April 17th: Rain, pincushions, death and football

Well the weather's turned (hopefully only briefly), and sunshine has given way to rain, the first rainfall in these parts for getting on for four weeks or so (bar one short overnight shower). That means a couple of things.

• Firstly, I'm not doing any more gardening. That can wait until the rain stops, although the garden  and my fledgling crops will be thankful for the precipitation as my clay based soil has set like concrete and opened up big cracks.
• Secondly, I wonder if the inclement weather will see fewer people at the shops - especially as over the last few weeks people have been standing out in the sunshine. If you go today you'll need an umbrella.
• Thirdly, whilst I can, and have frequently walked/hiked in the rain, I think I'll just stay at home today and have a day off the daily walk, or jump on the exercise bike for half an hour (I did the latter).

I did get out today, but it was in the car. I was out early to the surgery for my (currently two weekly) blood test. However, my veins weren't playing today despite me having drunk copies amounts of fluid yesterday and a couple of pints of water before I went to the surgery this morning, but despite three valiant tries, I'll need to go back on Monday for another go.

As the death toll from/with coronavirus continues to rise, I suppose it's inevitable that more people who were well known during my childhood succumb - in some cases just because it was their time, but others have been tragically hastened to an earlier than planned audience with St Peter due to coronavirus.

Today it was reported that Leeds footballing legend and hard man Norman "Bites Yer Legs" Hunter" has died after contracting coronavirus. Now I've now been a die hard Cardiff City fan many years, so whisper it very quietly, but for a brief time between the ages of about 10-12 before I knew better, and when I lived in rural Lincolnshire I, and most of my childhood peers supported Leeds. We never actually went to games - too far away and the nearest club of any substance was Boston United! I can still remember most of the squad of the early 70's off the top of my head including the likes of left back Terry Cooper, Welshman Terry Yorath, captain Billy Bremner, Peter Lorimer (reckoned to have the hardest shot in football at the time), Allan Clarke, Mick Jones (who famously played in a cup final with a broken arm), Jack Charlton and many others. Norman Hunter was a renowned hard tacking centre back who left his stud marks on may an opposition player when the game was still considered a contact sport.

I also recall the Leeds kit of the era had little tags with the players numbers on that went on their socks - something that seems to have been fairly unique and a passing fad. Anyway, my flirtation with Leeds was brief before succumbing to the lure of the then all powerful Liverpool, led by an equally ferocious Tommy Smith and starring the likes of Ray Clemence, Steve Heighway, Emlyn Hughes, Ray Kennedy and of course Kevin Keegan and John Toshack amongst others. In my later teens I lost a bit of interest in football before the family moved to Wales in 1979. I came to Cardiff to study nursing in 1980 and have lived in the area ever since. It wasn't until about the mid 80's when through some friends I started attending a few Cardiff City matches, although wasn't really a regular until the late 90's. In 1999 when my son was 5 years old I started taking him, and the following season we both became season ticket holders and have been ever since, and we were joined by my daughter a few years ago.

Leeds United players with sock tags

My son and I in 2002. Blimey I looked young then...

And a slightly later one, and perhaps one of my favourite photos (and I've got about 25,000 in my library -  not all Cardiff City ones I hasten to add), my son and daughter celebrating a goal against Manchester City on 25th August 2013 in a famous 3-2 win. This picture needs no caption.

Until tomorrow....

#bluebirds
#isolationlife
#stayhomesavelives