AT THE MATCH .......MAGPIES V ROBINS

Two events to report today.  The first occurred around 11.45pm on Monday evening. I nipped out into the front garden to put a couple of items in the recycling bin.  As soon as I opened the front door to come back in Tino bolted past me and into the street.  ( He had been fast asleep in his bed - I had checked ) Anyway I went after him but he just went further away into the darkness.  Wandered around the street calling for him.  I caught sight of him a couple of times as he set off  neighbour's security lights and then nothing.  I went indoors but left the front door open in the vain hope he would return quickly.  No such luck. he was off on an adventure.  I regularly went out in the street to call for him as loudly as I dared as it was after midnight.  Nothing.  I also checked in the back garden in case he had wandered through at the side of my next door neighbours garden.  An added distraction in the back garden was Fluffy who kept appearing wanting food.  Nuisance!.

Anyway after checking front and back many times finally at 2am Tino came slinking up the front drive and into the house - exhausted. I was exhausted too!. 

Today he has been a right pest - constantly crying by the front door wanting to be out. Even before last night he would always  lurk behind the front door if he heard my key in the lock but I always managed to stop him dashing out.  Anyway when I went out to the shops this afternoon I returned along the back lane and came in through the utility room and when I came back from the football I used the garage door.  Neither is ideal.

Second thing to report is that I went to watch Newcastle United play Cheltenham in a Cup match this evening. Magpies v Robins. The score was Newcastle 2 Cheltenham 0.  The first half was uninspiring.  Until quite near half time.  Perez got injured.  He had a head injury which was bandaged.  He went off the field to be checked over.  He came back on ......................... and scored.  Then he scored again just after half time.  Newcastle as a team played much better in the second half and had quite a few chances which nearly led to goals.  It was a strange match with lots of injuries.  One Newcastle player had to be stretchered off and never returned, one Cheltenham player and two Newcastle players ended up with bandaged heads but played on and one Newcastle player got a butterfly stitch in his head wound  but he had to go off in the end. It was like an episode of Casualty. 

Cup games aren't included in your Season ticket allocation so I had to buy one for this evening - only £5 though - pensioners rate.  I chose to sit in a different seat from my season ticket seat and tonight I was in the front row of The Milburn Stand - quite near where the Manager Rafa Benitez was standing.   It was Ok but I think I prefer my usual seat.

Do you like my blip shot of a two headed, four armed, four legged footballer.  It could catch on.  Number 27 was playing his first match for the club - his name is Jesus.

The weather today was wonderful.  Warm and sunny for the whole day.  It was even warm in the evening - still 19 degrees at 10.30pm. 

Steps today - 12,179