Saturday, 30th December.
Intruder

My glorious solitude at home is now over - I came home this morning to find that The Couple have returned. Oh well.

I met up with Damy at the pub and we watched Spurs' dismal performance against Ipswich Town. How depressing. Then we were off to Regent's Park for a kickabout.

Have I explained the Regent's Park kickabout before? Quickly, then, here's the story. Damy organises a bunch of his mates to meet up at Regent's Park and we have a short-sided game, jumpers for goalposts, enduring image, isn't it? Often people will wander up and join in - it's the done thing at Regent's Park.

There was still snow on the hard ground, and it was bitterly cold (by my standards). We started off with five of us, then a bloke who couldn't find his mates joined in for a little while. Then a group of seven blokes rolled up and asked for a game. Matey found his friends, leaving us with six-a-side. It was a strange experience, the white ball sometimes invisible against the snow (we needed one of those orange balls!) and the studs of my boots banging against the frozen pitch.

Magic moment: me wearing my Carlton jumper! Not wearing my Carlton Soccer Club top though. Carlton Soccer Club, and the folding thereof, is not to be mentioned in my presence.

Now The Couple went out for dinner or something tonight, and I went to bed before they got home. I awoke during the night due to a whole lot of scrabbling about going on outside my door. Just as my eyes opened Brendan came into my room and turned on the light!

"What's goin' on?" I croaked, eyes squinting. Brendan mumbled something, then turned off the light and walked out, shutting the door behind him. I figured he was very, very drunk and had forgotten that this was now my room. I went back to sleep.

But not for long. I was woken again, then Brendan came through the door and again turned on the light!

"WHAT?" I yelled.
"Oh, sorry Ian," he said, and turned off the light and walked out. Shutting the door behind him.

Weird.