....working on the chain gang.......

That's how it feels sometimes.

jkj10 asked me the other day if I was relaxing with my feet up yet......fat chance!

After spending most of yesterday slaving over a hot oven makng tapas....this was my relaxing Saturday.

Shaun....or Roy....no-one is owning up to it....volunteered us to help out a neighbouring Angling club with their Open Day/Taster session as part of the "Street" Games.

"It'll be ok....we'll meet up at the bait shop...... order the stuff for tomorrow..... drive over there.....show our faces for an hour and then escape"

Yeah, right.

We got there at 9.50 for a 10.00 start...........the first shock....the session was from 10.00 until 3.00!

Half a dozen little boys and girls turned up and Roy, Sam and I took a couple each, gave them a quick lesson and got them fishing....and they started catching pretty quickly....squeals of delight, smiling faces, beaming looks from the yummy mummies.............and then a few more kids arrived.....and a few more.....and a few more.....so now we had to start rotating kids on and off the boxes..."20 minutes and then you'll have to give someone else a turn".....but what happens if they don't catch a fish in their 20 minute spell?....and they don't, because there's so many kids and parents milling about the fish are all getting scared out into deeper water..... suddenly the kids are moaning and the yummy mummies don't look so yummy as they begin to scowl.

And I look up and suddenly realise that all I can see are the four of us coaching............where's the members from the club we're helping?........apparently they've all got prior engagements.

We somehow managed to keep every one sweet until about 12.30 when hunger took over and most of the kids had a break for lunch and some even went home.

I was just about to say to Shaun, "Let's make our escape" when Jimmy, the Chairman of the host club announced "Just off to get the grub, boys...see you at 1.00 for lunch!" So we hung about a bit. "Where's all their own coaches? Where's the coaches from the other clubs who promised to come?" I asked.

"Buggered if I know,"was Shaun's reply.

The kids stopped eating and drifted back, the respite had allowed the fish to move back in close agin, so they all started catching again......and at 1.20 Jimmy called us for lunch....and it was a delightful buffet.....fresh fruit, chicken, pies, sandwiches, salad, cake....and beer! "Sh*t," said Shaun, "we can't scoff this and then shoot off, we'll have to stay!"

Eventually, the majority of kids left, one or two of the host club's members turned up for a 'look see' and we were able to make our getaway at about 2.30!

4 1/2 hours free coaching. I could have earned about £100 for that privately.That'll teach us to be Good Samaritans!

I got home to an empty house, sorted my gear for tomorrow, the Boss came home about 5, I made tea for the two of us, utilising yesterday's tapas leftovers, and then I fell asleep in front of the documentary about the last flight of the Space Shuttle which I particularly wanted to see having met two of the astronauts two years ago!!!!

Relaxing with my feet up?......I don't think so!

Still bloody knackered?..........Definitely!

Das vidanya moy padruga.