On a Weekend of Rugby and Knack 2
Feb. 12th, 2018 03:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
danieldwilliamA successful weekend all things considered.
Friday involved a surprise family dinner of chilli on nachos. This is one of my favourite easy family dinners. MLW makes a very nice chilli. Friday's edition had a little more spicing than the Captain usually takes (read some) and was therefore even better than usual. Chipotle sauce for the win. It was a surprise in that I thought MLW was going out for dinner with a friend but in fact she was just going out for drinks. So we had family dinner together.
We also had a surprise notification that BB was going to visit after the weekend. She's up overnight on Tuesday to see her aunt.
All very cheering.
I had purchased from Waitrose the makings of an Indian feast plus beer. MLW has also bought beer. Some interesting beer including a mango IPA which was very nice. My salted caramal milk stout was less of a success. A gift for my sister I think. Genuinely, she asked for it.
MLW went out. I put the Captain to bed and then watched the last few episodes of Brooklyn 99 Season Three as prelude to watching Season 4 with MLW over the next few weeks. I'm sure other things happened.
MLW returned somewhat later than I expected and in a very cheerful mood, so we opened a bottle of Quinta da Novel tawny port which we'd brough back from Porto when were there. It is still delicious. We had more than we ought to have had. We'll finish the bottle at dad's on Tuesday. MLW was not looking forward to Saturday.
No football or rugby training this weekend as it is half term. Just as well. It's very, very cold.
The Captain awoke early on Saturday. He was expecting deliveries and wanted to know if the post had come. At 5.45am. It had not. Not had it come a 6.05, 6.15. 6.30, 6.45 etc.
By the time I got up the Captain had taken delivery of a PlayStation 4 game called Knack 2. Knack 2 is, I am told, a quite pleasant but easy and standard platformer. The story is about a sort of golem that can change size saving the world. There is a two player mode. The Captain and I spent Saturday playing Knack 2 with brief breaks to watch the rugby (me) or to read (the Captain) some the Horrible Histories books in the twenty volume bumper fun pack which he also had just taken delivery of. MLW pottered about singing.
We also spent Sunday morning, from 5.45, playing Knack 2. Until it was time to go to Murrayfield.
I liked Knack 2. Playing it with the Captain was fun. He's better at computer games than I am. This is probably the natural state of the world. My MLW pretty much refuses to join in. I think she is still smarting from her 64-0 drubbing on Madden. I don't think I have anything to add on the subject of Knack 2. It was fun. I like playing with the Captain. That's about it.
Other than that it was surprisingly tiring and surprisingly engaging. I genuinely looked at my clock at 6.30 on Sunday morning and then next realised the time at 8.30.
We watched the rugby on Saturday on the television. I worry for Italy. They are getting better but not as quickly as the other Northern Hemisphere teams are getting better. Except France perhaps. It can't be much fun being the designated last place for twenty years. I thought Wales were a bit unlucky against England. Had their disallowed try been allowed I think they would have sneaked a narrow win with a late penalty or drop goal. This would have amused me. Also I am begining to lose patience with my English Friend who keeps noising my up when England do well but sulks when e.g. a mediocre Australia side hand them a 4-0 Ashes beating. If he keeps it up I'm afraid I may lose my rag and remind him that my country didn't vote for Brexit.
Saturday tea was the curry from Waitrose. It was good. MLW and I watched Brooklyn 99. Season 4 is sillier than the previous seasons. I hope it gets better.
On Sunday we went to the rugby at Murrayfield. MLW, the Captain, the Captain's Particular Friend, his father, an old school friend of mine, her husband, their son and me. Sadly, no Helen Mirren in a hat.
It was cold. I was slightly under-dressed having on my very light water-proof jacket and my second warmest fleece. It was very cold. The threatened snow had not materialised. We drove to the ground. MLW pulled of the best bit of parking in the history of parking by finding and getting in to a narrow space about 5 cars in on the road to the back gate to Murrayfield. The perfect location.
I was apprehensive about the game. The first 15 minutes looked like a repeat of Cardiff might be on but the team responded very well, kept calm, kept running, kept in touch and basically wore the French out with the pace of their play until they could win enough penalties to win. The French winger Teddy Thomas is rather good but I suspect will be less good after a couple of large Maori's have tackled him to touch for an afternoon. it turned out okay. I still question us kicking from hand with a 6 point lead in the 77th minute of the game. The Captain pointed out that rugby is a difficult game. I conceeded this but noted to myself that some of us playing rugby are seven and some of us playing rugby are full Scotland internationals playing in perhaps the best Scotland team ever.
I didn't get much of a chance to catch up with my school friend. She's a touch deaf and talks very, very quickly so carrying on a conversation with her at in a crowded sport's stadium is difficult. She looks well.
The son of a friend of MLW did not win his first Scotland cap. That was a small blemish on the day.
Anyway, it turned out alright. I would not say I was confident we would win but after about minute 20 I was confident that we would at least come close. We are back at Murrayfield in two weeks for the England game.
After the rugby the three of us we went to a Chinese buffet restaurant and had some tea. It was nice. Just the job after a long, cold afternoon of watching sport. Then round to my dad's to greet my aunt and her partner who are visiting for a view days. My step-mum was surprisingly jolly about the rugby. I was too emotionally exhausted to join in with her jubilation as much I feel I ought. We had a few drinks with them. The Captain was charming. Absolutely charming. He talked about the Horrible History books and Knack 2. Said a few things about the rugby. Was thoughtful and calm and pleased to see everyone.
Home with the Captain asleep by 9pm. MLW and I watched the Scotland France game on iPlayer.
The quality of the commentary on ITV is awful. It's only when you compare the BBC and ITV in close proximity that you realise how bad ITV is or how good the BBC is. The ITV commentary had been 90 minutes of cliche but without much appreciation of why the cliche was a cliche. It conveyed no information about the game that one could not gather from the team sheet.
In bed with my book about Ireland before 11. Up for the gym at 6.10am this morning. I am lifting weights. I am noticiably stronger than I was two years ago. Still a bit portly round the middle.
In other news I have pretty much given up coffee.
Friday involved a surprise family dinner of chilli on nachos. This is one of my favourite easy family dinners. MLW makes a very nice chilli. Friday's edition had a little more spicing than the Captain usually takes (read some) and was therefore even better than usual. Chipotle sauce for the win. It was a surprise in that I thought MLW was going out for dinner with a friend but in fact she was just going out for drinks. So we had family dinner together.
We also had a surprise notification that BB was going to visit after the weekend. She's up overnight on Tuesday to see her aunt.
All very cheering.
I had purchased from Waitrose the makings of an Indian feast plus beer. MLW has also bought beer. Some interesting beer including a mango IPA which was very nice. My salted caramal milk stout was less of a success. A gift for my sister I think. Genuinely, she asked for it.
MLW went out. I put the Captain to bed and then watched the last few episodes of Brooklyn 99 Season Three as prelude to watching Season 4 with MLW over the next few weeks. I'm sure other things happened.
MLW returned somewhat later than I expected and in a very cheerful mood, so we opened a bottle of Quinta da Novel tawny port which we'd brough back from Porto when were there. It is still delicious. We had more than we ought to have had. We'll finish the bottle at dad's on Tuesday. MLW was not looking forward to Saturday.
No football or rugby training this weekend as it is half term. Just as well. It's very, very cold.
The Captain awoke early on Saturday. He was expecting deliveries and wanted to know if the post had come. At 5.45am. It had not. Not had it come a 6.05, 6.15. 6.30, 6.45 etc.
By the time I got up the Captain had taken delivery of a PlayStation 4 game called Knack 2. Knack 2 is, I am told, a quite pleasant but easy and standard platformer. The story is about a sort of golem that can change size saving the world. There is a two player mode. The Captain and I spent Saturday playing Knack 2 with brief breaks to watch the rugby (me) or to read (the Captain) some the Horrible Histories books in the twenty volume bumper fun pack which he also had just taken delivery of. MLW pottered about singing.
We also spent Sunday morning, from 5.45, playing Knack 2. Until it was time to go to Murrayfield.
I liked Knack 2. Playing it with the Captain was fun. He's better at computer games than I am. This is probably the natural state of the world. My MLW pretty much refuses to join in. I think she is still smarting from her 64-0 drubbing on Madden. I don't think I have anything to add on the subject of Knack 2. It was fun. I like playing with the Captain. That's about it.
Other than that it was surprisingly tiring and surprisingly engaging. I genuinely looked at my clock at 6.30 on Sunday morning and then next realised the time at 8.30.
We watched the rugby on Saturday on the television. I worry for Italy. They are getting better but not as quickly as the other Northern Hemisphere teams are getting better. Except France perhaps. It can't be much fun being the designated last place for twenty years. I thought Wales were a bit unlucky against England. Had their disallowed try been allowed I think they would have sneaked a narrow win with a late penalty or drop goal. This would have amused me. Also I am begining to lose patience with my English Friend who keeps noising my up when England do well but sulks when e.g. a mediocre Australia side hand them a 4-0 Ashes beating. If he keeps it up I'm afraid I may lose my rag and remind him that my country didn't vote for Brexit.
Saturday tea was the curry from Waitrose. It was good. MLW and I watched Brooklyn 99. Season 4 is sillier than the previous seasons. I hope it gets better.
On Sunday we went to the rugby at Murrayfield. MLW, the Captain, the Captain's Particular Friend, his father, an old school friend of mine, her husband, their son and me. Sadly, no Helen Mirren in a hat.
It was cold. I was slightly under-dressed having on my very light water-proof jacket and my second warmest fleece. It was very cold. The threatened snow had not materialised. We drove to the ground. MLW pulled of the best bit of parking in the history of parking by finding and getting in to a narrow space about 5 cars in on the road to the back gate to Murrayfield. The perfect location.
I was apprehensive about the game. The first 15 minutes looked like a repeat of Cardiff might be on but the team responded very well, kept calm, kept running, kept in touch and basically wore the French out with the pace of their play until they could win enough penalties to win. The French winger Teddy Thomas is rather good but I suspect will be less good after a couple of large Maori's have tackled him to touch for an afternoon. it turned out okay. I still question us kicking from hand with a 6 point lead in the 77th minute of the game. The Captain pointed out that rugby is a difficult game. I conceeded this but noted to myself that some of us playing rugby are seven and some of us playing rugby are full Scotland internationals playing in perhaps the best Scotland team ever.
I didn't get much of a chance to catch up with my school friend. She's a touch deaf and talks very, very quickly so carrying on a conversation with her at in a crowded sport's stadium is difficult. She looks well.
The son of a friend of MLW did not win his first Scotland cap. That was a small blemish on the day.
Anyway, it turned out alright. I would not say I was confident we would win but after about minute 20 I was confident that we would at least come close. We are back at Murrayfield in two weeks for the England game.
After the rugby the three of us we went to a Chinese buffet restaurant and had some tea. It was nice. Just the job after a long, cold afternoon of watching sport. Then round to my dad's to greet my aunt and her partner who are visiting for a view days. My step-mum was surprisingly jolly about the rugby. I was too emotionally exhausted to join in with her jubilation as much I feel I ought. We had a few drinks with them. The Captain was charming. Absolutely charming. He talked about the Horrible History books and Knack 2. Said a few things about the rugby. Was thoughtful and calm and pleased to see everyone.
Home with the Captain asleep by 9pm. MLW and I watched the Scotland France game on iPlayer.
The quality of the commentary on ITV is awful. It's only when you compare the BBC and ITV in close proximity that you realise how bad ITV is or how good the BBC is. The ITV commentary had been 90 minutes of cliche but without much appreciation of why the cliche was a cliche. It conveyed no information about the game that one could not gather from the team sheet.
In bed with my book about Ireland before 11. Up for the gym at 6.10am this morning. I am lifting weights. I am noticiably stronger than I was two years ago. Still a bit portly round the middle.
In other news I have pretty much given up coffee.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-12 03:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-02-12 04:27 pm (UTC)Like the Quakers we arrived at a consensus.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-12 03:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-02-12 04:30 pm (UTC)I'm lifting very heavy weights but I feel I'm working well within my capabilities whilst I get the technique right.
But I can lift more, more often than I could have done before by some way. Easily enough to keep scooping up the Captain.
It's not as if I have a pressing requirement to lift something that weighs a 100 kgs but I think that's probably about where I'll end up after six months.
My thighs, which have historically been quite good and now pretty solid but the biggest change is that I now have arm muscles worth mentioning.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-12 04:56 pm (UTC)That's brilliant and will be good for the psyche as well.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-12 04:58 pm (UTC)Sadly, I am such a weakling that I cannot get the technique right and have hurt myself every time he's tried to instruct me :(
no subject
Date: 2018-02-13 09:24 am (UTC)(I am intrigued by people who have jobs like professional weight-lifter - how does one get a job like thta?)
I think for the last few weeks we've been improving technique. We spent quite a bit of time on Monday making sure my back was straight and that I was lifting with my hips and not with my arms. A couple more sessions of that to get things right then I suspect we'll move up through the weights fairly quickly. It's what we did with the kettle bells and I've now reached the heaviest kettle bells the gym has in stock. Although I'm told that kettle bells that go up to 48kg are made the gym doesn't have any.
My PT said that the benchmark weight for one of the standard lifting techniques (I forget which one) was to lift about your own body weight. Hence the 100 kg.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-13 09:40 am (UTC)I shall enquire when he's home from work and get back to you. I suspect the answer is that technique is important in not hurting yourself - you sound like you have it in hand.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-13 10:53 am (UTC)I am a bit worried about hurting myself - it would be a complete pain in the neck to pick up an injury.
The Captain briefly developed an interest in the World's Strongest Man competition which involved me reading him the names of the podium finishes from Wikipedia. A surprising number of Lithuanians.