A whole 44 days have passed at home before our final trip of the year which seemed ages when we first got back from the Algarve, but it soon went by. At first, I was counting the days away until when we would be back in Florida but as the countdown got down to single digits, I wondered how I was going to be able to fit everything in before flying off again. Karen even accused me of scheduling myself like a 40-year-old forgetting I was a couple of decades past that and should perhaps arrange some ocassional down time.
We were lucky enough to have been invited to the hospitality box a couple of time at Carrow Road, sadly though it was when matches were taking place. The lovely food, drink and company just about made up for the terrible fayre being dished up on the pitch. Normally I am very patient with any new manager and the direction of the club. But by the end of September, even I had had enough. The club has got it wrong from the top to the bottom and drastic action needs to be taken from within the boardroom to the training facility at Colney.
I am writing this whilst on our next flight, a day in which we know the owner is meeting with officials within the club. I will be very disappointed if by the time I get to Florida he hasn’t removed at least the Sporting Director and given notice to others. I believe a new Sporting Director should then relieve the manager of his duties and appoint his or her own new man (unlikely to be a woman but if it was Serena I would not be unhappy). I would even take Ted Lasso at this point or perhaps Lassie who would at least round up and push the players up the pitch. We shall see. No action will seem like negligence to me and a sign that the owners do not understand that ‘Soccer’ is not like baseball and can not be considered a long term project.
Karen has done a few days’ work and whisper it quietly may not make herself so available to her ‘pimps’ quite so much after her scheduled hip replacement next May.
We went along to see the Nurse in the local surgery to get advice for our big trip in January to the Far East. Karen ended up having 6 jabs in 6 days – Flu, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hep A, MMR and Covid (the latter we had to pay for). She was convinced this cocktail would make her poorly and even 2 weeks later was blaming a headache on the MMR vaccination.
We were fortunate to be able to book several fascinating Norwich HOD’s tours. The best walking tour was along King Street, whilst the best building tour was of Carrow House.
In addition to fitting in another go at Padel Tennis this time at Blofield, I also accepted an invite to join a small group of guys who play Pickleball once a week at Wensum Lodge. I really enjoyed it even if I keep getting in a muddle with some of the rules. It is a really good work out. My brain and body knows where I should be moving to, but my lack of core fitness and extra weight means I don’t always get there. Both I need to do something about.
Golf has also featured and on one occasion twice in one week. It has a been another period where I still seem to be going backwards on some holes and then I am really happy on the next. Still the main thing is that I enjoy trying but even more the company, banter and walk.
We have had several theatre visits, all of which have been good and some of which very good. Hamilton was as good as we remembered although having seen it 3 times now, we probably need to give it a rest for a while. We really enjoyed seeing Mark Watson and our first visit to The Apex in Bury St Edmunds to see Lindisfarne again. They never disappoint.
There was a trip to London on the train to finally see our thrice postponed trip due to Karen’s back issues, our second viewing of Abba Voyage. It was on the day of the match against Ipswich meaning we were surrounded by true supporters in Yellow and Green and lots of inbreds wearing blue and white. The show more than made up for the match result.
We also went to see ‘I Swear’ in the cinema which we would both highly recommend.
And so, to this trip our annual return to the beauties and wonders of Florida. Previously we have travelled out on the Tuesday of half term, but this year delayed it by a day to see War Horse at the theatre, something Karen has been desperate to see for ages.
Originally, we were booked on the afternoon flight to Tampa meaning a leisurely drive down to Heathrow. A few weeks back though I was looking at flights and stumbled across the fact that if we changed our flight into Orlando instead, we could travel in Upper Class for less points than I had used to book Premium seats into Tampa. Due to limitations with Virgin’s booking system, it took a direct appeal to their COO to be actually allowed to do so.
This added a complication as the flight was scheduled much earlier at 10.50am which would mean a 3.30am alarm to get up and drive to Heathrow. Instead, we hatched a plan and booked a £30 Travelodge room at Langley on the M4 and drove straight from the Theatre to it arriving at 12.45am. The advantage was there was no traffic on the road, the disadvantage being there were overnight closures on both the A11 and M4. But the drive was easy and quick enough.
So, we packed the car and locked up the house and parked in Chapelfield in good time for the theatre. As the escalators were out of order we took the lift. And then got stuck in it.
Fortunately, not for too long, but long enough to have pressed the alarm and alerted the control room. I blame the other guy in the lift for not pressing the right button. All I know is that we were relieved when the lift eventually sprung back into action and took us back down again. I suggested to all the waiting people they might like to take the stairs with us instead just in case.
So was War Horse worth delaying our trip for – absolutely. We were blown away by it and especially the horse who was almost as good as Paddington who is my all-time favourite and the most underrated actor of his generation.
So, Florida here we come…..
