Cats in the Snow!

As the snow gradually thaws from the south of England, I thought it would be grand to look back at last weekend, with some pictures of cats in the snow!

At the top, it's Tommy running to the back door after relieving himself by the compost heap. This is a rare picture indeed, as I've never seen him run before!

Minty wasn't keen on the snow. Again, this is a post-scraping pose, whizzing through the garden towards the house.

I told my friend Lou that I would be posting these photos, and she kindly sent me some of her cats from last weekend. Above, it's the adorable Nappy, sheltering beneath a snow-laden bush.

Here's Nappy again, creeping gently across the cold cold snow, one paw at a time...

Daisy looks as though she has a snowball on her head! This is, apparently, an optical illusion!

And finally, it's dear old Napkins again, trying to keep dry under a table in his back garden!

That's enough cats in the snow! Something more esoteric next time!

Christmas Cats

Looking a little cross. The tinsel was irritating Minty.

A pair of cute kitty pictures for my 100th PCA post!

Tommy awaits his Christmas treat of giblets in gravy. Num nums!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I Predict That Mud Will Be No.1!

The Top 30 Today (How I think)...August 1974!

Flicking through one of my old scrapbooks recently, I came across a page of chart predictions from 1974 (see picture above). It wasn't dated, so I've checked the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles for evidence of day, month and year...and I think I've cracked it!

I wrote this on 17th August 1974, when I was 9 years old and obsessed with the pop charts. I know this because of my predicted new entries, some entered on the 17th (e.g., KC & the Sunshine Band with their first-ever hit), others on the 24th (e.g., Paper Lace). I really really wanted Mud to be number one, but were they?

Well, no, Rocket only ever reached number 6! Top spot that evening belonged to Prince Charles's crushes, The Three Degrees, who remained at number one for a further week until being usurped by primary school girls' favourites, The Osmonds (who, in turn, were knocked off the top by 9-year-old boys' favourite, Carl Douglas - hooray for boys - we obviously had much better taste!).

Not sure why there are so many blank spaces in mid-chart - I presume I just couldn't remember every song in the previous week's rundown. And what's that angel fish doing in the middle?

34 Squirrels

Delightful red squirrel nibbling chestnut, Brownsea Island.

The annual trip to Brownsea Island in Dorset produced an exciting total of 34 red squirrels this year!

Red squirrel outside the restaurant, Brownsea Island.

Last year's 60 squirrels was unlikely to be beaten, but 30+ was a good haul. They're very active in October, mostly at the inhabited end of the island. Scuffling around with nuts, leaping around trees, they're not too shy - so long as you're quiet, you should see them.

Posing Autumn peacock, Brownsea Island. Coming to a chocolate box or jigsaw near you soon!

Also seen at close quarters...chickens, deer and peacocks!

Ghastly Football Kits

Notts County's prototype away kit on a soap-on-a-rope box.

I'm usually asleep by the time the third match comes along on Match of the Day, bored rigid by Hansen and Shearer's inane comments. I rarely go to bed though, as there is a slight chance that I might wake up in time for Pompey's 30 second slot on The Football League Show at 12.35am. Some hope.

This Saturday though, I did it! I finally did it! I was awake when the Third and Fourth Division games came on for the first time this season. And I was shocked at what I saw. Not the standard of football compared to the highest tier of English football - I'm used to that after following Pompey all my life.

No, it was the kits. Why do so many clubs change their colours when there's no clash with their usual first choice? And why are so many of these change kits so...ghastly? Yeovil Town's steward-wear with claw rips was bad (actually, probably the worst in the entire professional leagues). But the ones that got my goat in particular were Notts County and Port Vale, both of whom played in pink.

Now, there are certain colours that are NOT football colours - pink, brown and purple in particular. Unless you are Fiorentina or Anderlecht, you should not be playing in purple; brown was Coventry City's away kit circa 1975; pink is okay if you're Italian. Otherwise, no, no, no! Notts County's kit reminded me of the colours on my old soap-on-a-rope box from the late 1970s - specifically designed so that nobody could sue Avon for copying their kit without permission. Perhaps Avon can ask Notts County for royalties now they've copied their old design?

Everything's rubbish these days.