We have all been ill this week. LO had Monday and Tuesday off*, Maggot 2 had those, plus Wednesday and Thursday. I have also been ill and ticking things over, but without travelling. This is the bug that keeps on giving since we all have the same symptoms, and it has made this week pretty yuk.
This meant we had some interesting sleeping arrangements; I was on Maggot 1's bed, so I could cough and not sleep without upsetting the others, whilst Maggot 1 was on a put-me-up in with LO, and Maggot 2 had my space in our bed. It is like some slightly bizarre version of The Waltons. It did mean we all got the best night of sleep that was available to each of us. For me, let's just say that I have nearly finished a book (part 3 of the J K Rowling written detective series) in four days.
We are now back in our own beds, and Maggot 2 is back to school today, though to be honest he is not 100%, but, I hope, he is good enough to get through the day. Plus, being at school gets him back in the real world with a vengence that should get him on the road to normal life quicker.
Maggot 1 has moved his drumming lesson to this evening so that he can then do his first morning as Assistant Tennis Coach**, which should be fun, will get him out the house doing something physical, and will get him some pocket money.
If Maggot 2 is well enough, (i.e. if the kill or cure go back to school approach is positive) then we should have training tomorrow and a match Sunday. The team have their new home kit now, which was funded by us having a sponsored run - his best pal has his and we may pick it up after school today - and the training/away kits should be coming fairly soon via the club, who somehow managed to wangle a deal that if we return all our old club-logo'd match shirts, then whoever is the maker (cannot remember which company) will provide new shirts at not cost. Result.
Slightly sad for the boy, but our team is one lighter this week as we had to ask him, via his dad, to not be part of the team anymore. The issue was with the dad, who has been creating some unecessary tension with both the coaches, to the point that both had considered giving it all up. We could not have that, since they are both valued and very good for the team, so the dad had to go, and his son with it. Sad for the lad, good for the team.
The other side benefit is that we now have 12, rather than 13, from which to pick the team of 9. Ideally, we would want only 2 subs, 3 at most, so if all boys were available, then they were having to take turns in "being the thirteenth man", and not playing that week. Reducing our numbers by one means this will be less of an issue.
As I may have previously discussed, we have moved from 7 to 9-a-side teams, so over the Summer we had been trialling various people, since we needed to bolster our numbers, and also we needed to find a goalie. The goalie, G, is Maggot 2's best friend, and was previously the attacking mid-fielder and captain of the team (being a Liverpool fan, he would like to be called the Gerrard of our team), so not someone we naturally wanted to lose from the field by him going in goal. Our main coach was not keen at all, but in the end he relented, and G took the number 1 shirt, and he has done a fantastic job. He is a little smaller than average for the age, so size might be an issue, however he is a fantastic shot-stopper (indeed, we won our last tournament because of his saves in the penalty shootout), he has a big kick*** and he, obviously, is also a footballer, so is another player at the back when we have to work it round the back up the opposite wing.
So, we lost him from the outfield team, but managed to sign up three new players, all of which have some skill and potential, and have fitted in to the team well.
Otherwise, it will hopefully be a fairly relaxing weekend, with some football and some dancing on the TV.
I hope you are well, and have a great weekend. Speak next week.
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* To be frank, she was not right, but felt she had to go in coz she had the Auditors in for the rest of the week
** Certainly how we will be describing it on his CV
*** Another change this year is that the opposition no longer need to retreat to the half-way line for goal kicks. This has made the goal kick a real danger, with the attacking team able to gain a big advantage if the keeper has a small kick or is indecisive
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