Well, incredibly late in the month I know, but here is my September issue.
We're now over a month into the season, and although we've had a draw and two defeats, we're still sitting nicely in the top six, so we shouldn't get too downhearted yet. It is very early in the season, and as long as we keep within nine points of top place, I'll be happy. It is often better not to be those top two teams as you do become a target for the other teams. Also, we shouldn't get too excited about our position, as we all know that the table means nothing until the Spring Equinox, which is six months away.
I managed a road trip since the last editorial, but it was more like some strange comedy film than real life! I decided to do Leyton Orient and QPR with a stayover at a spa-hotel outside London. It didn't get off to a great start when the exhaust came loose on the drive down. I stayed over near Peterborough before getting up early and heading into London, parking up near the Orient ground just after 07:00. I had a lovely fried breakfast (they are much nicer when you have them infrequently as a holiday treat) and then sat and read the paper in the little park next to the ground. The Parkie there was an ex-doorman, which apparently he needed to be because of the problem there with drug dealers!!!
I moved on to the Coach And Horses for when it opened and made two pints last until kick-off, meeting up with my mate Andy from Cambridgeshire during that period. The match itself was OK, but a shame we couldn't convert any of those many chances. Dobie's sending off may have been by the book, but common sense states it was over the top.
After the game, it was on to the spa-hotel to relax for a couple of days, but I seemed to pick up an ear infection during the stay there :-(
For the QPR game, I had a pub lunch on the outskirts of London, before heading in to park up and have a stroll before the game. Just after passing the QPR ground at 15:00 (so that I knew where it was) I came to a T-junction. I looked right. Nothing except a parked car. I looked left, and there was a bus blocking my view. I moved out to the middle of the road to see past the bus. There was nothing coming. I began to move off and *crunch* I buckle my two offside doors on the bumper of the car that had pulled up alongside me. It appears as if the guy parked up had decided to set off and stop too close to me. Ah well. £200 cost to me to cover the excess :-(
Anyway, the driver's door was the worst, and there was now a gap at the top. This meant that someone could have opened the door from the outside. Consequently I decided to drive straight back to Carlisle and miss the QPR game.
And to top it all off? That ear infection got worse and I was off work for two days. Great. I've never liked London, and this has just reinforced that viewpoint.......
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