Quite a few readers want to know where I keep Ramona so I decided to show you.

A good friend has kindly let me park her in his driveway of their small hobby farm. She is surrounded by small animals and in a lovely wooded setting. I just have to train my friend Eric to take better care of Ramona and brush the leaves off her body and maybe once in a while wipe her down and give her a bath!!!!! Come Eric get on the program!!!! He is one of my poker buddies so he gets his revenge by taking my money every two weeks, so don't feel sorry for him!!

Hope you all are enjoying the summer and to my American friends I wish you all a great and special holiday today, blessings..

 

 

 

Another birthday celebration!!

Heidi and Shauna, the two lovely ladies that were my work partners at the restaurant back in the good old days when I used to work, invited me out for supper tonight and along with their fine looking men Gary and Mark. We had a great time, great food and good company.

Also thanks to my ex boss and owner of the restaurant, Marylin, for the meal, thanks to you all, again reminds me of how lucky I am to have good friends in my life.

I wish you all a lovely weekend!!

THIS POST IS FOR MY FAMILY MOST OF THEM WERE AT WEMBLEY STADIUM TODAY ALONG WITH 87000 OTHER FANS TO WITNESS HISTORY FOR THEIR SOCCER CLUB!!!!!


Page last updated at 16:00 GMT, Saturday, 24 May 2008 17:00 UK

E-mail this to a friend Printable version

Bristol City 0-1 HullCoverage on the BBC

Report Hull Bristol City Photos Player Rater Match stats As it happened

By Phil McNulty



Dean Windass celebrates putting Hull ahead against Bristol City
Dean Windass volleyed Hull City into the Premier League for the first time in the club's 104-year history.

The 39-year-old striker's spectacular first-half shot from 18 yards was enough to beat Bristol City in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Bristol City pressed after the break, with Hull keeper Boaz Myhill saving from Lee Trundle and Michael McIndoe.

Michael Turner also blocked Trundle late on as the Tigers held on to join West Brom and Stoke in the top flight.

It was a moment of triumph for Hull boss Phil Brown and his players, but it will be veteran Windass who will claim the glory after hitting the winner on his first appearance at Wembley in a long and distinguished career.

606: DEBATE
even a born optimist and enthusiast such as Windass could only have dreamed that the journey would end with a return to the Premier League.

Phil McNulty - BBC Sport
And the scenes of jubilation at the final whistle showed what it meant to Hull's supporters as they savoured the prospect of welcoming the cream of the Premier League to the KC Stadium.

For Bristol City and boss Gary Johnson there was only misery as they were on the wrong end of a fairytale for Hull and Windass and they must now regroup for another season in the Championship.

Bristol City opened with greater purpose, and midfield man Nick Carle might have done better than shoot wide after working his way into the Hull area.

But Hull responded and Richard Garcia headed just over from Sam Ricketts' cross in the 19th minute.


The Tigers took the lead in stunning fashion seven minutes before the interval - and it was no surprise that it was the evergreen Windass who was the scorer.

Fraizer Campbell was the creator with clever work in the area and a cross to pick out Windass, who volleyed superbly past Adriano Basso from 18 yards.

Bristol City suffered another setback before the interval when Bradley Orr, who had been injured in an accidental clash of heads with Nick Barmby, went down again and there was a lengthy stoppage while he received oxygen before being stretchered off.

It meant there was nine minutes of injury time in the first period, with Orr being taken to hospital with a suspected depressed fracture of the cheekbone.


Bristol City pressed after the break, but found Hull's defence in resilient mood as they looked to hang on to the precious Premier League prize.

And Hull made their usual changes as time went on, with Barmby replaced by Craig Fagan after 66 minutes and Caleb Folan replacing goalscorer Windass four minutes later.

It was the signal for a renewed period of Bristol City pressure, with Lee Trundle forcing Myhill into a save after a mazy run and Michael McIndoe testing the keeper from long range.

Trundle was left in anguish again six minutes from time when he looked poised to score, but Turner threw himself in front of a goal-bound shot to keep Hull in front.

Hull and their supporters were kept waiting by five minutes of injury time before their place in the Premier League could be confirmed, but there was ecstasy when referee Alan Wiley blew the final whistle - with Windass racing on to the turf and slumping to his knees in joy.

 

Well what a special day I had to celebrate my birthday.

For lunch my great friend Ken took me out for a lovely meal of fish and chips at a local pub, it was really good. In the evening I thought I was going out to Karen's house for dinner with two special ladies Eileen and Irene. But Heather and Kirby wanted me stop by before I went for dinner as they had a gift for me.

So I arrived at their house, rang the bell and was invited in by one of their boys and there sat in the living room to my TOTAL surprise were all my special friends, Karen, Eileen and Irene were there. The dinner invite to Karen's house was a ruse. Also there to help celebrate my special birthday was Ken and good friends Pat and Chris and Eddi another friend and neighbour.

We had a lovely meal and it was the best way to spend my evening. I was spoilt by some lovely gifts and some dubious gifts as well!!!!!!!

Thank you all for making the day so special and something to remember!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

I am totally amazed and proud to announce that I am now officially an OAP!!!!!!!

Amazed at how fast the 60 years of my life have flown by and proud to have achieved some of my goals.

I am so blessed to have such great health and an abundance of special people in my life.

I would like to take this opportunity to thanks all my family in England. It was 1970 when I left my parents on the train station in Doncaster to start my globe trotting and my family have always supported me in all my choices.

My life is enriched by the friendships I have, some of my friends I don't see very often but the bond remains strong.

Please join me in celebration of the arrival of my first pension cheque next month!!

Blessings to all, Les

Good morning from a dreary rainy Kelowna but looking brighter by the minute. Arrived yesterday afternoon and it is so great to re-connect with my friends here, we usually only get together in Mexico, so this is a nice interlude.

I wanted to tell you about one of my soccer games over the weekend. As one of the few senior refs there I was given the older kids to officiate, the eighteen year olds. Over Saturday and Sunday I had reffed 9 games and had to put up with the constant bickering of the coaches, players and sometimes parents. I am so used to this by now that it really doesn’t bother me and I try to use humour and smile a lot whilst I am doing the games. Late Sunday afternoon I was asked to ref girls under 13 game, as the ref that was assigned was too tired!!! So there goes me this old man still fresh after all those games. The match was a delight, maybe 200 parents and supporters in attendance and these lovely young ladies playing soccer as it should be played, with determination, passion and a great sporting attitude. I was just soaking up the enjoyment of it all, no backchat, no complaints no one shouting, “where’s your glasses ref?” and then it happened!!!

At this point I have to back track to set the scene for you. The soccer complex in Kamloops, known as the tournament capital of Canada is huge with 6 soccer fields, small golf course, pool, many baseball diamonds, BMX track and walking circuit. The game I was assigned to was field 6 and the end of the complex and where the field ended was a grassy slope rising up maybe 50 feet and then over the hill the baseball diamonds begin.

So here we are lovely warm sunny Sunday afternoon, the girls are playing hard and having fun, the parents and coaches content and me just enjoying the whole experience. About 20 minutes into the first half I glance over at the side of the field where the grassy knoll rises up and see the top of the hill lined with about 30 baseball players all staring down at us. Then from their midst walks this lady about 45 years of age dressed in baseball uniform carrying her bag and a baseball bat and she walks down the grassy slope and I knew exactly what she was going to do!! It was like a scene out of an old western movie with all the Indians on the hill looking down and their prey.

This woman just walked onto the field whilst the kids were still playing and continued to walk right across the pitch. I whistled play to stop and told the girls just to stand still and a couple of the soccer Dad’s ran onto the field in an attempt to remove her. I told them to leave her alone and not to antagonize her and she just walked right across the field. I went to with in 20 feet or so of her and told her she was setting a fine example and she just looked at me with hate in her eyes and in between many expletatives told me that would be a lesson to every soccer kid that had walked onto their baseball diamond this weekend. She just carried on walking off the field through the ranks of the parents and away she went. That was the end of it, I blew my whistle and the girls started to play again as if nothing had happened.

After the game it was funny I was talking to some of the parents and I told them I could envisage baseball guys fighting soccer Mums and we all had a good laugh. Just when you think you have seen everything up pops another one of those you had to be there moments.

Boy I sure go on a lot don’t I??? Anyway going for a long walk, where my friends live there are many lovely trails by the fast flowing run off river. Have a great day blessings

 

 

 

 

Monday morning and I have just finished my last game here in Kamloops. It was a great weekend, very sunny and warm and I stayed right in the soccer complex for the whole three nights. Now heading to visit my friends in Kelowna till Wednesday. Hope you are all enjoying the long weekend in Canada, Pura Vida

THIS POST WILL REALLY ONLY INTEREST MY FAMILY IN ENGLAND AND A VERY PROUD NIGHT FOR THEIR SOCCER TEAM!!!!!

Page last updated at 20:44 GMT, Wednesday, 14 May 2008 21:44 UK

E-mail this to a friend Printable version

Hull 4-1 Watford (agg 6-1)
By Phil McNulty



Nick Barmby celebrates his crucial goal at the KC Stadium

Hull will face Bristol City at Wembley for a place in the Premier League after comprehensively beating Watford in the Championship play-off semi-final.

Darius Henderson scored from close range after 12 minutes to give Watford hope of retrieving a two-goal deficit.

But Nick Barmby drew Hull level with a scrambled 43rd-minute header.

Caleb Folan headed Hull in front after 70 minutes, Richard Garcia added a solo third and Nathan Doyle's deflected shot made it four in injury time.

606: DEBATE
Who will win the Championship play-off final?

It means Hull have the chance of playing in the top flight for the first time in their history when they face Bristol City on 24 May.

Watford needed a fast start and an early goal as they chased a two-goal deficit from the first leg - and they got both as Henderson put them in front after 12 minutes.

Nathan Ellington was instumental, playing a neat exchange with Henderson for the powerful striker to slot home from 12 yards.

Hull looked nervous and Jobi McAnuff's deflected shot had keeper Boaz Myhill scrambling across his goal.

But Phil Brown's side showed resilience and they grabbed a crucial equaliser on the night three minutes before the interval.

Michael Turner's lofted header inexplicably drew Watford keeper Richard Lee out of position, allowing Garcia to head towards goal and the veteran Barmby raced in to make sure.

Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd waited for the early stages of the second half to unfold before making a bold change, sending on striker Tamas Priskin for defender Adrian Mariappa after 57 minutes.

And he was almost rewarded within seconds, but Myhill saved well from Priskin's rising shot at his near post.

Hull responded with a substitution of their own, sending on Folan for the tiring veteran Dean Windass - and he did make an impact with the goal the stamped his side's ticket to Wembley.

Sam Ricketts raced down the right wing and provided a perfect cross for Folan to head powerfully past Lee.

Watford were understandably demoralised, but Henderson almost got his second of the night after 81 minutes, only for Bryan Hughes to clear his header off the line.

But any slim chance of a Watford victory was snuffed out when Garcia cut through Watford's defence to make it 3-1 on the night two minutes from time.

And Hull's joy was complete as Doyle's shot deflected past Lee with virtually the last kick of the game.

Well if my poker buddies leave me any money tomorrow night I shall be able to afford to leave the island on Friday!!

Mexico weather is promised for this long weekend in Canada and I am going to take full advantage of it. Every long weekend in May for the last 6 years I have travelled to Kamloops ( see if you can find it on the map) to officiate in a huge soccer tournament and this year is no exception. The only difference this time is that I shall have the luxury comfort of Ramona, so really looking forward to this. The weather forecast is for nearly 90 degrees!!

The games are all day Saturday and Sunday and then Monday morning. I have my great friends that live in Kelowna, again on the map, so I shall drive there and spend a couple of days with them before returning home Wednesday evening.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and safe long weekend and if you don't live in Canada, then you are missing out, blessings ...

 

On this eve of yet another Mother’s Day I would like to pay a tribute to all mothers everywhere but one special tribute to a special lady, my Mum.

She passed away on Valentine’s Day 1995 a few hours after she and my Dad returned from a six-week holiday in Portugal and this photograph my Dad took of her just a few hours before they left to come home.

To say she was a remarkable woman would be a huge understatement. Although I am just a tad biased she was without any shadow of a doubt the kindest, gentlest and loving soul I have ever met. I was so blessed to have her for my Mum and I never heard her say a disparaging remark about anyone. Always there for our extended family, a rock and someone you could always count on. I don’t think she had it easy having three males in her household and although quiet and loving she did possess the Pearson stare that could send a message so strong and so clear and she was the only woman who ever called me by my full name. On those very rare and infrequent days (yea I know that is a bit of a stretch) that I miss-behaved or laid a licking on my older but smaller brother, there was my Mum, hands on her hip and all she said was “Leslie what are you doing?” That was all it took to bring me down a peg or two.

I thank both my parents for the upbringing and values they instilled in me and my Mum was always my best friend and even though most of my adult life I was always thousands of miles away from her, we possessed a special and loving bond.

MUM I love you and miss you!!!!

A very happy Mother’s day to all Mothers reading this blog!!

Another thursday smile!!!!

A bit of Texan humour
A cowboy rode into town and stopped at a saloon for a drink. Unfortunately, the locals always had a habit of picking on strangers, which he was. When he finished his drink, he found his horse had been stolen.
He goes back into the bar, handily flips his gun into the air, catches it above his head without even looking and fires a shot into the ceiling. "Which one of you sidewinders stole my hoss?" he yelled with surprising forcefulness.
No one in the bar answered.
"Alright, I'm gonna have another beer, and if my hoss ain't back outside by the time I finish, I'm gonna do what I done in Texas ! And I don't like to have to do what I done in Texas !"
Some of the locals shifted restlessly.
He had another beer, walked outside, and his horse is back! He saddles up and starts to ride out of town.
The bartender wanders out of the bar and asks, "Say pardner, before you go ... What happened in Texas ?"
The cowboy turned back and said, "I had to walk home

>YOUR THURSDAY SMILE!!

A guy was sitting quietly reading his paper when his wife walked up
> behind
> him and whacked him on the head with a magazine.

> 'What was that for?' he asked.

> 'That was for the piece of paper in your pants pocket with the name
> Laura Lou written on it,' she replied.

> 'Two weeks ago when I went to the races, Laura Lou was the name of
> one of the horses I bet on,' he explained.

> 'Oh honey, I'm sorry,' she said. 'I should have known there was a
> good explanation.'

> Three days later he was watching a ballgame on TV when she walked up
> and hit him in the head again, this time with the iron skillet, which
> knocked him out cold.

> When he came to, he asked, 'What was that for?'

> Your horse called.

Cinco de Mayo is a date of great importance for the Mexican and Chicano communities. It marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Althought the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. With this victory, Mexico demonstrated to the world that Mexico and all of Latin America were willing to defend themselves of any foreign intervention. Especially those from imperialist states bent on world conquest.
Cinco de Mayo's history has its roots in the French Occupation of Mexico. The French occupation took shape in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. With this war, Mexico entered a period of national crisis during the 1850's. Years of not only fighting the Americans but also a Civil War, had left Mexico devastated and bankrupt. On July 17, 1861, President Benito Juarez issued a moratorium in which all foreign debt payments would be suspended for a brief period of two years, with the promise that after this period, payments would resume.

The English, Spanish and French refused to allow president Juarez to do this, and instead decided to invade Mexico and get payments by whatever means necessary. The Spanish and English eventually withdrew, but the French refused to leave. Their intention was to create an Empire in Mexico under Napoleon III. Some have argued that the true French occupation was a response to growing American power and to the Monroe Doctrine (America for the Americans). Napoleon III believed that if the United States was allowed to prosper indescriminantly, it would eventually become a power in and of itself.

In 1862, the French army began its advance. Under General Ignacio Zaragoza, 5,000 ill-equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indians defeated the French army in what came to be known as the "Batalla de Puebla" on the fifth of May.

In the United States, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to be known as simply "5 de Mayo" and unfortunately, many people wrongly equate it with Mexican Independence which was on September 16, 1810, nearly a fifty year difference. Over, the years Cinco de Mayo has become very commercialized and many people see this holiday as a time for fun and dance. Oddly enough, Cinco de Mayo has become more of Chicano holiday than a Mexican one. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on a much larger scale here in the United States than it is in Mexico. People of Mexican descent in the United States celebrate this significant day by having parades, mariachi music, folklorico dancing and other types of festive activities.
Click to view our educational Videos & DVD For Classroom Use!




The Mexican Flag
La Bandera de México


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Green:

The Independence Movement


Hope

White:

The purity of the Catholic faith.


Purity
Red:

The Spaniards that joined in the quest for Independence.
The blood of the National Heroes
Union





The emblem-shield symbolizes the Aztec heritage.
According to a beautiful legend, the gods had advised the Aztecs that the place where they should establish their city was to be identified when they saw an eagle, perched on a prickly pear tree, devouring a serpent. They saw this mythical eagle on a marshy lake that is now the zócalo or main plaza in Mexico City.



This flag was created in 1821, when the Independence movement had ended victoriously.

El Día de la Bandera or the Fiesta of the Mexican Flag is celebrated on February 24.

 
 
 
 
I love these photos.

On my way to Costco this afternoon I took a drive down a subdivision where I know there are many deer that stroll through the streets and came across these beauties. I wish I knew how to use photo shop so I could put them onto one photograph because in the garden where the deer were feeding and only 10 feet away was the rabbit watching the deer. Then about 10 feet away from the rabbit was the cat watching the rabbit watching the deer! If that doesn't bring a smile to your face, what will?

It seems like every day I referee soccer games, yesterday I reffed a Men's Masters Game, boy those old boys take their soccer quite seriously. Today was wonderful because I reffed 2 games, both under 11, so the kids were 10 years old. I have never done this age group before and let me tell you a story about the No.3 on the Victoria girls team.

These kids were so skilled a great credit to the coaches and their sense of fair play was evident through out but no better than an incident that happened. The Victoria player No.3 got a break away and was running towards the goal where obviously all their supporters were and just as she shot the ball towards the goal my sight was blocked by another player and the ball finished up in the goal but I wasn't sure if it was a goal or if the ball had entered from out of bounds through the side netting. All the girls from the Victoria team ran back to centre field as if the goal was a good one but some of the local players were saying the ball had gone in from the side. The game was not a competition or anything just really a friendly between the two towns, so I went to the parents behind the goal, parents of the team that had scored and asked if the goal was a good one or not and they all said yes for sure. I still was not convinced so before I started play I asked the No.3 the shooter to come to me and as I looked down on this little blonde beauty I asked her if it was a goal. With those wide blue eyes she looked right at me and said,"No I think it went in through the side." I thanked her for her honesty and sense of fair play, waved off the goal and ran by the parents saying the scorer had told me it was not a goal and I hoped they felt so small!!!!!!

The Victoria team lost the game by one goal and after the game when the kids come and shake my hand I pulled the No.3 aside again thanked her and I gave her my US silver dollar coin that I use for the coin toss at the beginings of games and told her how proud I was of her and so should her team mates, coaches and parents. That girl to me is a true hero!!!

Have a great rest of the day, blessings ..

 
 
 
 
Today was a beautiful day sunny and warm and I took these photos this afternoon and all are within 3 miles of my apartment.