Why Football Support Is Not A Welsh Nationalist Issue

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

At a club level Welsh football occupies a particularly freakish position. After all there is a local pyramid structure and we've chatted about these games in the past. But we have a small number of clubs who play in the English league structure primarily Cardiff City, Newport County, Swansea City and Wrexham.

But on Twitter recently I've seen a relatively common complaint. That people could slag off England at country level and yet support at club level a team playing in the English leagues. In other words if you support an English team you're not truly Welsh.

To me football support is not a Welsh Nationalist issue and it needs to be addressed.

Now I can see this argument if you were born say in Cardiff or Swansea for example. I've always felt that you should support the closest team from where you were born wherever life takes you otherwise. That's why my first love will always be West Ham United.

But despite being born in the East End I've known members of my family who pick, excuse me whilst I hold my nose, the North London Arsenal as their team. So this "glory seeking" is not necessarily a Welsh issue.

Furthermore you could argue why should you support Cardiff if Aston Villa say is the closest team from where you were born?

There is actually a simple solution. As regular readers of this blog will know whilst West Ham is first amongst equals I've always believed that watching other leagues are more interesting when you support a particular team. Thus I follow in no particular order Barcelona, Celtic, Fiorentina, Paris St Germain, Ton Pentre and Werder Bremen.

There is no reason therefore that the Welsh football fan could not pick the closest team from the Welsh football pyramid from where he/she was born as well as a team from the English league and support them both. By doing that if you don't live near Cardiff, Newport Swansea or Wrexham you will have the chance of actually going to watch a game (which will of course be cheaper). You are not betraying either team as they play in different leagues.

And by supporting a Welsh team Welsh league club football will improve. I'm not saying you'll be watching Barcelona. But different leagues are not unlike food. I like bacon, eggs and chips. But I also like Spaghetti. There is a different taste to different leagues. It's still football though.

Of course at an international level the Welsh football fan should always support Wales.

Whilst I of course (for reasons I've explained last year) will always root for England first.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post : Another Storm Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well today high winds and heavy rain are threatened for Wales. Not the snow that's hitting Scotland and the north of England thankfully. Still not pleasant. Guess who's going out to work in it....

Meanwhile later today Wales are playing Ireland in the final of the Six nations. A Welsh victory will mean they will get the championship and the grand slam. Wife is with "the girls" to watch the match later. Me? I'll probably be alone with Donald Trump (talking about a connection to things Stormy). But that's for another day.

Personally for many reasons I hope Wales win. One of them being another credence to my newly discovered Welsh mathematical theorem that the success of the Welsh national team is in equal and direct proportion to it's mess at club level.

West Ham incidentally are facing Huddersfield. They should win. But then again they should have beaten Cardiff City last week (still hurts).

Speaking of Cardiff the Labour council have ditched plans to create a congestion charge for cars entering the city centre. In terms of it's timing it's an arrogantly stupid idea typical of Welsh Labour. A few posts back I chatted about the cuts to the Cardiff council owned  bus service which incidentally would have probably put some people to use the car. There is also the oft criticised rail service.

Investment in public transport is the thing to do first. Then put the congestion charge in. Don't pretend to be greener than the next person by imposing a charge whilst hampering someone's chance of contributing to lowering fossil fuels.

Timing is everything. Welsh Labour in whatever guise never has it.

Until the next time.

Low Marks and Spencer. The Case Of The British Daffodils In Wales

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

So picture the scene. I have left the Cardiff City stadium on a Saturday afternoon. Saddened by their win over my team West Ham. I have about an hour to fill until the wife comes and picks up.

Across the road from the stadium there is a collection of out of town stores. One of them being Marks and Spencer and as I need to go to the Gents I wander there. Call of nature answered I meander into their food hall where I see this.

British Daffodils

Daffodils. The flower of Wales. Produced in Wales and here is Marks and Spencer selling "British" Daffodils.

There are two explanations.

1) They are Welsh daffodils. But Marks and Spencer seem to be ashamed in announcing that fact. Bad under any circumstances but worse when you consider they're apparently ashamed to advertise WELSH daffodils in a WELSH store.

2) They are not Welsh daffodils. Which means they're trying to flog daffodils which aren't from Wales when they can get locally produced ones.

Marks and Spencer do have form in this. In 2016 they advertised suits modelled by members of the England Euro 2016 squad when becoming the official male suit company or something like that. It was advertised in Wales. Even though not only Wales were also in Euro 2016 (reaching the semi-finals) but in the first stage were in England's group!

So Marks and Spencer really need to deal with this promptly. They cannot get the impression they can get away with this if put under the banner of "British".

Until the next time.

For I Am Ten Again : Cardiff City Vs West Ham Part Two: When Reality Bites

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

So I'm here. The Cardiff City Stadium. It's about half past one. Wife has dropped me off. I'm still ten.

There is a small crowd by the players entrance. Cardiff City players are signing copies of the match programme. They go in. Soon the West Ham coach arrives. One of the first people to get out is the manager Manuel Pellegrini with a look that suggests he wasn't comfortable with the journey and moves swiftly into the players entrance. Then there is a pause, then another bunch of players emerge. Then another pause and a final group get out.

That's the back of West Ham captain's Mark Noble's head going into the Players Entrance. I can sure take a picture

I go to the gift store just to buy a few things for daughter and the matchday programme for myself. Their third strip ( a thing I hate. Just another way to fleece the fans) is on sale for £10. I was tempted to buy one for her as well but thought better of it. Until this year you would have thought it just the luminous colour of motorway maintenance which is bad enough. Now it would be also mistaken for right wing protesters in Britain and would be liable to have you attacked by French gendarmerie as part of the gilets jaune .

Gift Shopping

Eventually I get inside. I walk to my block. Past the betting kiosks and screens showing the early match Crystal Palace vs Brighton and make my way to my seat.

Bluebird Country

The players come onto the pitch. the West Ham fans are in the next block to me and sing Bubbles the theme song. Unquestionably the most realistic of all football anthems. Nothing says the agony of being a fan than the line "Fortune's always hiding. I've looked everywhere".

It would appear though that the Cardiff City DJ was ready for them. The moment Bubbles was finished immediately Men Of Harlech comes on the tannoy. Most of the crowd (including me - remember I'm a quiet hammer surrounded by Bluebirds) stand up. When that finishes the West Ham block begins singing God Save The Queen and then shouting "Engerland". Whatever the next ninety minutes or so was going to be a lesson in diplomacy was not one of them.

The West Ham block is to the left of this photo 

It was noticeable that there were some (not many) empty seats in the stadium. Mainly though for the most expensive seats contrary to what I thought earlier. My suspicion was that they were season tickets who decided to watch Scotland vs Wales which was being played at roughly the same time. However the ground was mainly full showing again that the awe of the international rugby game is not what it was, though still powerful.

The match begins

It was the fourth minute, the fourth minute you understand when Hoilett scored a goal at the near post. Cardiff City were ahead. Whatever I expected from this game Cardiff City scoring that early was not one of them.

Of course I clapped alongside the Bluebirds surrounding me but to  misquote Smokey Robinson if you took a good look at my face you'd see a smile that looked out of place.

"YOU'RE GOING DOWN. YOU'RE GOING DOWN. YOU'RE GOING DOOOWN" chants the West Ham block of fans. Whether true or not only time will tell but timing wise it smacked of sour grapes.

"ONE NIL AND YOU STILL CAN'T SING"
This goaded the guy in front of me to stand up, swear, give the finger and say things that google would ban me for. The bit I was bothered with was the standing up, given that he was spoiling my view of the game. He moved from his spot during the game. But late in the second half a group of stewards took him forcibly away from where he'd moved to.

And throughout the first half Cardiff City showed an energy and commitment seemingly absent from the last few games. In contrast West Ham only seemed to get their bearings in the last few minutes.

I had begun to notice that the guy sitting next to me was also a quiet West Ham fan amongst the Bluebirds. Clapping at the very rare West Ham attacks on the Cardiff goal. Thankfully for him not so loud as to be truly noticeable by the Welsh around him.

One-nil then to Cardiff City at the first half.

Come the second half , early in the second half, Cardiff City score again. Camarasa edging the ball passed the West Ham goalkeeper Fabianski (booed constantly - being ex Swansea City - worth noting though he stopped it being three nil soon after).

The Cardiff City fans truly began singing now. "YOU'RE GOING DOWN (etc) " was said in response again, as was bubbles. But we all really knew whose afternoon it was then.

More Action

West Ham were disappointing. They really only had two real chances. The most dramatic bring the Declan Rice shot that hit the post. Cardiff City had the greater passion. They had a purpose.

A disappointingly rare second half attack from West Ham

Perhaps Pellegrini had underestimated the Cardiff manager Neil Warnock (whose book when manager of QPR I've chatted about in this blog). What was clear was that Warnock had done his homework. He was the one who earned his wages this afternoon.

Two nil then is how the match ended. I came into the ground a ten year old boy. I existed back to my fifty five year old self. Disappointed as I am Cardiff were the better team and genuinely as I said in my previous post I hope they hang on in the Premier League. This result, as the music from the Bee Gees confirmed as I went out, that they were staying alive.

Some people later asked me whether at least I was happy to have seen the game anyway.
Of course not.
My team lost.
Reality Bites.

Until the next time.

For I Am Ten Again : Cardiff City Vs West Ham Part One: The Anticipation

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

For one day only Brexit does not matter. For one day only I'm not interested in Welsh or Scottish independence, or in the reunification of Ireland. For one day only I turn a blind eye to climate change, or Trump or Putin. For one day only the social mess of a disunited kingdom is not a priority.

For one day only I will not monitor daughter's revision for GCSE exams, or  buying a house (still ongoing) or how wife or mother is.

For one day only it does not matter.

For I am ten again. My first true love West Ham United are playing Cardiff City and as regular readers will know I have a ticket!!!. I have monitored the situation since I knew the match was taking place. I have constantly rung the Cardiff City ticket office to find out when they would be available for non season ticket holders. I have specially gone to the Cardiff City stadium.

And I have a ticket!!!!

It is as I'm writing this 5:37am in the morning. I have actually been awake for about an hour before. It's not insomnia this time. It's as if Christmas Day has come to Cardiff on the ninth of March.

The plan is simple. So that wife will be able to watch the Scotland Wales rugby game she will drop me at the Cardiff City stadium at about 1:15. That doesn't bother me. I'll go into the gift shop. Buy the programme and other stuff from there and other matchday vendors (I remember last time I went there to watch a friendly there was a place in the stadium selling football books - wonder if it's still there) and I'll go into the ground early.

For whilst I am ten again I'm not a stupid ten year old in a fifty five year old man's body. Will get in early not to be caught out as someone who doesn't regularly go to Cardiff City games and so not familiar with entering the stadium. I will also be sitting amongst the Bluebirds. So whilst I'll be a Hammers fan I'll also be a quiet one.

Any other problems? Well unusually for me West Ham come into the game as clear favourites. They are ninth in the Premier League after a disastrous start and I think victory will mean they're safe from relegation this season (so early!). Cardiff City on the other hand are still in a relegation struggle. They have suffered not just defeats but embarrassing ones at that. If the highlights in the last defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers is a guide they looked ordinary and deflated.

However any West Ham fan will tell you that it's typical to beat Liverpool and lose to Cardiff City. So there's a worry.

I said before that I genuinely wish Cardiff City (and indeed Swansea, Newport etc) well.....just not today.

The other real problem, is that the reality will not be as good as the anticipation. The fifty five year old in me knowing full well that reality bites...and sometimes it bites hard.

But let's hope that doesn't happen.

COME ON YOU IRONS!!!! (which as you will guess I won't be shouting being amongst the bluebirds fans this afternoon)

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post : Where I Owe More Tax Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

There is always a certain fear when the brown envelope hits the floor. You pick it up and find that it's from HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs - You don't think I want Wales to be a republic could make me ignore it? Ah well).

Well that envelope came again yesterday and unlike other occasions when it told me a change in the tax code or other admin stuff this time it said I owed them an extra amount of just over £107!!

I am annoyed for three reasons. Firstly I'm an employee which means the tax gets taken at source from my wages every month. In other words whatever has caused this alleged underpayment of tax is not my fault.

Secondly whatever has caused this alleged underpayment of tax is a factor as well. Because I don't know. It doesn't say on the document. I got the wife (who used to work at a pay department) to have a look and she can't see it either. That means on Wednesday (my next day off work) I'll have to ring these people up. The tax office enquiries service does not have a good reputation. And when I say it does not have a good reputation I mean I could be waiting on the end of an imaginary cordless phone line for hours.

Thirdly I'm not a wealthy man but I'm not on income support either. So it's made me realise the trauma families on income support face when similar letters drop into their homes. Even if this extra tax is justified the tax people have spent time and resources on getting just over a hundred pounds from me and other families where there are tax avoiders syphoning off much more laughing all the way to their next glass of champagne!

More on this to come.

To books then and the latest from the library I've read.

Edward Marston - Dance of Death

I've chatted about Edward Marston before in this blog on his Railway detective series so here's one on his Home Front detective Harvey Marmion also a series set in Britain of 1916 during the First world war.. Mr Marston seems to have tapped the entertainment historical detective market judging by the many books he's written. I can see why. Judged as an entertainment Dance of Death concerning the grisly murder of a professional dancer cannot be faulted. It has the detectives, the murder, the suspects and also the feel of historical accuracy.

It reminded me (though set a few decades earlier) of the Inspector Cribb novels of Peter Lovesey. And though not as good are certainly good value for your reading time.

A quick side issue here. I have a rough rule that if a book is part of a series then I read it in chronological order. The big exception to this though are detective series because to me the key is the particular murder and not the detective's family dynamic (there are things that happen here in that regard but I won't spoil by revealing). I'm not particularly bothered that the next Harvey Marmion novel I'll read might be earlier than this one in the series. To me it's funny how for the most part I'm fundamentalist on this issue but with detective fiction I couldn't give a damn.

Politics: And hidden away in the Welsh news was Plaid Cymru's stunning by election victory an increase in the percentage of 18% no less) in Cardiff's Ely ward for the council. It needs to be made clear here. Ely is a working class area which First Minister Mark Drakeford covers in the Senedd. It is the sort of place that Labour would describe as it's heartland. Not any more. The shift might be slow but previous Labour voters are seeing them in Wales for what they truly are. The arrogant incompetent arm of Welsh establishment.

Let this crumbling of the edifice continue. For at it's destruction will come independence.

And let's continue with the state of Cardiff shall we. the Cancer Research charity have opened a new superstore here (which I haven't been to yet). Now am I being heartless for saying that you can truly judge a nation's decline by the fact that a charity can open not just a shop but a superstore?

West Ham beat Fulham last night (I was at work). People say 40 points means safety which means they might get it when facing Cardiff City in two weeks time.....and I will be there!!!....albeit quietly in the home seats.

Until the next time.

Cardiff City vs West Ham : Where I Will Be A Quiet Hammer Amougst Bluebirds And Where Again A Chink In The Armour Of The Wales National Rugby Team Will Occur

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

So then yesterday morning at about ten I was here:

Bluebird Country

I have as regular readers are aware been tracking the general availability of tickets for the visit of West Ham on March 9. Had discovered that they were on sale from 9:30am and so there I was with the enthusiasm of a ten year old boy (admittedly with the advantage of a debit card) to buy the ticket and become the quietest Hammer amougst the Bluebirds when that Saturday comes.

And not to beat around the bush....

I got it !!!

Now it's not quite where I would have wanted it to be but the best placed seats were sold off but really wasn't unhappy (and I'll come back to that point in a moment. Out of respect to where I live now I won't be shouting "Come On You Irons" and singing "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles". Still my heart will be rooting for one thing. And it will always be forever claret and blue.

You may remember that in the Welsh Autumn rugby internationals I chatted the fact that for the first time in my memory the national team played a match in the Millemium (I'm not going to call it by it's official title) stadium whlist a short journey away Cardiff City were playing a home fixture at roughly the same time.

Surely this sort of thing could not occur in a six nations match you might ask? Well you'd be wrong. Wales would be playing Scotland at roughly the same time as Cardiff faces West Ham. Before the Welsh teams in the English leagues and especially the capital city side would have made sure that they would have played an away fixture. Not anymore. They are no longer in awe.

Now I'm not saying that the rugby match is not important or anything stupid like that. But the fact that Cardiff City felt confident enough to play home game whilst a Six nations match is on shows that the pull of the Welsh national rugby team is not as great as it was. The fact that I couldn't get the seat I would have preferred shows that most tickets have been sold.

Of course there are many reasons why this has occurred. But I suspect that the general apathy that has permeated through the club game since the disaster that is regional rugby has seeped into the national side. The six nations result will dominate the headlines. But not as much as it would have done even five years ago. And that's the point.

What could be done to resolve the situation? Well putting new life into club rugby would help as would Wales winning the forthcoming rugby World Cup.

Otherwise I don't know. What I do know is that a failure to act will weaken how people views  the national team even more.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post : As An Atheist I've Really Upset The Sleeping Gods Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well as I start writing this it's 3:15am. Let's be clear here. I have the day off (four actually mind you I've worked the previous ten). I could wake up at any time I want but I've woken up three??!!!

The sleeping gods are very unhappy with me today.

The Brexit timetable is dominating the news as we see what clowns or perhaps even worse are in the two main Westminister parties at the moment. Few things move me away from it though one of them is what's happening March 9 when Cardiff City FC play West Ham. I have the day off (good news) but am facing the invisible timetable that I don't know when the tickets that Cardiff season tickets haven't bought will be available. So the situation as to whether I'll be able to be the quiet one amongst the bluebirds fans is unresolved.

I do hope I can get a ticket. West Ham are one of the few things that could make me forget about Brexit. Indeed it's probably the only thing that brings me to a state best described as ten year old happy (when of course they win).

In the world of Welsh Twitter the issue Brexit aside that has seen to dominate is the latest drama from BBC Wales Pitching In which I chatted about recently where people were angry about the depiction of Wales based on the trailer of the show set in a trailer park alone. Well I've seen the episode now and it's even worse than the trailer suggested.

I won't bore you by repeating myself here. Except that my theory that the casting director is English and living in England so only can hear one Welsh accent holds water (in case you wonder why I haven't checked it, well it's a bit stalkery if you ask me).

BBC Wales needs to avoid making cliché Wales productions like this if it wants to represent the nation. It's no coincidence I think that the standout drama shows from Wales (even those with English/Welsh versions) are those instigated by the Welsh language channel S4C.

Just registered for a People's Pension Webinar on February 28th. Yes I'm of an age now when it's not far away.

Am I one who is getting irritated by Kindle books on Amazon. That's to say those books that Mr Bezos promotes seemingly constantly by email etc. Am I the only one who is comfortable enough to read a book on a Kindle but disturbed when the book seems to be only on a Kindle?

Speaking of Amazon they have cancelled a subscription to Amazon Prime because the card (which was a prepay card anyway ) was out of date. Thing is I hadn't realised I clicked onto join it. Not particularly bothered except it reminds me to be careful for the future.

Alexa has just reminded me (it's 6:15 now)about Easy Yoga. An app that I downloaded out of curiosity. But as my left foot hurts I think I'll leave it for another day.....and relax.

Anyway time to go back to sleep now. Thankfully the urge to zzzz has caught up on me.

Until the next time.

Learning Gaelic Through The Medium Of Greenock Morton And Ross County

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well before we go into Gaelic let's start with this evening's FA cup victory of Newport over Leicester City. You know when Leicester equalised you thought you were about to see the sort of game where the plucky underdog got steamrollered by the top league opponent. But Newport bit back. They deserved the victory.

Just hope they're not drawn against West Ham in the next round.

Anyway earlier this morning I'd decided to start learning Gaelic by watching a football match on the BBC Iplayer. As I've mentioned before when starting to learn Welsh I would concentrate on two types of programmes, preschool and sports, for the simple reason that I'd have some idea what was going on.

Preschool programmes would teach me more on the vocabulary. Sports would be more to hear Gaelic being spoken even though I'd understand little. The point of listening at this time is just getting an ear to the language and tuning yourself in.

The match was a Scottish Championship (ie second tier) game between Greenock Morton and Ross County. Which was shown live last Friday on the BBC Gaelic channel BBC Alba. Ross County were leading the division and were the favourites for the night.

Now I must be honest the first half for the neutral was a dull affair. I know this through how much my attention was distracted by peripheral things.

Such as:

Ross County's shirt sponsors are a company called McEwen Fraser (who I learnt later are estate agents). Probably the most Scottish sounding sponsors you could get.

Greenock Morton seem a very local club judged by their advertising hoardings. For in the midst of national bookmakers you could also see hoardings for butchers, wedding and funeral services. All human life is there (and let's not forget the one for International fine Art Auctioneers).

The Greenock Morton shirt are blue hoops over a white background QPR style. Thing is as symbolism goes the fact the hoops dissolve as they go across the chest is not a good look.

Yes the match was that dull. The first half finished nil-nil. Which was consequently the first Gaelic word I learnt (Neonini).

The second half was almost as dull. But Greenock Morton scored. A poacher's goal but no matter. A goal is a goal. One - nil then. One being aon in Gaelic. Closest way I can describe the pronunciation is Un in French.

The only other bit of interest was the confrontation between a Greenock Morton player and the Ross County manager. Trust me when I say I haven't learnt the Gaelic for handbags at dawn.

So it ended One-nil. Later through Twitter later I've also learnt the word for weather "Aimsir".

The crawl in learning a language begins.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac's Meanderings Post : Still Under The Weather Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well I'm still under the weather. Still coughing sneezing sore throat mucus creator me. And yet, and yet still not unwell enough not to go to work.

I know I'm not alone. But is it me or has this started earlier than normal? If so it's worrying given winter has not really started yet.

Tell you what really bothered me during the past few days,. When my teenage daughter looked at me and said:

"But you're never ill".

Now my first reaction was to think "See. You may think I look like Clark Kent but perhaps I'm tougher than you think". My next reaction was that she's seen me unwell (and faint) when I have a vasovagal attack. But she knows that after a few days I recover.

But my final reaction was to think perhaps it's good for teenage children to see their parents unwell for a little while. Nothing long lasting, life threatening or disabling but something to make them realise that parents are not immortal and it may be time for them to prepare for life without us.

Came home from the afternoon/evening shift to watch West Ham beat Newcastle on Match Of The Day yesterday. Let me say if we have mid table respectability this season that's fine by me.

When I also came home the wife told me about the violent riots in Paris. You know what thought came into my head here. If Brexit happens and is disastrous then this will be Britain. Have you also noticed that some of those rioters looked as if they'd come out of a catwalk? So cliché French.

I remember when we were at Orly airport waiting for the plane back from Cardiff after a trip to Eurodisney and armed soldiers were patrolling the streets. Trust me they looked like supermodels (both genders). Now this might have been French military publicity at work for all I knew. But still it worked.

Welsh Labour news: Apparently there was some Welsh Labour do last Friday in Ogmore "celebrating" 100 years of Welsh Labour there. The speaker was shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry and the people in this do included  Labour leadership candidate for First Minister Vaughan "Mr Memory" Gething.

So let's be clear about this. Labour's success in Wales (which is weakening) is due to the memories of the past not because of the arrogant incompetence of Welsh Labour now. I hope they enjoyed their "celebrations" whilst Wales plunges into despair that they have helped create.

Have to mention Christmas now. Wife's put the tree up. She loves Christmas as does daughter. Me, well regular readers know it's not my thing. Not even the BBC1 trailer, which suggests a mother and son can be together again through the power of their festive schedule (yeah right) will make me change my mind.

I do like this year's tree though. It's thin and discreet.

Anyway wife's awake. Time to have a shower.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post: Nearly Halloween Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well it's 5:22am as I'm starting to write this. Though I actually was awake at 4:30. Tried to sleep but as it's a Saturday where I'm not working insomnia made sure I was up. It can be cruel like that.

Outside through the darkness it seems to be clear. It's also colder. I'm hearing rumours at work of the possibility of snow in the next few weeks. Hope not. March showed how much I hate the white stuff it settles.

Halloween soon. You can tell that by the decorations of the remaining shops left in the high street. Can't say I really care either way. Something to be tolerated I think.

Except that is a word about Pumpkins. One they really aren't that tasty. And Two when you put the leftovers in a food caddy it stinks.

I mean if it wasn't to gut out, put a creepy face on it and a candle within would people really eat pumpkins.....really?

I'm not going to bore you today about the contest to be the next Labour party leader in Wales and therefore the next First Minister except to say one thing. All three candidates have vision of running Wales different to the previous nine years. And whilst their visions are equally flawed and tied to Labour head office in London the fact that they all seem to move away from the way Carwyn Jones has led during that period is surely the ultimate confirmation that his leadership has been a failure.

Rather like Blair the power of the painting in the attic has long since gone.

Here's an interesting one. Have read about Kiera Knightley banning her daughter from watching Cinderella because it implies that for women to get out of a bad situation (and note in the case of Cinderella the villains are women) she needs the help of a man.

Thinking about it whilst it's a pipe dream that some day a royal prince would come (and think of the awful life of despair, drudgery and probable suicide if the story hadn't worked out the way it did) of course it was a woman, the fairy godmother, who started the process of freeing Cinderella from the life her stepmother and stepsisters had imprisoned her to.

And of course there's the Saturday Night question in these months. "Will I watch Match Of The Day tonight?" Of course it all depends on how West Ham do. Currently the season seems to be two steps forward and one step back. Hopefully West ham will beat Spurs today. It would be typical Hammers after losing to Brighton a few weeks back.

It's 7:22am....calling on shepherds....including Ms Grey from a few posts ago. It's a red sky out there.

Random thought. Have worn glasses since seven and will continue until my dying day. Don't like the idea of laser surgery in case it goes wrong and as for contact lenses, well it's like insering double glazing into your eyes.

Anyway time to say goodbye for today.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post: Dark Early Mornings Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

The thing about the long dark nights and the equivalent  mornings is twofold. On the one hand when the insomniac within you wakes up there is less chance of guessing the time that when it's British summertime. Because you could make a guess based on the faintest hint of dawn.

Today I couldn't. Which made it more of a shock to discover it was 3:47am in the morning.

Of course the longer darkness also means another year is almost approaching it's final corner. And whilst there are still ambitions in my life, it also means that another moment will soon be crossed off the length of time I've left to achieve them.

Have just realised that it's not only dark but it's also raining. Which I can tell from the sounds outside. Yes I think we can all agree summer is practically over.

Working the afternoon/evening shift means that sometimes you don't really catch the day's news until the next morning. I didn't realise West Ham played Friday night. From a disastrous start they have improved in the past couple of weeks. However last night they played Brighton and lost (echoes of last year). Two steps forward one step back.

I've learnt on Twitter that supermarket chain Iceland are promoting Christmas tree flavoured crisps. My first reaction is to say what?
My second is to repeat what I said last year. Whilst there are many things I don't like about Christmas as I get older, the biggest by far is the idea of Christmas before December.
I don't want to know about Christmas before then!!!

My daughter calls me a Grinch. I explain that the Grinch did not try to steal Christmas as until this season he was too busy managing Arsenal.

Plaid Cymru news. Adam Price has put Welsh independence on the news agenda to such a level that UK media has noticed it. This is a good thing and should be welcomed. Once independence is in people's thoughts, it would not be easy to shake it off . As Scotland has proved.

You may remember a few months back that I chatted about Simon Thomas. The Plaid Cymru AM who had to resign after being arrested by the police. Well I'll chat properly when he's sentenced. But he's pleaded guilty to making 600 indecent images and videos of children (150 apparently in the "highest category" of illegal images)

So I'll say this now. Making one indecent image/video is shocking/despicable enough. Now multiply how disgusted you'd feel by six hundred.

Personally the authorities should not throw the book at Mr Thomas as punishment.

They should go for the whole library.

Until the next time.

The Non insomniac Meanderings Post:Now There's A Change

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well it's 7:22am on a Saturday morning. I've had a deep sleep, so deep it almost feels that someone's chloroformed me. Even now as I'm tap,tap tapping this along to the computer I'm not completely awake.

The cause of this cure for insomnia? Well simple. I've been working more hours as they are currently short staffed. Not a situation that will last but grabbing some overtime whilst it's there. It will sort out Christmas (yes thinking about it already. But only on the finances).

But in the meantime it means when I get home late at night the body is ready for a microwave meal, light undemanding television and then basically it shuts down until the morning.

And I do mean shut down. Cannot physically walk to the bathroom and clean my teeth. The body is demanding a rest and wants it now. Often I find myself unintentionally sleeping on the settee. Simply because I just cannot move anymore.

It's a reason why by the way the blog has been disjointed for the past few weeks and will continue to be so for the rest of this month and a lot into the next.

Does this temporary timeshift in my day affect me? Well aside from the lack of contact with wife, daughter and mother I think that the only odd thing about it all is the way you feel disconnected with things until you're back on the car on the way home. As if once I've listened to the news (believing as it happens only a part of it - certainly the way it's slanted anyway) I'm back with the world. Finding out how it's gotten along without me.

Not at looking forward to doing this on Sunday night. Dreading finding out how West Ham have gotten on. No points. NO POINTS since the season began in August. Remember when he was appointed to lead Manchester City current manager Manuel Pellegrini was supposed to have a "holistic approach". Where's that gone? The way things are going West Ham fans will need a therapist's couch. We have, HAVE to get at least a point against Everton.

Sunny out there. Weather is another thing that I've know interest in at the moment except for the possibility of strong winds on Monday. Hate that driving. Otherwise well enjoy it people whilst it lasts. The feel is certainly autumn at the moment.

8:05am. As per instructions from wife. Washing machine is on. There we are. Who says I don't listen to the wife? Even when three quarters awake?

Anyway wife's awake now. My throat is killing me. Need another cuppa.

Until the next time.

Just Like My Dreams.....

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As I've mentioned before I am until Sunday in Essex helping out my mother in a few things. But having time to spare and knowing then I'd would be able to try my hand at seeing whether I could get a ticket for West Ham's game against Wolves on Saturday.

I took the Underground to Stratford and went through the Westfield shopping Centre on my way to the London Stadium.

As an aside I'll say this. I've come to the view that I don't like Westfield, because it's not so much a shopping and more of a town centre in itself. I did wonder wandering through the place how many businesses outside the centre have suffered because of it, as given the number of people there when I went my views are very much in the minority.

Anyway the West Ham shop that was in the area was closed. Which meant I had to walk to the London Stadium. Past views of the high rise and the being built high rise skyscrapers in nearby Docklands. This of course included their daddy Canary Wharf. As I'd a look at that building thought "I worked near there" many many years ago.

To think in a parallel universe I didn't move to Wales. You wonder how things turn out in your life if you made a different choice when a clear crossroads  comes along.

Anyway to the London stadium

The New Home

The gift shop was nearby. The first thing I did was to ask whether there were any tickets available.....the answer was no.

It says a lot for West Ham fans that despite being bottom of the Premier League table with three defeats in the first three days the (large) stadium is still full. I also knew that the chances of obtaining a ticket this late in the day were slim. Still it was disappointing in a "I'd expected it but still sad" kind of way.

I wandered round the shop. Was going to buy a few things but not in a stupid kind of way. I eventually left with these.

It's Hammer Time

The book was two pounds from an original price of ten. Everyone even now uses pens. And as for the exercise book no idea why I bought that.

And yes I felt like a ten year old boy.

Ah well I just have to wait for March 9 when they face Cardiff City in Wales. I'll be prepared then.

Until the next time.

Small Reflections On A London And Essex Trip

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As I'm writing this it's a wet Wednesday morning not in Wales but in Essex. I'm here for a few days doing a few things for my mother. Wife/daughter are back in Wales still enjoying the last embers of the summer holiday.

It marks a change from earlier in the year when I was in Essex exile for two nearly three months as my mother was so unwell in hospital she was, I'll say it now, on the brink of death. Of course looking after my mother once discharged takes time as well. So her recovery has been remarkable and heartwarming.

That all being said. This trip I view a bit differently from the previous times I've come back If only because when a loved one has been so severely unwell then you view the area where she lives, the people you know and the area where you were brought up differently.

You feel all of a sudden that whilst you will never move back (Wales is where I want to live and that is that) I should try to hoard whatever memories this trip provides as if there is one thing my mother's illness taught me is that nothing lasts forever.

If there is one thing I intend to do during this period (I'm returning on Monday) is to try and get a ticket to see West Ham play Wolves on Saturday. It won't be the last time I'm going to see them (March 9 vs Cardiff) but it's the first since their move from Upton Park. So that should be interesting.

I feel that in this trip  I'd be possibly saying goodbye to people and places of my past. So whilst it's mainly helping out my mother it's going to be important to me as well.

Until the next time.

Why Ospreys And Swans Should Cold Shoulder A Virgin

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Now what I'm going to say is just a thought but.....

You may recall that I've been advocating a boycott of Virgin Media since they announced the closure of their Swansea call centre for next year. A closure which will cost at least 800 jobs. Well I'm not going to repeat my arguments in this post (although I haven't backed away from that position) but a connected though different way to damage (albeit slightly) the company came into my head.

And the idea came into my head thanks to Virgin Media's Twitter account.

Now I don't follow them on Twitter (I wouldn't digitally soil my hands) but the company does advertise on the platform and I must admit to (I stress politely) trolling them. In the sense that when they advertise a summer of fun and entertainment for example I remind them that the workers in the Swansea call centre would not be feeling that sense of fun thanks to their announcement.

This time though I didn't. The tweet was about their sponsorship of Southampton Football Club (a team doing almost as disastrously in the Premier League as the team I support West Ham. Beaten yesterday by blog villain Arsenal. It's not going well at all). Now regular readers will know that sometimes my brain goes into tangents. And as I was reading this tweet a thought occurred to me.

The two biggest sporting clubs in the region are the Swansea City Football team and the Ospreys Pro 14 rugby side:

What if they issued a statement saying that following the proposed closure of the call centre and the loss of jobs affected they would not ever consider Virgin Media sponsoring them?

Now I'm not saying that either the Swans and/or the Ospreys would have considered them anyway. Or indeed vice versa.  Nor am I saying that as an action it's no more than a gesture. But as a gesture it will hurt Virgin Media in terms of bad publicity. And it would provide the teams with good publicity as it will show that they respond to issues affecting Swansea and the surrounding area by supporting the community.

Just a thought.

Until the next time.

Meanderings Whilst Waiting For A Washing Machine...And It's Installer

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

You may remember a few posts back I chatted about waiting for the washing repair man? Well after a few trips the machine was pronounced finally dead early this week. And today (Friday) a day I'm not at work will be partly spent waiting for the machine to be delivered then installed. Another waiting for moment begins. Nothing I can really do until this is done.

So it's 7:45am. And the wait begins.

I do know what I'll be doing once daughter has woken up and gotten herself together. I'll have to watch more episodes of series one of Supergirl now she seems to have entered a comic book kick. Judged on the first episode it's not The Flash. Thing is The Flash took me back to when I was a child and enjoying the wonder that comic books (I refuse to call them "graphic novels") provided. Supergirl doesn't do that. I look at it through the weary eyes of a fifty four year old man.

I'm not saying that Supergirl is bad, and obviously I'm not the target audience. It's just not for me.

And further to this Superhero/heroine summer that it has apparently become will be going with daughter to see the Antman and the Wasp movie later today. Of course I say "intention" a lot of things are going to depend on the Washing Machine delivery today.

9:04am. Machine delivered. Hurrah. Now have to wait for the installer.

In the meantime mail has come. Swansea Grand Theatre's shows for Autumn/winter. Apart from an evening with John Hartson (the only ex Arsenal player whose performance for West Ham was just as good) it's of no interest to me. For the wife there's a dance show by ex-Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole. Email her. Ask if she's interested.

You know one of the best things about Twitter is it's ability to remind you of things. Just seen a clip of Terry Jones interviewing the writer Angela Carter in an eighties programme called Paperbacks. It reminded me that not only was Jones an actor (of course in Monty Python) but also a writer and skilled presenter. He had intelligence, knowledge and wit. The Stephen Fry of his day. It makes the fact that he's currently suffering from Alzheimer's even more of a tragedy.

10:45am. I get a call. It's my mother. Much as I love to chat about life, the universe and everything to her. Much as she has many considerable talents. She's doesn't install washing machines (though to be fair neither do I).

11:50am. Daughter still not awake. Had a very late night yesterday so unworried. Will wake her up at one. Meanwhile no installer and I'm hungry. Salami sandwich time nearly and a cup of tea.

12:33am Daughter awake. After she has a shower and dressed will be watching Supergirl Series One whilst hoping the installers will come and relieve me of this wait.

Until the next time

The Insomniac (Just) Meanderings Post : Welsh Heatwave Edition Part 4!!!

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As I'm writing this it's 6:07am which is rather late for my normal insomniac posts (though have been unwillingly awake for about an hour) but as for reasons I won't bore you with am unable to post something tomorrow and though I will post something Sunday it won't be early in the morning so I thought well might as well do it today.

And yes there is still a heatwave. Some days are hotter than others but it's still there. Relentless. And the thing is we're getting used to it. Mind you have seen the weather for next week....and it's going to be hotter.

And more and more the issue about Welsh water being used to supply England comes into the fore. Let's be clear here. Whoever (and it wasn't me) who said that water was a Welsh natural resource and could be used as a catalyst for Welsh nationalism in the same way that North sea oil helped the SNP in showing that Scotland could survive as a nation was onto something. Again it appears that Welsh resources are being ripped apart to sustain England. It's already causing resentment. And it will fester.

It seems (just to borrow the BBC Radio Wales line about the World Cup) the water's all English now.

Just imagine a scenario where many Welsh people find it difficult to pay their household bills but find Welsh water flowing into England. That will create social unrest. Wales could be the first country in Europe where political change was caused by water, and by definition climate change.

There has been a debate in Wales about the change of place names from Welsh into English. People (rightly) see it as an act of vandalism on the Welsh heritage. Just to add a small twopennyworth into this I'll say this. Surely the proof it's a conspiracy is that often the English name has no connection with the area either. "Happy Donkey Hill" or "Lake Australia! anyone?

I have a cold. Don't think it's hay fever. Just a cold. Serious enough of course. I am a man.

Came home from work last night to find Blair being interviewed on Newsnight. Let's be clear (I think I've written this before but it's worth repeating). His youthful looks and voice have gone. No one trusts him. A minority worship on his altar. Most hate him. The power of the painting in the attic has long since gone. The man is Dorian Grey personified

Quick Welsh political news: Former Conservative leader Andrew R T Davies and Andrea Leadsom Leader of the House Of Commons are hosting a dinner in the Copthorne hotel Cardiff on the 26th July.

My first thought when I heard this was that was interesting that a revival of Little and Large was taking place. Though in the cause of gender equality Ms Ledsom was taking the Sid Little part (an improvement let's be clear on her current role as glorified office manager).

It costs £30 for this experience. Something I probably would describe as danger money. The other question is why Alun "Chucky" Cairns, Secretary of State For Wales and man I would trust about as far as I could see him isn't attending. So unlike him not to appear in a pointless costly occasion.

Plaid Cymru are doing well in recent council by elections (which is pleasing to see). The sooner this leadership election is dealt with the better.

With my West Ham United cap on let me say the signing of Jack Wilshire bothers me. With the one exception of John Hartson I cannot think of a single ex Arsenal player in my lifetime whose performance was just as good in the claret and blue. We shall see. But I have my worries.

Tomorrow wife, daughter and other female friends will be going to see the sequel to Mamma Mia. I should let you in on a secret. When I was younger I liked ABBA. Now I've moved to neutrality. Whereas now I'm far more of a classical and Easy Listening guy. Is that an age or gender thing? I don't know.

Let me leave you with this opinion.

Dean Martin was a better singer than Frank Sinatra.

Anyway time to go.

Until the next time (that being Sunday)

So March 9 Then: The Day I Intend To Be An Undercover West Ham Fan At Cardiff City

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I'm not normally one for looking at football fixtures for the forthcoming season but yesterday was different. I'd decided to prepare and plan as much as I could to watch Cardiff City play the team I follow West Ham.

All the time Swansea City were in the Premiership I'd left it too late. Ready to go only to find work/other issue blocked my way. This time will be different. I now know the date (March 9th) and I will monitor when the tickets will be on sale. I WILL BE THERE.

The Undercover West Ham fan.

Why undercover? Well I don't want to sit in a faraway corner of the Cardiff City Stadium where the away fans normally are. I want a good view thankyou very much. Don't worry I will be polite. I won't suddenly shout out "Come on You Irons!" whilst being surrounded by Bluebirdian fans or cheer when Manuel Pellegrini's men (let's be optimistic here) score a goal. No I'll be polite. I will wear my standard gear now of old man casual. I won't do anything. My parents raised me good.

(And as an aside when Pellegrini was appointed manager for Manchester City he was described as providing a "holistic approach" to management. Presumably then the West Ham backroom staff will include Holland and Barrett)

I have done this before in the City stadium when Sam Allardyce was manager. The person who almost blew my cover was the wife who having dropped me off sang as loudly as possible "I'm forever blowing bubbles" as she was driving past.

(I gave up taking her to football games when many years ago I took her to see Cardiff play then Premiership Aston Villa (how old? Paul Merson was playing that old) in Ninian Park. Cardiff had just been promoted to the old Division One I think (now the Championship) and at end of the match the announcer said something like...

"And we'll see you next season ….in Division One!!"

To which the wife responded "Not for long"

Well I wanted the Earth to swallow me there and then. I vowed never to take her to a game ever. Though of course....full disclosure here....she was proved right as they got relegated the following season!
Also there seems to a certain group of Welsh woman who can say anything and get away with it whereas if I said the exact same thing hands would be warmly shaking me round the neck)

Anyway West Ham won but I was quiet. Indeed I was able to hold a mournful look that suggested disappointment whereas in fact I wanted to shout "YEEESS".

And of course I can't say anything...thus revealing myself to be English....even if it may not be an Eastend accent suspicions will be raised. Hence the silence.

So if you see a silent fan watching Cardiff play West Ham next year that will be me. Sorry Cardiff City...no I'm not sorry really. Tell you what though, I'll see if I can come on September 1st and watch you play Arsenal.

I'd definitely shout for you then.

Until the next time.

I May Be An Englishman Who Supports Welsh Independence. But I'm Still Going To Support England in The World Cup

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Last Saturday there was a Yes For Independence march held in Dumfries. And amongst the groups marching was one called English For Yes. What Twitter noticed and commented upon was a guy in that particular demonstration who wore an England football shirt. Basically the comments that were mocking him were in essence that here was a guy with split loyalties.

So let me be clear here. I'm with that guy. And the reason I'm with that guy is quite simple.

Football is different.

As anybody who supports a football team will tell you that supporting a team is not the same as supporting your local supermarket. When you ally yourself to a team you do so for life, not just for Christmas. So should you move away from that team you don't say, "well I might as well support the nearest club now". No you stick with the team that you have invested blood, sweat, tears and some money following.

After all I currently live near Cardiff City who will be playing in the Premier League next season and whilst (like Swansea and Newport) I genuinely wish them well I'm not going to suddenly start wearing a blue shirt, doing the Ayatollah and shouting "Bluebirds! Bluebirds!" all over the place. No the one time I intend to go to the City Stadium is to watch (quietly, I live nearby!) West ham beating them.

And that is equally the same nationally. I've supported England all my life and nothing changes now. I believe that Wales should be an independent nation and have no problem proclaiming my support for that. But as any fan will tell you the first rule of sports fandom is that once you have committed to a team that's it. You change your allegiance then you've broken the law.....it's a fact.

In fact my problem for this World Cup is going to be quite different. Normally due to my family background I would support England until they get knocked out after which I'd follow Italy. But this time Italy failed to qualify for the tournament in the first place.

Now that is a problem.

Until the next time.