Mistletoe's Musings

Overnight move to Scotland again.



Clearly the gritter is not coming.



Mr over the road has created a new pile. Why he bothers I do not know. He's bought a new snow shoveller. My car is on the grass down the road because there was no room when I came back last night. It can stay there because the wind is blowing so it will be freezing.



Snow on the fields again. Mother Shipton, a well known (sic) prophetess from 600 years ago in Yorkshire would be proud of my predictions. Of course, she predicted the end of the world in 1881 so what did she know?

Liverpool under new management are currently losing 1 - 0 to Manchester Utd in the Cup via a dodgy penalty and captain Steven Gerrard has been sent off. Good start Kenny!

Here's a fashion statement. Or something.....

I'm disappointed because England have lost 2 - 0 to Spain in a friendly, but Llorente came on and scored his first goal for Spain. He's my man from Athletic Bilbao and I am so pleased for him. "But it's England" you cry. Yeah, but they were poor and had hardly any chances. I can't see them doing much in the World Cup with that lot.

Patrick MacGoohan has died at 80. He was Drake, he was The Prisoner No 6, he was Edward I in Braveheart. He was a law unto himself. Love him or wonder at the insanity, he has gone.

In other news, FA Cup 3rd round replay Newcastle Utd 0 Hull Reserves City 1. Most notable event of the first half: both managers got sent off for a touchline spat where the fourth official had to intervene. Ha hahahahaha.

Incidentally, we scored a winner in the Boro game but the officials ruled it didn't go over the line. However, the guy back-heeled it away which he could only do if his foot was behind the line. That's twice in two years we've been robbed like that. Hey ho.

Back to work today and everyone was very glad to see me. I gave what fettle to several naughty pupils and in one case a whole class of top setters who were shocked. Ha.

By Jove I've got that much to waffle on about I don't know where to start or even if I can remember what I want to say. I'll try to sort it out in order of importance.

1. Tosca Beautiful singing, lousy production. We tore it apart when we got back to Debra's. The main cavil was that Tosca was murdered at the end. For us, this completely undermined the tragedy of her sacrifice for Caveradossi.  All sorts of things were disappointing about the third act in particular. Scarpia raped her before she killed him; her duet with Caveradossi was sung side by side with no acknowledgement of either's presence. Caveradossi was not shot but was still dead; he just sort of lay down. I thought he had gone back to sleep.

Strangely, the same set was used throughout - a church with scattered upright chairs - which worked reasonably well in Act 1 but ruined the contrast of the settings in Act 2 and 3. There was what Debra referred to as the cupboard in the corner which acted as the Angelotti chapel and the torture chamber. It was also the perch from which the Marchese (sic) di Angelotti observed the last two acts. I don't know why she was there; nobody noticed her throughout and she sang three lines as a link between Act 2 and 3 which had no curtain.

The torturer was a local electrician complete with tool box. Scarpia was played as some sort of psychotic pervert complete with twitching and hugging of a bust of the Virgin Mary. There was nothing menacing about him at all although his behaviour in Act 2 was disgustingly deviant rather than deviously scheming. He died in his underpants. His henchman shot Tosca. The highlight was the curtaincall when the conductor appeared complete in tails, white waistcoat and a shock of white hair. He did the hokey cokey with the cast 3 times and finally the curtain fell. Only one aria got an ovation which was Visse d'Arte.

2. Blackburn Rovers 1 Sunderland 2. Now that was a surprise. Yet again the opposition scored on the stroke of half time. That was that I thought so I transferred this week's Bones to video and took no further interest. Imagine my surprise when I checked the final scores and saw we had scored 2 in the second half: Kenwyne and my man Cisse. I will watch it later.

3. 6 o'clock and the phone rang. It was Nina from the television company. Kevin (my toy boy) had left a message on the phone for a meeting yesterday. Of course I was at the opera so had missed it. However, I am meeting with Denise for a chat tomorrow at 4.30 at the local posh hotel. I had to call my head teacher to tell her about the change of plan as we had originally thought she wanted to go into school to see the lie of the land, find out how to use the interactive whiteboards, how to log onto the computer network, how to do the electronic register. No, just a little chat. I think she may fall flat on her face. Not that I wish her any ill will or anything but I don't know what they expect teaching to be like. Maybe we were so good when the toyboy was watching they thought it was simple. I'll keep you posted.

4. Shopping at Asda today after another failed foray to the furniture store. My mam had seen two suites she liked the look of in the paper but the live ones were not what she wanted. We did see one called Germaine which she is thinking about. Anyway, I am now re-stocked with cheese and ready meals for lunch next week so that part was fine.

OK. I think that's the gist of things.

2 - 1 2 - 1 2 - 1 2 - 1 etc.

Yes bragging rights are ours until the return game as the Magpies are topped at our place. Haven't watched the whole game yet, but our first goal was a very good strike. The tsk-ing, however, is for a rather nasty pitch invasion at the end of the game and a bit if a fracas, Haven't seen pictures yet, but that hasn't happened for a very long time so I hope we don't get into trouble.

Half term has arrived, along with the end of BST. The forecast suggests winter is upon us next week and it was certainly blustery and chilly today. Went to shops. Sunderland was very quiet as everyone was at the match - well 47, 600 and something were. So it was table of choice at the restaurant. I had very nice lamb and Yorkshire pudding. While we were in Bon Marche my phone went off with a tantalising message from Debra my Magpie friend. The girls behind the counter knew we had won though so all was well. We are 9th, Newcastle are still 2nd bottom. Ha! Yes I will gloat while I can.

I shall be tantalising now. We have had national television people in the department this past week. It may mean being on telly. Will say nothing more until we see what pans out. Suffice it to say Paul Collingwood isn't the only famous former pupil of our school. Mwah ha ha.

We beat Fulham yesterday in a thrilling 0 - 0 draw. Wait, run that by me again; Sunderland scored a goal but the result was 0 - 0? Yes that's right. Brilliant free kick in fact, sailed into the net, the goalie threw his hands up in disbelief as he was beaten. Kieran Richardson ran away to celebrate. Referee disallowed it for hankypanky in the wall.

Should have known it wasn't their day when the same player hit the post three times with the same free kick. Took free kick, it cannoned off the right hand post, rebounded across the goal to cannon into the left hand post, rebounded again to hit the goalie on the knee before hitting the right hand post again and then into the goalkeeper's arms. No justice. Hit the woodwork five times in all as well as scoring. Mr Stroud (ref) should be ashamed!

Yesterday:
Shopping at Boundary Mill resulted in a new blouse and a new jacket for me; three skirts for the mother and a christening gift for baby Molly.
Said christening attended at Catholic church service at 6.30.
Home by 8.30 for some food.
Watched some football.
Went to bed.
Today:
Got up a bit too early for a Sunday so feeling a bit pooped now.
Watched Sunday goals. Yes it was a goal.
Made and ate dinner. Meat a bit tough.
Wrote this.

Is this a form of nepotism or just plain corruption? I have no say in American politics but I fear the way their country makes its choices of who leads them when this sort of thing goes on.

In other news, why does Alan Green have to commentate on England games? He never enjoys them and moans the whole time he is on. It's as bad as sitting next to one of those people at the match who berates the manager, the players and the tactics even when the team wins. OK, 5 - 1 was a flattering scoreline but at the end of the qualifying who cares if England were poor in October. The Kazakhstan team played gamely until about 75 minutes and then ran out of steam. England are top of the group and have to toddle off to Belarus for Wednesday. See how they do there.

Meanwhile to the shops today via a furniture store to look at a new sofa and chair for the parents. Didn't see anything we liked so Dalton Park beckoned. Mam got new shoes and a electric whizzy thing to froth hot milk for cappuccino style drinks. I got a new casserole and some rosemary. We had very nice pork sandwiches for lunch which have disagreed with me ever since. Home in time for football. As usual watched a bit of the racing and picked out the winner of the first race at 15/2 for a change. My other system was responsible instead of my usual 8/1 shot tactics. My other secret is horses with Red in their name. This time it was Red Admiral. This trick goes back to the 70s when Red Alligator won the Grand National. If I put actual money on them I might come out ahead.

Columbus Day tomorrow I see and in honour of that the boring old term of the weekend is family boat. This was a boat used in pioneer times by a family emigrating down rivers like the Ohio and Mississippi. Just like in How the West Was Won then with James Stewart and Carole Baker. I saw that at the pictures years ago.

I love that phrase. Anyhoo, not yet on top of my game but feeling much much better today; almost torpid rather than comatose in fact.

( Saturday activities )


Good result yesterday for the lads and it could have been better. We defended like Trojans for all the match, got a brilliant goal in the 86th minute and then, wouldn't you know it, they equallised in the 94th minute. Oi! That's our trick. Anyway, Roy was pleased with the effort. The lad that scored, Grant Leadbitter a local lad, had just come on the pitch a minute before he scored and was so emotional about it he ran to the manager at the edge of the pitch, collapsed and cried. It was great. So was the goal: a shot from 25 yards that hit the underside of the crossbar and went into the roof of the net with Almunia well beaten on the line.

e.t.a. Grant's dad died in the summer and Keano gave him time off to deal. His dad's ashes are scattered at pitchside, near where he ran to to dedicate that goal to his dad. Poignant or what?

Their goal was from yet another corner. Gordon came out wanting to relieve the pressure but got nowhere near and Fabregas headed in. They had already had one disallowed when the assistant referee said the ball had gone out of play before Walcott crossed it. Looked dubious to me but you couldn't really tell. Anyway, the linesman was sure.

You know this time of year is a real pain. Back to work and therefore less time to read and post. I shall draw a veil over this first week of semi-chaos and inept leadership activity from the artist formerly known as wanker. Cockup Dickhead is running that sobriquet close. I mention merely in passing that when the registers finally appeared on the system two days late on Wednesday (bearing in mind the time-table had been running since July), my Year 10 class had 33 names in it, 14 of whom I wasn't actually teaching, three who I was teaching not on the list.

So, what about Bones this week? I enjoyed it, mostly. Read on....

( The man in the Outhouse )

Other news.
England won in a World Cup Qualifier. Away. Against Croatia. Very pleasing.
Sunderland led for most of the game today at one of our bete noir clubs and then they got a draw in the last ten minutes. Newcastle lost 1 - 2 to Hull City at home with the biggest cheer going to a banner which was carried round the ground. It read 'Cockney Mafia Out'. Bit OTT there. No one has woken up with a horse's head in their bed yet.