Saturday - and no footy to watch!

What to do instead?

Well - we're thinking about nipping out to the Bluebell Wood for a look. Our neighbours recommended it as worth a visit. They were there yesterday and reckon the bluebells are at their best right now. Anyway - we'll see because the grass wants cutting again, the hedges need a trim and there's lotsa dandelions to dispose of on the Nortoner Towers Estate!

Belper Town's season finished on Easter Monday with a 3-5 home defeat to Leek Town. Pity Andy Carney couldn't go out on a win but it was an exciting game. What the Sun would call "an 8-goal thriller". Albums are here:

As ever - Tim Harrison's first....

http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/LkTwnH1011/index.html

And mine - (actually complimented by Mr Harrison as one of my best of the season!!)

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2011%2004%2025%20BTFC%203-5%20Leek/

Pity it took me all season to get it right!!

Not done much else apart from work this week. We were given the option of taking yesterday off to watch the Royal Wedding or going into work and taking a day later in the year. Since we finish early on Fridays anyway - it made sense to me to work in the morning and have a full day later on.

Still editing the pictures of our day out at Cromford - I promise I'll get some on  here soon - but I've taken a heck of a lot of pictures in the last week or two and I'm still sorting through them.

Here's a couple to be going on with....

Threatening sky at Glapwell - last Saturday - the rain never came although we found out when we got back to Sheffield that there had been heavy thunderstorms with rain and hail! 

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Glapwell again - pre-match warm up - Jon Froggatt decided Matt Plant needed to cool down rather than warm up!

Apple blossom on our tree at Nortoner Towers.

Nowt else to tell you - but I'll do more later. Eggs and Bacon now - then Bluebell Wood,  then cutting grass - so I'm not sure when I'll do more and it will definitely be later!

Cheers!

Will somebody please slow down the clock!

A week since my last post! Sorry - that's not "more frequently" as I promised.

Anyway - still busy editing pictures and I'll post a couple of albums maybe this evening. (hopefully!)

It's been a busy week. We decided on Tuesday that I'd book Wednesday afternoon off work and maybe go to watch Belper Town at Market Drayton but after thinking about it and after a text exchange with my mate Tim Harrison, we decided not to go. It's a 2 hour trip from Nortoner Towers and it would have been close to midnight when we got home. With work on Thursday morning that might have been a bit too much at my age!.

Tim went of course - and recorded a fantastic 4-2 win for the mighty Nailers!! See his album here:

http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/MrktDrytnTwnA1011/index.html

Still took Wednesday afternoon off and went to the Cromford Canal (more good advice from Mr Harrison!) and had a grand couple of hours wandering around, enjoying the sunshine. It's a lovely spot - as you'll see from the pictures when I've finished editing them! For reasons unknown, almost all of the pics I took are badly overexposed and a lot of adjustment is needed in Photoshop before they are good enough to put on here.

Saturday meant a trip to watch Belper Town at Glapwell. A ground where we've never won apparently! Anyway - that was put right as Belper emerged 3-0 winners. Tim's album is here:

http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/GlpwllA1011/index.html

Needless to say - I'm still editing  mine! (Because it's been a very busy weekend)

Sunday - up early and a long drive to Folkestone to meet up with our son and daughter-in-law. They drove down from Rotterdam, through the Channel Tunnel and we met up for a few hours (including Fish and Chips of course) There were one or two items which our son wanted to get back to Holland and so we decided a day out would be perfect. We've done it before and it makes for a long day but it's great to see them! Easter eggs were handed over (they are back on the diet Tuesday I believe!)  and they brought us a bag of small gifts from their recent holiday in Israel.

It was a beautiful day and we got back about 8:00 pm last night. As you can see - the tide was out!

Today - off to Belper this afternoon to see the final game of the season and the final game of Andy Carney's tenure as team manager. The new Chairman was at Glapwell and also the new "Executive Director of Sport" - or so the whisper around the ground said. Dunno who this guy is - there has been no official announcement from the Club so we'll wait and see.

The new manager is yet to be appointed. Applications have to be in by 30th April apparently.

Who knows - the changes might be a bit too much for us. The Duchess and I have to decide where we'll be watching our footie next season. It will  be a great pity if one of the main attractions of Belper Town for us - the "friendly" atmosphere - is lost but we'll see.

Now it's time for bacon and eggs and then off to Belper to say "Goodbye" to a top bloke, Andy Carney. 

I Took A Blogging Break....

.... but I'm back with a re-design - see how it goes - not sure if it's improved the blog at all. Anyway - to tell you what's been happening....

The real highlight is a win on the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice Lottery! A couple of weeks ago, totally unexpectedly, a nice cheque for £1,000 dropped on my doormat. That's our annual fishing holiday paid for then! (I could have bought a new lens, tripod, etc., etc., but felt it made more sense to pay the balance of our holiday!) The Lottery is about £4.50 per month... why not join and help the Hospice in it's incredible work? Maybe you could win a grand!

The site link is here:
http://www.bluebellwood.org/

As for football. Well, Belper Town's season continues to fizzle out. A 5-1 win over Market Drayton at home proved to be a bit of a false dawn. Pictures are here (Snapper's)
http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/MDTH1011/index.html

and here: (Mine)
http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2011%2004%2002%20BTFC%205-1%20Market%20Drayton/ 

The team then lost in the Presidents Cup Final - rather too easily as it happened - our only strike on goal was the penalty  kick that made it 3-1 to Lancaster City. A draw with Lincoln United and two defeats "on the road" leaves three games to play.

You can see all Snappers pictures from the Cup Final, etc on the Belper Town Fans Forum:
http://joeywinson.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general

Scroll around in there click on the "Photos" threads and catch up!

The new Belper Town Chairman was installed this week and we'll see what the effect is. He certainly sounds enthusiastic and talks a good fight,  judging by the press release but we'll see if he can turn the words into action.

We'll be at Glapwell next Saturday for the penultimate game of Belper Town's season and at Belper on Easter Monday to see the last match that Andy Carney will take charge of. Sad day that will be. And we still haven't decided if we'll follow Belper next season. Lets see what happens this summer.

Nowt else really to report - life goes on and I've been busy with the camera. Got some lovely shots of a sunset a couple of weeks ago and submitted one to weather photos at Yorkshire Television . I'm delighted to say they used it as a background during the local weather forecast!

Some other shots from various expeditions - for your delectation.......

The company I work for resides on Effingham Road, hence the local sandwich shop is called the "Effing" Sandwich Shop!

A daffy in our garden

A resident of the Rare Breeds Farm in our local park

Graves Park - just around the corner from Nortoner Towers

Apple blossom in  a neighbours garden 

Ladybower/Derwent Dams - late afternoon

And there's lots of football pics but I can't be bothered - besides, as I've already said - if you wanna see good footy pics - visit the Belper Town Fans Forum (link above) and click on Snapper Harrison's "Photos" threads - there's loads of good uns there.

As for work - still busy but things have slowed down. Now preparing a trip to Canada and USA for mid-May (had to wait until footy was finished before I shoot off!)

So - I will try to revert to more regular posting but in the meantime - I'd welcome any comment (good or bad but I'll ignore the bad!) about how the new blog layout appears on YOUR screen please!

TTFN

Another mixed week....

Football first -

Tuesday

Belper Town 0 - 5 Newcastle Town

Sheffield Wednesday 1 - 4 Peterborough

Saturday (yesterday)

Romulus 2 - 0 Belper Town

Southampton 2 - 0 Sheffield Wednesday.

Tim Harrison's pics from the game at home v Newcastle are here:

http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/NwcstlTwnH1011/index.html

I took my camera and have some reasonable pics but haven't had the time to do much with them this week. Belper knew it would be a struggle after Aaron Pride got sent off and the ref awarded a penalty to Newcastle. He said that Aaron had deliberatly handled the ball to prevent a goal so the letter of the law says he has to go. The fact the ball was hammered at him from close range and he raised his hands to protect his face as he turned his back didn't seem to matter to the ref. Whatever happened to common sense.

Anyway - we didn't go away to Romulus but the match report (link to Belper Town home page on the right) sums up what was apparently a better performance from the side. Still a defeat though and that is now 6 in a row. And next Saturday - Barwell, runaway leaders of the division, visit Belper.....

Highlight of the week was a trip to Scarborough yesterday. A last minute decision after seeing the weather forecast. We had a super day and pictures will follow as soon as I've finished editing them. Here's a couple to be going on with....

South Bay from the cliff top

The Harbour

One of the many boats in the harbour

The lighthouse at the harbour entrance

Altogether, we walked around 3.1/2 miles in all - and enjoyed fish and chips in a small cafe before heading back to the car and home via Flamborough Head. The sunset was spectacular....

The great thing is that Scarborough operates a fantastic Park and Ride scheme. Park your car for free and for a fare of just £1 - hop a bus into town. We, of course, have bus passes so the bus ride was also free!

A cracking day although we were a little surprised by the number of people who'd had a similar idea! The place was busy!

The rest of the week just went by in a blur so there ain't a lot else to tell you. We'll see what next week brings. I will attempt to get an album of our Scarborough day made and linked on here but no promises!

Laters

A Real "Up-And-Down" Week......

Began with an "up"

Tuesday:

Belper Town FC 2 - 0 Newcastle Town, Semi-final of the Presidents Cup

Oldham 2 - 3 Sheffield Wednesday. Football League One

Couldn't make the cup semi - got back from dropping visitors at Manchester airport just a bit too late to drive down to Belper. Anyway - Tim Harrison took these pictures of what manager Andy Carney told me later in the week was the best performance by a Belper side this season.

http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/NwcstlUtdH1011/index.html

Then a "down"

Thursday

Belper Town confirm Andy Carney's decision to step down as first team manager at the end of the season. The Duchess and I were (are) massively disappointed so I sent the big man a text and he called me back. We had a good old natter and promised to keep in touch.

Andy is really the remaining "link" the Duchess and I have with Belper Town FC and when he goes, maybe we might too? We got to know him well through our initial interest and friendship with Danny Hudson. Dan's gone, now Andy's going. The Club is looking for a new Chairman.

We might have to see what other non-league options are available. Dunno yet. Whatever happens the Duchess has already categorically refused to go a mile and a half down the road to watch Sheffield FC. She says she doesn't like the club, the people or the atmosphere! Any road up - we'll see.

Another "up"

Friday

Booked the day off because our son was visiting from Holland for the weekend. A very good mate of his is going through a rough patch and so our lad "popped over" for what was, literally, a flying visit. Picked him up from Manchester airport mid-morning. He has also been dieting since 1st January and has lost just under 3 stone. He looks better for it and says he feels better too. It's always good to see him - no matter what shape he's in.

Then "down".

Saturday

Belper Town FC 0 - 2 Grantham, Evostik League One South

Sheffield Wednesday 0 - 1 Notts County. Football League One

Footy results determine the mood yet again! We went to the Belper game and the team did way better than the last time we saw them when Quorn best us 5-1. However, it's still a defeat to a side who have lost one of their last 20, but, sadly, a team the Belper side of two seasons ago would have wiped the floor with.

Nice to see our mate Mossley Smiffy there again. He had his camera and I'll link to his pics as soon as he posts the link but in the meantime, Snapper Harrisons images are here:

http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/GrnthmH1011/index.html

And mine are here:

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2011%2003%2012%20BTFC%200-2%20Grantham/

Sunday - well not a lot happened. Took our son back to Manchester airport in the afternoon - the car will know it's own way there by now - did the same return trip on Monday and Tuesday, collecting and delivering our Canadian visitors  - then Friday and today, collecting and delivering number one son!

Oh aye - just remembered it's Monday tomorrow..... Bugger!

What a Crappy Weekend....

Saturday really was a day to forget....

Belper Town 1 - 5 Quorn FC

Sheffield Wednesday 2 - 4 Plymouth Argyle.

We saw the game at Belper and it was, overall, a pretty poor show. With the exception of 3 or 4 players, the team showed no enthusiasm, endeavour, commitment or spirit.

Bear in mid Quorn had won only 7 games all season before this. It didn't help that early on, skipper Jon Froggatt crashed in a shot which came down off the underside of the bar and bounced up safely into the keepers arms. Something told me then that this wasn't to be our day but I didn't expect the display we got.

One of the very few positives from the game is the performance of Aaron Pride and Cameron Martin who came on a second half subs. Aaron has been warming the bench recently following a 3-match suspension but after the second half yesterday - I don't see how he can be dropped again!

Cameron  Martin is a young lad from the Belper reserve side. He worked hard in the second half and tried to keep up with Jon 'Frogba' Froggatt who once again led by example with little or no support.

Aside from Jon, Lee Thompson and Nick Darker are about the only two of the other players who emerged from this disappointing display with any sort of credit.

The contrast between the two teams was interesting - every time a Belper player had the ball, he was immediately pressed, harried and hurried by at least 2 Quorn players. Our boys often stood and watched (seemingly in awe!) whilst the ball was brought under control or headed clear.

The extent of the disappointment was summed up for me by Captain Jon Froggatt as he left the pitch. He said, as he removed the captains armband "Nobody else cares!" A damning indictment.

Disappointment etched on Nailers faces as they left the pitch.

Anyway - if you want to see the action (or lack of it in Belper's case) Tim "Snapper" Harrison's record is here:

http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/QrnH1011/index.html

I took about 150 pictures and have had a quick look through - but to be frank - I really can't be arsed to make an album this week.

That's basically all you're getting this Sunday. Next week is busy - Monday evening I'm to be at Manchester airport to collect two visitors from Canada and I have to return them to the airport by 4:30 pm on Tuesday afternoon. Not much chance of getting back to Sheffield to collect the Duchess and get down to Belper to see the semi-final of the President's Cup - Belper v Newcastle Town. That might not be a bad thing if the team performs as it did on Saturday!

Main highlight of next week comes on Friday when our son arrives at Manchester airport for a brief visit to see a mate who has a bit of a problem. I've booked a day off and will collect him cos that is probably about all we'll see of him before he heads back to Rotterdam on Sunday or Monday.

Thing is - a lousy weekend makes Monday morning even more of a drag although I guess it's a  bit sad that a 61-year old bloke has his duck knocked so far off by a couple of football results! But - isn't that what being a footy fan is all about?

'Til next time mes amis......

That Canon Ixus ain't a bad little camera!

A few more shots taken at the Boyzone concert. Using 3x to 12x zoom and with flash disabled, the results aren't bad. (Speaking of flash - dunno what some people at the back of the Arena were expecting but flash on small digital cameras and mobile phones is not going to project 250 to 300ft to the stage!!) Anyway.... as I said - I'm quite pleased with these.

This was a really good gig but my ears have only just stopped ringing! It was LOUD!

Not much else happening - the Duchess is at a Junior Football League meeting tonight and we are planning to go to see Belper Town v Quorn FC on Saturday. (Oh - and I put the car through a car wash last evening!)

Aside from that - laters!