Tuesday 6th August, same normal morning pains, back being sore and wrists as well but today I had plans and I did not want to miss or change them. I had planned a few days in advance that I wanted to go and see the ice-hockey in the odyssey, it was the semi finals of the division 1 section, which where the good ones. Thought the semis would be better than watching the final, you get two games and you at least get to see the eventual winners, one way of another.
First game was Toronto against Sweden and the warm ups where pretty cool to watch, the Toronto guys where great and passed out pucks after their warm up to the kids that where all down at the front cheering them on. This was the first ice hockey game I'd been to in near 20 years!!! There were a lot more people than I was expecting, not loads maybe about up to 100. Lots of school kids and I heard that different teams had been going to primary schools to get them to support their team. It certainly added a lot to the experience with the children chanting for their team, loudest ones where for Toronto who ended up winning ten to one, biggest cheer though was when Sweden scored their only point. After the game one of the Toronto players passed out a hockey stick for the kids to fight over, which a mum got and gave to her son who was only about three, he could barely carry it, but what a memento for him!!
Another thing I was looking forward to today was getting a nice cup of proper coffee. I've been off coffee since October, I felt that this was maybe a cause of my stomach bleeds or at least not helping with it so I stopped drinking coffee and went back to drinking tea instead, seems to be doing the trick, as since I've stopped I haven't had any bother with my stomach. At the end of the first game went round to the drinks place and asked if they done coffee to which the reply was yes, so I asked for a latte, "we only do coffee" which was from a large thermos flask, bit disappointed but went for it anyway and to disappoint me more it was bloody £2.40, absolute rip and it was rank as well, last time I'll be doing that.
Back to the ice hockey, the second semi was between Tartarstan and Montréal, support started arriving for the Russians waving their flags and chanting, was great, got me on their side before it even started. Was a much closer game than the first, or at least more contested and very enjoyable. Russians ended up winning eleven to one, doesn't do the Montréal team any justice but does show that the Tartarstan team was pretty impressive.
The walk home was rather uncomfortable especially going up the hills, my leg was pretty sore, the same as before anytime you tried to raise it just a real sharp pain around the groin area. But eventually made home and sat down and that settled it again.
Wednesday after checking to see what was on in the WPFGs, I chose to go for the rowing, it was indoor but thought it would still be enjoyable. Still had the usual pains back and legs where sore as well this time and glands seemed a bit swollen still. Was in a bit of a rush to get there for the first race, so just got the bus into town and dandered over to the Waterfront where it was being held. Got to the main doors and went to go in the left automatic door and one of the volunteers said , "could you go to the one on your right please" so I went to go in the right automatic door "no, the one on your right" so I held up my right hand and said "the one on my right", he pointed down to my left and said "down there", I gave a bit of a chuckle and went down the way to another door. Asked the guy here where the rowing was and he asked me if I was competing... me... competing? With a smile I said "no, just spectating" and going through the metal detector it beeps, I look round and walk on, they didn't stop me so just ignored it.
Once I got in, it was in the studio rather than in the main hall, there were quite a few people, most where family and competitors, and me. Stayed and watched a few of the races. I was quite impressed they completed 1000m in just under 3 mins and the 500m in about 1min 30, some people seemed as if they were dying after, I'm not surprised with the effort they were putting into it. The atmosphere in the place was buzzing too cheering on their fellow countrymen.
After the men's races had finished I decided to head on elsewhere so walked into the centre and took a trip to the cinema to have a look at what was on and Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters was coming on in a few minutes. I enjoyed the first one, but this one wasn't quite as good and seemed to go in pretty fast, I feel they could have stretched it out a bit more and add to it in one way or another. But it wasn't bad, watchable and for kids.
After I ended up walking home to burn off a bit of the cinema food I had. The walk had the usual pain in my leg so may just have to rest a bit for a couple days to see if it eases it at all. Had the family over that evening and was pretty tired.
Thursday I had a nice lie in didn't get up till about ten or half ten and thought it would be a good day to have a lazy day, which it was to an extent. Went out on the bike machine for a while, or at least until a massive wasp came in and got trapped at the window which doesn't open, didn't know what to do so let it fly around and tire itself out and then eventually got a bit of card for it to sit on while I took it outside, saving it from the forest of webs around the window (it was the garage window so it doesn't get cleaned much and lots of things blocking the way to the window).
Once I got him out I went to the chemist and the sandwich shop for lunch home to eat that and watch some more of The Shield. Got a delivery of my new keyboard too, which so far seems pretty nice, solar powered and the connector to the computer to charge it is the same as a my other devices to saves having to have a load of different cables lying around. Only problem I am having with it is that the space bar seems to be over sensitive and constantly putting in double and sometimes even triple spaces so I need to see if there's a way to change the sensitivity on it until then it's going to be annoying deleting all these spaces. (turned out there where 89 of these double spaces in this alone)
Got a visit from Tim and decided what to do over the weekend for my birthday, heading out for a "couple" drinks on Saturday and maybe even a couple on Friday as well with others that can't make it on Saturday but all will be decided.
Friday morning and my back is pretty bad and generally feeling bunged up and unpleasant, but I'm sure once I get up and about it'll clear up. Guy came to fit the carpet in the bathroom, but I've spent all day watching The Shield until I started this. But today is my BIRTHDAY!! whoop 28!! I've proved that not all the greats die when they're 27. Win to me, maybe a drink to celebrate today? quite possible.