Comfy Monday...

A fairly relaxed day "on the beat" today - did some early morning overtime and offered my ageing body for some afternoon overtime, but not required (obviously the Christmas rush has not yet arrived - I wasn't even asked to work my "day off" tomorrow - bet they ask me next Wednesday - as in my birthday !!).

Home at a reasonable time then and sorted out some tea - we've FINALLY run out of curry now (see Saturday !!), and whilst "twiddling around" with various foodstuffs, I had a bit of a Dandy Warhols binge on the CD player - as in

and

Two FINE albums indeed ...

Got a text early afternoon (from a number I'm not sure of - ever since I changed my phone, I lost a lot of numbers - but whoever you are/were - ta !!) letting me know the FA Trophy draw - and strangely enough all "Four Tame Sides" have managed to avoid each other:

Droylsden v Hinckley United
Curzon Ashton v Altrincham
Stalybridge Celtic v Nantwich Town
Alfreton Town v Hyde FC

Looks like Curzon are up to provide another "shock", given the present state of Altrincham (who must still be reeling from their 7-0 hammering at Crawley at the weekend). I'd put my money on Droylsden and Stalybridge to progress, while - sorry Hyde, but it's going to take one hell of an effort to get past Alfreton who are on fire at the moment.

Seems that the "postponed" youth game at Mossley yesterday was an effort to protect the pitch for Tuesday's first team game against Trafford - this could be the first of many given that there is a first team, a reserve team AND a youth team all attempting to play on the same pitch ... and we've all seen the abundance of berries on the bushes which apparently means the upcoming winter is going to be ... heavy ...

Ashton United are taking on FC United in the Evo-Stik League Cup tonight - fingers crossed they do well - and get a decent crowd as well. It's not been a good week at Hurst Cross - some low-life scumbags (an identikit would probably show shaven head, sticky-out ears and a hoodie - just an educated guess) broke into their Social Club last week and emptied the safe and the fruit machines. Wouldn't it be an interesting exercise - if the perpetrators were caught - to put them on the centre spot at 1930hrs just before kick-off and just allow the entire crowd to get over the fences and walk slowly towards them - from all sides of the ground - and when the fans get to the edge of the centre circle ... turn the floodlights OFF for five minutes. Now that's what I would call "Community Payback".

So - day off tomorrow - plans so far include taking Mrs Smiffy to work in car, taking car to garage for a service, taking body to doctors (they're taking some blood out of me to check for "stuff" - I've lost nearly a stone in weight over the last 12 months, and it would be nice to know why !!) - after that ... who knows - maybe I should start thinking about Christmas presents because I'm sure "days off" will 'disappear' between the start of December and Christmas Eve ... oh yes football tomorrow night as well !!

Edit at 2137 - Ashton United 3 FC United 1 - I've been listeming to FC United Radio - and a very patronising pair of commentators as well ...
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