A mixed week

ended up with me going to the office on Friday to help out. After going through a tough time in the Money Market area our company made some cutbacks on Thursday and a good mate (as well as a few others) was let go. That meant all sorts of management scrambling on Friday and with another mate in London on a business trip, we were going to be very short of staff.
The beers and a couple of bottles of wine tasted OK with Peter in the evening, but we were both pretty down about losing Pipo from the office.


Tune of the Day:    Midnight Train To Georgia   by Gladys Knight

Hey! It's hot

and I did manage to take a week off during what will probably be the warmest time of the year. I believe that we are in for another thunderstorm this evening- bring it on!



Tune of the Day:  Brass Neck    by DJ Food

Congratulations to the Spanish

on their first ever victory in the World Cup. It was certainly well-deserved (although I would personally have rathered that the title went to Holland). The next person who tells me that the only team that beat the Spanish during the World Cup was the Swiss will get a smack in the chops  :-)


Tune of the Day:   Ain't No Sunshine   by Soul Bossa Trio

It is nice to receive post

and it is even nicer to receive post from nice people. Thanks for the card Kai- we hope that you have a lot of fun with your new football. Enjoy the rest of your holidays and try not to use your hands too much or Noodle might whack you again   :-)



Tune of the Day: Drive South    by John Hiatt

In the orange corner.....

it was great to see the Cloggies get through to the World Cup Final last night after a victory over Uruguay. After the "hands on the goal line" incident, I was very happy to see Uruguay go home. Maybe there should be a rule change in that case............. it was definitely going to be a goal, the player broke the rule to stop the goal and his team ended up winning the match when the ensuing penalty went astray. I think that the idea of a "penalty goal" would be a good one. The referee awards a goal (instead of a penalty) and still sends the player to the showers with a red postcard. Thoughts??



Tune of the Day: Mutiny    by William Elliott Whitmore

After a bit of a scare today, it turns out that "Man Doing" is ok

he took a pretty heavy tumble being a football star (either that or Noodle whacked him for using his hands) and was rushed off to hospital for x-rays and a proper check-up. Luckily he should be fit for the final. Hang in there, buddy!

 Tune of the day: Molasses   by the Coctails

Out for another ride this morning

and managed to beat the heat. Being in town over lunchtime was a little less pleasant though. The Germans have scored the first goal against Argentina- I just hope that Maradona can get the guys back on track and do the right thing................



Tune of the Day: Goin' To California    by Led Zeppelin

The newspapers are suggesting that there may be

as many as a couple of million visitors to this weekend's Zürifäscht. Sounds, to me, like a great reason to avoid the city entirely. It will be hot, it will be crowded.............. I might go for a bike ride and light the bbq, I think.



Tune of the Day: Let's Lynch The Landlord    by The Dead Kennedys

The Vulkan was a highlight

and dinner with Patricia and Scotty was most enjoyable. The Hoegaarden in the Lions pub was pretty good too but it couldn't wash the sour taste from my mouth after witnessing one of the great refereeing mistakes of the modern era. I'm not saying that England would (or even should) have won the match, but had the goal been awarded things may have turned out very differently.
If I were that goalie, I would be very wary of anyone wearing three lions........


Tune of the day:  Use Me   by Holly Golightly

It's Friday evening, Switzerland are playing football and

strangely enough there are empty streets everywhere   :-)  The Swiss will need to perform well this evening to get through to the next stage and it would be nice to see that happen.
We have had a wonderful warm, sunny day and more of the same has been predicted for the weekend. Biking, bbqing and generally taking it easy seems to be the order of play.......



Tune of the day:  My Ride Is Here  by Bruce Springsteen

Adieu les Bleus

The first highly-fancied victims of South Africa 2010 were the Frogs. They are now on their way home with the camp in total disarray and their tails well and truly between their legs after being given a lesson by the hosts. There are always upsets in sporting events like this, but this one brought a smile to my face.
There is plenty more action to come and at the moment my two favourites for the crown would be Argentina and Brazil. Good luck!





Tune of the day:  Oliver's Army  by Elvis Costello

THUD!

That was the noise that the Swiss made coming back to earth this afternoon......... After a heady win against the reigning European Champions, they were made to look pretty ordinary by a talented and very committed Chilean team today. No need to get down in the dumps yet- a win against Honduras will see them progress to the next stage and that is to be seen as a success. Hopp Schwiiz!


Tune of the day:  Black Steel   by Tricky

Route One is fantastic

with Sir Roy and Lord Nelson putting on a great show from South Africa  :-)  There have been a few surprises so far in this World Cup and I am sure that there will be more to come. A difficult decision for me next week when I need to decide whether to wear my Japan or Denmark shirt for the Denmark v Japan match.....


Tune of the day: Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others    by The Smiths

There will be plenty of people who will say

that it was to do with cheese and fresh air and others will say that it was the great coach........ personally I'm still not sure how Switzerland managed to beat Spain yesterday afternoon, but I am pretty happy with the result. I don't think that I have ever seen Zürich in quite such a party mood as it was at 7:00 last evening  :-)



Tune of the day:  Old Devils  by William Elliott Whitmore

Rampaging through this sporting life pays off

with Roy and HG being recognised in the most recent Australian Honours List. They have both been admitted to the Order Of Australia for services to media and entertainment. Thinking about it now.......... Radio JJJ in the 1980s was quite a while back.  :-)
Congratulations to the guys and I only hope that this doesn't become "a handbrake on their lives" as Roy so beautifully put it.


Tune of the day: Tango 'Til They're Sore  by Holly Cole

Do the French have any fans at all?

After seeing them in a very ordinary performance last night I would understand totally if no-one at all supported them  :-) I'll happily admit that I would be pleased if they went home after the Group Stage in South Africa. I have a date this evening with Scotty, Patricia, Ken and then the England v USA football match.
Look out!


Tune of the day: Even Flow by Pearl Jam

Sadly, my new Denmark football jersey didn't arrive in the post today

which means that I won't be able to wear it out tomorrow evening  :-(  I can't possibly wear my new Japanese jersey to watch the match tomorrow night as someone might mistake me for a frog....... looks like I might have to go Italian white!


Tune of the day: Sweet Black Angel by The Rolling Stones