The Hodge Blog

Title says it all. I awoke this morning with a text from friend Stuart. It said exactly that!

Today, Saints kick off a new football season and, like everyone before it, the excitement borders on edible. What it brings, who knows, but that’s the beauty of sport, it starts with optimism, which if often misplaced, but we keep going.

Promoted back into the second tier of English football, they take on Leeds United today in a late kick off game featured on both live TV and radio, but, with both teams well supported there should be a great atmosphere in the stadium. I can’t wait.

Here’s to a great season, with all it’s ups and downs, after all, why else would I pay £525 up front for 23 games?

Come on you reds!

Inevitably HMRC have taken until the 11th hour to appeal against the CVA at Poorsmouth. They have contested it on two counts. The first that the amount they were owed was doctored to make them irrelevant in the voting (less than 25%) and the other is that they would be unfairly prejudiced if the \XCVA was accepted. I have to say that while I am now a little fed up of this saga and just want us all to get on with football, I do have a problem with their supporters venting their anger at HMRC. It’s our money as a nation, we have been cheated out of it. They have used it to win trophies, buy expensive players, stay in the premier league, etc. That’s just not fair and they should be brought to book. Not only that, it’s a substantial sum of money not just a few pennies. They can make the argument that HMRC will be worse off through not accepting 20p in the pound, but there is no guarantee with there ‘true’ debt that they would get it anyhow and where do you draw the line? This will stop them adding players to their squad until the appeal is heard, probably around October.

After the ‘fudge’ from Apple last week saying that the iPhone 4 dropped call issue was caused by an incorrectly calculated signal algorithm, they are now going to have a press conference this evening (UK) to announce more about the issue. It appears that the way the phone is held, (e.g to the ear!) that interferes with the aerial and drops the call. They are expected to maybe provide rubber bumpers to all to try and get some insulation around the phone to cure it. Estimates say that if they had to do a recall it would cost over £1bn as they would have to recall all phones as they have always had this aerial design. Ah well, it Apple, it’s pretty, I suppose it doesn’t really matter if an iPhone can actually be used as a phone, does it?

Managed to get a few jobs done last night, although I was frustrated in my attempt to get the mat in it’s well. I need a piece of wood 1170mm x 865mm x 25mm and couldn’t find anything that would suit. That was frustrating as it took about an hour to get nowhere. Did manage to get the rest of the brambles from around the tree in the walled garden done and that should help to get the area cleared and mowed as I am hoping to get that done over the weekend.

Bumpy night last night with wind and rain which was more reminiscent of Autumn than mid summer. It has left the plot strewn with leaves, twigs and even a couple of pretty large branches. Need to get a ton of that burned at the weekend if we can find a gap in the weather.

Looking forward to the weekend although work will be a bit curtailed as Murray and Sally (and kids) are down for a visit.

As the BBA, it is my duty to announce the head of the family, Margaret’s Birthday today. Happy Birthday Mrs Blakeley.

On this day in history and last year…

Weather = It’s really not nice!

Mood meter = It’s the weekend…well almost!

Got absolutely nothing done last night here as I was out last night and not back until nearly midnight.

Forgot to mention after the end of the World Cup, that the fantasy football at work went really well. the model worked great and was developed a little more as we used it and found a few bits to add. For one game I was knocked off the top, but pleased to advise that I ended at the top at the most important time…the end! Here is the table with most real names removed to protect the innocent (Strange ‘handles’ don’t you think?)

It appears that HMRC are going to appeal the CVA voted for in the Poorsmouth Football Club saga. I’m not sure where that will leave them and it certainly muddies the water as, until the challenge is heard in court, they will only be able to exit administration without the CVA, e.g. by purchase by a third party, which will give them a further points deduction. It does represent real problems though as at the start of a new season, it will delay the ability to lower the debt by writing off the 80p/£ under the CVA. This will continue to rack up interest for all parties invoking that, such as HMRC and continue to cost for the fees of the administrators. The transfer embargo will likely continue, meaning they can only sell players. The appeal will likely take around three months and it’s whether they can afford to trade during that time. If HMRC win the appeal, they will likely invoke a new winding up petition. I see grey days ahead.

Not much else going on, to be truthful, but here’s hoping I have a little more time to get stuff done this evening?

On this day in history and last year…

Weather = Not sure where this comes from. It’s dull and below 16 I’m sure!

Mood meter = We’re half way through

It’s a bit of a dank Tuesday here this morning as the weather changes a little from the glorious sunshine we seem to have had for ever. Monday is under the belt and we can now get the productive part of the week underway as the week’s launch meetings are behind us.

Seems World Cup Final referee, Howard Webb, is coming under criticism from both camps from the game. The Dutch saying he was over-officious and the Spanish side saying he should have been stricter with their opponents. I have to say, he couldn’t win and the players should have been taken off at half time and given a dressing down by their coaches. It was a dirty final with niggly fouls all game. I would say that he did pretty well, given what he faced and very few decisions would not have drawn a yellow card from any referee and maybe he could have given more but really didn’t want to leave the game with nine-a-side or anything silly. Just hope he doesn’t end up with the stigma of it going forward.

Nearly swerved the house last night, but at around eight o’clock I decided to have a trim of the walled garden’s fir tree which had very low branches left to grow. Not only have I trimmed them but got rid of most of the straggly shrubs and brambles around and below it. I’m guessing it was around ten o’clock by the time I was packed up and ready for the bath? Still tons of undergrowth to tame and I guess we will just need to chip away at it over the next few weeks and months. Need to steal myself also to get the last of the trim around the finished floor and start the tiling in the kitchen and breakfast room. Lastly we need to get the barge boards and ends of the fascias repaired and painted, the last of the gutter fitted and the veranda sorted. That will see the house done pretty well.

On this day in history and last year…

Weather = It’s still warm, but just a tad wetter

Mood meter = Not sure I’m right into the week

That was a swift weekend, or so it seemed. Didn’t seem to get much done either as we struggled to remove a huge laurel tree from the top of the walled garden in the quest to open up some of the long overgrown areas. We did however find a new bit of wall which seems in pretty good repair.

During	After

Nothing to do with it went simply as the blunt chain on the saw refused to sharpen and the new one I bought from work was shed and damaged the drive hooks making it unusable. The bow saw bought on Saturday managed to star in the show, although it did make the job a lot more physical and in the heat that was taxing.

Managed to get the TV down in the shed working too. Not really sure what I did. Armed with Steve’s signal meter, I climbed the shed to the roof and connected it up. It showed just one of the five lights as green and after sliding it up the pole it still only showed one. I though I would have a look another day but ran the tuner on the TV all the same and got a good picture on BBC. Thought I would run the set-top box tuner all the same to see if I could get a digital signal and got all 92 channels. Not sure if I’ll ever use it as it was really an idea to be able to watch the World Cup, but that coincidentally finished last night with a win for Spain in extra time.

Had a tiring weekend with Friday and Saturday being nights out on the town. Not sure I can physically still manage that, so opted to drink Coke all night on Saturday. Sunday certainly benefitted.

On this day in history and last year…

Weather = Not sure that’s right? It’s maybe right temperature but raining! Looks like summer is ended for a week maybe?

Mood meter = How is it Monday?

Not quite sure what happened to the morning this morning, but I’ve managed to get to this during my lunch break. You know, the usual, salad, fish, fruit…how lovely!

Anyhow, the weekend is nearly here and I sense it will be a pretty hectic one for me. We are going to attack the trees and bushes around the plot which of itself would be fine, but I am out late both Friday and Saturday and if that late, maybe not home at all, although I am thinking that won’t be both nights as I am now well into middle age!

Yesterday was Saints’ first anniversary of survival with our takeover happening on 8th. It’s been a fun time since and I am itching for this season to start as, if it is anywhere near as good as the period from Christmas to the end of last season, we will be up there for promotion. God bless you Markus!

On the footballing front, really pleased that English referee, Howard Webb has been given the World Cup Final. It is the first time that has happened since 1974 and Jack Taylor, so he must be buzzing and so should the rest of the footballing country. Of course, had we have progressed as a team, he would not have been able to, so for him “every cloud has a silver lining”.

Police still haven’t caught the North-East gunman Raoul Moat. It really is staggering that one person can give police such a run-around for so long. He appears to keep leaving titbits for them like mobile phones, tents and the like, but they still seem no nearer catching him and have certainly made a few blunders along the way.

Out at Thursday lunch club last night. We went to the Coriander Lounge in Southampton, an Indian Restaurant.  I have to say, the food and service were excellent and whilst at the upper-mid point of the cost scale, it was very good value for what we had and I think that was agreed by all?

On this day in history and last year…

Weather = It’s going to be hot, hot, hot…

Mood meter = It’s the weekend!

It’s a very similar start to the day as yesterday with virtually zero sun although we are promised to get it back as the day goes on and the temperatures are going to rise quite a bit.

Didn’t seem to get too much done last night at home, spending most of my time in the shed putting the hedge trimmer back together so we can get going again with wall ivy and other such stuff.

After doing a little more research, we have settled on looking at hiring a power scythe to clear swathes of the brambles and such from various areas of the plot.

Sat here from around 6:30am this morning, do the usual stuff, feeding chickens, doing a few emails, typing this and eating breakfast when, literally about 20ft outside the kitchen window on the raise path at the back of the house, Mr Fox decided to parade in full view and actually strutting. It seems ages since we’ve seen one as the baby rabbits I guess have been bountiful. As they grow I suspect they are a little too mobile for him to catch and that has probably made him a little braver? Of course I am now in fear for my chickens although he was quite a way from them. I managed to get out of the conservatory door and making a din sent him racing through the trees under the fence and out into the field. If I can convince him there is regular habitation here that may help keep the livestock alive! He can have as many rabbits as he wants, but chickens, that’s another story.

It’s a new experience for both World Cup finalists as Spain beat Germany and go on to play Holland on Sunday. Not sure that’s a perfect final but at least it’s all European.

On this day in history and last year… Today one year ago, Saints got taken over.

Weather = It’s overcast but dry

Mood meter = Where’s the weekend?

Well, got Monday over and done with and the week is underway. Today sees the first of the World Cup semi-finals with the second tomorrow. It will seem pretty strange for the tournament to be over and with Wimbledon also finished, it looks like there will be a sport famine of a few weeks after Sunday. That should actually please Jo but me…can’t wait for the start of the new season for Saints. Still little moves on the transfer front for them but that is nothing unusual with the transfer window for attached players only opened in the last few days.

Forgot to to make a big announcement on Lindsay’s University degree. I’m not sure why although it may be that we are not going to her graduation until 20th July, but she got an overall 2:1 degree and a 1st for her dissertation so that’s a tremendous result for her and great reward for the work put in. Listening to the news this morning, it appears employers who are short of jobs for graduates are upping their minimum requirements to a 2:1, so that’s something she fits into too.

Managed to get some work done in the house last night and it was pretty pleasing, although I did run out of time. I have fitted the architrave to two doors and the small bits of skirting around the reveals. I am stalled on a few bits while I decide what to do as the floor slopes away a bit and leaves a gap. I’m thinking I will level the top of the skirting and fit a bit of scotia at the bottom as I will have to do that around the staircase anyhow.

Also managed to fix the garage lights which had a wire broken and they were certainly working last night.

I’ve discovered it is quite a trek to the bottom shed when you realise you need a tool or some fitting or another for the house. It is probably a five minute round-trip at least. What offsets that however is the fact you can find most things fairly quickly. That is apart from the gripfil so, I have not been able to stick down the door and mat well transitions which are cut but will need to wait for that.

On this day in history and last year…

Weather =

Mood meter = Need to get some traction under sales at work.

Reached mid week successfully and managed to get the paint on the door surrounds last night so that is another job done and I now need to get the architrave and skirting on. I have replaced a couple of the light switches, which is always tough when the night is getting dark as, with working on lights, it’s sometimes better to have them disconnected from the supply

It is very muggy around here this morning. Ruby has taken to announcing she is awake by barking at 5:15am. I manage to get her back in her bed and quite for another hour, but when I came down this morning, the moisture was rising in huge plumes of mist off the fields at the front. I reckon we could easily be around 80% this morning but the dampness and night drizzle is saving an hour or so of watering duties which is really nice.

Added to my home grown leaves with salad on Monday night by having fish with home grown mange tout (posh peas) last night. I really do love peas and beans hence my repetitive sowings and efforts to deter the enemy of the vegetable patch. Spoken very quietly…so far, so good.

Sepp Blatter has apologised for the error made which helped knock England out of the World Cup. Sepp, I accept you belated apology…Dick! It’s a fat lot of good now although it looks like it has forced his hand to look at goal line technology again which has to be a good thing. Fortunately, he was at the game and probably saw it from his seat in the comfy area. Hope it made him squirm. I was amused yesterday with the full page adverts taken out with “Goal line technology from £25”. It was by specsavers and just featured a pair of glasses…funny.

On this day in history and last year…

Weather = It’s hot and sticky

Mood meter = Wimbledon tomorrow, in the sun!

I feel slightly flattered that people do actually miss this daily jottings with two ‘complaints’ yesterday from readers who had tuned in on Monday to read up on my boring life. Speculation abounded as to why it had not appeared and no, it wasn’t a hangover, OR the fact the rant was still being typed after England’s pathetic demise in the World Cup. It was simply that the heat of the day meant I had to water the vegetables and various other things before dashing around to get stuff done. I’m so sorry, I simply ran out of time!

However, on the England subject. I’m not quite sure what it can be put down to. At the end of the day, we hype ourselves up each time we play and when it comes to the actual games, we do not perform. I believe that the Premier League has a lot to answer for. They have grown the money in football enormously and, kept it for themselves and the players, nothing, or at least next to nothing, filters out and what that does it attract the best, greediest players in the World, from all around, so English players don’t get chance to reach the top flight in the main, and those that do are not necessarily the best in the World anymore, certainly it needs a change.

On the goal line technology front, something has to be done. How the officials could not see that is beyond belief. At half time they must have been embarrassed if they saw that. Now, we just weren’t good enough, but like a punch-drunk boxer, Germany were rocking at that point and the referee let them off the ropes with that decision. I was biased of course, but saw it first time, in real time from a camera further away than any of the officials. It would not even need a stop in the game, just a bleep from Hawkeye in the officials’ ears and we would be square. I guess the Germans would claim it was justice for the possible injustice from 1966? I guess we’ll never know how the game would really have turned out, we just know about the embarrassment that it was.

The jokes abound on text about it of course. “David Blain is p****d off about losing his record of doing nothing in a box for 42 days, it’s been taken over by Wayne Rooney!” and “After the volcanic ash cloud it appears flights may be grounded for some time today as a shower of s**t flies in from South Africa!”. Still, we should cheer up, we could be French or Italian!

Managed to get some paint on the walls around the doors last night. Little more filling to do and then the last coat can go on and we can fit the last of the trim around the doors and floor. On the way home I dropped into the local garden centre and bought a few seeds which actually didn’t get sewn, but I did that with some of the stuff I have lost to rabbits. More runner beans, peas, lettuces, carrots, radish and spring onions. Just hoping it stays pest free and we actually get some reasonable crops. Actually did manage to get  some salad leaves of Swiss Chard and Rocket and a solitary radish in my tea last night…nice!

On this day in history and last year…

Weather = It’s definitely not that sunny. it’s throwing it down!

Mood meter = It’s Tuesday already and I’m off to Wimbledon on Thursday for the ladies semi finals.