and then off up to the Lake District for a couple of days (I'd booked Monday off work). Actually drove past Lancaster at about 1640hrs on Saturday afternoon (they were already 2-0 up against Mossley - but I didn't find out the final score until about 1800 hrs tonight when we got back and I purchased a "Non League Paper"; thanks as always to Nosmo who kept me fully up-to-date on the Ilkeston score - always freaks out Mrs Smiffy when I get the mobile out to check stuff whilst driving at 72mph up a motorway !!!).So - a couple of days in Grasmere - pub Saturday night (Hawkshead Brewery Bitter) - a strenuous 9 miler on Sunday followed by big meal and pub again (and a sneaky look at MOTD2 to confirm the rumours I'd heard about the Manchester derby !!) - and a more gentle 5.5 miler today. Home for about 1800 - to find out the FA Trophy draw which included "Curzon Ashton/Farsley v Belper Town" ! Fortunately tea was being cooked for us which then enabled me to slope off to the Tameside Stadium to give Curzon a shout. Sunday we were 2,000 feet up in a howling gale (Far Easdale and Helm Crag) - tonight I was a little lower down but a similar force 8 gale made the football something of a farce. Curzon won 2-0 (first goal was a hopeful crossfield put that caught the wind and deceived everyone by going in - second goal was a late breakaway), so Bonfire Day/Night brings Belper up to Curzon - s'pose I should go (yep - even with the Droylsden v Stalybridge Celtic game on the same bloody day !!). Three low-res pix to be going on with ...
Sunday - taken in a howling gale - top of Calf Crag (2,000 feet) looking east ...
Monday morning - Rydal Water looking towards Helm Crag (which we climbed on Sunday !)
Monday night - Jordan Goodeve's "hopeful punt" which went in on the wind for 1-0 (note penalty area line on the right !)
Even got a phone call from work this morning which began "Can you - oh I forgot you wanted today off didn't you ?" - err yes I'm in the Lake District ...More "stuff" tomorrow no doubt ...
PS - I lied about "only three pictures" - it's with a great sadness that I have to report the demise of my old faithful Meindl walking boots - paid a fortune for them, but they've lasted (we think) 5 years and they've certainly had some hammer over that time. Saturday's big walk finally saw them off - as in .
Checked out a few places for new boots today - but nothing that came up to my exacting standards ! .
... after a hard night's football - to be greeted by this ???
Lazy gits !!
On the case with the football - Mossley beat FC United 2-1 in the Manky Prem Cup; weather poor; number of FC United fans turning up - small; number of photos taken - small ... on the case - NOW (just had a plateful of bolognese what I prepped for the world at about 1630 hrs). Looking like tomorrow ...
LATE EDIT - 2330 - here's one - of my personal Man of the Match, Hary Noon
... feet-wise that is - mentioned about the new RM Issue footwear doing nasty things to my feet - especially the left foot. The right foot was suffering as well, but that's sorted itself out viz ...
...however, we're still suffering a bit on the left hand/foot side of things - viz ..
... oh yeah, they all get "stuff etc" put on them before heading out for a work stroll - but when I get home - it's fresh air for the feet (and maybe foot odour for the rest of Chez Smiffy !!!).
We're getting there - and unlike so many people these days (as in the workshy !!), a couple of blisters is something and nothing really .... although (saddo !!) something worth posting on here - maybe ?? Off to cook tea now - barefoot of course !!!!!!! .
... been fairly quiet on here over the last seven days or so has it not ? Last Sunday's football up at Mossley was the shape of things to come weather-wise. Did it actually stop raining at all between Monday morning and Wednesday evening ? Not on poor old Postman Smiffy it didn't !! Joyous evenings were spent drying out coats/bags/me etc. Had to switch shoes as well because they REFUSED to dry out - plus my brand new RM Issue trainers have ripped my left heel to shreds - which hasn't been much fun to walk on all bloomin' week - at least a day off today. No football either last midweek - had my eye on Chadderton v Norton United on Monday night (finished 3-3 with a last minute equaliser for the visitors) but weather and general "bleeurrrggghh" kept me in.
At least the weather managed to improve towards the end of the week (as in "dry" !) - and on Friday night Mrs Smiffy and myself together with a couple of friends went to sample the delights of the "Harvey Nichols Supper Club" down in Manchester - a £20 a head three-course meal with free cocktail thrown in. Surprisingly generous portions as well (half expecting some poncey "nouvelle cuisine" style helpings but no !). Naturally turned out to be more than £20 a head with drinks and a few extra portions of stuff adding to the bill - but well worth it (for the record - Mussels in Pastis with a pea puree; Daube of Beef; and Chocolate Tart).
Saturday morning I finished in good time and was able to get over to Hyde by train/bus/walk in time to see the kick-off (makes a change for a Saturday !). Seems like I caught Hyde on a severe "off day". Visitors Bradford PA (one division below Hyde) were by far the better team in the first half, and this continued in the second 45 minutes as well. Hyde didn't help themselves by going down to 10 men when Worsley was red-carded - and Bradford PA did leave it until the 90th minute to score their winner - but it was no more than they deserved.
Snatched a pint in the "Sportsman" after the game - have to say it was a disappointing pint as well (Rossendale Brewery "Rossendale Ale") before home/fiddle with pictures/sleep/wake/buy "Non League Paper"/write this stuff. Quiet day in today I think (apart from the drilling that I will be doing to hang mirror and magazine rack !). Next week's football - probably Mossley on Tuesday (where according to the "Non League Paper" they are playing "FC Untied" in the Manchester Premier Cup - tee hee !!). The visitors will no doubt bring a sizeable number of fans (and probably a sizeable number of photographers as well !!).
... of the death of John Hesketh who passed away over the weekend. John was the owner of Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar and together with Sylvia back in 1997 they managed to turn around what was an iconic, but failing piece of railway/beer history - extensions, renovations, a kitchen, and of course the beer got the place back to the top.
It was of course a (very !) regular haunt of mine during my previous working life (my picture remains on the wall - a "Guardian" article from 1991), but since job change, I don't get in that often. However I'd known that John had been "not so well" for a number of months - a lifelong smoker (who was SO against 'the ban' !) admittedly, but so what ... a full life, a successful businessman (in the graphics trade before the buffet bar), and a well-loved and respected guy. He will be sadly missed.
Look Out !!! Brolly Boy (arty pic - click for big !!)
... OK a bonus game for me - but played in awful conditions (wet/wind etc) ... so wimpy snapper spent first half "under cover" before saying magic word (begins with "b" and ends with "x") and going for it in the second half. A comfy victory for the home side it has to be said ... and here's the pix Mossley Youth 3 Nantwich Town Youth 0
Home - dried out - set to with the pork meal - and I 'mSOOOO well organised in the kitchen that it's all cooking away (veg prepped etc) while I sort out all this stuff - just too good for you guys/gals ... .
... and before I get to the football, can I just say I had a bloody awful day at work today - a walk I've NEVER done before, 70% of which was social housing flats not unlike Hampton Court maze, added to which they were all in "controlled entry" blocks - I had no layout maps - and more to the point no bloody key fobs - which reduces you to hanging about pressing buttons hoping people are in to unlock the bloody entry doors - it happens a lot in t'Oldham/Ashton area but this walk - aaaargh !!
Arrived at the game at 1530 hrs (now you understand !) and was still "plumbing my gear in" when Glynn Blackhurst scored an absolute screamer to make it 1-0 to Stafford -a couple of mins BEFORE I arrived Ashton's Chris Amadi (who IS the danger man up front) had been red-carded - so I missed all that and only got a "blur" on the goal ! So - Ashton down to 10 men yet again (see the Spennymoor thread last week), and it all went downhill from there. Today I took pix (unashamedly) from a Stafford angle - and here they are ...
I'm sure it was a touch embarrassing for the Ashton fans - and I must admit, even as a born and bred Staffordian I myself felt a little uncomfortable about the whole thing, as I DO enjoy my trips to Ashton - great people, good craic and a very approachable and honest Manager in Danny. Let's hope that they realise that Stafford are in a unrealistic postion in the table - and they won't be playing a team like that every week - certainly not a time to panic.
... well the corporate was fun - fed, watered etc - and I think the sponsors are happy with their pictorial memento of the evening - HOWEVER ...
... the football left something to be desired - whilst the "prawn sandwich camera" was having fun, the "there's a bloody game on camera" wasn't so lucky ... see
Reckon I only took about 6 pix in the second half - that's how gripping/exciting/etc it was !! The first "Sack the Boss" message has arrived on the Mossley /Message Board ... a touch premature I feel (especially following a 5 match unbeaten run).
... a sort of "Ex-Mossley Woodley Sports" kind of day - whilst waiting for the bus into Oldham this morning (getting on in Uppermill, because I was expecting to work in Dobcross so was on my there when when I received the "phone call from hell" saying "Not required in Dobcross - can you come into Oldham ?"), spotted Ben Richardson on his way to work. Then, this afternoon whilst waiting in Oldham for bus back home, spotted physio Jo on her way into Oldham. Was this a sign ?? Should I be off to Ossett tonight ?? I think not !
Mossley v Bamber Bridge it is - and it's a "two camera jobbie" tonight as I'm expected to be a bit of a paparazzi for some of the sponsors of tonight's game (Britannia pub). Different I guess !
Work - tomorrow - Royton - definitely (I say definitely but ... !!) .
... blame it on the Co-op at Hurst Cross (near Ashton United) - nipped in there after the game to buy my tea (a pepperoni stonebaked pizza if interested) - and spotted what I can only call ..."The First Mince Pies of Winter"
Now the really scary thing is ... looking at the 'sell/munch by' date ...
... and the Green Man looks on disapprovingly ... ... yeah - 6 WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS !!!Anyway - we'll try and keep some sort of "thing" going on 'twixt now and Crimbo - first impressions on the Co-op offering - nice but no alcohol ...
Covers a lot of this week - certainly "seen the world" at work:
Monday - a walk in Royton Tuesday - day off - taken for the first time in weeks (!) Wednesday - different walk in Royton Thursday - walk in Ashton Friday - different walk in Ashton using one of these for the first time ever ever:
finished at 1700 hrs !
Saturday - heading into Oldham - phone rang - "Can you go to .... Rochdale ?"
... and with 90% of this being unknown walks (and in the case of Rochdale unknown bloody areas !) - and the weather being a touch unseasonal (!), it made for an "interesting" working week. Incidentally, my contract expired on 29th September - no official extension yet but have been "told" it's coming - probably lost in the post - ho ho !
Anyway - finished in Rochdale and got home in time to head for - Ashton United. Football-wise I was in a bit of a quandary today - Ashton United and Stalybridge Celtic both at home in't'Cup while Mossley were entertaining Prescot Cables in the league. Hurst Cross was chosen (I'll do Mossley next Tuesday !) - and the home side were given a footballing lesson by Spennymoor Town who ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.
STS Bonus Pic - What the entire Ashton United team needed - a kick up the ...
Much emphasis was placed on the alleged "two level difference" between the sides - a meaningless concept when talking of Northern League teams. If only the champions of this league had joined the Unibond/Evo-Stik over the last half-dozen of so years ... then there would have been no excuse for this "too far to travel" rubbish - there'd have been at least half-a-dozen north east teams there - and no room for the likes of Chasetown etc etc ... but then again, I've always been an advocate of a three-way Northern Prem/Midland Prem/Southern Prem split ... Chasetown in the Northern Prem ?? Bishops Stortford in the Conference North ? When it gets that ridiculous you can almost understand the "excuses from oop North" - but all it needed was for a few teams to "bite the bullet" early on - and maybe this whole ridiculous position we are now in would never have happened (and that bloody Isthmian League has got a lot to answer for as well - a real anachronism !).
Anyway - enough of my wobbling on ... some pictures from yesterday can be found at
The "Ouch" in the title not only refers to aching joints and Ashton's loss - Stalybridge Celtic also bowed out of the FA Cup - as did Stafford Rangers (a real "ouch" here !). One other notable local departure saw Lancaster City knock out FC United of Manchester ...
Next week - Mossley on Tuesday, and probably (!) Hurst Cross again next Saturday - since their relegation from the Conference North I now only get one chance to see Stafford Rangers "up my way" - and this is it ...
One other pic from this weeks warm weather - a rather large (over two foot in diameter) spiders web in our garden - and it had certainly caught a few flies !
Man of the Match Kayde Coppin plays "Hunt the Contact Lens" - not really though !!!
... excellent performance - and a fully deserved win (which could have been by a much wider margin to be honest !) ...A shame that it was probably all in vain - apparently a slight "registration problem" with one of the Mossley players - and that sort of thing is far more important to League Management Committees than foul and abusive language; foul and abusive players; and foul and abusive ... errr ... tree monkeys. So no doubt Mossley will be removed from the Doodson Cup, banned from any form of football for 7 years - and Mossley secretary will be placed in the stocks on the Market Place for 12 hours (bring your own rotten veg !).I jest - well most of it - the cup place will obviously disappear - but as someone has already pointed out - better a ... ... than three points lost in the league ... and the performance still stands - and certainly is starting to bode well for the future.Last night's pix can be found at ... Mossley 2 Curzon Ashton 0 (Doodson Cup)
... and my tomato plants are starting to "go over" - so there is some rotten veg (OK fruit !!) available if required !!!!!!!!!! .
... OK Mossley have beaten Curzon Ashton 2-0 tonight - and an excellent performance it was as well - but it's nearly midnight .. and it's been a FULL day off (and I've made the most of it !!!) - but I will leave you with a couple of pics to be going on with - as I was walking up to Seel Park at about 1920hrs tonight - this is what I saw ...
... well I liked 'em ... football pics tomorrow - sometime ...
OK - here's Cavell Coo scoring goal number two (promise better tomorrow !!)
.
Late "half-twelve" edit ... just done the evo-stik website to check out other scores etc from tonight ... in the Cheshire Senior Cup Woodley Sports have beaten Runcorn Town 4-1 ... after extra time ... in front of a crowd of ... 22 - I kid you not ! More to the point Stafford Rangers have gone to (top of the table) Northwich Vics in the Prem Div and won 1-0 - huzzah !! .
1) Haircut - Ashton 2) New trainers - Denton 3) New Watch (broke old one whilst "on duty") - Ashton 4) New Bus Travelcard (lost old one whilst "on duty") - Ashton 5) New CD (what the hell - 'twas only £3 in HMV Ashton ... "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys - one of those that I couldn't afford on vinyl when I was little - a truly groundbreaking recording it was as well) 6) Birthday card ... for "someone" - Ashton 7) A few beers - Stalybridge & Greenfield (I had an all-day train/bus ticket !!)
... and just for a change - I'm taking it - feel like I deserve it after yesterday's "workday" - once again not getting out until late and then taking nearly two hours (!!!) over one bag of mail - all controlled entry flats (and a right rabbit warren it was as well) - and no key fob for me - so it was a case of ring bells until you find someone in - takes forever !!
Few bits and bobs to do today (haircut, new trainers etc) then it's Mossley tonight for their League Cup game (or should I say Doodson Cup - they've paid their sponsorship so ...) against Curzon Ashton - Mossley obviously looking for an improvement on the August Bank Holiday 0-4 drubbing. Plus - I'm thinking of just taking the 85mm f1.8 lens tonight rather than the big'un - haven't really given it a full 90 minutes anywhere to test out angles/positions etc - why not tonight (less weight to carry as well - it IS my day off after all !!)
One bright spot on the horizon (pun intended) is the weather for the reast of the week - see BBC screen dump:
... that'll do for me - might even break out the RM shorts (last worn in April believe it or not - that's how cr*p the summer has been to be honest !). .
Friday night saw a trip to Oldham Coliseum to see Ira Levin's "Deathtrap" - very enjoyable play, treading that fine line between horror and farce - obviously no camera so ... a stock pic from Coliseum website ...
Saturday - work (natch !) - the words "Saturday off" and "floater" just don't go together !! Still finished in good time to get home etc etc and get up the Mottram Road to watch Stalybridge Celtic take on Gloucester City ... "error-strewn" was probably the phrase of the day - too many misplaced passes; too much reliance on the long ball over the top to striker Phil Marsh (he's worth more than that !); too much dilly-dally on the ball; and trying stuff that just wasn't working, but continuing in the same vein rather than "Hey - let's try this instead". Still - for an apparently "bad day" there was still some excellent football on show from both sides - I can't say 2-2 was a fair result (Celtic should have scored several in the last 10 minutes - but heroic defending and goalkeeping kept 'em out), but ... anyway the pictures at
Sunday saw a walk (turned out to be 11 mile in the end - postie's day off as they say !!) over the Bleaklow area of the Pennine Way - one of those areas where the phrase "Be Prepared" does come into its own (i.e. DO NOT go up there without map and compass) - especially today as the mist dropped as we got towards the top !! Overshot the Pennine Way slightly - probably a matter of 300-400 metres - but soon got back on track, and when you get to Bleaklow Head ... it's plain sailing from there . Today's misty pics at
Home - cook tea (Chicken and Chorizo with mucho veg) - and then this. Next week at work - a veritable "Tour of Royton" - 6 days - 6 different walks (covering everyone's "day off") - fun ?? not so sure ... next week at football - I've not even opened the "Non League Paper" yet ... .
... in the way of decent photographs from tonight's FA Youth Cup game 'twixt Mossley and Stalybridge Celtic Youth teams (FA Youth Cup - geddit ?!?).
Just flicked through the pix from tonight - and it looks like I had a 'mare - which pretty much ties up with my day at work as well. If you've not already received ... the NHS are sending out letters - not just to every household, but to every individual within said household - they're trying to set up some kind of Summary Care Record database (which will probably turn into yet another compuer system b*lls-up that goes over budget !). So today - to every house - to every individual within that house - it was heavy, and I went the best part of two hours over my time (which WILL be booked as O/T tomorrow).
Anyway - pix from tonight need working on (severely !!!) ... watch this space ... OK here's one scratchy effort, just for the hell of it ...
Midweek football is an interesting conundrum - the only two options both involve Stalybridge Celtic ... either "big team" (at home to Blyth Spartans) - or "little team" (Celtic Youth away to ... Mossley Youth in the FA Youth Cup). Reckon I'll go for the "youth" option, purely because next Saturday every SixTameSide is away from home - bar one (yep - Stalybridge Celtic). .
... but I HAVE now done the pictures from Mossley's victory yesterday !!
It's been quite a long day already - this was the scene at 0630 this morning - yes there IS an 0630 on a Sunday y'know !!!
It might be a Millstone glass - but it contained "Two Hoots" (Holts Brewery)
They don't half make heavy weather of stuff England - strange when the commentator said they were ranked number 4 in the world - i.e. just like our 'glorious' football team - I feared the worst from then on !! Still, 41-10 sounds good (not as good as 84-6 like last time but ... good !).
Home - and then out to buy a new bed - job done (eventually !), followed by supermarket, some DIY "tips" (and loan tools !) to daughter and then home to do the pix from yesterday - which can be found at ... Mossley 2 Salford City 1
A fairly tight game as well - in fact it could have been about 5-4 at half-time ! Mossley really must stop playing with 10 men as well (not red cards but injuries - and no subs left - that's two Saturdays in a row now) - still another three points with Mossley now 13th ... seven days ago they were bottom .
Now off to cook some food - as in Pan-Fried Salmon with Herb Risotto - it's 1815 - and I've been up for 12 hours already - eek ! .
... are truly abunant at the moment - reckon one plant is now "on its way out" (first pic) - but hey, for a £2.99 packet of seeds - we have done well - plenty picked already but here's how we stand at the moment ...
... but we have other plants as well - here's just one of the other four ...
... and you came on here looking for football !!! Mossley have beaten Salford City 2-1 - and you'll get some pix later - promise !! Tomorrow morning - I'm going for a "Beer and Breakfast" option (0630 start) to watch some World Cup Rugby ... .
... well Mrs Smiffy still away - back later this evening (so I haven't even started cooking yet !) - so a trip up the hill to watch the young 'uns.
Some similarities to yesterday - Mossley take the lead via the penalty spot - Mossley player gets hat-trick - Mossley score between 5 and 6 goals - it stayed (fairly) dry ... a good win for the Youth team then. It's virtually a new squad from last season (probably something to do with age etc !!), but starting to gel and starting to look tasty. Thirteen goals in two days (another similarity ... I missed the fifth one yesterday and the fifth one today but ... !!) - pix from today at
Time to think about getting that tea sorted - and for you gourmets out there it's bacon-wrapped chicken with a cheese, basil and oregano stuffing, wedgie potatoes with brocolli and red pepper accompanied by beer (me) and wine (Mrs S). Smells good already (in my mind !) .
Bottom plays bottom-but-one ... finished work in good time, quick change and a walk up the hill - bumping into SJNR from the Mossley80 site - his words to me at 1445 hrs were "We might see a high-scoring game today" - and how right he was !!!Mossley took the lead as early as 4 minutes - and this seemed to send an electric "confidence" shock through the entire team - 4-1 at half-time and 6-2 at 90 minutes ... some pix at
... and apologies for missing the fifth goal - not only was I coming out of the club, I was also discussing the "did it go over the line goal" with Darren who was probably the best placed fan to see (he was "dubious" !). Never mind - a first win under the belt, but remember the first three words of this post - there's still a long way to go yet - but as a confidence booster it must have done a helluva lot of good. Hopefully it will continue on Tuesday night against Brazil - sorry Garforth Town.
Meanwhile ... Hyde win again (eight out of eight) and Stalybridge win again (seven and one draw out of eight) - and Droylsden keep playing catch-up with a win as well. Ashton United had a cracking idea for today's game - a "Snappers Day", inviting peeps with cameras to take pix of their game against 'Ensfud Town and submit one for a competition. Sadly they got beat 2-1 thanks to 2 goals from a "Stafford Rangers reject" - Wellecome to Hurst Cross !! Finally Curzon Ashton scored two goals against Salford City - unfortunately one was an "oggie" so it finished 1-1.Might go out for a couple of shandies now, with Mrs Smiffy being away (!)
Midweek looks like a possible trip to Woodley Sports on Tuesday to see them take on Lancaster City - we'll see ... oh and Mossley Youth are at home tomorrow afternoon (have to make sure all the chores are done first mind - and that includes prepping Sunday tea !).
Thirsty now ...
LATE "2330 hrs NOT THIRSTY NOW"" EDIT - it might have been 6-2 .. but I ought to give some credit to the away team today - apparently they have a glut of injuries - including "Dick" Tracey - their top goalscorer (who I DO remember from his Belper Town days) - but they NEVER stopped trying to play football. I did see them against Curzon Ashton back in August ... and they certainly gave them a run for their money as well. So respect to Ossett Albion - they are giving it their best shot - and you can ask for no more .... .
... fairly dry today (a bit of rain in the morning but ...) - and I did that bit of O/T as well (a 'wander' round Uppermill) - home to say "Farewell" to Mrs Smiffy (away on a weekend conference in Bath) - a bite to eat - this - and then off to TV to watch a DVD (tonight's offering will be "A Bridge Too Far" (nowt to do with Stalybridge Celtic - the "Arnhem War type thingy).
Hoping to see Mossley kick-start their season at home to fellow strugglers Ossett Albion tomorrow - assuming work gets finished in time - this week has been Diggle - next week it's Greenfield - one bonus with these "rural country walks" is that the cost of getting to work is actually cheaper !). .
... and was I right about the weather - just before kick-off it was absolutely lashing it down, so naturally I "weatherproofed" the camera in the usual way (punch hole in plastic carrier bag, secure to lens hood with RM elastic band) - whilst doing this Chester managed to score in the first thirty seconds or so ... missed it. They added a second about 10 minutes before half-time from the penalty spot ... but other than that there wasn't that much between the two teams I thought. OK the appalling weather was probably a bit of a leveller, but Ashton never gave up the chase against a well-marshalled Chester defence. Some wet pictures at
Home to dry stuff out (room littered with wet RM gear and wet DSLR gear !!) before giving up and sleeping. Out this morning - yep even more rain (!) - stopped now mind, while I'm inside - d'oh. Fingers crossed for a bit of an improvement tomorrow (poss doing some overtime as well) and Saturday (for some dry football).Oh and this morning Mrs Smiffy could find no tomatoes in the fridge for her salad lunch - she had to have four off my tomato plants instead !!! Loads on there now - just ripening in their own sweet time ... .
Yep ... a pretty grim week weather-wise "out and about" (this week the country atmosphere of Diggle !) - and some serious papier mache at times ... here's the official way of making it (I say "official" - this lady is great - and the music is OK too !!)
... the other option is to wait and see what comes through your door from postie (and our stuff is flour-free !!)
So - wet through again (OK drying out now) - and home to find out tonight's "game of choice" (Ashton United v Chester FC) has been called ON ... so it can't be all bad !
By the way - for those who remember my "grammar police" antics vis-a-vis a certain estate agent in the Mossley area during my "dolescum days" - here's a new one from the same. Can this REALLY be the price (click for big - and NO I have not tweaked/photoshopped) ??
I wonder ... never mind, tea soon and then off to Hurst Cross by frog - sorry bus (it's the Andes you cross by frog - check out/Google "Ripping Yarns")
... makes me laugh anyway - sums up the laughable state this country is in - and the way sooooo many people are being duped ...
Apparently "mid-market retailers reported a year-on-year sales drop of 2.2%" last month ... so the headlines say that it's ALL because of the riots ... hmmmm ... recession, what recession ??
Top three adverts on the TV at the moment are promoting ... price comparison websites ... now that WILL get us all out of the "recession what recession" .... and don't forget those handy companies/websites that have words like "APR 1737%" ...
Police cuts ?? The Metropolitan police have managed to find 1,000 officers to basically "child mind" kiddies to and from school - something to do with mobile phone and MP3 theft ... hmm, no recession here ...
The bonuses of top company directors have risen by 187% in the past decade ... no recession here either ...
In an attempt to encourage use of public transport, plans are afoot to get rid of 675 railway station ticket offices ...
66% of rioters have been remanded in custody for various offences ... as opposed to the "normal" 10% ...
A former (Labour) MP has been charged with expenses fraud totalling £66,000 - apparently the case has been delayed because she was suffering from "ill health" ...
... just a few stories from the last 48 hours
(Football tomorrow - don't panic - but if you can't wait ... Mossley are 2-0 down at half-time and this article is worth a read) .
... as mentioned earlier, with having a Saturday off work, it would be just plain criminal not to make the most of it ... which was why I was at Stalybridge Bus Station at 0945 on Saturday morning, returning to the same spot some 11 hours later ! In between time, a jolly day out - comfy coach, comfy company, DVDs, "lunch/tachograph stop" in Hampton-in-Arden (near Solihull), lots of "flatlands", a few alcoholic beverages - and a game of football as well.
I don't think I saw Stalybridge Celtic at their best - too much long ball stuff to be honest - but at the end of the day, three points is three points and the unbeaten start to the season continues (although Hyde FC still hold the local "bragging rights" with seven wins out of seven). Some pix from the day out in Cambridgeshire ...
... still on holiday - still remembering NOT to go into work - upstairs bathroom has had a "paint job" this week (something for the unemployed/students to do !!) - so before either of same had got up this morning I put some new floor covering down (OK not "exactly" new - leftovers from downstairs but ... hey !!).
Job done - so I went for a walk - last October I did a bit of a walk from Oldham to Grotton along the "old" railway line: OldhamGrottonRailwayOctober2010
- and I promised myself I'd one day check out the Oldham to Ashton "old" railway line. Today was the day ...
Not as straightforward/obvious this one - certainly a bit trickier to follow up at the Oldham end - but we got there in the end - I think !
Tomorrow - no work - so am going for BIG football trip (with apologies to "5 mins up the road Mossley" - the road to Wembley may start tomorrow (v Runcorn Linnets) - however Saturdays off are so few and far between - you've just got to go for something ... big !
Histon here I come ... . Saturday Morning Edit - you won't know this but - when you're getting closer to Ashton, the old railway line actually goes past the back of Joe's house ?? Fascinating ... .
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