Saturday was a day of several highs and lows. Birdie flew off as I opened the day room curtain, and has not been since although I was out for the greater part of day. She is back this morning. I had to go out first thing to top up the mobile as a message intended for sending the previous evening had been held up because of insufficient funds. It was bright and the supermarket car park already indicated the weekend rush to follow. On return and sending messages I enjoyed writing until deciding on an early lunch as I had gone without breakfast. I made a soup in a cup and then with two eggs instead of the usual three or four made an omelette with prawns and a couple of slices of salami. This was also enjoyable and I was soon organised to leave for the match just before one pm.
There was some post. A supply of ink cartridges had been delivered via a post office delivery van, and if there is post on a Saturday morning it comes early so finding several letters on the mat as I left was unexpected. One was the annual notice of the increase in my occupational pension. The letter said there was an increase of 5% and together with the improvement with tax allowances appeared to explain the significant increases. It was excellent news. I began to think how I might use the addition over the coming year, but did not stop to examine the detail‘s as I wanted to catch a bus before the rush. Although Birdie did not seem to be present I did not want the noise and fumes of using the car to cause any problems, similarly on return. If there is wind, opening the door can create the effect of a wind tunnel, blowing over chair or dustbin when it is severe.
On return my first thought was to check the details of the income changes for if the amount was correct there could be an issue of having paid too little tax but found I had completely misread the notice and although there was an increase it was small. I felt stupid.
It remained a pleasant spring morning as i walked down to the bus terminal and found that my delay with the Mail meant that I had just missed my choice route bus first route bus and had to wait nearly after an hour instead of the usual quarter. This was because of the match the service organised itself so that one immediately followed another as provide a service after the first became full. As the journey progressed three other buses going towards South Shields centre were noted. There are at present four route services between South Shields and Sunderland, the E 1 E2 and E6 and the most direct route the 35. In theory this means a must leaving every four minutes but they tend to set off together and at one two of the other routes were behind my bus as we left a stop on the main road passed the Town Hall.
Sunderland were playing one of the great team in the world over the past twenty years and perhaps the greatest team in terms of the consistent winning of trophies. Not only did we expect to lose but to lose badly given the way our team has performed over recent weeks with three losses in a row. The opening minutes confirmed this view as Manchester United demonstrated their ability to move forward with speed and skill. I feared we were to experience yet another football lesson. We had some moves forward but lacked the confidence and sharpness of the visitors and when they scored this came as no surprise. However Sunderland were playing well and matched Manchester at times with the playing skills and accurate passing. At the interval I thought the 1.0 score against us was unfair and therefore the equalising goal was no surprise. At one point before this the ball had hit the post and we were desperately unlucky not to score. The winning goal from united had an element of luck in it but although the loss brought us closer to the relegation bottom three within 2 points the feeling was that all is not lost, yet. I had an excellent seat close to an aisle but the policy of attending match by match rather than invest in a season ticket remains the best approach because of commitments, weather and poor play means that I would only attend a proportion of the home game anyway,
After the game I walked into Sunderland where the two lanes of the bridge roadway are given over to those on foot making their way into the city centre for car parks, the bus station and the pubs and bars. There were not a lot of shoppers left as most establishments had closed at five. My target was Wilkinsons to see if they had more of the black volumes in stock and I had brought with me a soft carry bag in hope. They did not. I then went to the Varsity Bar in a converted former civic building which is located close to the city centre Sunderland University site. I wanted to watch the Newcastle game at Stoke and fancied doing so in company although I knew from a previous visit that the audience would be hostile to Newcastle but in the present circumstances if given the choice between them and Sunderland my heart was with Sunderland more than Alan Shearer. Two of the three North West Clubs presently looked doomed along with West Brom.
I was hungry and rather than a snack decided to order a jumbo size sausage two eggs and beans plus chips for the cost of £2.50. After the food and watching Stoke score the first goal and looking as if they could go on for two or three more I decided it was time to make my way home and rather than wait for the next 35 took the E2 . Before then I noticed a man in a suit and tied back long hair move cases and bags, all his worldly good it seemed in two groups as I walked to the stop and then saw that he had managed to move some distance and close to Varsity bar as my bus went along a nearby street. He did not look the usual homeless character living on the streets. I suppressed an instinct to enquire and try and assist in someway. I am not sure I was right to pass by on the other side of the street so to speak. Perhaps I was more affected by the incident a minute or so before when there was a police vehicle and three officers speaking to one man outside a fast food outlet. It was evident this was the end of a situation as he then walked off and officers returned to their vehicle but it was a reminder that great caution has to be taken in cities and town centres on weekend evenings. This was underlined when arriving in an almost deserted South Shields centre, a very drunk and shouting man in his later 20’s early 30’s appeared from the entrance of the Ship and Royal threatening to take on all comers. Whereas the Sunderland bar had become packed with a combination of football supporters and Saturday night early revellers, I did not get the impression that the few visible occupants of the bars and pubs that I saw in Shields heralded the build up for the evening. What the situation would be like a few hours later I will investigate on another evening. The liveliest place appeared to be the supermarket as I took escalator feeling lazy after a good day. On my way tot he bus stop earlier the traffic had been at a standstill in the road leading to the supermarket and vehicles were waiting to join the queue already in the car park waiting for the next space. As I have not been this way at this hour for some time I cannot say if this was normal or unusual but suggests that in the recession food is making way for a night out.
I was back and organised before Britain’s Got talent, sorting the washing that had finished drying before departure but I left for my return. This time there was greater concentration on good and brilliant acts rather than the embarrassing hopefuls.
The biggest surprise was a plain 47 year old who reminded of Hannah Hauxwell. At the age 46 Hannah was living the family home on her own, a spinster, looking after a small farm in the Yorkshire hills which had no electricity or running water and where her income was said to be less than £200 a year but she was happy. She became famous world wide following television programmes and books about her life. She remains alive although in old age has had to leave the farm but still had an eccentric and lonely lifestyle in a village. I predict a very different future for Susan Boyle except for the world wide fame although I hope fame will not alter her basic personality. A young male tenor should go far as well as some of the novelty acts. A young black dance troupe from North London can also be expected to get to the final but less certain is a family of five mother, father a brilliant teenage son and two adorable twin girls. The son is a great find and the daughters will have all the parents saying wow.
I went to sleep watching an episode of Taggart reminding of what army life can be like as the instructors with their mission to turn out a succession of effective killers who can withstand the extremes of deprivation and weathers push the recruits to breaking point. Fortunately I woke in time to catch the hour later edition to find out the ending. Two of those killed had participated in the rape of a female recruit and a recruit had been pushed into undertaking the killings to stop them and their girl talking.
I have mentioned being contacted by someone from Australia regarding an ancestral branch of the family. The contact has now provided confirmation papers on another branch where an ancestor became the Mayor of Cape Town. I will send copies of the papers to interested members of the present day extended family tomorrow.
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