Dead Heat

Today the news is that coffee cuts the risk of dementia and protects the memory. Which comes hot on the heels of a disclosure that it reduces the risk of cancer, unlike processed meats but not decaff, so avoid that as it apparently increases the risk of heart disease. Which isn't as exciting as last year when they decided that coffee boosts female libido. Life's so complicated. I simply use coffee on L to try and keep her awake at nights, but it doesn't often work.

Lunch at the pub today for the first time in a month but unfortunately the chef was holidaying again, so no food available. We ended up at the Dolphin which was better than expected.

L's being trying to nag Son into going to more of the A level support sessions they have at his college. These sessions are particularly useful for those who are in danger of not passing e.g. Son. So operation study support has been launched. L has threatened to take the garden shears and cut every wire on Son's computer if he doesn't start going to as many as possible or even worse tell his father about his, not so good, exam results. Things are really livening up in our house and at least it's got him into my blog.

He has actually asked me to help him with his computing project which a good sign. I've looked the project up on the internet to see what it's all about and it sounds quite exciting. It also sounds very involved, weeks of work I would say, I don’t know how he finds the time to play any computer games.

L has what she describes as a 'most awful dilemma' tonight. She says her fitness schedule says 'cycle' but her life schedule says 'dog'. That's an awful combination that, she knows from experience, doesn't combine well. She has to keep to her fitness schedule. I shall kick the dog in the garden before squash and probably afterwards too.

Squash is at Portland again tonight, after years of preferring Clifton, Portland now seems to be in fashion with my opponent. Among other things, he says the 'crowd' is usually better there, a football analogy I think. Shame about the ventilation or lack of it on the courts. It's been a little warmer this week but it's hardly been summer, yet I hate to think what the temperature was on court.

After a 'thrilling' first two games, which we shared, 15-13 and 14-16, after slipping four points down in game three and barely being able to breathe in the heat, I eased off and basically forfeited the game, 15-6 I think it was. There doesn't appear to be any fans on the courts there unlike at Clifton where they do have them but obviously they don't work. There must be some 'health and safety' issue here because clearly the council wouldn't expect their staff to work in such conditions, so it can't be ok to 'roast' their customers in this way.

So to game four. Towelled down and drenched in cold water, I come out fighting, only to find that once I'd opened up a similar sized gap my opponent was out of gas and took a similar breather to me, allowing me the game 15-5. So 2-2 and the decider, we were locked at 9-9 when the next players came on court. So a good game and I think our first ever totally dead heat, in more ways that one. The question is should we really have to 'throw away' two games that we've paid for?

Howard Town Bleaklow in the pub, then home to L's inventive, hot and excellent king prawn dal. Which is doubly spiced with extra chilli, I think to upset the kids because both of them are pissing her off at the moment. Then we finish the night with a couple of Isle Of Skye beers left over from Scotland.