Those of you lucky enough not to be working today, I am sure you will agree that today feels like a Saturday. It does for me and I have just got back from town, had quite a few little jobs to get done before getting back home around 1pm for some food. Let me first go back to significant moments to mention from earlier on in the week. On Tuesday evening, straight after work I went for a run with James. It would be our last run together for a while, as he is off to China tomorrow for two week break. We improved out time every so slightly, clocking up four miles in less than forty minutes. The pace was very good and for the first time in ages, my legs did not feel too bad after the run, I know I can go faster and for a greater distance. I just need to start proving I can now. After the run I had only a few minutes to check a few things online before heading out the door again. Charman was on his way up from Bournemouth and we were going to grab some food at the Hogshead and watch the game. It was only when he text to say he would be a bit late (7:15pm) that I realised that perhaps the Hogshead might be showing the Manchester United versus FC Porto match and I would have to find a different venue. A few Google searches did not help, we would just have to take a punt at it. Worse case scenario, get some food and came back to the flat, it was on ITV4. As I walked up to the top of my road, I heard the roar of the BMW as Steve pulled in to park. It was good to see him again after over a month or so. He looked very well. We walked through Victoria Park to the pub. Before we ordered food and drinks, we had to check if they were showing the game, the signs looked good, ITV4 was on all the main screens. However, it was a new girl at the bar, Emily and she had to check with her manager who came over to explain the situation. Man U were being shown on the main screen and Arsenal just on the smaller screen at the back of the pub by the pool table. Not good at all. However, it would do us and we only had some twenty odd minutes before kick off. We opted to stay, ordered some drinks and food. It was a bit of a palaver to choose a table. Emily wanted to give us a different table number and I think in the end we just sat down where we wanted to and the food found us. I was looking forward to the game and was confident. Fabregas was back, we got nick a win or hold them to a draw and then beat at the Emirates. They replayed some of the highlights from the away leg of the semi-final in 2006 and it had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. Kick off was just around the corner. It was a thoroughly enjoyable match, with end to end action, particularly in the second half when Arsenal were on top of things. I explained to Steve that the “goal was coming”. The next second, after they had replayed some action, we saw Adebayor score a peach of a scissor kick goal. Sweet! We were back in the gap and after Marco Sienna’s wonder strike we had returned with a thunderbolt of our own. You can read the match reports over at East Lower or The Cannon or even the Arseblog which I read on a daily basis! It was a great feeling leaving the pub on Tuesday evening, we had got the all important away goal and par a major disaster through to the next round. It is just a shame we picked up so many injuries to our defence at a key point in the season. Steve had joked minutes after the goal that it had put the Togo striker’s price up to £30 million, I responded with a higher bid of £35 million, then Steve put the icing on the cake, “We’ll throw in Eboue as well!” 🙂 Been a strange week, with only four working days and spent quite a bit of time on Wednesday evening packing and getting bits ready for the trip back to Wycombe. I was able to squeeze in watching Chuck and then Heroes on Wednesday evening but only by leaving the office at 4pm and heading to the gym earlier than I usually would. With regards to the gym I have decided to not start my new programme until I have completed my review with Adam. Therefore I stuck to my current programme on Monday and Wednesday and blitz the cardio programme on Thursday night before heading straight from Nuffield Wellbeing Centre to Wycombe. I have booked the second part of my review for Monday afternoon at 2pm. I am also seriously considering hitting the gym in the mornings before work. The main reason is so I can get onto the free weights outside the peak time. I am also very weary of the other gym users. There are usually a big group of well built guys using the area and I can imagine them just falling to the fall in stitches seeing me struggling with 10lb on the bench. I would feel as intimidated as I would coming face to face with a T800 model. Would I be able to manage to get to the gym at 6.30am three mornings each week? Time will tell.

I got back to Wycombe at 7pm, with the drive along the M4 motorway taking about fifty minutes. The traffic was all in the opposite direction. It has been great to be back in my hometown, particularly as my last visit was over a month ago. What have I got planned for the remainder of the long Easter weekend? Well my cousins are over so will spend some time with them. Tomorrow I am meeting up with Ryan and Trev in town, hoping that perhaps Steve and Tim can make it too but it may be a trip too far from Bournemouth. Sunday, weather permitting I want to give the car a good clean and sort out a few things in my old room. Well the study come bedroom now that I nolonger live here on a permament basis. Back in Newbury midday on Monday.