Long Weekend

Just a week after Easter another long weekend. I'm not sure why I feel a bit dislocated, given I'll have plenty of long weekends later in the year. Friday was in truth a surreal experience. With at least half the country in a royal wedding frenzy, we spent a fair chunk of the day on a near deserted allotment site. Anyway good progress was made on the beans and various other tasks. I think the raised bed will bring forth a variety of salad item during the summer which will be good. Later in the day the agonising job of having conversations with those who have filled the day with the wedding. It amazes me why we have to hide our opinions.That others will be offended if we admit that we had no wish to take any part in this anti-democratic pageant.

Saturday came and with football deferred to late afternoon a chance to spend the morning at the gym and supermarket. This could have been the last day of the season, a home game, often in the past this would be either a day of celebration or at least a chance to say "see you after the summer" to some old friends. however it was nothing like that. The result didn't alter our league position, although it's nice to finish with a win. The real reason why it didn't really matter, was the end of season play offs. AFC Wimbledon finished the season on 90 points and finished second. We all know that had Crawley not bought the title we would be going up. Instead over the next ten days it's home and away against Fleetwood, with a place in the Play Off Final at stake. Yes we knew the rules of the league, but it does seem ridiculous that a team that finishes fifth might get promoted where as the team finishing second might not.

Sunday - a day at cricket. Surrey took on Scotland in the first CB40 game of the season. The first sighting of the new one day kit, and the chance to weigh up Surrey's chances in one day cricket.
The bowling attack was tidy enough Dernbach, the pick of the bowlers, and with the possibility that Tremlett might get a few outings if not on England duty, the Surrey attack should be able to restrict most teams. Certainly yesterday Scotland's below 200 score always looked runs short. Hamilton Brown tried to help them by picking out one of only two outfielders inside the first two overs, however Davies and Roy more than steadied the ship, and when Roy was out for 60, the bulk of the job had been completed. Davies fell a few runs short of a century and it was left to de Bryun to end the game with a six, sending the Surrey fans home happy.

Meanwhile across London , Arsenal defeated Manchester United. After failing to get a ticket for the game, I decided that cricket live was preferable to watching the game "live" on TV. In truth I doubted that Arsenal would get the win, and of late I've watched too many Arsenal defeats. Nevermind I was able to watch the recording when I got home, and contented myself with the feeling that had I stayed at home and watched the game during the afternoon, the result might have been different. Such is the irrationality of football fans.

Monday is a public holiday but the day started early as I'd agreed to take members of my family to Stansted Airport. Waking up just after 4am, I looked at my phone and discovered that Barack Obama was to speak to the American people, seconds later came the news that US forces had located and killed Bin Laden. I decided not to wake my wife, but greeted my son with the news minutes later. Now here is a real world news story, and one that many will ponder over during the days ahead. For nearly ten years the USA have hunted him, since GW Bush said " he was going to smoke him out", now the mission is completed, yet I get the idea that the world may become a more dangerous place with him dead than alive. Again this doesn't quite seem logical but I'm sure its an issue that I'll return to in my thoughts in the days ahead.