THE MASTER

I'm an avid listener to Talksport 1089 radio. Some of the programmes they have on there are first class but the best by a long way is Hawksbee and Jacobs between 1-4 pm. Paul Hawksbee is a Spurs fan and his mate Jacobs a Chelsea but the two of them present a very funny and generally entertaining feast every weekday afternoon. Now I am only working two days a week I can listen to them on the other three.

They always have interesting guests on and not always from the world of sport.
Today their guest was from the world of sport and was none other than my boyhood hero the one and only best ever Spurs striker and ex alcoholic Jimmy Greaves. I can remember him vividly playing for Spurs in the 60's when I started supporting them, and unlike the poor kids of today I really do mean supporting.

I first went to The Lane on 24th September 1966 at the age of 13. Spurs were playing Nottingham Forest and after I had got me ten bob for me paper round I was off to N17 on the Red Rover ticket to Arnos Grove. I can still remember my first sight of The Lane and I stood on The Shelf as Spurs ran out winners 2-1 and Jimmy scored much to my delight. He scored 23 goals that season in 38 appearances as we finished third, four points behind the Champions. What would he be worth in these crazy times?

It was great to hear him on the radio chatting about his'third life' as he calls it. His first was football, his second as a TV celebrity and this one as a touring racontuer. He forget to mention his battle with alcohol which as we all know is never over once it gets hold of any of your lives. I admire Jimmy and always have done. I went to see his one man show a couple of years ago. I stood inline for his autograph, nervous as I approached the elderly yet spritely figure sitting at the desk. When I got to the front I said "Thanks Jim for all the great times you gave me". He grinned, signed and I turned away. I wish I could have had a chat. Hawksbee and Jacobs did that for me this afternoon. You can catch it again on http://www.talksport.net/ His own website is http://www.jimmygreaves.net/. As Andy Jacobs said, "shouldn't that be back of the net?"

WORK

From the sublime to the .......well work reared it's ugly head again today, and not once but many times did my mind return to the sunny slopes of Wagrain. I was beset by problems from the off. It was the usual story, people not doing their job properly or doing what they were asked to do in the first place. You get the feeling that the only person who can organise and get things done is oneself. I could not wait for the end of the day, the cycle home was the best bit all day wrong, the cycle there was decidedly hard work.

Today was one of those days that pass without incident, excitement or anything worthy of a mention. On train home I read and listened to the latest boring 'revelations' on the John Terry saga. I mean, who cares what he does. Do we all live in such a squeaky clean society we can moralise about the indiscretions of others? Of course not, for we Brits are the inventors and world leaders of the 'What The Butler Saw' society. I'll show you mine if you show me yours he he!

TWO DAYS IN

It seems to be fun, so as usual I'll start once everyone else has. Well not really, my very good friend Rustan Lefin was the first at www.afreemanintown.blogspot.com and then I discovered at New Year that my friend Jill was a blogger too. So I thought I would give it a try. The title of this blog refers to the fact that I have been home from Austria for two days now, back in UK, which for me is never a pleasant experience. There have only been a couple of places in the world where I have returned from to be grateful to be home. Austria is NOT one of them.

I have been going to Austria for over 25 years now and to my shame I still, in typically stoic British style, have not been bothered to learn German. Yes, I can speak Swedish after a fashion, but not German. How useful this would have been over the years. But modern life seems to make it all so easy. Google translate means the hotel is never at a loss as to my arrangements for the coming stay, and Tom Tom sat nav makes it almost impossible to get lost in the country, or now for goodness sakes, on the pistes. There is also the mobile phone. Never again does the ski group get permanently lost during the ski day. When we lost JD as we always do, we simply phoned him and we were all met up within 15 minutes.

JD found again

And there are countless other occasions when to speak German was not necessary. But what about simple conversation? yes that's when it would be useful. I am sure Christian landlord in our local bar in Wagrain would be collapsing to the floor in shock if, next time in his hostelry I were to greet him with,

" Greetings mein Mann, vier Liter Ihrer besten dunkles und ein für sich selbst"

Time to get the evening classes booked!

The ski Team