Mischief

A strange sense of anticipation hung over us today, but it wound up being another lesson in not planning a day by the weather forecast.

The forecast said rain all day and whilst it certainly threatened to tip it down, the rain didn’t actually materialise until early evening. With nothing planned and the children tired from their week’s endeavours, we went to Grange over Sands for a scoot along the prom and a kickabout on the five a side pitch. It was pretty quiet to be honest, and I’m wondering if many others had stayed away fearing a drenching?

The children were brilliant, so we found a decent bakery and bought some cakes for our afternoon snack. They seemed happy enough pottering about at home for the remainder of the day and broke out the pens and colouring books. The Eldest is a big fan of Loki and had started sketching this out – her mother’s artistic influence coming out – and I requested her permission to use this on today’s blip. 

The minds of m’boy and I were elsewhere on the football and speculating on score lines and outcomes. He thinks 2-1 England and I sort of think that he won’t be too far off the mark with that. I’m so pleased that they are all with me this weekend and we can enjoy it all together and obviously, hope that England win. 

To those so-called ‘fans’ who boo the national anthems of others, shine lasers at the opposition, mock upset small children of other countries and generally believe that supporting their country gives them the right to be deeply unpleasant to anyone who isn’t En-ger-lish, I sincerely hope that you have a day off.

The rest of us will enjoy the fact that we have a manager who has given the team some self-respect, self-belief and - because they didn’t have any - a little class. There is a lot to be learned from how Mr Southgate has diligently built his young team and handled the media frenzy around it all. We should be grateful that he and his team have given this jaded nation something to cheer. 

I think the least we can do is to reward that with a little self-respect of our own and whatever the outcome may be, not let the God of Mischief run away with us. 

Leave it all on the pitch, boys. 

Come on England!