StockholmRam

@Eddie recommended a place in Ashbourne that did brilliant beer called 'The House of Beer'. I took Mr Miggins there this afternoon and he indulged in 4 half pints of various draught beers whilst I as the designated driver stuck with zero alcohol stuff although in fairness he did wave his glass in front of me so I could inhale the vapours!
It was a very enjoyable afternoon. Thanks for the recommendations, Eddie! Sorry we missed you.

Sad that the Baa Baas game against Samoa as had to be cancelled. Shame a few players picked to represent the Baa Baas couldn't be arsed to stay isolated for a few days before the game.

Was fortunate to be at the game last week, their second half wrecking ball maul would have won it for them if the boks had kicked their penalties. It was a bit of a crazy game though. England going for tries, the boks just trying to grind it out at times.
They missed this little fella, as an aside, at this warehouse do before the game Andy Goode’s opening line to Faf, was  “so the question everyone wants to know……… what brand of shampoo do you use?” ??

Flights and hotels booked. Finally after 2 years able to come back to uk to visit family and friends at Christmas.
Been a rough 2 years for many and my lot have been no different. Going to be a lovely but emotional trip. Tickets booked for myself and the lad for boxing day v West Brom. 

Ireland made the All Blacks look average. Never seen so many mistakes from an All Blacks team.
England have the players but im sure Eddie has lost the plot. Manu on the wing and Farrell has to play no matter what ideology! 
Springboks remain the team to beat... they also remain the most awful to watch.
Wales huffing and puffing today to beat 13 Fijians... then celebrating like they have won the world cup. Embarrasing.

Took receipt of this little fella and I'm bloody well chuffed with it. 

I graduated! 

You know how it is...
You come home from war... your thoughts, nightmares, mental torture, and guilt over not keeping your mate alive, despite them only being feet apart when the Afghan sniper hit... all firmly bottled away for 4 years in an army issue camo travel-flask... before finally coming clean (read "failed to hide it any longer"!) to your superiors, army doctors, shrinks, and... eventually... family!
A further 5 years pass by (on Civvy Street) with mainly ineffective help, advice and treatment (not for the lack of trying!), whilst the meds, the waking nightmares, the endless sleepless nights, the guilt, and the suicidal tendencies continue apace... until finally, along comes a seemingly successful (fingers crossed!) bout of EMDR therapies, slowly but surely making for a massive upturn in all things mood related.  (Still early days, mind!  Taking nothing for granted, here!)
And then... with almost perfect timing... the chance of a new start.  A new focus.  A new purpose in life. 
As of this very morning... confirmed!
 
Some folk... particularly parents, I would imagine... may see the fact that their son is about to head off clearing the planet of landmines (starting with 6 months in Cambodia in the new year) as a bit of a bummer!
But with what we have all been through for the last five years (Plus the secret four, for him!) and with the smile finally back on his face, and a renewed zest for the future, I'm putting today down as being one of the best... despite the natural parental trepidation... because quite simply, it's what he wants... what he needs... and what he deserves.
 
Just need to get through this coming Sunday, as we'll be with him when he heads homeward from his Cornish Hideaway, and goes for a long awaited* chat and a catch-up with the aforementioned mate's name-on-the-Camp Bastion Wall, at The National Memorial Arboretum, then it really is time to move onwards, upwards, and forwards!
(*It was an annual thing, until Covid scuppered last year's visit)
 
I may delete this any time soon... for obvious reasons... but right now, with tears in my eyes... I just want to scream out in unashamed relief!
I think he... and we... might just have turned a very long, slow corner.  Who knows... we may even have made it out through the other side!
Good day?  Hell yeah!
 
For The Fallen.
For Matt.
And for those still with us.
xxx
#LWF
 
 

 
 
 

You will know this I’m sure, but just in case - the WBA match is not on Boxing Day now. They’ve moved it to the 27th.

Fab - thanks Loweman - I will take the advice. I have a decent budget - and it’s a signature piece I am looking for to finish off my office. Ironically I did have a really nice framed match worn Charlie George shirt (unsigned) but gave it to my nephew (who’s name is Charlie George) 18 years ago when he was born. How I secretly regret that show of generosity now. He is a rams fan now though - so every cloud!

Coming from a club who have a significant number of fans regularly chant about someone being a sex offender, I think maybe we would probably do better to accept that all clubs has its idiots...

Maybe the dispute with Gibson could be settled with a Glasgow kiss.

Is that Enoch Powell in the middle?

Well talk about omens...I had a Scotch Pie for my dinner today...Och Aye the Nooo!

Welcome home @StockholmRam! Really hope that you have a wonderful Christmas and that the Boxing Day result doesn't disappoint!

Flights and hotels booked. Finally after 2 years able to come back to uk to visit family and friends at Christmas.
Been a rough 2 years for many and my lot have been no different. Going to be a lovely but emotional trip. Tickets booked for myself and the lad for boxing day v West Brom. 

Flights and hotels booked. Finally after 2 years able to come back to uk to visit family and friends at Christmas.
Been a rough 2 years for many and my lot have been no different. Going to be a lovely but emotional trip. Tickets booked for myself and the lad for boxing day v West Brom. 

Flights and hotels booked. Finally after 2 years able to come back to uk to visit family and friends at Christmas.
Been a rough 2 years for many and my lot have been no different. Going to be a lovely but emotional trip. Tickets booked for myself and the lad for boxing day v West Brom. 

Flights and hotels booked. Finally after 2 years able to come back to uk to visit family and friends at Christmas.
Been a rough 2 years for many and my lot have been no different. Going to be a lovely but emotional trip. Tickets booked for myself and the lad for boxing day v West Brom. 

Flights and hotels booked. Finally after 2 years able to come back to uk to visit family and friends at Christmas.
Been a rough 2 years for many and my lot have been no different. Going to be a lovely but emotional trip. Tickets booked for myself and the lad for boxing day v West Brom. 

Flights and hotels booked. Finally after 2 years able to come back to uk to visit family and friends at Christmas.
Been a rough 2 years for many and my lot have been no different. Going to be a lovely but emotional trip. Tickets booked for myself and the lad for boxing day v West Brom. 

Just in case any Forest fan reading this post - if your counting on one hand, you will have 1 finger left over. 

My first ever game. I was Six years old and sat in the B stand I think. Remember the noise and atmosphere but didn't know at the time about his personal circumstances and would have been too young to process it I guess. The Rams lost 2-6 to an England XI. 

25,000 IIRC, and the chants of "Alan, Alan Hinton, Alan Hinton on the wing" that echoed around the stadium were really poignant. Everyone felt empathy with him that night, over the loss of his young son through illness and the financial problems his business had suffered as a result. Derby fans really showed up for him.