Tuesday 31 May 2016

Wet and cold

Very wet today so opted out of run. 30 min strength training for me in the work gym instead.

Stevie G called and we are all set for Zermatt. Counting the days.

Jungle Book Monday

Ryder had still not seen the Jungle Book so we all ventured to the 'nice' movies in Croydon.

Before going I snuck in 9k round my Home Circuit feeling very tired the whole way. I don't have much fighting spirit in me at the moment. Worked out to be 9.xx ks in 4.38s.

Evening and afternoon spent at home with the Fam cooking and eating together before watching the Reverant for the second time in a week (whilst the younger three watched other stuff). I absolutely love it. The cinematography is epic as well as the sound track. Have to say Leonado DiCaprio is pretty cool in it too. One of the best movies I have seen in a long time.

It's half term at the moment and have missed a trick. This time last year we were in Mauritius. This time of year Greece also has 30 degrees and settled weather. One to think about for next year.

Ryder Roo yesterday at dinner:














Hampstead

Today I marched everyone up to Hampstead.  It's been years since I have been up this way and wanted to show the family.

It really is the village within the city that is London and has the luxury of having London's highest point and is only 4 miles from the centre (my folks live on the second brightest point in Forest Hill and is where I grew up). I decided on one of the guided 'London Walks' and can highly recommend. There was a party of 20 or so as we meandered up onto the Heath where you'd think you were in the middle of Yorskshire.

Really interesting 2 hours and the boys just about held it together. There are an incredible amount of famous people who have lived in Hampstead and people who still do like Boy George, Ridley Scott and a bunch of the Arsenal footie team. The people who have lived there is extensive: AA Milne, Enid Blyton, Florence Nightingale, Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie the list goes on. All were said to frequent the Holly Bush pub which is one of the hidden secrets of Hampstead.  We were shown where they all lived and where Ridley Scott sold his place for only £28m last year. On that the house prices are off the charts. A nice normal looking house is £10 Mill easy!

After lunch still in Hampstead Jack was keen on a visit to Nike Town on Picadilly Circus before then getting the train back to Bromley.

Today was all about making the most of London and getting a history fix. There is another similar walk called 'Street Art' on Brick Lane which I plan to do with Tommy and Lukie both of whom love their art.

Whilst home I had a free hour so dragged my sorry self to the Langley pitches to knock out 10 x 1k on the grass never feeling entirely comfortable. With warm up and down it got me to 14 odd ks and 50k + for the week (the first time since mid April). Not at all quick but done.

For dinner we ventured into Beckenham for burgers at J's local.

































Saturday 28 May 2016

Home with the entire Fam

This long weekend is all about hanging with the Fam and that's what we did. A slow start followed by brekkie and coffee together before heading cross the road to the Langley fields taking 3 balls 2 rugby balls as well as T's golf gear.

Beaut of day and combined with some 400s with minimal recovery.

The evening was spent making pizza from scratch before eating in the garden finishing with the Champs League.










Last night after work did the same with Jacqui with me doing 2 circuits for her one. She could run really well if she wanted to.


Friday 27 May 2016

Mini Euro 2016

Jack came back from his school trip today and finally was able to catch up with him re his recent football tournament in Germany.

All the top European youth teams were there with some Asian teams thrown in. Jack's team representing Australia were one of 18 teams and is basically the preeminent u11 tournament going. 

Sounds like Jack got his confidence back as by all accounts he played well with Greg also shining. He has had a tough 6 months with his footie, his usual high standards dropping and for the first time also his enthusiasm levels. Sometimes I think he is not suited to English crash bang wallop football which is still so prevelant here.

Not a surprise to me that Schalke won the tournament. Jack knows their u11 set up well having been with them for the last 2 Septembers.  They are an outstanding group of young players who are technically excellent but likwise 200% committed. I would guess that at least 4 of them in the future will make the Schalke first team. In the current Schalke first team (which just finished 5th in the Bundesliga) they have a rediculously high representation from every graduating age group.

Jack really enjoyed the time with his old Aus mates. Whilst Cory and Greg did not go to the same school they have played an awful lot of football together and are close. Both have been with Jack at Schalke as well. Jacqui thought she saw his old self around his Aussie mates and it definitely contributed to his meltdown when he got back on Monday morning. He really misses his Aussie mates. It's been 2 years since we moved and the fact that Jack is still feeling like this really shows that the saying 'kids are resilient and are much better coping with change' is not entirely true. Jack the poor fella is in his 3rd different school in 3 years and then next year he will start his 4th as he starts Secondary school. Within all that Jack also missed 1.5 years of school as he went straight from midway though year 3 in Aus to starting year 5 in the Uk. Honestly think it's all now catching up with him. Basically he went from being old in his class to young, and the same for his football. In Aus he relied on his physical strength and now here the more physical game plus the age thing has held him back a little.

I would have loved to have been there. Jacqui had her camera stolen on the way back so these are not our photos - check out the teams too including Man U, Bayern Nervelusen :), Ajax, Porto, Spurs et al. To rub salt into the wound during the FA Cup extra time Jack's team also lost 2-1 to Man U.



This is Jack - in the Australia photos number #10: