No good news from Goodison

Biking back from Shurdington having had my flu jab, I stopped to extend a welcome to old friends who have just moved into Cheltenham - having been trying for ages to sell their nice house in a village beyond Gloucester. It didn't seem at first glance a particularly attractive swap, but inside is surprisingly roomy, and there's a quiet, decent-sized garden at the back. They will be fine once the dust has settled. An encouragement to us!

This afternoon, Everton trounced Aston Villa 3-0, and my hopes of a re-run of the result of the 1897 Cup Final were dashed. As my 14-year-old Gateley grandfather sat at supper at Ampleforth, the only Birmingham boy in the midst of a crowd of Liverpudlians, a telegram arrived: "Aston Villa 3, Everton 2."

Dining out again

We were asked by friends in Chedworth to dine with them last evening, and - arriving at the cottage - to take note of a new acquisition: a grandfather clock. In itself, this might not seem to be so very remarkable, "But look at the face!" we were urged. And there was the inscription, "Giles Coates, Chedworth." Wonderful, isn't it, that in the 18th Century a village as seemingly small and insignificant as Chedworth should be the home to a still-celebrated watch and clockmaker!

Not that this Giles should be confused with his son of the same name, who met a watery end off the coast of Tasmania where he was sentenced to be deported for shooting the Stowell Park gamekeeper.

Altogether, I had a feast of a day, with an invitation to lunch from Leo: we ate Smörgåsbord at the Swedish restaurant just opposite my former office. And at the Emirates Aston Villa beat Arsenal 3-1!

Victoriana

The ever-resourceful Barry has been here today, fixing our letter-box. After 140 years' service, it had lost its zip, or rather its spring. We rather feared we needed a new one, but no: Barry has bodged it back into working order, and what's more given it a good polish. Even though an annoying quantity of "Do not fold" envelopes end up, folded, on our mat, it's worth it to preserve something with this degree of originality, don't you think?

It's certainly worth getting Barry back (for a variety of jobs): the world is soon set to rights when he's on his tea break. Including (today): "That Vidic shouldn't have been on the field more than five minutes."

Clinging on

A fine day in Capetown seems and is a far cry from frozen Leckhampton. It appearing improbable that England's last seven wickets would last out for a draw in the Third Test, I was particularly delighted that Ian Bell was the lynchpin of our successful rearguard action, a player I've followed since his teenage debut with "my" team, Warwickshire. (Odd how these loyalties never die: I was glad to find out recently that not only my mother's father, but also my father's grandfather were staunch Aston Villa supporters, a tradition I've clearly inherited.)

Between listening to the fluctuations in the cricket, we had a great walk in the snow, coming back through the big meadow with its ancient oaks. Developers, keep your hands off!