July 6th

9pm: On my way home from soccer training, a lovely warm, mosquito free evening & a stunning sunset - without the polarizing filters on my camera it was hard to do it full justice.

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 22nd

6.30pm: The final night of Minor Soccer in Canmore & everyone could play, kids & parents. Charlie finally let loose in his big sisters football domain showed dazzling skills & speed as he literally rang rings around everyone. I think he's got natural aptitude for the beautiful game.

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 10th

9.30pm: The end of another cold, wet training session. The season is underway & it feels like England in January!

May 20th

10pm: A busy day today, work & soccer practise. Time to relax with my favourite novelist - Willie Vlautin, testament to Willie that I bought his boon in the old traditional form t due to its unavailability on the kindle. I have read exclusively from the e-book thing this year - but didn't want to miss out on Lean on Pete.

May 11th

6.30pm. It is Minor Soccer time again, and as with every week, Tabby & co are charging around after the ball. It's always great fun to watch - later we had another Canmore United training session - hard work but my match fitness improves with each session!

May 4th

6.15pm: First Minor Soccer session & Tabby is playing yet again for the Squirrels - they hammered the poor old Marmots 4-0 in the opening game. Tabby definitely stronger & with more technique this season, although the attention span of a goldfish & like the rest of the kids suffering in the sub-zero temperatures. We had our first official training session later that evening, I think I have contracted frostbite - it was appalling weather - not very enjoyable to be honest but we had an incredible turnout of players - nationalities included Chilean, Brazilian, Japanese, Czech, German, Polish, Dutch, Jamaican, Scottish, English & the odd Canadian.

April 21st

7.45pm: Jimmy Tenga thumps home a penalty for Canmore Utd in our 6-1 defeat of the Collegiate. OK it is men against boys, but the school coach, ex-Charlton midfielder Gavin Peacock is testing his team out prior to their upcoming season. They are a very talented bunch of lads & with Gavin's coaching they will have an excellent chance of winning the trophy this year. For our part, we had a good run out in sensational weather - I think it hit 25C today. An enjoyable game, but the mosquitoes!! Man!!

April 18th

11.30am: I got roped into being the linesman for the Canmore Girls U-13 game, not what I really wanted with my sore leg - but interesting nonetheless as they were playing the top side in the province. All the while Tabby & Charlie were out practising on their bikes - normally right behind me as i ran backwards looking for off sides. Tabby's new bike cost $5 from the bike swap yesterday, took her about 5 minutes to master it & she is off. Unfortunately Charlie has inherited her bright pink predecessor - he doesn't seem to mind, he will  though when the pictures turn up at his wedding in a couple of decades time!!!

April 17th

11pm: First game of the season today for Canmore United, I felt good - all the gym work paying off but half way through the second half I got a dead leg, fouling an opponent & as the day wore on I could hardly walk - agony!! Thank god for acetaminophen lurking at the back of the medicine cabinet, as I had burned my way through every other pain killer in there!

March 1st

8pm: Paul & George, indoor football stalwarts at the end of a very intense final indoor session of the season. I am sad that it's over, sure it gets a bit feisty at times & tonight was the pinnacle of feistiness but the people (by & large) are nice, the exercise fabulous & the outdoor game still at least another 8 weeks or so away!!

February 8th

5pm: On my way to indoor soccer I popped down to our summer pitch to check it out - as I suspected an unhealthy mixture of ice & elk poo covered the dead grass!! Only about 3 months to go before it's warm enough to train & play outdoors....the ice will (hopefully) be gone but we'll still be dodging the piles of elk droppings they kindly deposit around the turf for us!!