Festivities and new year always an excuse for a bumper book of something or other and a bit of reflection. Or in TLF’s case a chance for a big FAT catch up. IT problems, a lot of work and a bad back (which puts you off sitting in front of a computer let me tell you) meant TLF sort of faded for the last quarter of 2021. But the ramblings were always in my head. Or scribbled on scraps of paper, so let’s get them down and start again…in reverse order.
Foxtography or a Boxing Day defeat
Another festive morning and another morning after the night before where Lesta scored 3 and still lost.
But lo what natural history marvel is this in the front garden?
Two bold foxes disputing who owns the turf. Or possibly a dispute between the ‘Rogers out!’ and ‘In Brendan we trust’ camps.
Either way TLF’s photography skills proved to be on a par with Lesta’s ability to defend a set piece.
No, honestly, two foxes in our front garden
David Bailey Fox
Happy Thursday before Christmas
5.15 am Break the cold tap in the bathroom
6.00am Lovely swim
7.15am A Sainsbury’s triumph as TLF completes the Xmas food shopping including new washing up bowl and bread sauce mix as requested by Mr TLF
8.00am New washing up bowl falls out of car in graceful arc and lands on its top corner. Chipped but still functional
8.15am Realise have not purchased bread sauce mix but cheese sauce mix
8.45am Mr TLF informs TLF that the new (and chipped but still functional) washing up bowl doesn’t actually fit in the kitchen sink
8.46am TLF kicks washing up bowl round house and garden. Very chipped and no longer functional
PS. There was a happy ending. Mr TLF went to town and got a washing up bowl. And there was bread sauce for Xmas lunch.
Wrong
Right
The Grinch Fox
Curing the FA Cup Blues
A damp and dreary Satday at Clarence Park against Hampton & Richmond. The game is underwhelming, but the company is excellent, the Red Peroni is delicious and the three goals for the Mighty Saints are all crackers. Come on You Saints!
Worldie Fox
Borehamwood Blues
There are usually two bonuses for a 2nd round PROPER FA Cup tie. You can really start to dream about that Premier League team you will draw in the third round plus there is of course the game itself; an epic away day at a ground never before visited. Or a trip to local, loathed (when we can be bothered) rivals, Boreham Wood, two stops away on a Thameslink slow train.
Still on the bright side, we are on telly again, and a first – Mr TLF at an away fixture – truly the magic of the Cup!
We were at capacity magic pre-match with drinks in The Crown, that long and tedious train journey and a swagger down the high street clutching our tinnies like the middle aged, middle class little hoolies we are.
After the excitement that goes with joining our fellow supporters in a packed away end, the magic slowly starts to seep away. Our opponents score, we gain some control of the game, but don’t score. Magic levels plummet in the half time queue for the 2 (TWO) portaloos in our part of the ground and the following 3 Boring Wood goals without reply don’t help. Moral superiority was however retained as the St Albans massive do not respond to the goading of the Wood’s ragtag pitch invaders.
Pre match warm up
TLF x 2!
Any pasta in a storm
Lesta were limping along in the Premiership, underwhelming in the Europa League, without a clean sheet in the League since August and with a manager refusing to acknowledge defensive frailties. Add to that a depleted brownie point bank after the annual Green Room Committee weekend away and TLF only had one option…when life gives you lemons, make lucky lasagne (last seen on FA Cup Final day)
Outcome?
Lesta 4 Watford 2
Brownie Point account back in the black
Lucky lasagne (part 2)
Chef Fox
Away from home
Best place to be when your team are losing 3-0 to Chelsea? Any cottage with a hot tub, in a pretty rural location, accompanied by copious quantities of wine, snackage and in the company of the legendary Green Room Committee. Our tenth trip in 11 years and as ever a belter.
Foxes!
Herefordshire (for one weekend only) Fox
Swings and McTell Roundabouts
It doesn’t get much bigger than this…..
First round PROPER of the FA Cup.
The Mighty Saints hosting a league team.
And on the BBC!!!!!
What could be better?
Well TLF wouldn’t have been double booked for a start. And in a nutshell that’s the problem when your fixture gets moved for the telly (not something we have to put up with often in the Conference South), and that gig you agreed to go to when Mr TLF asked, because you didn’t have anything else planned, has suddenly become a big, fat and unhelpful commitment.
“Important band was it?”, TLF hears you ask. No it was a Steely Dan tribute ban. STOP LAUGHING.
Thing is when TLF makes a commitment, she can’t dump it if something better comes along. So off TLF sulked to Putney. At least the game could be watched on the iPhone once we were sitting down for some pre-gig food and no doubt TLF’s ‘oohs and ahhs’, and teary celebrations caused some entertainment, if not a little consternation for fellow diners and confused waiter who turns out was not that au fait with the Mighty Saints.
Still the victory was bittersweet – what a match! What emotion! And TLF wasn’t there.
But wait, what silver lining was this? Yes the band were actually pretty good and the company was excellent. BUT better than that when TLF sneaked out for a cheeky half after the interval, there was folk legend Ralph McTell, having a Sunday evening pint. TLF didn’t tell him her footballing tale of woe…maybe that was why he was so nice and up for natter.
Ralph! Tolerant folk legend
Half Moon Fox
The Homecoming
No not a two act play by Harold Pinter, written in 1964 and first published in 1965.
Rather TLF’s first home game in a very long time as Lesta hosted Arsenal in a lunch time kick off.
The play is described as ‘highly ambiguous, enigmatic and for some cryptic.’
There was nothing ambiguous about TLF’s day. A monsoon accompanies her up the M1. The ground is now serving draft San Miguel – enigmatic lager? It is a joy to see friends not seen in far too long but the players’ poor performance is evident, unambiguous and obvious (feel free to insert any other antonyms for ‘cryptic’ that take your fancy).
TLF can only assume that they did it to make me feel better about missing so much live football.
Harold Fox
International weekend of the cheeseburger or England women v N Ireland women
Some came to worship the Lionesses, some the team from across the Irish Sea. But one came from a Roman City in search of a Wemberlee cheeseburger. For it is written in lore that at football matches, festivals, car boot sales and other outdoor activities, Mr TLF must eat a cheeseburger.
Like big cats, we stalked the concourse, seeking out our prey, resolving to eschew (BOOM!) the fast food offerings of pasties, hot dogs, heritage sausages in a bun, chicken burgers, & chicken and chips. Every nook and cranny was explored but not a cheeseburger in sight and so lesser morsels were consumed.
Disappointment was palpable and not eased by a slightly soggy Ingurland attack and an inspired performance by Ireland’s goalie. Still things could only improve.
But half time took the biscuit, or rather the burger… as the woman next to TLF returned to her seat with yes, a cheeseburger. What alchemy was this!? How had we missed the burger stand or did they only cook them once the pasties sold out? Whyyyyyyyyy?
TLF has experienced Wemberlee disappointment in her time. Being a fan of Lesta and Ingurland, it is inevitable but I don’t think I have ever witnessed footballing disappointment of a burger kind. Ingurland scored a handful of goals without reply in the second half, but it was too late for Mr TLF – he was really cheesed off (BOOMBOOM!)
This is NOT a cheeseburger. This is ill-advised chicken and chips
Hero! (her not me)
Cheesy Fox