The World Cup draw has just been made and the football Gods are shining down on England. (Or are these omens just too good?) Group B is with no disrespect to our competitors, a walk over. Winning the group now becomes paramount, to avoid the hosts Germany from Group A. Was it I, whom mentioned the Soca Warriors on 18th November and how great it would be to be drawn against them, after all they will be providing the soundtrack for the summer tournament, no doubt. Put it in your diary now (yes, Outlook does count!) Thursday 15th June 2006)

Friday, but not the end of just another week for me. A difficult week, without my car. Strange and awkward. At times uncomfortable. Thankfully I finished work at 4pm, to drive over to Aylesbury to collect my car. It was dark, cold with a dense fog covering the car park as I drove out into the distance. I was hoping my manager’s insistence to leave thirty minutes earlier than usual would make sure I missed all the afternoon traffic. I made great time until I came up to the roundabout by my house, with traffic at a standstill. It was time for some drastic changes to my journey. Thankfully I know some back grounds to get me onto the road beyond where the hold up was. Surely if I had got stuck there, I would have missed getting to the body shop by 5.30pm, their closing time. The traffic through the town centre was busy and as I watched the minutes tick by in the Colt, I came under the realisation that I may not make it in time. Then as I pulled up onto the forecourt, my headlights lit up car, clean, repaired, almost beaming back a smile. It was great to see my car again. There is something to the scientific research that men love their cars, some even go to the length of giving their proud and joy a name. It was a great relief to see my car again, for I had missed the comforts of a powerful diesel engine. This Japanese vehicle was no match. My weekend, could not finally begin, as I headed out of Aylesbury and back to Wycombe.