Feb update

So a month has passed, and now I think I can tell you a bit about what I mentioned in the last blog post.

Those of you who know me will be aware that I enjoy a good quiz and am somewhat competitive. It will come as no surprise that I might put myself forward for a well-known TV quiz. I did, was accepted and on Fri Jan 27th filmed an episode. I do not yet know when it will be screened and will post the date when I know.

I went to watch Southampton play at St Marys. They are going down. That is all.

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Christmas is upon us!

I went back to work briefly at the end of November, but I’ve been at home for most of this month using up the holiday I didn’t take while I was under treatment. This means lots of writing – doesn’t it? Well, as I’ve mentioned before, lots of time does not for me equate to lots of words. I have been pushing on with the sequel to my adventure fantasy novel. I’m up to 61k words and the end is certainly in sight confirming that it will be substantially shorter than the first book.

Goodreads tells me that I’ve read 14 novels this year (which will be 15 before the end of 2014) which is a pretty good number as many of them were chunky old beasts. The best novel was clearly ‘The Girl With All the Gifts’ by Mike Carey – not a comfortable read but one I could not put down. I thoroughly recommend it to any of you who haven’t read it.

Had a great trip to St Marys’ on Saturday with some mates from work. Southampton had, just like last season, passed through a slump in December, losing games they should have won (Burnley, Man Utd) or drawn (Arsenal) and picked up some injuries and suspensions. I was not expecting this to change for the Everton match, but I was most agreeably surprised by how well the whole team played to win 3-0. A 19 y.o. midfield player named Harrison Reed made his first start and looked like he had played in the Premiership all season – another star from the Saints Academy.

I wish a happy and peaceful Christmas to all my readers.

Most unexpected

I went down to St Mary’s yesterday to watch Southampton play Manchester City with a mate from work who is a City supporter. I must confess I didn’t give Southampton much chance. I’ve watched the highlights of plenty of City games this season and they are capable of some outstanding football. Southampton had been playing well but not winning games – last week’s draw with Wigan a prime example. I thought we would most likely get beaten by 2 or 3, and at 5.25 I would have taken a draw.

That’s not how it worked out. Southampton were excellent, City were poor. We played them off the park, winning 3-1 with one of the strangest own goals I’ve ever seen, scored by Gareth Barry. It should have been more; there was a shout for a penalty which looked pretty good from 70 yards away and even better on TV.

If Southampton continue to play like that they will stay in the Premier League and deservedly so.