September 2nd

7pm: Nicky got home today, very happy to have her back & the kids were as excited as I have seen them. They have been impeccably behaved. I had to dash off to take charge of the final Canmore Rose & Crown game of the season. The team did well this year, but I didn't really have much time to do the head coach job justice, with work, illness & holidays. I have decided to pack it in for next season, I truly love my football but with a young family & hectic job it was playing very much second fiddle.

July 11th

11pm: Just finished practising on my new lap steel, kind of hard getting used to the picks required to play the instrument properly & I am still awaiting a proper bar. The sounds you can get out of it are pretty sweet even now - must practise more. Was also the World Cup Final today, was pleased with the Spanish win & actually enjoyed what many said was a dour, spiteful final. I thought it was rather absorbing & could have swung either way.

July 4th

10pm: Someone reminded me that today was the 20th anniversary of the infamous England vs West Germany World Cup semi final in Italy. I watched the documentary about the tournament, it brought a tear to my eye - some sad family memories in there & also a poignant story in itself with the recent death of Sir Bobby Robson & the very sad ongoing decline of Paul Gascgoine.

June 11th

12.30pm. Yes!! The World Cup starts today, one month of the best sporting action in the World. Not sure I will get to see a lot of it live as the games are on mostly in the morning & lunchtimes. I have picked Argentina & Brazil in the Canmore United pool, also have a feeling Nigeria will do well today. Today's game is the opener between South Africa & Mexico.

June 8th

9.45pm: On my way home after training, another less than summery evening - the really annoying thing is just how late the evenings remain light for - perfect if it wasn't such crappy weather. Here is the bottom end of Canmore Main Street, normally a hive of activity but pretty much deserted this evening.

June 5th

11pm: OK so I am a sucker & I have bought an i-pad. Haven't really had much time to play with it yet, today was the Big Head Soccer Tournament in Canmore - my team bowed out on Day One - undefeated in 3 games, but unable to win any of them either. We played incredibly well, hit the woodwork about 6 times in those games but sometimes it ain't meant to me. Good fun though............

June 1st

6.15pm. Tabby has been slowly improving at football, with much cajoling from me she is abandoning the picking of daisies & larking around with friends & concentrating on the game! Here she is in goal, enjoying the experience & within a few minutes of this shot making a good save. Charlie on the other hand is a natural, he loves chasing the ball & has remarkably good control - my little soccer kids!

May 27th

10pm: I'm sorry to say this week has been pretty uninspiring on the photo front. As you can tell from my muddy football boots the weather has been crap & taking photos a chore rather than a pleasure. Still football training was fun, hard work in the cold & wet, but energising fun. The team is coming together well, think we will compete this year.

May 17th

8am. Now with the warm evenings it's moth season - I leave the outdoor light on most nights so that in the morning we get a selection of moths for Tabby & charlie to study - they love it & some of the bigger moths we will get in July are amazing. Afraid to say Charlton crashed out of the Play-offs today, beaten on penalties in a roller-coaster of a match - as I lay slumped on the sofa after Swindon's winning kick, Charlie came over and hugged me - poor boy didn't have a clue as to why I had been shouting at the TV and was now a picture of pure despondency, it's OK Daddy he kept saying, it's OK....

February 26th

10pm : A rare Charlton victory as reported online, it's increasingly frustrating following my team from afar as we are blighted with poor management, terrible commentary & a team adept at throwing themselves under the bus at every opportunity. Nice to see therefore a Friday night win far, far away in Southend on the East Coast of England. Is this the commencement of a promotion surge, I kind of doubt it, but it would be nice to be proved wrong.....

February 6th

9.45am: Listening to Charlton scrape an undeserved draw this morning on the radio in their League One game away at Swindon, my mind cast back to happier football supporting days following them around England when they used to be a force to reckon with......nowadays it's Saturday mornings on the radio over the internet, the very occasional game live on TV & the excellent Charlton Life website.....

January 18th

6.45pm: Monday night is indoor football night, two hours of high intensity aerobic exercise at altitude chasing the world's bounciest ball around the Middle School Gym. The standard is pretty good, as is the mix of nationalities - plenty of Brits but a fair smattering of Canadians, Mexicans, Hungarians, French, Jamaicans & our indomitable Irish leader!!