I am a sporting hero

Any day that starts out with the replacement of our nasty bathroom carpeting with linoleum that almost looks like hardwood when you squint ...


... and ends up like this ...

... is a good day indeed. The NEXT, however, is a little painful. Today I look as though I aged twenty years overnight. I love my champagne, but when there are free top-ups it's a bad scene. (In my defense, I was sitting through Physics-related slideshows. Oh alright, I admit it was a pretty fun evening.)

We had our end-of-season football dinner (curry and beer!) tonight. I tied for Player of the Season. As goofy as the award was, I couldn't help but feel a rush of giddiness. (I've spent my life getting also-ran awards such as 'Most Sportsmanlike Player' or 'Most Consistently Late Player' or 'Longest Ponytail'.) I also got nominated for Player of Steel - with the comment that I'm scary out on the field! I prefer to think of myself as a gentle giant. I have only injured one person and that was due to an involuntary slide tackle when I stepped on the ball and sailed about ten metres into someone else feet first (I maintain that I bore the brunt of that collision). I know, now you can see why I'm Player of the Season. Anyway, I was expecting to come away with 'Most Own-Goals of the Season' so it's a pleasant surprise. My cheer was considerably diminished when I became an object of pity after failing to get a prize three Christmas Crackers in a row. What a stupid tradition.

My festive events are finished, which is a bit sad, although good for the liver. Now it's just work work work and pack pack pack. And then I will finally have time to start hyperventilating about getting onto an airplane. Yes, good times are ahead.